Post #122,263
10/21/03 6:10:26 PM
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10 greatest Rock and Roll songs of all time
OK, talk about beating on the beehive! ;-)
I got my system now (finally) set up to record my old vinyl onto CDs. (It doesn't exactly work the way it should, but its quite acceptable.) Tangentally, I've been thinking about the 5 "greatest Rock songs of all time". Hence, I think I should record them from vinyl onto CD for posterior...er, posterity.
Now I know that there are as many opinions of what these songs are as there are people to contemplate them, and the chances of me changing anybody's mind are about the same as somebody changing my mind. I've already picked my top five, but I'm looking for the next five (or so) to fill out the CD. so if you have any ideas as to what to add to this list (and to fill out the CD), I'm very interested in hearing them.
Here are my top five, in reverse order:
5) Lucky Man; Emerson, Lake and Palmer.
Made the Moog (pronounced like vogue) a bona fide Rock instrument, and moved the Farfisa Combo Compact to the trash heap of rock. Also gave us a glimpse of the future of keyboard playing, as Keith Emerson evolved from that improvised solo into one of the all-time greatest keyboard players ever. (Can you tell I'm and EL&P fan from waaaay-back?)
4) Smoke on the Water; Deep Purple.
We've had a discussion about this cut several times (in this forum IIRC), and I agree in principle with its detractors. Nonetheless, nobody...and I mean nobody picks up an electric guitar without at sometime or another slamming out that chord sequence. Ref. the movie "School of Rock" as an example. It's not a great song, but it's great Rock!
3) Stairway to Heaven; Led Zeppelin
OK, OK, it was played to death in 1973, and some people have not really recovered from that carpet bombing. (We could go into an entire new thread about the effect of this cut on FM radio in general, but that's for a different time....) If you can get beyond that, however, you have to admit that it is an amazing piece of Rock, a rock ballad that slowly blossoms into an epic rocker. Some of my more spiritually oriented firends claim that it is pure Sufi. I dunno about that, but I do know that, 30 years later, it shows all the signs of greatness: It's hummable, I still know some (if not most) of the words from memory, and that guitar solo can still result in a decent face-melting! (I actually think that just about anything from Zoso can go into this slot, but this is the signature cut from the album, so I chose it.)
2) All Along the Watchtower; Jimi Hendrix
The ultimate guitar song, played by the ultimate guitar master. Its almost 40 years later, and I still don't know how he made his axe do some of those things...! Forget the original (and would somebody show Bobby how to blow his nose!); this IS the version of this song.
1) Won't Get Fooled Again; The Who
Man, I still get pumped up when this song comes on the air. It's got everything: cool synth part (albeit a bit cheezy, it was done an an Arp 2600 after all...couldn't Pete afford a Moog, ferchrissakes?!?), slashing guitar from the master at slashing guitar, nasty bass, rocking drums, length (8:31 -- very important in the '70's), screaming, and vocals...vocals that are sarcastic, nasty, and introspective, showing that rock had indeed come of age. In the context of the era in which it was produced, it heralded the end of the Age of Aquarius, and the beginning of the Age of the Yuppie (even though we didn't know it yet); it forshadowed Nixon, Reagan, Duh-beyew, and its admonition is as true today (if only the current generation would listen) as it was 30 years ago.
OK, the target is placed. Step back 30 paces, and fire away!
When I create the CD, I'll let you know what I put on it.
jb4
"There are two ways for you to have lower Prescription-drug costs. One is you could hire Rush Limbaugh's housekeeper ... or you can elect me President."
John Kerry
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Post #122,268
10/21/03 6:15:42 PM
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Re: 10 greatest Rock and Roll songs of all time
Hmmm my 5 would be:
1. Bohemian Rhapsody, by Queen
2. American Pie by Don McClean
3. Grand Illusion by Styx
4. Light My Fire by the Doors
5. Saturday Night's Allright for Fighting by Elton John.
Nightowl >8#
"I learned to be the door, instead of the mat!" "illegitimi nil carborundum"
Comment by Nightowl
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Post #122,369
10/22/03 11:41:12 AM
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Nightowl's list
First, thanks for the feedback.
Second, thanks for reminding me about Light my Fire. Any song tht could so visibly piss off Ed Sullivan is most worthy of consideration.
Boho -- YMMV, but I consider that ore "art rock" than RnR. IMHO, if you can't play it live, it aint Rock, and even today, with the technological wizardry that bands can bring to bear on live performances (ref. Justin Timberlake or good-ol' Whazzerface), you still can't do Boho live with under 40 people.
;-)
jb4
"There are two ways for you to have lower Prescription-drug costs. One is you could hire Rush Limbaugh's housekeeper ... or you can elect me President."
John Kerry
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Post #122,371
10/22/03 12:00:49 PM
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Re: Nightowl's list
I wondered if Bohemian Rhapsody was something besides Rock and Roll, but wouldn't that make ELO and other bands which use more instruments not Rock and Roll then?
Not sure...
I'm an Owl hooked on the 1970's music. ;)
Nightowl >8#
"I learned to be the door, instead of the mat!" "illegitimi nil carborundum"
Comment by Nightowl
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Post #122,417
10/22/03 6:10:32 PM
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Saw it live - News of the World Tour
I suspect some bits of the extra lush vocals of being prerecorded though.
In Java, you can't escape the creepy feeling.
