Shockingly Beautiful Songs

These are the most beautiful songs regardless of genre, in one music lover's opinion...

Shockingly Beautiful Songs

by Michael R. Burch

This time I’m going to keep things simple: these are the songs I find the most beautiful, regardless of genre. I’m a poet and a “lyric man,” so lyrics will play a major role in my ranking…

1. Nothing Compares 2 U by written by Prince; as performed by Sinead O’Connor.
   
   “Nothing Compares 2 U” is a wonderfully tender, poignant song, sung exquisitely by Sinead O’Connor. The tear she shed in her video was real, and unscripted. When the head of her record label heard the song the first time, he cried. When O’Connor heard that he had cried, she asked: “Was it that bad?” No, silly, it was that magnificent!

2. Mad World by Adam Lambert, original version by Tears for Fears.

3. Nights in White Satin by the Moody Blues.
   
   Nights in white satin, never reaching the end.
   Letters I’ve written, never meaning to send.
   Beauty I’d always missed, with these eyes before.
   Just what the truth is, I can’t say anymore…

4. Landslide, Go Your Own Way, The Chain, Dreams, Gold Dust Woman and Gypsy by Fleetwood Mac. Stevie Nicks is one of the all-time great songwriters in my opinion. Also, on her own, Leather and Lace and The Edge of Seventeen.

5. Spanish Harlem by Ben E. King and Aretha Franklin.
   
   There is a rose in Spanish Harlem.
   It is the special one.
   It never sees the sun.
   It only comes out when the moon is on the run…
   
   The original version of Spanish Harlem had a lovely, poetic, but fairly simple lyric about a man who had discovered a beguiling female rose he intended to pluck for his “garden” (however one interprets that). However, when Aretha Franklin recorded the song she made it more current and “blacker” with lyric changes. For instance, she changed the chorus to: “There is a rose in Black and Spanish Harlem.” And because the song was about a man who desired a young girl, she changed the third stanza to be in the third person, with her explaining the man’s intentions.

6. All By Myself, written by Eric Carmen, as performed by Eric Carmen, Celine Dion and Mariah Carey. But I like Eric Carmen’s original version the best, despite the stratospheric vocals of the great divas.

7. Bridge Over Troubled Water written by Paul Simon; as performed by Simon & Garfunkel (vocals by Art Garfunkel).
   
   When you’re down and out
   When you’re on the street
   When evening falls so hard
   I will comfort you ...

   “Bridge Over Troubled Water” is an enduring classic. Paul Simon wrote the song specifically for Art Garfunkel, shortly before the breakup of Simon & Garfunkel. Garfunkel’s vocals make the original recording one of the best of all time; the song has been performed by many other singers, including Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Josh Groban and Charlotte Church. But no one to date has matched Garfunkel’s angelic vocals. Other moving S&G classics include The Sound of Silence, The Boxer, America, I Am a Rock, April Come She Will, For Emily Wherever I May Find Her, Kathy’s Song, Mrs. Robinson, Scarborough Fair/Canticle and El Condor Pasa. S&G songs have been covered by everybody under the sun, a testament to the songwriting skills of Paul Simon, a real poet who wrote many of his great hits as poems, then set them to music later.

8. God Only Knows by the Beach Boys.

9. Someday Soon, Suzanne (written by Leonard Cohen), Both Sides Now (written by Joni Mitchell), Who Knows Where The Time Goes and Send in the Clowns as performed by Judy Collins.

10. Oh Very Young by Cat Stevens
    
    And though you want to last forever
    You know you never will
    You know you never will
    And the good-bye makes the journey harder still…

11. How Can You Mend a Broken Heart by the Bee Gees.

12. Without You written by Pete Ham and Tom Evans of Badfinger; as performed by Harry Nilsson.
    
    “Without You” is a wonderfully touching song performed magically by a great singer with an ethereal voice, Harry Nilsson. Paul McCartney, who knows a thing or two about songwriting, called it the greatest rock song ever written. When John Lennon and McCartney held a press conference in 1968 to announce the formation of the Apple label, John was asked to name his favorite American artist. He replied, “Nilsson.” Paul was then asked to name his favorite American group. He also replied, “Nilsson.”

13. Go Rest High on that Mountain by Vince Gill, a song he wrote for the brother he lost. I’m not normally a country music fan, but this song, a modern hymn, is wonderfully moving and exquisitely sung by Gill, a former lead singer of Pure Prairie League. Gill wrote the song originally for Keith Whitley, a fellow country music singer who died in 1989, but didn't finish it until after the death of his brother Bob in 1993. Ricky Skaggs and Patty Loveless sang the background vocals on a song that is sure to be an enduring classic. Other moving songs by Vince Gill include "When I Call Your Name," "I Still Believe," "Pocket Full of Gold," "Never Knew Lonely" and "Whenever You Come Around."

14. That’s the Way I’ve Always Heard It Should Be by Carly Simon. This is an absolutely killer song with thoughtful, introspective lyrics. A real masterpiece.
    
    Well, that’s the way I’ve always heard it should be.
    You want to marry me.
    We’ll marry.

15. Who Wants to Live Forever and The Show Must Go On by Freddie Mercury and Queen.
    
    There's no time for us
    There's no place for us ...
    Who wants to live forever?
    
