Best songs of the rock era

[begin_within]

In terms of both music and lyrics. Not in performance, just composition. My entry would be:

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. composition, hey? How about Aja by Steely Dan.

[Taverner]

22. I was going to disagree, but then I remember the rising key changes in the middle

And you're right

[lastlib]

28. took me quite a few years to realize just how GOOD those guys were!! Fantastic group!

"not enough 'ooo's in smooooooth", as Col. Potter once said.

[OriginalGeek]

2. Achilles Last Stand

epic.

[sarcasmo]

15. If you use epic to much, does it really make it, epic?

[OriginalGeek]

27. No, it just makes some uses wrong

but this one isn't. Epic song is epic.

...the mighty arms of Atlas hold the heavens from the earth.....

[Tabasco_Dave]

3. David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust

[begin_within]

18. I love that album

To me, Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust are Bowie's best albums. Parts of Aladdin Sane and Diamond Dogs are close, and the singles Space Oddity, The Man Who Sold the World, Fame and Ashes to Ashes are great. But for whole albums beginning-to-end, Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust are his defining works.

[TwilightGardener]

4. Hmmm...maybe not THE BEST, but one of my faves in terms

of composition, lyrics, AND live performance of progressive rock:

Kansas, "Song For America" from 'Two For The Show" live album:


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[Systematic Chaos]

8. Song for America is one of those songs that hits you and just won't let go.

I discovered it when I was first going nuts over Prog Rock in the mid 80s and was about 17. I loved it so much back then that I was trying to transcribe it into one of those simple music programs on the Atari 8-bit computer. It was fun, but there's no way something like that can do such an epic song justice, with only 4-voice audio and plain old beeps.

[TwilightGardener]

12. Yup--the violin solo 2/3 of the way through inspired me

to eventually pick up the violin (among other great Robbie Steinhardt solos) and try to learn to play as an adult. And put it back down again, because I suck. Not one of those instruments you can really play well without an instructor and being five, I guess.

[bluedigger]

5. Stairway to Heaven.

Because you can fast and slow dance to it. bluedigger probably would still be waiting for his first slow dance without it.

Your choice is one of my favorites, too.

[BlueMan Votes]

7. dazed and confused.

Zeppelin is one of those bands whose first album is their best. imo.

[Systematic Chaos]

6. There are too many to count and I wouldn't know where to even start.

Progressive Rock to Pop to Top-40, there has been brilliance in evidence to varying degrees since the early 60s, and even before that if you count experimental composers like John Cage. Hell, listen to some Alkan piano works being performed on YouTube. That guy was a century ahead of his time.

[begin_within]

10. Would you say 4' 33" is the best song of the rock era?

[Systematic Chaos]

11. I think it's an awesome joke. But his REAL music is interesting as well.

I've only been getting into it over the past couple years with the help of YouTube so I'm no authority, but I find his material to be fascinating to listen to. It's not rock, I know, but still it's some wildly experimental material.

[RebelOne]

30. Same here.

I loved Chicago, Blood, Sweat and Tears among many.

[BlueMan Votes]

9. hendrix does dylan

[LynneSin]

13. My vote everytime - Ramble On

[dawg]

14. Any song that mentions Gollum ...

is A-OK in my book!!!!!

[pipi_k]

16. Definitely on

my Top Ten list!

Along with "Whole Lotta Love":

Unfortunately, what's missing from that version is the ending. I can watch that a hundred times and get goosebumps every time.

[begin_within]

17. I like that whole album

Everyone seems to always point to LZ IV as their best, and it's a good album, but for my money LZ II is the most listenable... not a dull moment at any point.

[LynneSin]

23. II is my favorite too

it's the best!

[Whiskeytide]

19. If you're talking only music and lyrics, ...

... The Eagles have to be in the discussion. Don Henley's lyrics. Wasted Time, Hotel California, After the Thrill is Gone.... Good stuff.

[datasuspect]

20. no one knows what it's like

to be the batman?

[Tuesday Afternoon]

25. Holy Blue Eyes!

[Brother Buzz]

21. Can't have just one

In Broken Prey, Weather gave Lucas a coupon for 100 songs for his new iPod. This became a recurring theme throughout the novel, as Lucas muddled through a mental list of songs to purchase. In typical Lucas Davenport fashion, he became slightly obsessive about it all, and involved a number of other people (imagine cops at a murder scene, discussing music) in his decision-making process.

