What is the best song in the history of Earth?

[Oterro]

If I were to be all statistical about it, talking about influence, skill and appeal. Then songs like 'Johnny B. Goode' by Chuck Berry, 'Stairway to Heaven' by Led Zeppelin and 'Symphony No. 9' by Beethoven would be up at the top.

But in my personal opinion, the best song in the history of Earth ever created is Hotel California by The Eagles.

johnny b goode isn't a very technically impressive song

it would be some terrible prog wank track by some terrible band like dream theatre or animals as leaders

[Elysium Bay]

If I were to be all statistical about it, talking about influence, skill and appeal. Then songs like 'Johnny B. Goode' by Chuck Berry, 'Stairway to Heaven' by Led Zeppelin and 'Symphony No. 9' by Beethoven would be up at the top.

But in my personal opinion, the best song in the history of Earth ever created is Hotel California by The Eagles.

johnny b goode isn't a very technically impressive song

it would be some terrible prog wank track by some terrible band like dream theatre or animals as leaders

What I meant was that Johnny B. Goode was quite influential in music. But I wouldn't agree it to be the best song ever, or the most technically skilled.

As for 'prog wank', I'm a prog fan. And a massive fan of Dream Theater. Your comment has hit me hard, but everyone has their opinions and I shall not argue.

[Bodobol]

Something by Metallica, I know that for sure. For me it would either have to be one of these three songs:

...And Justice For All
Eye of the Beholder
For Whom the Bell Tolls

[Meryuma]

What I meant was that Johnny B. Goode was quite influential in music. But I wouldn't agree it to be the best song ever, or the most technically skilled.

As for 'prog wank', I'm a prog fan. And a massive fan of Dream Theater. Your comment has hit me hard, but everyone has their opinions and I shall not argue.

Hotel California isn't technically accomplished or vastly influential, it's just a well-known dadrock tune. Nothing "statistical" (u wot m8) about it.

Also, I like prog and so does Oterro but there's a huge difference between something arty and progressive like this and something like this where it's just showing off your instrumental skills without really caring about atmosphere or having an interesting structure.

[Shnercropolis]

"Old Man", by Niel Young.

[Oterro]

"Old Man", by Niel Young.

harvest, heart of gold, out on the weekend are better

[Nidaria]

Hard to say, but perhaps the New World Symphony, Fourth Movement, by Dvorak.

[Robotnik]

http://youtu.be/GGuhZvO1DKg

I am a real American~
Fight for the rights of every man~
Fight for what's right~
Fight for your life~

[Hasuut Inu Tlomaq]

Dark Star, Grateful Dead

[This is Happening]

George Michael-Careless Whisper

--Zaq

[Anollasia]

There are many wonderful songs, but when comes to lyrics, John Lennon- Imagine.
When it comes to creativity and tune, Queen- Bohemian Rhapsody.

[Kingdom of the Polar Bear]

Something by Metallica, I know that for sure. For me it would either have to be one of these three songs:

...And Justice For All
Eye of the Beholder
For Whom the Bell Tolls

Great choices, I am somewhat of a big fan of Metallica, and my favrate song by them at the moment would would half to be... "Nothing Else Matters" (you thought i was going to say "Enter Sandman" didn't you?) and the slow parts of "To Live Is To Die" are my favrates.

[AETEN II]

johnny b goode isn't a very technically impressive song

it would be some terrible prog wank track by some terrible band like dream theatre or animals as leaders

What I meant was that Johnny B. Goode was quite influential in music. But I wouldn't agree it to be the best song ever, or the most technically skilled.

As for 'prog wank', I'm a prog fan. And a massive fan of Dream Theater. Your comment has hit me hard, but everyone has their opinions and I shall not argue.

ARGHNONONOEAGLESJUSTNO!

Well some of my favorite songs include Planet Caravan by Black Sabbath, largely because it's exceptionally unique in sound and I've never heard anything that comes close to it in tune. There's also stuff like 'Who Are You' and other great Black Sabbath songs, but Planet Caravan stands out as just a unique song.

[--argh let go of my throat]

Wow, when did this thread pick back up?

I still stand by Bohemian Rhapsody being my favorite, making my decision for best biased towards it. 2112 by rush is also just amazing and a definate contender, as is YYZ.

Of course these are just IMO and many of you have already shown your extremely differing opinions, which are (for the most part) fair.

Also, just thought I'd make the observation that I was a terrible poster a year ago when I made this thread. MAN.

[Phocidaea]

Stairway to Heaven.

Seven minutes of incomprehensible Tolkien- and drug-inspired lyrics, including an incomprehensible recurring metaphor, multiple changes to the song's style (medieval flute -> soft rock -> screaming hard rock), and epic guitar solos and riffs, plus cultural impact, equals victory.

[Fersceau]

1812 overture especially the last two minutes...or
Beetoven's 7th symphony second movement

[Bodobol]

Something by Metallica, I know that for sure. For me it would either have to be one of these three songs:

...And Justice For All
Eye of the Beholder
For Whom the Bell Tolls

Great choices, I am somewhat of a big fan of Metallica, and my favrate song by them at the moment would would half to be... "Nothing Else Matters" (you thought i was going to say "Enter Sandman" didn't you?) and the slow parts of "To Live Is To Die" are my favrates.

