The Most Philosophical Song You Ever Heard

Charles Aznavour’s Yesterday When I Was Young covered by Roy Clark amongst many others.

"I ran so fast that time and youth at last ran out
I never stopped to think what life was all about
And every conversation I can now recall
Concerned itself with me, me and nothing else at all"

When it comes to philosophical surely Jacques Brel should always get a mention.

The one that immediately comes to mind is the love it/loathe it UK smash hit Seasons in the Sun as recorded by Terry Jacks.

Oh hang on, what about Leonard Cohen’s Chelsea Hotel?

I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel You were famous, your heart was a legend
You told me again, you preferred handsome men
But for me you would make an exception And clenching your fist for the ones like us
Who are oppressed by the figures of beauty
You fixed yourself, you said "Well nevermind
We are ugly but we have the music"


Or Lou Reed’s Pale Blue Eyes?

Skip a life completely.
Stuff it in a cup.
She said, Money is like us in time,
It lies, but can’t stand up.
Down for you is up."

There’s booze in the blender, and soon it will render, that frozen concoction that helps me hang on, is looking better and better.    

It does make me wonder though about the philosophical ramifications. If we could choose, would we all go to Margaritaville? Would life be sweeter in Pina Coladatown?

Prelude to the Afternoon of a Sexually Aroused Gas MaskOr is it Covid Mask?

It's A Little Like Love. Joe Ely. This sums the whole thing up. This guy is an American treasure. 

+1 for 16 Tons, Like A Rolling Stone and These Days

That's part of the beauty of the art, the interpertation is in the eyes of the beholder - and no interpertation is wrong

Margaritaville is a great example, MC hears philosophy, waltersalas hears an addict coming to terms and I hear someone putting the events of their summer vaction into song

I saw an interview with Keith RIchards and they asked him what song xyz123 was about (I cannot recall the specific song) and Keith asked him what does the song mean to you.  The guy responded well it means blah blah blah and Keith said then that's what the song is about.  Keith said it's much more meaningful when you can personalize it and what it means to each individual than me telling everyone what was on my mind when I wrote it - (something to that effect)

Here's of few of my favorite lines and verses that speak to my heart and make me think

Maybe tomorrow the good Lord take it away - Dream On by Aerosmith

Lesson number one bettter learn while you're young
Life just goes on and on getting harder and harder - Indian Girl by the Rolling Stones

Oh yea life goes on long after the thrill of living is gone - Jack and Diane by John Mellencamp

Poor man loves a rich man, envies his luxeries 
Rich man loves a poor man, envies his simplicity - Dance Part II by The Rolling Stones

And, finally you have found someone perfect
And, finally you have found
Yourself - Hard To Concentrate by the RHCP

Chilhood living is easy to do - Wild Horses by the Rolling Stones

Happy listening and enjoy the journey

how about "The Impossible Dream" by Mitch Leigh 

....Happy Fried-day....I can read y'all are having....fun?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3W1-Pco9Uk

"...meanwhile, back at the Newzpest....."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw_cdqQHGA8

...pick Your PsyChosis...Today, ONLY 25.95*

*Note: Lack of denoted currency (Be advised or beware)

How could I forget this? 
I'll Love You Till the End of the World - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

@noromance ....Dam', I tried hard.....I'mean Really, REALLY Hard....

Thanks....

...like NYCs' barge waste....

.....some things jus' gotta come home....

A little obvious but elenor rigby. Lyrics and strings.  Can’t help but loving it

The times they are a changin.  I’m my youth an anthem. In maturity having to compare my hard earned life lessons can the passions of today’s youth

@cd318. Jacques Brel - The Old Folks

Legend Of A Mind by The Moody Blues! "Timothy Leary's dead. No he's not. He's outside listening!"

...pause for cause...*s*

Thanx 2 MC for a tread that could be 'entertaining' on a 8th of a night...;)

Philosophy:  Good idea, or relentless annoyance?

Xpound...😏

Here are a couple more that I like:

The Seeker - The Who
Both Sides Now - Joni Michell

“Why” - The Byrds. 🥸

Or
“Pretty maids all in a row” -  Joe Walsh/Eagles
”Why do we give up our hearts to the past, and why must we grow up so fast?”

OK,  if I really think about it,,,,,
the entire album, “The Innocent Age” by Dan Fogelberg qualifies.

Joe Ely " It's A Little Like Love" just about sums it all up.    Diz

...and as an entrant into the songs I have a 'love/hate' relationship with:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgnClrx8N2k&list=RDGXE_n2q08Yw&index=4

Levels up...Apprehension?

Ditto.

Good night. 😒

David Gray, "Ain't No Love" https://genius.com/David-gray-aint-no-love-lyrics

@noromance I like Zappa but have missed "Evelyn, the modified dog". Will listen to it tomorrow. 

