actually wait, I think I want to change my vote to... whatever the name of the Varttina song I played on my last radio show was, cuz it almost made me cry.
― bernard snowy, Thursday, 4 October 2007 17:40 (sixteen years ago) link
the for carnation - moonbeams
― ciderpress, Thursday, 4 October 2007 18:20 (sixteen years ago) link
no-one said 'the look of love'
― blueski, Thursday, 4 October 2007 18:26 (sixteen years ago) link
Impossible Germany - Wilco
― Kate, non masonic, Thursday, 4 October 2007 19:44 (sixteen years ago) link
God Only Knows is a good, and obvious, choice. There are many other, less obvious, but worthy contenders (maybe my "next tier"):
Walk Away Renee or Pretty Ballerina by The Left Banke Many Rivers To Cross by Jimmy Cliff Gloomy Sunday by Billie Holiday (beautifully sad, I suppose) The Ocean by Richard Hawley Silver Springs by Fleetwood Mac Oh No by The Commodores The Trapeeze Swinger or 16, Maybe Less by Iron & Wine Carry Me Ohio by Sun Kil Moon Always On My Mind by Willie Nelson I Won't Share You by The Smiths You And Your Sister by Chris Bell In The Backseat by Arcade Fire (see Gloomy Sunday) Will The Circle Be Unbroken, the Greg Allman version Please Call Home by Greg Allman
And lots of songs by The Clientele. For now, let's say Dreams of Leaving. I've excluded classical works (if included, though, Pachelbel's "Cannon in D" would be hard to beat; Pachelbel's is the original "one-hit wonder"), and I know I'm forgetting a lot of worthy songs, but there it is.
Oh, and you know what? I second Kate. Impossible Germany is a worthy song, too, even with that searing guitar solo by Nels Cline. Please Be Patient With Me, from the same Wilco disc, is also worth consideration.
― Daniel, Esq., Thursday, 4 October 2007 20:01 (sixteen years ago) link
I just re-read my post; sorry to have sounded like a jackass. "And obvious" wasn't meant to criticize (to the contrary, God Only Knows is my choice for "most beautiful song," too). And the "Oh, and you know what" line at the end was needlessly snarky.
Normally, I'd ignore the (frequent, egregious) flaws in my writing. I'm feeling particularly un-snarky today, so I bristled when I saw my tone, and felt compelled to correct it.
― Daniel, Esq., Thursday, 4 October 2007 20:06 (sixteen years ago) link
eno "always returning" seconded
― bstep, Thursday, 4 October 2007 20:09 (sixteen years ago) link
Max Richter - "The Trees".
God this song, relentlessly pushing upward toward something, always scraping past and bouncing back, and perpetually balancing in that spine-tingling breath before resolution. I LOVE IT
I think it was used in Waltz with Bashir.
― big darn deal (Z S), Sunday, 6 December 2009 22:49 (fourteen years ago) link
Now, don't roll your eyes (although I'm sure I would if I hadn't heard it), but there's a bit of incidental music on the We Love Katamari soundtrack called "Beautiful Star" that just floors me every time it pops up on shuffle. It's so evocative and lovely and sad-sounding.
― Pooping And Crying (Deric W. Haircare), Sunday, 6 December 2009 23:53 (fourteen years ago) link
saddened and amazed that there's been no mention of eyvind kang on this thread. so many lovelinesses to choose from in his catalogue, but 'asa tru' and 'innocent eye, crystal see' are for me just about the most gorgeous pieces of music imaginable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKdsImfBnX0
― m the g, Monday, 7 December 2009 00:10 (fourteen years ago) link
ugly casanova - smoke like ribbonsthievery corporation - heaven's gonna burn your eyesarkestra one - how could I love you more
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Keu_1ovu6Zs&feature=related
happy or sad, you always shine. never before, I've met your kind.