    Ponce de Leon sought the legendary of fountain of youth; Brian May, Freddie Mercury and Queen turned the tables on would-be traffickers in immortality by asking in one of rock's grandest anthems: "Who Wants to Live Forever"? Other moving Queen songs include "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" and "Somebody to Love."

16. A Change Is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke.
    
    It's been too hard living
    but I'm afraid to die
    'Cause I don't know what's up there
    beyond the sky ...
    
    "A Change Is Gonna Come" was written after Sam Cooke heard and was moved by Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind." Cooke's song became an anthem for the American Civil Rights Movement. For me, it’s the most soulful song that actually touches my heart and soul. It makes me want to oppose racism and injustice wherever I encounter them.

17. Hallelujah written by Leonard Cohen; as performed by Cohen and many other artists (my favorite performers of the song include Jeff Buckley, Alexandra Burke and K. D. Lang).
    
    Now I've heard there was a secret chord
    That David played, and it pleased the Lord
    But you don't really care for music, do ya?
    It goes like this: the fourth, the fifth
    The minor fall, the major lift,
    The baffled king composing Hallelujah
    Hallelujah, Hallelujah
    Hallelujah, Hallelujah
    
    Leonard Cohen is a poet's poet, and a songwriter's songwriter. "Hallelujah" is his masterpiece. Shannon Winestone nominated First We Take Manhattan as covered by R.E.M. Other tour de force songs by Cohen include "Tower of Song," "I'm Your Man," "Everybody Knows" and the haunting "Suzanne."

18. Unchained Melody with music by Alex North and lyrics by Hy Zaret; as performed by the Righteous Brothers (vocals by Bobby Hatfield).
    
    Oh, my love, my darling
    I've hungered for your touch
    a long lonely time …
    
    "Unchained Melody" is one of the most popular songs of all time, having been recorded by many different artists in various languages. If you haven't heard the version recorded by the Righteous Brothers, please be sure to browse over to YouTube and check out Bobby Hatfield's stunning, soaring vocals. His version remains the all-time best. You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ was the most-played song of the 20th century according to BMI.

19. Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen.
    
    Is this the real life?
    Is this just fantasy?
    Caught in a landslide,
    no escape from reality ...
    
    Queen brought opera to rock, and vice versa. A rock song for the ages, "Bohemian Rhapsody" was written by the great Freddie Mercury. It’s one of the few progressive rock songs of the 1970s to cross over, top the charts and appeal to mainstream audiences. Also, Garth and Wayne cannot be wrong! Other moving Queen songs include The Show Must Go On, Who Wants to Live Forever, Under Pressure (with David Bowie), Somebody to Love and Crazy Little Thing Called Love.

20. Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin.
    
    And as we wind on down the road
    Our shadows taller than our soul
    There walks a lady we all know
    Who shines white light and wants to show
    How everything still turns to gold
    And if you listen very hard
    The truth will come to you at last
    When all are one and one is all
    To be a rock and not to roll ...
    And she's buying a stairway to heaven …
    
    “Stairway to Heaven” features music composed by guitarist Jimmy Page and lyrics written by lead singer Robert Plant. It became the most-requested song on FM radio stations in the United States despite never having been commercially released as a single there. When I was in high school in the mid 1970s, this was the most played, most discussed and most revered song. Other moving Led Zep songs include Immigrant Song, Black Dog, Whole Lotta Love, Kashmir, In My Time of Dying, Going to California, Heartbreaker, When the Levee Breaks, Dazed and Confused, Living Loving Maid and Since I've Been Loving You.

21. The traditional songs Danny Boy, Shenandoah, Greensleeves and Molly Malone.

22. When Doves Cry by Prince and the Revolution. Other moving songs written and performed by Prince include “Purple Rain,” “Raspberry Beret,” “Kiss” and “Little Red Corvette.”

23. What’s Going On and Mercy Mercy Me by the late, great Marvin Gaye. In a tragic irony, Gaye penned and sang, “Father, Father, there’s no need to escalate” only to be shot to death by his father.

24. One by U2.
    
    Have you come here for forgiveness?
    Have you come to raise the dead?
    Have you come here to play Jesus
    To the lepers in your head?
    
    "One" was written and recorded in Berlin, on the eve of the reunification of Germany. At the time U2 was experiencing internal disharmony: the song has been credited with helping keep the band together. The Edge came up with the music first; Bono said his lyrics "just fell out of the sky, a gift." The entire song was composed in about 15 minutes. Other moving U2 songs include Pride (In the Name of Love), With or Without You, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Where the Streets Have No Name and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.

25. Imagine by John Lennon.
    
    Imagine there's no Heaven
    It's easy if you try
    No hell below us
    Above us only sky ...
    
    While I'm not a hard-core Beatles fan (preferring the Stones, Led Zeppelin, Queen and several other groups), I have long admired John Lennon's "Imagine" and its vision of a world where there is finally a true "brotherhood of man." His dreamy vision of a Utopian world has inspired the anti-war, pro-peace movement for decades and is one of the most influential pieces of anti-religion writing on record, perhaps making Lennon the English equivalent of Mark Twain (a fierce American critic of Christianity with its ludicrous hell, bloody atonement and judgmental God). Other moving John Lennon songs include "Give Peace a Chance," "Happy Xmas (War is Over)," "Woman," "Mother," "Instant Karma," "Watching the Wheels," "Jealous Guy," and other hits with the Beatles.