--James Gosling
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Post #122,429
10/22/03 7:20:36 PM
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You can do anything with a sequencer...
jb4
"There are two ways for you to have lower Prescription-drug costs. One is you could hire Rush Limbaugh's housekeeper ... or you can elect me President."
John Kerry
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Post #122,442
10/22/03 10:13:20 PM
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That tour was in 1975 - musta been tape
In 75 synths were still being programmed with patch cords.
In Java, you can't escape the creepy feeling.
--James Gosling
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Post #122,271
10/21/03 6:37:30 PM
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Pull!
Hmmm. Can I do it? Geez. Only 5 songs?
Led Zeppelin. Kashmir.
AC/DC. Thunderstruck.
Aerosmith. Sweet Emotion.
Boston. Foreplay/Long Time.
Bruce Springsteen. Born to Run.
Chicago. 25 or 6 to 4. Or Beginnings. Or Does Anybody Really Know...
Cream. White Room.
Dire Straits. Sultans of Swing.
Doobie Brothers. Black Water.
Edgar Winter Group. Frankenstein.
Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. Karn Evil #9.
Derek and the Dominos. Layla.
Fleetwood Mac. Tusk.
Jackson Browne. The Load-Out/Stay.
Jethro Tull. Do I have to pick only one? Oh, ok. Thick as a Brick.
Journey. Don't Stop Believin'.
Pink Floyd. Brain Damage/Eclipse.
Queen. Innuendo.
Rush. Limelight.
Simon and Garfunkel. Cecelia. Or The Sound of Silence.
Styx. Come Sail Away.
Supertramp. Anything from the "Breakfast In America" LP.
The Beatles. Just about anything; hard to go wrong here.
U2. Where the Streets Have No Name.
Yes. Roundabout. Or I've Seen All Good People.
OK, so I failed.
Horribly.
But you can't go wrong with anything from that list, IMHO.
-YendorMike
[link|http://www.hope-ride.org/|http://www.hope-ride.org/]
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Post #122,370
10/22/03 11:53:37 AM
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Yendor's list
Thanks for your feedback...but talk about carpet bombing....
Some comments on your opus:
1) Aerosmith has got to have something on the list. Sweet Emotion is a venerable choice, however, later in this thread Our Own Irrascible Brit Peter suggested the version of Walk This Way done with Run/DMC. Tough choice...
2) Karn Evil 9: My personal all time favorite. But which Impression? The whole suite will tie up a CD in and of itself. I have a special place reserved for EL&P, don't worry!
3) Boston. Foreplay/Long Time. Definite possibility!
4) Jethro. Yes, will need to be in there somewhere, but Thick as a Brick, ferchrissakes? Yes it is interesting, but it has to rank as Ian Anderson's only real blunder in his career.
5) Supertramp. Agreed, there is some really fine stuff on that album. Not sure that it's top 10 stuff, tho.
6) The Beatles. Of course there must be something from the Beatles in the list somewhere. But what?!? BeeP agnoizes about this later in the thread, and I agree completely with his statements.
jb4
"There are two ways for you to have lower Prescription-drug costs. One is you could hire Rush Limbaugh's housekeeper ... or you can elect me President."
John Kerry
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Post #122,372
10/22/03 12:03:03 PM
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Re: Yendor's list
Well, my favorite Beatles songs wouldn't impress you all probably, mine are The Long Winding Road, Oh Darling, and I Saw Her Standing There.
But as for a Rock and Roll choice, I would choose "Hard Day's Night"
Nightowl >8#
"I learned to be the door, instead of the mat!" "illegitimi nil carborundum"
Comment by Nightowl
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Post #122,286
10/21/03 9:20:33 PM
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Reminds of the book (& film) High Fidelity...
...where the record shop owner, when asked to name his top 10 songs, agonises over the task all day and all night, changing his mind every couple of minutes.
This is more a '...of right now' than '...of all time' list - just five songs that spring to mind right now:
It's a long way to the top - AC/DC
Love Your Money - Daisy Chainsaw
At least we know that Russell Crowe's band's a fscking* pile of sh1t - Frenzal Rhomb
Buy me a pony - Spiderbait
Modern way of letting go - Idlewild
It's a bit Oz-centric, and probably subject to plenty of High Fidelty-style change, but hey, whaddya expect :)
* Forgive me, I'm posting this from work.
John. Busy lad.
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Post #122,294
10/21/03 10:56:11 PM
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If you're going to record
Smoke on the Water, then get the version from their "Made In Japan" live album. IMO, it's far superior to the "Machine Head" album verion.
You could add "Overture/Temples of Syrinx" from Rush's live album "All The World's A Stage". I'm partial to that since it's one of my earliest favorites.
lincoln
"Windows XP has so many holes in its security that any reasonable user will conclude it was designed by the same German officer who created the prison compound in "Hogan's Heroes." - Andy Ihnatko, Chicago Sun-Times
[link|http://users3.ev1.net/~bconnors/resume.htm|VB/SQL resume]
[link|http://users3.ev1.net/~bconnors/tandem_resume.htm|Tandem resume]
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Post #122,430
10/22/03 7:25:29 PM
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ABSO-Lutely!
Wouldn't consider it any other way!
jb4
"There are two ways for you to have lower Prescription-drug costs. One is you could hire Rush Limbaugh's housekeeper ... or you can elect me President."
