Ah yes, we are continuing to branch out on this blog. First writing, then baby elephant videos, now…….
Music!
It’s ever the steady evolution.
Ahem. So. If you had to pick one. Just one. Just one song to listen to the rest of your life, your favorite song of all time, the one that speaks to you, the one that practically IS you, the one that you hold above all others.
Just one!!!
Which one is it?
I would have to go with……
“Little Eyes” by Yo La Tengo. No! “Star Witness” by Neko Case. No! “Non Je Regrette Rien” by Edith Piaf. No! “Oh Yoko” by John Lennon. No! “Georgia On My Mind” by Ray Charles.
As you can see the rules are a bit loose on this one. Let’s go with songS.
elizabethreinhardt says
"Laundry Room" by the Avett Brothers
And if I could have a runner up: "Us" by Regina Spektor.
Carson Lee says
T. Anne,
FYI, Conway Twitty recorded a country version of "The Rose"…
Mflick1 says
Some classic favorites of mine would be "Whiter Shade of Pale" by Van Morrison "Ice Cream Man" by Van Halen and my current fad is "Glitter in the Air" by Pink… though after I put it in writing I feel my third should include a Van as well…. I will have to think about this now!
abc says
Watcher 55, remember the Desperado episode of Seinfeld? One of my favorites.
Mine: Stand by Me by Ben E. King, Explain It to Me by Liz Phair, Silver Springs by Fleetwood Mac, Coming Up Close by Til Tuesday, and Book of Love by Magnetic Fields.
I cannot whittle it down more than that.
Carson Lee says
Since
lora96
mentioned sampling blackwater,
reminds me
"Black Water" by The Doobie Brothers — would need that one, too
Carson Lee says
Suzy Vitello Soulé,
Very interesting news: Dylan, 6-book deal with Simon & Schuster — I'm off to look that up!
Sheri says
Love this question! My choice is "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears.
Diane Amy says
This is easy.
Heroes by David Bowie
It is pure perfection. I thank him daily for this song, and never grow tired of hearing it.
swampfox says
Kudos to Huntress for mentioning In a Gadda da Vida. Talk about an instant time warp…!
Liam says
If I had to have just one, it would probably be Swallow by Emilie Autumn. Every time I get a different meaning out of it.
salima says
"ode to joy" by beethoven. no! "maybe sparrow" by neko case. no! "does your chewing gum lose its flavor on the bedpost overnight?" by …..? no! "mercy street" by peter gabriel. no! "hillfarmer's blues" by mark knopfler.
February Grace says
I can't answer that! It's so personal! I'd rather you asked me when I lost my virginity! :~D
(come on, you know that made you laugh. Mission accomplished.)
Happy Wednesday, Jedi Master.
~bru
Brandon Bell says
Red Cave, by Yeasayer (for now: it'll change, but right now, I love that song)
Terry Towery says
"No Cars Go" Arcade Fire
"Rebellion (Lies)" Arcade Fire
"Thank You" Led Zeppelin
"Baby Blue" Badfinger
C. says
Shawn Mullins' "Shimmer." Its the song I want playing during a tribute of my life.
And if that tribute needs to be shorter due to time constraints, then MxPx's "Doing Time."
Susan says
"Here Comes The Sun" – w/700+ songs on iPod, obviously not easy. But I do feel better every time I happen to hear it on the radio, etc. So that's the one.
(I see other people cannot stick to the "one" – shape up peeps! Be ruthless. What do you do when revising a ms? I shudder to think.)
Anonymous says
"Piano Man" by Billy Joel. Even though Billy was before my time, I absolutely cannot get enough of this song. If my alarm plays this song to wake me up, I'm in for one of me best days!
It doesn't speak to me personally I guess, considering I'm a little young to be "making love to my tonic and gin" or be a waitress "practicing politics," but there is something about the color of this song that says "YOU ARE AWESOME!…even if you're boring!"
-Julia
Alex J. Cavanaugh says
I'm hosting a Top 10 Countdown Music Blogfest next week, and everyone's commented that selecting ten is difficult – and now I've realized I'm struggling to pick songs for my own blogfest!
Still not sure on #1 – probably something by Rush or Dream Theater.
Kathryn says
"Ariel" by October Project. Obscure, but so beautiful!
Myne Whitman says
It has to be Don't Cry for me Argentina, it was sang by Madonna as Eva Peron
Katie says
This week… "Prodigal Man" by Peder Eide
Next week I'll have a new answer. (It would be before then if I had to listen to the same song forever).
<>< Katie
Nan says
"Come Away with Me," by Norah Jones
Anonymous says
Mexican Blackbird by ZZ Top
BrownEyed says
Forevermore by Katie Herzig.
"Climb up my Apple tree . . ."
🙂
BrownEyed
Jil says
"Feelin' Groovey" and "I loved them all".Not sure if that's the name of the second but those are the main words. They can play those at my funeral!! (Not soon, I hope!)
Joanna van der Gracht de Rosado says
Absolutely no contest…
"Lay Lady Lay"… by Bob Dylan
Sigh…..
Dawn Pier says
WTH, better late than never (my email notifications seem to be coming in VERY late)…
Down by the River Neil Young – those guitar riffs just make my soul soar and sore. But actually the whole Decade album is the one I'd want with me should I be deserted somewhere with but one album and a turntable (& power to operate it).
