Greatest Rock & Roll song ever

[SiamSam]

Today the original hand written lyrics scribbled on hotel stationary of Bob Dylan's 1965 "Like a Rolling Stone" were auctioned off in New York for 2 million dollars. Numerous other legendary rock artists attribute that song to changing them and their work forever more. IMO this song changed everything in rock and as a result I think it is the single most important work that sculpted rock and roll hence forth.

 

Curious to know your thoughts. If you disagree, then what other pieces of rock's history do you think are of equal weight and importance?

[JaiDee]

Wow, that's a lot of coin for some hotel stationary!

 

I would go with Stairway to Heaven.....not my favorite but surely one of the most popular rock songs ever made.

[Lefty]

Neither of those songs are particular favorites of mine. DSFDF I guess.  Like A Rolling Stone is not even one of my favorite Dylan songs. 

[cobber32]

I don't exactly disagree, Sam, and the fact that it still has an impact today suggests you are on the money.

But as a boy in Australia in the 1950s, Bill Haley & The Comets (Rock Around The Clock) had a huge effect on the music scene, and i think inspired a local guy Johnny O'Keefe who became "The Wild One", so I'll put that up as important too.

[JaiDee]

Let's not forget early Elvis!

[seven]

f Bob Dylan's 1965 "Like a Rolling Stone" 

 

 

My all time fav

[pacman]

I like "Like A Rolling Stone" but it doesn't meet the formal definition to be classic Rock and Roll i.e, music played with a 12 bar structure with a strong back beat. Dylan wrote too many verses with too many key changes for it to be traditional rock and roll. Just my opinion but it doesn't lessen its importance as a great piece of music.

 

Curious to know your thoughts. If you disagree, then what other pieces of rock's history do you think are of equal weight and importance?

 

Also important were the impact Elvis Presley had when he burst onto the scene along with Little Richard; Jerry Lee Lewis; Fats Domino; Buddy Holly & Chuck Berry to name a few. Later there was the Beatles phenomenon along with all the great British & American artists of the 60's, an era we shall never see the likes of again.

 

As for Rock Music the list of significant moments are endless.The over-amplification of the sound that gave rise to Heavy Metal; the repetition of a catchy beat that turned into Disco Music; the drug influence on music writing that became Psychedelic Music; the rise of great writers like Bruce Springsteen, Leonard Cohen, Roger Waters; Bob Dylan; Paul Simon; Stevie Wonder & how many other names we don't know. They all made a contribution.

[SiamSam]

f Bob Dylan's 1965 "Like a Rolling Stone" 

 

 

HOW DOES IT FEEL...

[thaibound]

rock 'n roll:

"the product of some down white guys who could "do anything" stripping all melodic complexity from a beat created by some even more down black guys, which, once freed from its jazz/r&b roots, forced even the most timid of toes to tap, the fattest of asses to shake and amps all around the world to dial it up to eleven."

therefore, my vote: carl perkins' "blue suede shoes".

 

although i do love me some "missisissippi queen".

[Jimslim]

A bit of R&B ....where it all began 

 

http://youtu.be/TKy0pcnJocw

[seven]

Like a rolling stone is my personal favorite, but thaibound and jim is on the right track.  Stones would not be the Stones without the black r´n b from the south. No Chuck Berry, no Keith Richards. 

 

[JaiDee]

If we changed this from Greatest rock song ever to Favorite rock song ever......I'd probably have to go into the Sabbath vault; maybe War Pigs?

[Patrick]

A real how long is a piece of string question, beginning with what constitues rock and roll. iTunes has about 100 different genres it uses to identify music in your library, about half of them could be described as different rock and roll styles. Not that I would hold up iTunes as any great authority, my Album "101 Northern Soul Anthems" is tagged R&B, yet there is a Northern soul genre.

 

Anyway how about "Smoke on the water"

[Luung]

Ok, we've covered the pre history, so I'm going with what I think really shaped the modern scene & gave us (or at least, spring boarded)  that bit of 'dark & 'dirty edge', which is now ingrained in the modern pop culture that we all now know & love today... And that's just got to be 'Be bop a Lula' by Gene Vincent.

 

Most definitely not one of my favourites, but without the fame & recognition which it brought him, there'd have been no Johnny Rotten, no anti culture in music, no kids wanting to spit at their parents & teachers, no being cool to have a nervous breakdowns or self harm... I could go on... And no... and on..... It's all wonderful stuff!

[Hefe]

I'm surprised no one has nominated "Satisfaction" yet, that is pretty anthemic. I would nominate "Twist & Shout"- the original version by the Isley Brothers.

 

But my favorite r&r genre song is "Norwegian Wood" by the Beatles at their peak & on their best album... it's almost zen-like in it's minimalism & as good as anything recorded.

[Lefty]

I agree (as if often the case) with the venerated NY gentleman Sir Hefe. Satisfaction is one of the all time greats. Cannot hear it without thinking of Sam Bottoms and a Navy PBR. I wonder why? 

 

The End by the Doors has to rank pretty high and  not just because of it sharing a certain movie with the former. 

 

Also, Sympathy For The Devil by the Stones is high on my list. 