Here's Lucas Davenport's "Best Songs of the Rock Era" list, in no particular order, except that, as any intelligent person knows, any decent road trip will start with ZZ Top:


1. Sharp-Dressed Man · ZZ Top
2. Legs · ZZ Top
3. Mustang Sally · Wilson Pickett
4. Superman's Song · Crash Test Dummies
5. Rock On · David Essex
6. Radar Love · Golden Earring
7. Heart of Glass · Blondie
8. White Rabbit · Jefferson Airplane
9. Somebody to Love · Jefferson Airplane
10. Layla · Derek and the Dominoes

11. Roadhouse Blues · Doors
12. House of the Rising Sun · Animals
13. Sweet Emotion · Aerosmith
14. Dude (Looks Like a Lady) · Aerosmith
15. Dancing in the Dark · Bruce Springsteen
16. Born to Run · Bruce Springsteen
17. Thunder Road · Bruce Springsteen
18. Every Breath You Take · Police
19. Heart of Saturday Night · Tom Waits
20. Hot for Teacher · Van Halen

21. Won't Get Fooled Again · Who
22. Hotel California (cover the Eagles) · Gipsy Kings
23. Give Me One Reason · Tracy Chapman
24. Down on the Corner · CCR
25. Lyin' Eyes · Eagles
26. Life in the Fast Lane · Eagles
27. Skateaway (Roller Girl) · Dire Straits
28. Mary Jane's Last Dance · Tom Petty
29. Me 'n Bobby McGee · Janis Joplin
30. Black Water · Doobie Brothers

31. I Love Rock 'n Roll · Joan Jett
32. Jack and Diane · John Mellencamp
33. The Wall (Part 2) · Pink Floyd
34. Money · Pink Floyd
35. Piano Man · Billy Joel
36. After Midnight · Eric Clapton
37. Lay Down Sally · Eric Clapton
38. You Shook Me (All Night Long) · AC/DC
39. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap · AC/DC
40. Long Cool Woman · Hollies

41. Like a Rolling Stone · Bob Dylan
42. Knockin' on Heaven's Door · Bob Dylan
43. Subterranean Homesick Blues · Bob Dylan
44. Satisfaction · Rolling Stones
45. Brown Sugar · Rolling Stones
46. Sympathy for the Devil · Rolling Stones
47. Anarchy in the UK · Sex Pistols
48. Sugar Magnolia · Grateful Dead
49. Slow Hand · Pointer Sisters
50. Sweet Dreams · Eurythmics

51. Jailhouse Rock · Elvis Presley
52. Ziggy Stardust · David Bowie
53. Night Moves · Bob Seger
54. Bye-Bye-Love · Everly Brothers
55. Purple Haze · Jimi Hendrix
56. Lola · Kinks
57. Tender is the Night · Jackson Browne
58. Louie Louie · The Kingsmen
59. Bad to the Bone · George Thorogood
60. Turn the Page (covers Bob Seger) · Metallica

61. Sweet Home Alabama · Lynryd Skynyrd
62. We Will Rock You · Queen
63. Ramblin' Man · Allman Brothers
64. Rock 'n Roll · Led Zeppelin
65. What's Love Got to Do With It · Tina Turner
66. Born to Be Wild · Steppenwolf
67. With or Without You · U2
68. Paranoid · Black Sabbath
69. Blue Morning Blue · Foreigner
70. White Wedding · Billy Idol

71. Sweet Child o' Mine · Guns 'n Roses
72. Paradise City · Guns 'n Roses
73. Knockin' on Heaven's Door (covers Dylan) · Guns 'n Roses *
74. Walk on the Wild Side · Lou Reed
75. Feel Like Makin' Love · Bad Company
76. Rock of Ages · Def Leppard
77. Brown Eyed Girl · Van Morrison
78. Devil With a Blue Dress · Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels
79. Respect · Aretha Franklin
80. I'm in the Mood · John Lee Hooker & Bonnie Raitt

81. I Got You (I Feel Good) · James Brown
82. Unchained Melody · Righteous Brothers
83. Little Red Corvette · Prince
84. Roll Over Beethoven · Chuck Berry
85. Mr. Tamborine Man (covers Dylan) · Byrds
86. Ohio · CSNY
87. Peggy Sue · Buddy Holly
88. Great Balls of Fire · Jerry Lee Lewis
89. Pretty Woman · Roy Orbison
90. Runaway · Del Shannon

91. Walk This Way · Aerosmith / Run-DMC
92. (Sittin' on the) Dock of the Bay · Otis Redding
93. Smells like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
94. Still Crazy After All These Years · Paul Simon
95. Who Do You Love? · Bo Diddley
96. One Toke Over the Line · Brewer and Shipley
97. I Wanna Be Sedated · Ramones
98. Should I Stay or Should I Go · Clash
99. Burning Down the House · Talking Heads
100. Waltz 2 / Jazz Suite · Dimitri Shostakovich

* Yeah, yeah, I know it's on the list twice.

(note: there aren't any Beatles, he struggled with that so he nixed them entirely):

[Enrique]

24. Tumbling Dice

i don't understand the lyrics but I'm sure they're fine

[PD Turk]

26. If I only get one pick

This has to be it

[Bake]

31. BAM! You beat me to it.

Clapton playing the solo, by the way ...

Which reminds me that Layla has to be on the list!



Bake

[lastlib]

29. Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin.

Period. Question answered correctly. End of discussion.

[Bake]

32. What? No FREE BIRD????

Bake