Glimpses of perfection: Fifteen Flawless Songs (or so I say) Jul 06 '03 (Updated Jul 14 '03)    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet Popular Products in Music Jersey Boys [Original Broadway Cast Recording] by Original Broadway Cast From $8 Mai by Eri Sugai From $4 The Bottom Line My insignificant list of the songs I think are per-fec-tion. I haven't found the perfect album yet. I'm looking. It's probably twenty years old and I've probably passed it over a million times at Wal Mart, but I haven't found it yet. I have found a handful of songs I consider to be "perfect," however. I think it's a highly subjective thing, but I consider a "perfect" song to be one that couldn't possibly be better. At all. Period. If you took anything away from it or added anything to it, it would no longer be perfect and you would've committed the unpardonable sin. I don't really mean a song that's just plain old amazing and masterpiece-y, I mean perfect. In my eyes, anyway. And at the moment I suppose that's all that matters. :) I personally think that when a song is essentially perfect, it's obvious from the beginning. So this was a fairly easy list to come up with. These fifteen are timeless, mindblowing, and well... perfect. They have details that add spice to the whole that could never be removed, and exhibit the highest quality of instrumental prowess, songwriting, vocals, production, attitude, the whole nine yards. Or so I say, which isn't really saying a whole lot, but anyway... Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): Goo Goo Dolls - "Iris" The Knack - "My Sharona" Lee Ann Womack with Sons of the Desert - "I Hope You Dance" Martina McBride - "Whatever You Say" Passengers - "Your Blue Room" Queen - "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" R.E.M. - "Losing My Religion" TLC - "Damaged" U2 - "Lemon" U2 - "The Ground Beneath Her Feet" U2 - "Walk On" Willie Nelson - "Night Life" |15| Train - "Drops of Jupiter" (from Drops of Jupiter) "Drops of Jupiter" was released in 2001 and immediately the roots-rock band's second huge hit with a proper noun in the title. "Drops of Jupiter" isn't exactly the Southern rock that Train normally produces, instead opting for a swelling blend of strings and piano chords. Frontman Pat Monahan's earthy vocals in the midst of the sweeping instrumental backdrop are the "earth" among the dreamy metaphors and sound, as he muses on that very subject: Will this person he's singing about be content with things as simple as deep-fried chicken, five-hour phone conversations, and soy lattes? It's hard not to believe he really wants to know the answer when he sings "Tell me, did the wind sweep you off your feet?... Did Venus blow your mind?" |14| Kevin Max - "Deconstructing Venus" (from Stereotype Be) (I promise I'm not purposely picking on songs with planets in the title!) In 2001, one-third of Christian music giants dc Talk released his first solo album to much critical acclaim, few actual sales, and little understanding from fans. The album as a whole wears his influences on its sleeve, but if you're going to do such a thing, do it the Kevin way and have good influences. "Deconstructing Venus" is a tirade of sorts against a rather obnoxious and conceited celebrity, with just the right attitude of disdain and scorn. The song opens with acoustic riffs and adds some dreamy, spacey effects in the verses to capture the way this person seems to think of themselves; and on the chorus, the song takes a rock approach while Kevin informs the protagonist that "even the papparazzi think you're quite absurd." The song fades with some strange, other-worldly vocals. It takes a certain amount of obnoxiousness in itself to pull off a line like "You wear Versace but you look like a dirty bird," but Kevin has just the amount of swagger to pull it off. I love the line "Venus of your own consent, is there anything that you give up for Lent?" |13| U2 - "Mofo" (from Pop) In 1997 U2 blew off expectations and broke their backs to meet a deadline, and the result was Pop. "Mofo" is the third track on my favorite U2 album, not to mention their loudest song yet. It's cold, aggressive, and frighteningly intense. Bono's deeply personal lyrics are almost drowned in distortion and programming, but it's almost as if he wants to make you work for it by doing so (and possibly offending you in the process). Edge's guitar is found bouncing over the electronia and bass bed, and it's impossible to not hear something new every time you hear it. Bono's voice alternates between indifferent and desperate on one of his most personal songs yet. As he lost his mother early in life, his pained