best long song

This is my first post here.
I've just recently begun to dig out my old art rock records and crank
out the epic jams.

I picked "other" from the list. I would have to cast my vote for
"Dogs," from Pink Floyd's Animals album. It nearly meets
xhouse's criteria in that, at 17 minutes, it almost takes up the whole
of the album's first side.

The Velvet Underground's "Sister Ray" is another favorite of mine in
the neighborhood of 17 minutes, although I'm sure most people
here wouldn't consider them to be "progressive." It can be said, I
believe, that VU certainly brought an attitude of arty detachment to
rock 'n' roll that would be an influence on future groups of art
rockers.

It's interesting to see how various posters define the term "long,"
since there are, admittedly, different ways to understand what makes
a piece of music "long." Someone earlier proposed a minimun
duration of 15 minutes, although a few of the songs listed in the poll
are in the 7 - 12 minute range. (It's a bit ironic "21st Century
Schizoid Man" was included in this poll, since it's actually one of the
shortest songs on King Crimson's debut.)

Your average person will often say a song is "long" when they really
mean it's "too long." Sometimes, of course, a song can seem longer
than it is because it's dull or repetitive, and that will make listening
to it more of a test of endurance than an act of enjoyment. A song
needn't even really be "long" to seem "long." The challenge early
prog rockers set for themselves was to expand the common forms of
popular song structure (often using devices borrowed from jazz and
classical music) and give audiences, eager for a concert experience
much more musically elaborate than what was then typical, their
money's worth. The best artists are those who can create an
extended work and make it compelling for their audiences. Those
who try and fail serve to unintentionally demonstrate how difficult
that can be.

As an additional note, anyone here interested in virtuoso solo
acoustic guitar performances should look into the John Fahey album
America, recorded in 1971. There is a 15-minute piece called
"Voice of The Turtle" that is one of the most enthralling pieces of
music I've ever heard. Highly recommended.

Shine on You Crazy Diamond

Followed (very) closely by Echoes, The Cinema Show, and Awaken

All of Tales From Topographic Oceans.

Also, "The Camera Eye" by Rush, it's extremely underrated.

I don't think 21st Century Schizoid Man is a long song, its just over 7 minutes 30 seconds.

oracus wrote: Providence from Godspeed you! Black Emperor...

Also, I'm not sure if I could call either one my 'favorite', but Kansas "Magnum Opus" and "Song for America" at least deserve a mention.

So you put Starless and 21st Century Schizoid Man on there but not Lizard?  Lizard clocks in at 23 minutes, the other two are like ten...

I refuse to vote based on those circumstances.

Karn evil 9

 

I voted other!

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