A Band's Defining Song
 

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:

[i]Blaise Bailey Finnegan III[/i] 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.

[i]Dear Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts[/i] 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.

Gold Soundz - Pavement

Thats all I got.

Mission of Burma - Trem Two

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

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

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

[QUOTE=Zmev]Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
[B]Gang of Four - Damaged Goods[/B]
Ween - Push th Little Daisies[/QUOTE]

Good pick.

[QUOTE=no peros calentes]Good pick.[/QUOTE]

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

[QUOTE=Zmev]Have you heard the Return the Gift version? Quite fresh.[/QUOTE]

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

[QUOTE=NachoChez]
Cap'n Jazz - "Little League"
Sunny Day Real Estate - "Seven"[/QUOTE]

Agreed.

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

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

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

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

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

[QUOTE=Tangy zizzle]I disagree with that Melvins song. I'd go with either [I]Queen[/I], [I]Going Blind [/I](yes, I know it's a cover) or [I]Lexicon Devil[/I].

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

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.

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 Stooges - 1970

[QUOTE=Bukowski][B]NOFX - The Decline[/B]
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[/QUOTE]

No way man, no way.

The Flaming Lips-Do you realize

[QUOTE=Tangy zizzle]No way man, no way.[/QUOTE]

[u]WAY[/u]

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.

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"

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

[QUOTE=Bukowski][u]WAY[/u]

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.[/QUOTE]

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.

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

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

[QUOTE=MindlessPickle]uhm, thats probably one of the songs that differs the most from the others.[/QUOTE]

agreed.

i think Hey is the best song for them.

Queens of the Stone Age - You Would Know

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

[QUOTE=pixiesfanyo]agreed.

i think Hey is the best song for them.

Queens of the Stone Age - You Would Know[/QUOTE]

Um, I'm sorry but no f[COLOR="Black"]u[/COLOR]cking way.

[QUOTE=Tangy zizzle]Um, I'm sorry but no f[COLOR="Black"]u[/COLOR]cking way.[/QUOTE]

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.

I've gotta disagree that [I]every[/I] 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.

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

[QUOTE=NachoChez]Pavement - "Summer Babe"[/QUOTE]

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