Best 3 songs of your life

[Jambo]

This is so hard to answer.
I was watching this thread yesterday... trying to go through all the music I've loved in life... and I realised there is too much music in all of our lives!
Thankfully you did say "3 songs" ...although the awkwardness comes from asking us to say it in different life stages.

Even you...Mashika, have realised this. Given you've stated three lots of music so far!

OK...in my childhood the music I heard came from my parents (Ry Cooder, The Flying Pickets, Simon & Garfunkel, Ravi Shanka, Bob Marley, The travelling Wilburys).
Thankfully though I had my brother around, so i heard... The Police, Adam Ant, Kate Bush, The Cure, The Eurythmics, etc!

The first song I loved as a child was The Eurythmics - Missionary man.
Can't really explain why... but the lyrics were easy to learn, and apparently my family tell me I loved to dance to it.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=0-Q3cp3cp88

In my teens I had lot of cringe-worthy music, which I choose to forget! My favourite though from that time period... which I still love as one of my favourite songs.
Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush - Don't Give Up:

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=VjEq-r2agqc

That song above... I'll continue to listen to it until the last day of my life.
I love it.

The first song I ever bought on CD was Radiohead - High & Dry.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=7qFfFVSerQo

I also followed Japanese music for a bit (because my girlfriend at the time was Japanese). Not my favourite music, but was definitely a phase of life.

Hikaru Utada - Wait & See / Boom Boom Satellites - Shut Up & Explode:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIEf-xJ8VE4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm47bjvXiVo

[rgray222]

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=lkN2CKcmoSc

[Mari]

The late great Harry Nilssen. 1969, I was hanging out with school pals and this came on the radio - subsequently went to see Midnight Cowboy (Theme song in video) mainly to see Dustin Hoffman who I became very enamoured with after seeing him in The Graduate.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=55xQu9eIPIA

Became a late fan of The Beatles, esp George, and mourned their breakup, so I was delighted in later years to see him form The Travelling Wilburys. 'Handle With Care' is one of their best ones.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=1o4s1KVJaVA

Last but not least - Good Vibrations.. first heard this at a friend's party,1968. I was too young to fully partake in the late 60's Flower-Power thing. It was many years later that I came to fully appreciate what The Beach Boys achieved and this was their best ever, I think.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=apBWI6xrbLY

[Orph]

I'm too old to pick just 3 songs, so I'll pick one song from the 1960's, one from the 1970's, and one from the 1980's.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=JdmGO-GvHyo

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZNynumpqUek

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=QOMD3oloFss

[Bluegreen]

Layla
O Holy Night
Lonesome Train (On a Lonesome Track)

[rgray222]

A magnificent performance, full screen for best effect.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=2cZ_EFAmj08

[Casey Claar]

Crystal Blue Persuasion
The Time of the Season ( for Loving )
Born to be Wild


____________________

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=XDl8ZPm3GrU

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=T8ecsAI3FhY

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=41cFf9N5F-A

[Antagenet]

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=R_GAS1Myk0g

This is my favorite song now.

[DNA]

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=-PmmMG-6mwo

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=5IpYOF4Hi6Q

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=GIuZUCpm9hc

[Bill Ryan]

Posted by rgray222 (here)

A magnificent performance, full screen for best effect.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=2cZ_EFAmj08

Yes, out of this world, something truly special. I posted this a while back on the Touching The Divine thread.

[drneglector]

The top three songs are really hard to pick. There are so many great songs out there. But these three song has always made it into my constantly changing playlists…

"Landslide" is a song written by Stevie Nicks and performed by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac. The song was first featured on the band's self-titled album Fleetwood Mac (1975).

Nicks wrote the song while visiting Aspen, Colorado, sitting in someone's living room "looking out at the Rocky Mountains pondering the avalanche of everything that had come crashing down on us ... at that moment, my life truly felt like a landslide in many ways".

