Bohemian Rhapsody - Greatest Rock Song?

Cafe Society
41

The VH1 Top 100 list Sam Stone linked to is pretty good; it hits most of the high notes. One notable exception Pink Floyd, found nowhere on the list. That’s a pretty big absence considering some of what makes it. “Stayin’ Alive” at number 54? I don’t think so! “Another Brick In the Wall pt. 2” and “Brain Damage” are easily better and more important songs than anything the Bee Gees ever did.

As for the top 10, I think I’d bump “Born to Run” for “Layla,” which really needs to be there. I’m also tempted to replace “Good Vibrations” with “Sloop John B.” “Good Vibrations” is the beter piece technically, but “Sloop John B.” is the better rock song. (Though really a folk song.)

Likewise, “Hey Jude” is hands down my pick for greatest pop song of all time, but I don’t think it pulls a top 10 slot for greatest rock song. Interestingly, although The Beatles are the greatest rock band of all time, I can’t think of another Beatles song that deserves a top 10 slot either, though many come close. Instead, I think I’d elevate “That’ll Be the Day,” which clocked in at a pitiful number 45 according to VH1. I have a feeling that’ll be a controversial decision though.

I find it odd that Elvis, like The Beatles, doesn’t make the top 10 in the opinion of me or VH1, despite several close contenders and a body of work that puts him at or near the top for great rock performers.

42

I skip over most of them as well. Probably all on that VH1 list except “Like a Rolling Stone.”

Here’s Rolling Stone’s attempt at a list…you know, just for ideas. I know how we all hate these ridiculous, ubiquitous lists.

43

Bohemian Rhapsody is a pretty good song, but as others have said, it’s not the greatest, and not even the best Queen.

For Queen songs, I’d take Somebody to Love or The Show Must Go On.

For greatest rock song of all time, I’d put The Doors L.A. Woman and the Stones Sympathy for the Devil both on the list.

I also have a special fondness for Meatloaf’s Bat Out of Hell. But maybe that one should get that “wangerian” title.

44

My vote is fore Hotel california.

45

A thought occurs. The Grammys distinguish between best song (which honors the songwriters) and best record (which honors the performers, and perhaps also takes into account the production, etc.). Or at least they used to—I haven’t been keeping up with the Grammys lately. Anyway, in this thread, we haven’t been making the distinction, as far as I can tell.

Should we be?

46

Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’ from the Stones’ Sticky Fingers is in my opinion, the greatest rock song.

Has a devastatingly greasy riff by Keef, excellent rhythm and lead by Mick Taylor, Charlie and Bill keep the groove tight, great extra percussion and sax. And Mick (uh, Sir Mick) belts out his lust and longing, uh, lustily.

47

“Starship Trooper” is the major exception to thier catalog. A true Rock Masterpiece, from the first riff to the explosive climax (a “Howe-Load” into your face, so to speak)

But, yeah. I see your point.

48

Along those lines, I read somewhere (Rolling Stone?) that if aliens came down and gave you five minutes to explain “What is rock n roll?” you should throw on Jimi’s “Purple Haze.” Though I’m not a huge fan of Hendrix, I am pretty surprised that he’s not been mentioned yet.

I, like brianjedi, was going to mention “Master of Puppets,” but then decided that it was harder than people are looking for. Good suggestions with “Radar Love” and “All Along the Watchtower”

49

Dunno about Radar Love myself. I used to like it, but now it sounds a little forced or contrived to me. YMMV.

50

Definitely. Though it lacks much playing by Brian May, which generally is one of my favorite elements of Queen.

51

I do think the Brian May guitar segue between We Will Rock You and We Are the Champions is mighty tasty.

Just sayin’.

52

I was going to suggest Voodoo Child (Slight Return) or even All Along the Watchtower, but I decided I didn’t want to break my own “played millions of times [on the radio]” rule. I started listening to Jimi again the other day for the first time in years, and I find I’m more interested in his latter-day, groovier and less popular stuff. “Lover Man” might be a contender in this category, but I don’t know how many people have heard it.

53

I too thought the list was pretty good, until I saw Beatles “I want to hold your hand” at number 23. Incredible. That song is maybe the 40th best beatles song

54

That’s the most catchy song, not greatest.

I love Bohemian Rhapsody, but for me, Queen’s greatest rock song is “We will Rock You”

Here’s my top ten in no particular order:
Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin c’mon, even if you don’t like, you have to acknowledge it has tremendous staying power to still be so popular

Everlong by Foo Fighters these guys are masters of “anthem rock,” and I think this is them at their best

Radar Love by Golden Earring This is a good example of straight-forward rock that manages to have separate movements too.

