# Top 10 punk rock songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 31, 2005, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513 "2005-08-31T23:43:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lexi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lexi/32/6806_2.png) [@lexi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lexi)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513/21 "2005-09-01T06:48:12Z")
> [@Hodge](#): > > This is a wild stab in the dark but maybe **Voivod**? They were an incredibly speedy French-Canadian Thrash Metal group. I don’t think they started recording until the early '80s, though. I haven’t actually listened to any of their music for about 20 years so I may be a bit off in my recollections. I think voivod were a bit later (1983 or 1984 maybe) - Perhaps [http://www.youarethescene.com/](http://www.youarethescene.com/) has it listed or perhaps my site does. My guess from the description of the sound is that it was the 222’s or Danger. And now for a quick list from me. 1.) Forgotten Rebels - High School Hooker 2.) Demics - Oh Well 3.) Social Distorition - Story of my life 4.) X - Johnny Hit and Run Pauline 5.) DOA - World War 3 6.) FEAR - What are friends for 7.) Dead Boys - Ain’t it fun 8.) Birthday Party - Mutiny in Heaven 9.) Stiff Little Fingers - Nobody’s Hero 10.) Youn Canadians (aka K-Tels) - Hawaii ---
**Author:** ![parthenokinesis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/cc9497/32.png) [@parthenokinesis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parthenokinesis)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513/22 "2005-09-01T11:58:54Z")
Oh I thought of a few more. Bichen Camaro - Dead Milkmen Institutionalized - Suicidal Tendences Rise - P.I.L. Ever Fallen in Love - Buzzcocks and I can’t believe I 'm the first to mention Sid Viscious - My Way ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513/23 "2005-09-01T12:44:59Z")
I ought to give a shout-out to the Descendents as well, with that horny teen angst anthem, “Hope.” I’m always surprised more people aren’t into them. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513/24 "2005-09-01T13:51:27Z")
Fine choices here (although some can be more considered post-punk [e.g. Gang of Four] than punk). In addition to the wonderful nominations here, I’d add “That’s When I Reach for My Revolver” or “Academy Fight Song” by Mission of Burma (who also kinda straddle the punk/post-punk genre). ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513/25 "2005-09-01T14:44:06Z")
Clash - I’m So Bored with the USA Clash - Clash City Rockers Clash - Deny Stranglers - Walk On By Stranglers - Hanging Around Stranglers - No More Heroes Jam - Going Underground X-Ray Spex - Oh Bondage Up Yours Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated BTW, fuck the Pistols. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513/26 "2005-09-01T14:54:54Z")
I don’t think I have the time to list my top 10 but a few of my favorites were, in no necessary order 1. Waiting Room -Fugazi ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513/27 "2005-09-01T15:13:08Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > BTW, fuck the Pistols. To each his own, I suppose, but that hardly sounds enjoyable. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513/28 "2005-09-01T15:56:24Z")
> [@Kolak of Twilo](#): > > To each his own, I suppose, but that hardly sounds enjoyable. 😛 Heh. I knew someone would get me for that! ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513/29 "2005-09-01T16:08:49Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > “That’s When I Reach for My Revolver” I just got my hands on a Mission of Burma live bootleg, and man, that song gives me chills when I listen to it! Fantastic … it just blows me away! In no particular order: **The Damned** – Neat Neat Neat **The Clash** – White Riot **The Clash** – Safe European Home **Dead Kennedys** – Holiday in Cambodia **Mission of Burma** – That’s When I Reach for My Revolver \*\*Ramones \*\* – Teenage Lobodomy **The Buzzcocks** – Orgasm Addict **Joy Division** – Transmission **Patti Smith** – Rock and Roll Nigger **Johnny Thunders** – Chinese Rocks ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513/30 "2005-09-01T17:30:31Z")
Avril Lavigne - Complicated Ok seriously. Dead Kennedys - Holiday in Cambodia The Misfits - Astrozombies Mission of Burma - Execution The Dickies - Gigantor Eyes - Disneyland Iggy Pop - I wanna be your dog Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop Black Flag - No Values Fear - Let’s Have a War Circle Jerks - Beverly Hills Damn 10 is hard ---
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513/31 "2005-09-01T18:12:10Z")
I hate lists but will gladly mention 10 of my faves. The top one, though, is probably my favourite tune ever. I am 46 years old. The Lurkers - Shadow [any of you lot actually heard of [them?](http://www.thelurkers.co.uk/history.htm)] The Jam - Art School (but I never really regarded them as punk _per se_) The Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop (or indeed anything from the first 3 albums) The Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant The Damned - Neat Neat Neat The Buzzcocks - No Reply The Adverts - Gary Gilmore’s Eyes The Ruts - Babylon’s Burning Slaughter & The Dogs - Where Have All The Boot Boys Gone? The Vibrators - London Girls ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Ian\_Morningwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Sir\_Ian\_Morningwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Ian_Morningwood)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513/32 "2005-09-01T18:49:41Z")
