A serious question - is this the best song ever?

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Originally Posted by Taunton Blue Genie

I have just discovered that Steely Dan's 'Do It Again' is about someone who stole 'your water'.
I always thought it was 'wallet'.

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Wallet doesn't rhyme so well with " .. border" :-)

Edit:
we should have a misheard lyrics thread (which my wife would win hands down ;) )
I will start one

"in the morning you go gunning for the man who stole your wallet,
and you fire 'till he is done in but they catch you at the ballet"

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Originally Posted by Nelsonca61

That's an excellent rendition by Frusciante. great song but, the greatest?, it's too broad a subject

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The test of any good song is to strip it down to it's basic form. Benny and Bjorn were craftsmen. While not my favoutite type of music, I like many others could appreciate them for they were, a brilliant pop group who influenced many songwriters and producers that followed.

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Originally Posted by Wales-Bales

When I was a young lad, this song stood out as being better than anything I had heard before.

I am a person with exquisite taste, and as weird as it may seem, I don't think this song has ever been beaten as a pop masterpiece.

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Weird you mention this track. I hate pop music. But I love this record and has always stood out to me. Massive guilty pleasure.

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Originally Posted by Wales-Bales

When I was a young lad, this song stood out as being better than anything I had heard before.

I am a person with exquisite taste, and as weird as it may seem, I don't think this song has ever been beaten as a pop masterpiece.

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Weird you mention this track. I hate pop music. But I love this record and has always stood out to me. Massive guilty pleasure.

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Originally Posted by NYCBlue

Can't argue with much of this. Although, I'd probably take You Set the Scene over Alone Again Or. But then again, is that really a pop song in its truest sense?

You could certainly add a couple of Carpenters songs to that list, The Zombies, even Slade. Does Doo-Wop and Rock and Roll Count? If so, I'd nominate Be-Bop-A-Lula and I only Have Eyes For You.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvzNeh4Mq1o

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Great record NYCBlue. It's a pivitol NYC record I believe too as producer George Goldner changed the sound of music with reverb and the birth of the "wall of sound" etc

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Originally Posted by tigerbaybluebird

On this message board they're are some very intelligent, intellectual and wise people,

But I do have to say some of you have a terrible taste in music


Happy new year one and all ( not including you Goslow your a wanker).

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Have you ever thought it could be you who has the terrible taste in music :xmassherlock:

PS Abba are amazing

For me this classic from 1982 Steve Winwood's "Valerie"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbKNICg-REA

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Originally Posted by Wales-Bales

I'm with Pete Townsend, Ray Davies and John Lennon on this one, three top drawer songwriters who know a thing or two about writing a cracking tune.

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You're still feeling a little bit emotional then.

Was it a lost or unrequited love or the overwhelming feeling that you're useless?

As I said, we're here for you.

p.s. Don't agree with everything Townsend says or does or expect a knock on the door from CEOP.

:thumbup:

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Originally Posted by Vimana.

And oddly enough, allegedly the chorus for the 'Pistol's Pretty Vacant was nabbed from the chorus of SOS. I think I recall reading John Lydon said as much.

While they don't sound especially similar, they do share the same melody.

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From Glen Matlocks autobiography he stated he lifted the melody from SOS for Pretty Vacant.

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Originally Posted by binman

From Glen Matlocks autobiography he stated he lifted the melody from SOS for Pretty Vacant.

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Just read that Dave Grohl says he was influenced by ABBA :yikes:

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Originally Posted by Jordi Culé

You're still feeling a little bit emotional then.

Was it a lost or unrequited love or the overwhelming feeling that you're useless?

As I said, we're here for you.

p.s. Don't agree with everything Townsend says or does or expect a knock on the door from CEOP.

:thumbup:

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Neither, it was the song structures that interested me, the same ones that are still being used 40 years later :thumbup:

Going back to my post of this morning, here's Jon Bon Jovi...
singing Gershwin's
"How Long has This Been Going On?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrWm-VLxc1k

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Originally Posted by Wales-Bales

When I was a young lad, this song stood out as being better than anything I had heard before.

I am a person with exquisite taste, and as weird as it may seem, I don't think this song has ever been beaten as a pop masterpiece.

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I've always been an Abba fan, their greatest hits vol 1 was my first ever album and I played it to death, it definitely shaped my music taste and what I look for in a tune.

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Originally Posted by Taunton Blue Genie

As you are nominating the song for the highest bauble I think that I am justified in pointing out that the lyrics are a bit weak here and there e.g.

"Whatever happened to our love?
I wish I understood
It used to be so nice
It used to be so good".

It's that word "nice" that makes me cringe. Particularly when followed by "good" as an alternative.

My Swedish is magnificent, of course....

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I can be put right off of a tune I really like because of cheesy lyrics, I've deleted loads of mixes I've recorded because of it, not sure why it bothers me so much. :hehe:

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Originally Posted by Mrs Steve R

I can be put right off of a tune I really like because of cheesy lyrics, I've deleted loads of mixes I've recorded because of it, not sure why it bothers me so much. :hehe:

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What would you replace nice with?

"Whatever happened to our love?
I wish I understood
It used to be so ????
It used to be so good".

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Originally Posted by Wales-Bales

"Whatever happened to our love?
I wish I understood
It used to be so ????
It used to be so good".

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Could you two find a room?

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Originally Posted by Wales-Bales

What would you replace nice with?

"Whatever happened to our love?
I wish I understood
It used to be so ????
It used to be so good".

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I wasn't talking about that song, I was just saying I understand how lyrics can bug people.

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Originally Posted by Cyclops

Could you two find a room?

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:hehe:

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Originally Posted by Wales-Bales

What would you replace nice with?

"Whatever happened to our love?
I wish I understood
It used to be so ????
It used to be so good".

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terribly rewarding

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Originally Posted by Blue in the Face

Weird you mention this track. I hate pop music. But I love this record and has always stood out to me. Massive guilty pleasure.



Great record NYCBlue. It's a pivitol NYC record I believe too as producer George Goldner changed the sound of music with reverb and the birth of the "wall of sound" etc

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Exactly, the engineering/production is amazing. I thought it sounded like something from outer space when I was young. I still kind of get that feeling now.

As good as this song may be, looking at the other thread, it seems like ABBA are getting their arses kicked.:xmashehe::xmashehe:

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Originally Posted by Wales-Bales

Neither, it was the song structures that interested me, the same ones that are still being used 40 years later :thumbup:

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Which structures did ABBA use that weren't being used before?

The OP asks a serious question. The serious answer is NO. Many more better songs - too many to list, although poster Kris has listed several that I would agree with.

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Originally Posted by bobh

As good as this song may be, looking at the other thread, it seems like ABBA are getting their arses kicked.:xmashehe::xmashehe:

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Large, soft targets, to be fair

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Originally Posted by Wales-Bales

What would you replace nice with?

"Whatever happened to our love?
I wish I understood
It used to be so ????
It used to be so good".

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Whatever happened to our love?
I never understood
You used to be my life
We used to be so good

Not the best ABBA song, for me it's Fernando. But after the massive success of Waterloo, ABBA were considered finished as a successful act, as their next few songs after Waterloo were only minor hits. SOS got them back at the top end of the UK charts and they stayed there till they finished in the early 80s.

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Originally Posted by Mario Miethig

Not the best ABBA song, for me it's Fernando. But after the massive success of Waterloo, ABBA were considered finished as a successful act, as their next few songs after Waterloo were only minor hits. SOS got them back at the top end of the UK charts and they stayed there till they finished in the early 80s.

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'Winner takes it all' is has got to be up there - though not a jolly theme I guess ;)