A Band's Defining Song

[Wanker]

Most bands (as far as I know) have a song that is able to sum up their sound. This song may incorporate all elements at the band's disposal.

For instance:

Blaise Bailey Finnegan III by Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Of course I gotta choose GY!BE as an example. But as their defining song (IMO), it incorporates everything I love about GY!BE into one track. Amazingly powerful crescendos, a massive noise section, sound bites, and an achingly beautiful violin section.

Dear Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts by Wolf Parade - This song encompasses most of Wolf Parade's dynamics (except for the A Silver Mt. Zion-y, post rock-y song, Dinner Bells). It has catchy beats, hooks, lyrics and... well the song is the catchiest damn song I've ever friggin heard.


Please, add more.

[Sam]

Gold Soundz - Pavement

Thats all I got.

[The NPC]

Mission of Burma - Trem Two

It captured their arty-sonic-melodic-powerful-raw sound perfectly.

[comptonasseddy]

...and you will know us by the trail of dead-another morning stoner. Absolutely love that song, it made "source tags and codes"

[Zmev]

Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
Gang of Four - Damaged Goods
Ween - Push th Little Daisies

[The NPC]

Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
Gang of Four - Damaged Goods
Ween - Push th Little Daisies

Good pick.

[Zmev]

Good pick.

Have you heard the Return the Gift version? Quite fresh.

[The NPC]

Have you heard the Return the Gift version? Quite fresh.

It's actually pretty good, however I like the original.

[The Great Decay]

Cap'n Jazz - "Little League"
Sunny Day Real Estate - "Seven"

Agreed.

[Tangy zizzle]

Pavement - Stop Breathing
Can - Halleluhwah
The Stooges - Penetration or Now I Wanna be Your Dog
Black Flag - Nervous Breakdown
Hot Snakes - Our Work Fills the Pews

[YDload]

I don't think there's one for Minutemen because they're all too short and different from each other, for the most part.

Melvins- Joan of Arc
At the Drive-In- Ticklish
The Mars Volta- Eriatarka

[Tangy zizzle]

I disagree with that Melvins song. I'd go with either Queen, Going Blind (yes, I know it's a cover) or Lexicon Devil.

Oh, and I'd pick History Lesson part II. for Minutemen. I know it sounds nothing like them at all, but come on, it's their signature piece.

[BringHomeTheBacon]

Radiohead- Paranoid Android
Neutral Milk Hotel- Two Headed Boy Pt. 2
Weezer- Tired of Sex
Jimmy Eat World- Just Watch the Fireworks
The Pixies- Where is my Mind

[YDload]

I disagree with that Melvins song. I'd go with either Queen, Going Blind (yes, I know it's a cover) or Lexicon Devil.

Oh, and I'd pick History Lesson part II. for Minutemen. I know it sounds nothing like them at all, but come on, it's their signature piece.

I think any of the slower Melvins songs define them for the majority of their career, even though I'd much rather listen to something like "Copache" or "Honey Bucket."

And the Minutemen song is a good pick. Lyrically I guess it does define them pretty well.

[Bukowski]

NOFX - The Decline
Calexico - Sunken Waltz
Bad Brains - House of Suffering
Trail of Dead - How Near How Far
Pavement - Shady Lane
My Bloody Valentine - When You Sleep
Shellac - Squirrel Song

[The NPC]

The Stooges - 1970

[Tangy zizzle]

NOFX - The Decline
Calexico - Sunken Waltz
Bad Brains - House of Suffering
Trail of Dead - How Near How Far
Pavement - Shady Lane
My Bloody Valentine - When You Sleep
Shellac - Squirrel Song

No way man, no way.

[Sleeper]

The Flaming Lips-Do you realize

[Bukowski]

No way man, no way.

WAY

Led Zeppelin - Achilles Last Stand

This is Zep's best song by some distance, I think. It's got everything they're known for - great guitar work, brilliant drums from ol' Bonzo, and Plant's typical vocals. And it's just awesome, which is why i choose it.