― nicky lo-fi, Monday, 7 December 2009 01:02 (fourteen years ago) link
Contenders not yet mentioned: "My Creole Belle," Mississippi John Hurt"Days," The Kinks"Belle," Al Green"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," The Shirelles"It Was a Very Good Year," Frank Sinatra"Nature Boy," Nat King Cole"Smile," Nat King Cole
― MumblestheRevelator, Monday, 7 December 2009 01:51 (fourteen years ago) link
Weirdly enough, it's a Pink Floyd song. "Green is the Colour"
― pork cheops, Monday, 7 December 2009 02:15 (fourteen years ago) link
The first minute of You Never Give Me Your Money.
― Communi-Bear Silo State (chap), Monday, 7 December 2009 02:20 (fourteen years ago) link
Actually, strike that. It's "This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)"
― pork cheops, Monday, 7 December 2009 02:24 (fourteen years ago) link
Wow, What a question!Stardust, I Only Have Eyes For You, and Corcovado are definitely at the top for me.
I'll contend this is one of the most beautiful songs ever. Music by Roger Nichols and lyrics penned by the great and vastly underrated genius Paul Williams. Beautiful stuff here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU4mSiyPA98
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKHWUYT_c3g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWFYIwj1kXE&feature=related
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keids7cscUo&feature=related
I couldn't find the Curtis Mayfiled Live! version on YouTube, but it may the best cover of it ever.
― The Perfect Weapon 2, Monday, 7 December 2009 04:11 (fourteen years ago) link
for me, it's the original version of
"Turn Turn Turn" by Pete Seeger
some of the best lyrics ever (from Ecclesiastes, mostly) and the combination of his voice & the 12 string guitar, and the audience singing along with him, it's a very spiritual feeling for mea few other favorites:
That Lucky Old Sun - Louis ArmstrongThe Troublemaker - Willie NelsonColorado Girl - Townes Van ZandtThe Water Is Wide - Pete SeegerThis Will Be Our Year - The ZombiesIt's Raining Today - Scott WalkerHobo's Lullaby - Woody GuthrieBlue Eyes Crying in the Rain - Hank WilliamsAll I Wanna Do - The Beach BoysMoonshiner - Bob DylanI Only Have Eyes For You - The FlamingosThe Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore - The Walker Brothers
― lukevalentine, Monday, 7 December 2009 16:56 (fourteen years ago) link
oh also this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_UjN3zsKZM
― lukevalentine, Monday, 7 December 2009 16:57 (fourteen years ago) link
Dunno about most beautiful ever, but I find this lovely as anything:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbBJvy_Hi04
― Communi-Bear Silo State (chap), Monday, 7 December 2009 18:06 (fourteen years ago) link
It's Raining Today - Scott Walker
I'd plump for 'big louise' myself, but almost anything off of that album could qualify.
― m the g, Monday, 7 December 2009 18:07 (fourteen years ago) link
i agree very beautiful stuff
unless anyone wants to get into a philosophical debate about the aesthetic difference between beautiful and sublime, but i'll save that for another day
― lukevalentine, Monday, 7 December 2009 18:46 (fourteen years ago) link
not the most beautiful songs ever but a couple real good treats off the new califone album (since I had already uploaded them)9) evidence12) krill
― I'm losing my Vitamin C (CaptainLorax), Monday, 7 December 2009 19:51 (fourteen years ago) link
I think more threads should be like this one, people sharing their favorite music / music they find most beautiful. it's a discussion of actual music / songs as opposed to a discussion of the "idea" of music or what bands represents in the abstract, or the related politics
don't know if that made any sense
― lukevalentine, Monday, 7 December 2009 20:34 (fourteen years ago) link
There's this particular tempo and chord progression that I always associate with 'beautiful'. It's I -> V (1st inv.) -> vi -> either I (2nd inversion) or IV, played ~90 BPM.
Sometimes it comes off saccharine, i.e. "Let It Be", every other Elton John song. But the best examples, off the top of my head: Gram Parsons "$1000 Funeral", Nina Simone "Do What You Gotta Do" or "Mr. Bojangles", John Cale "Paris 1919".
