10 Best Laura Marling Songs

I think Laura Marling is one of those artists where two fans could have completely different top 10 lists of her best songs. They resonate with you in different ways which is why making this list was so difficult.

I’ve tried to be objective and look at what at her best songs instead of the ones I most personally love. Well, that’s except for number 10 . . .

As a qualifier, her songs with LUMP are exempt from this list. 

Best Laura Marling Songs – Top 10

10. New Romantic

This is my favourite Laura Marling song and probably in my top 10 songs of all time. Why? Well, it’s a great song of course but for me, it captured a moment in time and I was feverishly excited in 2007 at finding a new artist that I loved. I’ve always adored the flow of the lyrics and the sheer naked beauty of it.

I’ll forever remember her painfully shy performance of it on Jools Holland and it’s been great to see her grow as an artist. She’s become far more accomplished since this song but there is a joy to the naivety. Does it deserve to make this list? Maybe not, but there was no way I was leaving it off.

9. Devil’s Spoke

I Speak Because I Can is a breathtakingly good album and this is the perfect opener from it. The slow start draws you into the song before it burst into life as we ponder the most peculiar way you could rip off each other’s clothes . . .

8. Blow By Blow

I don’t know if I’m in the minority here but I thought this was the standout song from Song For Our Daughter. It’s heartbreakingly beautiful and has some of the best lines of lyrics that she’s ever written.

The emotion pulls you in and speaks of the desperation and despair that many have after the ending of a relationship.

7. Soothing

There is a hypnotic quality to “Smoothing” with the instrumentation placing you into a trance. It’s beautiful in its simplicity as that repetitive bass rhythm allows Marling’s vocals and lyrics to shine over the top.

6. Goodbye England (Covered In Snow)

There are songs out there that take you to another place. Marling herself said she feels like a child when singing it. I’m sure if I was ever in a moment of pure anger, I could instantly be pulled out of it with a few notes of this song.

Marling’s understated vocals are incredible here as she flawlessly sings you a lullaby.

5. Sophia

I remember excitedly first listening to this song and thinking it was nice but not really going anywhere. That was until just before the 3-minute mark when it shifts a gear or two. It has since remained one of my favourites.

If Goodbye England is sung like a lullaby, this one has much more of an attitude. The guitar playing is effortlessly brilliant and is an incredibly well-composed song.

4. Master Hunter

There are a lot of reasons why I love this song. I think, partly, as it reminds me a little of Marling’s very early work with her vocal delivery. The lyric content, however, is very much in the modern Marling style. There is a potency and a punch to this song, with a bit of snarl and swagger.

3. Rambling Man

My brother is adamant that this is Laura Marling’s best song and although it doesn’t get the top spot here, it’s hard to argue against that. It’s a song that should be infinitely more well-known than it is. Everything about it sums up what is so brilliant about this singer/songwriter.

2. What He Wrote

Some of Marling’s songs are deep and cutting, much of her early work had a beautiful naivety but there are many songs such as “What He Wrote” that have a haunting quality.

I loved watching Peaky Blinders and when this song played, it bought a huge smile to my face. That haunting sound was perfect for the show and it was a match made in heaven.

1. Ghosts

I mentioned the beautiful naivety of many of her early songs and this is probably the best example. While there is a naivety there, the lyrical content of these songs shows that her mind was working on another level, even as a teen.

While the quality of her songs hasn’t wavered, there is a part of me that misses this version of Marling. The beautiful rhythm of the lyrics and melody is stunning. That applies to many of her songs from this period like many others I wanted to mention, such as “My Manic and I”.

In the end, I think this deserved the number one spot but there’s a good chance you disagree. It won’t be because you think this is a bad song, it’ll be because she’s done so many brilliant ones.

Best Laura Marling Songs – Final Thoughts

I have a compulsion to list the dozens of songs that I thought were worthy of this list but I’ll resist. She’s a phenomenal artist and deserves a lot more fame and recognition for her genius. The fact that she’s still in her early 30’s is mind-blowing. If you enjoyed this, why not check out our other top 10’s, such as the best Beautiful South songs! Thanks for reading.