This song is better because of X.

[Unorthodox Yank]

I am making a list.

A list of musical elements that, when added to songs, INSTANTLY make the song better than it would be otherwise.

Inagural additions to this list:

- Maracas/Shakers of any kind.
- Group vocals. The bigger the better.
- Hand claps
- The screaming out of an instrument in the band's lineup before the solo of said instrument.

Please feel free to add your own.

[obie]

Three-part harmony.
A theramin.
An organ solo.

[Cascarino's Pizzeria]

Slide guitars
Wah wah pedals
Unusual drumbeats
Produced by Spector, Lillywhite or Eno

[Ombak]

The cuica. (http://www.congaplace.com/instrument/cuica/)

[chad]

whistling.

[Helghallen]

Cowbell. I've got a fever. And it can only be cured by more cowbell.

[Unorthodox Yank]

Cowbell. I've got a fever. And it can only be cured by more cowbell.

I decided before posting that i was gonna give rep to whoever was the first to post this.

but sadly, i need to spread it around.

Consider yourself invisi-repped.

[afgrijselijkheid]

Cowbell. I've got a fever. And it can only be cured by more cowbell.


dammit, you bastard! beat me to the precious music of the heffer

[Michael K.]

Spoken word interlude.

[Mad_Bishop]

steel guitars
hammond B3

[Labdarugo]

So many wonderful Brazilian instruments to choose from ...

http://www.ovationtv.com/artszone/programs/bossanova/bossaimages/cuica.jpg
I'll say the cuica

Check out the audio samples. You'll find yourself going, "Ah, so that's what makes that sound."
http://www.ovationtv.com/artszone/programs/bossanova/matter.html

[jmeissen0]

harmonica
ukelelee

[spejic]

Anvil.
That giant sheet metal thing classical orchestras use to make a thunder sound.
Samples of speeches of genocidal dictators and/or soundbites from the movie Aliens.
Guitar as percussive instrument.
Choruses singing in Latin.

[skipshady]

Bongos. Bongos can make a good song a classic, and a mediocre song somewhat tolerable.

Basically, any type of hand percussion instrument, including cowbells, improves the sound by at least 17 percent.

[sardus_pater]

A well developed harmony, clever counterbeats and clever dissonances. An impressive bass line.

[Mattbro]

Soaring dual-harmony guitar leads and/or arpeggios.

[yossarian]

Tin whistle or a pan-flute?

[Unorthodox Yank]

Another addition under the "extra percussion" category would have to be
Sleigh bells.

[Rambler]

The Mooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooog

[bmurphyfl]

Trumpet. In fact any horn besides a saxaphone improves a song. Saxaphone works the other way.

A half-second silent pause just before a hook is always good too.