# Summarize a Musical Group/Artist in One Song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 23, 2012, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593 "2012-10-23T03:37:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunshine_and_Smiles)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593/1 "2012-10-23T03:37:21Z")
My girlfriend told me a story where she was giving her a brother a ride somewhere and she was listening to a cd. Her brother: “This guy sounds like he is just trying way too hard to be the Smiths.” Her response: “This is the Smiths.” I got to wondering what the song was that could so capture their essence as to almost sound like a caricature. Never found out, but I thought this might be a fun question. Imagine you had to sum up the particular style, sound, feel, idea of a band or solo artist in just one song. What would it be for whom? For example, I would say _Anarchy in the UK_ pretty much sums up the attitude and sound of the **Sex Pistols**. Even if you only heard that song by them, you’d still have a pretty good idea of what they’re about. It need not have to be a single or hit or anything like that. **The Smashing Pumpkins** were my favorite band for a long time but I’d say if I had to sum them up in one track it’d be _Thru the Eyes of Ruby_, off of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Ambitious in scope, jammin’, great guitar work, the deal with it or hate it voice of Billy Corgan, powerful dynamics. All the things that I identify with the Pumpkins. Anyone got any other ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593/2 "2012-10-23T04:53:24Z")
Anything by AC/DC sounds very much like anything else by AC/DC. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593/3 "2012-10-23T08:33:25Z")
> [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](#): > > It need not have to be a single or hit or anything like that. Oh good! 😉 Trying to pick one from my girl [Hap](http://happyrhodes.org/) is tough, because with 11 eclectic albums, her music ranges from beautiful melodic acoustic ballads to rock to pop to trance instrumentals to epics to why-the-hell-wasn’t-that-a-hit? radio-friendly to tone poems to weird-ass-wtf-was-THAT? to sinister to bizarre to gorgeous luminosity and more, but if I had to pick one, this would start things off: [“Temporary and Eternal” (live acoustic version)](http://youtu.be/HSToMTvLpAw). 1st, it shows off her incredible range (all voices are her). 2nd, it’s mesmerizing (not for everybody of course, but if you’re the right person in the right frame of mind it can be). 3rd, you can be hypnotized by the music and singing without paying attention to the lyrics, but, 4th, if you do listen to the lyrics, it’s slightly creepy (she is singing about dead people, after all), and Hap LOVES creepy. 5th, there are deeper ideas here than your average love/lack-of-love woe-is-me type songs. It’s actually _about_ something. 6th, I just really really like it, so I went with it. (here’s the [original album](http://youtu.be/qL4LHADZ-L8) version, which is much more ethereal, and [a video](http://youtu.be/YiIqnvFAoHs) of the live version to show there’s no trickery involved). ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593/4 "2012-10-23T10:33:17Z")
Interesting question. For Bruce Springsteen, I’d say the original version of “[No Surrender](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD3DdskaPhs)”. It has all of the Springsteen themes and sounds. ---
**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:** [October 23, 2012, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593/5 "2012-10-23T11:36:27Z")
For the Rolling Stones, “Sympathy for the Devil.” ---
**Author:** ![Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunshine_and_Smiles)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593/6 "2012-10-23T13:38:04Z")
**Oak** , I definitely hear you on the AC/DC. Bombastic riff, solid groove, a man who sounds like his balls have accidentally fallen into a blender… I like **Alessan** ’s Springsteen suggestion too. It’s a song I’d never heard, but I agree - from the rambling flow of the lyrics, the upbeat kick, the band chiming in place behind, talk of neighborhoods and not giving in - it’s classic Bruce. And **Equipoise** , having never listened to Happy Rhodes before I can now say I have some grasp of her style, so thank you! Other possibilities: Interpol - [Obstacle 1](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkBAUqp6NKg) Wilco - [Pot Kettle Black](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAQ9QGrvVoA) Supertramp - School ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593/7 "2012-10-23T13:54:48Z")
**Springsteen** - Either “Born To Run” or “Thunder Road.” (“No Surrender” doesn’t have enough of The Big Man) **Fleetwood Mac** - Much harder, since there were some many iterations. But I’ll select “Oh Well Parts 1 & 2” for early Mac and “Go Your Own Way” for Classic Mac. **Rolling Stones** - I don’t think it can be done. 76 albums, 107 singles. Too much. But I’d select “Street Fighting Man” over “Sympathy.” **Rush** - “Subdivisions” (see **SaS** ’s reference to AC/DC above for vocals) ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593/8 "2012-10-23T14:14:24Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > **Rolling Stones** - I don’t think it can be done. 76 albums, 107 singles. Too much. But I’d select “Street Fighting Man” I would say _Satisfaction_. **Pink Floyd** : _Echos_ Early **Beatles** : _Twist and Shout_ Late **Beatles** : _I am the Walrus_ **Jethro Tull** : _Songs from the Wood_ ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593/9 "2012-10-23T14:21:35Z")
“Songs from the Wood?” Really? I think that is a bit too light for **Tull**. “Bouree” or “Heavy Horses” would be more typical, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593/10 "2012-10-23T14:24:46Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > “Songs from the Wood?” Really? I think that is a bit too light for **Tull**. “Bouree” or “Heavy Horses” would be more typical, IMO. _Bouree_? No. While I find it delightful, that to me is very untypical. But _Heavy Horses_ was my 2nd choice. _Roots to Branches_ was my third. ---
**Author:** ![SykoSkotty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593/11 "2012-10-23T14:37:23Z")
KISS - Rock & Roll All Nite Aerosmith - Walk This Way Motley Crue - Kickstart My Heart The Doors - Light My Fire ---
**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:** [October 23, 2012, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593/12 "2012-10-23T14:43:34Z")
I’d pick _Hunting Girl_ or _Too Old To Rock and Roll_ for Tull. Got to have some of that Anderson humour, preferably dirty or black. Einsterzende Neubauten can be effectively summarised by [_ZNS_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUHCl4TUdTA). It misses the softer side of [_Blume_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SV3R5vdxnMk) or [_Sabrina_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYU9-EOhXrU), but that’s hardly the essence of Neubauten, now is it. Joy Division - I think it’d be [_Novelty_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7CY-SpGxEA) for me. Not as well known as _Love will Tear…_ or _She’s Lost Control_, but captures the essence, again. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593/13 "2012-10-23T14:46:48Z")
For Pink Floyd, I’d say either _Let There Be More Light_ or _The Narrow Way_. Both have psychedelic-era themes and production, but also hint at their later bombastic, choral-sounding music and/or indulgent song structure, respectively. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593/14 "2012-10-23T16:25:07Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > **Springsteen** - Either “Born To Run” or “Thunder Road.” (“No Surrender” doesn’t have enough of The Big Man) I’ve always considered “Prove It All Night” to be the quintessential Bruce song. The Who: “Won’t Get Fooled Again”. Metallica: “Master of Puppets” or “One”. Ben Folds Five: “The Battle of Who Could Care Less”. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593/15 "2012-10-23T16:27:43Z")
The Wiggles: Quack Quack ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593/16 "2012-10-23T16:30:08Z")
_Byrds: Eight Miles High_ ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593/17 "2012-10-23T16:33:47Z")
**Bob Dylan** : _Hey Mister Tambourine Man._ ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593/18 "2012-10-23T16:36:19Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > **Bob Dylan** : _Hey Mister Tambourine Man._ I was thinking about Dylan. For some reason, I think “Sara” would be a better choice. ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593/19 "2012-10-23T16:37:43Z")
Iron Maiden - Phantom of the Opera - off their first album, has their signature twin guitar sound, as well as a variation of the classic maiden “gallup”, multiple time changes, and the lyrics are based on a classic story. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593/20 "2012-10-23T16:43:03Z")
Dire Straits - _Romeo and Juliet_ Warren Zevon - _Mr. Bad Example_ Mumford & Sons - _The Cave_ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-musical-group-artist-in-one-song/638593.md?page=2)