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Post by riley on Jan 27, 2006 10:43:56 GMT -5
Right now, I'm of the opinion "Rebel Rebel" by David Bowie is the greaest rock song ever. No reason, other than I listened to it 3 times in a row yesterday and it kicks a lot of arse.
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Post by Kensterberg on Jan 27, 2006 10:44:53 GMT -5
Right now, I'm of the opinion "Rebel Rebel" by David Bowie is the greaest rock song ever. No reason, other than I listened to it 3 times in a row yesterday and it kicks a lot of arse. Does there need to be any other reason? ;D |
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Post by Galactus on Jan 27, 2006 12:39:23 GMT -5
IMO "Louie Louie" is NOT one of the most significant rock songs. There were plenty of other simple, easy to play, garage rock tunes cut around the same time. This was just the one that got picked up by the FBI and a bunch of influential rock critics (or maybe I should say, a bunch of the original rock critics, since there really wasn't such a thing prior to people like Greil Marcus, Jon Landau, Christgau and the rest started waxing intellectual musings about our beloved style) as the exemplar of the form. "Louie Louie" isn't the best of the lot by any means, and if you remove it from rock and roll history, all we lose is a bunch of (sporadically funny) jokes about the lyrics, or lack thereof. Now "Wooly Bully" there's a classic! Seriously ...  The mythology of Louie Louie is astonishing. It's the only song that has an entire book written about it. Probably THE most classic and well known riff in history...C'mon if this doesn't make your top fifty...I ain't saying it has to be at the top but if it's not at least on there, then your version of history is highly flawed. |
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Post by tuneschick on Jan 27, 2006 14:59:32 GMT -5
See, and here's why I'm having so many problems finalizing my list. Because a song like Louie Louie, for example (and there are others)... OK, so perhaps it should be on my list if I'm making a list of historically important rock 'n' roll singles. But if I'm making a list of my FAVOURITE rock 'n' roll singles, it doesn't even crack the top 100.
So I'm having some issues trying to determine how much significance each of these things should play. Cuz frankly, I'm having enough trouble cutting down my list of amazing songs that I love without including a song that I can't even stand, just because I "should".
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Post by Galactus on Jan 27, 2006 15:15:35 GMT -5
I tried to balance the two...If I'd done a completely historical list Good Vobrations would've been on ther instead of God Only Knows but if it had been purely my favorites at least a third of my list would probably be very different.
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Post by tuneschick on Jan 27, 2006 15:22:46 GMT -5
See, and that's funny because that's another one I struggled with. God Only Knows is my favourite Beach Boys song (hell, at one point it topped my list of favourite songs, period)... but right now I'm leaning toward Good Vibrations because I think it's a better single.
Ack, this is harder than I thought it would be.
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Post by Kensterberg on Jan 27, 2006 15:56:06 GMT -5
There is a huge mythos around "Louie Louie" but that doesn't make it historically important. The single (by any of a number of artists) never sold THAT well, it didn't inaugerate a new era in rock and roll, it's just one example of a genre (sixties garage rock) that has lots of better examples. The song is well known, but so are NSync! Neither will be on my list. As for the "importance" versus "favorites" debate ... well, this isn't supposed to be either one. You have to really balance the two considerations in order to come up with "greatness." Everyone's individual definition of greatness will vary somewhat, but I know that mine is going to involve looking at several factors, including artistic quality, innovation and execution, popularity (in either the US or UK, generally), longevity, and (most importantly) how comfortable I am with having this song on a list with my name attached. I don't care how popular or influential any Led Zep track is, for example, they won't be on my list.  |
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Post by bowiglou on Jan 27, 2006 17:40:06 GMT -5
I'll give this a shot. only one entry per band/artist, and I"m sure it'll be pre-90s.....and the order except for the top few will probably be a bit random, but I'll try my best to maintain some sense of hierarchy.....and I'm gonna have to do some internet search for names for my fave 60s oldies!!!
