The most beautiful song ever? - Page 5

This is way to hard and too wide open

But the most beautiful song I've ever heard is a song I will probably never hear again. It was during an awards show,maybe the Oscars, a few years back and Pavarotti got sick the night before and for some reason they asked Aretha Franklin to fill in. I have no idea what the name of the operatic song was but she sung it like an angel I was absolutely floored. If memory serves me I saw women in tears. I had no idea she had that in her...she rose to mythic proportions in my eyes and the eyes of many that night I'm sure. The house must have given her a 20 minute standing ovation, it was a moment of majesty, truly, no one saw that coming. I have been looking for that performance for at least the last 5 years.

Aretha performed Nessun dorma from Puccini's Turandot at the Oscar Awards.

You have got to be kidding me...all this time and it was that easy. I give you my simple thanks. You have got to love these forums. You made my night my friend, thank you.

I lost my dog Sarg when I was 7 have you seen him? ; )

"Motorcycle Emptiness" - Manic Street Preachers
"Save Me, I'm Yours" - Gene
"Northern Lites" - Super Furry Animals

OK, Thanks to Sparco I found the song online and listened to it, ok it's not the most beautiful song ever but it's good. Aretha's no Opera singer but she did a good job. I went and listened to Pavorotti's version it was great, I listened to Bocelli's version and it was great. They are trained and they surely outsung Aretha given it's their genre. But the main thing I noticed is that at the end of her version I got he goosebumps again just like I did when I first watched her. I listened again and again got the bumps, tried Pav...no bumps, Bocelli...very moving but no bumps. This song is beautful in the hands of the trained and Aretha can not compete with them and especially since time is taking her voice but only she gave me the goosebumps and that's saying a lot.

Glad I could help. I think this goes down as the 1st time I actually helped someone here. Sorry to hear about Sarg. That must have been tough.

Elvis's " American trilogy " that last note brings tears to my eyes. Ray Charles's " America " he sang it at an American league play-off game shortly after the 911 tragedy and it was incredibly moving. Elton John's " Daniel " great lyrics from Elton and Bernie.

Saw in some earlier posts alot of great songs but 2 that really stuck out were Justin Hayward's "Forever Autumn" and " Adiago for Strings" from Platoon. I actually went out and got a 5 disc CD that was titled something like " Classical music from major motion pictures " or something like that, just for that song. It ended up being a really good CD. The opera performance from The Untouchables is on it, and that song is also hauntingly beautiful. My .02

OK, had a little more time to think and I have to include these.

He ain't heavy, he's my brother.....The Hollies?
Mr. Bojangles......Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Love Rescue Me......U2

The U2 song isn't one of their more well known, but it is a beautiful song none the less.

[quote=KOA]
I didn't recall his name but I love that version of the song. Do you know if he has taken any other old standards and tried anything like that? I am not sure it could be done as well with any other song but I thought that was so amazing.

Chris

Not sure if he did any others but interesting tidbit about IZ....he was so popular in HAwaii that when he died he was the only non king to receive a traditional kings funeral.

Modern

"If you could read my mind" Gordon Lightfoot

Classical

"Pacabell Cannon in D"

"Promontory" from The Last of the Mohicans (I know soundtrack stuff is a little suspect because it also relies on imagery, but this works well on its own, I think -- haunting, beautiful, and sad)

"Take Me Home" by Holly Cole (originally a Tom Waits song)

"Bad" by US (live version)

"Blue Guitar" by the Cowboy Junkies

"In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel

I think Kate Bush has one of the most beautiful voices in modern popular music. (I saw a nod here earlier for a Peter Gabriel song, "Don't Give Up," which was my first exposure to Kate's voice.) She just released a new album--first in too long--called "Aerial." On it, she has a most unusual and strangely beautiful song, "Pi." It's about a man obsessed with numbers, particularly the calculation of the value of Pi. Most of the "lyrics" to the song consist of the value of Pi to over 100 significant digits. Seems like it would just be bizarre, but she makes it beautiful.

What makes that story even better is that Pavarotti didn't get sick the night before...If I recall correctly, he showed up very late, and didn't let them know he wouldn't be able to perform until about 20 minutes before he was supposed to go on. Aretha was a presenter that night, so was back stage, and she filled in literally at the last minute...no rehearsal, nothing.

Synchronicity in action... I was just going to post Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work."

But God, I hate her new CD, including PI.

I am not in love - 10 cc

Haunting and beautiful song

I'm man enough to admit it ... her rendition of that song brings me to tears ever time I hear .... there, I've said it.

OK, I've read the thread, no one mentioned any CSN. I loved their harmonies when they were still young and their voices good. I nominate "Wooden Ships" although I was introduced to the song by Jefferson Airplane/Grace Slick. Their version wasn't bad either.

PS, they were still good when it was Crosby, Stills, Nash AND Young.

