# Songs defined by their drumbeats **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 20, 2003, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555 "2003-10-20T18:16:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555/1 "2003-10-20T18:16:41Z")
Name some pop/rock/soul songs that are pretty much defined by their drumbeats. The song that got me thinking of this is Led Zeppelin’s “When The Levee Breaks”. If Page, Plant, and Jones went and took a smoke break as Bonzo started to beat “Levee” out, there’d be no mistaking what song he was playing. Another from a different genre – Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” could easily be identified from the beat alone. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555/2 "2003-10-20T18:38:19Z")
One of my current faves: White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” ---
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555/3 "2003-10-20T18:51:05Z")
Nah, that’s defined by it’s bassline, uncommon for the stripes. 😃 Wipeout? ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555/4 "2003-10-20T19:00:39Z")
Hmm. I hear the drumbeat primarily, and the bass riff secondarily. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![musicguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@musicguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/musicguy)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555/5 "2003-10-20T19:12:52Z")
“Walk This Way” by Aerosmith ---
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555/6 "2003-10-20T19:14:41Z")
Yeah, listening to Seven Nation Army again, you could say it is defined by it’s drumbeat. ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555/7 "2003-10-20T19:16:08Z")
I’ll nominate “Tusk” by Fleetwood Mac. ---
**Author:** ![electric\_sheep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90db22/32.png) [@electric\_sheep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/electric_sheep)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555/8 "2003-10-20T19:16:11Z")
Summoning - Runes of Power An unfamiliar listener could perhaps confuse it with other Summoning tracks, but the style has not been copied by _anyone_ else. Unfortunately, I hear they disbanded. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555/9 "2003-10-20T19:55:22Z")
Ooh, Ooh, the best answer! Two on the same album! Kate Bush’s “Sat in Your Lap” and “The Dreaming,” from the greatest album in the history of the world, [_The Dreaming._](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000006MS3/ref=m_art_li_3/002-2292548-0180040?v=glance&s=music) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555/10 "2003-10-20T20:33:30Z")
“Addicted To Love”, Robert Palmer ---
**Author:** ![Ich\_Bin\_s](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Ich\_Bin\_s](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ich_Bin_s)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555/11 "2003-10-20T20:41:42Z")
“50 Ways to Leave Your Lover”, by Paul Simon. Featuring the greatest drum part ever, played by Steve Gadd ---
**Author:** ![Husker\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Husker\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Husker_Dude)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555/12 "2003-10-20T20:59:08Z")
‘Lust For Life’ by Iggy Pop. ---
**Author:** ![Zoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/bcef8e/32.png) [@Zoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoso)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555/13 "2003-10-20T21:10:01Z")
How can anyone mention ‘Led Zeppelin’ and ‘drums’ in the same few sentences and not think of “Moby Dick?” ---
**Author:** ![Gadfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gadfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadfly)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555/14 "2003-10-20T21:21:46Z")
Fuckin’ In The Bushes by Oasis. ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555/15 "2003-10-20T21:26:56Z")
A lot of things by Rush. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555/16 "2003-10-20T21:30:49Z")
Well, since my first two choices, _Seven Nation Army_ and _Walk This Way_, have already been taken, I’ll go with _Wild Thing_ care of _Alex Van Halen_. And _Terrible Lie_ by _Msr. Reznor_. At first I was thinking the intro of _Pump It Up_ by _Elvis Costello_, but I’m not so sure on hindsight. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555/17 "2003-10-20T21:31:39Z")
Not part of the genre mentioned by the OP, but Glenn Miller’s “Sing Sing Sing” has a truly wonderful drum beat. Europe’s “Cherokee” has a distinctive percussion sound. Also gotta go with “Tusk.” “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555/18 "2003-10-20T21:34:05Z")
I’d say _We Will Rock You_ is the most obvious example. Its beat is infectious and instantly recognizable. Many sports arenas play it without the music or vocals. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555/19 "2003-10-20T21:38:26Z")
“Running Up That Hill” - Kate Bush “I Don’t Care Anymore” - Phil Collins “Goody Two Shoes” - Adam Ant ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555/20 "2003-10-20T21:44:15Z")
Bela Lugosi’s Dead-- Bauhaus [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-defined-by-their-drumbeats/208555.md?page=2)