"Epic" songs

MetallichicA · 29th July 2003, 03:13

I know I talk about this song constantly, but it really is one of the most amazing bands and one of the most amazing songs I've ever heard.

Dream Theater - A Change of Seasons.

If you haven't heard it, you should try it at least once. It's progressive metal, so it has a very diverse blend of jazz, metal, rock, classical, blues... everything. It also has no set chorus or verses; it's just one big story, like an epic poem. The whole piece is over 20 minutes long.

What other "epic songs" do you know of, where there is no repeated chorus and no set verses, just a song that tells a story from beginning to end without repeating lyrics?

DragonSon · 29th July 2003, 04:34

November Rain....I don't know why, but it seems like an Epic song to me....it's over eight minutes, and it paints a pretty damn good picture in my head whenever I hear it...

Mattress · 29th July 2003, 04:40

From your description I think you mean more like a ballad?

Anyway, one song I know that is "epic" in a way is called Hypnotic Vampire by Heatseeker.

here's the guy's site

MetallichicA · 29th July 2003, 04:56

No, actually that's why I made the distinction... ballads repeat a tune over and over. These are songs where the tune is different as you move through the piece, so each "verse" is like an entirely new song.

Mattress · 29th July 2003, 04:58

oh, so more like a kind of rock opera squeezed into one song?

Well this isn't squeezed into one song (spans two CDs actually), but War of the Worlds By Jeff Wayne is pretty cool.

ujay · 29th July 2003, 09:43

Joe O'Donnell - Gaodhal's Vision

Epic style concept album telling the story of the founding of the Celtic nation in Ireland. Orchestral/Jazz/Rock, notable mainly for the use of electric fiddle and a guest appearence by Rory Gallagher.

Shame you can't cut and paste from the album sleeve or I'd give you more detail

There are a few audio samples at http://www.guernsey.net/~music/joe-odonnell/audio.htm but they are almost worthless.

If I can find Dream Theatre I'd be interested in taking a listen.

UJ

Bilbo Baggins · 29th July 2003, 12:35

Ozric Tentacles - Waterfall Cities. Soothing, joyous and fantastic.

Eno - Ambient Music for Airports. I love this album, its so long.

nyeep attacks · 29th July 2003, 12:55

'The stars are projectors' by Modest mouse, repeats lyrics quite a bit but it keeps shifting around and I'd still say it's "epic", really great song anyway.
And pretty much anything by Opeth.

Mr_007 · 29th July 2003, 13:03

Yes need to change!
also why not mix jazz with pop?
jpop?

Cylob · 29th July 2003, 13:39

Rush - 2112
The The - GIANT
Rush - Xanadu
Mercury Rev - Frittering
Rush - Cygnus X-1
Magnum - Don't Wake the Lion
Rush - Hemispheres
Underworld - Dirty Epic
Rush - Caress of Steel
Saint Etienne - Western Wind
Rush - Natural Science
Stereolab - Jenny Ondioline

Mattress · 29th July 2003, 18:39

City Hall by Tenacious D

Merlin · 29th July 2003, 22:36

Rime of the Ancient Mariner, by Iron Maiden. Tells a story

Pixelcraft · 29th July 2003, 23:16

Otherworld - Strange Neighborhood (Very good song!)

Boston - Long Time

Pink Floyd - Confortably Numb

Pink Floyd - Another Brick in the Wall

Malaguena~ (my favorite spanish song)
Does anyone know who wrote this song?

Xerxes · 30th July 2003, 01:11

But of course, the classic 4 movement symphony!

Schubert's #2 and the classic Beethoven #9 Are my current car CD's.

mikm · 30th July 2003, 01:45

The Doors- The End (its not really a "story", its very random and gets very, very chaotic towards the end. Great song, though)

chiquita chad · 30th July 2003, 05:01

Are we forgetting Stairway to Heaven?

best rock song ever

zootm · 30th July 2003, 05:05

Quote:

Originally posted by Cylob
Rush - 2112

weird al yankovich - albuquerque

lemon_chicken · 30th July 2003, 18:05

you mean like most decent hip-hop?