― Tourtière (Ówen P.), Monday, 7 December 2009 20:48 (fourteen years ago) link
^^ Nick Drake's "Saturday Sun" iirc
I-V-vi-IV is a pretty obnoxiously common progression but I'm as guilty of using it in my songs as anyone else
― what fun it is to reign & sing a Slayer song tonight (Curt1s Stephens), Monday, 7 December 2009 20:50 (fourteen years ago) link
I'd say all of these are very beautiful
Bionic Boogie-Hot ButterflySpiritualized-Broken HeartPet Shop Boys-Being BoringKate Bush-This Woman's WorkDavid Sylvian-Darkest DreamingRadiohead-Motion Picture SoundtrackBilly Mackenzie-Nocturne sevenThe Beach Boys-I Just Wasn't Made For These Times, God Only Knows, Till I die, Be With Me etc.War-Deliver The WordThe Go-Betweens-Twin Layers Of LightningBjork-HyperballadMorrissey-Why Don't You Find Out For YourselfThe Go Team-The Ice StormGoldfrapp-Hairy TreesScott Walker-Angel Of AshesThe Divine Comedy-Our Mutual FriendTalk Talk-New Grass (Pretty much all of their last 3 albums)The B-52's-TopazMinnie Riperton-Come To My GardenMagazine-ParadeThe Cardigans-CommunicationMarvin Gaye-Please Stay
― Kitchen Person, Monday, 7 December 2009 21:12 (fourteen years ago) link
I was certainly hoping you'd include some Billy Mackenzie given your handle.
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 7 December 2009 21:13 (fourteen years ago) link
Actually, scratch my previous suggestions, I forgot the one true answer to this question:"Crucifixo," by the Kafala Brothers. Really, truly one of the most beautiful things ever done by human beings.
― MumblestheRevelator, Monday, 7 December 2009 21:20 (fourteen years ago) link
another vote for julia, maria b mentioned it more than 5 years ago. it's the most personal love song i had the chance to hear. part of its beauty comes from the intimacy another part from its simplicity and the last part from the lyrics full of images.
― alex in mainhattan, Monday, 7 December 2009 21:30 (fourteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett, Monday, December 7, 2009 9:13 PM (12 minutes ago) Bookmark
Beyond The Sun was actually my first Billy purchase. I was going through a big Jeff Buckley phase and I was looking for another tragic troubadour to get into. It is a stunning album and did satisfy that need for a while but I was in for a huge shock when I bought Sulk a few weeks later, which is beautiful in a completely different way.
There's a lot of songs scattered through his back catalogue that I could have included on my list. The Rhythm Divine, Baby, No, Breakfast, His versions of Wild Is The Wind and God Bless The Child. I can't think of a more beautiful voice.
― Kitchen Person, Monday, 7 December 2009 21:32 (fourteen years ago) link
I know I've mentioned this song before. Also, not sure if it's most beautiful or most sad/emotionally-powerful. In any event:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKcrdGULvbw
There's a sort of desperate quality to his near-destroyed voice by this point.
― Daniel, Esq., Monday, 7 December 2009 21:33 (fourteen years ago) link
I will get made fun of for this, but
Blue Ridge Mountains - Fleet Foxes
― lukevalentine, Monday, 7 December 2009 23:23 (fourteen years ago) link
Not yet mentioned:
Laurie Anderson - Blue Lagoon, White Lily, The Dream Before, and maybe a dozen spoken word tracks on United States Live and The Ugly One with the JewelsHeidi Berry - ArielHarold Budd - Too numerous to mentionCocteau Twins - Lazy CalmNick Drake - Voice from the MountainBrian Eno - Julie With...Fleetwood Mac - Never Make Me CryLed Zeppelin - The Rain SongSinead O'Connor - In This HeartPenguin Cafe Orchestra - Now NothingThe Roches - Losing TruePaul Simon - The Rhythm of the SaintsDusty Springfield - Goin' BackDavid Sylvian - OrpheusThe Who - SunriseNeil Young - Hangin' on a Limb
― Hideous Lump, Tuesday, 8 December 2009 02:37 (fourteen years ago) link
Ride - Vapour Trail
― President Danny Glover (Millsner), Tuesday, 8 December 2009 03:36 (fourteen years ago) link
I more often use "beautiful" just to pronounce it "beeyootiful", a snarky put-down, yes. But there are times when it fits and the standbys like "saccharine" don't. It's when the beauty is too up-front, or something.
