Pinpointed: Best SUpporting Song

By: Bailey Tolentino

 
 

Pinpointed: Best Supporting Song Goes To…

I have been really obsessed with reading (and violently disagreeing with) Rolling Stone’s ‘500 Greatest’ articles recently. I won’t spoil anything, but let’s just say that some of the albums that found their way to (or failed to be included in) the top 100 of the ‘500 Greatest Albums of All Time’ article had me seriously wondering what the evaluation system is over at Rolling Stone. I am an ardent believer in the fact that what makes an album great is the way it runs, not the amount of hits it has on it. 

I think RS was listing certain albums just to give credit to some artists for being the greatest artists of all time… but there are some artists whose albums shouldn’t be there, because their best works are individual songs across their discography. My top examples of this are The Smiths (who did not get an RS Top 100 shoutout) and Bob Dylan (who did, but shouldn’t have if The Smiths didn’t). I’ll cut off my rant here to introduce what I’ll be pinpointing in this article: supporting songs that ‘carry’ some of the greatest albums of all time, since the hits are usually just the gateway drug. All six of these albums are on the Rolling Stone list, though I do not agree with how they were ranked (hence the order I’ve put them in). Subtitles include each song’s respective album, its ranking in brackets, and its biggest hits.

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  1. ‘Golden Slumbers’ by The Beatles 

Abbey Road [#5]: ‘Come Together’ or ‘Hey Jude’

It actually pained me to pick between this song, ‘Oh! Darling’, and ‘Something’; but I’ve landed on this, because without the piano in ‘Golden Slumbers’, we wouldn’t have the lead-in for the epic three-track-run with ‘Carry That Weight’ and ‘The End’. Intentional transitions between songs like this are the kind of things that earn albums the badge of honour of ‘greatest of all time’. As for ‘Golden Slumbers’ itself, it has a melody that I cannot imagine living in a world without. It’s definitely testament to Paul McCartney and John Lennon being called some of the greatest songwriters ever.

  1. ‘Wake Up Alone’ by Amy Winehouse 

Back to Black [#33]: ‘Rehab’, ‘Me & Mr. Jones’, ‘Back to Black’

Though the title track has one of the most killer chord progressions I ever have and ever will hear, ‘Wake Up Alone’ has a raw quality to both its lyrics and sound that are so quintessentially Winehouse, despite its simpler melodic structure. Showing a more vulnerable side, this track portrays the moments where Winehouse realises what ‘Mr. Jones’ is really doing to her. It’s the melancholy that follows the anger that we hear in the hit tracks. P.S.: I prefer the original recording (which you can find in the album mastered for iTunes in 2011, Lioness: Hidden Treasures). The vocals are even more passionate and her lower register takes dominance, which is just stunning.

  1. ‘Giorgio by Moroder’ by Daft Punk 

Random Access Memories [#295]: ‘Get Lucky’

In all fairness, 9-minute songs usually do not get the appreciation they deserve, but I am pretty sure this song alone is what got RAM its Grammy for Album of the Year. It single-handedly piqued my interest in EDM because it’s more than just a song; it is a story. It’s the story of EDM as verbally narrated by Girogio Moroder, the ‘Father of (Euro) Disco’ and sonically narrated by a variety of synths and production styles from different eras of the genre. It chronologically progresses into the ‘future’ of electronic music, which I suppose Daft Punk projected themselves to be. It’s so impressive that they tell a story without lyrics, and regardless of whether or not you are a fan of the genre, any person with an appreciation for music should see why this is so cool.

  1. ‘Silver Springs’ by Fleetwood Mac 

Rumours [#7]: ‘Dreams’ or ‘The Chain’

I do realise this song has been going viral on TikTok, so it has been getting the recognition it deserves, but this has always been my favourite track on Rumours. I honestly think it is the best one. The bridge is captivating; I find myself rewinding to hear it again even though it occurs twice. The instrumental is magical; the song sounds like frolicking in a field (in a reflective way). Plus, the story behind it (the romance between Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham) makes it even better. It’s an anthem for any woman who has ever loved too hard for her own good, and it is just the kind of song that makes you think, ‘this is one of the greatest albums ever’… because how is it that good and not even a single?!

  1. ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ by Oasis 

(What’s The Story) Morning Glory? [#157]: ‘Wonderwall’ or ‘Champagne Supernova’

I think ‘Wonderwall’ and ‘Champagne Supernova’ both suffer from being monotone in a way that is not quite as well-executed as many of The Smiths’ songs are. This album is definitely a case where it plays through very seamlessly, thus earning its accolades; but the songs do not individually stand out. Though every Oasis song kind of sounds the same, it’s a pretty damn good sound to have; and ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ is testament to that fact.

  1. ‘Treacherous’ and ‘The Lucky One’ by Taylor Swift 

RED [#99]: ‘All Too Well, ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’, ‘22’

Oops, I’ve exposed myself as a Swiftie by not being able to pick just one song, here. I’m not being biased when I say this album definitely deserves its spot in the top 100 of that Rolling Stone list, though. Every time I listen to Red, I find myself wondering how each song is even better than the last in its own way. ‘Treacherous’ has a bit of a U2 sound to it; I love the hints of rock influence throughout RED (and miss it because it has yet to return in any of Swift’s albums since). It also has an insane bridge and lyrics that even Shakespeare couldn’t write (‘All we are is skin and bone trained to get along.’ Are you kidding me?!) ‘The Lucky One’ is an impressively insightful song, sharing the pains of being famous and not loved for who you really are, coming from a younger Swift who had not even faced a fraction of the hatred she would receive later in her career. The bassline is stunning and it’s, again, one of those songs that makes an album a ‘GOAT’ because it’s far from being the most recognised track, but it displays incredible songwriting and would get more attention if it weren’t surrounded by so many other amazing songs. Both songs are ones I like to bring up when people try to tell me that all Taylor Swift songs sound the same.


Just for fun, here are some instances where I think the most critically acclaimed or popular song on the album is undeniably the best track:

  1. ‘Starman’ by David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars [#40]

  2. ‘No Surprises’ by Radiohead - OK Computer [#42]

  3. ‘One’ by U2 - Achtung Baby [#124]

  4. ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Queen - A Night at the Opera [#128]

  5. ’Juicy’ by The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die [#133]

  6. ’drivers license’ by Olivia Rodrigo - SOUR [#358]