# Help me pick the most "definitive" songs by each of these bands... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 4, 2003, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554 "2003-06-04T10:18:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554/81 "2003-06-07T22:59:12Z")
I was thinking about “Basket Case” myself. Especially since this friend of mine is a clinical therapist, anything psychologically-related works good as a tiebreaker. 😉 Anyways, here’s the H-J list I compiled last night. (Whew, been at this a while, think I’ll take a break from this for the weekend…) Hades “Ground Zero NYC” - released before 9/11, believe it or not! Hagar, Sammy “I Can’t Drive 55” HSAS (Hagar Schon Aaronson Schrieve) “Animation/Valley of the Kings” Hall & Oates “Kiss on my List” Hallow’s Eve “Lethal Tendencies” Hawkwind - can’t make up my mind!! any help? Hayseed Dixie “You Shook Me All Night Long” - comes from an album of AC/DC songs all done hillbilly style. It’s hilarious! Heart “Barracuda” Heathen “Heathen’s Song” Helix “Heavy Metal Love” Helloweeen “Keeper of the Seven Keys” Helmet “Unsung” Jimi Hendrix “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” Don Henley “Dirty Laundry” Hirax “Bombs of Death” Holocaust “The Small Hours” Holy Terror “Alpha Omega The Bringer of Balance” The Honeydrippers “Sea of Love” Honeymoon Suite “What Does It Take” The Human League “Don’t You Want Me” I Mother Earth “Not Quite Sonic” (sorry **Achimba** , this is a lock) Iced Earth - “Dante’s Inferno” or “Angels Holocaust/Stormrider” Ice-T - “Freedom Of Speech” - I _really_ want to use “Race War”, but I don’t have the CD and can’t find it on You-Know-Where… damn!! In Flames “The Hive” Infectious Grooves “Punk It Up” Inner Thought “Diseased Infected Earth” Iron Angel - need to listen to it again Iron Butterfly “In-a-Gadda-da-Vida” – the 17 minute version, naturally 😃 Iron Maiden “The Trooper” (or maybe “Powerslave”, any votes?) Jacob’s Dream, Jag Panzer - no idea; people on the other board will know, but they only post during the week while at work, so… Jane’s Addiction - I like “Stop”, “Ocean Size” or “Three Days” but I’m open to suggestions. Jethro Tull “Heavy Horses” (no, NOT “Aqualung”! That is so _totally_ outside their definitive style…) Billy Joel “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” Elton John “Tiny Dancer” - was gonna choose “Funeral/Bleeding”, which is a totally awesome song, but it’s too far outside his style, while “Tiny Dancer” is more or less dead on, and loved by millions. Problem is…I totally HATE that song!! So please, SOMEONE tell me I’m wrong here!!! (Oh, and “Candle in the Wind” would have been a good choice, but when Elton rewrote it for that dead English princess, it totally ruined it for me…) Journey - Wheel in the Sky Judas Priest - Painkiller Oh, and Kansas “Song for America” is already a lock. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![look\_ninjas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@look\_ninjas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/look_ninjas)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2003, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554/82 "2003-06-07T23:52:40Z")
For the Foo Fighters, I think “Everlong” trumps “Monkey Wrench.” They’re both great, but “Everlong” is slightly better (bonus: it’s one of David Letterman’s favorites - you hear the band playing it all the time when he comes back from break.) Is “Barracuda” really more representative of Heart than “Magic Man,” though? ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554/83 "2003-06-08T12:08:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by look!ninjas \* > \*\*Is “Barracuda” really more representative of Heart than “Magic Man,” though? \*\* Good question…I only have their “best of” so it’s hard to judge. “Magic Man” is pretty unique-sounding, though, and they have a lot of balls-out songs in the “Barracuda” style (Crazy on You, Sleep Alone, etc…) Hey, I’ve got an mp3 of David Grohl butchering “Stairway to Heaven” on the Kilborn show…maybe I should pick that one for Foo Fighters?? LOL ---
**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:** [June 8, 2003, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554/84 "2003-06-08T13:08:24Z")
**ELP:** I’d go _Tarkus_ over _KE9_, myself; but if you’re after something not quite so lengthy, have you considered _Black Moon_? It came out fairly recently (after their reunion), but it’s ELP all over. Personally, I like _Pirates_ over everything else they ever did, though. That’s what I’d pick, but that’s just me. **Jethro Tull:** While _Aqualung_ is sort of their definitive song (at least here in the States), it has no flute. How can you have a representative Tull song without flute? I’d go for _Budapest_. **RUSH:** _The Trees_. Or _Xanadu_. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2003, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554/85 "2003-06-08T15:31:15Z")
Well, for ELP I picked just the “single edit” of KE9 (1st Impression pt.2) which I think represents their signature style in an unsually short piece (for them.) I did consider “Tarkus”, or something equally lengthy, but I didn’t want to overwhelm this poor guy…I’m already hitting him with 20 to 40 minute songs by other bands! Umm…I think you read my Jethro Tull comment, as I chose early on NOT to use “Aqualung”, and to use “Heavy Horses” instead. Which does feature flute. 🙂 I’m thinking “Tom Sawyer” for Rush, but the R’s are a good ways away yet… ---
