| February 13th, 2005 06:12 AM |
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
Top Five Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Songs
Tomorrow night, the Grammys honor the best music of the year. But why stop there?
By Christopher Hall
Special to The Courier-Journal
Louisville KY, Feb 12, 2005
Listening to Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run" the other day, I thought to myself, "This has to be one of the greatest rock 'n' roll songs of all time."
OK. So what, then, are the others?
The No. 1 song was easy for me, but then it got tough -- especially since I decided I wanted to list the Top Five Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Songs of All Time.
Rock 'n' roll is the most purely American of the three purely American art forms -- the others being jazz and hip-hop -- in no small part because it has absorbed the contributions of all nationalities, ethnicities and all musical genres, including the other two. It has helped define and reflect this nation.
How in the world do you narrow that down to five songs? And what defines greatest? Is it the best, is it the most important, is it the most influential?
All I really knew was that "Imagine," surely John Lennon's most overrated song, was NOT going to be on the list.
I decided to enlist some help.
Like mad Rob Fleming in Nick Hornby's "High Fidelity," I made my list. Then I asked a bevy of local musicians and music geeks: What are your top five?
The initial guidelines were to pick the five greatest songs -- not just your favorites. Musicians being musicians, some of them even listened.
Oddly enough, there were only two duplications.
So without further ado, here are my five greatest rock songs of all time, followed by the rest of the lists.
My picks
I had a hard time leaving out my favorite bands and artists, like the Clash, the Replacements, Rage Against the Machine, the Pixies and Johnny Cash, but I did.
The easiest pick, oddly enough, was No. 1. One song so perfectly captures the spirt of rock 'n' roll that it, and only it, could be the best ever.
1. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," The Rolling Stones. Surely everybody knows by now the story about how Keith Richards heard the guitar riff in his sleep, woke up and recorded the most instantly recognizable few seconds in rock history. Besides getting into your head musically, the song is about youthful rebellion, especially against the forces of mass media, consumer culture and advertising. Rock and roll, baby.
2. "Born to Run," Bruce Springsteen. About cars, love, sex, rebellion and running away, with a driving beat, this has to be the quintessential American rock song.
3. "Johnny B. Goode," Chuck Berry. I was leaning toward John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom," but then I read that this song was included by NASA scientists on the 1977 Voyager I Space Probe as one of humanity's greatest achievements.
4. "Respect," Aretha Franklin. I almost left this off in favor of her "Chain of Fools," partly because Otis Redding recorded "Respect" first, in 1965. But it's Aretha's version that is one of the greatest songs, in no small part because she is all woman, and this song demanded respect.
5. "Walk This Way," Run DMC with Aerosmith. This was the hardest pick. Initially, I waffled between U2's angry protest song "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," which changed the face of rock radio at the end of the 20th century. But "Walk This Way" ushered in rap and hip-hop, which have come to dominate the popular music charts. It also showcased the blending of rock and rap, paving the way for later bands like Rage Against the Machine and Linkin Park. The song also resuscitated the career of Aerosmith, a great American rock band that had been lingering on life support for a while Finally, the song is just a whole lotta fun. Play it and try to sit still: I double dog dare ya.L
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| February 13th, 2005 06:32 AM |
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| J.J.Flash |
WTF?!!?!??
---------------BLANK FRIGGIN' STARE-------------------------
How could this happen!?!??! Walk this way?!?!? Fuckin' hell......how??!?
"Born To Be Wild" by Steppenwolf with no doubt should be among the TOP 10 at least.....
I don't feel comfortable talking about these TOP 5/TOP 10 of all time......I mean....not even those huge 500 rock'n'roll songs of all time that Kiss FM promotes every end of the year......let's make our list here one day.... |
| February 13th, 2005 06:39 AM |
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| glencar |
Guy's mixing up genres. This list is piffle. |
| February 13th, 2005 06:40 AM |
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| J.J.Flash |
quote:
glencar wrote:
Guy's mixing up genres. This list is piffle.
Blue........
sorry my ignorance my Big Apple buddy......errrrr...but what does "piffle" mean?!?!
What's your opinion about making this kind of lists!??!
I need to know! |
| February 13th, 2005 06:45 AM |
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| glencar |
piffle = nonsense!
Respect is a soul song. And rap is crap. Born To Run has been overplayed. I'd put "Born In The USA" up there ahead of that. Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone" maybe. "London Calling" or one of El Vez's early monster hits. |
| February 13th, 2005 06:49 AM |
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| JaggerLips |
Id' have this song there instead of Walk This Way!
