2. music
  3. 163161-102681

Perfect Pop Songs

Those with the kind of music, lyrics, performance, arrangement and production that you could easily repeat all day.

How about starting with this one? Somewhat outside of her usual cannon and none the worse for it. Perhaps also a contender for the sexiest vocals ever?

Louie Louie  by Julie London
cd318
davehg
85 posts
 
@dayglow I think Michael Jackson was the biggest pop sound of the early 80s who was not new wave. “Don’t Stop till you get enough” is just a perfectly crafted pop tune that holds up better than anything later except maybe Man in the Mirror..

Unlike her early to mid 80’s stuff, several of Madonna’s 90’s tunes hold up well, as do certain George Michael cuts. I’m a big Prince fan too. But after Hanson’s “mmmBop”, which I still think is a well crafted pop tune that suffered from over exposure, I agree it’s hard to find enduring stuff in the early 2000s.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,868 posts
 

What a thread! Some Power Pop, a particularly favorite genre of mine (and apparently a lot of others):

"Cruel To Be Kind", Nick Lowe

"Girls Talk", Dave Edmunds

"Queen Of Hearts", Dave Edmunds (forget about Juice Newton’s pale imitation)

"Teacher Teacher", Rockpile

"Bad Case Of Loving You", Moon Martin (ignore the terrible cover by Robert Palmer)

"Cadillac Walk", Moon Martin (and the great version by Mink DeVille)

"Waterloo", ABBA

"Trying To Find My Baby", The Dwight Twilley Band

"Precious To Me", Phil Seymour

"I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend", The Rubinoos. Great guitar solo by Tommy Dunbar

"She’d Rather Be With Me", The Turtles. Incredible drumming by Johnny Barbata!

"Love’s Made A Fool Of You", The Bobby Fuller Four

"Peggy Sue", "Rave On", "Words Of Love", "It’s So Easy" (Linda Ronstadt’s version may be even better), & a bunch more by Buddy Holly. For scorching Rockabilly, listen to his version of "Down The Line" (Jerry Lee Lewis did a great version of this bitchin’ song as well)


dayglow
1,934 posts
 
Many great posts here, Rhinestone Cowboy great 70's choice! IMO a perfect pop song should be between 3-4 minutes long(Billie Jean 4:54) not overly repetitive, restricted solos/dynamics while being seamless and avoiding political/polarizing lyrics.


glupson
7,842 posts
 
dayglow,

Did you just describe Dancing Queen?

Every 4-year-old girl would agree while spinning her tutu.

Or, maybe even...

Men’s Grande Pink Tutu Costume | Oriental Trading

(I just bought ABBA The SIngles - The First Ten Years. It arrived yesterday.)

Would I Was Made For Loving You by Kiss qualify for a good pop song?
dayglow
1,934 posts
 
 glupson,

I think "I Was Made For Loving You" is a little suggestive, "Beth" would be the best example of a perfect Kiss pop song. Yes IMO a perfect pop song is really "about nothing"

I'm sure most of these have been mentioned 
"Walking On Sunshine"
"Hold On"
"Windy"
"Up Up And Away"
"Mellow Yellow"
"Have You Ever Been Mello"
"Carefree Highway"

Could some of the late 60's early 70's perfect pop songs have hidden meanings?

A great example for 2000's
"Bad Day" Daniel Powter


More to discover