26. No Woman, No Cry and Redemption Song by Bob Marley and the Wailers.

27. I’ll Fly Away as performed by bluegrass enchantress Alison Krauss.

28. It Is Well with My Soul as performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

29. The Freshmen written by Brian Vander Ark; performed by The Verve Pipe.
    
    I can’t be held responsible
    ‘cause she was touching her face
    I won’t be held responsible
    she fell in love in the first place ...
    For the life of me, I cannot remember
    what made us think that we were wise and we’d never compromise
    for the life of me, I cannot believe we’d ever die for these sins
    we were merely freshmen …
    
    When the Verve Pipe released “The Freshmen” there were debates on the Internet about what they meant by lines like “stop a baby’s breath and a shoe full of rice.” While “stop a baby’s breath” might refer to an abortion, “shoe full of rice” might refer to a wedding, in which case “baby’s breath” might be a sprig of flowers. Song lyrics, like all forms of poetry, are open to interpretation. What is certain about this song is that it will rip your heart out, if you have one.

30. Blowin’ in the Wind by Bob Dylan had a profound effect on me when I heard it on a London rooftop at age eleven.
    
    How many roads must a man walk down
    Before you call him a man?
    Yes, ‘n’ how many seas must a white dove sail
    Before she sleeps in the sand?
    Yes ‘n’ how many times must the cannonballs fly
    Before they’re forever banned?
    The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,
    The answer is blowin’ in the wind.
    
    “Blowin’ in the Wind,” like John Lennon’s “Imagine,” is a highly influential song that may still be transforming human hearts and minds. How many other singers and songwriters have been influenced by these songs, and how many people have they influenced in turn?

31. Loves Lies Bleeding/Funeral for a Friend by Sir Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. This eleven-minute track was too long to be released as a single but it received quite a bit of radio air play (one critic suggested that it allowed DJs time for extended "potty breaks"). Elton John wrote the music while thinking furiously about what he wanted played at his own funeral. Other moving songs by Sir Elton include Your Song, Daniel, Levon, Tiny Dancer, Island Girl, Rocket Man, Border Song, Sacrifice, Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me, Candle in the Wind and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Few artists can match the number of trophies on Sir Elton’s walls.

32. Angie by the Rolling Stones.
    
    The Rolling Stones have many great songs but "Angie" is my favorite song of theirs, a haunting, moving song of love and loss.

33. Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson is my favorite song of his.

34. The Weight, Ophelia, Katie’s Been Gone and The Night They Drove Ole Dixie Down by The Band.

35. Who’ll Stop the Rain, Have You Ever Seen the Rain and Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival were great Vietnam War protest songs written by John Fogerty. Also Proud Mary, Someday Never Comes, Green River, Run Through the Jungle and Lodi.

36. Hurt by Johnny Cash.

37. Ave Maria (no, I’m not Catholic or even Christian and I think the Bible is a horrible book, but it’s a beautiful, touching song).

38. Pie Jesu as sung by 13-year-old wunderkind Andrew Johnston.

39. House of the Rising Sun by the Animals.
    
    There is a house in New Orleans
    They call the Rising Sun
    And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
    And God I know I'm one ...
    
    "House of the Rising Sun" is an American folk ballad whose authorship remains unknown. The best-known version of the song was performed by a British "invasion" group, the Animals. (Hey, what were they doing, stealing our best songs?) Like many other songs on this page, it tells a haunting, compelling story. Other songs by the Animals include "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," "We've Got to Get Out of this Place," "To Love Somebody," "It's My Life," "Don't Bring Me Down," "When I Was Young," "I Put a Spell on You" and "Boom Boom."

40. Layla by Eric Clapton; as performed by Derek and the Dominoes and acoustically by Clapton.
    
    Layla, you got me on my knees;
    Layla, you got me singing darlin' please ...
    
    "Layla" was written by Eric Clapton as a song of unrequited love for his friend George Harrison's wife, Pattie Boyd ... talk about a lovers' triangle! At least this one was immortalized, as Pattie Boyd has been called the inspiration for "Layla," "Something," "Wonderful Tonight" and other songs by Harrison and Clapton. Both the original and the unplugged versions of "Layla" are utterly stellar. Other moving Clapton songs include his hits with Cream―such as "White Room" and "Sunshine of Your Love"―and his solo work such as "Change the World," "Wonderful Tonight," and the song he wrote for the son he lost, "Tears in Heaven."

41. At Last and I’d Rather Go Blind by Etta James, nicknamed "The Matriarch of R&B" and an obvious influence on many modern divas. Rolling Stone ranked her #22 on its list of the Greatest Singers of All Time.

42. Piece of My Heart by Janis Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding Company.
    
    Didn't I make you feel
    like you were the only man?
    An' didn't I give you nearly everything
    that a woman possibly can?
    
    Rolling Stone nominated "Piece of My Heart" as the 344th greatest song of the modern era, which only illustrates the dark, murky depths to which music "experts" are capable of sinking. This may be the greatest all-out rock/blues performance by a female singer, or by any rock/blues singer, male or female.

