# Best rock song over 8 minutes in length **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 14, 2002, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754 "2002-12-14T17:59:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754/21 "2002-12-15T01:01:47Z")
**Stargazer** (at 8:26) by **Rainbow**. Not well known, but a hard rock classic. ---
**Author:** ![TheeGrumpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheeGrumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheeGrumpy)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754/22 "2002-12-15T01:36:00Z")
I’ll put in a plug for the live version of Oingo Boingo’s “Change.” The 8:50 arrangement from _Farewell_ is a lot tighter than the 16-minute album version. ---
**Author:** ![Junior\_Spaceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Junior\_Spaceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Junior_Spaceman)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754/23 "2002-12-15T02:03:52Z")
Another vote for **Sister Ray** , and if you’re really in the mood, play **Sweet Sister Ray** before one of the live versions on the Bootleg Series for seventy minutes of listening pleasure 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Manatee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@Manatee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manatee)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754/24 "2002-12-15T02:24:25Z")
“Won’t Get Fooled Again” by The Who. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Red\_Menace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@The\_Red\_Menace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Red_Menace)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754/25 "2002-12-15T03:03:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Manatee \* > \*\*“Won’t Get Fooled Again” by The Who. \*\* (ARP synthesiser noise) (Keith Moon drumming) “YEAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOWWWWWWW” That song is worth it just for that moment. To me, “Won’t Get Fooled Again” _is_ the rock song over 8 minutes in length. The live version of “Push It” on that Tool DVD/CD thing is pretty amazing too. Maynard James Keenan + tabla is a great combo. ---
**Author:** ![Splanky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@Splanky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Splanky)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754/26 "2002-12-15T03:11:49Z")
Phish! Most of their songs usually end up being over 8 minutes live. Some of my favorites: “tweezer” (up to 40 minutes long), “Stash” (awesome), “You Enjoy Myself”. I don’t think I’ve ever not liked a Phish song, and they are verrry long. Another vote for “Third Eye”. Probably the best Tool song ever. And since he played it on Conan last week, “Kitty’s Back” by Bruce Springsteen. AWESOME. ---
**Author:** ![I\_am\_Sparticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@I\_am\_Sparticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_am_Sparticus)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754/27 "2002-12-15T05:28:08Z")
The End, The Doors. Light My Fire is long too. Layla is nice and long. Kashmir by Zep Abbey Road side two is a bunch of songs strung together and is magnificque! Dark Star ---
**Author:** ![edwino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@edwino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwino)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754/28 "2002-12-15T06:24:10Z")
Since you mentioned Thick as a Brick, most of the concept albums of the 1970s could be considered long songs even though many of them are broken up into individual songs. One prog-rockish album not mentioned here is “Foxtrot” by Genesis back when they didn’t let Phil sing (much). The second side is one song called Supper’s Ready and is very good. In terms of newer bands, I would say that Phish and Stereolab have got the best long songs. The Fluffhead stuff from Phish’s _Junta_ is magnificent. Stereolab puts a 7 min+ song on nearly every album, and they are often stellar. Not only Jenny Ondioline, but a newer track from the _Dots and Loops_ album (I believe it is Refractions in the Plastic Pulse but I can never keep the track names straight) is also excellent. I think they deserve extra consideration because last week Mary Hansen, their second vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist was killed. That and they are one of my favorite bands ever. ---
**Author:** ![edwino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@edwino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwino)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754/29 "2002-12-15T06:25:28Z")
Oh, I forgot to say, it’s not really rock but it holds fond memories for me as my dad and I used to play it to piss of my mom: Mike Oldfield, _Tubular Bells_ side 1. Mostly for the kitsch value. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754/30 "2002-12-15T06:43:31Z")
I really like Yes’ “Gates of Delirium”, which comes in at around 22 minutes. Had it not been for the limitations of LPs, which could hold about 23 minutes of music per side, I imagine Yes would have done even longer tracks. ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754/31 "2002-12-15T07:20:17Z")
2112 ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754/32 "2002-12-15T08:25:17Z")
I was wondering when RUSH was going to get a mention. In addition to **2112** , there’s also **Cygnus X-1** , which spans two separate albums (Book I on _A Farewell to Kings_ and Book II on _Hemispheres_). ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754/33 "2002-12-15T08:28:21Z")
Mother Russia - Rennaisance How many of you remember them ? Trip to the fair - Rennaisance, I prefer this but most go for M russia. Autobahn - ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754/34 "2002-12-15T08:32:15Z")
**In my time of dying** by Led Zep. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754/35 "2002-12-15T08:50:45Z")
Mother Russia - Rennaisance How many of you remember them ? Trip to the fair - Rennaisance, I prefer this but most go for M russia. Autobahn - Kraftwerk, I suppose that techno music mowadays probably makes this seem very dated but I still have a soft spot for it. Fools gold - Stone Roses Pick up the pieces - Average White Band, the version they played live on BBC’s late night ‘Old grey whistle test’ is pretty much a soul-funk jam session, great improvisation. Can’t win - Richard Thompson, it seems odd to me that this very British artist is appreciated more in the US than here, the live version of this is worth seeking out. Soul sacrifice/heads ahds feet - Santana, great track and the drum solo by Graham Lear is awesome ---
**Author:** ![Already\_in\_Use](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Already\_in\_Use](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Already_in_Use)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754/36 "2002-12-15T09:05:14Z")
The Beatles’ “Revolution 9.” ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754/37 "2002-12-15T11:34:04Z")
Death Cab For Cutie - Stability (12 minutes) Built to Spill - Untrustable Part 2 (About Someone Else) (9 minutes) Jimmy Eat World - Goodbye Sky Harbor (16 Minutes) I love my length emo. ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754/38 "2002-12-15T12:04:32Z")
I’m fond of “A Change of Seasons” by Dream Theater. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754/39 "2002-12-15T16:57:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gex gex \* > \*\*Death Cab For Cutie - Stability (12 minutes) > \*\* There’s a group “Death Cab for Cutie”? I love it! (Would you like to know where their name came from?) ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754/40 "2002-12-15T18:15:55Z")
**RealityChuck** : > [@](#): > > Pink Floyd is the champion, with “Astronomy Domine,” "Careful With that Axe, Eugene, “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun,” “Atom Heart Mother,” “Echoes,” and “Shine on You Crazy Diamond.” Absolutely. Also “Dogs”. And “Interstellar Overdrive”. And “Hey You” from The Wall is also over 8, isn’t it? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-rock-song-over-8-minutes-in-length/142754.md?page=3)