What Makes A Song A (Potential) Classic?

Well, first of all, it's gotta be hauntingly sentimental, yet structurally sound.  I think one song that kills on a structure basis is Bryan Adams' Run To You.  I just love that guitar riff/bridge before the big finish at the end.  Awesome transition.

It sometimes helps if the video was awesome.  Run To You did have an awesome 80's video which adds to the memories.  But Don Henley's Boys Of Summer has perhaps the best video bookend to an awesome song - I don't know of any other song/video matched so perfectly.

Timeless is good, but being open to other interpretations helps as well.  There have been remix/dance/punk versions of Henley's tune that have worked really well.  And someone redid Adams' tune on a slower scale which was happenin' as well.  Then there are some current songs on the pop playlist today that someone throws a dance track behind them and calls it a dance song.  Instead, it just makes the low points of the song more obvious.

I mention this topic today, because of a recent song I've seen that could potentially be one for the memories.  And before you roll your eyes, take a look at the facts.

Katy Perry's The One That Got Away is notable for the fact that the video is an actual attempt to tell a story - something lacking in modern music videos.  Heck, I remember the old days of music video shows when the video was integral to marketing the song - you HAD to have a great video.  Alas, with the iTunes and iPods, the video seems to be lacking.  Perry took the time to do something special with this song.

Here's the Youtube link to the official video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahha3Cqe_fk&ob=av2e

I'm embarrassed to admit that I've had this song stuck in my head one time this past month.  It is ridiculously poppy and syrupy, yet Perry is so darn earnest that the tone changes with the structure of the song.  And before you dismiss it as a non-starter, be aware that she did a country version on the UK X-Factor show back in October 2011.  I don't know if this is an official release, but damn if it doesn't work really well on its own for a different type of listener.  The Youtube link is here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdMWB2O7lSI

Really interesting stuff.  Can it be a classic, or is it just a flash in the pan.  I guess only time will tell.