What makes a legendary song?

What do you believe makes or adds to the creating of, a legendary song?

People always remember the Master of Puppets riff etc.

So be it a part of a song, a whole song or whatever. What makes a legendary song?

-AC

Simple, yet insightful, lyrics. Lyrics that people can sing along to and can relate to, but they`re still catchy. Another thing is really great Guitar riffs or a catchy bass line.

Surely the music comes first in making a SONG legendary...?

Interesting.

-AC

A catchy rhythm that stays catchy forever, also good interesting lyrics go a long way.

Its impossible to say that, because there arent any logic in that. Sometimes is the music, sometimes the words, sometimes the innstrumentes, sometimes the theme, sometimes the style, etc.

Originally posted by Alpha Centauri
Surely the music comes first in making a SONG legendary...?

Interesting.

-AC

Originally posted by bakerboy
Its impossible to say that, because there arent any logic in that. Sometimes is the music, sometimes the words, sometimes the innstrumentes, sometimes the theme, sometimes the style, etc.

Theme? You mean what the song is about? That would be lyrics or music. Though having a song about an important issue at the right time, regardless of how good it is, seems to be a factor.

There is logic in there. It's a question, what makes a song legendary?

-AC

Originally posted by BackFire
A catchy rhythm that stays catchy forever, also good interesting lyrics go a long way.

I've always found lyrics to be the least important part of a song. If they are great, or apposite, they can certainly add to the song.

I'd definitely never like a song because of lyrics. I don't personally feel the need to look to what musicians have to say about anything.

a lot of songs i find that have a legendary status among alot of people are songs that strike a social chord...they aren't neccessarily good songs but they'll go down in history as being extremely memorable among a large number of people

take the song "imagine" by john lennon...not (in my opinion) a great song but one that i guess can be considered legendary...

a song that would be legendary for me can be made up of anything...AC mentioned master of puppets being legendary...i definitely agree because of the riffs...but the lyrical content of that song doesn't really hit anything special to me personally

on the other hand "round here" by counting crows isn't really a great musical song...its erratic and generally a bit of a messed up mix of rythyms and melodies...but the lyrics are always something i find magnificent in that particular song

if i could tell you, i wouldn't be here

Legendary songs = Lyrics that can be taken literally or figuratively, something that everyone can find meaning in. And amazing music behind the lyrics. Something that will catch peoples attention so that they want to listen to the lyrics and something that you can listen to over and over again.

i.e. Gladys Knight & The Pips-Midnight Train to Georgia

Why do people focus on lyrics? It's called music for a reason, lyrics are nowhere near as important.

-AC

i disagree i look at music as poetry with a beat. Lyrics are tremedously important to me. Some of my favorite songs only became my favorite songs after i listened carefully to the lyrics and then the music in the song became more relevent and interesting. But that's just my opinion.

First off I think it has to be recognized that what one may think of as great another may think of as just noise. That's the thing about any art form and as we see time and time again music is no exception.

I think that there are many different elements that can make a particular song great. Many of U2's earlier songs were great tunes because Dave Evans played more of an "ambiance guitar" rather than a traditional lead guitar".

Insightful lyrics can make a song great, or crappy lyrics sung either with heart or a beautiful voice can make a song great.

Innovation or perfecting a sound can make a song great.

I think that's why I love music, there are so many elements that can make a song or artist truly amazing, and as many options and roads that there are that lead to greatness, it still happens very rarely.

I agree, except that it happens rarely. Just gotta know where to look.

Though of course there aren't legends being churned out every 5 minutes.

I don't think any lyrics make a song great, just add to it. The Mars Volta and At the Drive-In have mostly horrible lyrics but the music is great.

-AC

I think it happens rarely in proportion to the amount of music being produced today.

As for lyrics, I think that some lyrics can take a song that was exceptionally good, and push it over to great.

i guess when the majority of songs released are either so obvious in the message that they're trying to put across that it practically smacks you in the face with it...or the fact that with regards to pop music...just about all the songs are written by a handful of people...then legendary songs are getting a bit more difficult to find

i think alot of people can connect to lyrics quite personally and relate to them and thats why alot of people focus on them...

It's not actually the substance of the song though, is the point. If it's words with backing music, you might as well read TS Eliot in a hotel lift.

Yeah but if Parabola by Tool was spoken to me by Maynard, or even if he began singing it acapella on stage, it wouldn't nearly have the effect of the actual song. As far from it, actually.

Parabola instrumental would have close to the same effect. Music is where the emotion is, words just give it direction sometimes. Vocals are instruments, the voice is that matters. Not what it's saying really.

Hence why a non-german speaker can enjoy Rammstein.

-AC