I’ll throw in AFI’s the Leaving Song, part 2. Also, the Desaperacido’s Manana (once you get past the sticks clicking it off) is the most rockingest thing ever!
Dire Straits- “Walk of Life”
The Cars- “My Best Friend’s Girl”
Rolling Stones- “Little T&A”, “Shattered”, and “She’s So Cold”
Just about anything by ZZ Top
Chuck Berry - “Johnny B. Goode”
Van Halen - “Jump”
The Pogues - “Sally Macnaman”
And the winner…
Bruce Springsteen -“Thunder Road” (croons…“Screen door slams, Mary’s dress sways…”)
Kids, way back in 1958, tough-guy actor Robert Mitchem starred in a movie called Thunder Road and cut a record “The Ballad of Thunder Road.” with some good twangy, Duane Eddy-style guitar riffs, and a surprisingly competently gritty baritone:
Let me tell the story; I can tell it all
About the mountain boy who ran illegal alcohol
His daddy made the whiskey, son, he drove the load
When his engine roared, they called the highway Thunder Road.
As it says on this site
The movie and its title song, “Ballad of Thunder Road” (co-authored and performed by Robert Mitchum), are obviously alluded to in Bruce Springsteen’s “Thunder Road” (who conceded that when he wrote the song he “stole” the title from the film). Steve Earle’s “Copperhead Road” tells a similar story and contains distinct verbal echoes of the film.
“Why Can’t I Touch It?” by the Buzzcocks
“Livin’ For The City” by Stevie Wonder
“Baker Street” by Gerry Rafferty (I think)
“Song on the Radio” by Al Stewart (yeah, I’m a sucker for screaming saxophone riffs)
“Love and Anger” by Kate Bush
“The Other Side” by The Dismemberment Plan (it’s the drumming)
Gimme Shelter–by the Stones (hey, they really were good back in the day)
Dirty Water–the Standells–dirty yankee boys, nasty riff
She’s About a Mover–Augie Meyers’ cheesy Farfisa kicks off Sir Doug’s first hit “Lay it on me, Augie”
You’re Gonna Miss Me–13th Floor Elevators. Did I know it at the time or is this a flashback?
…Another vote for Fortunate Son.
& what about “I’ll Walk the Line?” Damn, yeah.
“Rooster” by Alice In Chains
“Hemorrhage (In My Hands)” by Fuel
“Song 2” by Blur
“Bohemian Like You” by Dandy Warhols
“I Want You To Want Me!” Cheap Trick. The live version, of course. Now that I think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a non-live version. Hmm…
“When the Levee Breaks” by Led Zeppelin has to have one of the best drum intros ever. They recorded it in the atrium to a big old english manor house to get that big booming effect. Top that off with some incredibly distorted harmonica by Robert Plant and it’s just pure rock.
“Statesboro Blues” by Allman Brothers off the “Live At Fillmore East” album. Duane Allman could play the hell out of his guitar.
Keek reminded me of one more.
Judas Priest did, not precisely a cover, but more a heavy metal remake, of Johnny B. Goode that seriously rocks.
(And of course the original ain’t nothin’ to sneeze at, neither.)
“Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash - If those Mariachi horns don’t get your attention, nothing will. Shouldn’t work, but they do.
“Where The Streets Have No Name” by U2 - Love 'em or hate 'em, the way this song builds from synth chords to echoing guitar to rolling drumbeats and bass really sets a great tone for the lyrics.
“Money for Nothing” by Dire Straits - Slow buildup, begging for my MTV, then the heavy guitar riffs. Yeah, that’s the way you do it.
Lots of great songs in this thread. My first thought when I read the OP was “Three Strange Days” by School of Fish. I love the opening riff.
“She’s Tight” - Cheap Trick (very 80’s)
“Beautiful Loser” - Bob Seger (I like they way it fades in)
“Jungle Love” - Steve Miller (self explanatory)
“Romeo and Juliet” - Dire Straits
“Stuck in the Middle with You” - Steeler’s Wheel
The Beatles: “Day Tripper” and “I Feel Fine”
AC/DC: “She’s Got The Jack”
Golden Earring: “Radar Love”
All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
Great intro and a great song.
Beck: “Sexx Laws” Catchiest… Horn riff… Ever.
Radiohead: “Airbag” Out of the silence, electric guitar cuts in like a knife, briefly dueling with a cello, before the song begins with a bed of shimmering strings. Beautiful.
Spirit In The Sky by Norman Greenbaum
and
All Right Now by Free
2112 - Rush
Thunderstruck - ACDC
Happy Jack - The Who
Walk This Way - Aerosmith
Gotta agree with “Revolution” (the single), and “Safe European Home.” Some of these posts make me think not enough of you know that last one. “Suffragette City” was a good call too. How bout “I Saw Her Standing There” by the Beatles? “Sheena Is a Punk Rocker” by the Ramones? Or Handsome Dick Manitoba’s soliloquy before “Two Tub Man,” by the Dictators? "Cook it out, Baby Daddy! I just got back from Minneapolis, where I took on Vern Gagne and Dick da Bruisah! You can bring on–Haystack Balloon! Eric Bloom! I don’t care who ya get, daddy, they’re all goin undah–the Thundah–of Mani–toba!!!
“Wipeout,” for God’s sake.
“Pink Turns to Blue,” by Hüsker Dü.
“Rise Above,” by Black Flag.
“Paranoid” by Black Sabbath.
“Jumpin’ Jack Flash” by the fabulous Rolling Stones.
“Like a Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan.
“Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Opus 67,” by L. van Beethoven.
“New Rose,” by the Damned.
“The Kids are Alright,” by the Who.
“That’s How I Escaped My Certain Fate,” by Mission of Burma.
“Pleasant Valley Sunday,” by the Monkees.
“Dreaming,” by Blondie.
“Street Waves,” by Pere Ubu.
“TV Eye,” by the Stooges.
“Money,” by Barrett Strong.
“Town Called Malice,” by the Jam.
“Roadrunner,” by the Modern Lovers.
Anything off NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS, HERE’S THE SEX PISTOLS.
“Last Caress,” by the Misfits.
Room to Move - John Mayall
Riders on the Storm - The Doors
You Never Can Tell - Chuck Berry
Also “Don’t Look Back” by the Remains, and “Tutti Frutti” by Little Richard.