People Under the Stairs - July 3rd

also The Avalanches - G-Mix (goes for 45 minutes, tells through the misic the story of the groups musical influences)

MetallichicA · 30th July 2003, 21:44

Most decent hip-hop still has verses or a chorus that repeats, though.

I think everyone is misunderstanding my question, but that's okay, it's interesting to see how many "story songs" there are too

Merlin · 30th July 2003, 23:46

I understood, thanks

. Mariner doesn't repeat, as far as I remember.

Neither does good old Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. That's a true magnum opus of rock.

lemon_chicken · 31st July 2003, 16:37

Quote:

Originally posted by MetallichicA
Most decent hip-hop still has verses or a chorus that repeats, though.

my statement was obviously too general. we must listen to very different hip-hop

Cylob · 6th August 2003, 16:40

Ride - Leave Them All Behind.
The The - Uncertain Smile (Dance Mix)

DJ Egg · 6th August 2003, 21:53

The late 60's to early 80's were full of epic concept albums.

Probably, "Tales From Topographic Oceans" by Yes, epitomised the entire era (Dbl LP - 4 trax), especially "Ritual" (Nous Somme Du Soleil)

Other classic epic trax:
Genesis - Supper's Ready (Foxtrot LP)
Camel - The Snow Goose LP
The Enid - Something Wicked This Way Comes LP
Tangerine Dream - 1974 to 1980-ish era
Roy Harper & Jimmy Page - Nineteen Forty Eight-ish (Whatever Happened to Jugula+ LP)
Porcupine Tree - The Sky Moves Sideways
Tim Blake - New Jerusalem
Mike Oldfield - Ommadawn / Crises (title track)
anything King Crimson
anything ELP
probably a fair few Wishbone Ash, Uriah Heep, and early Metallica tunes too.

More obscure stuff:
Greenslade
Gentle Giant
Spooky Tooth
Spiral Realms (and other ex Hawkwind member "offshoots")

Also gotta agree with some of the aforementioned:
Rush . . . especially "2112" & "Hemispheres"
Ozrics are the kings of epic instrumentals (used to be Tange-D)
Eno's entire "Ambient" series
X-man - too many top epic classical works to mention...

Pixelcraft · 7th August 2003, 15:42

Quote:

Originally posted by zootm
weird al yankovich - albuquerque

weird al yankovic

a lot of people say 'yankovich' and it's wrong, just wanted to get that out

missinformation · 17th August 2003, 15:20

Quote:

Originally posted by Pixelcraft
Malaguena~ (my favorite spanish song)
Does anyone know who wrote this song?

Malaguena was composed by Ernesto Lecuona

http://www.spaceagepop.com/lecusong.htm

zootm · 17th August 2003, 15:34

Quote:

Originally posted by Pixelcraft
a lot of people say 'yankovich' and it's wrong, just wanted to get that out

i stand corrected...

BlueTape · 19th August 2003, 10:31

Quote:

Originally posted by DJ Egg
The late 60's to early 80's were full of epic concept albums.
Mike Oldfield - Ommadawn / Crises (title track)

I am a huge fan and they are all epics... the music is a world that you can create when you hear the tracks

good choice DJ Egg!!!!

JoeyDM · 19th August 2003, 20:50

The Eagles... Hotel California! Epic!

Robbie Williams - Angels too.

d0rk · 20th August 2003, 05:17

Like a few have mentioned...2112 by Rush.

Mr Jones · 3rd September 2003, 18:43

How could I have forgotten this, "The Gift" by the Velvet Underground, just had a reminder of this while sorting through a long lost pile of CD's...

Read lyrics here...

http://carol.wins.uva.nl/~jellekok/l...te_heat.html#2

godoncrack · 3rd September 2003, 22:20

Tool - Reflection (It still does things to me)
Tool - Triad (There are no words)
Pearl Jam - Jeremy
Bush - Warm Machine
ICP - Fuck The World
Eminem - Remember Me
NEW school shit

corkhead0 · 4th September 2003, 02:41

Sort->Sort By Length:

corkhead0 · 4th September 2003, 02:49

Shiite, forgot the attachment: (all songs in my pl that are >= 7 minutes)

Hawk · 8th September 2003, 18:15

I would like to add two present day bands.