John Kerry
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Post #122,295
10/21/03 10:57:09 PM
10/21/03 11:06:27 PM
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Re: 10 greatest Rock and Roll songs of all time
Depends on what you call Rock N' Roll
ELO - Mr. Blue Sky
ELO - Do Ya
ELO - Rockaria
ELO - Livin' Thing
ELO - Don't Bring Me Down
ELO - Rock N' Rock is King
She Blinded Me with Science - Thomas Dolby
Carry On My Wayward Son - Kansas
You Really Got Me - The Kinks
Rock the Cazbar - The Clash
Hangman - Styx
Surrender - Cheap Trick
Hotel California - Eagles
Wait let's just talk about the top bands...
The Eagles
The Beatles
Foreigner
Led Zepplin
ELO (Sorry, I'm a BIG fan!)
Dire Straits
Pink Floyd
Yes
Genesis / Phil Collins
Other good groups...
Mammas and the Papas
Emerson Lake and Palmer
ZZ Top
Earth, Wind and Fire (OK, not rock, but very GOOD!)
REO Speedwagon
Journey
AC/DC
The Kinks
Rush
Duran Duran (You gotta listen to the whole album.)
Heart
Robert Palmer
Cars
The Police
Edited by gdaustin
Oct. 21, 2003, 11:06:27 PM EDT
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Post #122,299
10/21/03 11:03:34 PM
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Let me guess...
You like ELO?
Eldorado is one of my favorite complete recordings ever. A New World Record and Out of the Blue are also great stuff.
Dunno if I'd put Foreigner in Top 5 Bands. I'd put the Clash there first.
Surrender by Cheap Trick (live version)...that album side from Live at Budokan might be the soundtrack of a generation.
If you push something hard enough, it will fall over. Fudd's First Law of Opposition
[link|mailto:bepatient@aol.com|BePatient]
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Post #122,302
10/21/03 11:14:37 PM
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ELO
Such good blues music for white people....
And varied musical style.
You get all the way from Wild West Hero, to Rock 'N Roll is King, to Telephone Line.
I have the 3 CD collectible. Has music all the way from the very beginning in the 1960's to their last tracks in early 1980's (Julie doesn't live here anymore.)
There's a band out of Austin, TX called FastBall that has the same bluesy sound as ELO, but not with the violins and arias and such.
Mr. Blue Sky - man oh man what a song when you're down
I like Dire Straits for the same reason. No two albums of theirs are the same. Some songs just have the best lyrics like "Industrial Disease", or Skateaway, or Romeo and Juliet. Mark Knopfler can get you to close your eyes and visualize yourself there with the mandolins. Or even the guys moving the color TV's in "Money for Nothing".
I need to listen to more of Jeff Lynne's later stuff, like the Traveling Wylburies (sp?)
Funny, but I work so much, I just don't get the chance to enjoy good music.
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Post #122,304
10/21/03 11:28:54 PM
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Mark Knopfler
Too much soul and bluesy guitar feel for one white man!!!
The first Dire Straits album is simply a masterpiece from start to finish. Easily one of my all time favorites. There are >many< that rank in my all time favorites..but few that I never, ever tire of hearing. Their first album is one of those...I never tire of listening to it.
On my list is Aqualung for the reason of the guitar solo. Second best guitar solo ever recorded is the solo on Romeo and Juliet where he plays against his own delay. Brilliant stuff.
If you push something hard enough, it will fall over. Fudd's First Law of Opposition
[link|mailto:bepatient@aol.com|BePatient]
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Post #122,308
10/21/03 11:39:01 PM
10/21/03 11:42:13 PM
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Duran Duran
I think they should probably get best synthesizer/keyboards for "Waiting for the Sound of Thunder"....
The music still runs through my head.
That FastBall song "The Way" is pretty good blues keyboard. Watch for them, they're on their way up.
The great guitar solos in Rock seem endless, but find someone playing awesome piano...
That's why I like ELO. They Rock on guitar, keyboard, violins, cellos, you get the idea... The sign of a truly awesome band. Not one instrument, but a lot of them working together.
That's why I wasn't as sold on Rush, or Triumph, or Boston (although all of them are very good)... All guitars... If you listen to a whole CD of Boston, your ears are ringing (even at normal volume).
Edited by gdaustin
Oct. 21, 2003, 11:42:13 PM EDT
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Post #122,296
10/21/03 10:57:27 PM
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You have to be joking.
10??
Out of the hundreds of thousands?
Alright...I'll play along...but keep in mind that if you ask me to give you a list of 10 an hour from now...it may very well be different. Also keep in mind that the thread is the Top 10 >greatest<, not my personal favorite top 10. There may be some crossover...but very little.
I will also endeavor to explain why I think each of these deserves to be Top 10...and NONE OF THESE SONGS IS BY NIRVANA. Get over it. They sucked. I don't give a shit what VH1 says. (ok...not really >sucked<...but nowhere near as good as they are being made out to be)
Enough preaching.
These 10 are not in bottom to top (or vice versa) order...
Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor Doctor) - Robert Palmer
This might be on every list that I would give. Simple reason really. Now that I've mentioned it the chorus is going through your head, isn't it? Don't lie to me now. You know it is. The blind squirrel found his nut here...
Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin
I could go for the rest of my life without ever hearing it again...but it broke the 4 minute barrier on radio playlists and opened up the world for groups like Yes and other art rockers to get their music heard. 1971 saw alot of very good music come out...but this one made sure it all made the airwaves. Still probably the most requested song ever at radio stations. Plus...it is one of the first songs in the "I'm learning guitar" series. (Hey dude...can you play Stairway???)