[asymm]

Guided By Voices - "I Am A Scientist"
American Music Club - "If I Had A Hammer"
Supersilent - "6.2"
The Fiery Furnaces - "Chris Michaels"
Low - "Over the Ocean"

[Clunge]

Radiohead - No Surprises
Led Zeppelin - Heartbreaker
Mars Volta - L'Via L'Viaquez
Porcupine Tree - Gravity Eyelids
Pixies - Here Comes Your Man

[YDload]

WAY

Led Zeppelin - Achilles Last Stand

This is Zep's best song by some distance, I think. It's got everything they're known for - great guitar work, brilliant drums from ol' Bonzo, and Plant's typical vocals. And it's just awesome, which is why i choose it.

Truth. It's by far their best song, and it defines their original material as far as the fact that it's not stolen from a traditional blues song or something.

[MindlessPickle]

Radiohead- Paranoid Android
Neutral Milk Hotel- Two Headed Boy Pt. 2
Weezer- Tired of Sex
Jimmy Eat World- Just Watch the Fireworks
The Pixies- Where is my Mind

uhm, thats probably one of the songs that differs the most from the others.

[pixiesfanyo]

uhm, thats probably one of the songs that differs the most from the others.

agreed.

i think Hey is the best song for them.

Queens of the Stone Age - You Would Know

[I'll Take The Veil]

The Mars Volta- Take The Veil Cerpin Taxt
Radiohead- Paranoid Android
Pink Floyd- Dogs

[Tangy zizzle]

agreed.

i think Hey is the best song for them.

Queens of the Stone Age - You Would Know

Um, I'm sorry but no ****ing way.

[pixiesfanyo]

Um, I'm sorry but no ****ing way.

hah.

it's not their best but it encompasses them really well.

I was going to go with Better Living Through Chemistry but they change their sound alot so it's kind of hard to have one specific song that represents them.

[Tomahawk]

I've gotta disagree that every band has a defining song. I think that for a lot of bands, it's impossible to sum up their entire sound with one song.

[Sleeper]

Alot of Radiohead songs are hard to compare, I would have to say Fake Plastic Trees?

[Robert Crumb]

Pavement - "Summer Babe"

Correct.

X - Los Angeles
Sebadoh - The Freed Pig
Talking Heads - Psycho Killer
Spacemen 3 - I Walk With Jesus
Hüsker Dü - Celebrated Summer
Stereolab - Pack Yr Romantic Mind
Daniel Johnston - Walking the Cow
The Velvet Underground - Sister Ray

[Dreww]

^ nice Screen name.

[hey, you're not cory!]

Coheed and Cambria - "In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3"

At the Drive-In - "Invalid Litter Dept."

Thursday - "Understanding in a Car Crash"

[Dog]

X - Los Angeles
Sebadoh - The Freed Pig
Talking Heads - Psycho Killer
Daniel Johnston - Walking the Cow
Good picks. Speaking of Daniel Johnston, today a friend of mine walked up to me wearing a shirt featuring Hi How Are You's artwork. I asked him if he was a fan and it turns out he's Mr. Johnstons nephew. He said he could hook me up with some free stuff. :cool:

[CSD & the Soul Machines]

The Who-Baba O'Reiley
Sufjan Stevens- Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Hearts! AND John Wayne Gacy, Jr.
-He needs two to encompass his two kind of styles
Slint-Good Morning, Captain
Black Sabbath-War Pigs
Incubus-Sick, Sad Little World

[Wanker]

I've gotta disagree that every band has a defining song. I think that for a lot of bands, it's impossible to sum up their entire sound with one song.

I think you're right.

How can you possibly pick a defining Radiohead song?

You too.

[CSD & the Soul Machines]

I've gotta disagree that every band has a defining song. I think that for a lot of bands, it's impossible to sum up their entire sound with one song.

What about like ACDC?

[robot]

Pixies - Bone Machine
Guided By Voices - Tractor Rape Train

[Clunge]

What about like ACDC?
An exception to the rule due to awful-ness.