Symphony X

Check out their 20 minute song "The Divine Wings of Tragedy",
or from their most recent album "The Accolade II" and the 24 minute epic "The Oddyssey".

Here's a link to their full song "The Accoloade II":

http://www.insideoutmusic.com/audiovideo.php

Scroll down to AUDIO (Full Clips) and look for Symphony X.

This comes highly recommended for Rush freaks!

Also the prog rock band Spocks Beard is fantastic.

INMCM · 9th September 2003, 21:49

Classic:
Violent Femmes - Country Death Song

Cylob · 15th September 2003, 08:47

Bowery Electric - Slow Thrills.
Aptly titled.

Bob the Tomato · 19th September 2003, 03:19

Yoko Kanno's "Space Lion" from the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack comes immediately to my mind. Best listened to when you know the context it was used in.

Cylob · 1st October 2003, 15:36

Siouxsie & the Banshees - Switch (6:52)
The B52's - Rock Lobster (6:48)

NJK · 1st October 2003, 15:42

lyle lovett-simple song no chorus no repeats only reget it's too short it's only like 2min 30 sec

Cylob · 1st October 2003, 17:12

Is that an "inverse epic then" spaceplayradio?

29th July 2003, 03:13	#1
MetallichicA Forum Queen Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 2,425	"Epic" songs I know I talk about this song constantly, but it really is one of the most amazing bands and one of the most amazing songs I've ever heard. Dream Theater - A Change of Seasons. If you haven't heard it, you should try it at least once. It's progressive metal, so it has a very diverse blend of jazz, metal, rock, classical, blues... everything. It also has no set chorus or verses; it's just one big story, like an epic poem. The whole piece is over 20 minutes long. What other "epic songs" do you know of, where there is no repeated chorus and no set verses, just a song that tells a story from beginning to end without repeating lyrics?

29th July 2003, 04:40	#3
Mattress Forum King Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Milwaukee Posts: 4,577	From your description I think you mean more like a ballad? Anyway, one song I know that is "epic" in a way is called Hypnotic Vampire by Heatseeker. here's the guy's site Besides shooting out a big blank from your buttock, you can feel as if your root chakra leaked sweet hot mucus.

29th July 2003, 04:58	#5
Mattress Forum King Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Milwaukee Posts: 4,577	oh, so more like a kind of rock opera squeezed into one song? Well this isn't squeezed into one song (spans two CDs actually), but War of the Worlds By Jeff Wayne is pretty cool. Besides shooting out a big blank from your buttock, you can feel as if your root chakra leaked sweet hot mucus.

29th July 2003, 13:39	#10
Cylob Forum Music King (Forum King) Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: The Future Posts: 7,175	Rush - 2112 The The - GIANT Rush - Xanadu Mercury Rev - Frittering Rush - Cygnus X-1 Magnum - Don't Wake the Lion Rush - Hemispheres Underworld - Dirty Epic Rush - Caress of Steel Saint Etienne - Western Wind Rush - Natural Science Stereolab - Jenny Ondioline Secret Snacker & Accomplished Pen Thief At:

29th July 2003, 18:39	#11
Mattress Forum King Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Milwaukee Posts: 4,577	City Hall by Tenacious D Besides shooting out a big blank from your buttock, you can feel as if your root chakra leaked sweet hot mucus.

29th July 2003, 04:34	#2
DragonSon Fears the boots Forum King Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 3,445	November Rain....I don't know why, but it seems like an Epic song to me....it's over eight minutes, and it paints a pretty damn good picture in my head whenever I hear it... Moderatio est figmentum No Idols, No Heroes, No Leaders.....Just Pure Inner Strength

29th July 2003, 04:56	#4
MetallichicA Forum Queen Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 2,425	No, actually that's why I made the distinction... ballads repeat a tune over and over. These are songs where the tune is different as you move through the piece, so each "verse" is like an entirely new song.

