Friday 19 March 2010

The best song ever written?

There's lots of things I could be posting...but this post of Juliet Wilson's just made me think of this song (and it's a live version so the vocals are natural and not tidied up...):





Is that the best song ever written (OK, in English)? Maybe (and maybe is the only answer you need...of course there is no definitive answer!). And look at that crowd! That's what I call an audience...

x

18 comments:

The Solitary Walker said...

It's one of the best, for sure. (But she wrote so many fine songs, there's a wealth of choice...) To manage to put eco, personal and political all together with such a humorous, lightness of touch is just plain genius!

Alan Burnett said...

One of the best certainly : and so far ahead of its time.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Dominic bought me earphones for Mothering Sunday, so can now hear music on the computer! A quick visit as my back is still very bad - but just catching up on a few blogs. Love to all three and to Zoe.

Philip Dodd said...

Not sure about the best ever, but certainly up there for most prescient and perceptive. Great song and great performance. Joni Mitchell was a victim of weird production for most of her career (like Townes Van Zandt). Much better live. Yep great crowd too.
Jealous of your opportunity to see don paterson. Very. Any hints on his visits down south? By the way - where you come from originally - I think you said N of England?
Thanks, P.

Rachel Fox said...

And it's the weekend - hello all!

Weaver - so sorry to hear you're still in pain!

Philip - I can't see a list of dates for him online so I don't know what he's doing in England (if anything) but I would guess he will be at some of the lit festivals this year as he's doing a good few of the Scottish ones.


I was born near Darlington and grew up in and around there and in and around Middlesbrough. The glamour - I just can't tell you.

x

Rachel Fox said...

And I've heard so much about TvZ this year. We saw Steve Earle touring a whole album of his songs and this week the guest at our folk club (Ben Bedford) sang one too!
x

hope said...

I love that song! Seal tried to do a cover version last year and I found myself huffing that it wasn't "right". :)

Have a wonderful weekend!

PS...you can tell the English influence in my state: we have a County named "Darlington"...where my paternal Great Grandfather was born.

Bill said...

Certainly a candidate for a "top hundred". Moved me to post a song!

deemikay said...

I would suggest not. (Possibly unexpectedly.)

But it's nice enough. :)

Though my list of best-songs-ever changes every day. There was a one month point in November last year when I insisted that this was. That chorus! Shame he cannae sing live... :os

Today, I'm going for the reliable fall back of God Only Knows by the Beach Boys.

(EDIT: oops... so long since I've commented that I've forgotten how to link...)

deemikay said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rachel Fox said...

Yes, my list is huge...neverending!

Yesterday Joni's song felt like the best ever and today...it will be something else.

I like the Beach Boys...but I've never loved them. It may yet happen.

I am loving all these different songs for the post though. It's a proper love-in. Peace, man.

x

Rachel Fox said...

Went and listened to 'God only..' again. It is a corker. It always makes me laugh (ba ba ba ba etc.). In a good way.

x

Eryl said...

Not sure if that's the best ever song but I think the lady in the caftan is a contender for best ever dancer!

Anonymous said...

It is definitely one of the best songs ever written for the wonderful lyric :'Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got till it's gone?' Joni is such a great observer of the human condition.

deemikay said...

Peace/love/scented-herbal-cigarettes... And I've got long hair. Who's got the beads?

And God Only Knows makes me smile and laugh and feel the world is a wonderful place. There's a version with an a cappella tag as well... I might upload it. We'll have you a paid-up member of the BWIAG* club very soon!


* Brian Wilson Is A Genius

Peter Goulding said...

Ah but is it better than Ernie, who drove the fastest milkcart in the west?
I think not...

Rachel Fox said...

I was quite fond of Benny Hill as a child. I watched some at Xmas and there were still a few sketches I could enjoy...just a few. As for that song - a triumph!
x

Crafty Green Poet said...

I love that song, I'll watch the video later. I'm at work and nothing to do with only three days left in this job and all ends tied up. Thanks for the link.