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April 3, 2016 9:12 pm  #1


Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

Just sitting here at home this evening listening to the local station when they played a song that forced me to shout out.."that is the greatest Rock 'N Roll Song ever recorded."    I know there is a lot of talk on The Big Yellow Board about songs that are overplayed, but there are some that make your ears perk up no matter how many times there are repeated. Please remember, the topic is "..greatest rock 'n roll songs.."  Much as I love Hotel California, it really is not a Rock song. With all of the Radio Talent on this site, I have to ask, what are yours ? Here are mine. 
Jumpin' Jack Flash-Stones
All Right Now-Free
Old Time Rock and Roll-Seger. 
Yours ??

Last edited by Just a Radio Fan (April 3, 2016 9:18 pm)

 

April 4, 2016 12:37 am  #2


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

Don't let the terminologies cause you not to include a song you love.  All of the genres have sub genres.  You need a map and a compass to figure that crap out.  A good song is a good song PERIOD.  And the great ones?  I'll give you 2 each from the 5 decades which mattered...

Rockin; Pneumonia & the Boogie Woogie Flu - Huey Piano Smith and the Clowns...1957
Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry...1958
Over Under Sideways Down - Yardbirds...1966
Good Vibrations - Beach Boys...1966
Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen...1978
Bad Case of Loving You - Robert Palmer...1979
Voodoo Thing - Colin James...1988
Runnin' Down a Dream - Tom Petty...1989
Thunderstruck - AC/DC...1990
Are You Gonna Go My Way - Lenny Kravitz...1993

As the 50s progressed...so too did the music.  Through the 60s, 70s and 80s there was so much to choose from that it was almost impossible, for me, to select just 2 per decade.  By the 90s, though, the pickins were gettin'  mighty, MIGHTY slim.

Rant

Nowadays?  There's still great music being made...lots of it by artists from the 60s, 70s and 80s...and lots of it, too, by new names and faces.  It just doesn't get played on [s] 'hit' radio.  Classic music stations out and out INSULT their audiences by programming to the DEAD.  Those artists aren't ALL dead?  WTF?  Neither are the listeners.  As always don't merely use charts to program music...no matter what the format.  [Ya lazy sob's]  It's why your oldies formats FAIL.  Those 'oldies' are still making music in the 21st century.  Oh...and 800-1,000 song universes?  What...are you totally useless or just plain stupid?

As for top 30/40...Folks are WAY PAST good and damn tired of being force-fed non stop songs by little boys and little girls...most of whom can't play a G-D'd instrument, can't write a note, let alone a melody or a song, and who haven't got a clue about lyrics or nuance.  And then there's the severe lack of singing 'chops' and talent.  Get that poop off of the radio.  You don't own the license.  Treat it with respect.  20-25 years of THAT shyte is MORE than plenty.  Move on.  Or get out of the business.  The air pollution is-a foggin' up my eyes.  [Ray Davies did sing "foggin;" didn't he?]

End of Rant.

 

Last edited by Old Codger (April 4, 2016 1:15 am)

 

April 4, 2016 10:39 am  #3


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

O.C. where is the requisite CanCon?    Are you not aware that Mr. Grant could be brought up before the CanCon police by allowing your post to stand? 

 

April 4, 2016 11:10 am  #4


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

Colin James is there.  I'm going to fill in the Can Con later in the week...6:00 to 6:30 am and a few extras mid-day.

Better Watch Out McKenna Mendleson Mainline.
Oh What a Feeling...Crowbar
I'm On The Road Again...Powder Blues
Innocence...Harlequin
Take It Slow...Lighthouse
Roller...April Wine
Liars...Ian Thomas
Clair...Rheostatics
Fiddlin'...Guess Who
In The Mood...Rush
 

 

April 4, 2016 11:57 am  #5


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

Lazy - Deep purple
Good Times Bad Times - Led Zeppelin
Mississippi Queen - Mountain
Dreams Of Milk and Honey - (LIVE) Mountain
Sunshine of Your Love - Cream
You Really Got Me - the kinks
Mule - Gov't Mule
Going Down - Jeff Beck

...to name but a few.