**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:** [June 8, 2003, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554/86 "2003-06-08T21:07:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KGS \* > **Umm…I think you read my Jethro Tull comment, as I chose early on NOT to use “Aqualung”, and to use “Heavy Horses” instead. Which does feature flute. 🙂** Awp! Missed it. _Heavy Horses_ is good, though. Always one of my favorite albums and songs. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2003, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554/87 "2003-06-09T04:25:44Z")
…and I can type any better than you can read, because I obviously meant “I think you **mis** read my comment…” :smack: Still working on the K’s…any Killing Joke or King Diamond fans out there? I’m stuck on them. ---
**Author:** ![HookerChemical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@HookerChemical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HookerChemical)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2003, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554/88 "2003-06-09T05:46:17Z")
Hawkwind- Silver Machine or Quark Strangeness and Charm (if that isn’t the perfect example of space rock, I don’t know what is) Jethro Tull- Heavy Horses is a great choice. Aqualung may be more popular, but it isn’t as representative of anything but the Aqualung album. Budapest is a great song, but not representative of their heyday. If you want something representative of their recent albums, Wicked Windows may be a better choice. ELP- How about Tocatta? It’s a cover, but it’s a manageable size and does have their typical sound. I either like the rest of the songs on KGS’s list or am not familiar with the band to disagree. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2003, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554/89 "2003-06-09T09:37:18Z")
**KnightNavro** , I just picked “Ist Impression, Part 2” of KE9 for ELP. Despite being a paltry five minutes long, it captures the essence of their sound – and after including **Edge of Sanity** “Crimson” (40:00) and **Dream Theater** “A Change of Seasons” (23:08) I didn’t want to overwhelm the poor guy. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2003, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554/90 "2003-06-09T09:52:31Z")
**Killing Joke** - Either “Eighties” (Now known both for being in the film “Weird Science”, and the subject of a lawsuit after Nirvana ripped it off…) or “Millenium” , which was played at a lot of new years’ parties few years ago… ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2003, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554/91 "2003-06-09T09:55:11Z")
Oh, and what are you going to pick for **King Crimson** , or is that not on the list? ---
**Author:** ![Necromancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ac91a4/32.png) [@Necromancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necromancer)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2003, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554/92 "2003-06-09T09:58:15Z")
**Killing Joke** - I’d say Love Like Blood or Labyrinth. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2003, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554/93 "2003-06-09T14:24:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Darth Nader \* > \*\*Oh, and what are you going to pick for **King Crimson** , or is that not on the list? \*\* Probably “21st Century Schizoid Man”, or something from “Larks Tongues in Aspic”…luckily I only have the Wetton/Lake era on CD, so I don’t have to worry about representing that Adrian Belew crap. 😃 Part of the trouble is, I have so many fargin’ CDs, some of which I haven’t listened to in YEARS, that it’s tough for me to pin down a single selection. In fact, I think I figured out once that if I listened to all of my CDs back to back, 24 hrs a day, it would take about 8 months to get through them all… Of course I just talked to my friend last night and he hasn’t even _started_ working on his collection yet…grr… ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2003, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554/94 "2003-06-09T18:01:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AchimbaProphet \* > \*\*You missed a few A-B 🙂 > > \ > Al Green - Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone > \ \*\* Uh, Al Green never did a version of [“Ain’t No Sunshine”](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=1:53:00%7CPM&sql=H29919). You must be thinking of Bill Withers. Besides, Green’s stuff is usually joyful–“Let’s Stay Together” or “Take Me to the River” would be better choices. ---
**Author:** ![AchimbaProphet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2bfe46/32.png) [@AchimbaProphet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AchimbaProphet)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554/95 "2003-06-10T08:23:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lisa-go-Blind \* > **Uh, Al Green never did a version of “Ain’t No Sunshine”.