# Songs that paralyze you... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 13, 2001, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805 "2001-03-13T15:40:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805/1 "2001-03-13T15:40:18Z")
Are there any songs or music pieces that are so beautiful and powerful, that they take over your whole existence? These are songs that you want to listen to 20, 30, or even 50 times in a row. Like a drug, they take you on a trip and allow you to transcend your life. Time has no meaning and all of your priorities are redefined when hearing songs of this type. Here are some of mine: “Anna Begins” - Counting Crows “Fake Plastic Trees”, “Karma Police”, and “Let Down” - Radiohead “Well I Wonder” and “I Know Its Over” - The Smiths “Con Te Partiro” - Bocelli singing. (Featured in an episode of The Sopranos) “Nessun Dorma” - Pavarotti singing. “New World Symphony (1st Movement)” - Dvorak “9th Symphony (2nd Movement)” - Beethoven I’ll try to think of some others. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805/2 "2001-03-13T16:28:54Z")
I think if I were swimming in the ocean and heard the Jaws theme, I would become quite paralyzed 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dodge\_this](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@dodge\_this](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dodge_this)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805/3 "2001-03-13T16:35:03Z")
In no particular order of merit, songs that still raise the hairs on the back of my neck: 1. The Wild Ones - Suede (or The London Suede in the US) 2. Creep - Radiohead 3. Bittersweet Symphony - The Verve 4. Panic - The Smiths 5. That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore - The Smiths 6. Bad - U2 7. Mystery - Indigo Girls 8. Tangled Up in Blue - Bob Dylan 9. Difficult Kind - Sheryl Crow 10. Sit Down - James 11. Sky Is A Landfill - Jeff Buckley 12. Song To A Siren - This Mortal Coil 13. Group Four - Massive Attack All pretty sad songs. I’ll try to think of a few happy ones now. Mmmm…no, I can’t. ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805/4 "2001-03-13T16:41:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jackknifed Juggernaut \* > > “Nessun Dorma” - Pavarotti singing. My husband loves Nessun Dorma so much that he wants to make sure it’s the last song he listens to before he dies. Yowza. Now, jarbaby’s list of musical paralysis: Lacrimosa - From Mozart’s Requiem Wilder Wein - the original version, Rammstein Stolzes Herz (lange version) - Lacrimosa Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Elton John One - U2 I get off on tangents a lot, I’ll get hooked on a song or a group for a few weeks and listen to their music until my husband forcibly takes the CD away from me…but the above are the standards that never leave my list. jarbaby ---
**Author:** ![tiny\_ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805/5 "2001-03-13T16:43:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dodge\_this \* > > 1. Song To A Siren - This Mortal Coil And how could I forget Song To THE Siren - Laurie Freelove that’s singularly the most jarbaby paralyzing song in existence I think. jarbaby ---
**Author:** ![NotWithoutRage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NotWithoutRage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotWithoutRage)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805/6 "2001-03-13T16:46:21Z")
“Time In A Bottle” – Jim Croce “When Angels Cry” – Janis Ian both fantastic, paralyzing songs… ---
**Author:** ![dodge\_this](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@dodge\_this](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dodge_this)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805/7 "2001-03-13T16:53:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jarbabyj \* > > And how could I forget > > Song To THE Siren - Laurie Freelove > > that’s singularly the most jarbaby paralyzing song in existence I think. > > jarbaby \*\* D’oh! of course it’s THE. Who’s Laurie Freelove? I only know the Mortal Coil version with Liz Fraser on vocals. Would love to hear Tim Buckley’s original though. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805/8 "2001-03-13T17:04:27Z")
Usually the songs that make me stop in my tracks are ones that I heard on the radio when I was younger and either ignored or detested - and now I can appreciate them. For instance, “The first time ever I saw your face” sung by Roberta Flack didn’t do anything for me as an adolescent boy when it first came out but now I listen to it and it’s like one of the most beautiful songs ever. Fleetwood mac songs are like that. I hated fleetwood mac when I was in high school but now I’ve bought some of their CDs and learned some of their songs. Some great stuff there. Neil Young and to a lesser extent James Taylor have some songs that really take me back. There are too many songs I love to list here. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805/9 "2001-03-13T17:21:14Z")
