The “rule” of music, especially if you want your song to play on the radio, is that it should be about 3 minutes long. That’s the golden runtime for a hit. Any longer and things drag. Any shorter and the audience is just getting settled in by the time it ends. However, some artists break that “rule,” opting to live by their own clock rather than the radio’s. The three classic rock songs below all run under 1 minute, seriously falling short of the agreed-upon runtime in popular music. Nevertheless, these songs are masterful, to say the least.
Videos by American Songwriter
[RELATED: 4 Masterpiece Classic Rock Albums From the 1970s That Begin and End Perfectly]
“Her Majesty” (The Beatles)
The Beatles delivered a playful track about Queen Elizabeth II on their swan song, Abbey Road. This 26-second track is only mildly disrespectful and endlessly catchy. It’s not much, but it certainly isn’t lacking in songwriting merit.
“Her Majesty” is the shortest Beatles song in their entire catalog. McCartney recorded the snippet before his bandmates arrived in the studio, epitomizing their working relationship at the time. The song was never thoroughly mixed because McCartney wanted to scrap it. Those who worked on the album decided not to throw this song away and instead tacked it on to Abbey Road.
“Meant for You” (Beach Boys)
The Beach Boys had many famously complex songs. They were praised for their innovative studio techniques, thanks to Brian Wilson’s singular tastes. But the band’s beauty really shone in simpler offerings, like “Meant for You.”
This 39-second song features Mike Love on lead vocals, tenderly singing love-lorn lyrics that he wrote. These feelings in my heart / I know, are meant for you, he sings in this short but sweet track.
“The Lovely Linda” (Paul McCartney)
Circling back around to Paul McCartney and his masterful short songs, the next entry on our list is “The Lovely Linda.” Written about the late Linda McCartney, this simple ode is blushing and carefree. It’s the kind of song that instantly puts a smile on your face. If McCartney knows how to do anything, it’s create a catchy melody and make listeners feel something with his lyrics. He does both perfectly here.
Like the rest of McCartney’s first self-titled record, “The Lovely Linda” is very DIY. “It was very hands-on, primitive way of working,” McCartney once said. “In the opening track, ‘The Lovely Linda,’ you can hear the door squeak as Linda came in while I was recording. It was a good take, so we left it in.”
(Photo by Peter Timmullstein bild via Getty Images)
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.