Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Best Songs Over 8 minutes - Part 2

The greatest longest songs of all time. Well, at least in my CD/iTunes collection.

10. I Heard it Through the Grapevine, Creedence Clearwater Revival (11:06)
Another crazy-good hook that's relaxing and exciting at once.

9. Won't Get Fooled Again, The Who (8:33)
David Caruso et al. have tarnished it, but at a loud volume, the energy is undeniable.

8. I am the Resurrection, The Stone Roses (8:12)
The Stairway to Heaven of the alternative genre.

7. Stairway to Heaven, Led Zeppelin (8:00)
The Stairway to Heaven of the classic rock genre. It's overplayed and relatively straightforward and tame compared to their very best.

6. In My Time of Dying, Led Zeppelin (11:04)
No rock n roller has ever topped 3:47-7:12 - and no one ever will.

5. Silverf@ck, Smashing Pumpkins (8:43)
It's raw power is expertly accentuated by the well-written slow parts.

4. Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands, Bob Dylan (11:23)
Used at the end of I'm Not There, a beautiful and touching poem about those we only get to know briefly and wish we knew better. A harmonica never sounded as good. A link is unavailable.

3. Desolation Row, Bob Dylan (11:21)
Perhaps he drops too many references but it brilliantly shows a young man reaching at everything to overcome heartbreak. And it universalizes loss and sadness. Here's a good version, but the original is unavailable online.

2. Kashmir, Led Zeppelin (8:32)
It'd be #1 were it not for the Godzilla-P. Diddy-cash grab. Transporting and mesmerizing every time.

1. Porcelina of the Vast Oceans, Smashing Pumpkins (9:21)
You can't really explain art. Not really. But the peak (at 7:29) is killer and Billy's voice is sublime when it comes in shortly thereafter. Ranks this high for personal reasons - a lost friend.

1 comment:

Lawyer said...

Excellent, clever idea for a list.

I agree with most of these, especially the Zeppelin and SPumpkins. Don't forget about Hans Zimmer's Journey to the Line from Thin Red Line (and the last episode of season 1 of Carnivale) (you may have been intentionally limiting your list to pop music)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG9-j3eevL4