the best song in the world

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Met up with a mate for the first time in a good while and we were talking about music. I mentioned the Beach Boys and we both agreed that "God Only Knows" is by definition the best song ever made. Sure there have been better tunes for different circumstances, but it IS the best song. Please accept or deny this statement. Please back up with evidence ;-)

― dog latin (dog latin), Sunday, 22 December 2002 04:24 (twenty-three years ago)

Never liked this one, sorry. The lyrics make me want to scream (and I'm a fairly sappy person).

― Joe (Joe), Sunday, 22 December 2002 04:31 (twenty-three years ago)

good vibrations

― Mike Taylor (mjt), Sunday, 22 December 2002 04:43 (twenty-three years ago)

good vibrations is ace but gets dull whereas god only knows evokes the same feelings each play. Joe - why you not tlike the lyrics you heartless git? ;-)

― dog latin (dog latin), Sunday, 22 December 2002 04:45 (twenty-three years ago)

That winking smiley face is inefficient!!!!!!!!!!!! I like this song, it is not my favourite song, i don't have a reason that can be articulated at the moment, so yr statement goes unchallenged.

― naked as sin (naked as sin), Sunday, 22 December 2002 04:52 (twenty-three years ago)

The smiley is the most important thing about the post. For more than one reason which i shall not list for fear of detracting from the topic in hand.

― dog latin (dog latin), Sunday, 22 December 2002 04:55 (twenty-three years ago)

:-)

actually, lets make this into a good vibrations vs god only knows FITE!

― dog latin (dog latin), Sunday, 22 December 2002 04:56 (twenty-three years ago)

God Only Knows sounds like whinging to me.

― Ally (mlescaut), Sunday, 22 December 2002 04:57 (twenty-three years ago)

That big smile makes me dizzy and frightened.

― naked as sin (naked as sin), Sunday, 22 December 2002 04:58 (twenty-three years ago)

god only knows and all of pet sounds ... well, music doesn't get any better. yet best song honors for me prolly go to "I only have eyes for you" by The Flamingos.

It is just so perfect in every way. I never tire of hearing it. I could listen to it 20 times in a row and not get tired of it. I think I'll go listen now.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Sunday, 22 December 2002 04:58 (twenty-three years ago)

Mwahahah!

why is he whinging?

― dog latin (dog latin), Sunday, 22 December 2002 05:00 (twenty-three years ago)

A to the Kearney means WINGING

― naked as sin (naked as sin), Sunday, 22 December 2002 05:01 (twenty-three years ago)

STATEMENT RETRACTED unless u wanna giv it a meaning

― naked as sin (naked as sin), Sunday, 22 December 2002 05:04 (twenty-three years ago)

god only knows what you were talking about...

― dog latin (dog latin), Sunday, 22 December 2002 05:09 (twenty-three years ago)

i vote for "enjoy the silence"

― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Sunday, 22 December 2002 05:34 (twenty-three years ago)

No no no! You have it all wrong! The best song in the world is by far and away "Blode and the Giant Bee" (flash animation below). If all music came to an end and this song was chosen to represent the whole of human musical creation, I think I would really be happy with it.

http://www.rathergood.com/giantbee/

― Adam Bruneau, Sunday, 22 December 2002 05:36 (twenty-three years ago)

"God Only Knows" vs. "Wouldn't It Be Nice" = "Boogie Nights" vs. "Roger & Me"?

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Sunday, 22 December 2002 05:37 (twenty-three years ago)

Am I the only one who thinks it's "Heroes & Villains"?

― Adam A. (Keiko), Sunday, 22 December 2002 07:03 (twenty-three years ago)

I gotta say that the best song is either "Rock Lobster" by the B52s, "Supergrit" by TroubleFunk, or some song I heard on the baltimore rock station last night that had some dude and some hampsters/guys with their voices digitally kicked up 3 or 4 octaves parodying Avin & the Chipmunks doing a song that I think is called "Holy Shit, It's Christmas".

― Helltime Producto (Pavlik), Sunday, 22 December 2002 07:20 (twenty-three years ago)

Mr. Diamond is OTM! "Be my Baby" and "You Send Me" also good in the same way.

― Dan I. (Dan I.), Sunday, 22 December 2002 07:33 (twenty-three years ago)

Uh, but I do know they're by different artists, in case that wasn't clear.

