Every year on Memorial Day Weekend, WBIG-FM (100.3 on your FM dial), counts down the top 500 rock songs of all time. We just heard Number 46, which was "People Are Strange," by the Doors. Now we have Number 45, which is "Piano Man," by Billy Joel.
I like the idea that "Layla" or whatever 50-year-old song had a particularly strong or weak 2023 and inched up or down the countdown. In my house, for example, "25 or 6 to 4" had a really big 2022 because the high-school jazz band played it. But it has now returned to Earth, with "Break Out" by Swing Out Sister enjoying a strong first five months of the new year.
In the last 18 months, I have now learned of two people I've known for years who love this song, and this incredible-to-me fact is now the first thing I think of when I hear about either person.
Number 32: "The Immigrant Song," by Led Zeppelin I don't think Led Zeppelin gets enough credit for the popularity of Tolkien and other aspects of English fantasy.
"They said, stay at home, boy, you gotta tend the farm Living in the city, boy, is going to break your heart But how can you stay when your heart says no? How can you stop when your feet say go?"
Number 26: "Highway to Hell," by AC/DC. Before condemning the young people of today, folks in Gen X should consider that we literally used to listen to songs with lines like "I'm on the Highway to Hell."
Number 24: "Wish You Were Here," by Pink Floyd. This song, of course, is dedicated to Syd Barrett, who represents one of the saddest stories in the history of rock music.
Number 22: "Who Are You?" by the Who. There's a video of the Who performing this song -- it has to be one of the very last times all four of the original members were filmed together -- and it is a remarkably charming video for such a bleak song.
"I took to the Tube back out of town Back to the Rolling Pin I felt a little like a dying clown With a streak of Rin Tin Tin I stretched back, and I hiccuped, and looked back on my busy day Eleven hours in the Tin Pan God, there's got to be another way."
Number 19: "Sympathy for the Devil," by the Rolling Stones. This song reminds me of a great poem by G.K. Chesterton called "The Aristocrat," which starts off "The Devil is a gentleman, and asks you down to stay / At his little place at What'sitsname (it isn't far away.)" It's a fantastic poem, which includes one of my very favorite lines: "There are souls more sick of pleasure than you are sick of pain."
Number 17: "Sweet Child O' Mine," by Guns 'n' Roses. In a battle of the bands where 50-somethings cast most of the votes, Guns 'n' Roses would be a tough out.
Number 13: "We Will Rock You / We Are the Champions," by Queen. This is one of the few songs on this list where I actually remember the first time I heard it. It was released in October 1977, and at some point it came on the radio in Paducah, and I was absolutely stunned. I thought it was one of the most brilliant things I had ever heard, and I still do.
Number 12: "More than a Feeling," by Boston. There's a moment in their 1992 concert at a festival in Reading, England, where Nirvana start to do a really hokey, over-the-top version of "More than a Feeling." Of course, this is just one of their little jokes -- they're making fun of the similarities between "More than a Feeling" and "Smells Like Teen Spirit." In fact, they quickly switch over to "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and they bring the house down.
"To be a rock, and not to roll." I mean, come on, how cool is it to end your song -- or at least end the last verse -- with references to "rock" and "roll." Especially when you already have another song on the same album called "Rock and Roll." Hats off to Jimmy Page, who is underrated as a songwriter.
I have to say if I made a top 500 rock list I'm not sure it would have any Led Zeppelin songs in it. Though I do love the joke about Led Zeppelin IV in Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
Could there be a more male dominated list? No Heart in the top 45, no Pat Benatar, no Blondie? Better rock song "Summer of 69" or https://youtu.be/jdcS7Fy1dfA
Number 44 is "Smells Like Teen Spirit," by Nirvana. This song was released on September 10, 1991, which now appears to be the end of the rock era.
ReplyDeleteThis was actually number 43. I don't know what happened to number 44 -- I must have missed it.
