# 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:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Roundabout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dec6dc/32.png) [@Roundabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roundabout)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/41 "2014-04-28T02:06:21Z")
The Jackson 5 - ABC Marvin Gaye - Let’s Get It On The Temptations - My Girl The Miracles - I Second That Emotion The Four Tops - I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) Thomas Dolby - She Blinded Me With Science Van Valen - Running with the Devil Hall and Oates - You Make My Dreams Herbie Hancock - Rock It A-Ha - Take on Me Average White Band - Pick Up The Pieces Bill Withers - Lean On Me Billy Joel - Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song) Bon Jovi - Livin’ On A Prayer NWA - Straight Outta Compton Curtis Mayfield - Pusherman David Bowie - Space Oddity Eminem - Stan Journey - Don’t Stop Believing Kool and the Gang - Ladies Night Mason Williams - Classical Gas ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/42 "2014-04-28T02:45:16Z")
> [@Roundabout](#): > > The Jackson 5 - ABC > Marvin Gaye - Let’s Get It On > The Temptations - My Girl > The Miracles - I Second That Emotion > The Four Tops - I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) > Thomas Dolby - She Blinded Me With Science > Van Valen - Running with the Devil > Hall and Oates - You Make My Dreams > Herbie Hancock - Rock It > A-Ha - Take on Me > Average White Band - Pick Up The Pieces > Bill Withers - Lean On Me > Billy Joel - Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song) > Bon Jovi - Livin’ On A Prayer > NWA - Straight Outta Compton > Curtis Mayfield - Pusherman > David Bowie - Space Oddity > Eminem - Stan > Journey - Don’t Stop Believing > Kool and the Gang - Ladies Night > Mason Williams - Classical Gas This list is kinda illustrative of the problems I had making mine. There’s one set of artists who are (in my mind) one hit wonders, and it seems unfair to call their one hit their “signature”, so I just leave them off the list. IMO Mason Williams is a good example of this, as Classical Gas is the only song of his that I know. Surely, though, a personal fan of his would know more. OTOH, I find it very difficult to pick a “signature” for an artist when I know a bunch of their work. So I don’t pick one because I tend to conflate “signature” with “my favorite”, and you have to know a WHOLE lot about the artist to distinguish the two. Most of the other artists in this list fall into the second category for me. Marvin Gaye – why not I Heard It Through the Grapevine or What’s Going On? The Temptations – why not Get Ready or The Way You Do the Things You Do? The Miracles – why not Tears of a Clown? I dunno why not, so I don’t put them on my list either. ---
**Author:** ![Roundabout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dec6dc/32.png) [@Roundabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roundabout)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/43 "2014-04-28T03:08:26Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > This list is kinda illustrative of the problems I had making mine. There’s one set of artists who are (in my mind) one hit wonders, and it seems unfair to call their one hit their “signature”, so I just leave them off the list. IMO Mason Williams is a good example of this, as Classical Gas is the only song of his that I know. Surely, though, a personal fan of his would know more. > > OTOH, I find it very difficult to pick a “signature” for an artist when I know a bunch of their work. So I don’t pick one because I tend to conflate “signature” with “my favorite”, and you have to know a WHOLE lot about the artist to distinguish the two. Most of the other artists in this list fall into the second category for me. > > Marvin Gaye – why not I Heard It Through the Grapevine or What’s Going On? > The Temptations – why not Get Ready or The Way You Do the Things You Do? > The Miracles – why not Tears of a Clown? > > I dunno why not, so I don’t put them on my list either. Good point. I didn’t know if including one hit wonders was a cheat or not. For the other artists, however, I just put the songs of theirs that had likely been most universally known and distinctive. Technically you could put “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” or “What’s Going On?” for Marvin, but I think “Let’s get It On” is more widely recognizable to fans and non-fans alike. At least, that’s how I saw fit to arrange my list. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/44 "2014-04-28T12:56:43Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > “Nights in White Satin”. Nights. (I agree though. “Ride My Seesaw” only got to #42 in the UK and #61 in the US) Dunnow, the Knights might’a looked mighty pretty 😃 (I’m picturing the Pythons relaxing in their satin and lace at some point during their search for the Holy Grail and one asking another “do these garter stockings make mine butt look fat?”). ABBA - Chiquitita Joan Manuel Serrat - the Vingt anys series (now that I’m 20 years old, I’ve been 20 years old for 20 years, I’ve been 20 years old for 20 years for 20 years); Mediterráneo (his first song in Spanish); Hoy puede ser un gran día (today can be a great day) Lluis Llach - L’estaca (a song that was such an evident call to fight Franco’s regime that Llach says he still can’t believe it passed censorship) Estopa - Pastillas de freno Manolo Escobar - in Spain, Mi carro; abroad, Porrompompero Juan Luis Guerra y 440 - La bilirrubina Peret - Borriquito como tú Miguel Ríos - Himno a la alegría (Ode to Joy); Santa Lucía (a song which made no sense when it was written but which sounds a lot less weird in the Skype age) \*Sometimes you remind me of someone(…) I know everything about your life, nevertheless I know nothing about you. The telephone is so cold, your calls so short, I want to meet but you refuse(…) Sometimes you remind me of me. The first time I thought “she misdialed”, the second time I didn’t know what to say then I was afraid, so many crazies out there, and now I know I couldn’t live without you.