What is the most beautiful song ever?

For song qua song, I might boringly cosign "God Only Knows".

Maybe "Farewell Farewell" by Fairport Convention, for songs with singing.

Fleetwood Mac - Never Going Back Again

Jaga Jazzist - Toccata

yes to this 100%

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgeJNfCXV_Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kncyLpAS4RQ

The Cure - 'Plainsong'

Yes mcalmont/butler

This song from a somewhat obscure Renaissance album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yki_mJnzBM

Annie Haslam has got to have one of the best voices I have ever heard - that high note she hits in the chorus is pretty nuts

Ugh rude

It's yes by mcalmont butler fyi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFEftsKAUvY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzWYUomBpwg&sns=em

That or Stephanie Says. Or this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBDdsNyuLG8&sns=em

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m-6bU4x7us

this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O92UBBaiI4&sns=em

Maybe not “beautiful” in the sense that most of the songs in this thread are, but the lamentably short piano sectionof this song that goes from like 3:25 to 4:10 might be my favorite moment in all of music.

That track is magical.

1er Gymnopédie

game of Life- dusty springfield
stardust- nat king cole
hallelujiah- jeff buckley
one- u2
hang me in red- maria mckee
needle & the damage done- neil young
born slippy- underworld
angel- sarah mclachlan
i know- jude
amazing grace- anyone
but you really should try to find:

she moves through the fair- phil coulter

i'm also partial to the song during the baptism sequence of oh brother where art thou too.

― darragh.mac (darragh.mac), Monday, September 27, 2004 12:37 AM (thirteen years ago)

do you still rep for any of these in 2018? Dusty's 'Goin' Back' is eternal, though idk if it's the most beautiful song of all time (pretty sure that honor goes to some Suede bro's side project)

I'll rep for a few of them but a good few wouldn't make a top list now alright

I wouldn't go with Coulter's version although it might be fair to say that most versions or interpretations you might hear would probably be heavily influenced.

"Somewhere over the rainbow" is indelible.

"Aguas de Marco" the Antonio Carlos Jobim version with Elis Regina. Runner-up would be "Otis" by The Durutti Column.

Might still be "Sometimes" by James.

7 years later, still Clair de Lune for me.

We need a spotify playlist of this one sans the joke suggestions.

here comes the rain again

OXBOW LAKES

and/or Seadrum/House of Sun

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-0G_FI61a8

couldn't choose anything not slathered in personal nostalgia

Intro of "Brighter" by Slowdive, always heartbreakingly beautiful to me

Nanou 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5dcEXpViiI

this specific recording

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p4UML8qJNc&t=3s

sorry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p4UML8qJNc

This bitter earth

"Feather" by Little Dragon is definitely on the list
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnEw7c1Ozh8

'New Grass' is still the best answer anyway
i'd have maybe said that a couple of years ago but these days from talk talk i'd prefer i believe in you. it covers the whole world, a free rhythm, a touching melody, a heavenly choir, a wild & weird improvisation. it is like a small chamber symphony, just hanging there, rough & sweet. the instruments sound so natural, i have been thinking to buy myself new huge speakers just for this piece of music.

but in the end julia would still be my fave i guess. what i really love about that song is that lennon seems to whisper it into my ears and sing it directly to me. it is the most intimate song i know, i can only listen to it on my own as i'd feel very uncomfortable in a group.

"I Believe in You" is beautiful, but the last 90 seconds or so of "New Grass" gets to me more deeply than almost anything, so that in my view remains the better choice.

The version of “unchained melody” by the fleetwoods that is in things to come

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6meSQ9sj8Io

Oh, oops. Try this instead:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN07oRXzT50

New grass is a great answer. So many nights I’ve rolled that out to just feel at peace.

This woman’s work is also a good answer

lov

e and affection

thanks, browser

The Nelson song?

Kate Bush has been mentioned a few times - All the Love would be my pick

And Gabor Szabo's sublime version of Donovan's Ferris Wheel

Yo La Tengo’s “Blue Arrow” is the first thing that came to mind.

Rainbow Connection

Sometimes I think it's Nic Jones's arrangement of "The Indian Lass" which seems to have vanished from streaming media ffs

here comes the rain again

― difficult listening hour, Monday, June 11, 2018 3:37 AM (seven years ago) bookmarkflaglink

this is a good answer. annie lennox had some up there definitely.