What defines a “perfect song “? It may be perfect to someone and not to someone else. So it’s personal really, but we can try to analyse it a bit. That “personal “bit is one of the keys, the song hits you emotionally, perhaps because it stirs up a memory of an event or person or time in your life. One such for me is “Dance with my Father” by Luther Vandross. As I’ve already mentioned in another blog here, the first time I heard it I had to stop the car, it hit me so hard emotionally, as I lost my father in my twenties. But it was more than that—the piano intro, the music, the lyrics, the beautiful singing, the lovely arrangement, they all combined to make a perfect song. I just listened to it again writing these words, tears in my eyes.
So let’s talk about others –“Jessie” by Joshua Kadison combines those crucial ingredients-emotional heft, great lyrics, lovely tune, beautifully sung. It’s a story about how an old flame keeps worming her way back into his life. That definition of a perfect song displayed here-there’s nothing needs changing and therefore still sounds relevant even decades later, it doesn’t age. There isn’t a boring bit, or too much repetition, or a guitar bit that goes on too long. The melody matches and suits the lyrics.
1965, Righteous Brothers — Unchained Melody fantastic song. I first heard it as a young teenager and was spellbound. I stlll am. As you probably know only one of the two, Bobby Hatfield, sings on it. Just saw a clip of it on YouTube and Bill Medley, the other singer, never thought it would be a hit.
1967, “A Whiter Shade of Pale” by Procol Harum ( procul harun-Latin, roughly meaning “far beyond these things” but apparently a friend’s cat was called this) is rightly highly regarded, it’s superb, but it doesn’t make my perfect song category, as I find the lyrics too contrived & arguably devoid of much meaning, and thus devoid of emotional connection.
Also in 1967, but re-released in 1972, “Nights in White Satin” by the Moody Blues was released. Beautiful vocal, beautiful melody and production -early use of new fangled gadget the mellotron, which for the first time allowed bands to use violin and other orchestral sounds from a keyboard. Minor grumble about lyrics- have they broken up or not ? But the lyrics “nights in white satin, never reaching the end, letters I’ve written, never meaning to send” are indeed perfect.
1975 saw the release of the brilliant “Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me) by Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel. One of my favourite ever songs. Originally Steve wrote it as a slow blues type thing and the producer, Alan Parsons, suggested speeding it up. The guitar break in the middle by Jim Cregan is superb. Jim went on, years later to co-write songs with Rod Stewart—“Tonight I’m Yours”, “Forever Young”, and with other pop artists. In “Make Me |Smile” I’ve always loved the full stop silent bits, a rest or a tacet apparently. The song is obviously a break up song, but it was a break up of the original Cockney Rebels band. Didn’t know that until decades later.
“Listen To Your Heart” by Roxette is a stunner-still love it after all this time. “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison is perfect in every way-great chirpy intro, lyrics about childhood, bass guitar instrumental, Van’s superb voice.
Moving on to a more modern era Adele’s “ Someone Like You” will be played for decades, it ticks all the boxes required of perfection. I have to consider “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran– but maybe not perfect for me-close, but maybe too repetitious ? “Shape of You” ? Unusual instrumentation with the marimba/boomwacker (I looked that up) and rhythm track. Not perfect for me though, not sure why not. However, “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi is as perfect as it gets-hugely emotional lyrics, beautifully sung with that jump in pitch at the end of phrases, lovely piano part-just amazing.