Most beautiful song ever is a tough choice, but here are some of my favorites:

Rimsky-Korsakov - Sheherazade
Tchaikovsky - Romeo & Juliet (already been mentioned)
Holst - Venus: The Bringer of Peace
Vivaldi - The Four Seasons
Grieg - Peer Gynt Suite No. 1: Morning Mood
Mozart - The Magic Flute

Beach Boys - Good Vibrations
Beatles - Eleanor Rigby
Roy Orbison - Blue Bayou

I would add:

Dreamboat Annie: Heart
Wildfire: some "can't remember his name" 1-hit wonder from the 70's
It's a Dream: Neil Young

and already mentioned (I think)
Wonderful Tonight: E. Clapton

his whole album is awesome. second this one.
i also have to add amazing grace via bagpipes, that rules

I was gonna mention "This Woman's Work" earlier but did think it was Epic enough. A great song, I remembver getting choked up when I watched the movie. An R&B singer named Maxwell remade the song and dare I say it's better. I was floored when I heard it and it was a live acoustic performance. I didn't think a man could sound similiar to Kate Bush but he's dead on. His version is one of my wife's favorite songs ever and it just sends every women I know into a very emotional place. If you like this song and like R&B I HIGHLY reccomend it...from the Maxwell...MTV unplugged CD. 90% of the CD is mellow R&B so if you need something to get closer to your lady with, it will do the trick and for a woman to hear a man sing that song is a deal closer...my wife has told me.

I like the new Kate Bush CD, it grows on you.

Reminds me of another good song from the movie Closer, by Damien Rice called "The Blower's Daughter" aka Can't Take My Eyes Off of You...it's got the FIve Star rating on my Media Server. hmmm I smell a new thread coming...

[quote=Chris Gerhard]
The only other one I know of is on the same CD ( Alone in IZ World) as Over the Rainbow and it's Mona Lisa. Here's a link to Amazon so you can hear a bit, hope it works.http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=music

Here's a few from my MP3's.

Roxy Music - Avalon (whole album)
Madame Butterfly - Malcolm McLaren
Mad World - Gary Jules (Tears for Fears)
Angel - Sarah McLachlan
Calling All Angels - Jane Siberry/K.D. Lang
Tears in Heaven - Erick Clapton (especially in regards to his Son)
The look of love - Dusty Springfield
The Shining - Badly Drawn Boy
You will be my ain true love - Allison Krauss
All I need - Air
Wild Horses - The Sundays (Rolling Stones)
Prototype - Andre 3000
It's not too beautiful - The Beta Band
Away - The Bolshoi
Trouble - Coldplay
Send in the Clowns - Sinatra
Dice - Finley Quaye
How Do I Live / Trisha Yearwood
Fade into You - Mazzy Star
Please Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want - The Smiths
Mother - Sinaed O'Connor or Pink Floyd
Wish you were here - Pink Floyd
Anita Baker - Rapture
Seal - Kiss from a Rose
Sade - No ordinary love
Kingdom of Rain - The The
Already There - The Verve
Blue Skied an' Clear - Slowdive
Any George Winston

Here's a link about IZ's funeral.
http://www.mele.com/Farewell/funeral.htm

They did use the Hokule'a (traditional voyaging canoe) to transport his ashes to Makua. I live near there and watched the canoe and many boats go by. Also IZ did a lot of fund raising events with the unions. It seemed like every trucker on the island drove there rigs out to Makua honking their horns the whole way. It took a long time for them to all pass by. It was quite a celebration of his life.

Good Choices.

Lots of great stuff mentioned here. I simply could not a most beautiful song ever. Seems like great artists get more than one best beautiful song votes, and I'd have to say that would hold true in my eyes too. Just a few I like that are incredibly beautiful IMO.....

In My Life- The Beatles (Best Lennon song for me ever)
Fear- Sarah McLachlan
Silver, Blue and Gold- Bad Company
Diamonds And Rust- Joan Baez
She's Got A Way- Billy Joel
Tiny Dancer- Elton John
The Light Is On- Christopher Cross
Line 'Em Up- James Taylor
Lay Down My Life- Carole King
Constant Craving- kd lang
Save Me- kd lang
Maybe I'm Amazed- Paul McCartney
Fire In The Belly- Van Morrison
Sometimes We Cry- Van Morrison
The Road Not Taken- Bruce Hornsby And The Range
Court And Spark- Joni Mitchell
Twiglight World- Swing Out Sister
Precious Things- Tori Amos
The Sensual World- Kate Bush
Make Somebody Happy- Santana

I'm surprised no one mentioned Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue"!

My favorites,

Bobby Hebb singing Sunny at Dodger Stadium Los Angeles during August 1966 Beatles concert.

Grover Washington - Just the Two of Us

Elton John - Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me

Too many excellent George Benson songs to list, so I'll just start with Breezin'.