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jfinke jfinke
 
M$1 January 15, 2009 07:59 PM

What is the greatest song of all-time?

Rolling Stone magazine said that Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" is the greatest song of all-time, but many people have argued that. I want to hear what the Mahalo Answers community thinks is the greatest song of all-time.
This is going to be very subjective depending on what kind of genre people like, so I'll choose the "best answer" based on 1) how convincing your answer is and 2) how much I personally enjoy the song. (I'll try to be open-minded.)
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Best Answer  Chosen by Asker

andy andy
 
 January 15, 2009 08:56 PM
For sheer variety, technical virtuosity, rocking-ness, and crypticality (i know...i just made that word up) it has to be "Stairway"

Asker's Rating:
• Lots of good answers. I try to avoid the word "epic" but this song is definitely epic. Also, this song is great because it starts off as a great ballad and becomes an incredible rocker... a good song should be able to span two genres.


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Other Answers (16)

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easyeboy easyeboy
 
January 15, 2009 08:03 PM
This is the best song of all time!

U2 - With Or Without You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8SPeR60lRI

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bugsy bugsy
 
January 15, 2009 08:04 PM
Tenacious D - The Greatest Song In The World

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpuXN5CDPp0

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jeffhoard jeffhoard
 
January 16, 2009 07:33 AM
Good one, but I prefer the Tribute
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q5I7Dplzl0

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dumblonde dumblonde
 
January 15, 2009 08:13 PM
That's a toughie.
You can't go wrong with anything from Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys or the White Album by The Beatles.
But my fave song is God Only Knows by The Beach Boys in Pet Sounds.


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jonathan h jonathan h
 
January 15, 2009 08:51 PM
You took mine! I guess I'll go with my second favorite song for my answer.

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evan evan
 
January 15, 2009 08:58 PM
A great song. My personal favorite is "Wouldn't It Be Nice."

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ppalmer21 ppalmer21
 
January 15, 2009 10:35 PM
This answer was not unhelpful.

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bugsy bugsy
 
January 16, 2009 02:26 AM
They're voting digg-style, what can you say more...

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ppalmer21 ppalmer21
 
January 15, 2009 08:18 PM
One Tin Soldier, Coven's version... still full of meaning for us tree hugging, peace loving, born too late to be real hippies

Source(s):
It was featured in The Legend of Billy Jack


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ppalmer21 ppalmer21
 
January 15, 2009 10:34 PM
This answer was not unhelpful.

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albanian albanian
 
January 15, 2009 08:25 PM
Easily the greatest song of all time is" Ist Das nicht ein Schnitzelbank"! Other songs so far mentioned have not even begun to stand the test of time, nor have they been recorded in various genres. The first printing of a version of Schnitzelbank was in 1830 in Germany. It spread to the US, and in the 1890's became a big hit on the vaudeville circuit. When recording was developed it soon became widely recorded in the various mediums. I have in my collection piano rolls, Edison cylinders, and 78's. But it did not fade away. It was one of the first songs given a written jazz arrangement: in 1912 by none other than Jelly Roll Morton. By WWII it was so widely known and popular that even though it was German it was modified and used as a propaganda song by the Allies. After the war it again became popular in bars and taverns and countless brewing companies spread the lyrics and pictures. It decorated beer steins from Germany and was copied by potters in Japan. It can be found in a Swiss music box version. It was sung in movies, for instance by Danny Kay, and on TV by Lucille Ball. Amos and Andy used it in a routine. When rock and roll came along, Bill Haley recorded a rock version. And, yet, after all this history, it is still going strong! People love to sing it at festivals, especially American Oktoberfests, year after year. If a 33 or 45 vinyl record or a cd or a dvd is too old fashioned for you, you can download numerous versions from the web.

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gregdmetca... gregdmetca...
 
January 15, 2009 08:26 PM
Michael Jackson - Beat It

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uqxo1SKB0z8

Because really, what else can you do?


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joeknows joeknows
 
January 15, 2009 08:27 PM
Bridge of Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel. This song is great on so many different levels, it can be listened to as a love song between a couple, a parents song to a child, or a Gospel song. I heard it sung at a funeral once and there was not a dry eye in the place.
The song reached number 1 on the singles chart in February of 1970 and stayed there for 6 weeks. It knocked the Beatles "Let it Be" out of the top spot. It won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Song of the Year in the Grammy Awards of 1971, with its album also winning several awards in the same year.
Paul Simon would have 4 or 5 in the top 50 songs of all time.

peace,
joe


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ctltony ctltony
 
January 15, 2009 08:35 PM
Amazing Grace, written by John Newton in 1772, sung by millions ever since.

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albanian albanian
 
January 15, 2009 11:12 PM
It sounds great on the bagpipes but is pretty poor as a song.

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ctltony ctltony
 
January 16, 2009 01:31 AM
'Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear
And Grace my fears relieved.
How previous did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed!

Nothing poor about that!

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darth cont... darth cont...
 
January 15, 2009 08:39 PM
This one:


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dumblonde dumblonde
 
January 15, 2009 08:44 PM
Oh but come on. It's this one!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0

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darth cont... darth cont...
 
January 15, 2009 09:43 PM
Doh, you spoiled the surprise! ;-D

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jonathan h jonathan h
 
January 15, 2009 08:55 PM
"This Will Be Our Year" by The Zombies is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. I've listened to it hundreds of times and it never fails. A masterpiece of pop songwriting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf7wRe4AUtU

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ppalmer21 ppalmer21
 
January 15, 2009 10:36 PM
This answer was not unhelpful.

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evan evan
 
January 15, 2009 08:57 PM
Greatest. Song. Ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irp8CNj9qBI

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morriss003 morriss003
 
January 15, 2009 10:05 PM
The Star Spangled Banner. How many people have done it? It's the only anthem to end with a question mark. (I think)

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evan evan
 
January 15, 2009 11:06 PM
That's funny, I never thought of that!

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albanian albanian
 
January 15, 2009 11:07 PM
It's too hard for anyone but a professional singer to sing. And most of them don't do a very good job. Also, it only appeals to Americans.

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ppalmer21 ppalmer21
 
January 16, 2009 03:41 AM
Doesn't it end with "Play Ball!"?

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chazzyfen chazzyfen
 
January 15, 2009 10:07 PM
God Bless the US (Proud to be an American). It is one of the few songs that really stirs your heart.
Source(s):
http://www.brownielocks.com/godblesstheusaWAVE.html


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albanian albanian
 
January 15, 2009 11:12 PM
Does it stir the heart of anyone other than an American? Or even many Americans (I've never heard of it)?

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lauriem lauriem
 
January 15, 2009 10:13 PM
Definitely subjective, but I'd go with either "Born to Run" or "Thunder Road" by Bruce Springsteen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rGFfO5fUvE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KngiJUNdsu0

Absolutely timeless, both of them.

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mikejames mikejames
 
January 16, 2009 05:10 AM
$29 by Tom Waites

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jeffhoard jeffhoard
 
January 16, 2009 07:46 AM
Minus the fact it reminds of an Ex.

This has got to be one of the greatest songs of all time, what a power ballad!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ip1zsUIosoA

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