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Post by Kapitan on Jun 6, 2021 14:35:55 GMT
It's interesting to me that after love and lust, there is probably no more common topic in rock 'n' roll than rock 'n' roll. From the earliest days of the genre right through the present, band after band, artist after artist, has used the form as the topic. (Granted, in the earliest days especially, the term incorporated the latter of the aforementioned topics, lust, having been a slang term for sex.)
Usually I think these songs are cheesy. They sound like filler, songs whose lyrics came about when the writers had nothing to say. And yet sometimes they're great, great songs--even if they're also cheesy and filler, at least when the stars align.
I don't think it's possible, much less a fun idea, to create a master list of them all: there would be just too many. But I did think it might be fun to just occasionally toss songs into this thread whenever one happens to come to mind. You love it, you hate it, you just remembered it, whatever. Rock and roll songs, meaning songs about rock and roll.
Here's one that immediately comes to mind for me. From 1971, we're not starting at the beginning or at the end, but rather right in the middle...
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2021 14:53:10 GMT
I used to be a major fan of Led Zeppelin IV (or whatever you want to call the album) and I was very much into that song at the time. In fact I always felt that it should have been the first track, rather than Black Dog. By my logic, it would have grabbed the listener's attention and get in your face right at the start. It's a pretty powerful song. Black Dog kind of eases you into the album. Not a bad approach, but different.
With that said, Rock and Roll is a great tune. Zep's first nostalgic tune paying tribute to mainstream rock & roll (I always felt that Dancin' Days was kind of a sequel). Lot's of energy. Plant has that 1950s sound in his vocals, and Plant does some pretty good riffing without going over the top. It's a fun song.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jun 6, 2021 21:04:31 GMT
I used to be a major fan of Led Zeppelin IV (or whatever you want to call the album) and I was very much into that song at the time. In fact I always felt that it should have been the first track, rather than Black Dog. By my logic, it would have grabbed the listener's attention and get in your face right at the start. It's a pretty powerful song. Black Dog kind of eases you into the album. Not a bad approach, but different. You are absolutely correct! As a sequence nut, that has always bothered me. Anyway, "Rock And Roll" is an all-timer. Each band member shines.
How about one from our guys? "Rock and roll to the rescue, I said it rescued me, and it'll rescue you..." I saw The Beach Boys perform it live at The Allentown Fair in 1986:
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Post by Kapitan on Jun 6, 2021 22:02:40 GMT
Sheriff John Stone, I'll match your bad, live, '80s Beach Boys "rock and roll" song with a worse one.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jun 6, 2021 22:57:27 GMT
That is pretty bad, but it might be the best version of the song!
OK, I'll raise you one. This is the best version, the best Beach Boys' version, of "Rock And Roll Music"...ever!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2021 4:32:13 GMT
Ok, here's my contribution:
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Post by kds on Jun 7, 2021 15:49:44 GMT
I've always loved this very short little Roger Taylor rocker from Queen's debut
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Post by jk on Jun 7, 2021 17:53:47 GMT
Ooohh -- great topic! I'll be back here in a few hours with a choice cut or two...
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Post by jk on Jun 7, 2021 19:41:51 GMT
First, a slab of classic doo wop from The Showmen. From 1961, this is "It Will Stand", featuring the urgent tones of General Norman Johnson (1941–2010): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Showmen
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Post by Kapitan on Jun 7, 2021 19:52:21 GMT
The hard rock of the '70s and '80s spent a lot of time extolling the virtues of rock, be it counting the ways to do it (one), when one may want to do it (all nite), and what we do to those who are about to do it (salute you). In fact, I guess it was true that, in those days, you couldn't stop rock and roll.
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Post by jk on Jun 7, 2021 19:53:23 GMT
This one comes from the other end of the spectrum. Peter, Paul and Mary's "I Dig Rock and Roll Music" went US top ten in 1967. Paul may have cowritten it but Peter and Mary hated it. I get the impression all three hated rock and roll! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Dig_Rock_and_Roll_Music
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jun 7, 2021 23:22:37 GMT
Yes! An opportunity to showcase a Ray Manzarek solo song, the title track of his 1974 album, with Joe Walsh on guitar and Flo & Eddie on background vocals. Oh, and one of the longest song titles in the history of rock & roll - The Whole Thing Started With Rock And Roll Now It's Out Of Control:
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Post by Deleted on Jun 8, 2021 3:32:47 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 8, 2021 3:38:24 GMT
With a little help from the legendary Mr. Nilsson:
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Post by jk on Jun 8, 2021 21:03:29 GMT
Nice track there, Sockit.
This next one by Danny & The Juniors brings "Do You Remember" full circle:
And here's Gary Glitter (now in disgrace) with his big hit from 1973:
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