Rolling Stone's 500 greatest songs ever list

[HOF]

Sometimes though a fade out can be its own part of the artistic statement. I'm thinking of Supper's Ready where the instruments drift away into the ether one by one having just overcome the apocalypse (in 9/8 no less). I find that to be extremely powerful, especially on the live version on Seconds Out (a top 3 live performance of all time to me, and largely for the ending). The lessening and lessening of the sound makes it feel like the music is drifting away from me, being carried back to whatever beautiful place it came from, still alive and still playing but just not for me anymore. Corny I know, but it's the impression it gives me.

All of this! I love the way a good fade out gives you the impression that the song continues on indefinitely.

Fade outs are not a lack of an ending, but a type of ending that has a particular effect. There are tons of great fade outs, just like there are tons of awkward complete endings. It all depends on how well the effect is executed.

[Stadler]

I agree with Dave (and it IS masterful how the band effects the fade in the live setting). 

Then there's "Tonight" by Ozzy.   Just as Randy is going into third gear, the song fades.   Initially I thought that must be to hide a flub or something, but then the initial press releases for the 30th remaster of "Diary..." teased an "extended" version of "Tonight", without the fade.  They reneged on the actual release - it's not there - but in a documentary along with it, Ozzy and Kevin Churko played it, but subsequently talked over the whole thing saying how fucking great Randy was.  Shut the hell up and let us decide!   Tools. 

[KevShmev]

Fade outs are not a lack of an ending, but a type of ending that has a particular effect. There are tons of great fade outs, just like there are tons of awkward complete endings. It all depends on how well the effect is executed.

Totally agree.  Fade-outs are not bad in a vacuum, and some are tremendous. The Supper's Ready one mentioned is great, and I will submit that Neal Morse's Crossing Over/Mercy Street Reprise has a brilliant fade-out.  Just as the song starts to slowly fade, it explodes back into the main theme and it is just extremely powerful. It gives you that feeling that the music will go on forever, even though the journey is fading away for us, the listeners.

[hefdaddy42]

Some of you guys are upset over a whole lot of nothing.

I went through the list.  Is it the list I would have created?  No.  But it's fine.

It's chock full of great songs that have impacted lots of people, and a few curiosities to be sure.  But it's fine.

I counted 32 songs which I'm pretty sure I've never heard (mostly in the bottom 250), and of those, 8 are from artists that I already know I don't care for all that much.  But that leaves me 24 new songs to check out, so that's cool.

And there are definitely songs on the list that I don't like, and would never make a list I made.  But it's fine.  The fact that I don't like something shouldn't disqualify it from being included in any "greatest" list.

I was glad to more country artists/songs of note included, as well as artists of color. 

My biggest criticism (and I think we can all agree on this) is, of course:  Not Enough Wu-Tang.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

.

[Sebastián Pratesi]

I'll leave these here:

• https://youtu.be/AyIeOIn7yaE
  Enya - "Amid The Falling Snow", from her 2005 album 'Amarantine'.
• https://youtu.be/YP00DJIHuIk
  Barro - "Luna en Neptunia", from their new album, released last month.

Both are some of the most beautiful songs I've come across lately.

Didn't expect that number 1.  Random list.

It was #5 in the original 2004 list. Back then, #1 was Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" (now #4).

Here's the Top 10 from the 2004 list:

• Bob Dylan - "Like a Rolling Stone"
• The Rolling Stones - "Satisfaction"
• John Lennon - "Imagine"
• Marvin Gaye - "What's Going On"
• Aretha Franklin - "Respect"
• The Beach Boys - "Good Vibrations"
• Chuck Berry - "Johnny B. Goode"
• The Beatles - "Hey Jude"
• Nirvana - "Teen Spirit"
• Ray Charles - "What I'd Say"

The Stones, The Beach Boys, Berry, Charles and Lennon have disappeared from the Top 10 altogether.

[Stadler]

Some of you guys are upset over a whole lot of nothing.

I went through the list.  Is it the list I would have created?  No.  But it's fine.

It's chock full of great songs that have impacted lots of people, and a few curiosities to be sure.  But it's fine.

I counted 32 songs which I'm pretty sure I've never heard (mostly in the bottom 250), and of those, 8 are from artists that I already know I don't care for all that much.  But that leaves me 24 new songs to check out, so that's cool.

And there are definitely songs on the list that I don't like, and would never make a list I made.  But it's fine.  The fact that I don't like something shouldn't disqualify it from being included in any "greatest" list.

I was glad to more country artists/songs of note included, as well as artists of color. 

My biggest criticism (and I think we can all agree on this) is, of course:  Not Enough Wu-Tang.

Wut.

[Stadler]

I'll leave these here:

• https://youtu.be/AyIeOIn7yaE
  Enya - "Amid The Falling Snow", from her 2005 album 'Amarantine'.
• https://youtu.be/YP00DJIHuIk
  Barro - "Luna en Neptunia", from their new album, released last month.

Both are some of the most beautiful songs I've come across lately.

Didn't expect that number 1.  Random list.

It was #5 in the original 2004 list. Back then, #1 was Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" (now #4).

Here's the Top 10 from the 2004 list:

• Bob Dylan - "Like a Rolling Stone"
• The Rolling Stones - "Satisfaction"
• John Lennon - "Imagine"
• Marvin Gaye - "What's Going On"
• Aretha Franklin - "Respect"
• The Beach Boys - "Good Vibrations"
• Chuck Berry - "Johnny B. Goode"
• The Beatles - "Hey Jude"
• Nirvana - "Teen Spirit"
• Ray Charles - "What I'd Say"

The Stones, The Beach Boys, Berry, Charles and Lennon have disappeared from the Top 10 altogether.