(I Can't get no) Satisfaction - Rolling Stones
He can't be a man cause he doesn't smoke...the same cigarettes as me! Personally I like the Devo version. Britney's version makes me wanna puke. Seeing Angelina J sing it in the movies makes me hot. Its pervasive. Its everywhere. It deserves top 10.
Aqualung - Jethro Tull
The best guitar solo ever laid on a track. Its not lightning fast or overly technical...but its perfect. Don't believe me...listen to it again.
Cocaine - Eric Clapton (live version)
She don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie. Again, my personal favorite version is not this one...but rather a reggae-fied acoustic version done by Nazareth on their live album...but there's no sense denying that this should be high on everyones list (pun intended).
Tush - ZZTOP
Just give me some of that Texas boogie woogie!
Hey Jude - Beatles
Ok...this really should be an >insert your favorite Beatles tune here< category. This could easily have been Lucy in the Sky or any one of the early number ones. The fab four brought the revolution to the doorstep...and we let them in. This track, though...seems to have the biggest response...cause everyone loves to sing along at the end.
My Generation - The Who
Why don't you all f f f f fade away. I hope I die before I get old...how much more Rock and Roll can you get than that?
Orange Crush - REM
Could easily substitute "Stand" from the same disk. Reason I find this top ten material is simple...it was the breakout song in the 80s that took "Alternative" music mainstream. It rescued music in the 80's from being consumed by Duran Duran, a Flock of Hairdos and the like and brought good music back to radio. Led the way for Midnight Oil, INXS and a host of other bands that had been relegated to "college music"
Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix
There would be no context to discuss Rock and Roll without Jimi Hendrix. Theres to much groundbreaking work in his catelog to pick the most influential piece...after all he did Dylan better than Dylan with Watchtower, he influenced perhaps the greatest guitarist of all time (SRV) with Little Wing and Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)...he incited Woodstock to all salute our fine nation with his rendition of the Star Spangled Banner...his is perhaps the best version of Sunshine of Your Love...and who doesn't know his version of Wild Thing...but Purple Haze seems to roll all of that influence into one track.
Ones that got cut from the list...
Space Oddity - David Bowie
Even had an 80s pop record done in its likeness. Ground Control to Major Tom...you're on my top ten list tonight. Again..not my personal favorite Bowie track...but probably his best known work.
Smoke on the Water - Deep Purple
Pick up an electric guitar. Play Smoke on the Water. Of course...its never the right way...but its close. Its the urge...one of the most memorable classic rock tunes of the 70s.
Roundabout - Yes
In the end, this just seemed to be more of a "my favorite" than a 10 greatest pick. Maybe I'm being too hard on Yes for being one of my Top 5 favorite bands of all time.
Surprisingly, a couple of my favorite bands did not make this list. The number one being Pink Floyd. While Another Brick Part 2 and Money are both top 50 material...it was hard for me to rate them in the Top 10.
I'll look this over tomorrow and kick myself for forgetting something. And I'm certain to like and respect other lists. And I'm notorious for not being able to make up my mind regarding music choice...which is how you end up with 115 gig of music on your computer.
If you push something hard enough, it will fall over. Fudd's First Law of Opposition
[link|mailto:bepatient@aol.com|BePatient]
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Post #122,305
10/21/03 11:29:06 PM
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Robert Palmer
But that's just Robert Palmer songs.... Simply Irristable, Didn't Mean to Turn You On...
Does that mean you would put Huey Lewis up there, too? I Wanna New Drug,
Workin' For A Livin, Heart of Rock N' Roll?
Palmer's good, so's Huey, but top 5?
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Post #122,306
10/21/03 11:36:37 PM
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Matter of scale.
Huey's "Drug" simply isn't as pervasive as "Doctor Doctor". Dr fits in any rotation. You can put it in the middle of a hard rock set..it fits. You can play on "oldies"...it fits...its a brilliantly crafted Rock and Roll song.
I would rank the "Sports" lp from Huey pretty high on an all time album list though. The individual songs aren't top 10 material on their own.
While I like some of Palmer's other stuff quite a bit, Clues being my favorite album...the later stuff (Simply Irrisistable or Addicted to Love) is completely forgettable. Hence the reason for the "blind squirrel" comment.
If you push something hard enough, it will fall over. Fudd's First Law of Opposition
[link|mailto:bepatient@aol.com|BePatient]
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Post #122,309
10/22/03 12:27:09 AM
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Satisfaction
I think the best cover of Satisfaction is Devo's version.
The video is very cool, too. In a super-geeky kind of way. I could relate to it more than Mick's original version.
If you haven't heard Devo's cover of it, then you haven't lived. ;-)
Glen Austin
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Post #122,421
10/22/03 6:33:57 PM
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Saw it on SNL
Was totally blown away.
In Java, you can't escape the creepy feeling.
--James Gosling
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Post #122,431
10/22/03 7:31:45 PM
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BeeP's list
Thanks for your feedback. And thanks for the paragraph on the back of each one...it's clear you gave this some thought.
As to the content:
1) Cocaine: I prefer the original version...perhaps only because I'm a bass player, and it takes more than one hand to count the errors in the recording by the bassist. Obviously they were playing with a "little helper" from the title track!