** :smack: Thanks for setting me straight. ---
**Author:** ![Stomp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71e660/32.png) [@Stomp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stomp)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554/96 "2003-06-10T14:38:16Z")
oooooh, I can’t believe somebody mentioned ISIS. How cool, KGS, if you don’t already own ISIS, you must download it. I would pick the song Poison Eggs. He sounds like a wild cat in heat. Somebody should start their own thread…My Ultimate mix. So everybody can list songs from their own collection. ---
**Author:** ![yawndave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/43a26b/32.png) [@yawndave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yawndave)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554/97 "2003-06-10T17:20:32Z")
I think an argument can be made that the quintessential Who song is **My Generation**. ---
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554/98 "2003-06-10T20:47:05Z")
Just going to make suggestions for a few of the bands I’ve seen already listed that I’m familiar enough with to have an idea of what sums up their sound the best, and though my first instinct is to list my favorite song(s), I’ll try to stay true to the OP’s request: **Alice in Chains** : Nutshell, Down in a Hole, or Grind **Anthrax** : A.D.I./Horror of it All **Coldplay** : Clocks or Amsterdam **Faith No More** : The Real Thing (great musical and lyrical representation of the band’s talents) **Foo Fighters** : New Way Home **Led Zeppelin** : if not Kashmir, then Dazed and Confused **Ministry** : Stigmata **Iron Maiden** : Hallowed be Thy Name **Queens of the Stone Age** : Go With the Flow ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554/99 "2003-06-11T11:19:12Z")
**soulmurk:** You’re late, dude. 🙂 I already chose “Rooster” for AIC and “Indians” for Anthrax, which are both a lock. Coldplay: huh? ain’t got none. Faith No More: I chose “Epic” because, despite being somewhat outside of their style, it’s by far their most _important_ song, having spawn the whole nu-metal scene and all. (Of course, now that I think about it…) Led Zeppelin: I considered those, and “Since I’ve Been Loving You”, and “Communication Breakdown”, and “The Rover”, and “When the Levee Breaks”, and…finally gave up and settled for “Stairway to Heaven” It was heading that way, anyways. Ministry: Excellent choice…it’s a tossup between that and “N.W.O.” Iron Maiden: I chose “The Trooper” because of the effect when it follows “In-a-Gadda-da-Vida” when you play the songs in alphabetical order. 🆒 QOTSA: good choice! Ok…where did we leave off? (checks above) Oh yeah, the K’s: Kansas “Song for America” Katatonia (2 CDs are incoming, so I’ll have to get back to this one) Killing Joke “Aeon” – this one is why it took me so long to get back to this thread, because they have NO “signature” sound, every album sounds totally different, even different songs on some CDs sound totally different. I finally decided on this one because it’s the only one that fuses new wave/dance/industrial into one. Plus, it freakin’ rocks. King Crimson – “21th Century Schzoid Man” King Diamond – stuck on this one too…need to listen to them all over again. Kings X - “Faith Hope Love” Kiss “Detroit Rock City” - an easy choice because it’s the only song from “Double Platinum” that I can stand. 🙂 KMFDM - “Stray Bullet” Kreator - “Toxic Trace” Krokus - “Screaming in the Night” (the greatest power ballad EVER) Kyuss - “Green Machine” and some L’s: Laaz Rockit - “Fire in the Hole” is the prelim. choice, but I’m gonna listen to these again to be sure Greg Lake - leaning towards a live version of “Lucky Man”, since his solo stuff sucks. Led Zeppelin - “Stairway to Heaven” Geddy Lee - “My Favorite Headache” Huey Lewis & the News - “I Want a New Drug” Liquid Jesus - “Better or Worse” Little River Band - “Take It Easy On Me” - pretty much a lock, but I’m thinking of “Reminiscing” just to change the mood a bit. 🙂 Live - “I Alone” (if it’s the song I’m thinking of…can never keep 'em straight) Living Colour - “Better or Worse” Loudness - “Black Wall” Lords of the New Church - “Russian Roulette” or “New Church” or maybe even “Opening Nightmares”… Loverboy - “Working for the Weekend” (with “Lucky Ones” a close 2nd) ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554/100 "2003-06-11T12:53:44Z")
> [@](#): > > **Kiss “Detroit Rock City” - an easy choice because it’s the only song from “Double Platinum” that I can stand.** If you say so… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-pick-the-most-definitive-songs-by-each-of-these-bands/179554.md?page=6)