The 30 Best Rock & Roll Tracks Evah!?
poisoned rose
1. The Rolling Stones - It's Only Rock 'n Roll (but I Like It)
2. Led Zeppelin - Rock and Roll
3. Patti Smith Group - Rock n Roll Nigger
4. Buffalo Springfield - Rock & Roll Woman
5. The Byrds - So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star
6. The Velvet Underground - Rock and Roll
7. Ramones - Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?
8. David Bowie - Rock 'n' Roll Suicide
9. Patti Smith Group - So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star
10. Ramones - Rock 'n' Roll High School
11. Oasis - Rock 'n' Roll Star
12. The Moody Blues - I'm Just a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band)
13. Frank Black & the Catholics - I Want Rock & Roll
14. Spiritualized - Rock and Roll
15. The Beatles - Rock and Roll Music
16. Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll
17. Jethro Tull - Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die
18. Richard Hell & the Voidoids - Down at the Rock and Roll Club
19. David Bowie - Rock 'n Roll with Me
20. Mott the Hoople - The Golden Age of Rock 'n' Roll
21. The Move - So You Wanna Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star
22. The Jesus & Mary Chain - I Love Rock 'n' Roll
23. Eric Carmen - That's Rock 'n Roll
24. Sleater-Kinney - You're No Rock n' Roll Fun
25. Komeda - Boogie Woogie/Rock 'n' Roll
26. Pizzicato Five - Rock n' Roll
27. Love and Rockets - Rock and Roll Babylon
28. Robyn Hitchcock - Mr. Rock 'n' Roll
29. The Soft Boys - Rock 'n' Roll Toilet
30. Graeme Downes - Rock 'n' Roll Hero
Several thoughts strike me, upon re-reading this list.
1) The songs are not especially knockout in quality, beyond the first
dozen-ish -- I guess writing about "rock & roll" is a bit lame and often
requires the artist to include certain formulaic features.
2) All the same, a top 30 seemed like the right cutoff point for songs
which I'd care to publicly recommend.
3) The list also skews rather "old" by my usual standards. I think this
is because more contemporary "rock & roll" tunes tend to be
sarcastic/ironic and somewhat throwaway. A surprisingly high number of
the recent-era rejects were really brief and/or novelty-like. Such as:
XTC's "History of Rock 'n' Roll," Spinal Tap's "Rock and Roll Creation,"
Tall Dwarfs' "Seduced by Rock n Roll," Bongwater's "Rock & Roll Part 2,"
King Missile's "Rock-n-Roll Will Never Die," the Young Fresh Fellows'
"Rock 'n' Roll Pest Control," Rundgren's "Rock and Roll Pussy," the Moog
Cookbook's "Rock and Roll All Night," Zappa's "Dance of the Rock & Roll
Interviewers," the Turtles' "Story of Rock & Roll," Quasi's "Rock & Roll
Can Never Die" (a rock instrumental with a prominent *bagpipe* part) and
even the fun Komeda track which I did list.
4) Yes, there are three "So You Want to Be a Rock & Roll Star"'s, but I
*didn't* list the Unrest and Wake Ooloo versions.
5) Gosh, I really don't have much personal interest in '50s rock. ;)
6) Or Joan Jett.
7) Or Huey Lewis.
8) Or Bad Company.
9) Or Gary Glitter.
10) Or KISS.
11) Or Ian Dury.
12) Or.
--
I'll take my one-star rating now, please.
The Arranger
wrote:
Bob Seger?
Me either...except for #5...which is why I'd have to put Chuck Berry's
version of your #15 in there, although his lyric: "I got no kick
against modern jazz unless they play it too darn fast" is a head-on
assault on my favorite musician of all time.
The Arranger
RichL
> (...or my own picks, anyway. In approximate order.)
>
> 1. The Rolling Stones - It's Only Rock 'n Roll (but I Like It)
I don't...all that much.
> 2. Led Zeppelin - Rock and Roll
Good, but far from their best. A bit cliche'd, don't you think?