I tend to lean a little more to the 'harder' side.

 

April 4, 2016 4:11 pm  #6


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

We need your selections for balance Deep.  Mine is an incomplete list...in terms of actually listening.  You're 100% right.  TOO soft.  I was just trying to come up with 2 per decade.  Good Vibrations, though, is THE most avant-garde, industry changing single ever.  There had NEVER been anything like it previous to its release in the fall of 1966.  It was simply and beautifully unique.  It was a pocket symphony.

A "pocket symphony"?  What the heck was a pocket symphony?  A door which, when opened by Brian Wilson and his choir...especially Carl Wilson, paved the way for 'things' like Tommy and side 2 of Abbey Road. And it opened hanger doors for groups like the Moody Blues, Genesis and Queen...to name merely a few.  I was not hard rock...but it remains a key song nonetheless.

I'd also like to include some Joe Bonamassa, Clutch and Billy Dee and the Hoodoos...not to mention Rival Sons...and that Robert Plant fella...who has never stopped releasing some ultimate music.

 

April 4, 2016 4:33 pm  #7


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

Old Codger wrote:

Good Vibrations, though, is THE most avant-garde, industry changing single ever.  There had NEVER been anything like it previous to its release

BULL sh*t


 

 

April 4, 2016 4:47 pm  #8


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

No...it isn't.  Where were you in 56...58...62...64...65?  All of a sudden out of nowhere comes this item on the radio that was at least as important as Like a Rolling Stone was...and LARS was important 'cause it proved hit/popular songs didn't have to be less than 3:00 in length.  Good Vibrations  was all about music and how to make it, record it and subsequently link it all together.

THAT had never been done before...and it hit #1 and prepped the world to stand by for SMiLE...which sadly never happened when it should have.

No.  It's not BULL SHIT.  Although your explanation of why you would venture into the debate completely and totally unarmed almost had me convinced.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile I'll go with George Martin who would have agreed with me.  No wait.  He already did...years ago.  He and the Fabs knew full well that Brian had established a completely new height for 'the bar'.

Last edited by Old Codger (April 4, 2016 4:53 pm)

 

April 4, 2016 4:59 pm  #9


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

John Milner:   I don't like that surfin' shit.   Rock 'n roll's been goin' downhill ever since Buddy Holly died

Carol:   Don't you think the Beach Boys are boss?

John Milner:   You would, you grungy little twirp
 

 

April 4, 2016 6:12 pm  #10


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

geo wrote:

John Milner:   I don't like that surfin' shit.   Rock 'n roll's been goin' downhill ever since Buddy Holly died

Carol:   Don't you think the Beach Boys are boss?

John Milner:   You would, you grungy little twirp
 

I quite liked the early Beach Boys and none less than Frank Zappa has stated in his autobiography that Little Deuce Coupe was:
 "One of the most exciting things that ever happened in the world of 'white-person music' was when the Beach Boys used the progression V-ii on "Little Deuce Coupe." An important step forward by going backward".

With Good Vibrations and things that followed The Beach Boys created a whole other music. This was diverse and included contributions from all of the band members. The three tracks below are just three pieces of this quite diverse other music. The live band in the early 1970's when Blondie Chaplin and Ricky Fataar were full fledged members was something that John Miller may have come to love and to stay on topic Exhibit B below ranks as one of my personal faves. The group was not a one trick surf pony.

Exhibit A:



Exhibit B:



Exhobit C from 1966 and outside of Frank Zappa, The Velvet Underground and The Beatles on Revolver  there really was no one else quite as experimental as this at the time:







 

Last edited by Fitz (April 4, 2016 6:24 pm)


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April 4, 2016 6:26 pm  #11


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

You are voting that it was the most avant-garde industry-changing single ever (or voting that you kind'a liked the Beach Boys) . . . ?  

