by Listmaster Flash
I have recently been a strong believer in the theory that men with beards have the best voices, and write the greatest songs. Here is a list of my current top 10 favourites written by men with more than impressive facial hair.
10. Second Chance - Liam Finn
This bearded Kiwi really knows his way around a guitar, looping station and drum kit. He also has a very nice beard. This track builds up from some catchy poppy guitar and vocals, to an all out looped chaos, with Liam more or less destroying his drum kit in live performances of this track.
9. Passing Afternoon - Iron & Wine
Wow what a beard. No wonder this song is so good. Beautiful lyrics and an excellent melody, this song could easily make a 'top 10 album closers' list.
8. Raining In Darling - Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
Mmmm yes while his beard makes him look scarier than your average indie singer, Will Oldham is one of the most amazing song writers I have discovered recently. Another contender for the 'top 10 album closers' list, this is also perhaps the best song ever to ever fall under the 2 minute mark.
7. Golden - My Morning Jacket
My beloved band of recent times, Jim James has always (until recently) showcased a beautiful beard. I could have filled this whole list with Jim James written tracks, he is really that amazing. Golden features two characteristics of a great song: lap steel and falsetto, and when this is combined with excellent song writing a true masterpiece occurs.
6. The Seed - Cody Chesnutt
Cody has a way for making obscene lyrics sound really normal and really sweet. For example:
'I push my seed in her push for life
It's gonna work because I'm pushin' it right
If Mary drops my baby girl tonight
I would name her Rock-N-Roll.'
Perhaps it's his charming beard that allows him to pull it off. Whatever it is, here he has created one of my ultimate pop tunes.
5. You're The One - The Black Keys
Dan Auerbach's decision to really go all out with the beard growth clearly had a positive effect, with great songs like this being created. This song effectively shows bearded men's softer sensitive side. Could you resist a bearded man like this singing "you're the one"? That's what I thought.
4. Maybe You're Right - Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam)
While the religion of Islam has pushed Yusuf's beard to amazing levels of greatness, his Cat Stevens days are perhaps where the beard created the most magic. Maybe You're Right is one of those all time classic songs, that just has some unique quality (beard?) about it that will preserve it in musical history forever.
3. For Emma - Bon Iver
A group who perhaps deserves more mentions in this list, due to their serious beard-growing skills and Justin Vernon's amazing song-writing qualities, Bon Iver comes in at a deserved number 3. This beautiful track is best enjoyed in acapella form (see youtube link).
2. Steam Engine - My Morning Jacket
Yes yes, an artist being included twice. But they deserve it! James' beard is in full effect here, creating a climatic affair including more falsetto, and just more overall greatness. I grew a beard hoping that I would be able to write a song like this, but it didn't work....musn't have been long enough.
1. I See A Darkness - Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
Oldham's second track in the list is a guaranteed entry into my 'top songs of all time' list, and also proof of the sheer song-writing capabilities of bearded men. Chilling, haunting, beautiful... this song could be described in so many words, but is rather something that needs to be experienced individually. If you don't own the album 'I See A Darkness' (1999), get that and go from there.
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Hee hee. These are my top songs. http://caroleschatter.blogspot.co.nz/2011/11/my-top-25-actually-43-favourites-tracks.html
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