Is "A Day In The Life" the greatest rock song of all time?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Steve Hoffman, Feb 23, 2002.

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  1. JPartyka

    JPartyka I Got a Home on High

    Location:
    USA
    For many years, whenever someone has asked me what my favorite song is, "A Day in the Life" has been my stock answer.

    Who else has written a song so great, and then executed it so beautifully and with so much creativity?? I mean, it was 1967 ... Place the song in its temporal context and it's even more amazing.

    I agree with Ian MacDonald who wrote in his wonderful book Revolution in the Head that ADITL was the pinnacle of the Beatles' achievement.
     
  2. sgb

    sgb Senior Member

    Location:
    Baton Rouge
    Maybe that's because there is a diversity of opinion here.

    Since the original question dealt with what is the best rock song of all time, that reduces the selection to a particular genre. And, by what criteria is the song to be selected beyond that? Lyrics? Performance? Composition? Arrangement?

    Grant was eptiomizing a style of rock song when he suggested the Stones' "Satisfaction" which was cleverly composed, arranged and performed, but its lyrics hadn't that much to say when compared to ADITL.But then, ADITL isn't much better than "Within You and Without You" or "When I'm 64" from the same album.

    But then, the Sgt. Pepper album is more than just a collection of songs, isn't it? It seems to me that each of the songs it contains is somewhat dependent on the others in order to convey the senses the Fab Four intended as their concept album.
     
  3. JPartyka

    JPartyka I Got a Home on High

    Location:
    USA
    What? Sgt. Pepper is not a concept album, and the Beatles didn't intend it to be ...

    Those songs have absolutely nothing to do with each other, musically or lyrically (except, of course, the title track and its reprise, which give a false and very flimsy impression that it's a "concept" -- a blot which sullies the album as a whole, for me).

    I wrote a pretty good term paper in college on this album, and how and why, whatever its own merits, its influence on rock in general was not a positive one ... The album did encourage other acts to take their own stab at concept albums, the great majority of which were complete and utter artistic disasters, IMO ...
     
  4. sgb

    sgb Senior Member

    Location:
    Baton Rouge
    I hope we can agree to disagree on this, Jeff. I, too, wrote college papers on this album, and haven't the space here to elaborate. I do hope, though, that you aren't including Pet Sounds among those artistic disasters.
     
  5. JPartyka

    JPartyka I Got a Home on High

    Location:
    USA
    Pet Sounds predated Pepper by over a year. And I don't consider that an artistic disaster at all (it's my 2nd fave album ever, behind Revolver).

    And of course we can agree to disagree! It's better than getting into a flame war, which I never have any desire to do. :)
     
  6. John Carsell

    John Carsell Forum Resident

    Location:
    Northwest Illinois
    When anyone has ever asked me "what's your favorite Beatles song?" That's gotta be the hardest question thrown at me.

    Guess it just depends on my mood at the time. But A Day In The Life is definately at the top of the pile any day of the week.

    I'd shure hate to think of Sgt. Pepper without it.
     
  7. 120dB

    120dB Forum Resident

    Location:
    Baltimore, MD
    "Please Please Me" is better in every way that
    matters for a ROCK song. For that matter, so
    is "Surfin' Bird"...
     
  8. joelee

    joelee Hyperactive!

    Location:
    Houston
    I can't agree on anyone Beatles song myself, there's way to many!!
    I will cast a vote on my favorite all time R&R tune-Stones-Satisfaction(nothing comes close!)

    Honorable mentions:
    God Only Knows-Beach Boys
    Walk Away Renee-Left Banke
    Bridge Over Trouble Water-S&G
    and for electric,
    Paranoid-Black Sabbath
     
  9. TimB

    TimB Pop, Rock and Blues for me!

    Location:
    Colorado
    It is definetly 1 of the best!

    I would really put it very high on my list, if not the best! Other candidates would be "Time" by Pink Floyd, "Sympathy for the Devil" the Stones, "Won't get fooled again" by the Who, "Posativly 4th St" Bob Dylan, "Go your own way" Fleetwood Mac, "Brown eyed girl" Van Morrison, "Cryin" Roy Orbison, "Miracles" Jefferson Starship, "Over the Hill's abd Far away" Zepplin, "The Thrill is gone" BB King, and just about any Phil Spector produced song! I am sure I could add even more.:confused:
     
  10. jligon

    jligon Forum Resident

    Location:
    Peoria, IL
    I'm biting my lip...
     
  11. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    Sooooo, what is the best country tune? How about soul? Disco? Folk? Jazz? Blues? Salsa? Reggae? Indian? Children's?:D
     
  12. jligon

    jligon Forum Resident

    Location:
    Peoria, IL
    Tell us what matters for a ROCK song.

    If you're implying that ROCK has to be loud and fast (?) I prefer:

    Slow Down
    Dizzy Miss Lizzy
    Any Time At All
    Leave My Kitten Alone
    Bad Boy
     
  13. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    Oh, why stop with the 60s?

    How about
    Slow Ride-Foghat
    More THan A Feeling-Boston
    Stairway To Heaven-Led Zepplin
    Joy To The World-Three Dog Night
    That Lady-Isley Brothers


    Or, more 60s

    Born To Be Wild-Steppenwolf
    Purple Haze-Jimi Hendriks
    Sunshine of your Love-Creem
    Time Has Come Today-Chambers Brothers
    Revolution-Beatles
    Summertime Blues-Blue Cheer

    I would also say tht "You Keep Me Hanging On"- by the Supremes ranks as a bona fide rock song just as much as the Vanilla Fudge cover does.
     