 

April 4, 2016 6:35 pm  #12


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

geo wrote:

You are voting that it was the most avant-garde industry-changing single ever (or voting that you kind'a liked the Beach Boys) . . . ?  

I was responding to your John Milner quote.


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April 4, 2016 6:41 pm  #13


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

It was the end of an era.     Bob Falfa had Milner on the 1/4 mile even though Falfa crashed, caused by not-so-good-vibrations in the front end of Falfa's '55 Chev.      Go Beach Boys (All Summer Long)


 

Last edited by geo (April 4, 2016 6:53 pm)

 

April 4, 2016 7:03 pm  #14


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

Sorry I did not mean to get some members blood boiling.  No need for rants, just a fun little time waster topic.​As for Can Con, mine.
Rocket Man, William Shatner.
Snow Bird Ann Murray
Me And You And A Dog Named Boo  
Edward Bear.
LOL
As for Beach Boys, never really a fan, but if I had to select two: 
Sail On Sail On Sailor
Wouldn't It Be Nice. 
And on the rare chance I had to do a show on CHBR-CHCR-FM (Humber College Reference) always had to slide in some Alan Parsons and Ambrosia.

Last edited by Just a Radio Fan (April 4, 2016 7:08 pm)

     Thread Starter
 

April 4, 2016 7:04 pm  #15


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

 

April 4, 2016 7:25 pm  #16


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

Have always been a huge fan of the B groups. The Beach Boys, Beatles, Byrds, Biuffalo Springfield and Bob Dylan ( he might as well be a group).

Favorites change and hard to keep the list small but here goes.stepping out of the killer B zone

Agree with OC on his Yardbirds pick
Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks
13 - Big Star
White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes
Pick Up The Pieces - Poco
Christine's Tune - The Flying Burrito Brothers
Sheena is a Punk Rocker- The Ramones
So It Goes - Nick Lowe
Mirage - Tommy James and The Shondells
Best Way to Travel - The Moody Blues
I'm On Fire - Dwight Twilley Band
Gone Gone Gone - Robert Plant and Allison Krauss
Alone Again or - Love
8:05 - Moby Grape
California Stars - Billy Bragg and Wilco
The Kids are All Right - The Who
See Emily Play - Pink Floyd
Talk to The Wind - King Crimson
Something Else - Eddie Cochran
and if this was released in the mid 60's instead of the mid 70's would have been top ten::





 

Last edited by Fitz (April 4, 2016 7:35 pm)


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April 4, 2016 7:41 pm  #17


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

Fitz wrote:

Something Else - Eddie Cochran

You have my undivided attention with "Somethin Else" Mr. Fitz
 

 

April 4, 2016 8:11 pm  #18


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

Brown Sugar - Rolling Stones
Couldn't Get It Right - Climax Blues Band
Sausalito Summer Nights - Diesel
Burning In Love - Honeymoon Suite
Love Is Like Oxygen - Sweet
Short Fat Fanny - Larry Williams
Don't You Just Know It - Huey "Piano" Smith & the Clowns
Maybe Baby - The Crickets
My Little Girl - The Crickets
Here I Go Again - Whitesnake (single version-not the album version)
Why Can't This Be Love - Van Halen
Young And Restless - Prism
Tallahassee Lassie - Freddie Cannon
Wild Weekend - Rebels (or Rockin' Rebels)
anything by Duane Eddy
...etc etc
 

 

April 4, 2016 9:01 pm  #19


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

American Graffiti was a STORY about way back when.  In reality even Brian Wilson grew tired of that "surfin shit".  So what's the point.  He and the 'boys' made one of the most critically acclaimed lps ever...Pet Sounds.  Paul McCartney refers to God Only Knows, from that lp, as being somewhere in the vicinity of his all time favourite song.  Good Vibrations was the next step in that specific evolution...an era when Leonard Bernstein stepped forward to announce to music lovers of every description that Brian Wilson was something very special and that SO TOO was his music.  That was specifically about the very next set of songs after Good Vibes...including Surf's Up...which were destined for  the next album SMiLE.  Sadly...Mental illness stepped in the alter the course.  The quantum leaps that group made from Surfin USA in the summer of 1963 to Good Vibrations 3 years and one season later is unbelievably outstanding.  Only the Beatles really kept pace.