DeleteNumber 42: "Comfortably Numb," by Pink Floyd
ReplyDeleteNumber 41: "Any Way You Want It," by Journey
ReplyDeleteNumber 40: "Paradise City," by Guns 'n' Roses
ReplyDeleteNumber 39: "Layla," by Derek and the Dominos. I know I've written about this countdown below, but they change it each year.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea that "Layla" or whatever 50-year-old song had a particularly strong or weak 2023 and inched up or down the countdown. In my house, for example, "25 or 6 to 4" had a really big 2022 because the high-school jazz band played it. But it has now returned to Earth, with "Break Out" by Swing Out Sister enjoying a strong first five months of the new year.
DeleteI never liked Layla
DeleteNumber 38: "Imagine," by John Lennon
ReplyDeleteNumber 37: "Have You Ever Seen the Rain," by Creedence Clearwater Revival
ReplyDeleteNumber 36: "Paranoid," by Black Sabbath
ReplyDeleteNumber 35: "Free Fallin'," by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
ReplyDeleteThis is a joke right?
DeleteNumber 34: "You Can Go Your Own Way," by Fleetwood Mac
ReplyDelete"If I could,
Baby, I'd give you my world
How can I
When you won't take it from me?"
Number 33: "Summer of '69," by Bryan Adams
ReplyDeleteThis song was released on June 17, 1985. If a comparable song were released next month, it would be called "Summer of '07."
By an artist born in 1997--Jung Kook, for example.
DeleteI can't stand this song.
DeleteIn the last 18 months, I have now learned of two people I've known for years who love this song, and this incredible-to-me fact is now the first thing I think of when I hear about either person.
DeleteNumber 32: "The Immigrant Song," by Led Zeppelin I don't think Led Zeppelin gets enough credit for the popularity of Tolkien and other aspects of English fantasy.
ReplyDeleteI feel like Led Zeppelin has gotten plenty of credit for everything during my lifetime.
DeleteNumber 31: "Another One Bites the Dust," by Queen.
ReplyDeleteNumber 30: "The Joker," by the Steve Miller Band
ReplyDeleteNumber 29: "Let It Be," the Beatles
ReplyDeleteNumber 28: "Rocket Man," by Elton John. Bernie Taupin is going to be inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, and I'm really happy about that.
ReplyDeleteFrom "Honky Cat," lyrics by Bernie Taupin:
ReplyDelete"They said, stay at home, boy, you gotta tend the farm
Living in the city, boy, is going to break your heart
But how can you stay when your heart says no?
How can you stop when your feet say go?"
Number 27: "In the Air Tonight," by Phil Collins
ReplyDeleteNumber 26: "Highway to Hell," by AC/DC. Before condemning the young people of today, folks in Gen X should consider that we literally used to listen to songs with lines like "I'm on the Highway to Hell."
ReplyDeleteNumber 25: "I Love Rock 'n' Roll," by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
ReplyDeleteNumber 24: "Wish You Were Here," by Pink Floyd. This song, of course, is dedicated to Syd Barrett, who represents one of the saddest stories in the history of rock music.
ReplyDeleteNumber 23: "Under the Bridge," by Red Hot Chili Peppers. This song was released in 1992, after "Smells Like Teen Spirit."
ReplyDeleteI'm not the biggest Nirvana fan, but so far none of these songs should have been ahead of Smells Like Teen Spirit.
DeleteI agree, though I do love "Under the Bridge."
DeleteNumber 22: "Who Are You?" by the Who. There's a video of the Who performing this song -- it has to be one of the very last times all four of the original members were filmed together -- and it is a remarkably charming video for such a bleak song.
ReplyDelete"I took to the Tube back out of town
ReplyDeleteBack to the Rolling Pin
I felt a little like a dying clown
With a streak of Rin Tin Tin
I stretched back, and I hiccuped, and looked back on my busy day
Eleven hours in the Tin Pan
God, there's got to be another way."
But in the video they're all laughing and teasing each other like a bunch of kids at recess.
ReplyDeleteNumber 21: "Crazy Train," by Ozzy Osbourne.
ReplyDeleteCan't put Crazy Train ahead of Paranoid, come on.
DeleteNumber 20: "Dream On," by Aerosmith. This is the best song to play over sports highlights.
