Kurt Cobain’s lyrics are sung with such abandon that you can hardly make them out - but that’s how they’re meant to be. Nirvana was at their most aggressive with “Tourette’s,” the second-to-last track on 1993’s In Utero. Originally appearing on the band’s self-titled debut, “Career Opportunities” showed that the most meaningful gestures toward no-good employers are short and sweet. Costello manages to fit smart harmonies, hopeful lyrics and some great chord progressions in the minute-and-a-half track that appears on My Aim is True. If most work weeks went by ask quickly as this song does, the world would be a much happier place. Elvis Costello – “Welcome to the Working Week” Although, it might take us a little longer than two minutes to explain why we shouldn’t do that.ĩ. “Why Don’t We Do it in the Road” is the White Album’s shortest cut, but it’s repetitive lyrics, and a strong vocal performance from McCartney make it instantly memorable. The Beatles – “Why Don’t We Do it in the Road The seventh track on Neutral Milk Hotel’s masterpiece, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, features frontman Jeff Mangum’s hushed melodies and guitar over waves of noise and perfectly sets up the epic “Oh Comely.” 10. Neutral Milk Hotel – “Communist Daughter” One of the rowdiest takes from Titus Andronicus’ Civil War-inspired The Monitor features gang vocals that show the camaraderie that both being in a war and being in a band can bring. Titus Andronicus – “Titus Andronicus Forever” The quick-firing vocals explore purity, regret and sadness over some busy, snare-heavy drums. Wiry guitars and James Mercer’s haunting voice make this quick piece from Oh, Inverted World so memorable. And what better example is there than the Violent Femmes’ initially mean “Fat?” Turns out that frontman Gordon Gano doesn’t necessarily want his ex-love to be fat out of spite-he just wants her back. It’s strange how a closer listen can completely change your perception of a song. Just barely scraping under the two-minute cap, Radiohead’s beautiful, paranoid look into an apocalyptic future is scarier for its unresolved ending. With great vocal takes, a signature Brian May guitar solo and an out-of-the-blue key change, this song is welcome any day of the week. Queen – “Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon”Ĭlassic, campy and a little goofy, Queen’s “Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon” can’t be discounted because of its playfulness. The lyrics for Outkast’s “?” are intense on paper, but with a thumping, bass-heavy backing track and Andre 3000’s rapid-fire vocals, the song might have been too much to stretch across a longer length of time.
Tom Waits’ beautiful tribute to aging takes something important into consideration: We’re not gonna be here forever, so why waste our time with long songs? The singer’s gravelly voice sounds as comforting as it gets with the help of some classy horn and string arrangements.
We quit counting Robert Pollard’s sub-two-minute tracks at 50 and decided the best of those is “A Salty Salute,” a bass-led, lo-fi rocker that appears on 1995’s Alien Lanes. And it gives a great resolution to one of Clark’s best albums, 2009’s Actor 19. Quick but still filled with complex, layered instrumentation, the track has Annie Clark’s strained melodies competing with strings and woodwinds. Tell us yours in the comments sections below. In honor of our shortest month, we’ve listed 20 of our favorite short tracks below. Sure, they’re best associated with punk acts like the Ramones, but super-short tracks know no genre bounds. Too many musicians have forgotten the old adage, “Leave them wanting more.” There’s no easier way to make a lasting impression than with a track that’s quick and to-the-point.