falsetto cries of "Mother!" and lines like "looking for to fill that God-shaped hole" are all the more convincing and incredibly intense. |12| The Beatles - "Ticket to Ride" (can be found on ONE) The Beatles released "Ticket to Ride" in 1965, and the song's unorthodox structure, jangly riffs, and extra-memorable melody accent the lyrics to a T, which were different from past Beatles fare. They were more introspective and musing than anything they had done in the past, but would have a deep impact on their future. This is my own personal favorite Beatles song, and I think the mood is what I love most about it; it's, well, perfect. It's sad and lonely, but with an upbeat backdrop that makes it feel like an old friend. |11| U2 - "The Hands That Built America" (from The Best of 1990-2000 / Gangs of New York Original Soundtrack) In 2002, U2's Best-Of project unveiled the theme from Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York. Scorsese had told U2 to write a song that "began in 1861 and ended in 2002," and they did it, the way only U2 can. The song opens with simple strings and a lone piano, then shifts over to an acoustic guitar and Bono's opening line "Oh my love, it's a long way we've come". The chorus is a simple line ("These are the hands that built America"), but subtle background lyrics add the perfect touch ("Russian, Sioux, Dutch, Hindu/Polish, Irish, German, Italian"). On the second verse the strings (which were arranged by The Edge) vamp up and the piano eventually makes a triumphant and atmospheric return. In the final verse, the song makes a nod to 2001 that makes it feel completely relevant with the line "It early fall, there's a cloud on the New York skyline". Bono's opera-inspired bridge vocals are gorgeous and commanding, and Edge's background vocals are irreplaceable. The song is plenty amazing enough taken on its own, but in the context of the film it was written for, it's simply indispensable. I have a sick feeling it's going to be one of their most overlooked, and it doesn't deserve that by a longshot. I love, love the line "You gotta live with your dreams, don't make them so hard". "The Hands That Built America" won a Golden Globe in 2003 and should've picked up the Oscar for Best Original Song, as well. |10| Keith Whitley - "I'm Over You" (from I Wonder Do You Think Of Me) Keith Whitley's ballad might be dismissed as a typical country song, other than the fact it's better than that. It's a well-treaded theme of trying to prove you are indeed over someone, but this song comes from a man who wants his old flame to know that "tears in my eyes don't mean there's pain". It's the kind of song that makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time, mostly due to the way Keith sang it. When he says "Why are they making those stories up when I'm over you?" you almost believe him yourself. |9| Dave Matthews Band - "I Did It" (from Everyday) "I Did It" is arrogant and obnoxious on purpose, and I love that. The song is just too cool for words, and Dave's "I've-been-bad-but-I-don't-care" tone and lyrics are in perfect sync with the playful, bouncy, electric-guitar dominated music. Everyday wasn't received particularly well by DMB fans, but the lead single and track from that album is undeniably good. Violinist Boyd Tinsley even gets some voice time on the bridge, shortly before the song ends abruptly as it began. |8| John Lennon - "Imagine" (from Imagine) One of John Lennon's most celebrated and recognizable songs is also one of the best ever recorded. John's simple yet profound lyrics further prove his strength as a songwriter who wasn't afraid to be a bit idealistic. The piano melody is simple as well, yet somehow impossible to forget. John Lennon's vision and talent was ridiculous and incredible, and this song sums up his passion for peace more than any other. It wouldn't have been the same with more lush sonic elements; the simple piano melody is more than enough. |7| Johnny Cash - "Hurt" (from American IV: The Man Comes Around) In 2002, Johnny Cash's video for his cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt" hit CMT and VH1, and blew the doors off of the video world. The unlikely choice for a cover song was accompanied by the video's gripping and vivid images that matched the recording's intensity. Cash's voice combined with the insistent and trancing piano are a force to be reckoned with, and the bittersweet irony of the lyrics are tear-jerking. When he sings lines like "If I could start again" and you know he can't, it keeps you on the edge of your seat. Johnny Cash has always managed to be great despite what might have been limitations, and