Greatest American Song? Try Gershwin

[HarrisburgDave]

Rhapsody In Blue reached 100 years in age on February 12th. Is it the greatest piece of American music ever? Maybe. It is certainly in the discussion.

The thread on the 5 greatest rock songs is a good one. How about another thread with you nominating your top American song?

Mine? I’ve Got You Under My Skin, written by Cole Porter and performed by Sinatra. IMO the following is perfect. Phrasing, arrangement, vocal and instrumental.

 

[Obliviax]

I'd go with IN A Gagga Da Vida by Iron Butterfly.

The United Airlines Version of Rhapsody in Blue. I tell my kids this was the first "Rhap" song.

 

[leinbacker]

 

[Woodpecker]

 

[Obliviax]

 

[WyomingLion]

I’ll go with another Gershwin tune, Summertime sung by Billie Holiday.
janis Joplin did it also

 

[Dave1649]

All Great Music !!!!

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

I'm going to go with Happy Birthday. It's sung by millions of people every day. Can one beat that? Aren't songs meant to be sung? Otherwise, it's just people playing musical instruments no? Whoever wrote it probably never got the royalties either. The Star Spangled Banner second.

 

[haveyoumethoward]

A short but great history lesson.

This can only and forever be America's National Anthem.

 

[HarrisburgDave]

I'm going to go with Happy Birthday. It's sung by millions of people every day. Can one beat that? Aren't songs meant to be sung? Otherwise, it's just people playing musical instruments no? Whoever wrote it probably never got the royalties either. The Star Spangled Banner second.

Funny you should write that. The song was the subject of a famous copyright lawsuit decided just a few years ago.

 

[MtNittany]

Yeah, I'm not from Baltimore, and I realize the Paul Harvey piece is replete w/ inaccuracies, exaggerations, and mispronunciations, but Francis Scott Key took the tune of an old English pub song and gave us our National Anthem, and to me that will always be the Greatest American Song.

 

[HarrisburgDave]

I’ll go with another Gershwin tune, Summertime sung by Billie Holiday.
janis Joplin did it also

Lady Day is a legend for good reason.

The following performance is simply incredible, on so many levels.

 

[Anon1683841811]

 

[CvilleElksCoach]

Stardust by Hoagy Carmichael was always considered one of the greatest songs written in the 20th century FWIW.

 

[Thorndike2021]

LOTS of songs, and genres, to choose from. Rock, Big Band, Jazz, Blues, show tunes, etc....American music is some of the best stuff ever. I like nearly all of it.

That said, there's a 'classical' tune I would place at or near the top. Don't follow the link if you're not into classical. If you are sit back, turn it up, close your eyes, and enjoy Mr. Barber's best.

 

[HarrisburgDave]

LOTS of songs, and genres, to choose from. Rock, Big Band, Jazz, Blues, show tunes, etc....American music is some of the best stuff ever. I like nearly all of it.

That said, there's a 'classical' tune I would place at or near the top. Don't follow the link if you're not into classical. If you are sit back, turn it up, close your eyes, and enjoy Mr. Barber's best.

Excellent. Another Pennsylvanian to go with Lady Day.

 

[Midnighter]

Hmmmm......could it be, 'Mr. Brightside' by The Killers? Here's an amazing fact about that song - it is the longest charting song in the UK Top 100 ever. It has been in the UK Top 100 for 380 weeks - that's Halloween on 2016.

 

[HarrisburgDave]

Hmmmm......could it be, 'Mr. Brightside' by The Killers? Here's an amazing fact about that song - it is the longest charting song in the UK Top 100 ever. It has been in the UK Top 100 for 380 weeks - that's Halloween on 2016.

My daughter is a huge Killers fan. I was able to obtain box seats for their performance at the casino in Easton about 9 years ago. It was tremendous.

I just checked and it has two billion plays on Spotify!

 

[Grant Green]

Either Rhapsody in Blue or What a Wonderful World

 

[PSU_Lions_84]

Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man" as performed by Emerson, Lake, and Palmer in a football stadium (Giants?) in the dead of winter.

Find it on Youtube.

 

[bbrown]

My daughter is a huge Killers fan. I was able to obtain box seats for their performance at the casino in Easton about 9 years ago. It was tremendous.

Big fan but hate that song. LOL.

 

[Midnighter]

Big fan but hate that song. LOL.

Not my favorite of theirs either but I think they're a great band.

 

[laKavosiey-st lion]

I always think cash

 

[Hugh Laurie]