(1) Rod Stewart---Maggie May
(2)Otis Redding--Sitting on the Dock of the Bay
(3) David Bowie--Heroes
(4) Steely Dan---Rikki Don't Lose that Number
(5) Pearl Jam--Better Man
(6) Fleetwood Mac--Dreams
(7) Iggy Pop--Lust for Life
(8) Velvet Underground--Sweet Jane
(9) Joy Division--Love will tear us up apart
(10) Rolling Stones--Under my Thumb
(11) Kinks--Waterloo Sunset
(12) Zombies--Time of the Season
(13) Outsiders--Time Won't Let Me
(14) Allman Brothers--Blue Sky
(15) Smokey Robinson and the Miracles---Track of My Tears
(16) Harry Nillson--Everybody's Talking
(17) Beatles--Help!
(18) Psychedelic Furs--Pretty in Pink
(19) Echo and the Bunnymen--Killing Moon
(20) Lou Reed--What's Good
(21) REM--So. Central Rain
(22) Replacements--Achin to Be
(23) Smiths--There is a Light that Never Goes Out
(24) Marvin Gaye--I heard it Through the Grapevine
(25) The Doors--Wishful Sinful
(26) The Byrds--My Back Pages
(27) Tom Petty and the Hearbreakers---The Waiting
(28) Carly Simon--You're So Vain
(29) Lloyd Cole and the Commotions--Perfect Skin
(30) Buzzcocks--Ever Fallin in Love
(31) Sex Pistols--Anarchy in the UK
(32) The The---This is the Day
(33) Procul Harum--Whiter Shade of Pale
(34) Gary Lewis and the Playboys--This Diamond Ring
(35) Paul McCartney--Maybe I’m Amazed
(36) Ringo Starr--Photograph
(37) John Lennon--Imagine
(38) Clash--London Calling
(39) George Harrison--My Sweet Lord
(40) Neil Young---Heart of Gold
(41) Carole King--It's Too Late
(42) Percy Sledge--When a man loves a Woman
(43) Ozark Mountain Daredevils--Jackie Blue
(44) Looking Glass--Brandy
(45) Morrissey--Everyday is Like Sunday
(46) The Chills--Heavenly Pop Song
(47) Cream--Badge
(48) Midnight Oil--Beds are Burning
(49) Peter Murphy--Cuts You Up
(50) Al Stewart--Year of the Cat
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Post by Thorngrub on Jan 27, 2006 17:44:32 GMT -5
man I'm glad Year Of The Cat made it ! ! ! ! awesome song !
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Post by bowiglou on Jan 27, 2006 17:47:09 GMT -5
hey Thorns..though this may not be fashionable to claim such on these very hip boards, I was a huge Al Stewart fan during the Year of the Cat/Time Passages era....very literate lyrics and I just loved his somewhat understated vocals.........he really was a cut above many of the songwriters during that era.....but then punk took over and bye bye career!!!!
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Post by frag on Jan 30, 2006 4:23:44 GMT -5
Incredible list Bow...made me rethink a lot of mine...oh boy.
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Post by tuneschick on Jan 30, 2006 9:16:19 GMT -5
Shit. That was a great list, bow - and just made me add another six to my list. Back up to 61 again.
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Post by frag on Jan 30, 2006 12:52:57 GMT -5
question...Love Reign O'er Me wasn't a single, was it? I can't find it anywhere...damn.
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Post by Kensterberg on Jan 30, 2006 13:05:14 GMT -5
Frag -- Much to my surprise, "Love Reign O'er Me" was indeed a US single! MCA 40152, released in '73, with "Water" as the flip-side. To my even greater surprise, "The Real Me" b/w "I'm One" was also a single here in the States the following year (MCA 40182). The two best songs from Quadrophenia in one sweet little 45 ... this might just wind up on my own list. For anyone interested in Who singles, here's the link to the site where I found this info: www.thewho.net/discography/singles.html |
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Post by Weeping_Guitar on Jan 30, 2006 15:27:02 GMT -5
(8) Velvet Underground--Sweet Jane Wasn't "Who Loves the Sun" the only single off that album? I was reading the Loaded liner notes the other day and seem to remember reading that. |
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