Bon Jovi
"It's My Life"
This ain't a song for the broken-hearted
No silent prayer for the faith-departed
I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd
You're gonna hear my voice
When I shout it out loud
[Chorus:]
It's my life
It's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just wanna live while I'm alive
It's my life
This is for the ones who stood their ground
For Tommy and Gina who never backed down
Tomorrow's getting harder make no mistake
Luck ain't even lucky
Got to make your own breaks
[Chorus:]
It's my life
And it's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just want to live while I'm alive
'Cause it's my life
Better stand tall when they're calling you out
Don't bend, don't break, baby, don't back down
[Chorus:]
It's my life
And it's now or never
'Cause I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just want to live while I'm alive
[Chorus:]
It's my life
And it's now or never
'Cause I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just want to live while I'm alive
'Cause it's my life!
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| February 13th, 2005 06:50 AM |
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| J.J.Flash |
Oh yeah....if he at least had chosen the original "Walk this way" I wouldn't be so mad, despite I can't stand Steven Tyler and his fags anymore.....
Good morning Blue, what time is over there, here is 08:50 AM |
| February 13th, 2005 06:51 AM |
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| glencar |
650 AM. Time to go to sleep! LOL |
| February 13th, 2005 06:55 AM |
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| J.J.Flash |
quote:
glencar wrote:
650 AM. Time to go to sleep! LOL
Oh, I see.....I thought you had just woke up minutes ago......
Have you been hanging out last night, pub?!?! |
| February 13th, 2005 06:58 AM |
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| Jumping Jack |
Jumping Jack Flash
Freebird
Won't Get Fooled Again
Layla
Stairway To Heaven |
| February 13th, 2005 07:11 AM |
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| J.J.Flash |
quote:
Jumping Jack wrote:
Jumping Jack Flash
Freebird
Won't Get Fooled Again
Layla
Stairway To Heaven
YEah......for sure I would put Jumpin' Jack Flash as the first. |
| February 13th, 2005 12:02 PM |
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| Bloozehound |
quote:
JaggerLips wrote:
Id' have this song there instead of Walk This Way!
Bon Jovi
"It's My Life"
This ain't a song for the broken-hearted
No silent prayer for the faith-departed
I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd
You're gonna hear my voice
When I shout it out loud
[Chorus:]
It's my life
It's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just wanna live while I'm alive
It's my life
This is for the ones who stood their ground
For Tommy and Gina who never backed down
Tomorrow's getting harder make no mistake
Luck ain't even lucky
Got to make your own breaks
[Chorus:]
It's my life
And it's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just want to live while I'm alive
'Cause it's my life
Better stand tall when they're calling you out
Don't bend, don't break, baby, don't back down
[Chorus:]
It's my life
And it's now or never
'Cause I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just want to live while I'm alive
[Chorus:]
It's my life
And it's now or never
'Cause I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just want to live while I'm alive
'Cause it's my life!
Same thing occured to me while I was reading through Mr. Hall's definitive list of all time best rock n roll songs. I was all like...
"5. Walk This Way??? Hell no!! Wake up sunshine!! "Living on a Pray" Bon Jovi dude!!!"
We must petition this, it's an outrage, if we can't change Mr. Halls mind then we should at least die trying! Oh the inhumanity of man, injustice!
ohhhh hoo were half way there, oohhhhh hooo livin on a prayer!
oooogggaa oooogggaaa oggggaa oooggaaa!! |
| February 13th, 2005 01:15 PM |
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| Soldatti |
quote:
Ten Thousand Motels wrote:
5. "Walk This Way," Run DMC with Aerosmith
My ass!! |
| February 13th, 2005 01:20 PM |
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| Bruno Stone |
quote:
Jumping Jack wrote:
Jumping Jack Flash
Freebird
Won't Get Fooled Again
Layla
Stairway To Heaven
I was trying to play Layla intro the other day in my acoustic guitar, is hard to make it sound good as Clapton does. Fantastic riff. |
| February 13th, 2005 01:26 PM |
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| HardKnoxDurtySox |
Gimmie Shelter
Tumbling Dice
Midnight Rambler
Let It Bleed
Can't You Hear Me Knockin'
Fuck Run DMC, fuck Born to Run, fuck this writer, and fuck everyone else for that matter... |
| February 13th, 2005 03:04 PM |
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
quote:
J.J.Flash wrote:
this way" I wouldn't be so mad, despite I can't stand Steven Tyler and his fags anymore.....