> 3. Patti Smith Group - Rock n Roll Nigger
This is terrific. Among the best in its genre.
> 4. Buffalo Springfield - Rock & Roll Woman
Excellent. Stills at his best.
> 5. The Byrds - So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star
Not bad (see Zeppelin comments)
> 6. The Velvet Underground - Rock and Roll
Is this a Dylan spoof or what? I was never all that crazy about VU and
never understood why the johnny-come-lately critics thought they were so
*important*.
> 7. Ramones - Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?
I'd choose #10 over it in a heartbeat.
> 8. David Bowie - Rock 'n' Roll Suicide
Good song.
> 9. Patti Smith Group - So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star
I'm not familiar with this. I did find a recording of a live
performance. Meh.
> 10. Ramones - Rock 'n' Roll High School
See #7 comments. I'd rate it higher.
> 11. Oasis - Rock 'n' Roll Star
One of their better tunes. The band's not a favorite of mine.
> 12. The Moody Blues - I'm Just a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band)
Although I'm somewhat of a Moodies fan, I find this song lifeless. No
dynamics.
Despite your comments, I'd push for the inclusion of Bad Company's "Rock
& Roll Fantasy". To me it's a much better song than many on your list.
What about Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock & Roll"? Boston's "Rock & Roll
Band"? (I know you won't like that one.) Rainbow's "Long Live Rock 'n
Roll"? Van Morrison's "Rock Roll Band"?
progea
The Family Chauffeur
>
> 1. The Rolling Stones - It's Only Rock 'n Roll (but I Like It)
Putting this tune at #1 and not including Rock And Roll All Nite by Kiss
means that if I had something better to do on a Friday night besides get
drunk and surf the web while babysitting a sick wife I wouldn't be replying
to such a useless post, but since things are what they are...you're full o'
shit.
The Family Chauffeur
Hey...now *there's* a tune!
Lord Buckeye
whoever (Rick Derringer?) did 'Rock and Roll Hootchie-Coo'
Also Todd Rundgren_'Death Of Rock and Roll'
And since you gave' Rock and Roll Music' to the Beatles instead of
Chuck Berry. I nominate the Beach Boys version.
Lord Buckeye
Gemini Jackson
wrote:
>Fuck off, Raja!
I can see this ending up on t-shirts.
Gemini Jackson
I have to go with Led Zep's sole entry.
-GJ
BLACKPOOLJIMMY
Nice list...cd burning for sure.
luvharley
>
> - Show quoted text -
hey Blackpool Jimmy are you any relation to Liverpool Bobby?
Chippa...@aol.com
>
> - Show quoted text -
Unless momma was "out there", no.
luvharley
wrote:
>
> - Show quoted text -
I believe he was a roadie for Pink Floyd in the 70's.
number6
wrote:
I Dig Rock and Roll Music PPM ...
progea
That'd be awesome!
Chris Jemmett
I think it would be just more of the same. Raja's fame as a true dork
would increase beyond usenet. Certainly if any type of close-to-
mainstream media told of the Fuck off, Raja t-shirt craze, he would be
in his glory. He'd be so proud to say, "Hey, I'm Raja. I'm the
shallow, compulsive goof that everyone wishes would fuck off." His
puny chest swelling with pride, "Me. Fuck off, Raja. The List Troll.
That's me".
If usenet was of a younger demographic, there would probably already
have been a graffiti campaign.
I wonder if everyone at his job would wear the t-shirt.
Anyway, I see his x-posts are now ranging wider and appearing more
desperate so more and more people must finally be starting to ignore
him. There is hope.
tension_on_the_wire
I'd buy that for a dollar.
--tension
tension_on_the_wire
> Harry Nilsson and or The Turtles - 'The Story Of Rock and Roll'. Plus
> whoever (Rick Derringer?) did 'Rock and Roll Hootchie-Coo'
snip
Yes, Rick Derringer, and should be way up there on the list just for
groove.
--tension