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=WM7-PYtXtJM

"Diamonds & Rust" is a song written, composed, and performed by Joan Baez.

It served as the title song on her gold-selling album Diamonds & Rust, which was released in 1975.

In this song, Joan Baez is singing to her former lover Bob Dylan, fondly reminiscing about their 1960s affair.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=1ST9TZBb9v8

"The Greatest Love of All" was originally recorded in 1977 by George Benson, who made the song a substantial hit.

Eight years later the song became even more well known for a version by Whitney Houston, whose 1985 cover eventually topped the charts.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=IYzlVDlE72w

[Merkaba360]

that Baez song is cool, never heard it before.

Being that I also have a Minny history, this Dylan song is epic. this version of "One more cup of coffee" is awesome, wish it it was a better recording. "Abandoned Love" is also so good and I don't believe he has ever played it live or put it on an album.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=EHycS6cMbIQ

This Billy Ocean song is just perfect happy music while driving. lol The Commodores "Nightshift" is also incredible as a bit more chill feeling, that I recently heard and haven't heard in so long.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=LaEuH6Hq5lo

Many won't know this band but I saw them live and it was wonderful. Beats Antique has many good songs, but this is one of my favorites. You are welcome. lol Make sure you got some good sound and bass for the full effect. Blending so many kinds of music, just 2 musicians, quite talented

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=pm0v7Q5WcZY

[onawah]

Girl from Ipanema

Posted by onawah (here)

UPDATE Don't know how I missed this, and it's possibly my #1 favorite--Astrud's rendering is so poignant, evocative and dreamy:
The Girl from Ipanema--Stan Getz · João Gilberto · Astrud Gilberto

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=N-TKOh0zsvU

[Icare]

Here's one of them. For a very private reason this is making me tear up right now:

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=nSf4RUCrSgQ

[Michel Leclerc]

To make this posting a little interesting for myself I have interpreted "three songs" as being the three parts of Lulu, of Jack the Ripper, and of the Countess Geschwitz in the final twelve minutes of Alban Berg’s second opera Lulu. If you feel challenged enough to expose yourself to what is considered to be the greatest opera of the XXth century – then look up Alban Berg, look up Lulu.

I share this judgment, and the final scene of Lulu brings me to tears every time. You may wonder how that is possible, with atonal, ore more correctly: pantonal music. Still, try to understand. But that is also a challenge to all posters who have posted, well, "songs"... I’ll be honest, I used to love Dylan and Baez in my adolescence. I still appreciate Dylan’s lyrics, but his music, like that of most songs posted, at best bores me. (Yet – I certainly make an exception for the extraordinary Jeff Buckley.) But mostly, and sadly, such music fails to reach my soul, whereas the both abstract and deeply connected tone complexes of Berg’s masterwork are cathartic, tear open the never-healing wounds of what it is to be alive in this protracted twentieth century we are living in, and infuse it with the soothing energy of beauty.

The scene starts with the Countess Geschwitz being about to kill herself; she is in love with Lulu, a once successful Viennese socialite who by the end of the opera, abandoned by her former lovers, has become a street hustler. Geschwitz’ attention is then drawn to the appearance of Lulu herself, trying to sell her body that night, and an ominous potential client, “Jack the Ripper”. He approaches Lulu, who is somehow drawn to him, and asks Lulu who Geschwitz is – she answers "my sister", and the man answers derisively "she is in love with you!"; a strange negotiation between the two ensues, in which the client seeks to obtain maximum favours for the lowest price; Lulu finally gives in for nothing at all, the Ripper stabs Lulu to death, leaves ("those people don’t even have a towel", he complains, wishing to clean his knife); Geschwitz, succumbing, sings a few lines to confirm her love for Lulu: "Lulu, mein Engel!”

The music is one gigantic swirl of chords in an extremely differentiated orchestral score, leading to Geschwitz’ lyrical lines, followed by a few open-ended thuds.

No sugar. The soul speaks.
Sings.