― B'wana Beast, Tuesday, 8 December 2009 04:03 (fourteen years ago) link
atmgilberto/getz - corcovado
― meisenfek, Tuesday, 8 December 2009 19:58 (fourteen years ago) link
"over you" - velvet underground"no children" - mountain goats
― controlled noise pollution (outdoor_miner), Tuesday, 8 December 2009 20:16 (fourteen years ago) link
yeah, canon & gigue in D maj is v hard to beat, but some pieces & performances i love:
te deum - arvo partthe girl from ipanema - astrud gilbertosea of love - phil phillipsi don't want to set the world on fire - the ink spotsgeorgia on my mind - willie nelsonebben? Ne andrò lontana (aria from la wally) - alfredo catalanibrandenburg concerto #5 in D maj, 2 affetuoso - johan sebastian bachwho does she hope to be - sonny sharrocka love supreme, acknowledgement - john coltranehallogallo - neu!me and my arrow - harry nilssonendless summer - fennesz
― a dimension that can only be accessed through self-immolation (contenderizer), Tuesday, 8 December 2009 20:55 (fourteen years ago) link
i second Gilberto/Getz
― lukevalentine, Tuesday, 8 December 2009 20:58 (fourteen years ago) link
The first song to come into my head when I saw the question was "Cupid de Locke." Turns out I already stated this answer upthread, so I guess my opinion hasn't changed much.
― billstevejim, Thursday, 10 December 2009 06:24 (fourteen years ago) link
Love Reign O'er Me by The WhoMany have tried to sing this but none come close to Roger.Here's the lyrics.------------------------Only loveCan make it rainThe way the beach is kissed by the seaOnly loveCan make it rainLike the sweat of loversLaying in the fields.
Love, Reign o'er meLove, Reign o'er me, rain on me
Only loveCan bring the rainThat makes you yearn to the skyOnly loveCan bring the rainThat falls like tears from on high
Love Reign O'er me
On the dry and dusty roadThe nights we spend apart aloneI need to get back home to cool cool rainI can't sleep and I lay and I thinkThe night is hot and black as inkOh God, I need a drink of cool cool rain
― BOBZ, Thursday, 21 January 2010 03:44 (fourteen years ago) link
My completely arbitrary of the top of my head submissions:
Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus: Fleurette Africaine Yo La Tengo: Ballad of the Red BucketsAshra: SunrainLeonard Cohen: SuzanneSade: Love is stronger than pridesomething by Stars of the Lid
― dsb, Thursday, 21 January 2010 07:49 (fourteen years ago) link
Rhythm & Sound - Smile
All of Talk Talk's later stuff is deserving, but "Inheritance" particularly stands out.
― Discordian, Thursday, 21 January 2010 12:37 (fourteen years ago) link
stardust performed by nat king cole, or lakmé performed by just about anyone
― dumb mick name follows (darraghmac), Thursday, 21 January 2010 12:48 (fourteen years ago) link
and yea 'suzanne' up there too.
possible spin off thread: most beautifully sung song title
― mdskltr (blueski), Thursday, 21 January 2010 12:53 (fourteen years ago) link
stardust, then
― dumb mick name follows (darraghmac), Thursday, 21 January 2010 13:51 (fourteen years ago) link
Rasputin
― mdskltr (blueski), Thursday, 21 January 2010 13:57 (fourteen years ago) link
The Lilys - "Eskimo"
― Evan, Thursday, 21 January 2010 14:19 (fourteen years ago) link
that eyvind kang song is amazing. I vote also for "Do You Realize???", Flaming Lips, and "That's the Way", Led Zeppelin
― Shin Oliva Suzuki, Thursday, 21 January 2010 14:50 (fourteen years ago) link