The theme from COOL McCOOL, a Saturday morning cartoon show from 1967 or thereabouts. You can listen to it here if you don’t believe me. [http://www2.wi.net/~rkurer/realvid.htm](http://www2.wi.net/~rkurer/realvid.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Monkey\_Chews](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@Monkey\_Chews](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monkey_Chews)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805/10 "2001-03-13T18:18:18Z")
Dreams - Fleetwood Mac Champagne Supernova - Oasis Last Goodbye - Jeff Buckley Waltz No. 2 (XO) - Elliot Smith Caroline - Concrete Blonde No Aphrodisiac - The Whitlams In My Life - The Beatles Message To My Girl - Split Enz Stolen Car - Beth Orton Tender - Blur Everlasting Love - U2 Make a Play For Her Now - Bangles It’s a Fire - Portishead Linger - The Cranberries Shiver - Coldplay Cornflake Girl - Tori Amos Teardrop - Massive Attack One Rainy Wish - Jimi Hendrix Tomorrow Wendy - Andy Prieboy & Johnette Napolitano Summertime Rolls - Jane’s Addiction Cross Bones Style - Cat Power A Place Called Home - PJ Harvey Paranoid Android - Radiohead Gorgeously beautiful and endlessly powerful, each and every one. Just what I want from music. You might also be interested in this recent thread, it asked a somewhat similar question: [What Music Gives You Chills?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=59355) ---
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805/11 "2001-03-13T18:56:52Z")
Silent All These Years - Tori Amos What’s the Matter Here? - 10,000 Maniacs What Time Is Now? - The Smiths Almighty Father from Leonard Bernstein’s _Mass_ The entire Brahms _Ein Deutsches Requiem_ (particularly having recently performed this piece) I’m sure I’ll think of more later… ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805/12 "2001-03-13T19:21:36Z")
Some more of mine… “True Faith” and “1963” - New Order “Ladykillers” - Lush “Dogs of Lust” and “Love is Stronger than Death” - The The “The Different Story” - Peter Schilling “Fall On Me” - REM “Black” - Pearl Jam “Blue Moon” - Cowboy Junkies version “Walk on Water” - Eddie Money “True Colors” - Cindy Lauper “Dream a Little Dream of Me” - Mama Cass version “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” and “Sounds of Silence” - Simon and Garfunkel There are probably another 20 songs by The Smiths and another 15 by Radiohead that I could add to this list, but I’ll spare you. ---
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805/13 "2001-03-13T19:37:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jackknifed Juggernaut \* > \*\*“Dogs of Lust” and “Love is Stronger than Death” - The The > > “Fall On Me” - REM > \*\* Gotta second those. “Love is Stronger than Death” particularly; I can’t listen to it without getting completely choked up. ---
**Author:** ![unwashed\_brain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a9adbd/32.png) [@unwashed\_brain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unwashed_brain)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805/14 "2001-03-13T19:37:39Z")
**dodge\_this** - you and I seem to share similar music tastes. Check out the “bands” page on my website by clicking the button below my post. Here’s a quick list from me (in no particular order): - “plainsong” by the cure - “bittersweet symphony” by the verve - “protection” by massive attack - “release” by pearl jam - “h” by tool - “shadowboxer” by fiona apple - “given to fly” by pearl jam - “closedown” by the cure - “three libras” by a perfect circle - “the working hour” by tears for fears - “fade into you” by mazzy star - “quiet” by john mayer ([http://www.johnmayer.com](http://www.johnmayer.com)) - “vioet” by seal ---
**Author:** ![Winnowill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/4491bb/32.png) [@Winnowill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winnowill)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805/15 "2001-03-13T21:12:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jackknifed Juggernaut \* > \*\*Some more of mine… > > “True Faith” and “1963” - New Order > “Ladykillers” - Lush > “Dogs of Lust” and “Love is Stronger than Death” - The The > “The Different Story” - Peter Schilling > \*\* My God - I was just going to post these, myself! (I once drove from Youngstown to Toledo, Ohio, (a three hour drive) listening to nothing but _True Faith_) Some others: _Yes, Anastasia_ by Tori Amos _Cuts You Up_ and _Cascade_ by Peter Murphy _Eileen Og_ by Irish Tenor Anthony Kearns _The Second Element (Part 2)_ and _A Question of Honor_ by Sarah Brightman - anyone else seen her most recent concert? Incredible. _Easy Terms_ by Michael Ball _Verdi Cries_ by 10,000 Maniacs _Feed the Birds_ by Julie Andrews (off the Mary Poppins soundtrack) ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805/16 "2001-03-13T21:40:04Z")
_The Abduction from the Seraglio_, Turkish Finale by Mozart and also his _Requium Mass_. ---
**Author:** ![DeskMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DeskMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeskMonkey)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2001, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805/17 "2001-03-13T23:44:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dodge\_this \* > \*\*Would love to hear Tim Buckley’s original though. \*\* Y’know, the This Mortal Coil version, to me anyway, is much more powerful. There are a couple versions by Tim Buckley, one uses a funky effect with the guitar and it kind of spoils it. Maybe it’s because I heard the This Mortal Coil version first, but it has so much more atmoshere. But it’s Tim’s kid Jeff that turns me into a sobbing puddle of a girl. Pretty much every song on Grace, especially “Hallelujiah” and “Lover, You Should Have Come Over”. I got the album at the beginning of a tenuous relationship and I listened to it constantly, so I put a lot of emotion into it. And then when Jeff Buckley died, well, that was just so sad. I actually haven’t listened to the album in it’s entirity for a couple of years because it’s too depressing. I’m not usually that sensetive, but Grace is a hell of an album. ---
**Author:** ![hardygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@hardygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hardygrrl)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805/18 "2001-03-14T01:18:32Z")
Where Did You Sleep Last Night by Nirvana…especially how Kurt’s voice breaks at the end. All I Want Is You by U2 So. Central Rain by R.E.M. Me and A Gun by Tori Amos Malibu by Hole Northern Star by Hole Something in the Way by Nirvana Given to Fly by Pearl Jam Oceans by Pearl Jam Don’t Give Up by Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush Dear Mama by 2Pac Rhiannon by Fleetwood Mac Lovesong by the Cure ---
**Author:** ![coming\_up\_for\_air](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@coming\_up\_for\_air](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coming_up_for_air)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805/19 "2001-03-14T01:34:27Z")
I’ve been absorbed in “Stand On The Place Where You Live” to the point people elbow me and say “The bus is here. You getting on or not?” ---
**Author:** ![HalberMensch242](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecb155/32.png) [@HalberMensch242](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HalberMensch242)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805/20 "2001-03-14T02:07:20Z")
Ok…here are some recent songs that have grabbed me by my boyz and would not let go: **Tear Garden- Romulus and Venus** …i can’t get enough of this song…fantastic…beyond words…Ka-Spel and Cey are amazing!! **Wolfsheim-It’s Hurtin for the 1st time** …man…this song get’s me all emotional…i need a moment…ok, i’m fine. 🙂 **VnV Nation- Amrhan Comhrac** …this song makes me wanna do an irish jig! **Einsturzende Neubauten- Blume** a sensitive and light song from the boys who bang on metal…well i’ll be a monkey’s uncle **Radiohead-Wish you where here** …brilliant cover…i think i like better then Floyd’s **Saves The Day- You Vandal** …emo/pop-punk to the highest quality. \*\* The The- The Shrunken Man\*\*…no words to describe it \*\* Feindflug- Roter Schnee\*\*…stalingard…masingrad **Rammstein- Sonne** wow…Till Lidemen learned how to sing…wunderbar! **Venetian Snares-Befriend a Child Killer** …hehe, umm…well, i’ll tell you guys later. **Chemlab-Pyromance** …these boys have always known how to do Aggro the right away…unlike ministry or 16volt. **Depeche Mode- Surrender** …why in the world was this a B-side!!! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-paralyze-you/57805.md?page=2)