Actually, since I made that post, I have transformed from "Oh yeah, Metallica's cool" to "AWWWWWWWW YEAH METALLICA IS AWESOME!" Now, I'd have to agree with you on those points. Although I wouldn't classify Nothing Else Matters as my favorite song, it's definitely up there. To Live is To Die... oh God, that song is awesome. I like the slow parts of that song, but I also like the hardcore part right before Hetfield starts reciting the poem. I don't really listen to much after The Black Album; after that is when their music started to go downhill (there were a few good songs after that, but not nearly as many as there were before).

There are many wonderful songs, but when comes to lyrics, John Lennon- Imagine.
When it comes to creativity and tune, Queen- Bohemian Rhapsody.

Those are not my personal choices, but I still consider them both absolutely great songs. Bohemian Rhapsody I've had memorized since forever, and it is by far my favorite song by Queen, even if the lyrics don't make a whole ton of sense to me (I don't think they make much sense to anyone :/)
The lyrics in Imagine are astounding. I am a firm Christian, but the lyrics are uplifting to me (I only stated I'm a Christian due to the lines "Nothing to kill or die for; and no religion too). The world pictured in Imagine would be a utopia to me.

[Anollasia]

Great choices, I am somewhat of a big fan of Metallica, and my favrate song by them at the moment would would half to be... "Nothing Else Matters" (you thought i was going to say "Enter Sandman" didn't you?) and the slow parts of "To Live Is To Die" are my favrates.

Actually, since I made that post, I have transformed from "Oh yeah, Metallica's cool" to "AWWWWWWWW YEAH METALLICA IS AWESOME!" Now, I'd have to agree with you on those points. Although I wouldn't classify Nothing Else Matters as my favorite song, it's definitely up there. To Live is To Die... oh God, that song is awesome. I like the slow parts of that song, but I also like the hardcore part right before Hetfield starts reciting the poem. I don't really listen to much after The Black Album; after that is when their music started to go downhill (there were a few good songs after that, but not nearly as many as there were before).

There are many wonderful songs, but when comes to lyrics, John Lennon- Imagine.
When it comes to creativity and tune, Queen- Bohemian Rhapsody.

Those are not my personal choices, but I still consider them both absolutely great songs. Bohemian Rhapsody I've had memorized since forever, and it is by far my favorite song by Queen, even if the lyrics don't make a whole ton of sense to me (I don't think they make much sense to anyone :/)
The lyrics in Imagine are astounding. I am a firm Christian, but the lyrics are uplifting to me (I only stated I'm a Christian due to the lines "Nothing to kill or die for; and no religion too). The world pictured in Imagine would be a utopia to me.

I'm muslim, but I still find Imagine awesome. I wish people would listen to it, and make the stuff true to make the world a better place.

[Meryuma]

I'm muslim, but I still find Imagine awesome. I wish people would listen to it, and make the stuff true to make the world a better place.

John is my favorite Beatle but I never liked that song. It's so sappy and it's not like he came up with the sentiment.

[Bodobol]

I'm muslim, but I still find Imagine awesome. I wish people would listen to it, and make the stuff true to make the world a better place.

Agreed. It really sucks how most of humanity resorts to violence to settle disagreements. Although I will go with Meryuma on the fact that it is a bit sappy, the world described in that song is my utopia. But even if people were to listen to it, the peace would only be temporary. The Fallout games (not sure if you've heard of them) usually start out with one line- War. War never changes. This basically describes everything on Earth nowadays. Even if Earth were to unite in a utopia, it would only take one little spark to set the world ablaze.

[Oterro]

I'm muslim, but I still find Imagine awesome. I wish people would listen to it, and make the stuff true to make the world a better place.

John is my favorite Beatle but I never liked that song. It's so sappy and it's not like he came up with the sentiment.

John was an arse.

George > Ringo > John = Paul

But i guess in terms of musical output

Paul > John > George > Ringo

[Phocidaea]

Not one response to my "Stairway to Heaven" proposition?

[Oterro]

Not one response to my "Stairway to Heaven" proposition?

all the originality of a brick.

[Cameroi]

that one where john cage did almost nothing for almost 4 minuetes, i forget exactly how long, but the length of time involved is the name of it.

well that's one of them. (actually mark twain is reputed to have done somthing quite similar at one time, minus the piano)

l's ga and silver apples of the moon, come to mind too.

one bright pearl, by numina i think it was. i loved that one for its alieness, the first time i'd ever heard it, which may not have been numina, who many not have existed yet, back in the early 60s.

none of these are really songs in the sense of having lyrics, of course. but that's precisely a large part of their alure for me.

there was the song of the spheres by pythagoras, but pleni the b.s. artist may have been the only one ever to have heard it.

[Meryuma]

Agreed. It really sucks how most of humanity resorts to violence to settle disagreements. Although I will go with Meryuma on the fact that it is a bit sappy, the world described in that song is my utopia. But even if people were to listen to it, the peace would only be temporary.

It's one of the most popular songs in the world. "Even if people were to listen to it" doesn't really work as a hypothetical.

John is my favorite Beatle but I never liked that song. It's so sappy and it's not like he came up with the sentiment.

John was an arse.

George > Ringo > John = Paul

But i guess in terms of musical output

Paul > John > George > Ringo

I'm not counting who they are as people.