2) Beatles: Gotta have something from them in there somewhere. Actually, "Hey Jude" is a superb choice; debating that with "Lucy" and the medley from the back side of Abbey Road.
3) My Generation. On the bubble. What's better, in you opinion, as the "starting" point for Rock: My Generation or the Kingsmen's "Louie Louie"?
4) Purple haze. Fine, but eclipsed by "Watchtower", IMHO
jb4
"There are two ways for you to have lower Prescription-drug costs. One is you could hire Rush Limbaugh's housekeeper ... or you can elect me President."
John Kerry
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Post #122,489
10/23/03 8:11:45 AM
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Well...I've been trying to get to...
...a top 10 of the origination...influences of the influences as it were.
On that list would be items like Louie Louie - Kingsmen, Thats Alright - Elvis, At the hop, Lucille, La Bamba, Peggy Sue...
These were the songs that had the term Rock and Roll pegged. The first couple of MoTown recordings are also huge because of the recording methods, use of (or abuse of if you read the stories) studio musicians.
Half of Peter's list wouldn't have been possible without Black Sabbath creating the path for "dark rock"...soon to become the heavy metal genre...and even Judas Priest went very early into that presentation. Kiss was hugely influential because of the live aspects of the show...turning concerts into spectacles.
You've given me the opportunity to exercise my radio muscles with this topic. Don't get to do that very often anymore.
If you push something hard enough, it will fall over. Fudd's First Law of Opposition
[link|mailto:bepatient@aol.com|BePatient]
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Post #122,313
10/22/03 2:43:36 AM
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Re: 10 greatest Rock and Roll songs of all time
OK, firstly I've got to let you know that contrary to popular opinion, Stairway To Heaven is a big pile of schmaltzy cack. Had to get that off my chest.
Here we go. I've tended to pick songs that signified changes in music; songs that you might not find on your average pub jukebox, but which nevertheless had profound effects.
10. Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead
The song that made the leap from new wave/post-punk to full-on Goth. Without this track, there would have been no Sisters Of Mercy, no Fields of the Nephilim, no thrash metal, no nu metl. And it's a doozy. Pete Murphy is still the coolest individual to ever stand on a stage.
9. New Order - Blue Monday
When New Order walked on to the stage on Top Of The Pops, pressed a button that started the sequencer, and then walked off, a new era had begun. This is one of the most-covered, most-successful, most-remixed songs of all time.
8. The KLF - What Time Is Love?
The KLF were anti-pop stars. Previously to the existence of the KLF, Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty had made a bet with a friend - for \ufffd50 - that they could get a song - any song - to #1 in the UK. The result? "Doctorin' The Tardis" by The Time Lords. #1. Six years later, they burned a million quid in cash, after leaving a dead sheep on the steps of the Brit Awards.
"What Time Is Love?" turned up on the White Room album, and spawned an astonishing series of mixes, including notably "What Time Is Love America?" and the now-legendary duet with Extreme Noise Terror. It was a potent antidote to its contemporary sugary SAW pop and also to the grunge phenomenon. This was dance music terrorism that your mum could like.
7. AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Something died with Bon Scott, and it wasn't just his drinks bill. This is metal with an edge AND a sense of humour. Accessible, catchy and foot-tappingly brilliant, this is pop-metal at its finest. Brian Johnson has never adequately filled this gentleman's boots.
6. The Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up
The Prodigy are the Sex Pistols for the 90s, only they're good. We saw glimpses of their anger and venom on Music For The Jilted Generation, but it wasn't until Fat Of The Land that it really exploded. This is the opening track; widely hated by the blue-rinse brigade, it was designed to elicit a reaction. And it did. A slice of techno-punk that's complex and tight, it's a track you can't play with Grandma in the room.
5. Kraftwerk - The Model
Before Kraftwerk, there wasn't really an electronic music scene at all. There were lone experimental artists, and bands like Yes dipped toes in the water with their keyboard histrionics, but guitar was king. Kraftwerk turned that inside out with this track, which is an achingly sad journey through an electronic soundscape that at the time was completely revolutionary.
4. Pantera - Vulgar Display Of Power
The early 90s produced a slew of bands that were busy redefining "power metal", a tag that was previously attached to ridiculous sword-wielding nutters like Manowar. This isn't quite thrash, isn't quite grunge, and is quite, quite LOUD. This is also the song that saw Pantera ditch their previously cheesy image and bring us a track that effectively created a new genre.
3. Slayer - Reign In Blood
When this appeared in 1989, thrash metal was in a state of stagnation. Huge, rambling concept albums were popping up like mushrooms and it was all in danger of being a repeat of the late 70s, but with more noise. This entire album is 22 minutes long. It's all there; raging guitars, astounding drumming, and the title track is an astounding tour de force of what thrash should be.
2. Aerosmith/Run DMC - Walk This Way
The hip hop and metal camps have long been deeply suspicious of each other. Nowadays it's common for metal bands to use a rapper or DJ, and for hip hop bands to add a leetle axework to their tracks. It's thanks to this amazing cut that this happens. Definitely one of Aerosmith's finer moments, and a completely new sound.
1. Metallica - Master Of Puppets
Up to this point, heavy metal was a somewhat simplistic genre. Songwriting was for the most part basic, the themes were simple (death, girls, beer) and the music was predictable. This track changed all that. With some extremely innovative riffing and an inventive, metamorphing song structure, Metallica took their own work to a new level, dragging the entire metal scene with them. This track turned Metallica from four guys with instruments into musicians. It raised the bar, and inspired a new generation.
