The Search for the Perfect Pop Song (1 Viewer)

[cyclotron]

mmmm, not so much the "humble pop song" in my humble opinion - great pop songs must be incredibly hard to write and get right...anyway...here's me tuppence...too many to mention really...

The Chills - Rolling moon
Visage - Fade to grey
The Pink Floyd - See Emily play
Kinks - Days
Carpenters - Top of the world
Go-Betweens - Bachelor kisses
Scritti Politti - Absolute
Kaliedoscope - Jenny artichoke
The Move - Fire brigade
Supremes - Baby Love
New colony six - I love you so much
Dovers - She's not just anybody
Kraftwerk - The Model
Byrds - I'll feel a whole lot better
Big Star -September Gurls
Flaming lips - She don't use jelly
Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop
Blondie - Dreaming
Curtis Mayfiled - Keep onTrippin'..

 

[Buzzo]

You do it then Ed.

Tears of a Clown and Tracks of My Tears, being the obvious ones, are bleedin massive.

 

[Kid Lovebeach]

just had a quick flick thru itunes, found these pop gems:

apples in stereo - Go
Bearsuit - itsuko got married
Belle & Sebastian - i dont love anyone
Stevie Wonder - sir duke
Deerhoof - milkman
Os Mutantes - a minha menina
max tundra - merman

 

[TenRabbits]

You do it then Ed.

Tears of a Clown and Tracks of My Tears, being the obvious ones, are bleedin massive.

Tracks of my Tears is such a great tune.. which for some reason makes me think of Vietnam and young happy-go-lucky soldiers about to get helicoptered into oblivion.

 

[Zeelander]

mmmm, not so much the "humble pop song" in my humble opinion - great pop songs must be incredibly hard to write and get right...anyway...here's me tuppence...too many to mention really...

I like your list, and I like that it has the Carpenters on it!

I called the pop song humble because it is so often frowned upon for it's gleeful, upbeat nature by music snobs.

However, one of my all-time favourite songs and an absolute pop music diamond is Want You To Know by Rotary Connection. It's very simplicity is dazzling- the only lines in the whole song are

"Want you to know you made me happy,
want you to know you made me sad,
want you to know you made me happy;
you are the best thing that I ever had"

Does anyone know this tune? Jane, I think it could be exactly what you're looking for. When I first got my hands on it, I used to listen to it first thing in the morning and last thing at night for the longest time! It's so gorgeous.

 

[nEiLo]

Jeez you are full of lists today!

mmmm, not so much the "humble pop song" in my humble opinion - great pop songs must be incredibly hard to write and get right...anyway...here's me tuppence...too many to mention really...

The Chills - Rolling moon
Visage - Fade to grey
The Pink Floyd - See Emily play
Kinks - Days
Carpenters - Top of the world
Go-Betweens - Bachelor kisses
Scritti Politti - Absolute
Kaliedoscope - Jenny artichoke
The Move - Fire brigade
Supremes - Baby Love
New colony six - I love you so much
Dovers - She's not just anybody
Kraftwerk - The Model
Byrds - I'll feel a whole lot better
Big Star -September Gurls
Flaming lips - She don't use jelly
Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop
Blondie - Dreaming
Curtis Mayfiled - Keep onTrippin'..

 

[oh shit]

for some reason makes me think of Vietnam and young happy-go-lucky soldiers about to get helicoptered into oblivion.

!bog !bog
oliver stone sucks

 

[cyclotron]

Jeez you are full of lists today!

1.N
2.o
3.I
4.'
5.m
6.N
7.o
8.t

 

[SONYMEGADRIVE]

Beach Boys - Be True To Your School

wow - holy shit! fogarty and bubbleballs on the same page completely
i was just playin that shit last night! downloaded 2 versions of it, beach bros and jan and dean

 

[SONYMEGADRIVE]

they do nothin for me but Super Furry Animals - 'northern lights' is pretty amazing
bert bacharach or whoever it was written for - 'something big'
could listen to that jam all day

 

[shidheat]

However, one of my all-time favourite songs and an absolute pop music diamond is Want You To Know by Rotary Connection.

I don't know this one. But didn't they do 'black gold of the sun' too? Love that tune.

 

[photon]

I don't know this one. But didn't they do 'black gold of the sun' too? Love that tune.

Yeah, that was them. The tune that Zeelander mentions is great as well.

But as Minnie Riperton-sung pop goes, "Les Fleur" is the best ever. Absolutely gorgeous song.

Paul

 

[aoboa]

Matthew Wilder - Break My Stride.
Driving me mental cos I heard it this morning and it won't get out of my head
I don't even really like it but it must be doing something right.

 

[jane]

Hm, I think I agree with everyone.

But I got nigglepuss's Talking Heads comp this morning, and I reckon I have to add 'every Talking Heads song, ever' to my list. I was listening to it on my way in, and my method of locomotion was a strange combination of boogie and trying-to-walk-normally. There was a lot of shielding of eyes and crossing to the other side of the road to avoid me.

I don't know this Rotary Connection song, Zita, but I have a similar ritual with Joni Mitchell's 'Night in the City'. Also with 'Carey' (and I know that's on Wattser's list, too).

