Songs with strings

Twilightseer · 26th April 2006, 10:09

So, what are everyone's favourite songs involving strings? I'm not necessarily talking about sad/slow songs, if you know a kickass rock track with strings, I'll take it.

Post people!

gaekwad2 · 26th April 2006, 12:44

XTC - 1000 Umbrellas

Van Dyke Parks - Song Cycle (whole album)

Mattress · 26th April 2006, 14:28

Hybrid - Finished Symphony
Hybrid - If I Survive
Hybrid - Higher Than A Skyscraper
Hybrid - Kid 2000
Karsh Kale - Milan
Karsh Kale - Epic
Infected Mushroom - Scorpion Frog
Infected Mushroom - Converting Vegetarians
Shpongle - Around the World in a Tea Daze

That's what I can think of off the top of my head. I'll add more later.

ScorLibran · 26th April 2006, 16:34

My favorite song of all has very a distinctive guitar lick. Pink Floyd ~ Dogs (Animals, 1977, track 2).

The impatient guitar rhythm that the song opens with is haunting and memorable, and prevalent through much of the song.

NJK · 26th April 2006, 16:39

ELO - almost everything pre the discovery album

esp the Eldorado album

Mr Jones · 26th April 2006, 16:45

Primal Scream. ... Accelerator

I wouldn't go so far as to say classical strings, but by god it certainly uses strings.

It's like having a jet fighter take off in your living room while it's on fire and your house is on fire as well for good measure

Cylob · 26th April 2006, 17:25

Sounds like the ideal track for a BBQ then.

If the neighbours complain, invite Motorhead over for a few.

Kings of Convenience - Quiet Is The New Loud (2001)

Aptly named title, a couple of acoustic guitars sound more-or-less like an orchestra.

k_rock923 · 26th April 2006, 17:26

a lot of trans siberian orchestra songs have strings in them. i especially like the way they did canon in d

Sandman2012 · 26th April 2006, 22:40

I like a lot of the Beatles stuff that George Martin added strings to, but most people probably know them already.

Us by Regina Spektor has a fantastic string arrangement. You can hear it on her Myspace page. Fidelity, the song that plays by default on her page, has what sounds like string instuments being plucked rather than being played with a bow, but I can't say if they are real strings or synth-generated.

ujay · 27th April 2006, 00:45

Van the Man used a lot of strings back in the days of the 'Caledonia Soul Orchestra'.
'Astral Weeks' has some cracking tracks, Cypress Avenue, Madame George ...

[edit] 'Too Late To Stop Now' would be another good one

UJ

Sandman2012 · 27th April 2006, 05:24

Are myspace links blocked here, or did I just do something weird with my link above? :/

Cylob · 27th April 2006, 06:30

Quote:

Originally posted by Sandman2012
I like a lot of the Beatles stuff that George Martin added strings to, but most people probably know them already.

Martin was one of the major influences on Britpop, anything from The Verve to Menswe@r was string-laden. But then, it's natural for us Brits to hire 4 string quartets, just for the sake of overdoing it.

The Arcade Fire - Funeral (2002)

Who doesn't like the Arcade Fire?? I've heard they blow the roof off live, it's easy to see why.

gaekwad2 · 27th April 2006, 13:09

Quote:

Originally posted by Sandman2012
Are myspace links blocked here, or did I just do something weird with my link above? :/

Seems you or someone else put two spaces between url= and http.

(makes no difference to me, I've site-blocked myspace.com)

Sandman2012 · 27th April 2006, 17:19

Quote:

Originally posted by gaekwad2
Seems you or someone else put two spaces between url= and http.

Fixed link to Regina Spektor's page. To re-iteratefor 'seer, the song Us has a nice string section, and Fidelity has what sounds like string instruments being plucked but I don't know if it's synth or real strings.

jeffy777 · 27th April 2006, 17:59

I like the strings in "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas

zootm · 27th April 2006, 19:50

Quote:

Originally posted by Cylob
Who doesn't like the Arcade Fire?? I've heard they blow the roof off live, it's easy to see why.

I saw them in Princes St. Gardens (outdoors) last year, and they were absolutely amazing. I bought the album the next day.

ScorLibran · 27th April 2006, 20:53

Quote:

Originally posted by jeffy777
I like the strings in "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas

Me too. It's one of the best acoustic guitar riffs ever conceived, in my opinion.

Another I like is Led Zeppelin's Over The Hills And Far Away (Houses Of The Holy, 1973, track 3). Took me a while to learn it on guitar, but it's a very nice (and addictive) acoustic riff.

Cylob · 30th April 2006, 09:22

Quote:

Originally posted by zootm
I saw them in Princes St. Gardens (outdoors) last year, and they were absolutely amazing. I bought the album the next day.

I bet the studio production doesn't do half the justice to the live performance.

Which is why I'm acquiring some bootlegs...

zootm · 30th April 2006, 10:41

Quote:

Originally posted by Cylob
I bet the studio production doesn't do half the justice to the live performance.

They do lose a lot of energy on the CD, right enough. You don't get just how crazy they all are.

When I saw them, there was two guys hitting each other with drumsticks, one with a motorbike helmet on, to beat the rhythm, and things like that...