Peter
[link|http://www.debian.org|Shill For Hire]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Blog]
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Post #122,320
10/22/03 5:19:34 AM
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The only good version of Stairway to Heaven...
...is the Rolf Harris version :)
Oh my - just had a look on iTunes music store thingy - Pat Boone does a version of it also. Wonders never cease.
John. Busy lad.
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Post #122,338
10/22/03 9:39:11 AM
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No, no.
[link|http://classicrock.about.com/library/misc/blv1011.htm|Stairway to Gilligan's Island] is the best.
:-)
Cheers,
Scott.
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Post #123,024
10/27/03 11:19:00 PM
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Wrong
Dread Zeppelin nailed it cold.
--\n-------------------------------------------------------------------\n* Jack Troughton jake at consultron.ca *\n* [link|http://consultron.ca|http://consultron.ca] [link|irc://irc.ecomstation.ca|irc://irc.ecomstation.ca] *\n* Kingston Ontario Canada [link|news://news.consultron.ca|news://news.consultron.ca] *\n-------------------------------------------------------------------
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Post #123,025
10/27/03 11:28:50 PM
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They're good too. :-) The Led is dead.
Long live the [link|http://www.thone.demon.co.uk/fredzep/|Fred].
Cheers,
Scott.
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Post #122,329
10/22/03 8:09:02 AM
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No complaints about this list..
And agree with the reasoning as well. And as a member of the generation that grew up after the birth of rock, I fully expect you to hold that opinion of Stairway. It still changed the basic underlying tenent of radio programming...and got a shot at anythimg over 4 minutes making it to radio. Ever wonder why the radio edit of Inna Gadda da Vida was under 4 minutes? It was a brutal hack that got it there too.
I might switch the Kraftwerk from The Model to Autobahn.
And trust me, metal fans didn't follow Metallica from Kill'em All to Master of Puppets easily. Serious rumblings were heard initially after its release about it being "their worst release". Now I can't find a fan that doesn't think it their best.
If you push something hard enough, it will fall over. Fudd's First Law of Opposition
[link|mailto:bepatient@aol.com|BePatient]
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Post #122,332
10/22/03 8:25:39 AM
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Best version of In A Gadda Da Vida...
...was Slayer's :-)
Peter
[link|http://www.debian.org|Shill For Hire]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Blog]
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Post #122,420
10/22/03 6:33:12 PM
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Holy Cow People! I simply cannot belive
that there is no Ted Nugent to be seen. Stranglehold ranks as one of the truly great long overblown guitar jams and beats Stairway to Heaven by about a full minute of play time besides!
Or Alice Cooper. School Daze at least deserves an honorable mention for its annual return to the airwaves.
Or J Geils.
No Van Halen? The man changed the whole definition of what a guitar is FOR! At the very least Eruption is one of the most amazing demonstrations of electric fretboard agility ever caught on tape. VH 1 changed the sound across the board for awhile.
Come to think of it, so did the Cars.
Practically every Rolling Stones song you can name.
The Ramones - Thats what I like about you! - the very definition of Rock n Roll - 3 chords and a beat that won't quit
Spencer Davis - Gimme some lovin.
The Police - most of albums 1-4.
The Kingsmen - Louie Louie - total classic.
The Trogs - Wild Thing....
Man, this is hard. I could go on for days but I'll put my money on stuff they don't play much on the radio anymore. There could be no Led Zep for instance - overplayed and I'd like to never hear anything by them again. Ditto the Doors.
In Java, you can't escape the creepy feeling.
--James Gosling
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Post #122,428
10/22/03 7:19:32 PM
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Todd Blanchard's diatribe
Thanks for your feedback (I think... ;-) )
The Kingsmen's Louie Louie...How could I for get?!? (Actually, with my swiss-cheese brian, forgetting something that old is easy!)
Alice Cooper: I dunno about "School Days", but "Ballad of Dwight Fry" merits consideration.
And you're right, "Stranglehold" also merits consideration...in fact, it should be on the list.
jb4
"There are two ways for you to have lower Prescription-drug costs. One is you could hire Rush Limbaugh's housekeeper ... or you can elect me President."
John Kerry
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Post #122,437
10/22/03 9:51:07 PM
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Had the Police...
Van Halen was probably the one I was missing the most. Spent most of my 13-15 year old days listening to VH II.
Are you talking about Alice Cooper's School's Out, Completely?
Louie Louie and Wild Thang both pre-date me.
But I can't believe I missed Van Halen! Oh well, might as well Jump!
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Post #122,440
10/22/03 10:11:24 PM
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Doh - should have been "Schools Out"
brain slippage. The mind is the second thing to go.
In Java, you can't escape the creepy feeling.
--James Gosling
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Post #122,464
10/23/03 1:20:42 AM
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No Neil Young? (Powderfinger etc.)
-drl
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Post #122,467
10/23/03 1:41:06 AM
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Can't stand him
In Java, you can't escape the creepy feeling.
--James Gosling
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Post #122,468
10/23/03 1:42:33 AM
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my sympathies on your condition
-drl
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Post #122,490
10/23/03 8:19:13 AM
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Couple of good ones...
Troggs, Kingsmen, Cooper...
Alice would be in the next 10 with School's Out. Ramones would have made that next set as well, along with Sex Pistols probably.
