Hello and welcome to the eleventh edition of “The Best of the Best”, a monthly countdown of the very best of anything to do with Girls’ Generation. As decided by your votes last month, I listened to as many of Girls’ Generation’s songs featuring just one member as I could, from Sunny’s “이제서야 (Finally Now)” to Hyoyeon’s “Please Don’t Stop The Music”, to come up with my five favorite solo songs by individual members of Girls’ Generation. As always, I’ve included my reasons why and a video of the song being played or performed to help you decide whether you agree or think I’m crazy (I was glad to see last month that many of you thought I was!). In addition, I also created a poll for you to determine what I will tear my hair out over for the next “The Best of the Best”, so please be sure to vote! Finally, let me know in the comments what would be on your list of the top five solo songs by members of Girls’ Generation. I’ll see you next month!
5. Sunny – “Fly, Fly Away”
Though her voice seems most perfectly suited for duets such as “사랑인걸요 (This Must Be Love)” with Taeyeon or “나야 (It’s Me)” with f(x)’s Luna, Sunny’s vocal talents also shine in her solo songs as well. Her very best came in early 2012 in her performance for the Korean version of the Broadway musical adaption for “Catch Me If You Can”. Sunny played Brenda Strong, a nurse who the main character, Frank Abagnale Jr., falls in love with. Brenda falls in love with him as well, but Frank is forced to flee and leave her behind in order to escape from Carl Hanratty, an FBI agent looking to arrest him. Brenda refuses to tell Hanratty where Frank is, and with tears in her eyes, sings “Fly, Fly Away” as a message to Frank. This amazing performance by Sunny was one of many highlights in her very first musical, and begins my list of the very best solo songs by Girls’ Generation.
4. Tiffany – “반지 (Ring)”
While Tiffany’s uniquely rich and husky voice has been featured in many amazing solos, ranging from a cover of Rihanna’s “Umbrella” in Girls’ Generation’s 1st Asia Tour to “그대니까요 (Because It’s You)” for the soundtrack of “Love Rain”, none are as touching as her song, “반지 (Ring)”, for the OST of a short film, “Haru: An Unforgettable Day in Korea”. In “반지”, Tiffany begins by singing about the moment of a proposal and seeing a ring being slipped onto her finger. As the song continues, she compares both herself to a dark and lonely star that has been given light and a promise in her hand to a flower that will never wither. Later in the song, the lyrics are reversed, and Tiffany compares herself to a flower without a scent that has been given a fragrance and a promise in her hand to that of an unending light. This beautifully sung and written song takes the fourth spot on my list of Girls’ Generation’s best solo songs. Check out the lyrics for “반지” in Soshified’s Lyrics Center.
3. Jessica – “눈물이 넘쳐서 (Because Tears Are Overflowing)”
In May of 2011, Jessica released “눈물이 넘쳐서 (Because Tears Are Overflowing)” for the “Romance Town” soundtrack, her very first OST and one of her few solo songs that shows off her control and stable voice, rather than having a cute sound. “눈물이 넘쳐서” is an emotional ballad which describes a painful love. In it, Jessica sings of tears which overflow, becoming a river and eventually an ocean, and she wonders whether they will bring a person to notice her. Finally, the song ends with Jessica asking someone to be by her side and a promise to love only them, even though to do so hurts so much. This beautiful track matches perfectly with Jessica’s soft, higher-pitched voice and wins third place on my list. The lyrics for “눈물이 넘쳐서” are available in Soshified’s Lyrics Center.
2. Seohyun – “아파도 괜찮아요 (It’s Okay Even If It Hurts)”
As Girls’ Generation’s maknae, Seohyun is known for constantly surprising with her maturity and intelligence. With the release of “아파도 괜찮아요 (It’s Okay Even If It Hurts)” for the OST of “Kim Sooro” in 2010, she did so once again, showing off a mature and emotional voice for a track which describes a hurtful love, similar to Jessica’s “눈물이 넘쳐서”. In this moving and heavy ballad, Seohyun sings of unrequited love for someone she cannot forget, listing the many pains that she accepts because of it. Seohyun’s vocals, which had grown since “Oppa Nappa” with Jessica and Tiffany, carried the song’s meaningful and saddening lyrics, as well as its touching melody. In addition to showing that Seohyun’s wonderful voice also suited ballads, “아파도 괜찮아요” wins the second spot on my list of the top five solo songs by Girls’ Generation. You can find the lyrics to “아파도 괜찮아요” in Soshified’s Lyrics Center.
1. Taeyeon – “사랑해요 (I Love You)”
From the slow and saddening “만약에 (If)” in 2008 to the powerful and jaw-dropping “Devil’s Cry” in 2011, Taeyeon has had many solo songs in her five years as the leader of Girls’ Generation, making it nearly impossible to choose the very best one. However, “사랑해요 (I Love You)”, for the OST of “Athena”, stands out as a beautiful ballad which shows off Taeyeon’s range, talent, and soothing voice. Though the lyrics are simple, Taeyeon delivers them in a way that fills the song with emotion and makes it a touching and heartbreaking ballad. In addition, “사랑해요” displayed the growth of Taeyeon’s vocals since “만약에”, showing her more mature and practiced voice. Though all of Taeyeon’s solos are outstanding songs, “사랑해요” is a incredible track which shows exactly why she is currently known as one of the best idol vocalists in Korea, and it wins first place on my list of the best solo songs by members of Girls’ Generation. Read the lyrics for “사랑해요” in Soshified’s Lyrics Center. (Warning! Turn down your volume before clicking “play”!)
