Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Rock and Roll

One of the many interesting conversations that occurred during the recent blogger tournament weekend was on the topic of the greatest rock and roll songs of all time. I remember someone mentioned "Stairway to Heaven" which is obligatory in this conversation. The mention also drew some retching noises from the group. It got me thinking about what would go on my top ten and why. Here is what I came up with. First, the criteria:

· No songs from the last 10 years, as it is difficult to judge a songs staying power is so little time.
· Pop, Techno, soft rock, rap, and the like are not Rock and Roll
· Powerful guitars and drums are the foundation of rock and roll
· The song must have been a commercial success as rock and roll has been a commercial form from the start.

Next, the honorable mentions:

Motor City Madhouse by Ted Nugent (Live Gonzo Version)
Just because I love the whole of his Double Live Gonzo Album. If this song had had some commercial success, it would be on the list.
Sweet Hitchhiker by Creedence Clearwater Revival
The House is a Rockin’ by Stevie Ray Vaughan
Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits
Loveshack by B-52s
Addicted to Love by Robert Palmer
Rock You Like a Hurricane by Scorpions
I Can’t Drive 55 by Sammy Hagar
Smells Like Teen Sprit by Nirvana
Frankenstein by Edgar Winter Group
Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix
Wipeout by The Ventures

And now, the 10 greatest songs of Rock and Roll:
1. Rock and Roll by Led Zeppelin
2. Eruption/You Really Got Me by Van Halen
3. La Grange by ZZ Top
(The first three songs are power and simplicity that is basic 3-chord rock. These songs define rock)
4. Slowride by Foghat
5. Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
(A couple of longer, more complex songs that still force you to crank the radio (or iPod) up every time you hear them)
6. Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
(Almost became the state song of New Jersey until they figured out it was Jersey he was running from)
7. Satisfaction by the Rolling Stones
(The definitive guitar rift of rock)
8. Paradise by the Dashboard Lights by Meatloaf
9. Radar Love by Golden Earring
10. Great Balls of Fire by Jerry Lee Lewis
(This last one has aged better than any song in rock. It will still rip you out of you seat.)

If you don't agree, get your own blog.

4 comments:

John G. Hartness said...

I still have to go with Sympathy for the Devil over Satisfaction, and for me, I gotta put Midnight Rider by the Allman Brothers band in there somewhere, as well as Freebird and Layla, likely displacing Slow Ride, Great Balls of Fire and Radar Love, although the trade of Midnight Rider for Radar Love is a really tough one to call.

Jon Scott said...

Gotta love Jerry Lee Lewis..the Killah!!
I hear his music a lot on
www.AllMemphisMusic.com

Great station

bobby said...

Pretty good list. I can think of several Led Zeppelin songs that could top the list. As the song with the most airtime in the history of radio, Stairway to Heaven has been played to death. That should not, however, detract from the fact that there is a reason that this is rock's most iconic and popular song. It's a staggeringly brilliant masterpiece of work that is arguably the crowning achievement of a band that routinely produced brilliant compositions.

Bill Seger Turn the Gage said...

ROCK PILE CRAWLING FROM THE WRECKAGE
FRANK ZAPPA SAN BERNARDINO
JETHRO TULL AQUALUNG
ROLLING STONES PAINT IT BLACK
JANES ADDICTION BEEN CAUGHT STEALING
ZZ TOP NATIONWIDE
IAN DURY SEX AND DRUGS AND ROCK AND ROLL
THE CLASH LONDON CALLING
BOSTON SMOKIN
OINGO BOINGO GOODBYE

In no particular order