While I love Ted...he really doesn't break a whole lot of new ground...except maybe in his choice of subject matter....Wang Dang Sweet Poontang isn't going to earn alot of influence points ;-)
Eddie V as an influential guitarist...sure. VH1 as an influential rock album...also sure. Any individual song as a Top10...can't see it. Stanley Jordan was the real master at playing guitar on the fretboard..except he plays jazz. Percussive guitar I would call it. Not at Eddie's blazing speed...but definitely unique. Eddie V is on my list of Top 10 guitarists of all time though (so far).
If you push something hard enough, it will fall over. Fudd's First Law of Opposition
[link|mailto:bepatient@aol.com|BePatient]
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Post #122,422
10/22/03 6:56:25 PM
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Lots of good stuff mentioned
Here's a few more to add:
Lynyrd Skynyrd: Just about anything from Street Survivors album.
Their 3-guitar work is fantastic, Steve Gaines woulda been one of the best ever
Clapton: Slowhand is one of the best, unplugged is excellent
One of the most versatile guitarists and songwriters
Robin Trower: Bridge of Sighs
Underrated master of the caster.
Stevie Ray Vaughan: Just about anything
One of the all time great blues-rockers
Dixie Dregs: Cruise Control
Steve Morse is another very good and very versatile guitar great
Eric Johnson: Cliffs of Dover
Another guitargod. Tone for days!
Glass Harp: You Whispered Something
Phil Keaggy is THE most amazing guitarist I've ever seen.
Molly Hatchet: Dreams I'll never See
More excellent multi-guitar harmony work
Eagles: most
One of my all-time faves. killer lyrics, great guitar work, kind of a genre all their own.
Yes: The Yes Album
Just because It's the first album I actually had to replace because I played it so much.
Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon
The second album I had to replace because I played it so much :)
Steely Dan: loved them all, but favorite is probably Aja
One of the great studio bands..unfortunately
Well thats 12, I'll stop now!
-----
Steve
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Post #122,445
10/22/03 10:31:20 PM
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A few of my nominations.
A true top 10 list should include timeless songs. I think these meet that standard. I'm partial to songs with good lyrics, but the music is at least as important. Others have covered many of my other favorites. Putting these in a numerical order is a fruitless task, IMO.
Todd Rundgren - "Hello it's me", "Couldn't I just tell you?"
- Todd's the king of the timeless, sappy love song.
Buddy Holly - "That'll be the day", "Peggy Sue"
- Surely Buddy would have a song in there?
Chuck Berry - "Mabellene", "Roll over Beethoven", "Johnny B. Goode", etc.
- Chuck influenced just about everyone that followed.
Pete Townshend/The Who - "Pure and Easy", "Won't get fooled again"
- Master lyricist, guitarist, and a magical band.
The Beatles - "Day in the life"
- An interesting, thoughtful song from the uberband.
The Rolling Stones - "Paint it Black"
- If the Stones have to be there, and of course they do, at least let it be a good song!
Gerry Rafferty - "Baker Street"
- Who can forget that saxaphone? Great lyrics too.
Bruce Springsteen - "Badlands"
- The whole DotEoT album was amazing.
Santana - "Black Magic Woman"
- Carlos's certainly near the top of the list of great guitarists.
Midnight Oil - "Blue Sky Mine", "King of the Mountain"
- A couple (of many) timeless songs.
George Harrison - "What is life"
- Does this really need a justification?
That's enough for now. :-)
Cheers,
Scott.
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Post #122,448
10/22/03 10:59:42 PM
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only 10?
zep (cant remember the title but his ol lady just wanted to get drunk and ball all day)
when the levee breaks Zep
wont be fooled again the WHO
radar love Golden earing
back in black (was close to dirty deeds but back won out)AC/DC
Dynamo Hum Zappa
Sandman Mettalica
Deep purple with the London Philharmonic
thick as a brick
Little queenie by bob seeger
lineup is subject to change
thanx,
bill
"You're just like me streak. You never left the free-fire zone.You think aspirins and meetings and cold showers are going to clean out your head. What you want is God's permission to paint the trees with the bad guys. That wont happen big mon." Clete
questions, help? [link|mailto:pappas@catholic.org|email pappas at catholic.org]
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Post #122,556
10/23/03 2:47:01 PM
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On Zappa...
Found this song on "Have I offended someone?":
Your career could take a thud
Unless you kneel and scarf his pud
And when the dates come rolling in
You can wipe your lips and flash a grin
That tells them all on the jingle date
That you enjoyed what you just ate
Yum yum, dog food
Hemorrhoid cream but the bread\ufffds so good
New rv and a leisure suit
Hey, I play shit but I love the loot
Thank the union, it\ufffds so great
Only a few get to be on the date
Those other shmucks with electric guitars
Got to play for poot in the bistro bars
You have made it, you are cool
You have been to the berkeley school
You give clinics on the side
Music has died and no one cried
Yo cats, yo yo
Yo chooch way to go
You is dead!
From Yo Cats, done in a pseudo Sinatra lounge lizard style. One of my new all time favorites... Just a few thoughts,
Screamer
But take your time, think a lot,
Why, think of everything you've got.
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not.
Y. Islam - Father and Son
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Post #122,584
10/23/03 4:05:10 PM
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There are just too many...