― Dan I. (Dan I.), Sunday, 22 December 2002 07:33 (twenty-three years ago)

Len - "Steal My Sunshine"

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Sunday, 22 December 2002 07:42 (twenty-three years ago)

i can't articulate why its the best song ever, sorry. it just is. (maybe that's why...)

― gaz (gaz), Sunday, 22 December 2002 09:27 (twenty-three years ago)

I've decided the best song in the world is "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" by the Ramones. Just because.

― Justyn Dillingham (Justyn Dillingham), Sunday, 22 December 2002 09:33 (twenty-three years ago)

Helltime was closest. The best song ever is "Dance This Mess Around" by the B-52s.

― J0hn Darn13ll3 (J0hn Darn13ll3), Sunday, 22 December 2002 16:49 (twenty-three years ago)

I agree. Not only best song, best thing any human has ever created.

― David Allen, Sunday, 22 December 2002 18:27 (twenty-three years ago)

WINGING? What are you people talking about? Whinging, he's pissing and moaning vocally. He sounds like he's just sour or something, and I don't quite like that at all.

Anyway, Enjoy The Silence was an excellent choice. It's not Depeche Mode's best song but it still might be the theoretical best song ever.

― Ally (mlescaut), Sunday, 22 December 2002 19:01 (twenty-three years ago)

Darnielle may be close to right with B-52s, proving that the Upper Midwest roolz all music knowledge. I just want to point out (again) that you can substitute "Why won't you dance with me / I'm not no limburger" with "It's getting hot in herre / So take off all your clothes" with no loss of quality or syllable or funk in either song. Plunderphonics to thread.

― Matt C., Monday, 23 December 2002 01:46 (twenty-three years ago)

"The One I Love" winZoRz

― Aaron A., Monday, 23 December 2002 03:20 (twenty-three years ago)

'blinded by the light' manfred mann

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 23 December 2002 05:17 (twenty-three years ago)

I love "Good Vibrations" but I've heard it far too often and it no longer hits me like it once did. Double for "God Only Knows". I think "Blinded by the Light" is a step in the right direction..

..But why hasn't anyone mentioned "Come On Eileen" yet? (yeah yeah, i know, talked about overplayed but....)

― Adam Bruneau, Monday, 23 December 2002 06:05 (twenty-three years ago)

"Sundown" by Gordon Lightfoot.

― maria b (maria b), Monday, 23 December 2002 18:20 (twenty-three years ago)

Out of the choices, I'll go with "Enjoy the Silence" or "God Only Knows". The B-52s are all about the "Strobelight"!

― Vinnie (vprabhu), Monday, 23 December 2002 19:08 (twenty-three years ago)

No no no .. It's either 'Walk Away Renee' (proven by science) or 'Bonzo Goes to Bitburg'

― dave225 (Dave225), Monday, 23 December 2002 19:15 (twenty-three years ago)

Fools. It's "Eighties" by Killing Joke.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 23 December 2002 20:47 (twenty-three years ago)

isn't that song actually called "A-Team" and the title on the single is just a piss-take

― J0hn Darni3ll3 (J0hn Darni3ll3), Monday, 23 December 2002 20:55 (twenty-three years ago)

Your squallid little life is a piss-take, JOhn.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 23 December 2002 20:59 (twenty-three years ago)

helltime and darnielle were frighteningly close. the best song ever is "roam" by the b-52s. it's also the best video ever!

― dan (dan), Monday, 23 December 2002 20:59 (twenty-three years ago)

Alex you are cruel & unkind, you are well aware that I was wearing my Killing Joke shirt to school & catching shit for it as far back as '84 :(

― J0hn Darni3ll3 (J0hn Darni3ll3), Monday, 23 December 2002 21:12 (twenty-three years ago)

also squalid only has one "l"

― J0hn Darni3ll3 (J0hn Darni3ll3), Monday, 23 December 2002 21:12 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm crule & unkind? Let me point out, J0hn, that is was *YOU* who were making disparaging comments about "Eighties," thus I quite justifiably took my shot to restore the good name of the Joke.

Dishonor the fire......and get burned.

I'm still reeling from Joe Strummer's passing.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 23 December 2002 21:47 (twenty-three years ago)

to clarify my position, I am a paid-up fire-honourer but am of the opinion that "Eighties" does not blaze so brightly as "Requiem," "Wardance," or the brilliant "The Fall of Because" which I really would short-list on my most brilliant songs ever list

― J0hn Darni3ll3 (J0hn Darni3ll3), Monday, 23 December 2002 22:04 (twenty-three years ago)

I really wish I was into Killing Joke sometimes. Maybe I should look into them.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Monday, 23 December 2002 22:05 (twenty-three years ago)

Damn right you should, Sundar.

