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Perfect Pop Song?

Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2013 9:28 pm
by mucephei
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....

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 5:39 am
by Lens Larque
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.

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 12:51 pm
by portiss
Also Fleetwood Mac, but this is a good contender in my opinion.


Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 12:59 pm
by Snufkin
Call Me Maybe.

Not even joking. That violin is sick.

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 2:36 pm
by Torn n Frayed
Anything by Harry Nilsson!




Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 2:52 pm
by WeHadNormality

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 3:05 pm
by Mexicola
John Peel had this covered already I think..

Teenage Kicks by The Undertones

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 3:12 pm
by Guido

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 4:19 pm
by jamesyboyy
Here comes the Sun

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 7:03 pm
by bkillsb
Rock Your Body by Justin Timberlake

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 7:26 pm
by mechanismj
This...



Rock them motherfuckin' steel drums!

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 7:27 pm
by A_Northern_Soul
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.

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 7:30 pm
by fujee

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 8:15 pm
by WeHadNormality
& anything else by Beck that made it into the top 40.
Lou Reed said this was his favorite song of 2003.
I think this is genius but none of my friends agree.
Yep.

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 10:07 pm
by jcnporter







Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 11:42 pm
by saturdayindex
Love it or hate it
Always a classic
And another...

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

WeHadNormality wrote: I think this is genius but none of my friends agree.
I agree, Mark Ronson is a genius producer.

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 12:46 am
by Scyye
portiss wrote:Also Fleetwood Mac, but this is a good contender in my opinion.

Snufkin wrote:Call Me Maybe.

Not even joking. That violin is sick.
saturdayindex wrote: Love it or hate it
Always a classic
And another...

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

WeHadNormality wrote: 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

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 7:21 am
by Snufkin
Good to find other Call Me Maybe appreciators! ^_^

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 1:40 pm
by Scyye
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 :P

Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 2:03 pm
by FernieCanto
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".