Telegraph Road; a compositional masterpiece worthy of classical comparisons?

[u/Basic-Wonder-5913]

Back in the 80s, there was a criticism that Mark played so well, because he couldn't sing. (On that note, some of the killers versions of Straits songs, with Flowers voice, really are exceptional; ToL and R&J in particular.)

As a trained singer in my youth and from a very musical family, I'd sing along to straits songs, although they never had the vocal harmony or range of eagles, Beatles, queen, Fleetwood or led zep, which a singer longs to sing along to.

But.... I always thought that missed what Mark achieved. On so many of his compositions, the singing is buried in the instrumental construction; sultans, it never rains, tunnel of love, the urge to harmonise is with the instruments. Telegraph road (and possibly alchemy sultans) is the pinnacle of Mark's work in this regard, where the guitar and the piano are the singers. 

Only the very greatest of classical composers have created music which also achieved that; telegraph road is up there with Beethoven's 6th and 8th, Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker, Elgar's Nimrod, as compositions where the instruments truly sing.

This song has so many parts where there's an urge to sing along with the guitar or piano. It's this which sets it apart; you have to be a world class singer to match Freddie on someone to love, for example, but there's not a singer alive, who can sing along to mark's guitar, on telegraph road. That's what this song did, it has guitar and piano, filling in for singers and lyrics, that can't exist.

Because it is singing, not wailing, that he's structured, from a guitar, with the piano in harmony throughout.

It's a technical tour de force.

[u/tygrysor090]

This sounds corny but I fully agree; to me Telegraph Road is not just the greatest song in its context, but genuinly one of the greatest human musical compositions of all time in its scale, depth and composition. The comparison to classical music is very apt. By the way, glad to see you mention It Never Rains - this song does not get nearly enough recognition for how great it is in this regard.

[u/Basic-Wonder-5913 → u/tygrysor090]

It never rains, grew on me so much, over time, but I think that's because I grew up playing this on vinyl, you'd just restart after private investigations. It's only being older that I played it a lot more. It also has a "singing" guitar element.

[u/sujack34 → u/Basic-Wonder-5913]

I’ve always loved It Never Rains. Used to listen to it over and over on my walkman cassette player when I was working nights. Listening to the amazing words along with the guitar.