\* Obus - Casi me mato Barón Rojo - Los rockeros van al infierno (Rockers go to Hell); Siempre estás allí (You’re always there; You = fans) Siniestro Total - Miña Terra Gallega (cover of Sweet Home Alabama) Metallica - Nothing else matters (I swear I’ve actually asked Metallica fans “do they have any other songs? Sheesh!” Yes, they do, a few of them and most don’t drip treacle) Rammstein - Reise, reise ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/45 "2014-04-28T13:18:21Z")
> [@jerez](#): > > Just wanted to add that “Cocaine” may not be better known today in most parts. That’s how it was when I was growing up but others may say differently. Yeah, I’ve known his stuff since the 60s, and Cocaine would have to be way down on the list for a possible signature song. Of course, when the song is mentioned, since he’s the only one who probably ever did it, his name would come up; otherwise… ---
**Author:** ![movingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@movingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/movingfinger)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/46 "2014-04-29T06:43:52Z")
The Four Freshmen– **Blue World** ---
**Author:** ![DarkFire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@DarkFire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkFire)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/47 "2014-04-29T08:27:06Z")
With signature songs, I figure they’re the ones that most people will know, even those that don’t really know the artist and most likely aren’t interested in hearing “but they’ve done better than that” Pearl Jam - Alive (runner up would be Jeremy and that concludes their ‘everyone knows this’ songs I think) Guns N’ Roses - November Rain (runner up, Sweet Child O Mine) The Who - I’d say My generation Madonna - Like a virgin Michael Jackson - Thriller / Beat It Lionel Richie - Dancin’ on the ceiling Van Halen - Jump Kiss - I was made for lovin’ you Soundgarden - black hole sun Europe - Final countdown the Doors - Light my fire Sex Pistols - God save the queen the Ramones - I want tobe sedated ---
**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 29, 2014, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/48 "2014-04-29T16:02:21Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > 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. One-hit wonders should be admitted, only if you name the song first, and the artist’s name comes immediately to mind. Actually, this should be the rule for everyone. Like if you say “Fever,” Peggy Lee is the obvious artist. ---
**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 29, 2014, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/49 "2014-04-29T16:08:48Z")
> [@Octarine](#): > > Israel Kamakawiwo’ole - “Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World” Listings like this should have to work both ways. If “Over the Rainbow” or “What a Wonderful World” is mentioned, you wouldn’t automatically think of Israel Kamakawiwo’ole (unless you were seriously deranged). ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/50 "2014-04-29T16:39:46Z")
A “signature song” isn’t necessarily an artist’s best song or his/her biggest hit- in some cases, the “signature song” was never really a hit at all. It’s more of a theme song. Sometimes it’s a self-selected theme song, and other times it’s a song that fans think sums up what the artist was all about. Andy Williams’ signature song was definitely “Moon River,” even though his recording of that song never reached the Billboard charts. He picked that as his personal theme song, just as Bob Hope picked “Thanks for the Memories.” Glen Campbel had a lot of hit singles. “Gentle on My Mind” was not one of them. But it’s the song he chose as his theme. That makes it his signature song, even if it wasn’t his best or most popular. In the case of Frank Sinatra, he had dozens of hits, numerous iconic songs, and MANY of those songs were a lot better than “My Way”… but somehow, “My Way” seemed to sum up his life, his career and his attitude better than any of his other hits. Similarly, John Lennon wrote and recorded dozens of hits, many of which were much better than “Imagine”… but somehow, “Imagine” embodied the ideals and attitudes that a lot of people admired most in John Lennon. That’s what made it his signature song. SOMETIMES, a band or artist’s first smash hit becomes its signature song by default, even if the band/artist has gotten tired of it. SOMETIMES a band or artist comes to think of that song as an albatross around the neck! In those cases, an artist may groan, “I’ve made LOADS of great records, but the audience will have a cow if I don’t play THIS one!” Sting will NEVER escape from “Roxanne.” He may rework it and play it in different styles in concert, but he knows he HAS to play it. The Stones will NEVER escape from “Satisfaction.” The Moody Blues CAN’T do a show and not play “Nights in White Satin.” Kiss HAS to do “Rock and Roll All Night.” A few artists have been productve, successul and prolific enough to have MULTIPLE signature songs. Paul McCartney HAS to play “Yesterday,” “Hey Jude” and “Let It Be” at every show. He has a huge body of work to choose from, but those songs are so iconic that he CAN’T not play them. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/51 "2014-04-29T16:52:21Z")
A few other suggestions… 1. Benny Goodman: “Sing SIng Sing” 2. Alice Cooper: “School’s Out” 3. Led Zeppelin: “Stairway to Heaven” (they’d rather it was something else, no doubt) 4. Elvis Presley: “Hound Dog” ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026/52 "2014-04-29T17:04:43Z")
A few others: Deep Purple: “Smoke on the Water” Shirley Temple: “On the Good Ship Lollipop” Rosemary Clooney: “Come Onna My House” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signature-songs/687026.md?page=2)