Perfect Pop Song?

mucephei · Post by **mucephei** » Sat Oct 12, 2013 9:28 pm

As a kid I grew up with a lot of the classic 70s pop songs, with the "oldies" played all day on BBC Radio 1. My older brothers played Pink Floyd, Led Zep, Mike Oldfield, Neil Young etc on the turntable when my dad was away at work (I also had an education on the Beatles). The UK was a pop music centre for all kinds of genres: Motown was phenomenally popular here, reggae/ska was too, as were rock, punk, electronic etc.

So, old fashioned as it may be, the pop song is a big deal to me, even though I rarely listen to contemporary pop music - but I do listen to a lot of oldies, out of nostalgia. Out of all that I have picked what I think is the perfect pop song, even though it wasn't massively successful on the UK charts.

It his this: http://youtu.be/boo_pRQn64E. This has everything: crisp performances, especially from the lead singer, and a big feeling of warmth. It has more than three chords and a sense of progression - there's logic in there too. It also has a major presence with vibraphone, one of my favourite instruments.

So what do other Twoismers enjoy? Any era, any genre, it has to be a top 40 hit, mind....

Lens Larque · Post by **Lens Larque** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 5:39 am

I believe Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind? by The Lovin' Spoonful is a perfect pop song.

Over My Head by Fleetwood Mac is in there too.

portiss · Post by **portiss** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 12:51 pm

Also Fleetwood Mac, but this is a good contender in my opinion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ul-cZyuYq4

Snufkin · Post by **Snufkin** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 12:59 pm

Call Me Maybe.

Not even joking. That violin is sick.

Torn n Frayed · Post by **Torn n Frayed** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 2:36 pm

Anything by Harry Nilsson!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AzEY6ZqkuE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jz6WlCd4u0w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwQa_Ot7ss8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbgv8PkO9eo

WeHadNormality · Post by **WeHadNormality** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 2:52 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etviGf1uWlg

Mexicola · Post by **Mexicola** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 3:05 pm

John Peel had this covered already I think..

Teenage Kicks by The Undertones

Guido · Post by **Guido** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 3:12 pm

Je T'aime <3

jamesyboyy · Post by **jamesyboyy** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 4:19 pm

Here comes the Sun

bkillsb · Post by **bkillsb** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 7:03 pm

Rock Your Body by Justin Timberlake

mechanismj · Post by **mechanismj** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 7:26 pm

This...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl8GwLX_p6g

Rock them motherfuckin' steel drums!

A_Northern_Soul · Post by **A_Northern_Soul** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 7:27 pm

The Only Ones - Another Girl, Another Planet

Marvin Gaye - Heard it Through the Grapevine

Beyonce - Crazy In Love

Snufkin - you're absolutely right about Call Me Maybe; great pop song.

fujee · Post by **fujee** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 7:30 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei7-cTjWVpo

WeHadNormality · Post by **WeHadNormality** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 8:15 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aa3rBVb3v4g & anything else by Beck that made it into the top 40.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWgvGjAhvIw Lou Reed said this was his favorite song of 2003.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM6TCGltfHM I think this is genius but none of my friends agree.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ9VBMBS3qE Yep.

jcnporter · Post by **jcnporter** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 10:07 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51OB2YoC4sg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKspel3BEog

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9MszVE7aR4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27dt2Rky6CU

saturdayindex · Post by **saturdayindex** » Sun Oct 13, 2013 11:42 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ateQQc-AgEM Love it or hate it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naos7it_bl0 Always a classic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu2iv-vMKT8 And another...

I'm sure the Smashing Pumpkins have one or two worthy as well.

WeHadNormality wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM6TCGltfHM I think this is genius but none of my friends agree.

I agree, Mark Ronson is a genius producer.

Scyye · Post by **Scyye** » Mon Oct 14, 2013 12:46 am

portiss wrote:Also Fleetwood Mac, but this is a good contender in my opinion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ul-cZyuYq4

Snufkin wrote:Call Me Maybe.

Not even joking. That violin is sick.

saturdayindex wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ateQQc-AgEM Love it or hate it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naos7it_bl0 Always a classic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu2iv-vMKT8 And another...

I'm sure the Smashing Pumpkins have one or two worthy as well.

WeHadNormality wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM6TCGltfHM I think this is genius but none of my friends agree.

I agree, Mark Ronson is a genius producer.

YES to all of those

I could probably post a list of +100 songs here that come to my mind, but I'll start with those two:
http://youtu.be/EvpYdXjE0Rc
http://youtu.be/lPMQYrRcz_8

Snufkin · Post by **Snufkin** » Mon Oct 14, 2013 7:21 am

Good to find other Call Me Maybe appreciators! ^_^

Scyye · Post by **Scyye** » Mon Oct 14, 2013 1:40 pm

Snufkin wrote:Good to find other Call Me Maybe appreciators! ^_^

Yeah, most of my friend's reactions were something along the lines of "Don't be such an arrogant prick about pop music. Not everyone is into your kind of stuff.", as always when I tell them I like something considered 'mainstream'. No one believes me when I'm serious about this

FernieCanto · Post by **FernieCanto** » Mon Oct 14, 2013 2:03 pm

Mike Oldfield & Maggie Reilly - Moonlight Shadow. To me, this is the embodiment of everything pop should be: melodic, catchy, embracing and to-the-point.

Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas. If I were ruler of the universe, this song would play at least once, every day, in every radio station. "Perfect" does not define it; it defines "perfect".