And the top classic rock song of all time is…

[jobeterob]

And the top classic rock song of all time is…Kim Hughes May 2, 2012 28 Comments Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on stumbleuponShare on emailShare on printMore Sharing Services38


Is Aerosmith’s 1975 anthem “Sweet Emotion” the top classic rock song of all time? Totally, dude, says the brain-trust behind Ultimate Classic Rock, who last month rolled out what it deems the top 100 most kick-butt rock hits evah, beginning at number 100 with Sammy Hagar’s “I Can’t Drive 55” [[now the theme song to traffic reports on radios everywhere) and ending with the above-mentioned Boston band’s sinewy chestnut.

The conceit of UCR’s list is this: each band gets only one song. For example, AC/DC – who have contributed more than their fair share to the rock canon – are permitted only “Back in Black” which lands at #4... "Highway to Hell," Whole Lotta Rosie," "Thunderstruck" etc be damned. So presumably the ensuing arguments won’t be about which band was excluded but rather, which song.
Humbug! A twist on the venerable Rolling Stone formula of just pissing everyone off!

Anyway, the Ultimate Classic Rock top 10 list looks like this. [[The complete list is here).

10. Black Sabbath, ‘Paranoid‘
9. Pink Floyd, ‘Comfortably Numb‘
8. Van Halen, ‘Everybody Wants Some!!‘ [[this is a really odd pick, no?)
7. Queen, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody‘
6. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, ‘All Along the Watchtower‘
5. The Beatles, ‘A Day in the Life‘
4. AC/DC, ‘Back in Black‘
3. The Rolling Stones, ‘Gimme Shelter‘
2. Led Zeppelin, ‘Kashmir‘
1. Aerosmith, ‘Sweet Emotion‘

Drill down through the list and witness the inclusion of bands not normally tagged with the ‘classic rock’ moniker: the Cure, the Police, Billy Joel. That said, for my money, this list is pretty bullet-proof if weirdly predictable in the top 10. Whaddya think? Leave a comment below.

Must say also, not only is “Sweet Emotion” a great choice [[and totally reminds me of the film Dazed and Confused) but it also points to how far Steven Tyler has drifted from the rock god orbit into mainstream blandness. He’s richer today [[and likely healthier) than he was in 1975, but not nearly as cool. Just sayin’.

[soulster]

8. Van Halen, ‘Everybody Wants Some!!‘ [[this is a really odd pick, no?)

It's not an odd pick. From the looks of the songs in the list, the age of those who picked the songs are not exactly baby-boomers.

My top 10 would include, no matter how well-worn they are:

[[I Can't get No) Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones
Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin
More Than A Feeling - Boston
Hey Jude - The Beatles
Dream On - Aerosmith

[stephanie]

Hands down
Captain/Im Getting Closer - Grand Funk Railroad [[the best one for me!)
More than a Feeling - Boston
Moody Blues - Tuesday Afternoon
Zombies - Time of the Season

[soulster]

Captain/Im Getting Closer - Grand Funk Railroad [[the best one for me!)


I will never forget the first time I heard this song. Well, I heard it quite late, back in the year 2000! But, I was driving home from another city early one Sunday morning, and was dead tired. I kept turning on radio stations trying to find something to keep me awake. Well, I caught the beginning of this song, and decided I may as well listen to it because there wasn't much else. I discovered the little story line and was slowly drawn into the song, and kind of wondered why it was so long. But, when it got to the Motown bass riff, the one that sounds like the intro to "Someday, We'll be Together", I knew I had to have this song! Then, the radio announcer said it was Grand Funk Railroad, I remembered I had the damn thing on CD all this time, but never really paid attention to it! I then recalled how did hear the song once being played on the PA system before a Foreigner concert I attended.

[Jerry Oz]

"Bohemian Rhapsody" is easily the greatest classic rock song for me. A song that combines hard rock, R&B, and opera; all of it done to perfection? Nothing beats that, in my book.

[carlo]

"Bohemian Rhapsody" is easily the greatest classic rock song for me. A song that combines hard rock, R&B, and opera; all of it done to perfection? Nothing beats that, in my book.

I agree.

These published "top lists" are so subjective.