like wine he gets better with age. This song is stark and intense, intense, intense. |6| Bruce Springsteen - "Lonesome Day" (from The Rising) This song rocketh over. Bruce Springsteen's 2002 album The Rising was a concept one: his response to September 11, 2001. "Lonesome Day" was the second single and lead track on the album, a driving, rocking song musically. The lyrics weaved through dozens of emotions in just three verses, ranging from shock, disillusion, hesitation, hope, and pain. When he says "Let kingdom come, I'm gonna find my way through this lonesome day", you know that he will. And after the line "it's alright", for some reason I believe that it is. The last note and sudden ending are a great detail on the end of a great song. |5| The Police - "Every Breath You Take" (from Synchronicity) I doubt this song needs any explanation, but there's no getting around it: it's perfect! At the same time it's still often misunderstood, but I can't help but feel for the stalker in the song. The rhythm this song has, and the way Sting pulls off the stalker thing is almost scary. He sounds completely obsessed like it's perfectly normal and reasonable, which I love. I'd like to smack the girl around while screaming "Can't you see you belong to him?!" |4| Bruce Springsteen - "Secret Garden" (from Greatest Hits / Jerry MaGuire Soundtrack) They don't call him The Boss for nothing. Only Bruce Springsteen could write and sing this song, and thank God he did. It's slow, soft, gentle, and dang if it's not the most romantic song in the world. It's meditative, reflective, and deeply introspective (just about all the good -atives I could put in there), and the subtle sound it has is as perfect as perfect gets. A saxophone solo puts it over-the-top for me. The way it's presented is what I love most about it - it's not trying to be seductive or use anything to work against you... instead it takes an honest, poetic approach and wins you over immediately. |3| Michael Hutchence featuring Bono - "Slide Away" (from Michael Hutchence) I think this song moves me more than any other, or at least gives me more chills. INXS frontman Michael Hutchence was in the midst of recording a solo album in 1997 when he was found dead in a hotel, presumed suicide. "Slide Away" was a song he'd been working on, and Bono was called to sing on it after Hutchence's death. It boggles my mind to hear these words coming from a man who was obviously troubled. When Hutchence sings "I wanted to let it go/Just couldn't let it go" and then Bono comes in with "I'd catch you as you fall/I would catch you/I'd catch you if I heard your call/But you tore a hole in space/Like a dark star, falls from grace", with the arrangement the song has... wow is the only word I can think of. The strings and percussion are amazing, and the song is tortured and beautiful all the way around. Hutchence's voice was out of this world anyway, and the whole song sounds like it was created in another dimension. |2| Tom Petty - "Free Fallin'" (from Full Moon Fever) This song has been following me my entire life. I still remember the first time I ever heard it, on the radio in my mom's car. My mom has always loved it, and there was something I liked about it, particularly the chorus. Something about the way he sang "Now I'm free... free falling" appealed to me. I even made a video for it up in my six-year-old head. And it's still one of my favorite songs ever, because it's timeless. The opening guitar strains and Petty's somber tone as he sings the first verse are awe-inspiring. Even in places when the song just doesn't make a heck of a lot of sense, at that moment in the chorus, the song soars. That's one of the best moments in music, ever, period. |1| U2 - "With or Without You" (from The Joshua Tree) One of the most recognizable tunes from U2's masterpiece known as The Joshua Tree, "With or Without You" is what I consider to be the most perfect song I've heard yet. Adam Clayton's throbbing, much-imitated-now-but-completely-original-at-the-time bass part and Larry Mullen's accenting as other half of the rhythm duo are the backdrop of Bono's heart-wrenching lyrics, delivered with just the amount of sincerity and soul-gripping required. The song's restraint is actually what makes it amazing - especially at the end, when Edge could've let loose with an extended solo but held back to prove playing it loud doesn't make it right. Bono's lyrics are the cornerstone, and his vocals sound supernatural. I don't know who he was talking about, but I believe him one-hundred percent when he says "I can't live with or without you".

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