J0hn, those are fine choices all (although I'd have also included "Follow the Leader" and "Pssyche"), so I hereby scale back my middle-finger-to-J0hn position, though to assert that "Eighties" has anything to do with a George Peppard/Mr.T vehicle is to grossly dishonor the fire.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 23 December 2002 22:14 (twenty-three years ago)

In honor of Joe, I think I'm changing my vote to "This Is England."

― Justyn Dillingham (Justyn Dillingham), Monday, 23 December 2002 22:36 (twenty-three years ago)

Of all Clash songs, you choose "This is England"?

I'd sooner go for "White Man in Hammersmith Palais".

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 23 December 2002 23:25 (twenty-three years ago)

five months pass...

REVIVE this very nice thread...

My vote: Blur's "For Tomorrow". Lots of nice chord changes... ;)

― JP Almeida (JP Almeida), Friday, 30 May 2003 20:02 (twenty-three years ago)

"A Change is Gonna Come" Sam Cooke

― Staggerlee, Friday, 30 May 2003 20:51 (twenty-three years ago)

"Make Up Your Mind" the Heptones

― oops (Oops), Saturday, 31 May 2003 07:09 (twenty-three years ago)

"Alone" Heart

― jel -- (jel), Saturday, 31 May 2003 07:20 (twenty-three years ago)

My #1 favorite song of all tiem:
Collective Soul, "She Washes Rain," though I know this
reveals me as a hopeless child of the 90s.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Saturday, 31 May 2003 08:34 (twenty-three years ago)

I thought that ILM agreed a while back that the best song ever was "All the Young Dudes"?

― Johnney B (Johnney B), Saturday, 31 May 2003 10:32 (twenty-three years ago)

three years pass...

Bobbie Gentry - Fancy

― A Giant Mechanical Ant (The Giant Mechanical Ant), Sunday, 5 November 2006 22:24 (nineteen years ago)

I much prefer Yellow Balloon by Yellow Balloon.

― Scorpion Tea (Dick Butkus), Sunday, 5 November 2006 23:36 (nineteen years ago)

This thread has been around for years...you'd think everyone would have come to agreement by now.

― musically (musically), Monday, 6 November 2006 00:32 (nineteen years ago)

I'm a Scatman. And the song of the same name is good too.

― Darramouss (Darramouss ftw), Monday, 6 November 2006 00:34 (nineteen years ago)

Sometimes I think the original version of "When A Man Loves a Woman" is the greatest song ever made. That or maybe "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man"

― A-ron Hubbard (Hurting), Monday, 6 November 2006 02:59 (nineteen years ago)

Gotta be either Isaac Hayes' "Theme from 'Shaft'" or Smokey Robinson's "Tears of a Clown."

― opalescent arcs (Da ve Segal), Monday, 6 November 2006 03:43 (nineteen years ago)

"Enjoy the Silence" might be a good compromise -- a very genre-crossing broad appeal -- but I still love "Uptown Top Ranking" after all these many, many years.

("Walk Away Renee" and "Wichita Lineman" I'd also get behind.)

― David A. (Davant), Monday, 6 November 2006 04:57 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, wait. David A.'s Left Banke nomination reminds me that their "Pretty Ballerina" is the best song in the world... sometimes.

― opalescent arcs (Da ve Segal), Monday, 6 November 2006 09:03 (nineteen years ago)

Edgar Winter Group's "Free Ride," damn it.

― some deaths take forever (Da ve Segal), Tuesday, 7 November 2006 04:46 (nineteen years ago)

fourteen years pass...

a real contender:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF47kno4Dro

it’s several tiers above the song it was inspired by, even though that one is a classic in its own right.

― kiss some penis reference (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 11 November 2020 17:43 (five years ago)

for reference, those are

Starboy ft. Wizkid & L.A.X • Caro

and

Yemi Alade • Johnny

respectively

(not sure hidden text is searchable tho, guessing it isn’t)

― kiss some penis reference (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 11 November 2020 17:48 (five years ago)

I can't believe that's seven years old now O_O

― rob, Wednesday, 11 November 2020 17:52 (five years ago)

oops, got the chronology wrong, “Caro” is in fact the older track, by two months...

― kiss some penis reference (breastcrawl), Wednesday, 11 November 2020 18:28 (five years ago)

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