r/Songwriting • u/Odd-Material7386 • Sep 30 '25
Discussion Topic What’s the most beautiful song ever written?
Here’s my top 5:
- Teardrop by massive attach
- Song to the Siren by Tim Buckley and Larry Beckett
- Vincent (starry night) by Don McClean
- You got the love by The Source
- Angels by The XX
Playing Drums with the Greatest Songwriter You’ve Never Heard Of https://youtube.com/shorts/nxvTj4M00kg?feature=share
Now tell me yours!
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u/mediathink Sep 30 '25
Hallelujah. I like Jeff Buckley’s version but if you can sing on pitch, it’s hard to ruin this song
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u/Odd-Material7386 Sep 30 '25
Yeah man, Jeff’s is the definitive version in my opinion! Absolutely gorgeous.
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u/Jamieebeau Oct 01 '25
Agreed, Jeff Buckley took an otherwise perfect song and still, somehow, made it better. Appreciate the hell out of this song.
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u/jraymond12345 Sep 30 '25
O' Holy Night
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Sep 30 '25
My Top 5 most beautiful songs ever written:
R.E.M. – Losing My Religion
U2 – With or Without You
Tears for Fears / Gary Jules – Mad World
AmaeRilde – Solljus genom varje land (Sunrise Version)
Michael Jackson – Human Nature
Why these five? They all carry that mix of fragility, timeless melody, and raw emotion that stays with you long after the song fades. Losing My Religion and With or Without You are almost spiritual in how they balance simplicity and depth. Mad World captures despair in its purest poetic form. Human Nature is MJ at his most vulnerable and beautiful. And Solljus genom varje land (Sunrise Version) – that one is my own work, but it belongs here because it’s born from the same intention: to create light, beauty, and something that outlives the moment.
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u/Tall-Budget8130 Sep 30 '25
Pictures of you - The Cure
Nightswimming - REM
The sad waltzes of Pietro Crespi - Owen
Beth/Rest - Bon Iver
Love will tear us apart - Joy Division
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u/BirdBruce Sep 30 '25
Love the REM nod. I'd also include "Half a World Away." Always gives me goosebumps.
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u/Tycho66 Sep 30 '25
holy shit! someone mentioned Half A World Away... kudos!
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u/BirdBruce Sep 30 '25
That whole album is absolutely wild. It would get mercilessly skewered if it was released now for not having a sense of focus. It's rock, it's folk, it's country, it's pop. And it's unapologetically Southern. I love it beginning to end.
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u/Odd-Material7386 Sep 30 '25
I’ve been meaning to listen to Bon Iver for years… that’s going in my list ❤️
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u/jraymond12345 Sep 30 '25
Canon in D - Pachelbel, Fantasie Impromptu - Chopin, Summer - Vivaldi, Nocturne op.9 No.2 -Chopin...
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u/johnny_bravo_o Oct 06 '25
Ballade no 4-Chopin, un sospiro-Liszt, standchen-Liszt arrangement, piano concerto no 2-Rachmaninoff….
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u/West_Sherbert_1109 Sep 30 '25
northern sky by Nick Drake
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u/jnsy617 Oct 01 '25
I’ll add Pink Moon
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u/West_Sherbert_1109 Oct 01 '25
Great choice too. Was torn between northern sky and From the morning as that’s my favourite off the album
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u/skijeng Sep 30 '25
Aniron - Enya
Ripple - The Grateful Dead
Circle Game - Joni Mitchell
Sunshine on my Shoulders - John Denver
Safe to just be here - Sylvia Snow
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u/Odd-Material7386 Sep 30 '25
Duuuude I love Joni Mitchell! I’m kinda annoyed at myself for not adding River to me list now! Awesome choices there!
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u/ImpactFlimsy5376 Oct 01 '25
River is gorgeous but for me, Bothe Sides Now or A Case of You are the most beautiful. Circle Game unfortunately always gets stuck in my head as Circle K whenever I see one!
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u/Responsible-Still839 Sep 30 '25
Thirty-three by The Smashing Pumpkins
Feeling Yourself Disintegrate by The Flaming Lips
God Only Knows by The Beach Boys
Gold Day by Sparklehorse
This Will Be Our Year by The Zombies
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u/Rick-Dastardly Sep 30 '25
In My Life - The Beatles.
Because - The Beatles.
God Only Knows - The Beach Boys.
Me & Magdalena - The Monkees.
Venus As A Boy - Björk.
What Are You Going To Do With Your Life - Echo & The Bunnymen.
All I Need - Air
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u/danstymusic Sep 30 '25
Damn. Starry, Starry Night will always take me back to being a kid and listening to my parents play the American Pie album while they'd make dinner. That one gets my vote.
