# Which song is most improved by being played REALLY REALLY LOUD? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 14, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291 "2008-05-14T15:25:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291/21 "2008-05-14T16:55:08Z")
Am I the only one who thought of Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291/22 "2008-05-14T16:58:08Z")
**The 1812 Overture** by Tchaikovsky. Certainly utterly pointless to listen to NOT loud. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291/23 "2008-05-14T17:00:44Z")
ZZ Top, “Pincushion”. Meh at normal listening levels, but ohmigawd, crank it up, and it’s gut-bustin’ guitar rock at its finest. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291/24 "2008-05-14T17:27:41Z")
For me, a non-cranker: Shook Me All Night Long, AC/DC; Rock the Casbah, The Clash; Hold My Hand, Hootie & the Blowfish; and Word Up by who is it, Cameo? RealityChuck reminded me that I also crank Rosalita, though I don’t think I have it currently. (Where is that _cassette_?? :eek: ) ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291/25 "2008-05-14T17:35:27Z")
Anything by The Who. In fact, if you haven’t already had a significant hearing loss after listening to The Who, you haven’t been doing it right. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291/26 "2008-05-14T17:44:08Z")
Wild Cherry, “Play that Funky Music” Wagner, “Ride of the Valkyries” Also, quite a few of the others already listed. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291/27 "2008-05-14T17:46:12Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] Unlikely nominee, but I have no music cred: “Uninvited”, by Alanis Morisette. It’s got a nice range of dynamics, starting quiet and plaintive, but then the end just builds to this huge, almost (but not quite) wall of sound like explosion that really works best when it’s turned up to 11. [/QUOTE] I dont’ like Morisette, but along similar lines, Emiliana Torrini. Most of a Emiliana song will sound just average loudness when cranked, but then it builds up and you can really hear all the intricacies and feel the power of the musical buildup when it happens. ---
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291/28 "2008-05-14T17:50:59Z")
Song 3 by **Blur** (you know the woo hoo one) Louie Louie version by\*\* Black Flag\*\* certainly benefits from some amperage Debaser by the **Pixies** Bonin’ in the Bone Yard by **Fishbone** , or Higher Ground cover from **Red Hot Chilli Peppers** if you need some bass induced damage ETA sorry jumped in without reading the OP fully. Those songs are pretty good when played at a normal vol so probably don’t count. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291/29 "2008-05-14T17:54:34Z")
Beethoven’s Fifth “Frankenstein” by the **Edgar Winter Group** ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291/30 "2008-05-14T17:58:25Z")
From Her to Eternity - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Lightsabre C#\*ksucking Blues - McLusky Most of Nine Inch Nail’s catolog ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291/31 "2008-05-14T18:12:10Z")
I’m a dork. I reach for the volume knob when **“Rock Around the Clock”** comes on. Most other music I don’t feel the need to crank. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291/32 "2008-05-14T18:17:11Z")
“More Than A Feeling” by **Boston** , “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” by **The Darkness** , [“Canon”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2wN0lq9v7I) by **Zox** , “Living on a Prayer” by **Bon Jovi**. All songs improved by cranking them up to eleven. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291/33 "2008-05-14T18:24:09Z")
We Want Fun, Andrew W.K., for the win. ---
**Author:** ![akira5822](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@akira5822](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akira5822)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291/34 "2008-05-14T18:31:47Z")
NO, I win [duality](http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/slipknot/duality.html) **Slipknot** ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291/35 "2008-05-14T18:39:03Z")
“Killing in the Name,” Rage Against The Machine “Hail Hail,” Pearl Jam “For Those About To Rock,” AC/DC. (Seismic volume levels needed here) “Change The Locks,” Tom Petty & the Hearbreakers “Rockin’ In the Free World,” Neil Young “Insane in the Membrane,” Cypress Hill ---
**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:** [May 14, 2008, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291/36 "2008-05-14T18:57:00Z")
[QUOTE=don’t ask] …What else is only good really LOUD? [/QUOTE] I took this to mean that the song is NOT good when played at soft or moderate levels. Chumbawumba - Tubthumping The Alarm - The Stand Beastie Boys - Sabotage Any Buckcherry Song ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291/37 "2008-05-14T19:03:41Z")
My next door “neighbor” (I live in an apartment) used to play his stereo at high volume until long after midnight, and accompanied his favorite selections on a bass guitar cranked up to 11. One weeknight at about 2 a.m., unable to stand it any longer, I cranked up my CD of the _Dies Irae_ from Verdi’s _Requiem_. Not the whole thing, just up until the sudden cutoff at the end of the _Tuba Mirum_. Never heard so much as a squeak from the other side of the wall again. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291/38 "2008-05-14T19:27:00Z")
[QUOTE=muldoonthief] “Frankenstein” by the **Edgar Winter Group** [/QUOTE] That one is great not only loud, but through as many speakers as possible. I have the quadraphonic mix of it in DTS and it is a complete trip. “Sensoria” by Cabaret Voltaire. I heard this at a friend’s house through his Klipsch La Scalas and it was an intense physical experience. “Sat In Your Lap” by Kate Bush. I used to be a sound engineer, and one of the perks of the job is choosing what music gets played to check the sound system. A great song to use to fill an arena with decibels. The album liner notes specifically request that it be played loud. I sometimes wish I were still in that field so I could do that with “Nocturne” from her most recent album “Aerial”. Kizarvexius: Another great one for neighbor frightening is Diamonda Galas’ “Wild Women With Steak Knives”. ---
**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:** [May 14, 2008, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291/39 "2008-05-14T19:48:57Z")
A couple more… Down by the River - Neil Young Radar Love - Golden Earring ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291/40 "2008-05-14T20:02:15Z")
[QUOTE=RickJay] “Change The Locks,” Tom Petty & the Hearbreakers [/QUOTE] Is that the one that Lucinda Williams wrote? Because I have a CD of hers with that one on it and it IS good for cranking up. I’ll throw in an obscure one, but awesome when played loud: “The Musical Box” by Genesis. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-most-improved-by-being-played-really-really-loud/449291.md?page=3)