Run-D.M.C., Led Zeppelin, Lady Gaga, Halestorm, George Jones: What Exactly Are The Ingredients Of A Great Song?

Hello,

Great song, terrible acting for Run-D.M.C.'s "It's Tricky":



There are songs from nearly every genre that are considered classics, so what is it that makes a song a great song? Why are songs that sound so different from each other can still be equally great? What is it that can make "Luck Be A Lady" to "Whole Lotta Love" to "He Stopped Loving Her Today" to "Bad Romance" all great songs and classics?

Ol' Blue Eyes fantastic take on "Luck Be A Lady Tonight":



Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love":



George Jones heartbreak masterpiece "He Stopped Loving Her Today":



Lady Gaga's masterful "Bad Romance":



Even when Halestorm puts their rock stamp, the song remains great. It seems a great song can remain great even if it switches genres. (Of course I'm sure that has it's limits.)



The Chipmunks diminishing returns version of "Bad Romance":



From "Phantom of The Opera, "Music Of The Night":



Here's the two premiere "Phantom" voices Michael Crawford and the spine tingling voice of Sarah Brightman:



Again what makes a great song? Other than all being great songs, the songs I mentioned have very little in common. They are from different eras and decades, each song has a different tempo, the artists are men and women, groups and solo- there doesn't seem to be one unifying theme. Even the genres of the songs are different: rock, rap, pop, country, broadway, standards and even the Chipmunks.

So once again, what makes up a great song? I wrote this blog hoping I would find an answer, but I only became more confused. Since it's 2014 I decided to take this question to Facebook. I agree with what a  friend said, she nailed it on the head. She said it's "the feeling and sentiment that it brings to the listener." The common ingredient for greatness is how a song makes us feel. That feeling can come from taking us mentally to another place, time or both.

themusicaddict