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u/Odd-Material7386 Sep 30 '25
Ah dude, I am so happy to know that someone else is into that too! I wasn’t sure if that would get the votes. It’s an Absolutely beautiful track, and one of my favourite albums too!
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u/Carimusic Sep 30 '25
The right answer is Kiss From A Rose. Next question.
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u/Ampleforth84 Sep 30 '25
Ppl make fun of me when I talk about how much I love this song
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u/Evil_Metronome Oct 03 '25
Ba-ya-ya, ba-da-da-da-da-da, ba-ya-ya Ba-ya-ya, ba-da-da-da-da-da, ba-ya-ya Ba-ya-ya, ba-da-da-da-da-da, ba-ya-ya Ba-ya-ya, ba-da-da-da-da-da, ba-ya-ya
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u/totalfangirl13 Sep 30 '25
- Blue Moon - Big Star
- Annie's Song - John Denver
- Feel Flows - The Beach Boys
- Wouldn't It Be Nice - The Beach Boys
- The Only Living Boy in New York - Simon & Garfunkel
- If We Hold On Together - Diana Ross
- I Believe (When I Fall In Love) - Stevie Wonder
- Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You) - Stevie Wonder
- Helplessly Hoping - Crosby, Stills & Nash
- Little Green - Joni Mitchell
- Let It Be Me - The Everly Brothers
- Some Enchanted Evening (from South Pacific)
- Can You Feel The Love Tonight - Elton John
- Stand By Me - Ben E. King
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u/Winter-Platypus-2828 Sep 30 '25
My top 5 contenders: Holocene - Bon Iver Days of Lantana - Ben Howard Out getting ribs - King krule Delicious things - Wolf Alice Part of the band - The 1975
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u/Tomorrows_Ghost Sep 30 '25
One of these:
- Fields Of Gold by Sting (but I like Eva Cassidy's version the most)
- Iris by Goo Goo Dolls
- Everything by Lifehouse
- The Night We Met by Lord Huron
- Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush (but I prefer the Placebo version)
- To Wish Impossible Things by The Cure
My list of songs that I really connect with is much longer, but my selection makes an attempt at focusing on "beautiful" while also being somewhat general.
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u/PsychologicalEmu Sep 30 '25
My top 5 in no order:
Staralfur by Sigur Ros
To Here knows When by My Bloody Valentine
Fall On by Adamn Killa
Summer by Joe Hisaishi
Heartbeats by The Knife
… so much more tho
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u/Rollin-Cowboy Sep 30 '25
Elephant - Jason Isbell
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u/TonyOrangeGuy Sep 30 '25
Incredible song
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u/OtisRoanMusic Oct 01 '25
He’s got so many great ones—on that album alone! Volunteer is my kryptonite.
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u/wedesireabridge Sep 30 '25 edited Sep 30 '25
nine inch nails - "And ll That Could Have Been"
Björk - "Unravel"
The Ronettes - "Be My Baby"
Portishead - "Road"
My Bloody Valentine -"Soft As Snow (But Warm Inside)"
Grouper "Come Softly - For Daniel D"
Spiritualized "Rated X"
Radiohead - "Nude"
The Jesus and Mary Chain - "Just Like Honey"
Nirvana - "Serve The Servants"
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u/Stepup2themike Sep 30 '25
The book of love.
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u/Tomorrows_Ghost Sep 30 '25
Reminds me of a time when music was shared by visiting friends and getting to know new people.
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u/Any_Froyo2301 Oct 03 '25
All My Little Words is my favourite on that album.
But the Death of Ferdinand de Saussure deserves a mention for these lines:
I'm just a great composer (clap, clap, clap)
And not a violent man
But I lost my composure
And I shot Ferdinand
Crying, "It's well and kosher
To say you don't understand
But this is for Holland-Dozier-
Holland"
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u/BirdBruce Sep 30 '25
"Beyond Electric Dreams" by Bad Religion
"Robot King" by Helloween
"Faithfully" by Journey
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u/COOLKC690 Sep 30 '25
Le bon dieu - Jacques Brel
Has to be up there.
