DOJNDO's MyIGN Music Blog

This is for DR_ACULA's community feature. The idea is to post our three favorite songs of all time, and explain why they're our favorites. But I'm going to be a bit of a rebel, so I'm adding a fourth song to mine as an Honorable Mention, because it deserves at least that much. I'll be doing this in countdown form, because why not. There is technically also a fifth song that deserves a mention as well in my Eargasm of the Day at the bottom, but it's well enough known and written about that I think it's O.K. to cut off without going into it.

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Honorable Mention:

"Demon Of The Fall" by Opeth, from 1998's My Arms, Your Hearse

My Arms, Your Hearse is a concept album, telling the story of a recently deceased man who looks in on his widow and finds her oddly content with his death. He begins to assume she had some hand in his death, and decides to haunt her for her betrayal. This song is the point where he revisits her after she has been with another man. It's played as the most extreme song on the album, with death growls and heavy instrumentation leading the charge. But in the final section, the tune mellows a tad and suddenly the main character is portrayed with clean vocals after he finally sees her face again. The words then reflect a mourning in their lost love, as he begs her to run away and laments that all they had is now gone forever. The final heavy riff in the song is also just beautiful in its own right. Also check out this newer acoustic, non-extreme arrangement they've started playing. I prefer the original, because I like the way it changes tone for the final section better.

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Third Place:

"Little Wing" by The Jimi Hendrix Experience, from 1967's Axis: Bold As Love

For the record, the intro to this is my main ringtone. This piece has a special place in my heart because it's just a magically soothing melody. it doesn't matter what's wrong with the world or even how badly I'm hurt, this song can calm my nerves and ease my temper like none other. It's a beautiful guitar arrangement and deep, mellow vocal tones make it easy to get lost in the melody. The only fault with this song is its length; coming in at under three minutes, its fade-out ending promises that there is more to the solo, but you don't hear enough of it up front to feel satisfied with it. Still, the best thing you can say about any song is that it bears regular repeated play.

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Second Place:

"The Drapery Falls" by Opeth, from 2001's Blackwater Park

This song is the essence of beautiful Metal in every facet. It's hauntingly rich atmosphere is powered further by the change in temperaments of heavy and soft sections, with flawless transitions that make the contrasting parts flow as though they were identical in style. This song has a brilliant progressive range that incorporates every inch of the bands diverse talents. Every instrument features unique spotlighted moments and brilliant harmonies, and Mikael Ackerfeldt's vocals are put to the test here as he dynamically sings in higher and lower pitches, while also mixing in some death growls for good measure. In a word, this is art.

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My Favorite Song Of All Time:

"Mr. Crowley" by Ozzy Osbourne, from 1980's Blizzard Of Ozz

I will gladly admit that there is not one part of this song that is pound for pound better than second place, but this song is brought together and flows so beautifully together as a Randy Rhoads showcase that it just steals the top spot from every challenger. The song is a not entirely historically accurate interpretation of a book the band read about Aleister Crowley, a 20th century English cultist and founder of Thelema who is often seen in a foul light. Lyrically, the song isn't exactly spectacular, but despite the band taking its name from the vocalist, this is really the Randy Rhoads show. Rhoads provides two spectacular melodic solos that serve as an explosion within the song and an epic outro to conclude it. Of course, the latter solo is the better, and ends similarly to "Little Wing" with a fade-out that cuts off what is clearly an expanded solo. While the song itself doesn't feel like it cuts off too soon in terms of overall length, the solo it ends within is such a pleasure that you can't help but feel robbed of the rest of the song. They say it is always better to leave them wanting more, and it certainly works in this example.

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