# Songs that give you chills



## regressivetransphobe (May 16, 2011)

What are some songs/pieces that physically give you chills? In a positive or at least impressive sort of way, not douche chills or "this is horrible" chills.

I'll contribute in a while. I'm more interested in seeing other posts.


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

Man I can think of a lot of Boston songs that fit this.


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

Starting from the acoustic intro and many times throughout:


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## Philip (Mar 22, 2011)

at the culmination of various radiohead songs, for example:

let down





paranoid android


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

^^

Phillip, you never cease to impress me with your varied tastes...both these songs do it to me as well! 

Oh, have I told you I like your new avatar so much better; even though a bit scary.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Zappa acoustic guitar duet, Sleep Dirt.


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## regressivetransphobe (May 16, 2011)

Somehow I find this melodic piece more draining to listen to than their early stuff, which was largely distinguished by atonal brutality.





I fell asleep to this once and had the worst sleep of my life.





Instrumentally speaking it's very solid psychedelic post-punk, but this is a classic example of vocals really making a song. When the transgressive edges near normalcy I think it can be more affecting than abject abstraction.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

This is old school, but this song called _*Pirate Jenny *_from the _Threepenny Opera _always gives me the chills.

I described it HERE in the OP of a thread I set up on composer *Kurt Weill.*

& HERE is the song, sung by Lotte Lenya...


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

A lot of things - lately I am still on a Smiths kick.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)




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## TxllxT (Mar 2, 2011)

*The 2011 Christmas Hit in the Czech Republic*






The singer used to be famous in his country during the sixties. Later he suffered a stroke. Now he's back with this instant hit with a peculiar rhytm.


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## Oskaar (Mar 17, 2011)




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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)




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## Eviticus (Dec 8, 2011)

Every song off Radiohead The Bends (esp Street Spirit and Bullet Proof)

But the one from Romeo and Juliet always does too.


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## opium (Dec 15, 2011)




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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Sid James said:


> This is old school, but this song called _*Pirate Jenny *_from the _Threepenny Opera _always gives me the chills.
> [/B]


Nina Simone's version creeps me out. And she wasn't talking about Germany when she sang it.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Nothing like an old rural blues song to get the goosebumps going, especially if it features death, fear or natural disaster:

Fixin' To Die Blues - Bukka White
Death Letter Blues - Son House
Mississippi Boweavil Blues - Charlie Patton
High Water Everywhere pts 1 & 2 - Charlie Patton
In The Pines - Leadbelly
Hellhound On my Trail - Robert Johnson
Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed - Blind Willie Johnson
Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground - Blind Willie Johnson


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

elgars ghost said:


> Nothing like an old rural blues song to get the goosebumps going


i agree


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)




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## LordBlackudder (Nov 13, 2010)

I thought the opening is quite sad when the village is attacked and you see the children running.

This one gives me chills.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Nice to see someone pick a song from Floyd's slightly-maligned Atom Heart Mother album - especially as it was one of Rick Wright's compositions. Some of his early material was beautiful - the above song (plus Remember A Day and See Saw, both from A Saucerful Of Secrets) had a satisfyingly nostalgic autumnal glow about them.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)




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## rojo (May 26, 2006)

Ooh, the Who.. I really like "I Can See For Miles", and "Won't Get Fooled Again."

I think this is my favourite song. It affects me on a very deep level. It was filmed in the Amazon, Croatia, Africa and New York. The people in the vid are not actors, they are local residents.

Warning: disturbing images


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## BlazeGlory (Jan 16, 2013)




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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

This does it for me and is much copied- as per below:


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## farmerjohn (Jan 24, 2013)

This record scares the **** out of me.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

farmerjohn said:


> This record scares the **** out of me.


Good point = reminds me of this one - which gives me the creeps


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## OboeKnight (Jan 25, 2013)

Humperdinck's Dream Pantomime from Hansel and Gretel....such an emotional piece.
Nocturne in C Sharp Minor by Tchaik. 
The bombastic climax in Saint-Saens Danse Macabre (not the best to drive to )
Oh and pretty much every song from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera.


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## Mesa (Mar 2, 2012)

Three of the few songs i can never cover out of A) Respect and B) The enormous lump in my throat and unstoppable welling of tears:


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Any top quality Creedence song that showcases Fogerty's incredible voice:






Its that peak of the melody, "Ahhhh wanna knowowow, have you everrr seeen the rain?"

I also just realized that he hits a "high C" in this song that sounds beautiful. It is likely falsetto, but its a manly falsetto and I not been fully aware such a thing was possible.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

This song is really great, it gives me chills with its neat vibe and intense chorus, and its lyrics are truly hilarious because they are so down on lovers(though they do concede sour grapes)


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## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

The Flaming Lips - Do you Realize?


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## Mesa (Mar 2, 2012)

neoshredder said:


> The Flaming Lips - Do you Realize?


Out of the year or so i had little musical direction when i was about 14, i listened constantly to Radio 6Music, the BBC's 'alternative' station, and that's one of about four songs i distinctly remember. Magical!

Here's another:





And here's one that could melt the heart of even the most heinous villain:





Give me a few minutes, i need a mop for the tears...


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## MJongo (Aug 6, 2011)

Especially the pause in the second verse... just amazing.


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## oogabooha (Nov 22, 2011)

Mesa said:


>


:'(....,,,


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## regressivetransphobe (May 16, 2011)

Not exactly musical genius, but the vocals do the trick.


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## StephenTC (Apr 24, 2014)

The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress (Jimmy Webb) performed by Radka Toneff...

..The moon's a harsh mistress...the sky is made of stone
The moon's a harsh mistress...she's hard to call you own...


