# Popular songs with marching drum beats **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 24, 2007, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721 "2007-08-24T02:41:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721/1 "2007-08-24T02:41:01Z")
For some reason, I am highly addicted to the James Gang song “ **The Bomber**.” Could be that they’re a bunch of Y-Town boys, could be that I have a personal connection with Joe Walsh, could be that that song just RAWKS… But now I think I also like it because it contains a military-style drum beat in it, and I am a big marching band nerd. The Jefferson Airplane song “ **White Rabbit** ” also has this type of drum beat. What else? ---
**Author:** ![da\_pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ba0ec/32.png) [@da\_pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/da_pope)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721/2 "2007-08-24T02:48:24Z")
“50 ways to leave your lover” ---
**Author:** ![da\_pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ba0ec/32.png) [@da\_pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/da_pope)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721/3 "2007-08-24T02:51:42Z")
“Tusk” Fleetwood Mac ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721/4 "2007-08-24T02:55:10Z")
[QUOTE=da\_pope] “Tusk” Fleetwood Mac [/QUOTE] Ha! Forgot about that one. ALSO on my list of “songs that RAWK!” Yeah I think I am definitely a big marching band geek. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721/5 "2007-08-24T03:21:27Z")
_“Let 'em In”_ ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721/6 "2007-08-24T03:33:53Z")
[QUOTE=da\_pope] “50 ways to leave your lover” [/QUOTE] Not really. It’s kind of a complex hat, snare, kick pattern. It does have a 7 stroke roll in it though (IIRC). I’ve won a few bets based on that song (I’m a drummer). Steve Gadd is and was amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721/7 "2007-08-24T03:36:44Z")
The _The Recruiting Sergeant_ segment of _Medley_ by The Pogues. ---
**Author:** ![percussion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/43a26b/32.png) [@percussion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percussion)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721/8 "2007-08-24T04:10:37Z")
[QUOTE=dnooman] Not really. It’s kind of a complex hat, snare, kick pattern. It does have a 7 stroke roll in it though (IIRC). I’ve won a few bets based on that song (I’m a drummer). Steve Gadd is and was amazing. [/QUOTE] Id be inclined to include it for this reason, as the 7 stroke roll is a rudiment which are rooted in the marching/military tradition. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721/9 "2007-08-24T04:20:53Z")
“Mull Of Kintyre” by Paul McCartney & Wings. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721/10 "2007-08-24T04:27:20Z")
“Stop the Cavalry” by Jona Lewie ---
**Author:** ![percussion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/43a26b/32.png) [@percussion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percussion)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721/11 "2007-08-24T04:33:17Z")
and i think its a 5 stroke roll ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721/12 "2007-08-24T04:36:28Z")
[QUOTE=percussion] and i think its a 5 stroke roll [/QUOTE] Sounds like you’re right. I’m thinking that a skilled player and a well tuned drum could get the same out of a crush too. ---
**Author:** ![DfrntBreign](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@DfrntBreign](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DfrntBreign)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721/13 "2007-08-24T07:22:23Z")
[QUOTE=dnooman] Sounds like you’re right. I’m thinking that a skilled player and a well tuned drum could get the same out of a crush too. [/QUOTE] I don’t know about the studio version, but I remember seeing Paul Simon on television around the time the song came out (SNL, maybe?). Steve Gadd was playing with two black drumsticks in each hand. It was odd enough that I still remember it thirty some-odd years later. ETA Not Saturday Night Live, but the Simon and Garfunkel reunion concert in Central Park. ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721/14 "2007-08-24T08:00:20Z")
[QUOTE=DfrntBreign] I don’t know about the studio version, but I remember seeing Paul Simon on television around the time the song came out (SNL, maybe?). Steve Gadd was playing with two black drumsticks in each hand. It was odd enough that I still remember it thirty some-odd years later. ETA Not Saturday Night Live, but the Simon and Garfunkel reunion concert in Central Park. [/QUOTE] That would make sense because his [signature drum sticks](http://www.music123.com/Vic-Firth-Steve-Gadd-Signature-Drumsticks-443972-i1137908.Music123) are all black. I kind of like 'em, and used to use 'em. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721/15 "2007-08-24T09:49:46Z")
**da\_pope** **dnooman** **percussion** **DfrntBreign** et al You must you must you **must** check out this [link](http://drummerworld.com/Drumclinic/stevegadd50ways.html)! It’s a short clip on DrummerWorld.com–a bit from one of Gadd’s instructional videos where he starts taking it apart. Oh, and how 'bout Other Galactic Funk off the Meco label. What? Rhythm ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721/16 "2007-08-24T09:58:44Z")
**London Calling** — The Clash ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Ryle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8dc957/32.png) [@Mark\_Ryle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Ryle)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721/17 "2007-08-24T10:59:16Z")
_Ballad of the Green Berets_, by Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler. It was a big hit in the mid-1960’s. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721/18 "2007-08-24T11:43:20Z")
Road to Nowhere - Talking Heads, possibly? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721/19 "2007-08-24T11:46:48Z")
_Little Boy Soldiers_ by **The Jam** has a militaristic drum bit in the middle part. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721/20 "2007-08-24T12:13:01Z")
Bring the Boys Back Home by Pink Floyd 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popular-songs-with-marching-drum-beats/416721.md?page=2)