  14. sgb

    sgb Senior Member

    Location:
    Baton Rouge
    There is an integration to all of the songs on the the Sgt. Pepper album that makes each of them necessary to create what it is that many persons - yours truly included - find as the reason that this album stands above so many other great albums of the period. If we look at a great painting, we don't pick one particular part of that artwork and say, for example, "I like the Mona Lisa because of her nose."

    Well, I don't like Sgt. Pepper merely because it has ADITL on it. I like it because it has all of the songs that it has on it, and because the order of these songs is appropriate to my perception of what it means to me (but not necessarily to you or anyone else). And what it does mean to me would be something less if any of the songs on it were either deleted or rearranged on a future reissue for whatever reason.

    I can't imagine myself enjoying a banana split if the banana were removed either, but the ice cream, sauces, whipped cream and cherries help to make one of these what it is too, and are just as integral and necessary to the experience. Bite your lip if you must, but please don't tell me that I must regard ADITL to be far superior to any other song on the album.
     
  15. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    Well, I think they could have left off the George Harrison contribution... I skip that track.
     
  16. JPartyka

    JPartyka I Got a Home on High

    Location:
    USA
    Really? I think it's a much better song than, say, "Good Morning Good Morning" (although McCartney's guitar solo on that cut is incredibly exciting) ...

    :)
     
  17. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    Well, now see, I like "Good Morning Good Morning". I also like "Getting Better" and "She's Leaving Home", (the faster, mono version).

    I don't listen to Sgt Pepper as a musician. My bet is that you do. I listen to the White album more as a musician.
     
  18. jligon

    jligon Forum Resident

    Location:
    Peoria, IL
    First, I didn't. There isn't anything that I feel you must do.

    A Day in the Life is not my favorite Beatles song and Sgt. Pepper is nowhere near my favorite Beatles album. The reason that Pepper is not one of my favorites is that I do consider With A Little Help From my Friends, When I'm 64, Within You, Without You as (kinda) boring Beatle songs. On the other hand, both Sgt. Peppers, LSD, She Leaving Home, Mr. Kite, Good Morning, & ADITL are all incredible, as far as I'm concerned.

    As far as ADITL is concerned, one cannot deny the brilliance of this amazing track. I see this as an objective fact! You can't argue with it. It might not be your favorite but you cannot dispute its brilliance. Just as I can't say that a song I wrote is superior to Beethoven's 7th Symphony. I find it difficult to understand how someone could argue that WALHFMF was a greater song than ADITL. You may like it more, but greater?

    Yes, Sgt. Pepper can be viewed as a singular piece of art but I do not feel that all aspects of this piece of art are equal. In fact, there was orginally a different running order of the tracks, if you can believe that. Mr. Kite was going to follow WALHFMF, if I remember correctly.
     
  19. jligon

    jligon Forum Resident

    Location:
    Peoria, IL
    I also must take issue with your analogies. Unlike a painting or a dessert, Sgt. Pepper is a collection of songs.
    I could (and would most likely only) hear individual songs from Sgt. Pepper on the radio.
    Songs off of Sgt. Pepper have been included in other Beatles complilation albums.
    Some of the songs off of Sgt. Pepper have been ruined by being used as television commercials.
    If the Beatles had been touring at this time, I can (almost) assure you that they would not have performed the entire album as a symphony (although it might not have been a bad idea!).
    The point is, you're not going to be subjected only to Mona Lisa's nose or a split without the banana. Songs from a rock album, however, can be viewed as individual entities without jeopardizing the content of the song or the album.
     
  20. FabFourFan

    FabFourFan Senior Member

    Location:
    Philadelphia
    jligon,

    I guess that I'm feeling picky tonight - if it's ADITL, why isn't it LITSWD? ;)
     
  21. Beagle

    Beagle Senior Member

    Location:
    Ottawa
    Yeah baby!!

    I suppose it is pure blasphemy in the eyes of many people to not consider Sgt Pepper a great album. Yet I never got into it the way I got into a Sticky Fingers. To me, The Beatles are best represented by the 62-66 and 67-70 collections. Just like the Rolling Stones period prior to Aftermath is best represented by the Hot Rocks collections.

    Picking the "greatest" rock song is an impossible task because there are so many to choose from, not to mention the multiple possible definitions of the word "greatest".
     
  22. sgb

    sgb Senior Member

    Location:
    Baton Rouge
    Thank you for your comments, jligon, and thank you for making it clear that it is ok with you if I consider the Pepper album as a work of art in its entirety. It's just as ok with me if you don't want to view it as such, as we are each entitled to our opinions.

    Does anyone have any thoughts on After Bathing At Baxter's?
     
  23. Henry Love

    Henry Love Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicagoland
    ADITL is indeed majestic ,some other songs. Not Fade Away and Its All Over Now Rolling Stones rock and roll in its purest form.A few other that always do the trick for me, I've Just Seen A Face It's Only Love The Beatles. I've Got You Babe Sonny and Cher Needles And Pins(written by Sonny) Searchers and Tom Petty Almost Saturday Night John Fogerty Ain't No Way Aretha Franklin I Feel Free Cream The first time I heard it I said to myself this is the way a guitar is supposed to be played.
     
  24. Highway Star

    Highway Star New Member

    Location:
    eastern us
    Dave Edmunds does a fine version of that song too!


    As to the Beatles my faves would be "She Loves You" and "And Your Bird Can Sing", but there's so many great ones it's almost pointless to try to come up with a favorite.
     
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