Top Ten Perfect Pop Songs

[admin_exported]

OK, so we've had top ten artists, albums, singles and films (loved or hated).
I'm in search of the perfect pop song, an art form in itself.

The only rule for this top ten is that every song must be under 3 mins in length.
I'm going to sleep on this one, but fire away everyone; Have fun!
atb
Gary

 

[fr0g]

3 minutes! Well in order to even produce a list I am gonna break that rule (hopefully not by more than 30 seconds or so)
Off the top of my head...

The La's - There She Goes ... This is definitely under 3 mins, an absolute classic.
Guided by Voices - Hold on Hope ... Utterly wonderful tune...
Shazam - Super Tuesday - In fact I am gonna put this album on as I write
The Bees - Chicken Payback - crazy crazy wonderful tune
Pavement - Spit on a stranger - Beautiful opening riff, and stupendous, fragile vocals.
Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea - A stupendous album, and this is the fantastic title song
The Beatles - Here comes the sun - What can I say...I remember I used to own an old japanese MX5 import, and it was a hot day, driving along open top, and this came on... Oh the smile.
R.E.M. - The one I love - Stupidly simple, but stupidly addictive.
Belle and Sebastian - Get me away from here, I'm dying - Great tune, makes me want to move...
Delays - Nearer than Heaven - sounds like a girl, but a killer track.
Men at work - Overkill - (A wonderful song. Colin Hays solo acoustic version may even be the definitive...)

Thats top of my head, breaking the 3 minute rule in most cases, and blurring the definition 'pop' somewhat maybe.

 

[Anonymous]

Ahhh fr0g, I appreciate your individuality but....it has to be 3 mins or less... sorry mate

btw, I had a quick check and both Transmission by Joy Division and Alison by Elvis Costello came in at over 3mins, which killed me.... think on!

edit: the inspiration for this came from Robert Smith describing Charlotte Sometimes as the most perfect pop song ever...

 

[fr0g]

Gary Mardell:Ahhh fr0g, I appreciate your individuality but....it has to be 3 mins or less... sorry mate

btw, I had a quick check and both Transmission by Joy Division and Alison by Elvis Costello came in at over 3mins, which killed me.... think on!

edit: the inspiration for this came from Robert Smith describing Charlotte Sometimes as the most perfect pop song ever...

Rules are there to be broken. If I had to stick to the rules I'd have to decline to participate

And looking at many of the other lists, the rules are broken over and over... So I'm gonna leave my list

 

[Anonymous]

Ooo, There She Goes, great call... but... The One I Love is 3.17...another knife in my heart.

I'll accept the pushing of pop, but you have to get under the 3 min mark

It's a tough job

 

[JoelSim]

OK I will vote for the second half of 8-ball by Underworld

 

[fr0g]

Gary Mardell:Ooo, There She Goes, great call... but... The One I Love is 3.17...another knife in my heart.

I'll accept the pushing of pop, but you have to get under the 3 min mark

It's a tough job

Life's too short... I don't iron my underwear either ;=)

 

[John Duncan]

This is tricky, and I feel you have limited it too much by defining a pop song as being below three minutes............

But on this basis, since "Kayleigh" and "Once in a Lifetime" are disbarred...........

Oliver's Army by Elvis Costello - 2:59.................

 

[Alec]

good call jd.

king of the road as covered by teddy thompson and rufus wainright.

i think looking through you and golden slumbers are under 3 mins.

celebrity skin by hole.

four letter word - echobelly

i wont back down, tom petty.

teenage kicks, natch.

for fr0g - back to the lake - guided by voices.

going underground

hotel yorba

timing is everything - swearing at motorists.

firecracker ryan adams

son of a preacherman

town called malice

ever fallen in love...? (buzzcocks).

im looking through my media library and could go on and on. luckily for all, i shant...

...oh hang on - all the right friends, fall on me and permanent vacation by R.E.M.

there are some short ones on their new album but im not sure they deserve to make such a list yet. their covers of strange by wire and favourite writer by magnapop both deserve a mention tho.

okay, okay, ill go catch me breath.