[OrbDragon]

Dinosaur Jr. - Feel The Pain
Jesus Lizard - Puss
Sonic Youth - Teen Age Riot (still kicks major ***)
dEUS - Suds & Soda
Morphine - Thursday
Jane's Addiction - Mountain Song
Dead Kennedys - Holiday In Cambodia
The Unicorns - Tuff Ghost (so underrated)
Echo & The Bunnymen - The Killing Moon
The Replacements - Unsatisfied
Siouxsie & The Banshees - Cities In Dust
Portishead - Glory Box
Nebula - Giant
Thomas Dybdahl - Make A Mess Of Yourself
The Delgados - Thirteen Gliding Principles (still blows my mind)

[something vague]

Sonic Youth - "Schizophrenia"
My Bloody Valentine - "When You Sleep"
Neutral Milk Hotel - "Holland, 1945"
The B52s - "Rock Lobster"
Sigur Ros - "Untitled 3"
Mogwai - "Mogwai Fear Satan"
The Ramones - "Rockaway Beach"
Sex Pistols - a pile of crap oozing across a sidewalk
The Cure - "Boys Don't Cry"
Bright Eyes - "Something Vague"
X - "Johnny Hit and Run Paulene"
Husker Du - "Divide and Conquer"
Devo - "Jocko Homo"
Ween - "Summer of '76"
Joy Division - "Transmission"
The Smiths - "Ask"

[MindlessPickle]

My Bloody Valentine - Only Shallow
The Velvet Underground - uuhm, Heroin i guess.
Badly Drawn Boy - Stone on the Water or maybe Something to Talk About

[andy is dead]

The Flaming Lips - Race For The Prize
Sigur Rós - Svefn-G-Englar

[braindoctor]

Oasis - Morning Glory ( maybe Live Forever too )
Green Day - Welcome To Paradise
Guns n Roses - Civil War ( maybe November Rain or Welcome To The Jungle )
Clash - I Fought The Law
Eric Clapton - Strange Brew


But all groups mentioned above have so many good songs.
At the end of the day were just postring our fav songs for that group

[Wanker]

Sigur Ros - "Untitled 3"

Ehhh. He doesn't sing in that one.

I think their defining song is either Untitled 6 or Svefn-n-englar.

[Kyle]

Nebula - Do it now
Smashing Pumpkins - Cherub Rock
Dino Jr - Freak Scene
Alice in Chains - Man in the box
Pixies - Holiday Song

[headshrinker]

Oasis- Columbia

[viscious]

The Replacements - Unsatisfied


No, if someone heard Usatisfied and liked it they would not necessary like anything else they made ever. Unsatisfied is really different from their other material. I mean, its all acousticy... I don't think any of their other sounds have a simlar sound to that. I'd say Seen Your Video or Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out encompass a lot more of the Replacements than Unsatisfied does.

[Tomahawk]

Tommy Gets his Tonsils Out? No way brotha.

I'd go with Bastards of Young for the Replacements. Or maybe Left of the Dial.

[rbv]

Sigur Ros - Saeglopur
ATD-I - Rasauche
Explosions in the Sky- First Breath of a Coma
Co&Ca- The Willing Well III: Apollo II: I'm telling the truth
Death Cab- Syrofoam Plates
The Decemberists - The Sporting Life

[sgrevs]

The Mars Volta- Eriatarka

I would say Cicatriz ESP would be a better example for TMV because it incorporates all of their weird and wacky guitar effected sounds and weird nothing synth and crzy screaming vocals and awesome bass and drum fills into one orgasmic piece of music.

[Zmev]

Radiohead - Creep

In a nutshell.

[AlkoholikMouse]

I gotta come in and disagree with a few things in here.

Firstly, The Decline by NOFX. Hell No! Typical NOFX would be a short, fast, fun song, maybe with a cool but short guitar solo, and Fat Mike singing about something random and irrelevant, that somehow seems to make sense to many. The Decline is an epic, and as amazing as it is, just goes against what is typical NOFX. I'm thinking more along the lines of 'Leave It Alone' 'Dinosaurs Will Die' or 'The Idiots Are Taking Over'

Secondly, Civil War by GnR. A slow mellow song. Again, very good song, but just think about what we all know and love Guns n Roses for. Big, powerful songs with a riff which drives it's way into your head, and a solo which blows your head apart. Not a slow mellow number like civil war. Maybe Paradise City would do it better.

Another thing, imagine how tough it would be to find a Red Hot Chili's song to sum up their sound. That would be an impossible task. Perhaps create a short compilation to define it, but thats tough. I'd say this comp:

Higher Ground
Under The Bridge
Fight Like A Brave
Scar Tissue
Cant Stop
Apache Rose Peacock
Get On Top
Purple Stain

It's tough because every time they bring out someting new, thats exactly what it is, new. Like Bon Jovi's new album is just typical of their last two (not inc This Left Feel Right) which kind of sucks really. Theres NO change whatsoever.

[AndreTheHyena]

Prince - "When Doves Cry"
the Band - "The Weight"
Rancid - "Radio"
Wilco - "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart"

[AlkoholikMouse]

I gotta come in and disagree with a few things in here.

Firstly, The Decline by NOFX. Hell No! Typical NOFX would be a short, fast, fun song, maybe with a cool but short guitar solo, and Fat Mike singing about something random and irrelevant, that somehow seems to make sense to many. The Decline is an epic, and as amazing as it is, just goes against what is typical NOFX. I'm thinking more along the lines of 'Leave It Alone' 'Dinosaurs Will Die' or 'The Idiots Are Taking Over'

Secondly, Civil War by GnR. A slow mellow song. Again, very good song, but just think about what we all know and love Guns n Roses for. Big, powerful songs with a riff which drives it's way into your head, and a solo which blows your head apart. Not a slow mellow number like civil war. Maybe Paradise City would do it better.

Another thing, imagine how tough it would be to find a Red Hot Chili's song to sum up their sound. That would be an impossible task. Perhaps create a short compilation to define it, but thats tough. I'd say this comp:

Higher Ground
Under The Bridge
Fight Like A Brave
Scar Tissue
Cant Stop
Apache Rose Peacock
Get On Top
Purple Stain

It's tough because every time they bring out someting new, thats exactly what it is, new. Like Bon Jovi's new album is just typical of their last two (not inc This Left Feel Right) which kind of sucks really. Theres NO change whatsoever.


And in all that GnR blabber, I've realised that the whole time I was thinking of Patience, not Civil War for some reason. Just ignore my rambles. Everyone else does!

[Wanker]

Explosions in the Sky- First Breath After Coma

fix'd... sorry, I'm a fanboy.

Anyways, I think that Explosions' defining song would be either Memorial or With Tired Eyes, Tired Minds, Tired Souls, We Slept.

[the pope.]

test icicles - scene damage
the cribs - mirror kissers
the libertines - death on the stairs
sigur ros - se lest
babyshambles - arebours
death from above 1979 - romantic rights
the blood brothers - burn piano island burn

i dont really understand they question , but if someone wanted to here a band , i would play those songs for them to show what they sound like

[the pope.]

I would say Cicatriz ESP would be a better example for TMV because it incorporates all of their weird and wacky guitar effected sounds and weird nothing synth and crzy screaming vocals and awesome bass and drum fills into one orgasmic piece of music.

and im going to disagree with you both and say

the mars volta - roulette dares

and

atdi - one armed sissor

[Dried Muffin Remnants]

I don't see how bands like Radiohead, Sonic Youth, and Velvet Underground could have defining songs for a sound. All three were very experimental and had different sounding albums.

Can you even compare Daydream Nation to Goo?
Amnesiac to Pablo Honey?
Punk VU vs alt VU

[guitarded_chuck]

and im going to disagree with you both and say

the mars volta - roulette dares

and

atdi - one armed sissor
I totally agree with those! My honest favorite songs from each band.