 

One song that seems to contain all the necessary components IMO for being a quintessential rock song is Carry On Wayward Son, by Kansas. 

Other early greats that helped shape the genre are Long Tall Sally, Good Golly Miss Molly, and Johnny B. Goode.  JMO. 

[seven]

Going to see  this quartet on tuesday. Anyone know of them? Are they any good?

[Luung]

Going to see  this quartet on tuesday. Anyone know of them? Are they any good?

 

30 years ago maybe, before they started wearing incontinence pants. 

 

Just a thought... Whilst there's no doubting the far reaching influence of a number like 'Satisfaction', as someone who did half of his growing up in the same town that Jagger, Watts & Richard's come from & actually attended the same school as Jagger & Watts for a while too; I can tell you flat out, that in spite of being north London rivals, locally 'The Kinks' were held in a far higher regard & had a much stronger influence. And if I had to think why? Then I'd probably say that it's down to their no nonsense, savvy, social commentary, wit, style & common touch, which we could more easily identify with whilst the Stones remained distant... They moved us & helped to mould us, they really did... But that's as a band & I can't really think of any one 'influential' track.... Although they most definitely were 'Dedicated followers of fashion' & 'Lola' still rocks, (especially in our little world)

 

Now before all you Stones lovers start baying for my blood, I'd just like to add that this was purely a local phenomena... And I'm more than aware that most of the rest of the world loves the Stones & has probably never heard of the Kinks.

[pdogg]

Going to see  this quartet on tuesday. Anyone know of them? Are they any good?

49 years ago they released a diddy called Satisfaction.

 

Time flies.

[Hefe]

 Ray Davies is one of the all-time greats no matter how you look at him. Here in the States The Kinks got their legs cut out from under them right at the beginning through a musicians union dispute that prohibited them from touring just as the Stones & Beatles were hitting our shores. Luckily they resurrected in a second act in the 70s & 80s.

 

Just thought of a great r&r song by the Stones: "Bitch"

[Luung]

Ok, moving off topic a little, but I'm sure Sam won't mind..

 

Anyway, if you've got the time? Do yourself a favour, Hefe, & download yourself, Julien Temple’s "Imaginary Man" & Ray Davies "The world from my window"... They're two superb documentaries about The Kinks & Ray Davies, respectively, which are well worth a watch!

 

If my memory serves me right? I think that they got banned by the American musicians union for some pretty nasty stage antics including one fight with a drummer where Ray Davies actually got knocked out on stage, it was a damm shame because they were actually spear heading the 'British invasion', at the time, but lost a crucial handful of years in the American market which could of had popular musical history looking at them in a far more favourable light.

 

Just thought of some great r&r songs by the Stones myself.. And all from the same period too..

 

'Start me up'

 

'Emotional Rescue'

 

'She's so cold'

 

I still love the Stones, but just think that 'The Kinks' did far more to influence the scene.

[Jimslim]

Like my learned friends I love the Kinks also , Ray Davies is one of the greatest songwriters I've heard I love the unique way his lyrics can tell a story and conjure up images of places .

 

I first heard this when I was a kid my mum and dad had the single at home and when I hear it now on the radio it still sends shivers down my spine with the guitar riff from the opening bars ...real beautiful , always in my top ten .

 

[Hefe]

Films noted, thanks lung....

 

I am always a sucker for good music docs, watched "Still Bill" last night about Bill Withers & recently saw "20 Feet from Stardom" (Excellent & with a strong Stones from that era content) &" Muscle Shoals". Waiting on the taxi way, mostly Netflix , "Beware Mr Baker" (Ginger) & the Big Star doc.

 

The US union issue was a bit more prosaic & typically union, at that time (1965?) but not simple. The American Federation of Musicians complained about the number of British musicians "taking jobs" from American musicians with no "reciprocal arrangement" for American musicians to be hired in GB. This was right at the start of the "groups" phenomenon & the union was either clueless but more likely wanted some payback to be hosting all these punk kids selling out venues here. They drew the line with the Kinks since they were noted for bad behavior onstage & they wanted to use non-union members for their crew/tech jobs. Plus their management pissed off some powerful concert promoters & this perfect storm got them "delisted" in the middle of a tour & they had to go home & sit out the rest of the 60s while their mates were minting $$$$.  

 

I get the same shivers Jim when I hear that song. It's like a short story.

[seven]

30 years ago maybe, before they started wearing incontinence pants. 

 

 

Sure. I've seen them live maybe 10 times since 1990, and they're old and grey, its more a museum vist than a rock n roll show. Agreed , Tattoo You is maybe their last great album. My personal favs  are Beggars Banguet, Exile on main street and Stick Fingers.

Still, the Glimmer Twins have written some of the best songs ever.You can never take that away from them

[Patrick]

"I first heard this when I was a kid my mum and dad had the single at home and when I hear it now on the radio it still sends shivers down my spine with the guitar riff from the opening bars ...real beautiful , always in my top ten"

My absolute favourite Kinks song, certainly on my iTunes favourites playlist.

I was watching a programme aboutDusty Springfield on the Bio channel last night. I think most of us liked her work, "the first white British soul singer"

What never ceases to amaze is just how much she did in just 5  years or so, by 1970 she was sliding into obscurity, a great talent.