 

[fr0g]

I'm afraid such a list simply promotes otherwise unworthy songs for the sake of the length...

TBH I always disliked this 'made for radio' 3 minute 'rule'.However...

The Beatles - (Too many to choose from, but I'll go for... hmm, Norwegian Wood)
Donovan - 'Wear Our love like heaven'
7 Seconds - 'Copper Ledge'
Green Day - 'Good Riddance(Time of your life)'
Eels - 'Something is sacred'
Boards of Canada - 'Roybgiv'
Supertramp - 'Breakfast in America'
Beck - 'Dead Melodies'
Madness - 'Bed and Breakfast Man'
Nirvana - 'About a girl'
Stina Nordenstam - 'Sharon & Hope'

(Better start ironing my undies)

 

[Anonymous]

Some fine examples there!

In no particular order

Day Tripper - The Beatles (2.48)
What'cha Gonna Do About It - The Small Faces (1.58)
Another Nail in My Heart - Squeeze (2.55)
Town Called Malice - The Jam (2.55)
What Do I Get? - The Buzzcocks (2.56)
Roxette - Dr Feelgood (2.53)
From The Floor Boards Up - Paul Weller (2.27)
Oliver's Army - Elvis Costello (2.58)
Boys Don't Cry - The Cure (2.42)
Keep On Running - The Spencer Davis Group (2.47)

Off to do some ironing now

 

[plastic penguin]

"Perfect Pop Song," now there's a good old fashioned contradiction if ever I heard one. . . Lol!

This is setting a too tough a task. I think I might have to come back later

 

[survivor]

Goodness me! Haven`t got time for a top ten now but I shall start my list with -

Twist and Shout- The Beatles

and try to come up with nine more later.

 

[Clare Newsome]

Blimey, this'll take ages - half my iTunes collection is under 3 minutes!

Some quick thoughts....

Er, almost any Elvis (natch).

You really got me - The Kinks

Hello, I love you - The Doors,

Song 2 - Blur

Big Yellow Taxi - Joni Mitchell.

ÿOh, and Yesterday - The Beatles. Obviously.

More when I have time!ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

Arctic Monkeys - I bet you look good on the dance floor.

Elvis - if I can dream or Jailhouse Rock

Beatles - Paperback Writer

Michael Jackson - Beat It

T.Rex - 20h Century Boy / Children of the Revolution

Radiohead - Karma Police

Green Day - Baskey Case / Give me Novocaine

The Verve - The drugs don't work / Sonnet

Tracy Chapman - Fast Car

Coldplay - The Scientist

10 choons i couldn't live without.

 

[Anonymous]

oops didn't exactly read the original post - limiting the time to 3 minutes is just being awkward anyway -ha

Stan

 

[survivor]

Right then, I`ve had a think.....

Blondie - (I`m Always Touched By Your) Presence Dear 2.43

Mamas and Papas - California Dreamin` 2.40

Matt Monro - Born Free 2.50

Glenn Campbell - Galveston 2.42

Liverpool Express - It`s a Beautiful Day 2.03

Abba - Honey Honey 2.54

The Walker Brothers - My Ship Is Coming In 2.54

Bread - It Don`t Matter To Me 2.48

Andy Williams - Moon River 2.46

T.Rex - Metal Guru 2.30

Think I might have to do another later on with some Elvis, Beatles and Stones

 

[plastic penguin]

Well hear goes. I can only think of 8.

My brave face - Paul McCartney

Look through any window - The Hollies

Whatever's for us, for us - Joan Armatrading

Buddy Holly - Weezer

Song 2 - Blur

Bye bye love - Everley Bros

English Rose - The Jam

Please please me - The beatles

 

[plastic penguin]

plastic penguin:

Well hear goes. I can only think of 8.

My brave face - Paul McCartney

Look through any window - The Hollies

Whatever's for us, for us - Joan Armatrading

Buddy Holly - Weezer

Song 2 - Blur

Bye bye love - Everley Bros

English Rose - The Jam

Please please me - The beatles

Accidents will happen - Elvis Costello

Four seasons in one day - Crowded House,

I knew I would get there in the end (he wipes his brow)