4. "Perfect Day"
Album:
Transformer (1972) Yeah, it's that song from
Trainspotting. But more than just a great choice for drug overdose accompaniment, "Perfect Day" is perhaps the most emotional song Lou's ever done. Taken at face value, it's a love song. But upon more attentive listening, it's clear that there's something else underneath the surface: "You made me forget myself," Lou sings, "I thought I was someone else, someone good." If that line doesn't break your heart, the string arrangement by Mick Ronson will. It's sensibly done, swelling in just the right moments and letting Lou's voice occupy the foreground at all times. Lou's vocal performance here has often been panned by critics, but it's definitely one of his best. The way he treats each line like it's hard to say - like he means it more than he's willing to admit - is enough to earn the song a place in music history. And the way Lou's voice meshes with the wall of strings behind him gives is nothing short of reveletory. It's a masterpiece, plain and simple. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYEC4TZsy-Y