Nate – Edith Piaf's La Vie en Rose, of course, but La Piano est Mort is right up there
Coltrane – A Love Supreme
Oh…there are just too many!!
Mary E. Ulrich says
Climb Every Mountain: "…a dream that will need all the love you can give, all the days of your life for as long as you live…" (Sound of Music)
Art Rosch says
Lonnie's Lament, John Coltrane
Lonely Woman, Ornette Coleman
As you can see, I'm an old school jazz man, showing my hips. My knowledge of pop music doesn't exist. That doesn't mean I don't like it. I LOVE it. There's just so much.. I revert to the music that accompanied me through high school. We all remember those songs, don't we?
R.D. Allen says
Hmm hard, because I love music so much! xD I'm thinking… "faraway" by Apocalyptica. It's just gorgeous and fits every bit of me. But I also kinda wanna see "Hum Hallelujah" by Fall Out Boy, because it's so full of emotion.
I'm glad this isn't a real choice, haha!
wendy says
I'm going with one of my own songs, Bewitching Green (Bring Your Magic On Home). I love the melody, harmonies and the lyrics. It moves me. It was a song written for children, or to accompany a children's story, and the last song I wrote before I stopped – for awhile,anyway.
Trish says
My Way, by Elvis or Frank Sinatrra.
It's a beautiful day by Freddie Mercury.
A Little Ray of Sunshine.
Robin Merrill says
Finally! A question I know the answer to! The Boxer, by Simon and Garfunkel!
Floundering says
Fly Me to the Moon – Frank Sinatra. I like, love even, many others but this is my favorite.
Lucinda says
When I was a wee little girl, it was "Bimbo"
Of all the songs I thought of while reading this blog….there is only one…because of its catchy tune that sticks in my head for hours, because of its meaning…
American Pie
tnx Nathan…now I have it stuck in my head while trying to edit…
Darin says
La Villa Strangiato, Live version from 1994.
Regan Leigh says
U2- With or Without You
Radiohead – Let Down
The Beatles – Eleanor Rigby
Death Cab for Cutie – Pity and Fear
The Cure – Love Song
This is just tonight's list. I love music too much to pick an all time top favorite. 😀
FearfulGirl says
Bridges And Balloons – Joanna Newsom
I have no idea what these lyrics mean. When I close my eyes and visualize, I feel like I’m on an acid trip. But it reminds me—via feathery harp and peculiar lyrics—that there are no rules to rhythm; that you can create your own beat. Joanna Newsom makes me want to give up routine, order and convention, and live an impulsive existence with childlike whimsy. She’s a damn talented human being.
I just blogged on this exact topic.
Caitlin says
Without a doubt it would be "Alive with the Glory of Love" by Say Anything. To me, it's just that one song that when I'm asked a question such as this keeps playing in my mind again and again, no matter how hard I try to think of another song.
The odd thing is, Say Anything is not my favorite band! But that song will continue to be the one that I would listen to to the ends of the ages.
Chris Phillips says
Rainbow by Jack johnson is what popped into my head when pondering this.
Lucinda says
I asked my son what his favorite song is…
"Let it Be" by the Beatles
wow…hmmm…learn something new every day.
Michelle Globetrotter says
wonderwall – oasis 🙂
LLinTexas says
========
Enlightening post, Nathan. You said you wanted to discover new music this year,this gives you lots of opportunities.
After reading nearly 130 posts thruout the day, I'm really amused to find that as old as I am, I don't recognize half the artists. I've already loaded about 10 in my Pandora program to check them out.
My favorite song ever?? That decision is truly as hard to make as if a wicked witch had asked me which of my two children I would choose if only one could live and one could die.
The answer is impossible.
Someday I hope you experience parenthood so you'll know how true that analogy is.
Nice to read your blogging now that you're a real person like the rest of us.
May the force be with you…
=======
Suzie F. says
Such a variety of favorites. I love that! I've found myself nodding to many of the same songs that I like.
My favorites (today at least) are
This Woman's Work – Kate Bush
In My Life – The Beatles
Maybe I'm Amazed – Paul McCartney
Drowning Man – U2
Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon & Garfunkel
South Central Rain – REM
J.J. Bennett says
Garth Brooks… The Dance
Tambra says
I'm going with artist of songs which will shorten my list:
Keith Urban
Blackmore's Night
Evanescence
Within Temptation
Albannach
Ceredwen
Steve McDonald
Plus some Classical and Jazz/Blues.
Happy writing, y'all!
Tambra
http://www.tambrakendall.com
you can also find me on facebook
Nina says
Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
and
Amazing – By Aerosmith!
Ron Fritsch says
Who reasonably cares what another person's favorite song is? Why is it necessary to have a favorite song in the first place? If Nathan Bransford doesn't have one, why should I?
Sheila Cull says
Bach Cello No.1 by Yo Yo Ma.
Elie says
Different songs are favourites at different times in life, but I realised for me it had to be Bring Me Sunshine, performed by British comedians Morecombe and Wise. Ok, it's retro, and Americans might hate it, but when I listened to it this morning on youtube, it really cheered up the January blues – so thanks for this post, Nathan, I really needed it!