Fags!!??? Bite your tongue young man! That's New England's you're talking about! |
| February 13th, 2005 03:33 PM |
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| Moonisup |
quote:
JaggerLips wrote:
Id' have this song there instead of Walk This Way!
Bon Jovi
"It's My Life"
This ain't a song for the broken-hearted
No silent prayer for the faith-departed
I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd
You're gonna hear my voice
When I shout it out loud
[Chorus:]
It's my life
It's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just wanna live while I'm alive
It's my life
This is for the ones who stood their ground
For Tommy and Gina who never backed down
Tomorrow's getting harder make no mistake
Luck ain't even lucky
Got to make your own breaks
[Chorus:]
It's my life
And it's now or never
I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just want to live while I'm alive
'Cause it's my life
Better stand tall when they're calling you out
Don't bend, don't break, baby, don't back down
[Chorus:]
It's my life
And it's now or never
'Cause I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just want to live while I'm alive
[Chorus:]
It's my life
And it's now or never
'Cause I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive
(It's my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just want to live while I'm alive
'Cause it's my life!
you could get banned for this by Gazza |
| February 13th, 2005 03:43 PM |
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| F505 |
I think she/he already is... |
| February 13th, 2005 04:22 PM |
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| glencar |
"I just want to live while I'm alive"???? Wow, that sucks. |
| February 13th, 2005 04:41 PM |
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
quote:
glencar wrote:
"I just want to live while I'm alive"????
"Sheer Profundity".... |
| February 13th, 2005 09:21 PM |
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| time is on my side |
1. JUMPING JACK FLASH
2. PURPLE HAZE
3. LIKE A ROLLING STONE
4. GIMME SHELTER
5. WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN; STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN
This is a STONES board so I thought I would include two songs from the STONES. That first list, mentioning WALK THIS WAY, paraphrasing Dylan- WAS THAT SOME KIND OF A JOKE??? |
| February 13th, 2005 09:32 PM |
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| corgi37 |
Walk this way my arse!!
Where is "Yummy, yummy, yummy, i got love in my tummy"?
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| February 13th, 2005 09:49 PM |
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| Soldatti |
At least that guy put Walk This Way and not that Aerosmith song from that movie about the comet that's gonna hit the earth. |
| February 13th, 2005 10:46 PM |
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| Bitch |
SATISFACTION is the #1 R&R song of all time. |
| February 14th, 2005 12:45 PM |
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| glencar |
quote:
Soldatti wrote:
At least that guy put Walk This Way and not that Aerosmith song from that movie about the comet that's gonna hit the earth.
"I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" by the estimable Diane Warren. The Stones have never sunk THAT low!
[Edited by glencar] |
| February 14th, 2005 12:53 PM |
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| voodoopug |
quote:
Bitch wrote:
SATISFACTION is the #1 R&R song of all time.
agreed, here are my picks based on overall lasting ability and significance:
1. Satisfaction
2. Johnny B Goode
3. Hound Dog
4. Stairway to Heaven (overplayed, but it is important)
5. as a stones fan i would like to say JJF, but Smells like Teen Spirit did kill "hair bands" with one mighty swoop. |
| February 14th, 2005 02:10 PM |
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| Navin |
1. Jumpin' Jack Flash
2. Brown Sugar
3. Buried Alive
4. I'm Eighteen
5. Under My Wheels |
| February 14th, 2005 02:53 PM |
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| Riffhard |
1.-Satifaction (without question)
2.-My Generation (it reeks rock and roll and youthful rebellion. Plus the bass line is sublime)
3.-Johnny B Goode (How can you not give it up for Chuck?)
4.-Gimme Shelter (Just so good and very appropriate moodwise considering the time and place it came out)
5.-Heartbreak Hotel (for my money this is the first real R&R record Elvis ever covered and it remains his best ever)
There you have it my friends.
Riffhard |
| February 14th, 2005 03:16 PM |
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| Fiji Joe |
1. Brown Sugar
2. Won't Get Fooled Again
3. Johnny B. Goode
4. Safety Dance
5. Indian Girl
[Edited by Fiji Joe] |
| February 14th, 2005 03:33 PM |
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| glencar |
1. Cocksucker Blues
2. Criss Cross Mind
3. Jailhouse Rock
4. One (U2)
5. Daughter (PJ) |
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