[juicefree20]

I've heard a bit of Rock music over the years & in my opinion, it would appear as though that Top 10 needs a little revamping because there's a lot of great music missing on that list.

[jobeterob]

Very much subjective, but you sometimes find some standard, common answers.

Lists can be kind of fun too, if not taken too seriously.

What about A Whiter Shade of Pale?

[soulster]

I've heard a bit of Rock music over the years & in my opinion, it would appear as though that Top 10 needs a little revamping because there's a lot of great music missing on that list.

Indeed! I started listening to lots of rock music in 1973, and this list is lacking a lot of great stuff.

[Jerry Oz]

Speaking of subjectivity: How is "Sweet Emotion" the pick for Aerosmith on that list over "Dream On" AND "Walk This Way"? Those songs are iconic and easily among the best songs from the '70s, regardless of genre.

[soulster]

What about A Whiter Shade of Pale?

I do not consider that one "rock". If anything, it's blues. Even at the age of four, I was surprised when my mother bought it on a 45. I loved it. We played it a lot in our house. I still have that Deram 45 too!

BTW, did you know there is a very clean stereo mix of the song now? It's the actual 45 version, too. It can be found on Eric Records' "Dick Bartley Presents Classic Oldies 1965-1969" http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=Dick+Bartley+Presents+Classic+Oldies+1965-1969. Otherwise, the song is either in mono, or the other existing stereo versions is not the hit recording.

[Doug-Morgan]

The list is based on what, airplay? This is pretty pedestrian stuff that would very easily make up the playlist of a generic classic rock station.

No Traffic? I'd take "Low Spark" over most of that list anyday. No Rod Stewart/Faces, no Beatles, Kinks [[at least put "Lola" in there somewhere), or the Dead. No Allman Brothers, no Kiss? You gotta be kidding me. Nothing against Mr. Wilkening, but if Clear Channel ever needed a new classic rock programer, he'd fit right in.

There, I feel better.

Lists like these are why I miss "free form" radio.

[marv2]

And the top classic rock song of all time is…Kim Hughes May 2, 2012 28 Comments Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on stumbleuponShare on emailShare on printMore Sharing Services38


Is Aerosmith’s 1975 anthem “Sweet Emotion” the top classic rock song of all time?


NO! It is not! Whoever pick that is dumb as Hell.

Any of these songs could make the top reaches of that list without even missing Aerosmith not being on the list period:

Bob Seger - "Night Moves" [[which would be #1 on my all time favorites list)
Guess Who - "American Woman"
Jimi Hendrix - "Purple Haze"
Rolling Stones - "Paint It Black"
Rolling Stones - "Brown Sugar"
Rolling Stones -"Under My Thumb"
Led Zeppelin - "Whole Lot of Love"
Led Zeppelin - "Stairway to Heaven"
Janis Joplin - "Another Piece of My Heart"
Santana - "Black Magic Woman"
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - "Born to Run"
Deep Purple - "Smoke on the Water"
Eagles - "Hotel California"
Derek & the Domino's - "Layla"
The Police - "Roxanne"
Queen - "We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions"
ELO - "Evil Woman"

Just to name a few that could easily be included in anyone's Top Ten Classic Rock Hits!

[marv2]

oh, hey what about some more of my favorite guilty pleasures:
Jethro Tull - "Bungle in the Jungle"
Steve Miller Band -"The Joker"
Cat Stevens - "Wild World" & "Peace Train"
Black Sabbath - "Iron Man"
Bob Dylan - "Like A Rolling Stone"

[luke]

All Right Now-Free.

[roger]

I do not consider that one "rock". If anything, it's blues. Even at the age of four, I was surprised when my mother bought it on a 45. I loved it. We played it a lot in our house. I still have that Deram 45 too!

BTW, did you know there is a very clean stereo mix of the song now? It's the actual 45 version, too. It can be found on Eric Records' "Dick Bartley Presents Classic Oldies 1965-1969" http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=Dick+Bartley+Presents+Classic+Oldies+1965-1969. Otherwise, the song is either in mono, or the other existing stereo versions is not the hit recording.

My understanding is that the music for "A Whiter Shade of Pale" was based upon "When A Man Loves A Woman" by PERCY SLEDGE, Soulster.

Roger