The 100 best pop/rock/etc songs in waltz time

"The Whole World" does not have a time signature change, and I'm positive that it's in 4/4 throughout the whole song, but it's 4/4 with a swing feel that makes it feel like a sped-up 3/4 measure appears in every beat of the song.

There's a small amount of modern rock bands who owe their success to 3/4 and 6/8 time, including A Perfect Circle ("Judith," "Three Libras"), Chevelle ("The Red," "Closure") and AFI ("Silver And Cold").

Weezer has a decent amount of high-quality 3/4 and 6/8 tracks, including "No Other One," "Devotion," "Waiting On You," and the Rentals' "Naive." (The aforementioned "Holiday" appears to be in 4/4.)

My favorite waltzes of all time are Randy Newman's theme to Ragtime and "I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls" by M. W. Balfe (slaughtered by Enya in The Age of Innocence, but still one of my all-time favorite songs...)

!

Pavement, "Stop Breathin'"
Death Cab for Cutie, "No Joy in Mudville"
Stereolab, "Pop Quiz"
High Llamas, "Three Point Scrabble"
Clem Snide, "Your Night to Shine"
Beck, "Dead Melodies"
Blonde Redhead, "Loved Despite of Great Faults"
Rachel's, "The Mysterious Disappearance of Louis LePrince"
Ben Folds Five, "Boxing"
Black Heart Procession, "The Invitation"
Nick Drake, "Saturday Sun"
Pullman, "Lysayna"
Badly Drawn Boy, "Stone on the Water"

"Perpetual Change" by Yes (on the live Yessongs album) has a great middle bit jam in 3/4 time. Bruford drumming. I steal that.

"Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers in That Quiet Earth" has a very nice, long drawn early section in 3/4 time. Phil Collins has a cool beat going on there.

there are others

In response to some posts a bit higher up, the Beatles did 3/4 for a few other tracks. Baby's in Black, You've Got to Hide Your Love Away, I Me Mine (on verses), She's Leaving Home. Probably some others. I don't know if I'd put any of them on a 100-best list, though.

As for Blur, for some reason the only one coming to mind is the Parklife b-side Theme From an Imaginary Film.

So my only contribution to the list for the time being is Elliott Smith - Between the Bars.

(The aforementioned "Holiday" appears to be in 4/4.)

Holiday is 12/8.

You've Got to Hide Your Love Away is 6/8. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is 3/4.

Black Sabbath-War Pigs (the intro)

Holiday is 12/8.

Replace with "No Other One."

Weezer has a decent amount of high-quality 3/4 and 6/8 tracks, including "No Other One," "Devotion," "Waiting On You," and the Rentals' "Naive." (The aforementioned "Holiday" appears to be in 4/4.)

"No Other One" is true 3/4 time throughout. The rest are 6/8.

Can't believe nobody's mentioned the best cheesy waltz pop song:
Tom Jones - What's New, Pussycat

'This Boy' - The Beatles

Also, is there any hip-hop in 3/4?

Was that rap in the Adams Family movie in 6/8 or something? "do what they wanna do say what they wanna say"

'This Boy' - The Beatles

That's 12/8.

3/4 = ONE and two and three and
6/8 = ONE two three TWO two three
12/8 = ONE two three TWO two three THREE two three FOUR two three

and 9/8 = ONE two three two two three three two three

Simple time signatures have beats that get broken into two parts, compound time signatures have beats that are broken into three parts. The basic beat in 3/4 is the quarter note, the basic beat in 6/8, 9/8, and 12/8 is the dotted quarter. 3/4 is simple triple (three quarter notes), 6/8 is compound duple (two dotted quarters), 9/8 is compound triple (three dotted quarters), 12/8 is compound quadruple (four dotted quarters).

I turned my monitor upside down and tried reading that again and it still sounded like someone threw the silverware drawer down the steps.

6/8 = ONE two three TWO two three
12/8 = ONE two three TWO two three THREE two three FOUR two three

so wait, what's the difference between 12/8 and just going 'ONE two three TWO two three ONE two three TWO two three'? HOW CAN YOU TELL, aside from actually looking at the written music?

Radiohead have a couple - Subterranean Homesick Alien and Nude, maybe more.

so wait, what's the difference between 12/8 and just going 'ONE two three TWO two three ONE two three TWO two three'? HOW CAN YOU TELL, aside from actually looking at the written music?

12/8 and 6/8 sound a lot alike, depends on where you draw the bar line in the written music, like you said. In fact, most people would say "This Boy" is 6/8, not 12/8.

My text rendering of the time signatures didn't quite do them justice -- the difference between 6/8 and 12/8 is like the difference between 2/4 and 4/4. The former has two beats, strong and weak. The latter has four beats, strong, weak, medium, and weak. 12/8 is the typical meter for doo-wop music. I don't have a recording of This Boy handy, but in my Beatles book it's notated in 12/8.

Beach Boys - Let the Wind Blow
Beatles - Baby's in Black
Nilsson - 1941
Stereolab - One Small Step
XTC - 1000 Umbrellas

A 1/3 of Give It To You - Jordan Knight would qualify here.
-- Barima (Barima), Tuesday, May 4, 2004 11:55 AM (4 years ago) Bookmark Link

Seconded

Mull of Kintyre- Wings
I actually learned to waltz to this one.

Sea Song by Doves

The Beach Boys: Disney Girls
Weezer: My Name Is Jonas
The Corrs: Runaway
The Eagles: Hollywood Waltz
Razorlight: Los Angeles Waltz

'Waltz' by the Mekons, from The Curse Of The Mekons, is fantastic. If you don't know it, go listen to it right now. I am sure you will not regret it. Plus, Sally Timms sings it, beautifully.

Fever Ray "I'm Not Done"

Tom Waits, "Another Man's Vine"

A really good one to waltz to is Open Arms, Journey and don't forget more Eagles: Saturday Night and Pretty Maid all in a Row. There are many country waltzs. I especially like, A woman has her way by Clint Black and When Love Finds you by vince Gill. Anyone interested in ballroom dancing to mank of the pop/rock hits mentioned above check out ballroombythebay.com A ballroom dance every Wed. at 7:00 p.m. in Santa Monica. For more info you can email ballroombythe✧✧✧@gm✧✧✧.c✧✧ Check it out! It's a lively group of friendly dancers and a dance lesson is included with the $10. admission. Tell them Rita sent you.

Cass McCombs- You Saved My Life

that's.......ballroombythe✧✧✧@gm✧✧✧.c✧✧

those diamonds are very pretty, rosareetie.

50 A bunch of songs bu Calexico ('Sunken Waltz')

^ love this

Drive-by Truckers - The President's Penis is Missing

Better late than never:
Sofa by Frank Zappa. A rousing waltz.

<3 waltz time

apparently Jason Isbell does too bc:
• Drive-By Truckers, "Outfit"
• Jason Isbell, "Cover Me Up"

and also The National bc:
• "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks"
• Carin at the Liquor Store"

One Crowded Hour by Augie March in, I think, 6/8. Magnificent song.

R.E.M. - Try Not to Breathe

^^ so good

Surprised no one mentioned “Take This Waltz” by Leonard Cohen. I also have a soft spot for Billy Joel’s “Piano Man”.