Lewis Holt · 1st May 2006, 02:28

Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy

Twilightseer · 2nd May 2006, 10:51

Many suggestions here, thanks.

If I may add some myself, for others, I like Mogwai's use of strings on songs like "Take Me Somewhere Nice" or "Golden Porsche".

And Craig Armstrong's two solo albums are loaded with beautiful strings arrangements (esp the tracks Weather Storm and Laura's Theme).

Cylob · 3rd May 2006, 06:34

Quote:

Originally posted by Lewis Holt
Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy

That track has everything (sigh). I like the rolling glockenspiel, hard to tell if it's sampled or the real deal. I'd get the sleeve note out but that would mean touching an old-fashioned CD (and getting dust on my shirt).

26th April 2006, 10:09	#1
Twilightseer Le Poison dans la Bouteille [Moderator] Join Date: May 2000 Location: Lavabo, fond du couloir, 3ï¿½ porte ï¿½ droite Posts: 6,296	Songs with strings So, what are everyone's favourite songs involving strings? I'm not necessarily talking about sad/slow songs, if you know a kickass rock track with strings, I'll take it. Post people!

26th April 2006, 12:44	#2
gaekwad2 Foorum King Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: bar2000 Posts: 11,149	XTC - 1000 Umbrellas Van Dyke Parks - Song Cycle (whole album) Fuck this place.

26th April 2006, 14:28	#3
Mattress Forum King Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Milwaukee Posts: 4,577	Hybrid - Finished Symphony Hybrid - If I Survive Hybrid - Higher Than A Skyscraper Hybrid - Kid 2000 Karsh Kale - Milan Karsh Kale - Epic Infected Mushroom - Scorpion Frog Infected Mushroom - Converting Vegetarians Shpongle - Around the World in a Tea Daze That's what I can think of off the top of my head. I'll add more later. Besides shooting out a big blank from your buttock, you can feel as if your root chakra leaked sweet hot mucus.

26th April 2006, 16:34	#4
ScorLibran Resident Floydian Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 6,226	My favorite song of all has very a distinctive guitar lick. Pink Floyd ~ Dogs (Animals, 1977, track 2). The impatient guitar rhythm that the song opens with is haunting and memorable, and prevalent through much of the song. I'm a psychosomatic sister running around without a leash.

26th April 2006, 16:39	#5
NJK Forum Frisian Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: a real Frisian hometown Posts: 14,491	ELO - almost everything pre the discovery album esp the Eldorado album Darkwave radio 24/7 -- ----------------------------------- Each Thursday a new show on Celtica Radio with Darkwave music. www.irnb.nl worldwide station on the net for all people

26th April 2006, 16:45	#6
Mr Jones Nothing to say... Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: UK Posts: 23,020	Primal Scream. ... Accelerator I wouldn't go so far as to say classical strings, but by god it certainly uses strings. It's like having a jet fighter take off in your living room while it's on fire and your house is on fire as well for good measure

26th April 2006, 17:25	#7
Cylob Forum Music King (Forum King) Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: The Future Posts: 7,175	Sounds like the ideal track for a BBQ then. If the neighbours complain, invite Motorhead over for a few. Kings of Convenience - Quiet Is The New Loud (2001) Aptly named title, a couple of acoustic guitars sound more-or-less like an orchestra. Secret Snacker & Accomplished Pen Thief At:

26th April 2006, 17:26	#8
k_rock923 \m/ (Forum King) Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: /bin/bash Posts: 7,786	a lot of trans siberian orchestra songs have strings in them. i especially like the way they did canon in d Never underestimate the bandwidth of a station wagon full of tapes hurtling down the highway.

26th April 2006, 22:40	#9
Sandman2012 <3 foobar2k (Forum King) Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 3,202	I like a lot of the Beatles stuff that George Martin added strings to, but most people probably know them already. Us by Regina Spektor has a fantastic string arrangement. You can hear it on her Myspace page. Fidelity, the song that plays by default on her page, has what sounds like string instuments being plucked rather than being played with a bow, but I can't say if they are real strings or synth-generated. pabook.net

27th April 2006, 00:45	#10
ujay Forum King Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: London Posts: 5,987	Van the Man used a lot of strings back in the days of the 'Caledonia Soul Orchestra'. 'Astral Weeks' has some cracking tracks, Cypress Avenue, Madame George ... [edit] 'Too Late To Stop Now' would be another good one UJ

27th April 2006, 05:24	#11
Sandman2012 <3 foobar2k (Forum King) Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 3,202	Are myspace links blocked here, or did I just do something weird with my link above? :/ pabook.net

27th April 2006, 17:59	#15
jeffy777 Major Dude Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 622	I like the strings in "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas

1st May 2006, 02:28	#20
Lewis Holt Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 194	Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy

2nd May 2006, 10:51	#21
Twilightseer Le Poison dans la Bouteille [Moderator] Join Date: May 2000 Location: Lavabo, fond du couloir, 3ï¿½ porte ï¿½ droite Posts: 6,296	Many suggestions here, thanks. If I may add some myself, for others, I like Mogwai's use of strings on songs like "Take Me Somewhere Nice" or "Golden Porsche". And Craig Armstrong's two solo albums are loaded with beautiful strings arrangements (esp the tracks Weather Storm and Laura's Theme).

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