Geo...the person you quote here NEVER - EVER existed.  Not even for a second.  Nor did his dream girl in the white car.  Life continued on after 1964 you know.

I'm sure that Link Wray was peachy keen...Carl Wilson was even more accomplished.  Ask around.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oh and Fitz...Bob Dylan as a B group?  Well ya.  And it was 80% Canadian too.  Levon, Robbie, Garth, Richard and Rick.

Last edited by Old Codger (April 4, 2016 9:12 pm)

 

April 4, 2016 10:46 pm  #20


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

The Buffalo Springfield were 3/5 Canadian. Can Con covered but I noticed a lack of females and thus I will submit Tamlyn by Fairport Convention and at the other end of the spectrum Cherry Bomb by the Runaways. Bringing it all back home to American Graffiti there's  48 Crash by Suzi Quatro ( Leather T. on Happy Days) : 



 

Last edited by Fitz (April 4, 2016 10:46 pm)


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April 5, 2016 4:28 am  #21


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

Old Codger wrote:

American Graffiti was a STORY . . . Geo . . . the person you quote here NEVER - EVER existed

Last time someone uttered such blasphemous statements, members of the Pharaohs tied him to a car & dragged him
 

 

April 5, 2016 8:14 am  #22


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

That was me as well.

 

April 5, 2016 9:20 am  #23


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

Well...those rocking chairs need a BOOST. 

 

April 5, 2016 12:32 pm  #24


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time





This should shake them (us) at the old folks home 

Last edited by DeepTracks (April 5, 2016 12:34 pm)

 

April 5, 2016 2:17 pm  #25


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

For my money, one of the greatest songs is The Beatles' remake of Rock and Roll Music:




It's the Energy of Lennon's vocals that gets me.  (3 piano players on it doesn't hurt either)

It just barely eclipses Chuck Berry's original version.
 

Last edited by Peter the K (April 5, 2016 2:57 pm)

 

April 5, 2016 5:44 pm  #26


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

Yikes. Some timid selections thus far.

My 2c...
Overkill - Motorhead
Sucker - Mott the Hoople
Breadfan - Budgie
Supernaut - Black Sabbath
I have the Body of John Wilkes Booth - Clutch
Working Man - Rush
Downpayment Blues - AC/DC
Melvins - Hung Bunny
Ramones - Surfin' Bird (hey, why not?)

 

April 5, 2016 5:54 pm  #27


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

Ramones (not the Trashmen) - Surfin' Bird:       Wolfman Jack must be spinnin' . . .

 

Last edited by geo (April 5, 2016 6:10 pm)

 

April 5, 2016 6:19 pm  #28


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

geo wrote:

Ramones (not the Trashmen) - Surfin' Bird:       Wolfman Jack must be spinnin' . . .

 

Trashmen made it a novelty hit. Ramones made it timeless. 

 

April 5, 2016 7:41 pm  #29


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

geo wrote:

Ramones (not the Trashmen) - Surfin' Bird:       Wolfman Jack must be spinnin' . . .

 

Maybe not. I could imagine a similar shot with the Ramones.  Also a certified Mott The Hoople classic is their cover of  Sonny Bono's stab at Folk/Rock protest "Laugh at Me". About as good a homage to Dylan circa Highway 61 as Mouse and The Traps "A Public Execution."Would embed the You Tube but I think I have reached my limit for that.
Anyway Bird is The Word !

 

Last edited by Fitz (April 5, 2016 7:54 pm)


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April 6, 2016 1:57 am  #30


Re: Greatest Rock 'N Roll Songs Of All Time

Ramones...schplomones.  How about the Rivingtons?  Geez...Part timers!!! 

Last edited by Old Codger (April 6, 2016 8:52 am)