43. Sympathy for the Devil and Wild Horses by the Rolling Stones
    
    I shouted out,
    "Who killed the Kennedys?"
    When after all
    It was you and me…
    
    "Sympathy for the Devil," according to Mick Jagger, was inspired by the work of a French symbolist poet, Charles Baudelaire. Other moving Stones songs include Gimme Shelter, Paint It Black, Miss You, Fool to Cry, I'm Just Waiting on a Friend and As Tears Go By as performed by Marianne Faithfull.

44. A Day in the Life and Eleanor Rigby by the Beatles are masterpieces of songwriting by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
    
    Eleanor Rigby
    Died in the church and was buried along with her name
    Nobody came
    Father McKenzie
    Wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the grave
    No one was saved
    
    Lennon originally wrote A Day in the Life, while McCartney originally wrote Eleanor Rigby. The Beatles have other songs in this list, but none greater than these two, in my opinion. Other Beatles masterpieces include the Golden Slumbers medley, Hey Jude, Let it Be, Lady Madonna, Here Comes the Sun (written by George Harrison), While My Guitar Gently Weeps (written by George Harrison), Help! and Yesterday. Also, Something (written by George Harrison) and Dear Prudence were nominated by Otto.

45. Stand!, Dance to the Music, Family Affair and Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) by Sly and the Family Stone. Sly Stone was a musical genius.

46. River Deep, Mountain High by Ike & Tina Turner.

47. Lately, Overjoyed and Superstition by Stevie Wonder.

48. Love Hurts by Nazareth is one of the all-time great covers, of a song first recorded by the Everly Brothers. It was written by Boudleaux Bryant. The great Roy Orbison also covered the song before Nazareth.

49. White Room and Sunshine of Your Love by Cream.

50. Stay/The Load Out, Rock Me on the Water, Sky Blue and Black, Doctor My Eyes and The Pretender by Jackson Browne.

Leave the Light On by Beth Hart was nominated by Old Codger Steve in the comments.

HIGH HONORABLE MENTIONS

Any of these songs could make my top 50, depending of the day of the week and how much cabernet I’ve had at the end of a long day…

• Everybody Hurts, Losing My Religion and The Flowers of Guatemala by R.E.M. Also, Shannon Winestone nominated First We Take Manhattan which was written by Leonard Cohen and covered by R.E.M.

• All I Know by Art Garfunkel is a lovely, tender, touching song performed by an all-time great male vocalist. So good!

• Been to Canaan and So Far Away by Carole King.

• Diamonds and Rust by Joan Baez, a song she wrote about her relationship with Bob Dylan
  
  Your eyes were bluer than robin's eggs.
  My poetry was lousy, you said.
  Where are you calling from?
  A booth in the Midwest…

• Like a Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan was voted the number one song of all time by Rolling Stone magazine, an interesting synchronicity.

• Big Yellow Taxi, River, A Case of You, California and Woodstock by Joni Mitchell.

• Who Knows Where The Time Goes by Sandy Denny; also covered by Nina Simone, Eva Cassidy and Rufus Wainwright.

• (Sittin’ on the) Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding.
  
  I left my home in Georgia
  Headed for the 'Frisco bay
  'Cause I've had nothing to live for
  And look like nothin's gonna come my way ...
  
  "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" was recorded by Otis Redding on December 7, 1967, just three days before he died in a plane crash outside Madison, Wisconsin. Redding also wrote "Respect," which was immortalized by Aretha Franklin.

• Papa Don't Preach, This Used to be My Playground, Like a Virgin and Like a Prayer by Madonna.

• Respect and Think by Aretha Franklin

• Tennessee by Arrested Development is my favorite rap song.

• SOS as performed by Dimash Kudaibergen is an incredibly moving song, even if one doesn’t understand the French lyrics.

• Riders on the Storm by the Doors.
  
  There’s a killer on the road
  His brain is squirmin’ like a toad
  ... Riders on the storm
  
  “Riders on the Storm” is one of the darkest songs ever. It was the last song recorded by the Doors before Jim Morrison died. The band took its name from William Blake’s “Doors of Perception.”

• Too Good at Goodbyes, I’m Not the Only One, Stay with Me and Lay Me Down by Sam Smith.

• Vincent by Don McLean.
  
  Starry, starry night
  Paint your palette blue and gray
  Look out on a summer's day
  With eyes that know the darkness in my soul …
  
  Don McLean's "Vincent" gets my vote as the best rock poem of all time, based strictly on lyrics, because it tells a moving story and also carries us somewhere "beyond" by making us feel a strong kinship with the troubled Dutch painter, Vincent Van Gogh. The best poems and songs create a sort of spiritual "communion" between writer, subject and audience ...

• Tainted Love by Soft Cell.

• I'm Not in Love by 10CC.

• A Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum.
  
  And so it was that later,
  As the miller told his tale,
  That her face, at first just ghostly,
  Turned a whiter shade of pale.

• Love Reign O'er Me by The Who.
  
  Only love
  can bring the rain
  that makes you yearn to the sky ...
  
  I’m not usually a Who fan, but this song is undeniable. It was written by Pete Townshend and became a concert staple for The Who.

• Dear Mama by 2Pac aka Tupac Shakur.

