Songs That Define an Album's Greatness

[meccalecca]

Not every album will fall apart if a song is removed, but there are some albums in which the existence of a single specific song takes that album over the edge into greatness. I believe this often happens with thematic, cohesive albums in which a particular song sets the foundation for the album or when everything seems to build into one grand moment. Talk Talk's Spirit Of Eden can be thought of as one cohesive unit in which music themes are continuously returned to. I've always felt that when the album reaches "I Believe In You" there's a feeling that all of those previous songs have come together to form one miraculous moment.

Here's some other examples that come to mind.

"Murderer" by Low on Drums & Guns
"I Believe In You" by Talk Talk on Spirit of Eden
"A Day In The Life" by The Beatles on Sgt Pepper's ....
"Ladies & Gentlemen We're Floating In Space" by Spiritualized on Ladies & Gentlemen...
"Lorelei" by Cocteau Twins on Treasure
"Rotten Hell" by Menomena on Friend & Foe
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[Cymro2011]

There's only 2 I can think of at the moment and those would be Heroin From VU&N and Sister Ray from WL/WH.

Oh yeah, there's also Good Morning, Captain from Spiderland. That album wouldn't be the same without that fantastic finisher.

[nutso42]

"Cruel" by St. Vincent on Strange Mercy
"The Trial" by Pink Floyd on The Wall (that song is really the linchpin of the whole album)

[Guest]

The one that comes to my mind at the moment is "Little Knives" which plays that kind of role on Richard Skelton's Verse of Birds. It's a masterpiece which everyone should listen to at least once:
!!!modern classical!!!, !!ambient drone!!, !strings!

Link

[Guest]

Only Skin on Ys by Joanna Newsom, Oh Comely on In The Aeroplane Over The Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel, Dambala (or The Vision) on Exuma by Exuma, and lots more.

[HoldenM]

Nice call on "Rotten Hell," though I'd go with "Wet & Rusting" for Friend and Foe.

"Rebellion (Lies)" Funeral
"Blue Ridge Mountains" Fleet Foxes
"Helplessness Blues" Helplessness Blues
"Summertime Clothes" Merriweather Post Pavilion
"Paranoid Android" OK Computer
"Optimistic" Kid A
"Weird Fishes/Arpeggi" In Rainbows
"Company Calls" We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes
"I Will Dare" Let It Be
"Time" The Dark Side of the Moon

[drakonium]

Wow I disagree with EVERYTHING. There's not a single case when I think it's true. Oh well, I guess it's an interesting topic then.

For me, the obvious ones are A Night At The Opera by Queen with Bohemian Rhapsody, Foxtrot by Genesis with Supper's Ready, In The Wake Of Poseidon by King Crimson with the title track, Lola by the Kinks with the title track or Space Oddity by David Bowie with the title track and Cygnet Committee.

Actually I can't think about anything more at the moment.

[Error Finn]

Eat That Question on Grand Wazoo by Frank Zappa
Simple Twist of Fate (with walking bass line)on Blood on the Tracks by Bob Dylan
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[gtroda]

Layla

[Dingerbell]

Marquee Moon from Marquee Moon
In My Life from Rubber Soul
Stairway to Heaven from LZIV
God Only Knows from Pet Sounds
A Day in the Life from Sgt. Pepper's

All great albums with one stand-out song.