What is the single greatest song ever -- from the dawn of time till now?

Talk about your tough questions to answer.

Here's one:

What's the greatest song of all time?

I'm not talking about the rock 'n' roll era, or pop music or even American music. In fact, I will accept any song from any genre, with the possible limitation that if it really is the greatest song of all time, I feel like I probably should have heard of it.

I'm not looking for anything performed by a specific artist. In fact, a song this great would probably have been performed or recorded by many artists. It can be a hymn or carol, or even a patriotic song or some sort of folk music. As someone pretty knowledgeable about pop music in my lifetime, I would certainly think nothing like that is going to top the list, although I've got to think "In a Gadda da Vida" deserves some consideration.

Just kidding, but I'll throw out one that might earn a spot in the discussion -- John Lennon's "Imagine." It isn't a song I love. Some folks might pick national anthems. I sure wouldn't pick ours, although I love "America the Beautiful" and "This Land is Your Land." My very favorite patriotic song is actually "Waltzing Matilda."

 I suppose my favorite religious song would either be "O Holy Night" or "Ave Maria," although you may have to be Christian and possibly even Catholic to appreciate both of those."

There are songs known as evergreens, ones that seem fresh no matter who is singing them -- classics like "Where or When," "Danny Boy," "When You Wish Upon a Star," "Somewhere," "Someone to Watch Over Me" and "What a Wonderful World."

One that I hadn't heard until a few years ago that I love is the operatic "O Mio Babbino Caro," and I would actually toss in three of the loveliest songs of the '60s -- "God Only Knows," "Blowin' in the Wind" and "Here There and Everywhere."

And let's not leave out "Take Me Out to the Ball Game."



So it's a tough call, a nearly impossible one to even come up with a top 10. But everybody has a song -- one special song -- that just lights up their heart when they hear it, whether it's Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley or Kermit the Frog singing it.

Give it some thought and give me some answers.