We Will Rock You by Queen great for sporting events or opening a concert

Blues Drive Monster or One Life by the Pillows I guess it’s kind of unfair to include songs from Japanese bands, whose albums you can’t even buy here normally, but these guys are f’ing amazing. BDM is the apex of Anthem rock, and OL speaks to any age with it’s combination of lazy-summer feel-good groove, mild angst, and wistfull nostalgia, all of which is through the music, you don’t even need to understand the Japanese. For anyone who’s seen it, the anime FLCL’s (aka Fooly Cooly, or Furi Kuri) two-part soundtrack is basically a best-of collection of this band’s first ten years. Their website.

Diary of a Madman by Ozzy Osbourne this song rocks, it’s complex composition, and it’s haunting to the point of being blood-chilling. I think people who’ve experienced deep depression (like me), drug addiction, and a variety of other psychological issues could speak to the profound expression here.

All Along the Watchtower by Jimmy Hendrix specifically Hendrix’s rendition, because along with everything else that’s great about the song itself, his adds awesome early electric guitar experimentation

Hound Dog by Elvis Presley again, I’ll let longetivity and impact do the talking here. Also, it beats out a lot of the King’s other greats by their not being rock enough by current vernacular IMHO(see below)

You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC It may be their most played-out song, but you can’t deny it’s sheer rocking power and widespread popularity. Though I personally like Back in Black and For Those About To Rock more.

One or New Year’s Day by U2 One is what I would like to say, because it’s romantic, and beautiful, it rocks, and it’s a good end-of-relationship song all at once. But the universal Political Protest nature of NYD is hard to argue, plus it’s pretty much THE song that made U2 international rock ‘n’ roll superstars.

Honorable Mention: Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys industry types and music theory folk always seem to rank this very highly, and it’s a great song, but to me it isn’t “rock” enough. I don’t know, I just wouldn’t put it in the list. Just like I wouldn’t put any R&B/Motown in, even though it used to be considered Rock.

PS. the Beatles, despite being rock-gods, are self defeating in something like this, their songs are of such equal quality that none can truly rise to the top to push onto the list. Now if this were a list of bands, they’d only need to worry about the Rolling Stones, whose ability to keep working together and put out fairly good stuff after so long would probably give them the win.

PPS. I would also like to take this moment to evangelize the Hives, if you haven’t heard them, go to iTunes or whatever and listen. They don’t belong on this list, but they rule. Straight-forward, kick-to-the-seat-of-your-pants rock at a fast beat. Awesome.

55

We need criteria. Otherwise you end up with posts like this :stuck_out_tongue: …I do enjoy BR, but certainly not the greatest. It seems to me that none of the VH1 top ten even rock at all. Where’s the rocking? Those are all old man slow jams. Where’s the fist pumpin’, ass shakin’, foot stompin’, thunderous rock? Someone actually said Marvin Gaye is ROCK? The Beach Boys DO NOT ROCK. Layla? There is way more rocking Clapton, see Cream! Born to Run??? snore. Hotel California? No. If you hear it on an elevator or in a mall, it simply does not ROCK. Radar Love??? Come on! That’s what mid-life crisis dudes who spend 70k on a Harley listen to along with Bad to the Bone and Born to be Wild. Poseurs. heehee. Comfortably Numb??? Isn’t that adult contemporary? If you can take a nap during the song, it does not ROCK.

Well then what does ROCK? Glad you asked…

Black Sabbath - Into The Void (THEE Greatest ROCK Song EVER!)
Hawkwind - The Psychedelic Warriors
The Who - Won’t Get Fooled Again
AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Cheap
Jane’s Addiction - Ocean Size
Melvins - Revolve
CCR - Fortunate Son
The Clash - English Civil War
Metallica - Harvester of Sorrow
Styx - Renegade (That’s right, STYX GODDAMMIT!)
Van Halen - Running With The Devil
Dead Kennedys - Police Truck

So There! Snotty? Oh Yeah! In fact I’ll go pit myself, feel free to join in! :smiley:

56

He was mentioned in regards to “All Along the Watchtower”, 35 posts above yours.

57

No kidding! Without some precisely defined limits, we get lists like yours, which haveonly two listenable songs on them. :smiley:

Of course, that is the point with lists like these…everybody is right. And everybody else is wrong. But in any case, BR doesn’t make the cut on anybody’s list!

58

I have a confession to make. I left it vague just so I could get a thread like this. I had little doubt I would get several dozen songs that others felt were better than it.

Sure Criteria would have made it more focused, but we still would have come down to a debate of some sort with no clear winner. So I left it wide wide open.

59

I don’t think we should quite be looking for the “best” rock song. Rather we should be searching for the most rock rock song.

Hmm…

Let’s add “I Fought the Law” by The Clash. Yeah, I got yer rock and roll right here, baby.

60

A couple year’s ago Seeger’s “Turn the Page” was voted best rock song by listeners of some radio station. Not my choice. I’ll vote for ‘Heart of Rock & Roll’ by Huey Lewis and the News. :eek: