I agree with LarBrd33 and have to call out some of the rap that's on here. And that's because I'm a rap fan first. I would say that my definition of perfect is that I wouldn't change a single thing on the song and it hits me on an emotional level. With that said I'm going to defend some of my picks:
Nas & AZ - New York State of Mind
Big L - 98 Freestyle
Styles P - I'm Black
These songs are what I think hip hop is about. I don't know if any of them are perfect but they are examples of the best in hip hop. NY State shaped my image of New Yorkers and a lot of that still holds. It's gritty and intellectual. 98 is the definition of what I think a freestyle should be...raw, witty, funny, cocky, free-flowing (the first time he got to "Ask Beavis...I fell off laughing for the first time ever while listenin to music). I'm Black is at the core of what I think hip hop is about right now and in some ways justifies/explains why it's in the state it's in right now.
Curtis Mayfield - Pusherman
The Commodores - Easy Like A Sunday Morning
Smooth as sheets. Pusha is truer today than when it was recorded and applies to a lot of things in life. Easy is arguably the best song to wake up to on a sunny day with no plans.
Elliot Smith - Miss Misery
Gnarls Barkley - Transformer (Acoustic)
Smokey Robinson - Tracks Of My Tears
Gary Jules - Mad World
Iron and Wine - Such Great Heights
Simple beats that let the artists tell the story. And if the story doesn't make sense google it. Then realize you can have any personal interpretation into any song. I feel someone's soul in these songs. For the record, Cee-lo is one of the most talented, underated musicians I can think of. The man is probably the most versatile person and music.
The Stranglers - Golden Brown
Love the sort of organ/gothic/synthesized feel. The song changes with my mood (sad, happy, energetic, lazy, whatever). It puts me in a trance.
The Beatles - Eleanor Rigby
A lot of Beatles songs could be added. This is my personal favorite and favorite song period. Explain to me how it isn't perfect.
I'm up for debate on anything I've posted, but if someone's putting up a song that they think is debatable they should defend it with a couple of comments to justify their decision.
The real reason I'm posting (besides the fact that I've thrown my sleep cycle off):
http://youtube.com/watch?v=_pauBZMysxE&feature=relatedhttp://youtube.com/watch?v=a-HNlxBh1N4