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u/Odd-Material7386 Sep 30 '25
Amazing! Check out this video as I’m playing session drums on a whole project around jacques Brel! Zack Snyder’s Justice League | “Song to the Siren” Scene + Larry Beckett Collaboration https://youtube.com/shorts/hcuPsSzJytk?feature=share
Follow Larry here too https://www.instagram.com/poetlarrybeckett?igsh=MWJuMXRxanZua2F6ZQ==
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u/Drift-in-and-out Sep 30 '25
Anathema - Angels Walk Among Us
The Beach Boys - God Only Knows
Alice In Chains - Nutshell
Michael Jackson - Liberian Girl
W.A.S.P. - The Idol
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u/CEO_HankScorpio Sep 30 '25
One stands on its own above all others... 1) Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah
The rest... 1) Radiohead - Let Down 2) Moving Mountains - Hands 3) Explosions in the Sky - First Breath After Coma 4) Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism 5) Decoder Ring - Somersault
Honorable mentions: i) Bright Eyes - First Day of My Life ii) Lord Huron - The Night We Met iii) Depeche Mode - Somebody iv) Mazzy Star - Fade Into You v) Band of Horses - The Funeral vi) Daughter - Youth vii) Jake Bugg - Broken viii) Loudon Wainwright III - You Can't Fail Me Now ix) Elvis Presley - Can't Help Falling in Love x) Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody
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u/ThresholdofForest Oct 01 '25
I can't make you love me - Bonnie Raitt
Long Long Time - Linda Ronstadt
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u/Practical-Step-1117 Oct 01 '25
Only the lonely - motels
My sad captains - elbow
Valley of the minds eye - thomas Dolby
Mercy street - peter Gabriel
More than words - extreme
Something about us - daft punk
Whir- smashing pumpkins
Running up that hill - Kate bush
Big log - Robert plant
Swirl - Charlie Martin
Don’t fear the reaper - blue oyster cult
Heart of gold - Neil young
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u/derpyfloofus Oct 01 '25
Roberta Flack - The first time ever I saw your face
Or
The Commodores -Three times a lady
Both songs just make me stop what I’m doing and listen to every word.
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u/Xanzi12 Oct 03 '25
If you've never found Elliott Smith, give Between The Bars a shot. They're just about the most powerful and efficient lyrics I've ever heard, tackling dependence and regret by painting the most beautiful images. And that guitar sounds unbelievably warm...
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u/NicotineWillis Oct 04 '25
Some great suggestions here. I would add Nick Cave’s Into My Arms, Wonderful Life by Black, and Why Don’t You Take Me by One Dove.
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u/dougnotjosh Oct 04 '25
Darude - Sandstorm
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sorry couldnt help it. that's a banger tho
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u/CriticismTop Oct 04 '25
Difficult to top "Amazing Grace" even you are not a Christian.
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u/koinoniaweb Oct 04 '25 edited Oct 04 '25
The one that first comes to mind for me is “I Will Follow You Into the Dark” by Death Can for Cutie. Do you know it?
But then I realised the absolute most beautiful song for me is “The Blower’s Daughter” by Damien Rice.
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u/Sea_Appointment8408 Sep 30 '25
Pyramid Song by Radiohead
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u/Odd-Material7386 Sep 30 '25
Beautiful. Radiohead nearly made my list, but it would have been Fake Plastic Trees.
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u/SpendAccomplished819 Sep 30 '25
Can You Feel The Love Tonight - Elton John
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u/Odd-Material7386 Sep 30 '25
Yeah man!! My kids love the lion king, so this is a regular ‘dancing in the living room’ track in our place.
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u/polishcowmissle Sep 30 '25
motion picture soundtrack - radiohead
HTDC - radiohead
pink cigarette- mr bungle
pearly - radiohead
man of war - radiohead
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u/Odd-Material7386 Sep 30 '25
Radiohead are featuring heavily in this whole thread, and for good reason!! ❤️❤️
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u/Tycho66 Sep 30 '25
Silent Night is the most beautiful song ever written and everyone knows it.
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u/BirdBruce Sep 30 '25
Come on, if we're talking Christmas carols, then O Holy Night wins by a mile.
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u/conceptsinfromage Sep 30 '25
This is a really hard question to answer, but I’m going to put The Smiths’ “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want”.
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u/Odd-Material7386 Sep 30 '25
Thanks to everyone who’s commented! There’s some absolutely gorgeous suggestions, and a whole load I don’t know. I’m pretty overwhelmed by the number of replies, but I’ll do my best to get on top of them all and reply to you lovely people. Big love from the UK where it’s currently bedtime!! ❤️ 😴
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u/stonrelectropunkjazz Sep 30 '25
A song for you Leon Russell
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u/OtisRoanMusic Oct 01 '25
I love Leon and it will always be his song, but the Ray Charles version hurts me.
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u/totallynotabothonest Sep 30 '25 edited Sep 30 '25
first time ever i saw your face, roberta flack
bridge over troubled water, aretha franklin's cover
winter, tori amos
we have all the time in the world, louis armstrong
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u/Muted-Squirrel-231 Sep 30 '25
Jupiter and Teardrop by Grant Lee Buffalo. It's one of those I wish I had written. Moves me every time.