• Until the Night by Billy Joel is one of the most underrated songs of all time, in my opinion. Also, Captain Jack, Piano Man, Vienna, Goodnight Saigon, Only the Good Die Young and Shameless.

• Shameless as performed by Garth Brooks.

• A Pirate Looks at Forty by Jimmy Buffet is another underrated great song. Also, He Went To Paris.

• Father and Son by Cat Stevens was called “incredibly beautiful and emotional” by Robert Berend. I agree.

• I Wanna Know What Love Is by Foreigner.

• Only Time, Orinoco Flow, O Come O Come Emmanuel and Sail Away by Enya.

• Ghosts, The Reach, The Sand and the Foam, The Lion’s Share and Only the Heart May Know (a lovely duet with Emmylou Harris) are great neglected masterpieces of songwriting by Dan Fogelberg.

• Holding Back the Years and If You Don’t Know Me By Now by Simply Red.

• The Logical Song, Dreamer, Take The Long Way Home, Breakfast in America, Even in the Quietest Moments, Hide In Your Shell and Give A Little Bit by Supertramp.

• Space Oddity and Suffragette City by David Bowie.

• Fire and Rain by James Taylor.

• Take Me to Church by Hozier.

• Hey Ya!, B.O.B., Rosa Parks and Ms. Jackson by OutKast.

• Loose Yourself, My Name Is and Stan by Eminem.

• Only the Heart May Know by Dan Fogelberg and EmmyLou Harris, so beautiful!

• Seven Year Ache by Rosanne Cash, the daughter of Johnny Cash.

• Shallow by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.

• My Immortal and Bring Me to Life by Evanescence.

• For What It's Worth written by Stephen Stills and performed by Buffalo Springfield.

• Candle in the Wind with music by Elton John and lyrics by Bernie Taupin.

• More Than a Feeling by Boston was nominated by Michael Sidky PhD.

• I Am I Said, Sweet Caroline, Red Red Wine, Holly Holy, Cracklin' Rosie, Solitary Man and I'm a Believer by Neil Diamond.

• Just Give Me A Reason and Try by P!nk

• Hello, Someone Like You, Easy on Me and Rolling in the Deep by Adele.

• She Talks to Angels by the Black Crowes.

• Centerfold by the J. Geils Band.

• The Cover of the Rolling Stone and Sylvia’s Mother by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show.

• Somebody that I Used to Know by Gotye ft. Kimbra is the #29 best-selling song of all time according to Billboard.

• Scarborough Fair, You Raise Me Up and Danny Boy by Celtic Woman.

• Never Been to Spain, One (Is the Loneliest Number), Easy to Be Hard, Eli’s Coming and Mama Told Me Not to Come by Three Dog Night.

• One Sweet Day by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men was #1 for 16 weeks in 1995.

• I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow by the Soggy Bottom Boys.

• Yesterday by the Beatles.

• Fever and Blue Moon (early Sun/RCA recordings) by Elvis Presley. If you haven't heard the young Elvis Presley sing "Fever" and "Blue Moon," hie thee quickly over to YouTube to check out the really, really good, hip, cool Elvis. Other moving Elvis songs of note include "American Trilogy," "Peace in the Valley" and "In the Ghetto."

• Time of the Season and She’s Not There by the Zombies.

• Holy Diver and Rainbow in the Dark by Ronnie James Dio.

• Wheel In The Sky, Open Arms, Lights, Send Her My Love, Separate Ways, Don’t Stop Believin’, Escape, Stone In Love, Still They Ride, Just The Same Way, Faithfully and Only The Young by Journey

• Foolish Heart and Oh Sherrie by Steve Perry

• Morning Has Broken has a Gaelic folk tune with lyrics by Eleanor Farjeon and was performed by Cat Stevens.
  
  Morning has broken,
  like the first morning
  Blackbird has spoken,
  like the first bird …
  
  "Morning Has Broken" has a most interesting genesis. It was originally a Gaelic folk tune. The lyrics of a Christian children's hymn were penned for it in 1931, by Eleanor Farjeon. The Christian hymn then became a hit for Cat Stevens, America's most famous Muslim singer/songwriter!

• I Am a Rock written by Paul Simon; performed by Simon & Garfunkel.
  
  A winter's day
  In a deep and dark December;
  I am alone,
  Gazing from my window to the streets below
  On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow.
  I am a rock,
  I am an island.
  
  "I Am a Rock" seems to be the refutation of a sermon preached by John Donne, who happened to be one of England's greatest poets. In his sermon Donne proclaimed that "no man is an island." The young, introspective singer/songwriter Paul Simon begged to differ.

• The Sound of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel, also the cover by Disturbed.

• All Along the Watchtower written by Bob Dylan, as performed by Jimi Hendrix and the Experience. Robert Berend observed that “Bob Dylan preferred the Jimi Hendrix version of his song to the Dylan original version.” Also Purple Haze, Voodoo Chile, Foxy Lady, Hey Joe and Little Wing. Jimi Hendrix has been widely acclaimed as rock’s greatest guitarist, and I agree.

• What'd I Say, Georgia on My Mind, Ruby, Unchain My Heart and Hit the Road Jack by the marvelous Ray Charles.

• Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud), It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World and Papa's Got a Brand New Bag by James Brown, who was nicknamed the "Godfather of Soul," the "Godfather of Funk," "Mr. Dynamite," the "Hardest-Working Man in Show Business."

• Taxi by Harry Chapin.
  
  Oh, I've got something inside me
  To drive a princess blind ...
  There's a wild-man wizard
  He's hiding in me, illuminating my mind
  
  Harry Chapin's "Taxi" is a ghost story in which both ghosts are still partially alive. I saw Chapin in concert, and he was a wonderful storyteller: both in his songs and in his interactions with the audience. Other songs by Harry Chapin include "Cat's in the Cradle," "The Dance Band on the Titanic," "The Mayor of Candor Lied" and "W.O.L.D."

• Leah and Crying by Roy Orbison.
  
  I'll place the pearls
  around the only girl
  for me:
  Leah
  
  Some songs have haunting lyrics, but Roy Orbison has a haunting, almost otherworldly voice. I'm not sure if this is a great song in its own right (it's about a pearl diver who drowns, only to wake up and realize he was having a nightmare), but Orbison's voice makes the performance utterly magical. "Crying" is another absolute masterpiece―covered ably by K. D. Lang and Don McLean, among others―but no one can duplicate Orbison's unique voice and delivery. Other noteworthy songs by Orbison include "Pretty Woman," "Only the Lonely," "In Dreams," "It's Over," "Running Scared," "Blue Bayou," "You Got It," "Sweet Dreams Baby" and "I Drove All Night."

• I Drove All Night written by Roy Orbison, as performed by Orbison, Celine Dion and Cyndi Lauper. As great as Orbison was, and as fantastically as Lauper sang this song, I have to give the gold star to Dion for what may have been the greatest female vocal performance of all time. It’s hard to imagine anything better.

• Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen.
  
  Every day we sweat it out in the streets of a runaway American dream
  At night we ride through mansions of glory in suicide machines
  Sprung from cages out on highway 9
  Chrome wheeled, fuel injected and steppin' out over the line
  Baby this town rips the bones from your back
  It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap
  We gotta get out while we're young
  `Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run.
  
  "Born to Run" is a rip-roaring anthem perhaps inspired to some degree by badass actors like James Dean, Marlon Brando and Dennis Hopper. What happens when machismo-dripping young men straddle Harleys? A song like "Born to Run" seems inevitable. A fundamental line may be: "And the boys try to look so hard." There's quite a discrepancy between the lyrics of songwriters like John Lennon and Paul Simon, and those of "the Boss" above. Born in the USA and 10th Avenue Freeze Out were nominated by Otto in previous comments. Other popular songs by the Boss include Thunder Road, Jungleland, The River, Rosalita, Badlands, Fire, Born in the USA, Glory Days and Dancing in the Dark.

• Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd.
  
  When I was a child I had a fever;
  my hand felt just like two balloons ....
  I have become
  comfortably numb.
  
  This was the last song written by Roger Waters and David Gilmour, and perhaps remains their greatest, but they had so many wonderful collaborations that it's hard to say. I especially love Wish You Were Here, Shine On You Crazy Diamond and The Great Gig in the Sky. Other Pink Floyd songs include "Time," "Echoes," "Hey You," "Learning to Fly," "Another Brick in the Wall," "Brain Damage," "Money" and "Dark Side of the Moon."

• Because The Night was written by Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith, and performed by the Patti Smith Group.
  
  "Because the Night" is one of the songs (if not the song) that made Patti Smith the "godmother of punk." The song was originally written by Bruce Springsteen, but wasn't recorded because he wasn't happy with it. Patti Smith altered the song, which became her biggest hit and has been called one of the best songs of all time by some critics. Springsteen continued to perform the song with his original lyrics, but it is Patti Smith's version that became one of the iconic songs of the punk era. Other notable Patti Smith songs include Gloria, Hey Joe and People Have the Power.

• Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va by Santana. Also, Smooth by Carlos Santana ft. Rob Thomas is the #3 song of all time according to Billboard.

• I Walk the Line by Johnny Cash.
  
  I find it very, very easy to be true
  I find myself alone when each day is through
  Yes, I'll admit that I'm a fool for you
  Because you're mine, I walk the line.
  
  Johnny Cash wrote "I Walk the Line" in 1956, when he was newly married, and presumably faithful. Years later he recorded Ring of Fire, a song about the torrid love affair that caused him to leave his wife for June Carter. June Carter wrote "Ring of Fire" with Merle Kilgore. Johnny Cash had a dream in which he was singing the song with mariachi horns in the background, which was how it was recorded. Other notable Johnny Cash songs include Hurt, Folsom Prison Blues and A Boy Named Sue.

• Flying in Winchester Cathedral, Find the Cost of Freedom, Helplessly Hoping, Ohio, Delta, Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, Wooden Ships and Woodstock by Crosby, Stills, Nash and (sometimes) Young.

• Knockin' on Heaven's Door written by Bob Dylan and performed by Dylan, Eric Clapton, Bob Marley, The Grateful Dead, Guns 'n' Roses, U2 and many other artists.
  
  A great song became even greater when Guns 'n' Roses covered it in 1987. The song was originally written by Dylan for the movie Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid. It was later covered in reggae versions by Eric Clapton and Bob Marley. It must surely be the only song to have been recorded by the Boss, Boy George, The Grateful Dead, The Sisters of Mercy, Warren Zevon, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Dolly Parton!

