# Songs that seem like they should be longer **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 26, 2007, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269 "2007-07-26T19:08:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269/1 "2007-07-26T19:08:39Z")
The only one I can think of right now is “The Trees”, by Rush. It takes the forms of a classic epic of the progressive and/or psychedelic variety, where there are a couple verses and a long, drawn-our musical interlude, then a final verse or two. Only the song doesn’t even clock in at 5 minutes. I’m sure others can think of other songs that seem like they are a lot longer than they really are (for instance the collected works of the Black Eyed Peas 😃 ) ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269/2 "2007-07-26T19:26:18Z")
I have never decided whether Cream’s song “Badge” was too short or just right. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269/3 "2007-07-26T19:30:25Z")
_(This Song’s Just) Six Words Long_ by Weird Al Yankovic ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269/4 "2007-07-26T19:32:02Z")
_I’m On Fire_, Bruce Springsteen. Just as it gets going, it fades out. ---
**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:** [July 26, 2007, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269/5 "2007-07-26T20:14:02Z")
Cristopher Guest noted that one of the hardest parts of writing Spinal Tap was creating songs that \*felt \* interminable. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269/6 "2007-07-26T20:17:37Z")
**Just a Song Before I Go** CSNY ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269/7 "2007-07-26T21:44:28Z")
Teach Your Children by CSN(&Y?). Only two verses. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269/8 "2007-07-26T22:04:22Z")
_Happiness Is a Warm Gun_, by the Beatles. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269/9 "2007-07-26T22:12:57Z")
I agree with Teach Your Children and Happiness is a Warm Gun: I also thought of Eleanor Rigby. The strings and background singing at the end make it seem like it goes on literally forever (i.e. the strings and singing symbolize all the other verses that could be written on that subject,) nearly turn it into an epic when it can’t be more than 2 1/2 minutes long. ---
**Author:** ![Swede\_Hollow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@Swede\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swede_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269/10 "2007-07-26T23:41:06Z")
How about **Maybe** (the theme song from “Life and Times of Grizzly Adams”) by _Thom Pace_? I always liked the song but it is just over 1 minute long. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269/11 "2007-07-26T23:43:05Z")
Danny’s Song ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269/12 "2007-07-27T01:10:44Z")
[QUOTE=beowulff] **Just a Song Before I Go** CSNY [/QUOTE] I didn’t think there’d be a chance in hell anyone would beat me to this one! 🙂 How in the _hell_ is this song only a bit over two minutes long??? I used to think it was really really long, like Suite Judy Blue Eyes. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269/13 "2007-07-27T01:13:51Z")
[QUOTE=Swede Hollow] How about **Maybe** (the theme song from “Life and Times of Grizzly Adams”) by _Thom Pace_? I always liked the song but it is just over 1 minute long. [/QUOTE] [“Maybe”](http://pop.discogs.com/release/701693) By Thom Pace is standard length on the 45- maybe over the show credits its only a minute? And though the song is average length, I wish “Tin Man” had a second verse, and wish ["Arms of Mary](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8vzIGqaJy8)" had a longer intro. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269/14 "2007-07-27T01:56:35Z")
Sweet Child O Mine by Guns N Roses had the chance to be one of the greatest rock songs ever. However, it goes through a couple of great verses and then fades into instrument solos and these lyrics repeated: "Sweet child o’ mine Sweet love of mine Where do we go Where do we go now Where do we go Sweet child o’ mine" I want them to make it again with some additional content and drop the back filler. ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269/15 "2007-07-27T02:17:35Z")
Fleetwood Mac’s **TUSK** is a freaking great song, with all sorts of cool tribal muttering, a giant marching band, guitar licks, and of course the chant/shout “TUSK!” on every chorus… but it’s only about two minutes long, and it could probably have been at least as long as Paul Simon’s “The Obvious Child” and not worn out its welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269/16 "2007-07-27T02:34:58Z")
[QUOTE=Jurph] Fleetwood Mac’s **TUSK** is a freaking great song, with all sorts of cool tribal muttering, a giant marching band, guitar licks, and of course the chant/shout “TUSK!” on every chorus… but it’s only about two minutes long, and it could probably have been at least as long as Paul Simon’s “The Obvious Child” and not worn out its welcome. [/QUOTE] Not to nitpick, but the 45 is [3:36](http://cgi.ebay.com/Fleetwood-Mac-45-Tusk-Never-Make-Me-Cry_W0QQitemZ230018725300QQihZ013QQcategoryZ306QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem) ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269/17 "2007-07-27T02:50:47Z")
[Color My World](http://www.romantic-lyrics.com/lc19.shtml) by Chicago It’s one of my favorite songs. I really should be longer. ---
**Author:** ![some\_white\_dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@some\_white\_dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/some_white_dude)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269/18 "2007-07-27T05:26:53Z")
[This song](http://youtube.com/watch?v=EwTZ2xpQwpA) pushes five minutes, but it feels closer to an eternity. (It’s a mostly harmless YouTube video for those at work) ---
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269/19 "2007-07-27T08:50:09Z")
More or less all the songs on Bob Dylan’s ‘Nashville Skyline’ album. At least a couple of them fade out prematurely for goodness’ sake… ---
**Author:** ![I\_m\_Ron\_Burgundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9fc29f/32.png) [@I\_m\_Ron\_Burgundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_m_Ron_Burgundy)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269/20 "2007-07-27T09:30:42Z")
Pearl Jam - Wishlist. My favorite lyrics are in the last verse, which fades out a quarter of the way through. They usually play it live with the full ending, but always different lyrics. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-seem-like-they-should-be-longer/413269.md?page=2)