Epic Anthems: Exploring the Longest Songs in Rock History
Mainstream music often favours brevity, with the mantra "don’t bore us, get to the chorus." Yet legends like The Velvet Underground and Pink Floyd have defied this, crafting epic tracks that have no reagrd for timestamps.
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"The End", The Doors (11:43) - This Oedipal closing track to the band’s legendary self-titled debut began as a breakup song but came to mean many different things to singer Jim Morrison and the band’s legion of fans.
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"In My Time of Dying", Led Zeppelin (11:06) - Based on a traditional gospel song, it has been re-imagined by many other artists, although Zeppelin’s version is probably the most well known.
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"Sister Ray", The Velvet Underground (17:27) - This iconic noise rock classic from their 1968 album, White Light/White Heat was recorded in one take and features the typical debauchery of Lou Reed's writing.
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"Shine On You Crazy Diamond", Pink Floyd (26:01) - This 9-part epic off of their 1975 album, Wish You Were Here, is a heartfelt tribute to one of the band's founding members, Syd Barrett, who had to leave due to schizophrenia and drug abuse issues.
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"Desolation Row", Bob Dylan (11:21) - This 1965 song, off of Highway 61 Revisited, was noted as Dylan’s most ambitious to date, with surreal yet poetic lyrics about urban chaos.