Since I love this song so much, a bonus video!
Sources: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Written by: bhost909@soshified
Edited by: kt9823@soshified
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I love Taeyeon’s live performance of I Love You. I really do. She made me cry seeing her being so emotional putting all of her heart into the performance. I agree that todate, it’s the best one yet.
I have an internal struggle all the time between “I Love You” and “If”. I just can’t decide which one I like more because they are both so incredibly amazing that I get chills every time I listen to them.
The same thing goes for Tiffany “Because It’s You” from Love Rain. The climax of that song with Fany’s high note is beautiful to listen to. And of course my Soonkyu should be ranked higher, but whatever! lol
my personal favourite will be because tears are overflowing byJessica..
I have to agree this is a rare side of her voice which came out really really good..
wait it seemed to me that taeyeon noonah was like crying….or was that for performance? anyway noonah is soo cute
my Taengoo… :DD whtever song,i just loooooveee her voice ^^d
agree with Sica on Because Tears are Overflowing,so touching :))
AWESOME choice! truly these solos are great! their unique voices definitely shine! <3
Taeyeon's voice so soulful *.*
I love taeyeonn voices the most … her voice melt people heart … even imagine it make my heart beats fast
I love listening to their solo songs a lot. I personally would put
5- Sunny = Fly fly away
4- Jessica = Tears are overflow
3- Taeyeon = I miss you like crazy / I have a lover
2- Tiffany = By myself
1- Tiffany = Because its you
Actually I like all Tiffany’s solo songs. Her voice is really amazing. The other girls as well :)
i won’t admit that i don’t listen to all of the girls’
songs, including collaborations and solo performances,
but i will admit that I have a harder time distinguishing
which song goes with which title, so i get these all
mixed up. seeing as i am not in a place right now to be
able to review all of these songs, and seeing that
listening to a song once and trying to come up with a
reasonable reaction is unrealistic, i will submit to the
following conclusion…i have never heard a song sung
by our girls that i did not like, so i naturally agree with
the selection here. :-)
I personally like Fany’s OST for Love Rain, but maybe I’ve never heard “Ring” before. No doubt though “I Love You” is my number one. I’ve seen that bonus video before, and for it, that was the reason I fell in love with it. There’s so much raw emotion in it. “Missing You Like Crazy” is a close second though….maybe you should do a ranking of Taeyeon’s OSTs, lol. It be interesting to see why everyone likes each one more and what bhost909 thinks.
It’d also be cool if there was a poll included where people could input their own top 5 and we could see what the majority thinks. It’d just be multiple points of view. It might be hard though; I’m not actually sure how that would be done.
*but maybe because I’ve never heard “Ring” before.
I agree to this list completely! Especially Sunny’s solo in the musical. Brings me back beautiful memories of watching it live. It still gives me the shivers whenever I hear her sing!
I agree with you, the 1st place Taeyeon’s I LOVE YOU is one of the best OST.
The 1st one! It’s my favourite ost from Taeng and I can always put it on repeat ^^
The other girls’ osts are really nice too <3
thanks for putting seohyun’s at no.2 right after seohyun….as a seomate ^^ SONE too
but personally jessica’s because tears are flowing is my no1 favorite
i meant right after taetae ^^;
OMG I agree with your no.1.
‘I Love You’ is amazing. Taeyeon’s voice is perfect. PERFECT.
of course the 5 main singers get the spots :) there should be “the best of the best” for dance moves for our 4 main dancers :) <3
I like Missing you like crazy more
But everything from Taeyeon is always great
I liked Missing You Like Crazy a lot more. It just gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it *_*
first of all, I thought Banji was duet with Oh Joon Sung?
you forgot to mention I’m Alone by Tiffany (Ja Myung Go OST), it was superb, as if listening to another version of I Love You (Athena OST) by Taeyeon. but of course Taeyeon was superior, it still hold no 1 spot in my ears XD
lastly, the video at the end gave me goosebump. emotions overflowing. as expected from Taeyeon, I read somewhere she was complimented for her ability to express emotions well despite her age. ;)
i can’t believe tiffany – because it’s you, isn’t on here…it’s my favorite ost and one of my favorite songs ever…
No doubt about the #1 list. Taeyeon’s “I Love You” is very touching and beautiful. I love “If” too very much. But for Tiffany’s, I like” Because It’s You” and “By Myself” ^^
Technically, if you count the sunny’s song in the musical as an OST, then all 5 songs here are OSTs and there shouldn’t be a need to do a ‘Best OSTs’ on the next The Best of the Best because the results will (should) be the same.
but the girls as a group have sung several OSTs, that’s why you have to take that into consideration :D
Of course Taengoo’s I Love You in #1 spot. Definettly beautiful. Flawless.
Promise ring by Fany is also my favorite. So yeah, I’m with you.. :)
Never heard that OST by Fany before, it’s really nice! Taeyeon’s I Love You is definitely also my #1, I get goosebumps whenever I watch the live version.
Taeyeon – I love you for Athena OST should be on the 1st place… I really agree with this… :D