Songs that are absolute undeniable masterpieces.

FelineGuitars

This weeks choices:

Fleetwood Mac - Man of the world

Tom Petty  - Breakdown

Heart - Crazy on You

Quarterflash - Harden my heart

Queen - It's late, You take my breath away, In the lap of the Gods (revisited)

Kate Bush - man with the child in his eyes

Roberta Flack - first time ever I saw your face, Killing me softly

Slade  - Look wot u dun, how does it feel

MtB

The one that stands out for me - still remember listening to it the first time it was broadcast on the John Peel show in June 1981, and thinking wtf:

O Superman - Laurie Anderson

HollowAxis

Slint - Good Morning, Captain

Alexander Scriabin - Vers La Flamme, Op. 72

beed84

To avoid repeating ones that have already been mentioned, here are perhaps some left wing candidates:

Backstreet Boys - Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely

Portishead - Roads

Pantera - Cemetery Gates

R.Kelly - The World's Greatest

George Benson - Nature Boy

Stevie Wonder - As

EDIT: I sort of regret including Backstreet Boys as having delivered an 'undeniable masterpiece'.  In some kind of defence, it does have a killer melody.

Bellycaster

Glad to see ABBA got a few mentions, I forgot, shame on me.

Aside from ABBA, I have to mention a "Masterpiece" of a Cover Song, not that there is anything wrong with the original, but this oozes quality in every aspect.

Some really good stuff has been done by Grace Jones.

stickyfiddle

My top picks, off the top of my head, based on current mood.

Tom Petty - American Girl

ABBA - Super Trouper

AC\DC - You Shook Me All Night Long

Bruce Springsteen - Thunder Road & Born To Run

The Beatles - Drive My Car (and about 100 other, obviously)

Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees

Bellycaster

Two more fine examples of Melodic Genius Songwriting, performed by Donna Summer.

Lixarto

Lixarto

Double post, sorry.

lamf68

Television - Marquee Moon

The Smiths - There is a light that never goes out

It Bites - Once Around the World

Velvet Underground - Venus in Furs

Depeche Mode - Everything Counts

The Clash - White Man in Hammersmith Palais

Dead Boys - Sonic Reducer

equalsql

Sewn by The Feeling.
If ever a song was a classic then this is one,,
If you can find the live version that they filmed at Abbey Road it is probably the band's finest moment.

This is the, I believe shortened, single mix..

Rufus

My top 5.... (may be different tomorrow)...

Oblivious - Aztec Camera (Think Roddy was 18 when he wrote this!!)

Do You Realize - Flaming Lips (it's all true...)

Bizarre Love Triangle - New Order (and Frente's cover)

Days - The Kinks (Just beautiful)

Hoppipola - Sigur Ros (slow motion sharks rock my world)

Rocker

Wish you were here

Folsum Prison Blues

Satisfaction

Me and Bobbie McGee

Streets of London

Caroline

Sweet Caroline

Sweet child 'o' mine

I don't like Mondays

etc. etc. etc.

joeyowen

Barber's Adagio For Strings

simply stunning

joeyowen

oh, and Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence

HippoPete

My favourite songs are bit silly really, things like Judge Dread, The Dickies and the dual loud, 70's rock bands but here are few that I genuinely believe are masterpiece songs.

Love & Affection - Joan Armatrading

A New England - Billy Bragg (but performed by Kirsty McColl - Dammit now I've got something in my eye)

More Than a Feeling - Boston

Different For Girls - Joe Jackson

Sultans of Swing

richardhomer

^ New England is an outstanding song. Wisdom for reminding me of it!

viz

joeyowen said:

Barber's Adagio For Strings

simply stunning

@joeyowen +1 and for those choristers amongst you, the Agnus Dei version; if you make it as far as the 6:38 - 7:15 section you will be rewarded with a taste of heaven

koneguitarist

Eagles Hotel California

Poco Rose of Cimmaron

Beatles  For No One 

Kinks Waterloo sunset

ELO. Living thing

Johnny Cash. Hurt

Elvis Presley it's now or never ( has to be taken in context of his music before this) 

Steely Dan  Reelin' in the years

Carpenters goodbye to love. 

frankus

Good Morning Starshine - Oliver