The Ten Best Multi-Part Songs Ever

Our first entry comes from Jane’s Addiction and clocks in at almost 11 minutes. Three Days was inspired by Xiola Bleu, one of Perry Farell’s ex-girlfriends. Xiola had returned to L.A for three days (hence the title) for her father’s funeral. This would be the last time Perry and Xiola (real name Lisa) would meet as she died from a drug overdose in 1987. The three-part song was written several months prior to her death and we hope she at least had a listen before passing away.

Muse's Knights Of Cydonia is the most recent song in this list as it released in 2006. Knights doesn’t comprise of multiple parts persay, however there is a general progression throughout its entirety. It begins with some guitar riffs and later on the vocals kick in as the guitar takes a rest. The song is about standing up for oneself, fighting for your rights and fighting to survive. We loved playing this one in Guitar Hero a couple of years back.

Green Day’s American Idiot is a rock opera. Each song is a story that describes the events that took place in Jimmy’s life. The second track of the album, Jesus of Suburbia, is one of the two multi-part songs on the album. Jimmy (Jesus of Suburbia) was born as the self-proclaimed son of rage and love. He grew up in a broken home and as a teenager, decides to leave. While in the city (City of the Damned), Jimmy starts becoming reckless and picks up a drug habit. He realizes that everyone around him is messed up and they’re all hypocrites. He doesn’t care (I don’t Care) about anything anymore and his life starts taking a turn for the worse. He later decides to turn a new leaf (Dearly Beloved) and eventually leaves the city for good (Tales of Another Broken Home).

Supper’s Ready is divided into seven unique sections and is nearly 23 minutes in length. The sections are “Lover’s Leap” (softer acoustic folk section), “The Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man” (electric guitar and drums kick in), “Ikhnaton and Itsacon & Their Band of Merry Men” (more dynamic drumming, electric guitar and organ), “How Dare I Be So Beautiful?" (Slow and gentle section), “Willow Farm” (Very weird music, strong lyrics), "Apocalypse in 9/8” (drums are back, apocalyptic lyrics) and finally “As Sure As Eggs Is Eggs” (Slower backed with tabular bells and snare drum). The song marked a new phase in the Genesis era where they started playing longer, more complex music.

The Canadian rock band, Rush, released the seven-part song in 1976. 2112 is based in the distant future and begins with a man who finds an ancient instrument known as a guitar. When he returns to present the instrument, the priests destroy it. He then returns to cave where the discovery took place and has a beautiful dream. He later becomes disgruntled and depressed living in the cave and takes his own life. Following his death, a new planetary battle takes place and the song ends with the quote “Attention all planets of the Solar Federation: We have assumed control”.