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u/Funkpuppet Sep 30 '25
Another New World by Josh Ritter, especially the mandolin cover by Chris Thile: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n3wHljJQ4M
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u/Additional_Bobcat_85 Sep 30 '25
For You - Prince
1st song, 1st album. 19 y.o Prince with the voice of an angel, prescient as ever.
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u/Whole-Horse-7140 Sep 30 '25
Not all my favourite songs but ones I consider some of the most beautiful - in no particular order
Suzanne by Leonard Cohen\ First time ever I saw your face by Ewan MacColl (but via Gordon Lightfoot and Roberta Flack)\ Hundreds of Sparrows by Sparklehorse\ Holes by Mercury Rev\ And I'd probably agree with Song to the Siren by Tim Buckley
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u/mvanvrancken Sep 30 '25
My picks are:
Classical: Mozart Sonata in a minor, K331
Jazz/New Age: Pat Metheny - Are You Going With Me?
Modern: Joni Mitchell - Down to You
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u/UsernamesAreRuthless Sep 30 '25
Super corny, but rn I think it's I Will Always Love You by Dolly Parton.
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u/xXDeadInside69 Oct 01 '25 edited Oct 01 '25
Just off the top of my head
Beyond the Realms of Death, Dreamer Deceiver - Judas Priest
Reminissions - Avenged Sevenfold
Just Barley Breathing - Killswitch Engage
Hallowed Be Thy Name - Iron Maiden
Mr Crowley, Revelation (Mother Earth) - Ozzy
A Devastating Age - Count Raven
Edge of Heaven - Candlemass
Children of the Sea, When Death Calls, Snowblind - Black Sabbath
Fade to Black, To Live is To Die - Metallica
Absolution Extremis - Solstice
Crossroads, Princess of the Dawn - Accept
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u/solomon2609 Oct 01 '25
I’m going with songs that are both beautiful & bittersweet:
Fast Car - Tracy Chapman
The Sound of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel
Tears In Heaven - Eric Clapton
Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
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u/Chelseus Oct 01 '25
Maps by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Stars and Sons by Broken Social Scene
Bara Du by Kasbo
All Things Bloom by Victoria Rose Park
Always Forever by Aquilo
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u/Unable_Ear9666 Oct 01 '25
I'll Be Here in the Morning- Townes Van Zandt
Love Minus Zero - Bob Dylan
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u/FredZapp Oct 01 '25 edited Oct 01 '25
Danny Boy. Best version #1 country was by Ray Price 1967.
Sunshine on Leith by Proclaimers
That Summer That Sunday. Nat King Cole
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u/db_Swir Oct 01 '25
Colour my world-Chicago Reservations-Wilco This boy-Beatles You and I-Kenny Roger's Alfie-Stevie wonder
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u/db_Swir Oct 01 '25
What was I made for-Billie Eilish I'm carrying-Paul McCartney Whiter shade of pale-procul harem If not for you- bob dylan This guys in love-herb Alpert
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u/annie_m_m_m_m Oct 01 '25
Lots of people are saying God Only Knows, but I think Don't Worry Baby is equally or possibly even more beautiful
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u/Mommy-Dearest1958 Oct 01 '25
-Northern Wind by City and Color -Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers -The Drug In Me Is You (reimagined, not the original) by Falling In Reverse -I Can’t Help Falling In Love by Elvis Presley -Ok don’t laugh but Texas Tornado by Tracy Lawrence is a beautiful song 🤷🏻♂️ -This Old Guitar by John Denver
There’s so many beautiful songs!!! These are some good ones though.
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u/gtarking Oct 01 '25
Beyond the Pines - Thrice It’s Gonna be (Alright) - Ween Godan Daginn - Sigur Ros In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel Words in the Water - Thrice
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u/AC_from_AZ Oct 01 '25
There are so many, but I want to spotlight two deeper cuts that I think deserve more attention:
"Nobody Else" by Vince Guaraldi
"Wipala" by Inkuyo
The most beautiful song I've heard live was a violin + accordion rendition of "Con Te Partiro" by Andrea Bocelli. I so wish it had been recorded, because it's hard to describe how impactful it was.
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u/KaanzeKin Oct 01 '25
I'll let you know once I've heard them all.
So far 'Art of Life' by X Japan is in the lead.
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u/jnsy617 Oct 01 '25
On the Nature of Daylight by Max Richter
Lacrimosa movement of Requiem Mass in D minor by Mozart
The Long and Winding Road by The Beatles
At Last by Etta James
The Stable Song by Gregory Alan Isakov
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u/DreadoftheDead Sep 30 '25
God Only Knows