29th July 2003, 09:43	#6
ujay Forum King Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: London Posts: 6,072	Joe O'Donnell - Gaodhal's Vision Epic style concept album telling the story of the founding of the Celtic nation in Ireland. Orchestral/Jazz/Rock, notable mainly for the use of electric fiddle and a guest appearence by Rory Gallagher. Shame you can't cut and paste from the album sleeve or I'd give you more detail There are a few audio samples at http://www.guernsey.net/~music/joe-odonnell/audio.htm but they are almost worthless. If I can find Dream Theatre I'd be interested in taking a listen. UJ

29th July 2003, 12:35	#7
Bilbo Baggins Wind Chime of the Apocalypse Join Date: May 2000 Location: The Forest Posts: 17,228	Ozric Tentacles - Waterfall Cities. Soothing, joyous and fantastic. Eno - Ambient Music for Airports. I love this album, its so long.

29th July 2003, 12:55	#8
nyeep attacks Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: bristol. home of cider. Posts: 60	'The stars are projectors' by Modest mouse, repeats lyrics quite a bit but it keeps shifting around and I'd still say it's "epic", really great song anyway. And pretty much anything by Opeth.

29th July 2003, 13:03	#9
Mr_007 Banned Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 2,838	Yes need to change! also why not mix jazz with pop? jpop?

29th July 2003, 22:36	#12
Merlin ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ (Forum King) Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Manchester Posts: 4,209	Rime of the Ancient Mariner, by Iron Maiden. Tells a story as he faced the sun, he cast no shadow __________________

29th July 2003, 23:16	#13
Pixelcraft Wildly Confused (Major Dude) Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,204	Otherworld - Strange Neighborhood (Very good song!) Boston - Long Time Pink Floyd - Confortably Numb Pink Floyd - Another Brick in the Wall Malaguena~ (my favorite spanish song) Does anyone know who wrote this song? "It's like saying give a man a Les Paul guitar and he becomes Eric Clapton, and of course that's not true, give a man an amplifier and a synthesizer and he doesn't become...whoever; he doesn't become us." - Roger Waters

30th July 2003, 01:11	#14
Xerxes Capitalist Alumni Join Date: May 2000 Location: my 4 Houses on Park Place Posts: 8,688	But of course, the classic 4 movement symphony! Schubert's #2 and the classic Beethoven #9 Are my current car CD's.

30th July 2003, 01:45	#15
mikm Major Dude Join Date: May 2001 Location: somewhere else Posts: 1,286	The Doors- The End (its not really a "story", its very random and gets very, very chaotic towards the end. Great song, though) powered by C₈H₁₀N₄O₂

30th July 2003, 05:01	#16
chiquita chad Forum King Join Date: Jul 2000 Posts: 2,391	Are we forgetting Stairway to Heaven? best rock song ever Artist Track

30th July 2003, 18:05	#18
lemon_chicken Major Dude Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: the land of the collapsable clothesline Posts: 627	you mean like most decent hip-hop? People Under the Stairs - July 3rd also The Avalanches - G-Mix (goes for 45 minutes, tells through the misic the story of the groups musical influences) \|arbitary focus\| it's never as flaccid as it is when plucked \| 01110011 01100101 01111000 \|

30th July 2003, 21:44	#19
MetallichicA Forum Queen Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 2,425	Most decent hip-hop still has verses or a chorus that repeats, though. I think everyone is misunderstanding my question, but that's okay, it's interesting to see how many "story songs" there are too

30th July 2003, 23:46	#20
Merlin ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ (Forum King) Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Manchester Posts: 4,209	I understood, thanks . Mariner doesn't repeat, as far as I remember. Neither does good old Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. That's a true magnum opus of rock. as he faced the sun, he cast no shadow __________________

6th August 2003, 16:40	#22
Cylob Forum Music King (Forum King) Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: The Future Posts: 7,175	Ride - Leave Them All Behind. The The - Uncertain Smile (Dance Mix) Secret Snacker & Accomplished Pen Thief At:

