What makes for The Perfect Song?

The oldest icebreaker in the book for music geeks is probably: “What are your favorite songs? But have you ever given thought to what you’d name as your Perfect Songs?

So I started to ponder that difference, and thought it’d make for an interesting topic here on tnocs Island.

In my opinion, a favorite is simply a go-to track, and if you’re like me, they’re probably categorized in a certain way. You’ve got your Favorite “I Feel Sucky Today” song, “I Need a Pick Me Up Boost”, “I Want to Drive Fast”, “I Need to Scream”, “I’m So Happy I Could Ugly Cry”, “Today is My Day,” etc. They may even be by your favorite artist, and chances are they are a favorite artist, because they have a variety of song selections that fall nicely into multiple Favorite Categories of yours.

For me, they are not one and the same. And it was rather amusing to me when I realized that while watching a particular movie the other night, as it features a song that while it may not necessarily an all time favorite of mine, it’s absolutely perfect – in every way.

But a Perfect Song? That’s very different. Those are songs that give you All The Feels.

For me, those songs can be defined as songs that make my soul soar. Do you get that feeling as well? It’s almost like an out of body experience where you’re gliding free – the ultimate escapism, a natural high if you will. But it’s so perfect, you can’t put it on repeat, as that would ruin the whole vibe. As I thought about it, I realized there’s really only a handful of songs for me that I would classify as perfect, that give me that giddy rush of loving the fact I’m alive at that moment to experience it.

Which, given my tendency to react to most situations with a shrug because my emotional wiring is as active as a 25 year old car battery, is a pretty big deal for me.

So, here’s my list of Perfect Songs – so speaketh The Dutch. (Don’t worry – There’s not a single George Michael or Duran tune in the list!)

1. “Purple Rain” by Prince. So this is what I was watching the other night (I saw it was on HBO Max, I’d never seen it in its entirety before, now I know why I never bothered to watch it before, lol). “Purple Rain” is A Perfect Song in that I just want to soak in the song, and I don’t want it to end. The full 9 minute version is not long enough; honestly, I could listen to it for an hour. It’s poetic hope from a place of sadness, and the music matches the tone of the lyrics perfectly. The rendition Prince did of Purple Rain during the Super Bowl is quite possibly THE greatest live performance ever, I wanted to cry it was so amazing to watch.

2. “Be My Baby” by The Ronettes. This was the first song to ever grab me and have the hairs on my arm stand up. I’ve rarely heard anyone sing so sincerely on a record as Ronnie Spector did in that song. The longing, the urge, the lust, all in a minor key of wonderment music. Then ‘Moonlighting’ goes and uses it to soundtrack Dave and Maddie finally caving in to each other, and my little ol’ 13 year old heart nearly burst, I was so happy.

3. “Learning to Fly” by Pink Floyd. Look, it’s even right there in the title!!! This song truly makes me want to fly, like I’m in a glider just floating over the terrain, removed from everything and just at peace with the universe. There’s no sensation to compare with that…

4. “Everlong” by The Foo Fighters. Whether it’s acoustic or the balls to the walls rock out version, “Everlong” is divine. (I prefer the fast and furious full on version) Similar theme to ‘Purple Rain’ and ‘Be My Baby’, of this desire to find hope in the tumultuous chaos of love.

5. “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac. This is like a volcanic hot spring of a song I just want to immerse myself in and stay until my fingers and toes get all pruney. To me, it’s a wistful – ‘whatever dude, go do your thing, hope you wake up to what we’ve got going here before too long though.’ The intimacy of the recording and the production is just so rich.

6. “Angels” by Robbie Williams. Doesn’t get much more gorgeous than this. It’s the perfect ideal of a relationship – unconditional love from a partner. The song structure is sublime, the build up is breathtaking, the ending is this cathartic release of pain, joy, hope, and love.

7. “Fragile” by Sting. Simple, quiet, devastating, sobering – it’s the kind of reality check we need every now and then to reset our egos, and remind us just how Fragile we are as humans.

8. “Hysteria” by Def Leppard. The exception to my so-called rule of Perfect Songs, “Hysteria” happens to also be my all time favorite song. It’s everything – steady, gliding beat, vocal harmonies, guitar harmonies out the ying-yang (I believe I’ve heard Phil Collen say there are over 40 different guitar tracks throughout ‘Hysteria’, its an entire orchestra of electric guitars!), a tale of how the chemistry with another person just makes you so blissful and delirious you NEED to expose your very soul to them, life just could not be any better. You’re not only flying, you’re dancing in perfect choreographed time like you’re Fred and Ginger in the clouds.

Ecstasy doesn’t even begin to describe it.

I’m very curious to hear what other people define as a Perfect Song – is there a general trend? Is it specific to the individual? Maybe the definition of what makes a song Perfect to you is totally different than my viewpoint?!

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