6 of ‘The Greatest’ Songs

Dear listeners,

I’m going to keep things brief today, since I just got back from a whirlwind trip to lovely Quebec City, where I reported on the opening night of Billie Eilish’s world tour. I was curious to see how the 22-year-old Eilish would stage and perform the songs from her latest album, the sonically adventurous “Hit Me Hard and Soft” — especially those that require the oft-whispery-voiced singer to belt to the rafters. One of those songs has a lofty but familiar title: “The Greatest.”

I have long dreamed of compiling an Amplifier playlist of different songs with the same name. Watching Eilish perform “The Greatest,” probably the emotional apex of the whole show, I realized she was offering me the perfect opportunity. I started to think of the many other artists who have bestowed that imposing moniker on one of their tunes — Cat Power, Lana Del Rey and Kenny Rogers among them.

Perhaps I just have majesty on the mind because as I made my way home from the airport yesterday, I listened to (and eventually watched) one of the greatest baseball games I can remember, an operatic battle for a postseason berth between the Atlanta Braves and my New York Mets, who came back from the brink of elimination (twice!) to win the game, 8-7. In that spirit, I dedicate all six of these songs to Francisco Lindor and his two-run, ninth-inning home run: a moment of true greatness.

If this is it, I’m signing off,

Lindsay

Listen along while you read.

1. Billie Eilish: “The Greatest”

In its muted opening sequence, Eilish coats that titular lyric in sarcasm: “Man, am I the greatest,” she sighs, reflecting on a doomed relationship that seems to have suffered from some lopsided affection. As the song builds to its cathartic conclusion, though, a soaring melody allows her defenses to drop away. “I loved you, and I still do,” she sings. “Just wanted passion from you, just wanted what I gave to you.”

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