ReplyDeleteNumber 19: "Sympathy for the Devil," by the Rolling Stones. This song reminds me of a great poem by G.K. Chesterton called "The Aristocrat," which starts off "The Devil is a gentleman, and asks you down to stay / At his little place at What'sitsname (it isn't far away.)" It's a fantastic poem, which includes one of my very favorite lines: "There are souls more sick of pleasure than you are sick of pain."
ReplyDeleteNumber 18: "Black Dog," by Led Zeppelin
ReplyDeleteNumber 17: "Sweet Child O' Mine," by Guns 'n' Roses. In a battle of the bands where 50-somethings cast most of the votes, Guns 'n' Roses would be a tough out.
ReplyDeleteI performed a karaoke version of this song at a Heath Class of '86 reunion.
DeleteNumber 16: "Live and Let Die," by Wings
ReplyDeleteNumber 15: "Turn the Page," by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
ReplyDeleteThis one might not be in my top 15 favorite Bob Seger songs. That's not so much of a knock on this song as it is praise for Bob Seger's career.
DeleteNumber 14: "Light My Fire," by the Doors
ReplyDeleteNumber 13: "We Will Rock You / We Are the Champions," by Queen. This is one of the few songs on this list where I actually remember the first time I heard it. It was released in October 1977, and at some point it came on the radio in Paducah, and I was absolutely stunned. I thought it was one of the most brilliant things I had ever heard, and I still do.
ReplyDeleteThat's cool.
DeleteNumber 12: "More than a Feeling," by Boston. There's a moment in their 1992 concert at a festival in Reading, England, where Nirvana start to do a really hokey, over-the-top version of "More than a Feeling." Of course, this is just one of their little jokes -- they're making fun of the similarities between "More than a Feeling" and "Smells Like Teen Spirit." In fact, they quickly switch over to "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and they bring the house down.
ReplyDeleteI loved "More Than a Feeling" more than all but just a handful of songs until I was about 12, and now I've come back around to it again in my 50s.
DeleteNumber 11: "You Shook Me All Night Long," by AC/DC
ReplyDeleteNumber 10: "Hotel California," by the Eagles
ReplyDeleteNumber 9: "Sweet Home Alabama," by Lynyrd Skynyrd
ReplyDeleteSeems like the highest Lynyrd Skynyrd song should be Freebird on a list like this.
DeleteI don't think folks in the DC Metro area appreciate Freebird as much as they should.
DeleteNumber 8: "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," by the Rolling Stones
ReplyDeleteNumber 5: "Another Brick in the Wall," by Pink Floyd. Somewhere along the line I missed two songs, but I don't know what they were.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to guess they were "Would I Lie to You?" and "Born to Run."
DeleteNumber 4: "Sweet Emotion," by Aerosmith
ReplyDeleteNumber 3: "Bohemian Rhapsody," by Queen.
ReplyDeleteNumber 2: "Come Together," by the Beatles. A strong performance from John Lennon -- we rarely see him get so high on these lists.
ReplyDeleteNumber 1: "Stairway to Heaven," by Led Zeppelin. This song usually ends up as Number One, and I personally think it should be Number One.
ReplyDelete"To be a rock, and not to roll." I mean, come on, how cool is it to end your song -- or at least end the last verse -- with references to "rock" and "roll." Especially when you already have another song on the same album called "Rock and Roll." Hats off to Jimmy Page, who is underrated as a songwriter.
DeleteFine with me that it's No. 1. It's not my No. 1, but I like it, and it sure feel like it's a lot of someones' No. 1s.
DeleteI have to say if I made a top 500 rock list I'm not sure it would have any Led Zeppelin songs in it. Though I do love the joke about Led Zeppelin IV in Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
DeleteThese are always fun. Thanks for posting it. I will look forward to the Memorial Day 2024 report.
ReplyDeleteCould there be a more male dominated list? No Heart in the top 45, no Pat Benatar, no Blondie? Better rock song "Summer of 69" or https://youtu.be/jdcS7Fy1dfA
ReplyDeleteAs you know, I rank Lone Justice very high.
DeleteI've always loved "Dreaming," but it is turning out to be one of the absolute top hits of my 2023.
Delete