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Great tracks - why are they great??

TheGreek

By TheGreek,
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TheGreek Grand Master

TheGreek

Posted
Posted

There will be differing opinions on what is a great track and why it's great. Nothing to do with genre either - great songs come from every genre, even if I don't like some of them.

 

There are artists who some think are great while others can't understand why that artist stands above others. Let's not have the "eye of the beholder" discussion.

 

Great tracks and why they are "great" please.

 

I say a little prayer - Aretha Franklin:

Well written song delivered faultlessly by somebody with a powerful and beautiful voice. Pitch perfect, even the high notes. Covered many times I would hazard but never bettered. An example for others to aim for.

 

I will always love you - Whitney Houston

Amazing song, written by Dolly Parton who said that she was blown away when she heard Whitney's version - "Yes it's my song but it's her record" - Dolly, huge star in her own right, said that she'd have loved to have been able to deliver the song in the same way. Another beautifully delivered song, again pitch perfect which Whitney was able to do live (YouTube is your friend). Dolly says it fits so many applications - not just for lovers - parent/ child, friends, etc.

  • Like 3
Dad3353 Grand Master

Dad3353

Posted
Posted (edited)

Topics such as this will, every time, receive a tribute to the much-missed Sandy Denny B| ...

 

 

As a bonus, it's drumming like this that inspired me to take up drums, with that sly, discreet 'killer' whip on the hi-hat. Not much to fault with the Fairports of this epoch. :rWNVV2D:

Edited by Dad3353
  • Like 5
peteb Grand Master

peteb

Posted
Posted (edited)
  On 24/11/2023 at 19:48, TheGreek said:

I will always love you - Whitney Houston

Amazing song, written by Dolly Parton who said that she was blown away when she heard Whitney's version - "Yes it's my song but it's her record" - Dolly, huge star in her own right, said that she'd have loved to have been able to deliver the song in the same way. Another beautifully delivered song, again pitch perfect which Whitney was able to do live (YouTube is your friend). Dolly says it fits so many applications - not just for lovers - parent/ child, friends, etc.

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A pretty safe choice there. Whether you like the genre or not, or even if you don't like the song, one of the greatest vocal performances ever recorded...! 

 

Edited by peteb
  • Like 2
Mykesbass Grand Master

Mykesbass

Posted
Posted

How are you judging greatness? Hotel California must be up there if popularity has anything to do with it. Loved on a truly global basis. Nice enough song, but why is it just so huge?

Lozz196 Grand Master

Lozz196

Posted
Posted
  On 24/11/2023 at 21:24, peteb said:

 

A pretty safe choice there. Whether you like the genre or not, or even if you don't like the song, one of the greatest vocal performances ever recorded...! 

 

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Agree. Although I prefer Dolly Partons version as there’s a vulnerability to it that Whitney Houstons version doesn’t have, the latter is truly a vocal masterpiece.

  • Like 1
Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted

I would love to hear Dolly Parton's seemingly infinite generosity of spirit tackling the challenge of commending the Sisters of Mercy's cover of Jolene

Richard R Grand Master

Richard R

Posted
Posted
  On 25/11/2023 at 09:18, dclaassen said:

Jackson Browne “The Load Out”…anthem for musicians everywhere.Makes me smile every time I hear it!

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Just played that (thanks Spotify!). Great song - you can imagine it as the last encore and the road crew joining on stage to take  a bow.

Newfoundfreedom Grand Master

Newfoundfreedom

Posted
Posted (edited)
  On 24/11/2023 at 19:48, TheGreek said:

 

 

I will always love you - Whitney Houston

Amazing song, written by Dolly Parton who said that she was blown away when she heard Whitney's version - "Yes it's my song but it's her record" - Dolly, huge star in her own right, said that she'd have loved to have been able to deliver the song in the same way. Another beautifully delivered song, again pitch perfect which Whitney was able to do live (YouTube is your friend). Dolly says it fits so many applications - not just for lovers - parent/ child, friends, etc.

Expand  

 

  On 24/11/2023 at 21:24, peteb said:

 

A pretty safe choice there. Whether you like the genre or not, or even if you don't like the song, one of the greatest vocal performances ever recorded...! 

 

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It just goes to show how very different people are. 

 

I will always love you is one song which would have me running for the off button every single time. I could just about cope with Dolly's version, but Whitney's is screechy, over sung, overbearing and overplayed to death. 

 

Different horses and all that. For me one of the greatest songs ever recorded is Janie's Got a Gun by Aerosmith, and I highly doubt many people would agree with me. 

Edited by Newfoundfreedom
  • Like 3
uk_lefty Grand Master

uk_lefty

Posted
Posted

this is perfection. I've never even thought about the bass line or any individual part, it's just one solid entity of musical bliss. I think it's the sheer emotion, it's sad but hopeful, everything about the performance is pushing those emotions.

 

 

  • Like 5
uk_lefty Grand Master

uk_lefty

Posted
Posted
  On 25/11/2023 at 09:53, Newfoundfreedom said:

Different horses and all that. For me one of the greatest songs ever recorded is Janie's Got a Gun by Aerosmith, and I highly doubt many people would agree with me. 

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I don't agree that it's the greatest ever but I will listen to it more closely, good call! That's why I like these discussions, find something completely new or take a different perspective on something you thought you knew well.

 

Great thread @TheGreek

  • Thanks 1
diskwave Mentor

diskwave

Posted
Posted

Like parts of the body, every ones got one and there all slightly different....but to be slightly serious. There is no diffinitive answer...best way I deal with it is to break it down to this. 

 

Why is it 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' is such a phenomenaly amazing piece of music.  I mean its a bit silly, simple soppy, stupid even....but its iconic, and its iconic because it is very cleverly written to fit the genre it was written for.  In other words what ever you write has to work. It doesnt matter how daft or serious it is..it simply has to be well written for the genre. 

PaulWarning Veteran

PaulWarning

Posted
Posted

as the late, great, Reg Presley (of the Troggs) once observed, nobody knows, some songs just have the mythical magic dust sprinkled on them, if anyone knew what the secret was every track they wrote would be great,  even the greatest songwriters have written some turkeys, 

  • Like 2
peteb Grand Master

peteb

Posted
Posted
  On 25/11/2023 at 09:53, Newfoundfreedom said:

Different horses and all that. For me one of the greatest songs ever recorded is Janie's Got a Gun by Aerosmith, and I highly doubt many people would agree with me. 

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Yes, it's a really good track - but I thought that you didn't like 'screechy' and 'over sung'? 

 

  • Haha 2
steantval Veteran

steantval

Posted
Posted
  On 24/11/2023 at 22:25, Mykesbass said:

How are you judging greatness? Hotel California must be up there if popularity has anything to do with it. Loved on a truly global basis. Nice enough song, but why is it just so huge?

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Could also be something to do with the superb guitar solo on it 👍

  • Like 1
Cliff Edge Mentor

Cliff Edge

Posted
Posted
  On 25/11/2023 at 09:18, dclaassen said:

Jackson Browne “The Load Out”…anthem for musicians everywhere.Makes me smile every time I hear it!

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That falsetto by David Lindley in Stay always makes me smile. Saw them do that live a few times. Don’t forget Running on Empty on the same album. Another great song in my opinion. 

dclaassen Mentor

dclaassen

Posted
Posted
  On 25/11/2023 at 20:24, Cliff Edge said:

That falsetto by David Lindley in Stay always makes me smile. Saw them do that live a few times. Don’t forget Running on Empty on the same album. Another great song in my opinion. 

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That whole album is amazing….

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