A moment on the lips, a lifetime whirling around in my brain

This is where the concept gets even more tortured, when instead of the best song ever all my mind can conjure up are moments within songs, memorable, magic moments (ho ho) that render the rest of the song obsolete.
Let me give you two examples.
1) Dusty Springfield and the Pet Shop Boys - What Have I Done To Deserve This. Now, Dusty is fantastic but the production on this leaves her double tracked all over the place, as though the "Boys" were suspicious of the longevity of her talent. Which is fine. Now, I'm a huge admirer of Dusty's voice but it's hard to admit that in a world that judges you for such an opinion. For many a long year it has been an accepted fact that in order to like Dusty you must be gay. Or, more accurately, in order to be gay you must like Dusty. I'm reclaiming her for the straight of the species, a bit like Billy Bragg trying to reclaim the George Cross from the facists.
And there is one moment of spine tingling brilliance on this song. All she does is go slightly deeper and spread the word "Yeah" out across a couple of bars with a little sexy quiver. I hear it now and it still works wonders. A great moment in an average song.
2) John Lennon - God
This is a pickle of a song. It starts with a piano and bass line that are warm and tender before descending in the pitiful repitition of "Here's a list of all the things I'm going to whine about now that I'm now well off and you're going to have to listen and oh yes I'm going to slag off the one thing that made me famous." So once he climaxes at his hatred of the Beatles, it is as though every venomous instinct is flushed from his body. And suddenly the warmth returns, the bass line returns, the tenderness returns. And there's a greater depth to his voices as well, before reedy and tight, suddenly it flows and right at the point where he says "that's reality" you can forgive him anything. Well, almost. Imagine remains a crime against humanity.

Right, now that nonsense is out of the way (may contain nuts)

No, it's not Please Sir. Or To Sir With Love. Or Don't Stand So Close To Me. Er, running out of teacher related music (thankfully). No, this one is strictly sentimental I'm afraid.
Look, I like the Beatles. And yes, I am aware that each Beatles has a solo output this is, at best, patchy. Expect Maybe I'm Amazed to be the best song ever at song point. and Tug of War. I really liked All Things Must Pass and have kept my vinal copy in quite decent condition. kept the poster, hope to get some money for it one day. And of course I'm sure Ringo did one or two ok things as well.
And then there's John. And, of course, Yoko. And Imagine which is the biggest pile of non-Simon Cowell related shit ever released.
Fact.
And yes, I know he was pretty good at times too.
But the Rock 'n' Roll album? Yeah man, roots, get back to where you once belong (or was that Paul's song) but for fuck's sake admit that you forgot how to right songs and you thought you'd do some covers to keep yourself in Rolls Royces and mansion (no possessions my arse).
But Double Fantasy is important to me because it is a record I associate with my nan. And in old tradition, as one enters the family so another one seeks to leave it. As we have got Ben and consider ourselves blessed, so too are we coming to terms that nan may be about to depart. Well, twenty six years ago she bought a copy of Double Fantasy and I remember listening to some of it as a youngster. The song that is the current best song ever is the one that still sometimes does it for, especially as it reminds me of I'm Only Sleeping, which is a good thing.
So, sleep well tonight. I'll see you in the morning to continue this very strange week for our family. But for now, the best song ever for the next fifteen minutes is:
Watching the Wheels by John Lennon.


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