# Simple and beautifull songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 2, 2006, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815 "2006-03-02T21:28:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/41 "2006-03-03T06:19:31Z")
> [@initech](#): > > Quiet - Rachael Yamagata Oh good, another person here who knows who she is. That makes, what, six? 😉 It’s a great song, and a real tearjerker for me, personally. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/42 "2006-03-03T07:59:03Z")
“Beautiful” by Gordon Lightfoot. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/43 "2006-03-03T08:23:40Z")
John Denver’s performance of the song “Junk” is very simple, and might fit your bill. (It was written by Paul McCartney.) ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/44 "2006-03-03T09:00:52Z")
Er, you can listen to a sample of “Junk” [here](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000002W7R/ref=m_art_li_9/102-6650504-2570562?s=music&v=glance&n=5174) at [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) to see if it fits your bill. Also try [Paul Simon’s](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001LYGVC/ref=m_art_li_12/102-6650504-2570562?s=music&v=glance&n=5174) “Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall” for size. [Geoffry Oryema](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000000HOA/qid=1141375632/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-6650504-2570562?s=music&v=glance&n=5174) 's Makambo is breathtaking IMO. For variety I’ll mention [Paula Cole](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001LYGVC/ref=m_art_li_12/102-6650504-2570562?s=music&v=glance&n=5174)’s “Hush Hush Hush”, it is voice, piano and flute, as well as [Jane Siberry](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000002IWH/qid=1141376141/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-6650504-2570562?s=music&v=glance&n=5174)’s “It Can’t Rain All the Time” from the Original Crow soundtrack, both are beautiful and simple. ---
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/45 "2006-03-03T09:36:12Z")
Richard Thompson has written and performed a few: 1952 Vincent Black Lightning King of Bohemia How Will I Ever be Simple Again? And the whole album ‘Small Town Romance’ (if you can get it - it’s very rare). ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/46 "2006-03-03T10:05:02Z")
Why ‘Amazing Grace’ or course. Recorded music has made too many people about singing just for the fun or it. Go ahead, belt out a tune now and again. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/47 "2006-03-03T12:37:37Z")
Paul Simon, “Peace Like a River” Lyle Lovett does a cover of “Friend of the Devil” on a Grateful Dead tribute album that I just love. ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/48 "2006-03-03T13:01:20Z")
Nirvana’s unplugged version of “The Man Who Fell To Earth”…(I think it’s the only version.) Allison Krauss: “Baby Now That I’ve Found You” Simon & Garfunkle: “For Emily (Wherever I May Find Her)” ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/49 "2006-03-03T14:02:02Z")
> [@ZebraShaSha](#): > > Also, Sparklehorse almost always release(s/d) simple, beautiful stuff - unless they felt like rawking out. They have some so-simple-it-hurts songs on most of their work, and it all sounds beautiful. Thanks for the tip. My father sent on a cassette of their stuff quite a while ago and I hadn’t listened to it yet. This makes me want to rush home and play it. 🙂 My votes? “Catch the Wind” by Donovan. And “Cold Tea Blues” by Cowboy Junkies. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/50 "2006-03-03T14:15:29Z")
_Wonderful Tonight_, by Eric Clapton. I’ve always considered this one of the best love songs of the rock era. ---
**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:** [March 3, 2006, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/51 "2006-03-03T14:26:21Z")
Some obscure ones: **Darling If** by Spirit **Lullabye** by Emitt Rhodes ---
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/52 "2006-03-03T14:28:44Z")
Most of John Lennon’s album, _Plastic Ono Band_, is John and an instrument (usually piano). All of the tracks have very simple and spare arrangements. Some songs are very raw (“Mother”) or simply beautiful (“Love”). Great album. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/53 "2006-03-03T14:32:03Z")
**Linger** - The Cranberries ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/54 "2006-03-03T15:25:24Z")
Van Morrison’s _“And It Stoned Me”_ on his Moondance album. Creedence Clearwater’s “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” and “Who’ll Stop the Rain?” Simon and Garfunkel’s “April, Come She Will.” Hank Williams’ “Mansion on the Hill,” “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” and “Lost Highway.” ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/55 "2006-03-03T15:38:36Z")
**Iron Hand** by Dire Straits ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/56 "2006-03-03T15:48:29Z")
> [@Starving Artist](#): > > _Wonderful Tonight_, by Eric Clapton. And his “Promises”. ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_Urquhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@Gordon\_Urquhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_Urquhart)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/57 "2006-03-03T17:09:33Z")
Gordon Lightfoot has been mentioned, but Sarah McLachlan’s cover version of Gord’s beautiful _Song for a Winter’s Night_ is well worth tracking down. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/58 "2006-03-03T17:09:38Z")
My favorite band, **Cowboy Junkies**. Their first album **The Trinity Sessions** is all in this format. Some of their other stuff is more complex and more rock, but they have plenty of simple songs and these are my favorite ones. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/59 "2006-03-03T17:11:28Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > And his “Promises”. Yes. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2006, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/60 "2006-03-03T17:12:29Z")
“Handbags and Gladrags” by Rod Stewart. The lyrics make zero sense, but it’s a heartbreakingly lovely song. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815.md?page=4)