6th August 2003, 21:53	#23
DJ Egg Techorator Winamp & Shoutcast Team Join Date: Jun 2000 Posts: 35,894	The late 60's to early 80's were full of epic concept albums. Probably, "Tales From Topographic Oceans" by Yes, epitomised the entire era (Dbl LP - 4 trax), especially "Ritual" (Nous Somme Du Soleil) Other classic epic trax: Genesis - Supper's Ready (Foxtrot LP) Camel - The Snow Goose LP The Enid - Something Wicked This Way Comes LP Tangerine Dream - 1974 to 1980-ish era Roy Harper & Jimmy Page - Nineteen Forty Eight-ish (Whatever Happened to Jugula+ LP) Porcupine Tree - The Sky Moves Sideways Tim Blake - New Jerusalem Mike Oldfield - Ommadawn / Crises (title track) anything King Crimson anything ELP probably a fair few Wishbone Ash, Uriah Heep, and early Metallica tunes too. More obscure stuff: Greenslade Gentle Giant Spooky Tooth Spiral Realms (and other ex Hawkwind member "offshoots") Also gotta agree with some of the aforementioned: Rush . . . especially "2112" & "Hemispheres" Ozrics are the kings of epic instrumentals (used to be Tange-D) Eno's entire "Ambient" series X-man - too many top epic classical works to mention... Playlist -\|- Twitter

19th August 2003, 20:50	#28
JoeyDM Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 3	The Eagles... Hotel California! Epic! Robbie Williams - Angels too.

20th August 2003, 05:17	#29
d0rk I contribute nothing. (Forum King) Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Virgacalementoflagantionio Posts: 3,030	Like a few have mentioned...2112 by Rush. I came for the hatred. I stayed for the ballbag.

3rd September 2003, 18:43	#30
Mr Jones Nothing to say... Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: UK Posts: 23,098	How could I have forgotten this, "The Gift" by the Velvet Underground, just had a reminder of this while sorting through a long lost pile of CD's... Read lyrics here... http://carol.wins.uva.nl/~jellekok/l...te_heat.html#2

3rd September 2003, 22:20	#31
godoncrack Forum King Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: http://www.mossad.gov.il Posts: 2,135	Tool - Reflection (It still does things to me) Tool - Triad (There are no words) Pearl Jam - Jeremy Bush - Warm Machine ICP - Fuck The World Eminem - Remember Me NEW school shit sin is human

4th September 2003, 02:41	#32
corkhead0 Major Dude Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 548	Sort->Sort By Length:

8th September 2003, 18:15	#34
Hawk Senior Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Netherlands Posts: 157	I would like to add two present day bands. Symphony X Check out their 20 minute song "The Divine Wings of Tragedy", or from their most recent album "The Accolade II" and the 24 minute epic "The Oddyssey". Here's a link to their full song "The Accoloade II": http://www.insideoutmusic.com/audiovideo.php Scroll down to AUDIO (Full Clips) and look for Symphony X. This comes highly recommended for Rush freaks! Also the prog rock band Spocks Beard is fantastic.

9th September 2003, 21:49	#35
INMCM Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 7	Classic: Violent Femmes - Country Death Song

15th September 2003, 08:47	#36
Cylob Forum Music King (Forum King) Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: The Future Posts: 7,175	Bowery Electric - Slow Thrills. Aptly titled. Secret Snacker & Accomplished Pen Thief At:

19th September 2003, 03:19	#37
Bob the Tomato Senior Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Louisiana Posts: 258	Yoko Kanno's "Space Lion" from the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack comes immediately to my mind. Best listened to when you know the context it was used in.

1st October 2003, 15:36	#38
Cylob Forum Music King (Forum King) Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: The Future Posts: 7,175	Siouxsie & the Banshees - Switch (6:52) The B52's - Rock Lobster (6:48) Secret Snacker & Accomplished Pen Thief At:

1st October 2003, 15:42	#39
NJK FRISIAN (MOD) Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: in a house Posts: 16,104	lyle lovett-simple song no chorus no repeats only reget it's too short it's only like 2min 30 sec Each Thursday a new show on Celtica Radio with Darkwave music. WINAMP SHOUTCAST

1st October 2003, 17:12	#40
Cylob Forum Music King (Forum King) Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: The Future Posts: 7,175	Is that an "inverse epic then" spaceplayradio? Secret Snacker & Accomplished Pen Thief At:

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