For me, the essence of a perfect song is that I can’t imagine a better recording of the given piece of music than the one I’m hearing. Any changes I can imagine would detract from the performance, and any flaws that I hear add to the listening experience. I tend to enjoy fairly minimal production value and lyrics that paint a vivid picture of a time and place. Both of these concepts are evident in my first perfect song.
Song: Tom’s Diner
Artist: Suzanne Vega
Released: 1987
The pacing of this rendition is impeccable. Vega always knows exactly the right time to start a phrase, and her slowdowns and speedups are beautifully done. Her voice, alone, is crystal-clear and cool, and the lyrics describe a deeply relatable, yet mundane, scene that nevertheless captures my mind and heart. The moment is intimate in its normalcy.
My second perfect song describes a scene less normal, but no less vivid.
Song: Lua
Artist: Bright Eyes
Released: 2005
I’ve long been a fan of Conor Oberst’s voice, with all of its rasp and frequent breaks, but this song is perhaps my favorite example of a more restrained vocal style from him. With only a backing acoustic guitar, Oberst doesn’t venture too much into his upper register, instead almost seeming like he’s talking or whispering directly into the listener’s ear. In later recordings of this song, especially in collaboration recordings, Oberst seems too self-aware for my taste, but this version feels more innocent, more honest.
Musically, there’s a lot more happening in my third perfect song, but the story it tells is similarly captivating.
Song: They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)
Artist: Pete Rock & CL Smooth
Released: 1992
I could listen to this track all day and hear something new every time. Not only are the sampled intro and saxophone lick iconic, the lyrics are detailed, deep, and moving. Since I first heard it in NBA Street Vol. 2, I’ve thought of this as a perfect song.
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Three Perfect Songs 