Coolest Songs Ever

[nysprod]

Not the best, not your fav, but the coolest songs ever.

But what is cool? It's not showy or eager-to-please. Cool is effortless, aloof...it doesn't try too hard or care too much. Cool is not wanting it...it's a rat-pack Sinatra, breezing through life, fingers snapping.

Humphrey Bogart (as Rick Blaine, Sam Spade, and Philip Marlowe) was the original cool actor, followed by Sean Connery as James Bond...Steve McQueen was cool's epitome, motorcycle jumping the barb wire escaping the Germans as a POW in WWII, or flying his Mustang over the hills of San Francisco as Detective Frank Bullit (he always did his own stunts, and what's cooler than that?). In any case, this is what cool looks like:



Cool plays it's games with elan, panache and bravado...think Arnold Palmer hitching up his pants and driving a 350 yard green, or Seve Ballesteros escaping a parking lot to win a British Open. John McEnroe was never cool but Bjorn Borg? Way cool.

All of which is to say that cool is indefinable; the more you chase it, the faster it runs away from you.

Cool is nonchalance. Chalance, from the French chaloir ("have concern for"), which in turn derives from the Latin calere ("to be hot"). Thus to be "non-chalant" is to be "not hot."

Or put another way: "Cool."

So what's my number 1 coolest song?

The Rolling Stones' Gimme Shelter, because is war is just a shot away, love is just a kiss away. And Mick's harmonica. And Keith Richards coolest ever guitar licks (which any guitarist of modest talent can play, but only he could think of).

[VictoriaVeil]

as to why? cuz its Cool. :P

[Jericho]

[kaitlynnwebster]

check out my blog http://kaitlynnwebblog.blogspot.ca/

[nysprod]

TEED's...Loves it!

[Lovecox]

To me, the song "Is That All There Is?" by Leiber and Soller, sung by Peggy Lee is the greatest song of all time. It is charming, hilariously funny and most of all so very sadly true.

[Idt20082008"]

If we are talking about cool, the discussion begins and ends with the incomparable Miles Davis. Pick a song, any Miles Davis song. For our purposes here, Ill say one of my favorites - 'Round Midnight from album of same name. It doesn't get any better or cooler than Miles (although John Coltrane isn't far behind)

[danthepoetman]

I'm sure I don't have much expertise on what's cool. But one of the best rock recording to my taste, and especially judging with the effect of time, is probably this, Since I've Benn Loving You, Led Zeppelin. I think I have a slight preference for the original recording (next) than the one from the amazing show and film, The Song Remains the Same.






And there's always this one...

[danthepoetman]

When it comes to making it seem easy, there's this old guy, apparently more or less forgotten today, Shawn Phillips. Here's Second Contribution, full album. I particularly recomend Song for Sagitarians, from 20:00 minutes on...

[Prospero]

I think those who post pop or heavy metal tracks on a thread about "cool" are, in essence, missing the point. They may well be your favourite songs and they ay be great but cool is a state of mind and an attitude....a certain frame of mind about being relaxed and insouciant.
I always associate it with the french especially. Singers like Juliette greco for instance and, yes, the great Miles davis certainly exuded cool.

So my nomination for a great cool song - not the best for sure (there are too many) would be La Javanaise



and this - my favourite Miles Davis track. Empty streets, late night, a beautiful girl with you...