Songs that give you goosebumps

[egd]

I stumbled on a great thread over at Steve Hoffman's forum the 'Songs that give you the chills, and why' thread.

Kept me busy for hours and rediscovered some gems I'd long forgotten. Enjoy :-)

[Goodsounds]

An interesting thread, thanks for sharing it around.

For me, it's probably a function of time and place. I tend to find some West Coast 60s era stuff fits this description. Music that is eerie, haunting, dramatic and somehow exotic but still mainstream. Ununsual chord changes (but not to the point of being jazz-like). On this list would be

Doors - People Are Strange, Unknown Soldier, The End, Crystal Ship and many more

Jefferson Airplane/Starship- White Rabbit, Miracles, House at Pooneil Corner, Martha, and many more. Their vocal harmonies were novel and have not been equalled since.

Stevie Nicks - Edge of Seventeen, Stopping Dragging My Heart Around, Landslide

Quicksilver - Pride of Man and others

And probably a few others that don't yet come to mind.

[Dogberry2]

Let It Be - the original album version, not the one on the single or the later "...Naked" album. I know a lot of people think the guitar solo is too hard and jarring, but that's exactly what I love about it: the passion and biting edginess of George's guitar juxtaposed against the general sweet tenderness of the song just cuts right through me. Literal goosebumps. Every damn time.

I Will Walk With You (John Fogerty) - this one is just very special to me; I played it for my daughter at her graduation party when she got her bachelor's degree. It expresses so perfectly the things I wanted to say to her as she went off into the world to live in another state, I only changed a couple of the words to better suit her (she prefers chocolate ice cream to pink). I barely got through the song without breaking down, and was only able to do so by not looking at her as I sang it. The line "no matter where you wander, no matter what you do, come what may, I will walk with you" and that final line "I'll never be far from you, this I promise you" had to be forced out through a lump in my throat. I still can't sing it without choking up, and just hearing it gives me chills.

Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, fourth movement - nuff said

Rhapsody In Blue - chills, every time

Everything's Alright (from Jesus Christ Superstar) - Yvonne Elliman's voice slays me on this one. (I like her vocals with Clapton, too, of course.)

Thump The Clouds (Adrian Legg) - Not sure why this one in particular (out of all his music) hits me quite that way. Maybe because it's just so joyful and full of life. But yeah, chills.

Sing, Sing, Sing (With A Swing) - Louis Prima's great swing tune, it kind of epitomizes the whole feel of the Swing Era for me.

All Things Must Pass - I always loved the song, but after George died its meaning deepened so much it gives me a shiver every time. It's like George is telling us it's okay that he died, he's cool with it (which I believe he was).

Over The Rainbow - Maynard Ferguson's performance. He did it on at least two albums that I know of, but the first one (I think it was 1958) is great; the second (1967) doesn't do much for me. In '58 he was at the peak of his playing power, and he does a beautiful, simple variation on the melody without trying to do too much. Then he cranks it up an octave and pierces right through your bones, with his tone crisp, clean, and pure. Definite goosebump material.

Here Today - Paul McCartney's tribute to John. When he gets to the line "we didn't understand a thing, but we could always sing" it raises hairs on my arms. Boy, could they ever "always sing."

Keep Me In Your Heart - Warren Zevon. The last song on his last album, recorded while he knew he had only a few months left. The lyrics are directed toward his daughter, but reach us all. "If I leave you, it doesn't mean I love you any less. Keep me in your heart for awhile." If you can listen to that song, knowing the circumstances in which is was written and recorded, and not feel a chill, there's probably something wrong with you.

There are lots of songs that give me goosebumps sometimes, but those are the ones I can think of that work every time. Except for the Mozart, and I don't have time to ruminate over the entire Mozart catalog to pick out the ones that hit me deepest.

[probedb]

There's lots more that I can't think of at the moment but definitely:

Foo Fighters - Everlong
Opeth - Deliverance

[Keymaster]

"Silver Springs" from Fleetwood Mac, The Dance.

The version that's on the expanded version of Rumours is technically a bit more solid, but if you've seen the DVD..towards the end of the song during the refrain...Stevie Nicks is singing it to Lindsay Buckingham with such emotion that it's palpible...and then they sing to each other...and I'm getting shivers just thinking about it...VERY powerful moment...that's my big one, currently.

In perpetuity: Pet Sounds...any track.

KM

P.S> Awesome thread!!

[tcutting]

OK... almost embarrased by this first one, but I heard it on (sirius) radio this morning as I got to work, and I remembered this thread. I don't even have the song in my collection:
"Sister Christian" by Night Ranger - for some reason the opening lines of this song bring out the goosebumps.
I've also experienced some live renditions of "Via Dolorosa" for which goosebumps alone don't do justice to the emotional impact - I've been lucky to be part of a church with some incredible singers so I've heard that one performed a few times.

[Keymaster]

Rhapsody In Blue - chills, every time

Montreal Symphony Orchestra, around '97 or '98. With "An American in Paris", of course (Place des Arts, if anyone knows the venue in Mtl.).

One of the best "shows" I ever saw, regardless of genre.

One of my fave pieces of music of all time.

GREAT CALL!!!! =)

(Isn't the opening note the greatest EVER?!?!)

[shake-the-disease]

For me it's a recent one; Scythian Empires by Andrew Bird

[Keymaster]

For me it's a recent one; Scythian Empires by Andrew Bird

That's a beautiful song! So glad you included a link!

Cheers!!

KM

[shake-the-disease]

I've also experienced some live renditions of "Via Dolorosa" for which goosebumps alone don't do justice to the emotional impact - I've been lucky to be part of a church with some incredible singers so I've heard that one performed a few times.

I got goose bumps just reading "Via Dolorosa" in your post, let alone listening to it.