I'd be interested to hear of some decent songs that can pack a memorable piece of music in a short time (>2 minutes). When people think of the best songs I find they always tend to think of the epic, 8 minute + masterpieces from classic albums, but are there any gems that don't last long minutewise but have a lasting impression, or are so addictive that you find yourself constantly coming back to them?

Some (somewhat) recent examples for me would be:

- Kaini Industries - Boards of Canada
- The Fool - Neutral Milk Hotel
- I Am The Alphabet - Black Moth Super Rainbow

I searched and I hope this hasn't been previously discussed.

I can think of three White Stripes songs: "Broken Bricks", "Hypnotize", and "Fell In Love With A Girl".
Other ones I can think of:
"Stravinsky" by The Forms
"Hardcore UFO's", "The Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory" by Guided By Voices
"Le Garage" by The Futureheads
"Ready To Die" by The Unicorns
"Man" and "Tick" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs (I always listen to them together...)

Let's see...

The Wrens - Yellow Number Three

The Wrens - Destruction/Drawn

Super Furry Animals - Several, namely "Chupacabras" Such and awesome song...

SuperChunk - So Convinced
Man Man - Feathers
(I obviously dig awesome "short" intro songs)

Sleep Station - Drums of War (check out Sleep Station's Post War, it's the pop poor man's off brand Aeroplane Over the Sea. It's an interesting listen though.)

Also, Anything Sufjan has ever released that was less than 2 minutes long.

Like, one fourth of GBV's early catalogue.

There's a topic called The Rough Guide Exercise, but nobody's contributed to that for aeons. I pasted my contribution to that one.

The Rough Guide To Brevity As The Soul Of Wit (nothing over 2 minutes 30s)

1. "Fell In Love With A Girl" - White Stripes
2. "Fortunate Son" - CCR
3. "Crosstown Traffic" - Jimi Hendrix Experience
4. "Song #2" - Blur
5. "Hard Day's Night" - Beatles
6. "Help" - Beatles
7. "American Ruse" - MC5
8. "New Amsterdam" - Elvis Costello
9. "Effervescing Elephant" - Syd Barrett
10. "You Really Got Me" - The Kinks
11. "Valleri" - The Monkees
12. "There She Goes" - The Las (I lied. This clocks in at 2.34 but it stays )

As far as the White Stripes go, I was always a fan of "Little Room" off of White Blood Cells.

Just a couple off the top of my head:

"Breaking Glass" - David Bowie
"Game of Pricks" - Guided by Voices
"Carry that Weight" - The Beatles

quote:

Posted by Shadrach:

Man Man - Feathers

Good call. That's a good opening track.

I do not think of EPIC, 8-minute-plus songs when I think of the 'best' songs. I generally think it's better if you can get your point across in 120 seconds or less. Here are some highlights from by short song playlist that haven't been mentioned:

The Minutemen - 98% of their catalog would work, but if ad to pick just one it would be "Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing" (1:31)

Wire - Again just about the whole of Pink Flag qualifies, but let's go with "Outdoor Miner" (1:45)

Black Flag - "Wasted" (.51)

Redd Kross - "I'm Alright" (1:57)

Roger Miller - "You Can't Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd (1:56)

Husker Du - "Never Talking to You Again" (1:41)

Descendents - "Suburban Home" (1:41)

Beat Happening - "Drive Car Girl" (2:00)

Marine Girls - "In Love" (1:54)

The Vaselines - "Molly's Lips" (1:44)

Young Marble Giants - "Final Day" (1:44)

The Undertones - "Wrong Way" (1:24)

Olivia Tremor Control - "Jumping Fences" (1:52)

Of Montreal - "Everything Disappears" (1:51)

The Minders - "Better Things" (1:33)

The Ramones - "I Don't Care" (1:39)

McClusky - "Rice is Nice" (1:06)

Erase Errata - "Take You" (1:59)

Elliott Smith - "Georgia, Georgia" (1:46)

Big Star - "I'm In Love With a Girl" (1:48)

Pixies - "There Goes My Gun" (1:50)

Spoon - "Utilitarian" (1:52)

Lemonheads - "Bit Part" (1:51)

Sebadoh - "License to Confuse" (1:46)

Archers of Loaf - "Strangled by the Stereo Wire" (1:47)

X - "I'm Coming Over" (1:15)

quote:

The Minutemen - 98% of their catalog would work

Can't believe I didn't think of the Minutemen. Along with Guided By Voices, they're pretty much the quintessential short-song band.

The residents - Bach is dead
Mogwai - Robot chant
Primus - Porkchop's little ditty
The byrds - it won't be long
Nick Drake - Introduction
The White Stripes - little room
Radiohead - Fitter happier
Kid Koala - Grandmaphone speaks (it's about 15 seconds )

Big Star-I'm in Love with a Girl
Pavement-Zurich is Stained
Built to Spill-Twin Falls
Madvillian-Accordion
I-Aphex Twin

quote:

Originally posted by Maximum Jack:
Wire - Again just about the whole of Pink Flag qualifies, but let's go with "Outdoor Miner" (1:45)

Oh wow, I totally forgot about Wire. They're perfect for this category. "Outdoor Miner" is a great choice.

quote:

Pavement-Zurich is Stained

Ohh, that song feels longer then it is. I had no idea it was only 1:40. I still like it a whole lot.

I'll also throw in most of Madvillian's Madvilliany, with special mention of "Curls" and "Operation Lifesaver a.k.a Mint Test".

My favorite shortest surf instrumental- "Mystery At the Startower Hill" by the Surfing Spacemen. Within it's 1:16 time span is mystery, romance, open air adventure and cruisin off into the sunset without lookin' back.

quote:

Originally posted by ryanryanryan102:
Big Star-I'm in Love with a Girl

Quit copying me

Frank Black's "Thallasocracy" (1:33) is a pretty killer short track.

"Abra Cadaver" The Hives - one of my most favorite songs, btw.

quote:

Originally posted by sans_success:

quote:

Pavement-Zurich is Stained

Ohh, that song feels longer then it is. I had no idea it was only 1:40. I still like it a whole lot.

Pavement are represented by "Zurich is Stained" and "Two States" on my short-stuff playlist (I told you I'm no good with titles).

Under two minutes...
"Career Opportunities" - The Clash
"Great Balls of Fire" - Jerry Lee Lewis
"Asleep and Dreaming" - The Magnetic Fields
"Junk" - Paul McCartney
"Through With Buzz" - Steely Dan
"Lover's Prayer" - Randy Newman

And I absolutely must second/third/whatever the choice of Big Star's "I'm in Love With a Girl." When that song is over, what else needs to be said?

Pink Floyd - Vera (1:34)
Spoon - You Gotta Feel It (1:31)
Neko Case - A Widow's Toast (1:37)
The Beatles - It's Only Love (1:56)
Mountain Goats - Dance Music (1:58)