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## drvLock (Apr 2, 2014)

There are few songs that give me the chills, and all of them are from the prog metal band Dream Theater:

*The Spirit Carries On*, from the album *Metropolis pt.2: Scenes from a Memory*: the solo on this one give me the chills everytime, no matter how much I listen to it






*Hollow Years*, live from the album *Live at Budokan* (disc 1):






and finally *Lines in the Sand*, from the album *Falling into Infinity* (the video has the song after it called "Hell's Kitchen":


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## Simon Moon (Oct 10, 2013)

So many I can think of...

The "Soon" section of "Gates of Delirium" by Yes. The beauty of this section after the chaotic 'battle' section is such a great resolution to the piece. Great peddle steel guitar by Howe and Mellotron by Moraz.






"The Lamia" by Genesis from "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway". Beautiful melody, great vocal performance by Peter Gabriel and a extremely tasteful guitar solo by Steve Hackett.






"A Trace of Blood" by prog-metal band, Pain of Salvation. This song tells of the real life experience of band leader and guitarist/vocalist, Daniel Gildenlow and his wife's heartbreak as they go through a still birth. The way the music, vocals, lyrics and imagery come together, you can palpably feel their pain.






The lyrics:

Touching ground Going home to those I miss
Safe and sound Weeks of exile turn to bliss
But there's something in her voice When she' is calling me
A trace of blood to lead me
Trough roads of agony With blood taste in my mouth
And clouds before my eyes
I kneel beside the bed Where my bleeding dryad lies

Three young souls in misery

Hitting ground Nausea wakes me up at dawn
Hopes are found
Dissected, turned and then
Withdrawn
A chair of steel and wire Her legs are open wide
Helpless in myself I stand there cold beside
The doctors stay away Leave us with this dismay
To see the colours of a miracle Fade and turn to grey

Then a cry and rivers of blood Flow so sadly
bringing you
Our dreams pour into a cold tray Two young souls in misery
Missing you

I never knew your name but I will miss you just the same
I was to live for you I lost the will to live at all the day you came
It'll never be the same but I will love you just the same
You were to be the first, how wonderful
Now I will always fear to hope again

The irony Of seeing me whispering through her skin
So joyfully To our child there deep within
Or of when she called to me To tell me cheerfully
That she had seen our shape On a hospital screen
And of nurses being concerned That you never moved or turned
Too late we see the warning Too late we learn

I never saw your face and now you're gone without a trace
Except the trace of blood that's deeply scarred into my eyes To fill your place
It'll never be the same but I will love you just the same
I was prepared to be your father How can I ever prepare for that again?

Still I follow that trace of blood Always leading back to you
Hollow years of damming that flood Two young souls in misery

Missing you... missing you...


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## PeteW (Dec 20, 2014)

Yes, I see what you mean.
And Daniel Johnston's: "Some Things Last a Long Time" also very chill-inducing.


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## mtmailey (Oct 21, 2011)

Certain hip hop/rap would give one such chills you now.


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## PeteW (Dec 20, 2014)

Mesa said:


> Three of the few songs i can never cover out of A) Respect and B) The enormous lump in my throat and unstoppable welling of tears:


And also Kate Bush "Moments of Pleasure"


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Haunting tune written by Richard Thompson.


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## Cheyenne (Aug 6, 2012)




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## nikola (Sep 7, 2012)




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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Cold, Cold, Cold by Little Feat


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## PeteW (Dec 20, 2014)

starthrower said:


> Cold, Cold, Cold by Little Feat


Vissi d'arte - but has to be Maria Callas


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## Dasein (Dec 14, 2014)

Maggot Brain by Funkadelic


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## SimonNZ (Jul 12, 2012)

"Lilac Wine"...in any of the three or four famous versions.

edit:

Jeff Buckley's version was used to great effect in the film Tell No One:


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

The whole album of Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon gives me chills. Because it was created on the moon of course.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Talking of Pink Floyd, the final song from the band's second album, A Saucerful of Secrets, is a little disturbing (not to say sad). It was one of the last songs written by the band's leader, Syd Barrett, when the effect of chronic LSD usage was making him fade into the wallpaper at an alarming rate. Part nursery rhyme and part nervous breakdown in equal measure, it's almost as if Barrett knows that he is losing not just his band but also his grip on normality. By the time the album was released he was indeed out, and, although this song wasn't specifically recorded for the album, it was a masterstroke to include it as its closer.

And the final verse with just Syd and his acoustic guitar still packs an emotional punch...


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Baby, It's Cold Outside


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## Kevin Pearson (Aug 14, 2009)

After all these years of listening to YES I still get chills listening to *Gates of Delirium* and also their song *And You And I* and also *Onward*. Several others of their songs affect me as well. No other band moves me emotionally the way YES does.

Kevin


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## PeteW (Dec 20, 2014)

SimonNZ said:


> "Lilac Wine"...in any of the three or four famous versions.
> 
> edit:
> 
> Jeff Buckley's version was used to great effect in the film Tell No One:


I did get a chill watching that just now, Thankyou.


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

Dire Straits - Telegraph Road, the final part starting at 9:25.

One of the few moments in rock music that is really worth my time.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Frostbite by Albert Collins


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## Balthazar (Aug 30, 2014)

"What Power art Thou", a.k.a. the Cold Genius aria from Purcell's King Arthur.

Sung here by Petteri Salomaa with William Christie directing Les Arts Florissants.


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## PeteW (Dec 20, 2014)

Have to let you k ow about this:

Giordano - Andrea Chenier, Vicino a Te 
This recording. 
They are finally summoned out from their prison cell to the guillotine and once the percussion and brass really come in in the last 60 - 90 secs, there is no way the hairs aren't standing up on end, and probably a tear in the eye.


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## Celloissimo (Mar 29, 2013)

Twenty Four Hours by Joy Division. Gets to me every time.


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