The following is a much praised recording/production of the Salzburg Festival, which shows the (inter)action of the three protagonists clearly:

Lulu at the Salzburg Festival in 2019

The following is the Brussels production from 2012, which I attended. With respect to the previous production, it “modernises" the entire scenery, in my eyes for once convincingly, bringing to just under the surface the subconscious elements of the story: the childish nature of Lulu (maternity ward hospital beds, the little girl, Lulu’s costume), the Joker, cartoon-like masculinity of the Ripper, the dignity of Geschwitz. It is understandable when you have seen the above production first. The singing, and especially the orchestral performance are however better and make the music’s glory, the song’s glory (!) shine:

Brussels production

Enjoy (?) — or: contemplate. pray. accept.

[Frankie Pancakes]

This is a little like trying to thank everyone at the Oscars for your success.

Early

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=99vEggoOjjs

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=37kjXWxGQGU

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=w5m7q7zyrOE

Mid

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=0OREKf20XIg

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=1I9GqxDA4ac

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=agC7SoihH-o

Now

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=aoD4YmLQEfo

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=7cNOeoGn0XM

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=MGwgLAXb9cU

[Jambo]

Posted by rgray222 (here)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=lkN2CKcmoSc

Such a beautiful 'haunting' piece of music.
I guess others already may know, but I was so amazed 2 years back... when I found out that Ryuichi Sakamoto-san was not only the composer of the music for the film 'Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence', but was also none other than the actor who played the Japanese Captain Yonoi in the film. What talent!

[rgray222]

A daunting and meaningful piece of music, Handel's iconic 'Hallelujah'. The lighthearted and comical silent monks (high school students) allow the music and the lyrics to take on real meaning. A fun wonderful piece of music.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=pRhjWdr-LAA

[Mike Gorman]

To distill 3 songs from childhood, teenage years and adult is just an impossible task for me, I have loved so much music in my life, and being a player and striving to be a good musician in my teenage years and beyond has led me to appreciate an incredible number of artists. In the spirit of this post I will present 3 typical pieces which have given me enormous pleasure, a sense of not being alone, and also a sense of human spirit. The very first big rock concert I attended was Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1972, so I give a special mention to John Fogerty as being a massive early influence on my guitar playing, which led to my loving The Allman Brothers, Eric Clapton and electric Blues artists of all kinds.

Childhood: I listened a lot to the radio, and my parents record collection, but it was my older brother who turned me onto 'Cream' & Jethro Tull when he brought records home from Keele University in the late 1960's

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=HoSOuYNNXjU

Teenage Years: Crosby Stills Nash & Young were massive to us in our teenage years, we played a lot of their songs in lounge rooms and small concerts:

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=cIPcoy81xNY

Adult: Steely Dan has been a constant musical love, I saw them twice live, just superb musicians and wonderful songwriters, here is a recent performance of Aja,

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=XqLVQuzpAok

I must emphasize that I love so many artists and these selections are by no means comprehensive, merely typical. I am sure it is the same for many people yes?

[Tintin]

Posted by Mike Gorman (here)

I must emphasize that I love so many artists and these selections are by no means comprehensive, merely typical. I am sure it is the same for many people yes?

Very much the same here, yes

Behind all the songs on my submission is a personal story, and I should really append those, or, reflect them somewhere here.

My musical tastes are very diverse, and as a musician as well one tends to absorb a lot of influences before giving voice to your own.

What was missing from my selection was the band I co-formed with a friend back in 1989 which went through many iterations before finally and amicably ending in early 2015. My friend has 70 full CDs of different mixes, outtakes, versions of all sorts of things that we wrote ourselves, and about 60 songs were released out of all that work - a mere fraction.

We soundtracked our lives from about 19 years old, to the extent that nearly all the honest choices I made on the thread become somewhat obsolete: almost mere background noise whilst we explored through writing and composing the vast oceans of musical possibilities there exist to become the very best we could.