My list in no particular order (40 year old punker checking in): Lazy Cowgirls-God Damn Bottle Dead Boys-Sonic Reducer (It was a toss up between this or Aint Nothin To Do) Leaving Trains-Fuck You God Dictators-I Am Right Stooges-Louie Louie (from Metallic KO) Bad Brains-How Low Can A Punk Get Crass-Big A Little a X-The World’s A Mess, It’s In My Kiss Ism-John Hinkly Jr What Has Jodie Done To You Turbonegro-Armed and Fairly Well Equipped Electric Frankenstien-The Time Is Now Fleshtones-House Of Rock Ok thats twelve, but I had to get EF and the Fleshtones in there. Of course 20 completely different lists of my top ten and they would all be valid. The Exploited, GBH, Dead Kennedys, Hellacopters, Aus Rotten, Discharge, Both Subhumans, DOA, The Hives and a thousand other bands should be in the list too. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Ian\_Morningwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Sir\_Ian\_Morningwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Ian_Morningwood)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513/33 "2005-09-01T19:01:57Z")
> [@JohnBckWLD](#): > > Other’s may not agree, but Rhino’s _'No Thanks! The ’70s Punk Rebellion_’ looks good. Yeah, thats a good box set, but for for a taste of UNDERGROUND punk nuggets from the same period (77-82) check out the Killed By Death or Bloodstains series of comps. The first few volumes of KBD are essential. I haven’t listened to the DIY collection in awhile (They’re on tapes in a box in the basement, but its completely different than the No Thanks Box IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![electrozion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/85f322/32.png) [@electrozion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/electrozion)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513/34 "2005-09-01T19:45:20Z")
In no praticular order: Ramones: “Blitzkrieg Bop” New York Dolls: “Seven Day Weekend” Bad Brains: “Pay To Cum” New Bomb Turks: “We Give a Rat’s Ass” Misfits: “Devilock” The Libertines: “Arbeit Macht Frei” Reagan Youth: “Degenerated” The Dwarves: " Fuck You Up And Get High" Batallion Of Saints: “The Second Coming” Minor Threat: “I’m Seeing Red” Damn I had this easy going Dub-Reggae tunes playing as I wanted to actually get some work done and now I’m beeing screamed at by the hoarse voices of my Punk-Rock collection… ---
**Author:** ![electrozion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/85f322/32.png) [@electrozion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/electrozion)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513/35 "2005-09-01T19:50:01Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > I ought to give a shout-out to the Descendents as well, with that horny teen angst anthem, “Hope.” I’m always surprised more people aren’t into them. I could have posted a Top 10 Punk rock song list with only Descendents songs, but i was scared they would count as Emo. I should have “Sour Grapes” in my list and something by Jawbreaker - it’s hard to list only 10 songs. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513/36 "2005-09-01T20:45:00Z")
> [@electrozion](#): > > I could have posted a Top 10 Punk rock song list with only Descendents songs… Heh…that was basically my plan. Just write out the track list for _Milo Goes To College_. Gotta say one thing though – damn, there’s a lotta good music being tossed around here. Only thing I would do differently is substitute _Holiday In Cambodia_ with _Police Truck_ as the requisite DK song. ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513/37 "2005-09-01T23:39:52Z")
Looks like I’m a little late to this party, but I’ll nominate New Model Army’s “The Hunt” for one of the slots. Also UK Subs’ “Postcards From LA.” I just hope they play those songs on their respective next trips through Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513/38 "2005-09-02T00:17:26Z")
This thread proves what I’ve suspected all along - I’m no good at id’ing punk. New Model Army, Mission of Burma, Social Distorition, Joy Division and Pattie Smith are seriously considered punk? I’d label them alternative, alternative, whatever you also consider the Mighty Mighty Bosstones these days, goth and alt-folk. I like Face to Face (“won’t lie down”/“devil you know”) , All (“she broke my dick”), Pennywise (“straight ahead”), Relient K (“Which To Bury - Us Or The Hatchet”), The The Vacancy (“In the Backseat”) and I couldn’t say definitively if other songs I like are really Punk, though they’re listed as so on Amazon, like Alkaline Trio (“we’ve had enough”), Cursive (“some red handed slight of hand”) , and various songs by At The Drive-in since they list things like The Smashing Pumpkins, Anberlin and Idlewild as Punk too…pop punk, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513/39 "2005-09-02T00:51:33Z")
These have the fast, slashing sound and the angry, dismissive sneering attitude: “Slack Motherfucker” – Superchunk “Mr. Suit” – Wire “Something Against You” – Pixies [yeah, I know, not normally considered a punk band, but this particular song is.] ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2005, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513/40 "2005-09-02T00:55:17Z")
> [@don't ask](#): > > THE DEAD KENNEDYS _California Uber Alles_ Beat me to it. Seconded. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-10-punk-rock-songs/319513.md?page=3)