“I mean, you only want two and a half minutes if you can get it, you know, three minutes maximum”.

I regularly find myself thinking about this amusing sentiment, sampled by Kanye West on his track ‘4th dimension’, as it often seems that this is the formula for a ‘good song’. The traditional verse/chorus/verse/ chorus/bridge/chorus format has been tried and tested for years, and there’s no doubt that it can lead to some really amazing and (sometimes annoyingly) catchy tunes. But sometimes, “three minutes maximum” simply isn’t enough. Sometimes, artists must go the distance, and perhaps reject virality for the sake of art – and what results are truly ‘epic’ long-form tracks.

But why are tracks like these necessary, and (spoiler alert) why do I love them? Well for one, long-form tracks can obviously offer a captivating depth of story-telling that is simply not possible in regular length tracks. Lyrics aside, it can also enable a far deeper exploration of more complex sounds, fleshing out the relationship between various components/instruments within a track, allowing for satisfying transitions between them, whilst also maintaining sonic similitude. Uniting these advantages together, I love the heightened sense of replay value that can be instilled within a track, with more intricacies and subtle novelties to explore upon further listens. Finally, as they often are, long-form tracks can be an incredible option for rounding out an album – capturing its themes in one conclusive and cohesive piece.

Dogs – Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd are certainly no strangers to ‘epic’ tracks. Their 1971 album ‘Meddle’ ended with the staggering 23+ minute track ‘Echos’, and much of the runtime of their 1975 album ‘Wish You Were Here’ is taken up by a handful of lengthy tracks. But it seems that their interest in long-form tracks peaked in 1977, with the release of Animals. Loosely based on George Orwell’s Animal Farm, this concept album consists of just three actual tracks (besides a short acoustic intro/outro), with each one corresponding to a division of the human race under a capitalistic society – dogs, pigs and sheep. ‘Dogs’ certainly stands out as my favourite. I love the cautionary tale that this track weaves – a cunning and ruthless businessman who eventually finds themselves as “Just another sad old man”, and the instrumentation carries so much of the emotive power here. There are some astounding guitar solos from David Gilmour in the first half of this track, followed by a drawn-out but mesmerizing synth section, which is amazingly hypnotic thanks to the runtime allowed for it. Before another great guitar solo, the track ends with a somewhat tragic lamentation to the dog, with the instrumentation painting a sense of reflective sadness.

Basketball Shoes – Black Country, New Road / The Magician – Geordie Greep

I’m going to include these two tracks under the same point, as both artists come from the ‘Windmill’ scene (a venue in Brixton), and both tracks have distinct sections full of rich instrumentation and cryptic lyrics that I find to be incredibly moving and satisfying to deconstruct. ‘Basketball Shoes’, backed by the amazing 7-piece band, might be my favourite song of all time. Its lengthy runtime allows for a gentle guitar and woodwind section to gradually progress into a more melodic and upbeat section, before finally, we are blessed with a cathartic unity of sound, with Isaac screaming the final, powerful vocals. ‘The Magician’, originally performed with his band ‘Black Midi’, is similarly captivating – full of uplifting strings, absurd lyrics and chaotic but congruous instrumentals, and is a track that I’m still digesting now. Please give these both a listen!

All Too Well (10 Minute Version) – Taylor Swift

Released in 2021 as part of her ‘Taylor’s Version’ project, this lengthy track builds on the original track released 9 years earlier, almost doubling its runtime. Swift guides listeners through loosely chronological memories of a crumbling relationship, with a captivating autumnal vibe, perfectly complementing the delicate and gradual dissolution of a short-lived romance. Whilst the original track is great in its own right, the extended runtime really allows the power of Swift’s vocals and lyrical potency to swell until it reaches a satisfying ebullition of vulnerability and melancholy.

Last Call – Kanye West

In recent years, Kanye West has become renowned for his controversial actions – and his recent musical output has been plagued by AI-generated verses and distasteful/nonsensical lyrics. But once upon a time, Kanye was a mostly unknown and underpaid producer from Chicago, making beats for the likes of Jay-Z and DMX – hungry to pursue his true passion: rapping. So, when he finally managed to release his first studio album in 2004 (‘The College Dropout’), Kanye took the opportunity to end the album with ‘Last Call’ – an incredible track in which he carefully documents his struggles and eventual success to establish himself as a signed rapper.

The first 4 minutes of the track establish a more traditional song structure, in which Kanye’s bars flow over a luscious and punchy soul-infused beat, packed full of hilarious and clever one-liners. However, it is in the remaining 8 minutes or so where Kanye’s strength as a storyteller really shines. The beat is somewhat stripped back to set the stage for an unusually intimate and honest Kanye, where we are graced with a detailed and incredibly interesting story about Kanye’s thoughts and actions before getting a record deal for the very album we are listening to – packed with references to various other hip hop legends.

Mortal Man – Kendrick Lamar

Similarly to ‘Last Call’, ‘Mortal Man’ is the outro to Kendrick Lamar’s critically adored 2015 album ‘To Pimp A Butterfly’, comprising partly of a more traditional track, and partly of a spoken word/interview segment. Within the first part, solemn horns, a moody baseline and anxious strings accompany Kendrick’s passionate and vulnerable lyrics about his sense of morality, and crucially, how this is reframed and assimilated by others in relation to his fame/influence. The second half serves as a monumental accomplishment – recontextualising the album, as Kendrick finishes the poem built throughout, and then “interviewing” Tupac Shakur, with snippets taken from a past interview.

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