This may ruin my music-snob cred, but… John Mellencamp’s album Mr. Happy Go Lucky. For years, I had thought of John Mellencamp as a former rocker who had jumped the shark into “serious, sensitive artist” territory when he dropped “Cougar” from his name (see “Henley, Don”). The songs on this album had electronic beats that were unexpected enough that I gave it a chance, and I discovered that the louder I played it, the better it sounded.
Back in the USSR - the Beatles. To me, it’s the tune on which they rock the hardest. Radar Love - Golden Earring. But only when driving. It’s not the same in the house. Travelin’ Band - Credence Clearwater Revival. John Fogerty’s yell, the drums, and the horns. Fortunate Son - Credence Clearwater Revival. Some of the best angry, white-boy blues out there. Keep On Rockin’ in the Free World - Neil Young. See Fortunate Son above. Heavy Metal the soundtrack. Particularly both Heavy Metals (Sammy Hagar and Don Felder), Veteran of the Psychick Wars by Blue Oyster Cult…aw, hell, the whole thing. Again, while driving. American Girl - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. Always makes me think of The Silence of the Lambs, but it’s still a great song. Six Days on the Road - Sawyer Brown. Once again, while driving. It’s got a nice build to it that actually makes one think of a sixteen-wheeler. That Train Don’t Stop Here Anymore and Whiskey Trail - Los Lobos Guitars, Cadillacs - Dwight Yoakam Fire - Jimi Hendrix. Love the drum part. Hazy Shade of Winter - The Bangles
Looks like I need to make a “Turn it Up” playlist on my iPod, too.
Lots and lots of ones I’d second already listed, but for original contributions I have embarassing ones to share:
“Pour Some Sugar on Me” – Def Lepard
“Here I Go Again on My Own” – Whitesnake
“We Built This City” – Jefferson Starship
“Come On, Eileen” – Dexy’s Midnight Runners
“Always Something There to Remind Me” – (help?)
“Melt With You” – Modern English
When I was in Basic Training, one of my instructors confessed that he had once been kicked out of a club for trying to do a striptease to that song.
“I almost got my pants off. It was awesome. Come to think of it, that was the same night I almost fell off a second story balcony trying to take a piss.”
“Cadillac Ranch” – Bruce Springsteen
“Salvation” – The Cranberries
“Road to Nowhere” – Talking Heads
“Squeeze Box” – The Who
“This is Radio Clash” – The Clash
“I Fought the Law” – The Clash
“The Authority Song” – John Mellencamp
“Ave Satani” – soundtrack to The Omen
“Love is a Stranger” – Eurythmics
“Burnin’ Love” – Elvis
“Buffalo Soldier” – Bob Marley
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