There are songs that are capable of stirring you in ways that no words can. There's something about music, when everything comes together right, that can cause you to plunge into emotions you never even knew you had, long-lost memories, personal tragedies overcome and a motivation toward triumph in your own life's obstacles.
These are epic songs.
When I use the word "epic," I use it in the classical sense of the word, not the more recent hipster vernacular ("That Snow Patrol concert was epic, but there were too many people.")
Epic, for my purposes, means large in scope. This means some will be lengthy tracks, but length is not a requirement. Some just have a lot to say in their lyrics. Others may be sparse in the lyrics department. Some of these have deep personal meaning for me, and others are just amazingly good songs.
This list is in no real order, and is not meant in any way to be comprehensive. Feel free to add your own in the comments.
"1983 (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)" by Jimi Hendrix
This is the centerpiece of "Electric Ladyland" for me. The tracks at the end of the album are deeper and more lush ("All Along the Watchtower" and "House Burning Down") than the more traditionalist classic rockers at the beginning (like "Crosstown Traffic"). It's dreamy, moody and adventurous with soaring and plunging guitar riffs as only Jimi could do it. It's one of the trippiest songs ever penned by the acid rocker, and you get the impression that he felt free enough to wander a bit on this track.
"The Prophet's Song" by Queen
Even if you don't care for classic rock, chances are you know that Queen can rock and rock hard. This song slows down the pace a bit before building to an operatic crescendo that showcases not only Brian May's peerless guitar work, but the seemingly boundless abilities of Freddie Mercury's singing voice, which is beautifully layered using early tape delay devices in this performance. It's one of Queen's longest songs, yet is not recognized by many, perhaps because it's on the same album as the more well-known "Bohemian Rhapsody," but this is a beautiful, emotive song.
"Knights of Cydonia" by Muse
What a ripping good song! The spaghetti Western, post-apocalyptic, retro-space age feel of it is just wonderful. It's all at once over the top and just enough. A real anthem. I love the falsetto singing and galloping rhythm. It's like a mix of Queen, Pink Floyd and Ennio Morricone, somehow. Give it a listen if you haven't heard it.
"Loverman" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
This song is fearless. It's unafraid to paint a disturbing portrait of the dark side of love. A lot of artists call love a dangerous obsession, but in this song the wicked rasps and howls of Nick Cave positively revel in that concept. Love is a consuming, scary thing. It can be selfish, vindictive and scarring. I've always loved the way this song communicates what a forceful, amoral energy love can be sometimes.
"Exit Music (For a Film)" by Radiohead
When I think of the word "crescendo," I think immediately of this song. The meaning of the story spelled out is open to interpretation, but musically it's a tragic, soul-battering ride. This is Radiohead at their most haunting, and just about every time I listen to the song, I have to listen to it again immediately afterward. Even on repeated listenings, though, the lyrics are vague enough to draw an entirely different interpretation each time.
"L'Arena" by Ennio Morricone
Originally used in a movie called "The Mercenary," Quentin Tarantino introduced this spacious, moody track to fresh audiences in "Kill Bill Volume II." The haunting whistling, the rich trumpets, the melodious choruses that make all of Morricone's work so distinctive are all there, but the thing I love most about this instrumental is the fact that it's basically one long crescendo, and as you may have guessed by now, I enjoy crescendos. It reminds me of Ravel's "Bolero." A great song to play for yourself on the drive home from a hard day's work.
"Bonzo Goes to Bitberg (My Brain is Hanging Upside Down)" by The Ramones
The Ramones, divided as a band on politics, often avoided commenting on current events. This punk rock opera was recorded in response to President Reagan's laying of a wreath at a cemetary in which Nazi soldiers were buried. Neither The Ramones nor punk rock in general are usually regarded as capable of such an anthemic song, and that is why this one is special to me. Ramones songs are so barebones simple that this one may come as a shock to fans who were used to tracks like "Blitzkreig Bop" and "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue." There's a lot going on here.
"Ágætis Byrjun" by Sigur Ros
Sigur Ros has a skill for starkly beautiful anthemic melodies, but I love the way this one in particular builds and changes pace dramatically. The mournfully happy (a phrase I had to invent strictly for this song) Icelandic verses give way to a startling climax that's probably comparable to getting rapidly punched in the chest with Thor's fist or something equally Scandinavian.
"Ball and Chain" by Social Distortion
This one is a simple song in some ways, but there's just something about it that keeps me going back to it. I gravitate toward this song, and have listened to it during a lot of different times in life. There's something comforting and familiar about it. Like an everyman's anthem. A song for unrepentant losers. It's tragic, yet uplifting. It's bittersweet, like life itself. It's a hard rock song that can make me cry. How many of those are there?
"The Ghost of Tom Joad " by Bruce Springsteen
I'm not sure how this will sound, but if you've ever had trouble understanding why someone could be proud to be from a place like Oklahoma, as I am, listen to this song. To me, this song embodies my state's proud history of protest, struggle and sorrow. It's idealistic, it's tragic, it's amazing. And Bruce gives it real feeling and life.
"Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd
This one may be a little cliche, but it has a very special meaning to me. So special, in fact, that I'm going to keep it to myself. But I can't not mention this song in my list because of what it's meant to my life, and probably has to many, many others.
Well, these things are never that much fun until we get into the comments, so please don't be shy about adding your own favorite personal anthems. Tell us what they've meant to you and your life, and how they've inspired you to greatness!
See you in the comments.