# 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:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![dinahmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dinahmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinahmoe)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/61 "2006-03-04T03:28:43Z")
There’s an old Style Council Mini LP (remember them?) that has a gorgeous acoustic version of “Headstart for Happiness.” Paul Weller is one of my idols, and this version made me learn guitar just so I could play it. ---
**Author:** ![Oregon\_sunshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/50afbb/32.png) [@Oregon\_sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oregon_sunshine)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/62 "2006-03-04T04:31:20Z")
How about **Moonshiner** by Uncle Tupelo? Brilliant and haunting. Can you say Amen?! ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/63 "2006-03-04T06:17:19Z")
**Old Man** and **Needle and the Damage Done** by Neil Young **Diary** by Bread (stop snickering, it’s kinda poignant a capella) **Guinevere** by Crosby, Stills & Nash, also **Wooden Ships** **Taxi** by Harry Chapin ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/64 "2006-03-04T07:02:05Z")
**Waiting For My Real Life To Begin** - Colin Hay **Winter** and **Closer** , by [Josh Radin](http://www.joshuaradin.com/). You can listen to a couple of samples on his site (including those two). The current version of **Closer** appears to have a little more instrumentation (sounds like a synthesizer doing chords, mostly) than the original version I heard, but it’s mostly him and guitar. **Hello** - Evanescence. This one is primarily vocals and piano. Although there’s a bridge section with what sounds like strings (since it’s a break from the vocals). ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/65 "2006-03-04T08:01:06Z")
Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, Sweet Baby James by James Taylor. And most of S&G songs are guitar friendly. My personal favorite is American Tune. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2006, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/66 "2006-03-04T11:00:24Z")
**Beck** - Lost Cause **Frank Sinatra** (written by Rodgers and Hart) - My Funny Valentine **Nina Simone** - Sinnerman ---
**Author:** ![dinahmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dinahmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinahmoe)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2006, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/67 "2006-03-05T01:44:33Z")
> [@irishgirl](#): > > **Beck** - Lost Cause Also, Nobody’s Fault, from _Mutations_. And Jackass from \*Odelay. \* God, Beck is awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2006, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/68 "2006-03-05T06:44:12Z")
Nothing like any of the songs in the OP, but may I recommend: “Lost in the Stars”, written by Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson. I am particularly pleased by Wesla Whitfield’s rendition for heartbreaking poignance. Now, I am the compleat atheist, but this song makes me understand why many people might long for the solace that trust and belief in a god can bring. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2006, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/69 "2006-03-05T21:35:10Z")
# Dr Hook—“Queen of the Silver Dollar” # Harry Chapin —“Cat’s in the Cradle” —“Shooting Star” —“Six-String Orchestra” # Willy Nelson—“Pancho and Lefty” # “Sloop John B.” Traditional, famously covered by the Beach Boys. > [@](#): > > Fire on the mountain, lightning in the air > Gold in them hills, and it’s waiting for me there # I don’t know the title or the original artist, but it’s a standard in the coffee houses. # Most of the soundtrack from _Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou_? # Most of the soundtrack from _Forrest Gump_. > [@](#): > > by featherlou > “When Doves Cry” - Prince. Good one. I once heard a geeky white guy sing it with an acoustic guitar, and it was still great! ---
**Author:** ![oxydatazealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a87d85/32.png) [@oxydatazealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oxydatazealot)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/70 "2006-03-07T05:08:33Z")
> [@ZebraShaSha](#): > > Also, classic folk is great for this. There is not much complexity behind Woodie et al, because they were writing songs for the people. They wanted everyone to listen, and to participate, so it all feels so genuine and beautiful and simple. This kid doesn’t fit in the “classic” folk description. But he does it well and “live” is unbelievable. Also, you can hear him in the chorus -he says, “Uru Cha-Cha”. I thought it was fitting for “ZebraShaSha” [http://www.myspace.com/aaronmaras](http://www.myspace.com/aaronmaras) ---
**Author:** ![Windwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/5e9695/32.png) [@Windwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Windwalker)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/71 "2006-03-07T06:15:29Z")
Elliott Smith had a number in this category. Some highlights include “Needle In The Hay”, “Angeles”, “Miss Misery”, “The Biggest Lie”, “Say Yes”, “Between the Bars”… Simon and Garfunkel can probably fill a whole page. “Bleecker Street”, “Wednesday Morning 3 AM”, “April Come She Will”, “Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall”, “Sounds of Silence” (acoustic version), etc. Johnny Cash’s “Hurt” also pops to mind here… To the OP, nice seeing another Silvio Rodriguez fan! ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/72 "2006-03-07T06:56:21Z")
One man and his guitar, you say? Possibly with some backing instruments? You want Bards, Barking Division, m’lad. Or otherwise known as Billy Bragg Some of my favourites: _Valentine’s Day Is Over Must I Paint You A Picture Waiting For The Great Leap Forward Levi Stubbs’ Tears Greetings To The New Brunette_ ---
**Author:** ![Mayo\_Speaks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mayo\_Speaks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mayo_Speaks)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/73 "2006-03-07T07:04:31Z")
I’ll put forth **Van Diemen’s Land** on U2’s “Rattle and Hum.” It’s just The Edge playing his guitar and singing a beautiful tune. Really great. Unfortunately, U2 hasn’t performed this in over a decade ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ensign\_Edison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ab992/32.png) [@Ensign\_Edison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ensign_Edison)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/74 "2006-03-07T12:49:22Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > **Iron Hand** by Dire Straits I was going to mention this one. “The Wind” - Cat Stevens “Stand By Me” must have been mentioned already, but I missed it if so. “A Reminder” - Radiohead “Hallelujah” - Leonard Cohen originally, Jeff Buckley’s cover is the best, as everyone knows ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2006, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815/75 "2006-03-07T19:30:13Z")
“Arms of the Angel” and “When She Loved Me” - Sarah McLachlin “May It Be” - Enya “Pie Jesu” - Andrew Lloyd Weber (sung by Sarah Brightman and a boy soprano in the original “Requiem” album). All haunting, spare and powerful. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-and-beautifull-songs/346815.md?page=3)