Another Zappa: Trouble every day

There is no way to delay the trouble coming every day

Linkin Parks "One more light" is kind of philosophical. Does a life really matter?
----
If they say
Who cares if one more light goes out?
In a sky of a million stars
It flickers, flickers
Who cares when someone's time runs out?
If a moment is all we are
We're quicker, quicker
Who cares if one more light goes out?
Well I do

...how about belief in sheer group audio Power....*S*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JozAmXo2bDE&list=RDGMEMJQXQAmqrnmK1SEjY_rKBGA&index=16

Let’s drink to the hard-working people

Let’s drink to the lowly of birth

Raise your glass to the good and the evil

Let’s drink to the salt of the earth

Mick and Keith

Albert Collins, "I aint drunk"

Praying for time : George Michael 

I guess "Blowin’ in the Wind" comes to mind, but I have not given it much thought.

"Poncho and Lefty" (Emmy Lou version) also comes to mind, as does "Give Peace a Chance" but now I am getting political, so...

Cheers!

“Is That All There Is”
  Peggy Lee

I was going to mention XTC Dear God, but it already was. Excellent song !

@stevewharton
Jackson Browne wrote "These Days" at the young age of sixteen!

"These Days" is a song written by Jackson Browne and recorded by numerous artists. Browne wrote the song at age 16; its lyrics deal with loss and regret.

“Old Man”, Neil Young
”Chestnut Mare”, The Byrds

First off, great topic MC.

I find a lot of the songs mentioned walk a fine line between being "observational" about the human condition versus being philosophical about it, although sometimes both will happen within the same song. Both perspectives are probably valid; so, here's a couple of more observational songs:

Think For a Minute - Housemartins
Don't Interrupt the Sorrow - Joni Mitchell

Good point. This is more purely philosophical.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9nyWg7obj4

sunday paper on a saturday night 

Alber Collins- "I aint't drunk" , I'm just drinkin.

Indigo girls "Closer to Fine"

The Grateful Dead:  "Ripple" and "Box of Rain" have eternity shining through them.

The Bloody Violation of Mickey Mouse's Virginity on 59th Street         Bedtime For Bonzo

Thanks to the Abominable Snowman for Monty Python's "Philosopher's Song." That belongs here in response to MC's OP—for its sarcasm. It has always seemed to me that skit's point was to poke fun at Australians. The Aussie philosophy department where everyone is called Bruce has departmental rules that include "This term I don't want to catch anyone not drinking." Chapman, Cleese and Idle all met at Cambridge, and all studied philosophy there. The pun that motivates this sketch, I take it, is a familiar English condescension toward those moronic Aussies, who have misunderstood and believe that philosophers are supposed to "drink" instead of "think."

I teach a university course on "Philosophy and Music." But that's meant somewhat tongue in cheek, too, as it isn't at all clear that music has even a potential to be "philosophical" in any serious sense of the word. Still, Plato (and Pythagoras before him) believed that mathematical relations were audible in music and, as math expresses eternal Being (not the mere appearances of "becoming" in the realm of the senses, the shadow realm of the famous cave allegory), Plato considered music to be a very high form of philosophical expression. He wasn't, of course, the last to do so; my favorite would have to be Schopenhauer, for whom music functions as a kind of empirical validation of his entire metaphysics. 

Be that as it may, what does, or can, music—sequences of tones—"express"? The examples in this thread, from the OP's onward, cite lyrics, which might as well be "poetry" and not "music." But can instrumental music express ideas? Or, for that matter, even "emotions"? I know we all think it can—obviously, dance music at a funeral would be inappropriate, while languid melodies in a minor key will hardly enliven your party. But why do we think this? How can it do this?

Maybe that's a topic for another thread. In any case, with this problem in mind, I'll mention again John Cage's 4'33". 

hilde452,541 posts10-07-2021 10:17pmIf anyone quotes a Doors song, I'm outta here.

Five To One!

Supertramp’s. Goodbye stranger

A bit long winded but worth the read based on the questions. The song is...

Dead Can Dance
How Fortunate the Man with None

You saw sagacious Solomon

You know what came of him

To him, complexities seemed plain

He cursed the hour that gave birth to him

And saw that everything was vain

How great and wise was Solomon

The world, however, did not wait

But soon observed what followed on

It's wisdom that had brought him to this state

How fortunate the man with none

You saw courageous Caesar next

You know what he became

They deified him in his life

Then had him murdered just the same

And as they raised the fatal knife

How loud he cried "you to my son!"

The world, however, did not wait

But soon observed what followed on

It's courage that had brought him to that state

How fortunate the man with none

You heard of honest Socrates

The man who never lied

They weren't so grateful as you'd think

Instead the rulers fixed to have him tried

And handed him the poisoned drink

How honest was the people's noble son

The world, however, did not wait

But soon observed what followed on

It's honesty that brought him to that state

How fortunate the man with none

Here you can see respectable folk

Keeping to God's own laws

So far he hasn't taken heed

You who sit safe and warm indoors

Help to relieve out bitter need

How virtuously we had begun

The world, however, did not wait

But soon observed what followed on

It's fear of God that brought us to that state

How fortunate the man with none

The Great Mandela by Peter, Paul and Mary.  One of the great anti-war songs of the 60's plus, for me anyway, a very emotional thought provoking song.  I still listened to it on a fairly regular basis.   

Also, Where Have All the Flowers Gone.  Another great anti-war song this time by Pete Seeger.

Richard

Jack and Diane

Cats in the cradle

America
Simon & Garfunkel

...seems applicable these daze....