• Crossroads by the great blues guitarist Robert Johnson is my choice as the first rock song. Eric Clapton might agree, since he covered it with Cream. The song was originally recorded in 1936 but dates back to the 1920s. It’s the first blues song, for me, that has a rock edge and vibe. And then there’s the infamous “deal with the Devil”… rock was later called “the Devil’s music” by alarmed moralists.

• Enter Sandman, Master of Puppets, Nothing Else Matters, One and For Whom The Bell Tolls by Metallica.

• Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin was nominated by Terry McManus.

• No One and Fallin’ by Alicia Keys.

• Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down, For the Good Times, Help Me Make It Through the Night, Loving Her Was Easier, Why Me and Me and Bobby McGee by Kris Kristofferson.

• Sundown, If You Could Read My Mind, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, Rainy Day People, Carefree Highway and Early Morning Rain by Gordon Lightfoot, the great Canadian singer-songwriter and storyteller.

• Roll Over Beethoven by Chuck Berry was nominated by Terry M. I have called Chuck Berry the Shakespeare of early rock ’n’ roll. His other hits include Johnny B. Goode, Maybellene, My Ding-a-Ling and No Particular Place to Go.

• You Really Got Me by the Kinks was nominated Tom Brown, then by Greg Scotland with these observations: “There’s no Gimme Shelter, Satisfaction, Revolution, I Can’t Explain, Whole Lotta Love, Comfortably Numb, Purple Haze, Eruption, Paranoid, American Woman, Enter Sandman, Smoke on the Water, etc. without Dave Davies slashing his speaker cone with a razor blade and popularizing rock and roll distortion/fuzz in the Kinks’ “You Really Got Me” (August 1964). That song is partially responsible for more than ten rock and roll genres. It must be on the list.” Now it is! Also, Lola and Waterloo Sunset.

• The End and Light My Fire by Jim Morrison and the Doors.

• Blinding Lights by The Weeknd is the #1 best-selling song of all time, according to Billboard.

• You Shook Me All Night Long, Back in Black and Highway to Hell by AC/DC.

• Roundabout, Awaken, I’ve Seen All Good People and Starship Trooper by Yes.

• Duke of Earl by Gene Chandler.

• The Great Pretender, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and My Prayer by the Platters.

• Sherry, Rag Doll, Walk Like a Man and Big Girls Don’t Cry by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

• How Deep Is Your Love by the Bee Gees is the #22 best-selling song of all time according to Billboard.

• I Will Always Love You, written by Dolly Parton and sung by Whitney Houston, spent 14 weeks at #1 on the Billboard charts.

• Stand By Me by Ben E. King

• I’ll Stand by You and Brass in Pocket by the Pretenders.

• Un-Break My Heart by Toni Braxton is the #12 best-selling song of all time according to Billboard.

• Sweet Child o' Mine, November Rain, Paradise City and Patience by Guns 'n Roses.

• War Pigs by Black Sabbath was nominated by John Dzurak.

• Paranoid and Iron Man by Black Sabbath.

• Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne.

• Breaking the Law by Judas Priest.

• Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On and All Shook Up by Jerry Lee Lewis.

• Hotel California and Best Of My Love by the Eagles were nominated by Otto.

• When I Was Your Man, Grenade and 24K Magic by Bruno Mars.

• Free Bird and Ramblin' Man by the Allman Brothers Band.

• Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd.

• We Found Love by Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris is the #24 best-selling song of all time according to Billboard.

• Diamonds by Rihanna.

• Havana by Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug.

• Sign of the Times by Harry Styles.

• Every Breath You Take by the Police is a popular wedding/stalker song.
  
  Every breath you take,
  Every move you make,
  I’ll be watching you…

• Never My Love, Cherish and Windy by the Association were three of the hundred most-played songs of the 20th century, according to BMI.

• Red Red Wine by Neal Diamond and in a reggae version by UB40.

• Israelites by Desmond Dekker & the Aces.

• The Lion Sleeps Tonight by the Tokens.

• Little Darlin’ by the Diamonds.

• Stay by Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs, and as covered admirably by Jackson Browne as Stay/The Load Out.

• Ho Hey by the Lumineers.

• Personal Jesus and Enjoy the Silence by Depeche Mode

• The Needle and the Damage Done, Heart of Gold, Old Man and After the Gold Rush by Neil Young.

• Expressway (To Your Heart) by the Soul Survivors.

• The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack and Josh Krajcik.

• Feel It Still by Portugal the Man

• Child in Time and Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple.

• (I Would Walk) 500 Miles by the Proclaimers.

• Creep by Radiohead.

• Bittersweet Symphony by the Verve.

• Eres Tu by Mocedades.

• La Bamba by Ritchie Valens and Los Lobos.

• I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, written by Joe South and performed by Lynn Anderson.

• I Will Always Love You written by Dolly Parton, as sung by Whitney Houston.

• Mandy by Barry Manilow is a good song, but please give us a break because Manilow did not write his biggest hit, the cheesy I Write the Songs!

• Hallowed Be Thy Name and The Number of the Beast by Iron Maiden.