...quotes from Zappa to do any justice picking just one. Is that a real poncho or a Sears poncho? Here Fido! But if you want his opinion on world affairs...there's nothing better than [link|http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/lyrics/You_Are_What_You_Is.html#Dumb|this:]
Whoever we are
Wherever we're from
We shoulda noticed by now
Our behavior is dumb
And if our chances
Expect to improve
It's gonna take a lot more
Than tryin' to remove
The other race
Or the other whatever
From the face
Of the planet altogether
They call it THE EARTH
Which is a dumb kinda name
But they named it right
'Cause we behave the same . . .
We are dumb all over
Dumb all over,
Yes we are
Dumb all over,
Near 'n far
Dumb all over,
Black 'n white
People, we is not wrapped tight
Nurds on the left
Nurds on the right
Religious fanatics
On the air every night
Sayin' the Bible
Tells the story
'N makes the details
Sound real gory
'Bout what to do
If the geeks over there
Don't believe in the book
We got over here
You can't run a race
Without no feet
'N pretty soon
There won't be no street
For dummies to jog on
Or doggies to dog on
Religious fanatics
Can make it be all gone
(I mean it won't blow up
'N disappear
It'll just look ugly
For a thousand years . . . )
You can't run a country
By a book of religion
Not by a heap
Or a lump or a smidgeon
Of foolish rules
Of ancient date
Designed to make
You all feel great
While you fold, spindle
And mutilate
Those unbelievers
From a neighboring state
TO ARMS! TO ARMS!
Hooray! That's great
Two legs ain't bad
Unless there's a crate
They ship the parts
To mama in
For souvenirs: two ears (Get Down!)
Not his, not hers (but what the hey?)
The Good Book says:
"It gotta be that way!"
But their book says:
"REVENGE THE CRUSADES . . .
With whips 'n chains
'N hand grenades . . . "
TWO ARMS? TWO ARMS?
Have another and another
Our God says:
"There ain't no other!"
Our God says
"It's all okay!"
Our God says
"This is the way!"
It says in the book:
"Burn 'n destroy . . .
'N repent, 'n redeem
'N revenge, 'n deploy
'N rumble thee forth
To the land of the unbelieving scum on the other side
'Cause they don't go for what's in the book
'N that makes 'em BAD
So verily we must choppeth them up
And stompeth them down
Or rent a nice French bomb
To poof them out of existance
While leaving their real estate just where we need it
To use again
For temples in which to praise
OUR GOD
("Cause he can really take care of business!")
And when his humble TV servant
With humble white hair
And humble glasses
And a nice brown suit
And maybe a blonde wife who takes phone calls
Tells us our God says
It's okay to do this stuff
Then we gotta do it,
'Cause if we don't do it,
We ain't gwine up to hebbin!
(Depending on which book you're using at the time . . . Can't use theirs . . . it don't work . . . it's all lies . . . Gotta use mine . . . )
Ain't that right?
That's what they say
Every night . . .
Every day . . .
Hey, we can't really be dumb
If we're just following God's Orders
Hey, Let's get serious . . .
God knows what he's doin' . . .
He wrote this book here
An' the book says:
"He made us all to be just like Him," so . . .
If we're dumb . . .
Then God is dumb . . .
(An' maybe even a little ugly on the side)
If you push something hard enough, it will fall over. Fudd's First Law of Opposition
[link|mailto:bepatient@aol.com|BePatient]
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Post #122,633
10/23/03 10:30:47 PM
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Amen, bruthah
And right on down the scale from that harbinger of worldwide dumbth, Now Here! ..he could still toss off the whimsical [link|http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/lyrics/Uncle_Meat.html#Cruising|Cruising for Burgers] I must be free
My fake I.D.
Freeeeeees me
Gotta do a few things
To make my life complete
I gotta live my life
Out on the street
The difference between us
Is not very far
Cruising for burgers
In daddy's new car
My phony freedom card
Brings to me
Instantly
ECSTASY from Uncle Meat{sigh}
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Post #122,638
10/23/03 11:16:00 PM
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I think of Trouble
Another song that's back in style
More Trouble Every Day [link|http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/lyrics/Roxy_and_Elsewhere.html#Trouble|http://globalia.net/...here.html#Trouble]
Well I'm about to get sick
From watchin' my TV
Been checkin' out the news
Till my eyeballs fail to see
I mean to say that every day
Is just another rotten mess
(Sure 'nuff!)
And when it's gonna change, my friend
Is anybody's guess (Well!) (Woa!)
So I'm
Watchin' and I'm a--waitin'
I'm hopin' for the best
Even think I'll go to prayin'
Every time I hear 'em sayin'
There's no way to delay
That trouble comin' every day
There's no way to delay
That trouble comin' every day
Wednesday I watched the riot
I seen the cops out on the street
I watched 'em throwin' rocks & stuff & chokin'
In the heat
I listen to reports
'Bout the whisky passin' around
I seen the smoke & fire
And the market burnin' down
I watched while everybody
On his street would take a turn
To stomp & smash & bash & crash & slash & bust & burn
I'm a--watchin' and I'm a--waitin'
But I'm hopin' for the best
Even think I'll go to prayin'
Every time I hear 'em sayin'
There's no way to delay
That trouble comin' every day
There's no way to delay
That trouble comin' every day
Watchin' and I'm a--waitin'
I'm hopin' for the best
Even think I'll go to prayin'
Every time I hear 'em sayin', oh, yeah . . .
In Java, you can't escape the creepy feeling.
--James Gosling
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