Okay, it's definitely in the top three, anyway. The Rolling Stones' Honky Tonk Women can conceivably compete for the title, as can Led Zeppelin's In My Time of Dying. These are fairly non-partisan statements for me. I am neither a Kansas nor a Stones fan. I don't have any of their albums. Led Zeppelin, on the other hand, is one of my favorites and I have their entire collection.
Now, if you want to suggest some others, let's get the rules clear. Candidate songs must be rock and roll, but that is wide-category. I would, personally, even include the Cure or Country Joe and the Fish. But, it is inappropriate to elect a song merely because you like it. For instance, I love Pink Floyd and have almost all their albums. But I wouldn't even include them in my top five. To be "up there", a song has to have something special that elevates it beyond the group by which it is performed (and Pink Floyd, much as I love them, are always Pink Floyd and their songs are always their songs.)
Now, look at Kansas' Carry On. This song has an energy and a spirit that simply takes it right out of Steve Walsh's and Keri Livgren's hands. Honky Tonk Women is also a good example. There is a guitar lick in that song which is of divine (or diabolic) origin. I refuse to believe that a human composed it without aid. Of course, Zeppelin never wrote any of their great songs, as dozens of impoverished black blues singers could attest, were they still with us.
So, that said, don't nominate a Kiss song. Kiss is rock, sure, but it's a gimmick. No Kiss song has any class. Same goes for hundreds of bands. I will tolerate the candidacy of Warren Zevon's Werewolves of London, though I would never nominate it myself. However, there will be no waxing poetic about his death. Warren Zevon's death (requiescat in pace) was not poetic. Johnny Cash dying - that's poetic. Warren Zevon just died. Stop acting like he was Lord Byron lost at sea and get over it.
7 comments:
I'm partial to older music. I'd rather listen to stuff from the fifties thru seventies. I think some of the greatest rock songs ever are (in no particular order):
It's onlt rock 'n; roll-Rolling stones.
Barracuda- Heart
Johhny B. Goode-Chuck Barry
Shake, rattle and Roll-Jerry Lee Lewis
Gimme Shelter-Rolling Stones
What do you think the best song about a car is? I like this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-f9dGvd6Mo
The above link is to Ragtop Deluxe.
Barracuda - Good song, but I wouldn't consider it for the title.
Johnny B Goode - Oooh! You mentioned one that I was going to include in my examples. Another candidate that I would tolerate. I don't like it that much, but it definitely stands above the rest and, forgive, strikes a chord that your average song does not. If we had to split it up by decades, this would certainly be in the running for greatest rock song of the 50's.
I REALLY like Gimme Shelter, it just isn't quite the epic song that Honky Tonk WOmen is.
Do you have any idea what the most "covered" rock and roll song is? "Covered" means recorded by other artists. I'm thinking it is either Johhny B. Goode or, another Chuck Barry tune, Rock & Roll Music. Some internet sources say "yesterday," written by Paul McCartney and performed by the Beetles. At the risk of being heretical, I hate the Beetles, so I hope it ain't them.
Also, if you would, check out my latest post on the translation of Psalm 7:2 (or 7:1 depending on the translation) and tell me what you think. I'd like to see a translation of the Psalms which highlights their poetical meaning instead of just their technical (biblical theology) meaning.
Finally, best song about a car? My mom likes Ol' fifty-five by the Eagles. She also likes Racing in the Streets by Springsteen (about a '69 Chevy). My sister say any song about a car is fine, as long as it isn't "Little Red Corvette."
Well, I said finally above, but I lied. You wrote: "However, there will be no waxing poetic about his death. Warren Zevon's death (requiescat in pace) was not poetic."
Mister Zevon, were he alive, might just write a song refuting you. Nobody would buy it, but it would be funny.
I could certainly see a number of Beatles' songs vying for top position. A favorite of mine, though in no way a contender here, is Penny Lane.
Warren Zevon. pfffff
Best car song?
Litle Deuce Coupe.
Out of sheer nationalistic pride:
THE LINK.
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