The 'long' songs from the '70's...Hotel California etc.

[Hermit]

Does anyone write songs like the 'old' days? The songs were long with lots of variations in sound and sort of told a story.

Hotel Califonia by the Eagles is one and Bohemiam Rhapsody (sp?) by Queen and even Bat Out Of Hell by Meatloaf are examples.

These songs went on for 5 mintues or more. Do groups still exist that sing/perform like that? Or is just plain 'old' now and not acceptable?

I'm just curious.

[aspier]

Does anyone write songs like the 'old' days? The songs were long with lots of variations in sound and sort of told a story.

Hotel Califonia by the Eagles is one and Bohemiam Rhapsody (sp?) by Queen and even Bat Out Of Hell by Meatloaf are examples.

These songs went on for 5 mintues or more. Do groups still exist that sing/perform like that? Or is just plain 'old' now and not acceptable?

I'm just curious.


Cohen's 'Don't pass me by' = 17 min! I think the thing is music's 'function' has changed. records are not anymore made for listening and experiencing = form of art, etc. Even the life takes are casted. Its a commercial time issue. Radio stations even cut off last bits of records! The world is going down. Evereything is pre pre pre and over and over again. Where I am they are still playing c rap from the 50ties.

I second you on tour quest for finding 'long songs'. New ones!

[firehorse]

American Pie comes to mind, too.

I think Aspier is right; there may be longer songs, but they're not the singles any more. Every songwriter I know aims for 3:20 if they're writing a single.

Springsteen's "Desolation Row" (about writers) is 11 minutes long.

I find Latin and other world music more flexible in terms of length; then again, when there are lyrics, I'm not sure what they 're saying, but I love the music.

Then there are Phish jams which, while not exactly songs, can last up to several hours ;)

[poetinahat]

Hmmm. Just finished a masterful, epic post for this board, but my session timed out and I lost the lot. Probably for the best; like that 27-minute live 'Dazed and Confused' I pretended to like in high school, it's best left to drift away. I'll leave it at this:

Stan Ridgway: Known for 'Mexican Radio'; also produced brilliant tales with a twangy, desert noir aesthetic, spinning yarns about reporters, nutty neighbours, factory workers deranged from years of inhaling toxic dust, cabbies, and GI's.

Mose Allison's Long Song is a good-natured ribbing of the genre:
...
I'll have to come up with a line or two
About how I just can't go on without you
Or maybe that old standby:
I'm gonna love you 'till the day I die

If that ain't long enough
I just might forget about all that stuff
And tell 'em how you did me wrong
What this show needs is a long song
...

Great topic!

[Celeste]

Loooong song? Inagodadavida by Iron Butterfly. (1968 but close enough..;) )
17 minutes, I think it was...

I think the days of long kick azz songs like the ones that've been posted are loooong gone. Sad.

[gabbleandhiss]

Guns N' Roses - "November Rain" (Released as a single in 1992. Clocks in just under 9 minutes, I believe. Reached #2 on the Top 40.) They have quite a few lengthy tracks, actually: November Rain, Estranged, Coma, Locomotive (to name a few.

Pink Floyd was fond of long songs, as well.

The Doors -- "The End"

Elton John and Bernie Taupin created many long tracks.

Don McLean -- "American Pie"

Metallica's "The Unforgiven" hit the Top 40 circa 1992. I believe it was a good 6 minutes long.

The Clash.

Television -- "Marqee Moon" (a little over 10 minutes long)

http://www.dprp.net/longsongs/longsongs.php

[poetinahat]

Guns N' Roses - "November Rain" (Released as a single in 1992. Clocks in just under 9 minutes, I believe.)
...

http://www.dprp.net/longsongs/longsongs.php

Forgot about Marquee Moon... also, The Damned's 'Curtain Call' (ca. 1980) -- a brilliant, epic album side; if you haven't heard it, its beauty is startling, as is its scope.

None of us can come up with much that isn't 10, 20, 30 or more years old!

Hmmm: no one has mentioned Grandmaster Flash's 'The Message'. Even if rap isn't your thing, this is a classic.

So, um... what's new???

[gabbleandhiss]

I think most of the following were radio singles:

Fiona Apple - "Slow Like Honey" (just under 6 minutes)
Nine Inch Nails - "Closer" (6 minutes)
Radiohead - "Everything In Its Right Place" (almost 6 minutes)
Radiohead - "There There" (a little over 5 minutes)
Tool - "Schism" (over 6 minutes)
Tool - "Forty-Six and 2" (6 minutes)

[amidsummerswrite]

I know CCR's 'Heard It Through The Grapevine' was a looooooong one. I remember listening to it on the way to Florida for spring break. I swear it lasted through the whole State of Tennessee.

No, most bands these days are not doing songs over 4 minutes, let alone 5. Unless they are big stars, then they can do that kind of stuff.

[astonwest]

I imagine people have been conditioned (not just through radio, but through TV as well) to have shorter attention spans as well...

Not to mention the amount of airtime a music video would take for a 20 minute song...