[the pope.]

yeah

those would be the songs i would introduce those bands with
either one armed scissor , or quarintined

[Krash100]

Blur - "Coffee & TV"
Pearl Jam - "Corduroy"
Oasis - "Some Might Say"
Pavement - "Conduit For Sale"

I think with one listen of these songs you know what the band is about

[rhcp a test of time]

Rage Against the Machine-Killin in the name
Red Hot Chili Peppers-hahhahaha try to find a song that defines their whole career. And by they way dont even start to say Under the Bridge defines them because that was an extremely uncharacteristic song for them though it is one of their great songs it dosent define. Maybe one would be able to name a defining song from each album

[Sound Boy]

Led Zeppelin - Achilles Last Stand

This is Zep's best song by some distance, I think. It's got everything they're known for - great guitar work, brilliant drums from ol' Bonzo, and Plant's typical vocals. And it's just awesome, which is why i choose it.

i totally have to agree. everyone says that "Stairway to Heaven" is their best but i think that this shows Jimmy Page at his finest. he just keeps going and the song basically doesnt let up. its really powerfull. although im a fan of JPJ and "ALS" didnt really showcase alot of his talents, but this still is a truely awesome song. "how many more times" is another one that just blows me away...simple yet great.

[Sound Boy]

Weezer - Only In Dreams
Spoon - me and the bean
Smashing Pumpkins - Try Try Try
Minus the Bear - Pantsuit, uggghhhh
Tool - Ticks & Leeches
Interpol - PDA
The Mars Volta - Drunkship of Lanterns
Co&Ca - The Willing Well series
incubus - SSLW
Radiohead - airbag into paranoid android (i cant listen to one without the other)

[YDload]

i totally have to agree. everyone says that "Stairway to Heaven" is their best but i think that this shows Jimmy Page at his finest. he just keeps going and the song basically doesnt let up. its really powerfull. although im a fan of JPJ and "ALS" didnt really showcase alot of his talents, but this still is a truely awesome song. "how many more times" is another one that just blows me away...simple yet great.

You're wrong. That song is incredibly fun to play on bass, the galloping octave triplets are a challenge, as well as the four note breakdowns in 5/4. I use it to build my stamina, but also because it's such a great song.

[Bukowski]

JPJ is very underrated, he's an excellent all round musician. Most of the recognition was reserved for Bonham and Page, but JP was also really talented - and at more than one instrument (he played bass, keys, and mellotrone(sp?) - there may be more).

[Sound Boy]

You're wrong. That song is incredibly fun to play on bass, the galloping octave triplets are a challenge, as well as the four note breakdowns in 5/4. I use it to build my stamina, but also because it's such a great song.

oh no i didnt mean that it wasnt difficult or its just that the drums and guitar almost overpower his bass sound on that unlike alot of other songs

[Jim]

Powderfinger - 'Waiting for the Sun'

It's the perfect song to define them with. A classy bit of work that is the perfect pop song in every way.

Silverchair - 'Emotion Sickness'

This song shows their lighter side, their orchestral side, and the rockier tones of their early stuff.

Pink Floyd - 'Shine on you Crazy diamond'

Hard to describe them with one song, but the 'Wish You Were Here' album is utter class, this song bringing many of their elements together.

Led Zeppelin - 'Achilles Last Stand'

Yeah, sums them up nicely. Bloody long, though. :lol:

[Sound Boy]

Pink Floyd - 'Shine on you Crazy diamond'

Hard to describe them with one song, but the 'Wish You Were Here' album is utter class, this song bringing many of their elements together.

yeah that or Pigs (three different ones)

[theredwonder]

Biffy Clyro - My Recovery Injection

Contains all the best bits about Biffy - the random yet catchy hooks, awesome backing vocals and pretty decent lyrics.

British Sea Power - Remember Me

Brillant guitars which are the peak of the bands original sound. Just an excellent song.

Bright Eyes - False Advertising

The song combines the variety of sounds used throughout Oberst's Bright Eyes career into a wonderful track. Lyrics as usual are some are the best i've read.


All my favourite Bs.

[Baliente]

Modest Mouse - I Came As a Rat

[Ficus]

Faith No More - Land of Sunshine

What about REM? I can't really think of a defining song for them.

[Rundle]

Coldplay - Clocks
REM - Man on the Moon

[Illmatic]

Public Enemy - Fight The Power