# Signature songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 26, 2014, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026 "2014-04-26T05:57:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/1 "2014-04-26T05:57:04Z")
Signature songs are songs that as soon as they are mentioned, a certain singer comes to mind. And when the singer is mentioned, that song comes to mind. Some oldies include: Judy Garland: “Over the Rainbow” Tony Bennett: “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” Barbra Streisand: “People” What are some others, oldies or newbies? ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/2 "2014-04-26T06:18:10Z")
Ringo- “Yellow Submarine” ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/3 "2014-04-26T06:51:02Z")
Dean Martin: Everybody Loves Somebody Etta James: At Last Peggy Lee: Fever Julie London: Cry Me a River Harry Belafonte: The Banana Boat Song ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/4 "2014-04-26T08:33:13Z")
Andy Williams: Moon River Mel Torme: Chestnuts Roasting…? Bing Crosby: White Christmas ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/5 "2014-04-26T09:33:01Z")
[Laura Nyro – Eli’s Coming](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX5AanHQS1g) (I refuse to associate this with Three Dog Night, [listen to the original](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX5AanHQS1g)if you haven’t heard it.) [Blood, Sweat & Tears – And When I die](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XS-gwb8eSc0)(written by Laura Nyro) [Carole King – It’s Too Late](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNB3rTka-LI) [James Taylor – You’ve Got a Friend](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7RPCFfudmU) (Carole King) [Little Eva – The Loco-Motion](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKpVQm41f8Y)(Carole King and Gerry Goffin) [Shirelles – Will You Love Me Tomorrow](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnPlJxet_ac) (Carole King) [Otis Redding – The Dock of the Bay](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCmUhYSr-e4)(Otis Redding & Steve Cropper) [Aretha Franklin – Respect](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYbs_O_iMfU) (Otis Redding) [Neil Diamond – Sweet Caroline](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vhFnTjia_I) [Monkees – I’m a Believer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfuBREMXxts) (Neil Diamond) [UB40 – Red Red Wine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXt56MB-3vc) (Neil Diamond) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/6 "2014-04-26T19:56:49Z")
Ray Charles – Georgia on My Mind Frank Sinatra – My Way Duke Ellington – Take the A Train ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/7 "2014-04-26T21:00:33Z")
John Lennon – “Imagine” (unfortunately, as I think it’s not nearly his best) Al Jolson – “Mammy” ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/8 "2014-04-26T21:17:44Z")
Thinking of the artist, not the song first\* Tiffany-I Think We’re Alone Now Downtown-Petula Clark Robin Sparkles-Sandcastles In The Sand \*specifically written like that because I like the original Tommy James version of I Think We Alone Now better. ---
**Author:** ![randompattern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@randompattern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randompattern)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/9 "2014-04-26T21:26:17Z")
Bridge Over Troubled Water- Art Garfunkel Crazy- Patsy Cline Folsom Prison Blues- Johnny Cash ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/10 "2014-04-26T21:56:56Z")
Bobbie Gentry–Ode to Billie Joe Gordon Lightfoot–The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/11 "2014-04-27T00:42:00Z")
The Thrill Is Gone - B.B. King Layla - Eric Clapton Alice’s Restaurant - Arlo Guthrie Ride My Seesaw - Moody Blues I’m One - Pete Townshend Fire - Arthur Brown ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/12 "2014-04-27T02:20:27Z")
God Bless America-Kate Smith ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/13 "2014-04-27T02:30:29Z")
Pete Townsend: Let My Love Open the Door ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/14 "2014-04-27T03:35:44Z")
Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run Billy Joel - Piano Man Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/15 "2014-04-27T04:04:28Z")
Kurt Cobain - “Smells Like Teen Spirit” Janis Ian - “At Seventeen” Ricky Martin - “Livin’ La Vida Loca” Billie Holliday - “Strange Fruit” Jon Bon Jovi - “Living On A Prayer” Phil Collins - “In The Air Tonight” ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/16 "2014-04-27T04:06:55Z")
Janis Joplin–Me and Bobby McGee ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/17 "2014-04-27T04:40:05Z")
> [@Alley\_Dweller](#): > > [Blood, Sweat & Tears – And When I die](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XS-gwb8eSc0)(written by Laura Nyro) > > [Monkees – I’m a Believer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfuBREMXxts) (Neil Diamond) I’d have to dispute these. I’m not sure a song qualifies as an artist’s “signature song” unless the great majority of people, asked to name one song they associate with that artist, would name that song.\* For BS&T, I would think as many people would say “Spinning Wheel” as “And When I Die”. And as for the Monkees – wouldn’t “Theme from The Monkees” be the obvious choice? On a separate note, it seems to me that one-hit wonders should probably be excluded from this thread, because you could simply list every one-hit wonder in history along with their one hit. \*This may invalidate my own nomination of “Imagine” for John Lennon, as he had so many great songs that there probably isn’t any one that the great majority of people would nominate. Still, I think “Imagine” has somehow attained the status of “the John Lennon signature song”… you know it’s the one song you’re going to hear any time there’s a Lennon tribute. Well, to add to the list… I figure for Led Zep it’s gotta be “Stairway to Heaven”, although “Whole Lotta Love” is a strong contender. And for Glen Campbell – “Gentle on My Mind”, the theme song for his TV show. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/18 "2014-04-27T05:44:07Z")
Annie Haslam (Renaissance): “Ashes Are Burning” David Lee Roth (Van Halen): “Oh, Pretty Woman” Jeff Lynne (ELO): “Shine A Little Love” (or “Can’t Get It Out of My Head”, if you hate disco.) Ozzy Osbourne: “Paranoid” (with Black Sabbath), “Crazy Train” (after Black Sabbath) Peter Gabriel: “Solsbury Hill” Ronnie James Dio: “Holy Diver” Roy Orbison: “Oh, Pretty Woman” Tom Petty: “American Girl” ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/19 "2014-04-27T07:38:31Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Janis Joplin–Me and Bobby McGee Her posthumous signature? Though I guess I might have asked the same regarding Redding/Dock of the Bay. In the old days, your “signature song” was the one played at the beginning or end of your radio show (if you had one). By that definition, Kate Smith’s was “When the Moon Comes over the Mountain”. Glenn Miller’s was “Moonlight Serenade”, though I’d guess “In the Mood” might be more familiar, since it features in every WWII movie depicting a soldiers’ dance. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/20 "2014-04-27T08:00:14Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > I’d have to dispute these. I’m not sure a song qualifies as an artist’s “signature song” unless the great majority of people, asked to name one song they associate with that artist, would name that song.\* For BS&T, I would think as many people would say “Spinning Wheel” as “And When I Die”. And as for the Monkees – wouldn’t “Theme from The Monkees” be the obvious choice? > > On a separate note, it seems to me that one-hit wonders should probably be excluded from this thread, because you could simply list every one-hit wonder in history along with their one hit. > > \*This may invalidate my own nomination of “Imagine” for John Lennon, as he had so many great songs that there probably isn’t any one that the great majority of people would nominate. Still, I think “Imagine” has somehow attained the status of “the John Lennon signature song”… you know it’s the one song you’re going to hear any time there’s a Lennon tribute. > > Well, to add to the list… I figure for Led Zep it’s gotta be “Stairway to Heaven”, although “Whole Lotta Love” is a strong contender. > > And for Glen Campbell – “Gentle on My Mind”, the theme song for his TV show. For Glen Campbell, I would’ve said “Rhinestone Cowboy.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026.md?page=2)