# What is the most beautiful song you have ever heard? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 25, 2008, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369 "2008-11-25T02:30:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mbedell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@mbedell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbedell)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369/1 "2008-11-25T02:30:48Z")
This should include any song in any style in the last 500 years. In my opinion , "Air on a G string " or “Air” from Orchestral suite No. 3 in D major by Johann Sebastian Bach tops them all. ---
**Author:** ![mbedell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@mbedell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbedell)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369/2 "2008-11-25T02:37:10Z")
This should include any song in any style in the last 500 years. In my opinion , "Air on a G string " or “Air” from Orchestral suite No. 3 in D major by Johann Sebastian Bach tops them all. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369/3 "2008-11-25T02:44:12Z")
The most beautiful? Damn, that’s a tough one. I’m not going to name just one. I’ll list Handel’s Messiah, Holst’s Jupiter, and Keiko Matsui’s ‘Light Above the Trees.’ ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369/4 "2008-11-25T03:01:58Z")
Good question but they do kinda discourage posting the same one across forums. Since you’ve got one w/ an answer in Cafe, let me report this for ya. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369/5 "2008-11-25T03:09:36Z")
[Kabutomushi](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrChF0tvDX0), by aiko. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369/6 "2008-11-25T03:11:36Z")
First one that comes to mind is ‘Teardrop’ by Massive Attack. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369/7 "2008-11-25T03:14:51Z")
A bit out of place in this thread(so far): Pink Floyd’s “Great Gig in the Sky” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/KIXuufXJs98/hqdefault.jpg "The Great Gig In The Sky") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIXuufXJs98) It’s a shame this is such a short piece: Tchaikovsky’s “Coffee” (Arabian dance) [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTuL8t163l4) ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369/8 "2008-11-25T03:15:55Z")
“Weak, Weak Man” by [The Singing Loins](http://www.singingloins.co.uk/). Beautiful in the same way a busted-up, cauliflower-eared prizefighter is beautiful. It perfectly encapsulates the desperation and alienation of being the master of nothing but one’s own arrogance. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369/9 "2008-11-25T03:16:20Z")
Depends on my mood. There’s a few dozen at least. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369/10 "2008-11-25T03:20:29Z")
_I’ll post this elsewhere_ ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369/11 "2008-11-25T03:22:08Z")
_Lullaby_, by The New Music of Reginald Foresythe. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369/12 "2008-11-25T03:27:24Z")
It’s a toss-up between Leo Kottke’s version of “Jesu, Joy Of Man’s Desiring” and “The Lights Of Home” from Bela Fleck’s album, _Drive_. ---
**Author:** ![deadindays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@deadindays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deadindays)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369/13 "2008-11-25T03:29:42Z")
Definitely Satie’s Gymnopedie 1! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369/14 "2008-11-25T03:33:20Z")
At the end of Richard Wagner’s _Das Rheingold_ the Rhinemaidens cry for their lost gold as the gods enter Valhalla. I weep when I hear it. I don’t want to hear from you on this, Skald… ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369/15 "2008-11-25T03:39:44Z")
Well, I don’t have an answer that feels anywhere close to authoritative, and I know almost nothing about classical music. But Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring is so good it’s become a cliche and is still wonderful to hear almost anytime. An amazing amalgam of sad and happy. The first version I loved was [Joy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57_DFEFV08A) off the George Winston December album. On a simpler level Alison Krauss’s version of [I Will](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_UJo6KClAU&feature=related) takes one of Paul McCartney’s prettiest melodies and makes it simpler and more ethereal. ---
**Author:** ![Stauderhorse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Stauderhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stauderhorse)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369/16 "2008-11-25T03:43:39Z")
Sarah McLachlan - [In The Arms Of An Angel](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVbkz_3lO3c) (video) It’s so soft and beautiful, almost like a caress from someone who cares about you when you need it most. Always has the ability to take me away. ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369/17 "2008-11-25T03:45:20Z")
When I was nine, I was utterly convinced it was an unwinnable dead heat between [Pachelbel’s Canon in D](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachelbel%27s_Canon) and “[The Rose](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rose_(song))” as sung by Bette Midler. Though I thought really hard about adding “[Music Box Dancer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_Box_Dancer)” to that match. Nowadays, I’d tend more towards agreeing with **deadindays** , though of course that one makes me cry. Also, the [Lakmé Flower Duet](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CX-6Ej2lnwg&feature=related) (not necessarily that particular recording). And most of the Puccini soprano arias loft me. Is the most beautiful song teh one that makes me cry, or teh one that makes me laugh for joy? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369/18 "2008-11-25T03:47:02Z")
De Libes’ [Duet of the Flowers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qx2lMaMsl8&feature=related) (the chorus at least) is up there for me. Though if it can be instrumental only (as the air on Bach’s G String was), I’m going to be trite and say Pachelbel’s Canon, which is just damned near perfect. In the past 100 years- [The Maple Leaf Rag](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMAtL7n_-rc), the Beatles’ _Eleanor Rigby_, and Loreena McKennitt’s version of [Tango to Evora](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iijklrtljnw) come to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369/19 "2008-11-25T04:04:41Z")
I’d say “Ave Maria” by Schubert ---
**Author:** ![mbedell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@mbedell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbedell)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369/20 "2008-11-25T04:08:00Z")
\*Is the most beautiful song teh one that makes me cry, or the one that makes me laugh for joy? \* One that makes you cry of course. It has to touch your soul. Below is an acapella version of my favorite that cuts right to my soul. Ensemble Planeta(Classic Acappella Group) - Air on G String [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/8eN9kiyIv-Q/hqdefault.jpg "Ensemble Planeta(Classic Acappella Group) - Air on G String") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eN9kiyIv-Q) Be patient, it doesnt start until :40 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-beautiful-song-you-have-ever-heard/474369.md?page=2)