We should organise a night where people come along and spin their top ten choices each. It'd be the danciest night ever! Bet there'd be dance-offs and romance and everything. We could turn even the coolest folks into, air-punching, grinning booty-shaking fools.

And then, in my fantasy, Jeans Team and the Talking Heads, and the Go-Betweens, The Go-Gos, all of the Beach Boys, and Joni Mitchell, who would all have been travelling somewhere together, would show up at the door looking to use the phone because their bus had broken down. They'd see the fun, and they'd play an impromptu mega-set for everyone until the wee hours. They would also have a few dozen baby chimps with them, who would join in the madness.

That'd be the best party ever.

 

[Zeelander]

Hm, I think I agree with everyone.

But I got nigglepuss's Talking Heads comp this morning, and I reckon I have to add 'every Talking Heads song, ever' to my list. I was listening to it on my way in, and my method of locomotion was a strange combination of boogie and trying-to-walk-normally. There was a lot of shielding of eyes and crossing to the other side of the road to avoid me.

I don't know this Rotary Connection song, Zita, but I have a similar ritual with Joni Mitchell's 'Night in the City'. Also with 'Carey' (and I know that's on Wattser's list, too).

We should organise a night where people come along and spin their top ten choices each. It'd be the danciest night ever! Bet there'd be dance-offs and romance and everything. We could turn even the coolest folks into, air-punching, grinning booty-shaking fools.

And then, in my fantasy, Jeans Team and the Talking Heads, and the Go-Betweens, The Go-Gos, all of the Beach Boys, and Joni Mitchell, who would all have been travelling somewhere together, would show up at the door looking to use the phone because their bus had broken down. They'd see the fun, and they'd play an impromptu mega-set for everyone until the wee hours. They would also have a few dozen baby chimps with them, who would join in the madness.

That'd be the best party ever.

Forgive me for being so vague, but someone (dunno who) was telling me lately (dunno when) about a club somewhere (dunno where) where there is no dedicated DJ, but everyone there is allowed to play any three songs they like. It could be hella shambolic, but if everyone played their three favourite, most upifting songs it could be great. Let's hire Slatterys for free! Sure all you'd have to pay for is the chimps!

 

[jane]

Forgive me for being so vague, but someone (dunno who) was telling me lately (dunno when) about a club somewhere (dunno where) where there is no dedicated DJ, but everyone there is allowed to play any three songs they like. It could be hella shambolic, but if everyone played their three favourite, most upifting songs it could be great. Let's hire Slatterys for free! Sure all you'd have to pay for is the chimps!

This sounds like a great idea. I'd say three songs would certainly be shambolic -- once you're set up, it's time to be done. I reckon half an hour each, you could get about 8 DJs in there, no problem. And there would be such fun. Plus, when you're in the mood to wiggle it, there's no need for a dance floor.

We should also see about some baby monkeys. Anyone have a contact for that one that escaped from Belfast Zoo the other day?

 

[taubstumm]

it wasn't the question you asked me, it wasn't the answer i gave
that made me feel like i was on a train
it was a distant voice, made me make a choice
that i had to get the fuck out of this town

i got a lot of things to do
a lot of places to go
i've got a lot of good things coming my way
and i'm afraid to say that you're not one of them.

last time i was there, you were out on the couch
pressed into a little electric 2
it was the way that you smiled, made me know at once
that i had to get the fuck out of this town

'cause i've decide to make a stand
and i'm not gonna take your hand
i'm taking the next bus outta here
i'm gonna head for box elder, m.o.

pop points:

- short!
- classic song structure!
- singalong-tastic!

un-pop points:

- can't dance to it, at least not properly!
- lacks key change - essential for perfect pop (cf. bon jovi, 'livin' on a prayer'; britney spears, 'baby one more time')
- not actually a popular song, so not really a 'pop' song at all!

bonus points:

- lyrics make sense, unlike all other pavement songs ever!
- also a fantastic sad-but-hopeful song! makes people cry!
- lo-fi! sounds like sludge, so indie peeps are allowed to like it!

 

[1000smurfs]

did anyone mention Bis - 'Kandy pop' yet? it even has pop in the title

 

[jane]

Beetleonitstom:

Funny, I forgot to listen to this 'surprise' song until just now. And you know what? I was just listening to it yesterday, and it was among the many songs that made me think to start this thread.

As Keats and Chapman once said, "Great mines stink alike."

Fabliss tune.

 

[desertedvillage]

Pop songs that never let me Down:

Tiny Tim - Thru the Tulips
Annie - Bubblegum
Jackson 5 - I want you back
Beyonce - Crazy in Love
The Beatles - And your Bird Can sing
Dinosaur junior - Little Furry things
Flaming Lips - She don't use jelly
Pavement - Silent kit
Steely Dan - Reelin' in the years
The Cure - Close to me
Violent femmes - Blister in the Sun, Good Feelings
The Cosmic Nanou - Suburban life, Telescope
The Fall - Paintwork


Can't believe I can't think of more...........