• Blinded by the Light by Bruce Springsteen and Manfred Mann & the Earth Band.

• Back to December, Cruel Summer and Anti-Hero by Taylor Swift.

• Lovely, Wildflower and Birds of a Feather by Billie Eilish.

• Refugee, Free Fallin’ and Mary Jane's Last Dance by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

• Apologize by OneRepublic.

• Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day.

• Waterloo and Fernando by ABBA.

• Iris by the Goo-Goo Dolls.

• Surrender by Cheap Trick.

• Harder to Breathe and She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5.

• Under the Bridge by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

• Strange Mercy by St. Vincent.

• Annie’s Song by John Denver was nominated by Gabriela C. in the comments. Also, Follow Me and Leaving on a Jet Plane, which became a big hit for Peter, Paul and Mary and a breakthrough song for Denver on his path to stardom.

• Where Have All The Good Times Gone, as performed by The Kinks (If you're feeling cheeky), or David Bowie (if you prefer louche), nominated by Mike Janowski in the comments.

• When I Was Young aka When I Was a Young Girl by Nina Simone and as covered by Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and The Trinity were nominated by dts3204.

• He Went To Paris by Jimmy Buffett was nominated by Joe Spigner.

• Dance Me to the End of Love by Leonard Cohen was nominated by Joe Spigner.

• Gotta Serve Somebody by Bob Dylan was nominated by Joe Spigner.

• Sing Me Back Home by Merle Haggard was nominated by Robert C. Culwell.

• If This Is Goodbye by Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris was nominated by Robert C. Culwell.

• Long Black Veil by Johnny Cash was nominated by Robert C. Culwell.

• Hejira by Joni Mitchell was nominated by Dave Garbutt.

• Winterlong, Deep Forbidden Lake, See the Sky about to Rain, Pocahontas and Cortez the Killer by Neil Young were nominated by Dave Garbutt.

• Mortal City, Best Babysitter and When I Was a Boy by Dar Williams were nominated by Dave Garbutt.

• John Martyn’s version of Spencer the Rover was nominated by Simon Blanchard in the comments.

MORE HONORABLE MENTIONS

Beds Are Burning by Midnight Oil
After the Gold Rush by Neil Young
Paint It, Black by the Rolling Stones
Walking on Broken Glass by Annie Lennox
She's Gone by Hall and Oates
Lay Down (Candles in the Rain) by Melanie
Love And Affection by Joan Armatrading
White Flag, Thank You and Here with Me by Dido
Sultans of Swing and Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits
Jack & Diane and Pink Houses by John Mellencamp
Kashmir and Black Dog by Led Zeppelin
Thunder Road and Jungleland by Bruce Springsteen
Heart of Glass, Rapture and Call Me by Blondie
Smells Like Teen Spirit and Lithium by Nirvana
Runaway by Del Shannon
Lightning Strikes and Two Faces Have I by Lou Christie
London Calling by The Clash
Dream On by Aerosmith
Tired of Being Alone and Let's Stay Together by Al Green
Private Dancer by Tina Turner
Roxanne by Sting and the Police
In Your Eyes and Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel
Running Up that Hill and Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush
Don’t Give Up by Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel
Come on Eileen by Dexy's Midnight Runners
Rave On and That'll Be the Day by Buddy Holly
Bat out of Hell by Meatloaf
Heroes and Space Oddity by David Bowie
Jeremy and Black by Pearl Jam
Desperado by The Eagles
Tracks of My Tears by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
Take on Me by A-ha
When a Man Loves a Woman by Percy Sledge
Maggie May by Rod Stewart
Faith by George Michael
American Pie and Vincent by Don McLean
Apologize by Timbaland
Crazy In Love by Beyoncé ft. JAY Z
Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes
Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler
Dust in the Wind by Kansas
Lady, Babe and Come Sail Away by Styx
Kathy's Song and America by Simon and Garfunkel
Die with a Smile by Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga
The Air that I Breathe by the Hollies
Smooth Operator by Sade
Royals by Lorde
Rehab and Back to Black by Amy Winehouse
Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi
Paper Planes by M.I.A.
Miss Independent and Since U Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson
Chandelier by Sia
Yellow, Clocks and The Scientist by Coldplay
Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes
Ironic, Uninvited and You Ought to Know by Alanis Morissette
Africa by Toto
Back for Good by Gary Barlow and Take That
Angels by Robbie Williams
All of Me by John Legend
White Rabbit by Grace Slick and Jefferson Airplane.
Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys by Traffic
There She Goes by the La’s
Believer by Imagine Dragons
A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton
Fast Car by Tracy Chapman
Hey Lord, Don't Ask Me Questions by Graham Parker and the Rumor
Say, Say, Say by Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
Live and Let Die and Band on the Run by Paul McCartney and Wings
True by Spandau Ballet
Color My World and 25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago
Livin' on a Prayer and Runaway by Bon Jovi
Metal Health by Quiet Riot
Another Day in Paradise by Phil Collins
Wonderwall by Oasis
Shadow Dancing by Andy Gibb was #1 for seven weeks.
I Just Want to be Your Everything by Andy Gibb is the #24 best-selling song of all time according to Billboard.

#ROCK #BEST #RANKING #MRBROCK #MRBBEST #MRBRANKING zzz