Songs that stand the test of time

[ftgjr]

A lot of music can sound dated after a while but some never sound old. What songs do you feel stand the test of time?

 

here are a few I think do.

 

 

Jimi Hendrix- Voodoo Child (I was watching the woodstock video and still can't believe it's 0ver 40 years old)

Van Halen= Mean Street

Rush- Tom Sawyer

Led Zeppelin-Whole lotta love

[L5Larry]

I think the "test of time" also defines "great music", whatever genre. I like to think of the 50 year mark as the threshold. What people think are great songs is so subjective to personal taste, but if a song is still played on the radio or is still available for purchase 50 years after it was first released, who can really argue that it's not a great song.

[SHO]

Led Zeppelin-Whole lotta love

 

As much as i like the song in general, it does feel terribly dated to me. I mean seriously, for anyone still thinking that the middle part with the totally far out psychadelic sounds and bongos and crap are still really cool and enhances the song they've had to have been around back in the day and suffered some serious brain damage from the drugs they took.

 

I totally envy them, though.

[milod]

What Larry said... <grin>

 

m

[Golem]

`

 

 

That discussion seems to be about one particular

rendition of a song. I never thought that was how

the OP question was meant ....

 

The 50 year threshold resonates with me ... but

in using that benchmark, I only think of a song as

'that song' ... not as any particular performance

or arrangement.

 

If a song only exists as one recorded version for

50 years ? I don't care how loyal is it's fan base

that keeps it in play ... when all the fans die, the

song dies ... therefore, any such song fails the

Test of Time in my book.

 

-----------------

 

I think a song that remains in play mainly as the

original version by the original performers is not

necessarily passing any MUSICAL test of time.

 

It's passing a cultural test ... it's becoming an

anthem of a time, place, or experience ..... but

when those who share in that feeling have died

off, if future musicians don't value the tune for

whatever they can do with it, then musically, it

has failed the Test of Time.

 

I emphasise future, cuz time is a one way trip.

Only the future can maintain the treasures of

the past. The past has no substance, unless

the future supports it.

 

 

 

`

[FirstMeasure]

Who Do You Love - Bo Diddly

Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry

I Fought the Law - Bobby Fuller (although Sonny Curtis wrote it)

[Golem]

`

 

I think at least half of the older Motown stuff

stands the Test of Time. It's gut stuff yet has

musical integrity, without complexity. Thaz a

pretty reliable foundation. Same with most of

the Ray Charles legacy.

 

Tunes that pop into mind at the moment:

 

Ain't Too Proud to Beg

 

Halleluja I Just Love Her So

 

Georgia on My Mind

 

Funny how simple stuff thaz big fun to play

will just refuse to fade away:

 

Mercy Mercy Mercy

 

Saint Thomas

 

Watermellon Man

None of the above has passed the 50 year

threshold yet, but it's all getting close and

still going strong.

 

 

 

 

`

[NeoConMan]

Really not a Stones fan, but I have to admit Satisfaction and Jumpin' Jack Flash have kept people tapping their feet.

 

 

Music being so individually subjective, I have to say that Rush's Tom Sawyer dates itself.

 

To me, it says eighties synth pop/rock the same way Star Trek says cheesy sixties television.

[WahKeen]

I think Roll With The Changes still sounds awesome. There are so many, but that one came to mind...

[Mr. Natural]

Almost anything by Booker T & the MGs from the '60s

[Daryl M]

I still listen to Sinatra a lot. He had great songs to sing. Johnny Mercer, Jimmy Van Husen, Rogers and Hart, Cole Porter and others wrote some classic American music. Having 'The Voice' singing them was the perfect marriage. Those songs are still standing in my book.

[Golem]

Almost anything by Booker T & the MGs from the '60s

101% +1 on that !

 

Since this seems to be a very GEETAR forum,

I spozed I'd best keep to myself about my view

of why the Booker T stuff holds up as timeless

...... even in it's original "as-recorded" versions.

 

 

 

`

[Golem]

I still listen to Sinatra a lot. He had great songs to sing. Johnny Mercer,

Jimmy Van Husen, Rogers and Hart, Cole Porter and others ......

Oyez !

 

I think there's a picture of Johnny Mercer in the

dictionary next to "Timeless Music".

 

To my mind, a song has to stand the "Test of

Time" ... the song itself, not just one particular

preformance, or recording .... and Mercer's

stuff is the tip of the pyramid.

 

NOT forgetting Harold Arlen ! ! !

 

Over the Rainbow may be absolutely THE one

most timeless song of all time .... and as per

my standards, exists in mega-multi versions.

 

--------------------------------------

 

A friend of mine once introduced "the next tune"

as "the most beautiful song ever", and without

naming the next tune just went right into Over

the Rainbow. Of course, some tweedy type at

the bar actually argued otherwise ... while the

tune was being played. We took him outside

and threw him under a bus.

 

 

 

 

`

[MojoRedFoot]

Master of Puppets seems to be doing well. Last time I saw Metallica, there were kids under 10 loving it as much as their parents. My kids (6 and 4) love it. Not cuz I forced em to. My daughter has her own opinions. She said "I like Justin Beiber but his songs are derp." Priceless. I didn't know she knew who JB was. So i know she genuinely likes MOP.