# What song would you want to forget and hear again for the first time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 23, 2009, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600 "2009-01-23T06:42:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600/1 "2009-01-23T06:42:12Z")
You can magically choose to entirely forget one song. Then you get to listen to it again. Where you previously had every lyric and note memorized - say it’s your favorite - you now have no idea what’s next. Every bit is completely new to your ears. What do you choose? I’d want to hear Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody again for the first time. I love the track, but I’d love to experience all of the bizarrely connected sections of it again without a clue of where it’s going. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600/2 "2009-01-23T06:44:41Z")
I’d love to hear the whole album _40oz to Freedom_ by Sublime again for the first time. I wonder if I’d like it now. It was like the soundtrack to my mid/late teens. That and _Grassroots_ by 311. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600/3 "2009-01-23T07:30:28Z")
I think one of the Deadheads in Freaks and Geeks said this but I’d like to forget American Beauty and listen to the whole album again as if it was my first time. With that said, I don’t really like the other Grateful Dead albums. Bohemian Rhapsody, like you mentioned, is a great choice too. That would be another fun one to hear for the first time again. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600/4 "2009-01-23T07:35:20Z")
\*Stairway \*of course. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600/5 "2009-01-23T07:36:12Z")
I remember when “Schism” came on for the station premiere of the new unreleased (at the time) Tool album. Tool was my favorite band at the time, and I honestly didn’t know it was them singing. That experience was almost surreal, because I was considering adopting this new mystery band as my favorite before the announcer said it was them. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600/6 "2009-01-23T08:03:06Z")
The Righteous Brothers’ _Unchained Melody._ ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600/7 "2009-01-23T08:12:52Z")
_Closer_ or\* Hurt\* by Nine Inch Nails \* A Day In The Life\* by The Beatles _Hey You_ by Pink Floyd \* Where the Streets Have No Name\* by U2 _Creep_ by Radiohead _The Host Of Seraphim_ by Dead Can Dance ---
**Author:** ![Stealth\_Potato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Stealth\_Potato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stealth_Potato)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600/8 "2009-01-23T08:29:46Z")
Can I forget a song and then _not_ hear it again? Like, ever? In that case, _Seasons in the Sun_. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600/9 "2009-01-23T15:58:43Z")
Great concept! There are so many pieces of music that have been ruined by overplaying on radio, ads, kids recitals… On the Classical side: Pachelbel’s Canon Fur Elise Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez Blue Danube Waltz etc, etc ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600/10 "2009-01-23T16:02:03Z")
_Hey Jude_ ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600/11 "2009-01-23T16:05:36Z")
“Back at One,” by Brian McKnight. "Breathe (2 a.m.) by Anna Malick. Every damn song in Stephen Sondheim’s Passion musical from '94. Also from Sweeney Tood. In fact, every damn song Sondheim every wrote. ---
**Author:** ![Pixilated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aeb1de/32.png) [@Pixilated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixilated)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600/12 "2009-01-23T17:19:58Z")
A Life Less Ordinary -Carbon Leaf ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600/13 "2009-01-23T17:31:00Z")
Songs that I can immediately and clearly recall transfixing me in place to listen to it with 100% attention when I first heard them: Barry McGuire - _Eve Of Destruction_ The Beatles - _A Day In The Life_, _Let It Be_ Bob Dylan - _Ballad Of A Thin Man_, _Like A Rolling Stone_ David Bowie - _Space Oddity_ Pink Floyd - _Learning To Fly_, _Time_ Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - _Ohio_ Billy Joel - _Goodnight Saigon_ U2 - _Where The Streets Have No Name_ The Fugees - _Killing Me Softly_ (cover song) Cake - _I Will Survive_ (cover song) Peter Bjorn & John - _Young Folks_ Probably (definitely) more but these I can name immediately. ---
**Author:** ![cgg419](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cgg419/32/2847_2.png) [@cgg419](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cgg419)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600/14 "2009-01-23T17:37:34Z")
Fall to Pieces - Velvet Revolver Great song, just associated with a bittersweet memory ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600/15 "2009-01-23T17:43:55Z")
Eva Cassidy’s version of _Time After Time._ ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600/16 "2009-01-23T17:52:51Z")
“Scenes From an Italian Restaurant” by Billy Joel. The entire album of “The Wall.” I’d like to hearken back to a time when I thought it was moving and profound. Might also require Fountain of Youth. ---
**Author:** ![Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Cornelius\_Tuggerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cornelius_Tuggerson)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600/17 "2009-01-23T18:06:25Z")
Romeo and Juliet - Dire Straights Starman - David Bowie Dream - Paul Anka The Trial - Pink Floyd ---
**Author:** ![Scougs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scougs/32/3158_2.png) [@Scougs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scougs)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600/18 "2009-01-23T18:06:34Z")
I think I’ve got two separate categories here. There’s the songs that you’ve known for so long you can’t remember when you first heard them, but would love to know what that was like. Then there’s the songs that you can remember how amazing it was the first time you heard it, and would love to revisit that moment. In the first category: Stairway to Heaven. I was huge, huge Zep fan in my late teens - still am I suppose - but I’ll be damned if I can remember the moment I first heard it. In the second category: Seven Nation Army. I’d been lucky enough to see the White Stripes in a fairly small venue, was blown away, dashed out and bought the three existing albums. The anticipation when I first heard the “new single” - to hear that “bass line” that is now so instantly recognisable, and the wow factor when the guitar really kicks in. I’d like to relive that. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600/19 "2009-01-23T18:15:33Z")
Foreigner’s “Feels Like The First Time” – just for the irony. ---
**Author:** ![melodyharmonius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/melodyharmonius/32/21310_2.png) [@melodyharmonius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melodyharmonius)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600/20 "2009-01-23T18:17:58Z")
I would like to hear “The Star-Spangled Banner” once more - now that I’m adult and know the whole history - and to hear it done by the Boston Pops. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-song-would-you-want-to-forget-and-hear-again-for-the-first-time/482600.md?page=2)