Other than Nirvana, which doesn't belong anywhere near that part of the list, that's at least a Top 10 I can wrap my arms around.

[hefdaddy42]

Some of you guys are upset over a whole lot of nothing.

I went through the list.  Is it the list I would have created?  No.  But it's fine.

It's chock full of great songs that have impacted lots of people, and a few curiosities to be sure.  But it's fine.

I counted 32 songs which I'm pretty sure I've never heard (mostly in the bottom 250), and of those, 8 are from artists that I already know I don't care for all that much.  But that leaves me 24 new songs to check out, so that's cool.

And there are definitely songs on the list that I don't like, and would never make a list I made.  But it's fine.  The fact that I don't like something shouldn't disqualify it from being included in any "greatest" list.

I was glad to more country artists/songs of note included, as well as artists of color. 

My biggest criticism (and I think we can all agree on this) is, of course:  Not Enough Wu-Tang.

Wut.

Which part?

[Stadler]

Some of you guys are upset over a whole lot of nothing.

I went through the list.  Is it the list I would have created?  No.  But it's fine.

It's chock full of great songs that have impacted lots of people, and a few curiosities to be sure.  But it's fine.

I counted 32 songs which I'm pretty sure I've never heard (mostly in the bottom 250), and of those, 8 are from artists that I already know I don't care for all that much.  But that leaves me 24 new songs to check out, so that's cool.

And there are definitely songs on the list that I don't like, and would never make a list I made.  But it's fine.  The fact that I don't like something shouldn't disqualify it from being included in any "greatest" list.

I was glad to more country artists/songs of note included, as well as artists of color. 

My biggest criticism (and I think we can all agree on this) is, of course:  Not Enough Wu-Tang.

Wut.

Which part?

Haha, I was just joking around about the Wu-Tang. I didn't expect that.

[hefdaddy42]

I bomb atomically, Socrates’ philosophies and hypotheses
Can’t define how I be dropping these mockeries
Lyrically perform armed robbery

[Cool Chris]

I counted 32 songs which I'm pretty sure I've never heard (mostly in the bottom 250)

Wow, I haven't heard 32 in the top 75.

I have no idea who or what a Wu-Tang Clan is. But, and if I am slamming an entire genre of music, so be it I guess, but I hate rhyming for the sake of rhyming. One that always comes to mind is:

I got a girl in the Castle and one in the pagoda
You know I got rhymes like Abe Vigoda

I just... argh, lyrics like that are so dumb to me. But I love "Dark Master within, I will fight for you!" so what do I know?

[hefdaddy42]

I counted 32 songs which I'm pretty sure I've never heard (mostly in the bottom 250)

Wow, I haven't heard 32 in the top 75.

I have no idea who or what a Wu-Tang Clan is. But, and if I am slamming an entire genre of music, so be it I guess, but I hate rhyming for the sake of rhyming. One that always comes to mind is:

I got a girl in the Castle and one in the pagoda
You know I got rhymes like Abe Vigoda

I just... argh, lyrics like that are so dumb to me. But I love "Dark Master within, I will fight for you!" so what do I know?

Well, it's not "rhyming for the sake of rhyming" any more than a JP shredding solo is "fast notes for the sake of fast notes".

But if you don't like it, you don't like it.
















And that Abe Vigoda line is GOLD.  Beastie Boys, "Posse In Effect"

[Adami]

I think there ARE things that are just a rhyme without a reason.

Such as "Hell is worth all that, natural habitat." from Master of Puppets.

[hefdaddy42]

I think there ARE things that are just a rhyme without a reason.

Such as "Hell is worth all that, natural habitat." from Master of Puppets.

For that matter, MOST lyrics are rhyming for the sake of rhyming.

There's no law written down anywhere that song lyrics can't be written in free verse.  But (almost) no one does it.

[Adami]

I think there ARE things that are just a rhyme without a reason.

Such as "Hell is worth all that, natural habitat." from Master of Puppets.

For that matter, MOST lyrics are rhyming for the sake of rhyming.

There's no law written down anywhere that song lyrics can't be written in free verse.  But (almost) no one does it.

 

[425]

Don't worry, I got it and found it funny!

[Lonk]

I think there ARE things that are just a rhyme without a reason.

Such as "Hell is worth all that, natural habitat." from Master of Puppets.

 

[Elite]

I think there ARE things that are just a rhyme without a reason.

Such as "Hell is worth all that, natural habitat." from Master of Puppets.

Oh my God

[hefdaddy42]

lol

[Cool Chris]

I have no idea who or what a Wu-Tang Clan is. But, and if I am slamming an entire genre of music, so be it I guess, but I hate rhyming for the sake of rhyming. One that always comes to mind is:

I got a girl in the Castle and one in the pagoda
You know I got rhymes like Abe Vigoda

I just... argh, lyrics like that are so dumb to me. But I love "Dark Master within, I will fight for you!" so what do I know?

Well, it's not "rhyming for the sake of rhyming" any more than a JP shredding solo is "fast notes for the sake of fast notes".

But if you don't like it, you don't like it.

Yeah, I don't like it. Not every song needs to tell a story, not every lyric needs to sound like Neal Peart penned it. But lyrics like that make me think they just wrote words that rhymed without any regard for anything else. Which is weird coming from me, as generally lyrics are the last part of a song I find attachment with. I have listened to Senjutsu three times in full and still am digesting all the music, paying very cursory attention to the lyrics.

I am trying to process your JP/shredding analogy, because on the surface it sounds fair, but I guess I just have to fall back on saying I appreciate music and lyrics differently.

[Dedalus]

I think there ARE things that are just a rhyme without a reason.

Such as "Hell is worth all that, natural habitat." from Master of Puppets.