# What is the Signature Song by the Rolling Stones? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 24, 2015, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479 "2015-11-24T21:41:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479/61 "2015-11-26T02:30:16Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > Nightwish: “Over the Hills and Far Away” Still a cover, but I’d have to pick “Phantom Of The Opera” for them. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479/62 "2015-11-26T05:30:22Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Joe Cocker - With A Little Help From My Friends > Jimi Hendrix - Purple Haze > Beach Boys - Surfin’ U.S.A. > Everly Brothers - All I Have To Do Is Dream > Byrds - Mr. Tamborine Man > Doors - Light My Fire > > Damn, am I ever stuck in a time warp, eh? For Cocker I’d say You Are So Beautiful. VH I’d pick Runnin With The Devil. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479/63 "2015-11-26T12:30:03Z")
> [@White SIFL](#): > > For Cocker I’d say You Are So Beautiful. > > VH I’d pick Runnin With The Devil. VH: Eruption in terms of the effect it had on guitar-based music and hair metal going forward. But I would say Panama for its combo of guitar pyrotechnics and crossover commercial popularity. Hot for Teacher as well. ---
**Author:** ![HowSoonIsThen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@HowSoonIsThen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HowSoonIsThen)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479/64 "2015-11-26T12:32:03Z")
It’s been said in nearly every post already, but Satisfaction. A Day in the Life is often listed as the best Beatles song, but it’s definitely not their signature song. As a solo artist, though, “Imagine” is indisputably John Lennon’s signature song. Here’s a dozen bands I don’t think have been mentioned yet: Oasis - Wonderwall AC/DC - Highway to Hell (though a case could be made for Back in Black, Dirty Deeds, and It’s a Long Way to the Top) Green Day - Time of Your Life Blink-182 - All the Small Things Beastie Boys - Intergalactic or Fight For Your Right The Clash - Rock the Casbah The Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK Eminem - Lose Yourself Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor My Chemical Romance - Teenagers Talking Heads - The Road to Nowhere I was going to include Kendrick Lamar with Swimming Pools, but really it’s just his breakthrough song. It’ll probably turn out to be his signature song, but it’s too early to say for sure. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479/65 "2015-11-26T12:43:06Z")
Beastie Boys is Sabotage. It combines their over-the-top bombastic-ness and their cool urban groove-master rappers. That opening riff is so damn durable. It’s practically Rage Against the Machine. The Ramones = Sedated. Maybe Rockaway Beach. Talking Heads = so many!! I would go for Once In a Life Time (“You may find yourself…”) or Life During Wartime (“This ain’t no party!”) ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479/66 "2015-11-26T13:43:35Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > The Ramones = Sedated. Maybe Rockaway Beach. Oh, come on…you simply CANNOT record a song called “Rock and Roll High School” and NOT have it immediately become your signature tune. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479/67 "2015-11-26T14:01:20Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Oh, come on…you simply CANNOT record a song called “Rock and Roll High School” and NOT have it immediately become your signature tune. Sedated and Rockaway Beach are the songs that my kids shouted out from the back seat on long drives ;). When my mid-life crisis rock band played local bars, those are the songs that got folks pogo’ing. I stand by my position 😉 ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479/68 "2015-11-26T14:02:07Z")
Stones? Sorry, you’re mostly all wrong! It simply, must be, has to be, cannot be other than, Sympathy for the Devil. You’re entitlted to your opinion, of course. But if you disagree, I think you are wrong. Neil Young? Rock in’ In The Free World! ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479/69 "2015-11-26T14:07:01Z")
AC/DC → wow, tough one. Call it a 3-way tie between “Back in Black”, “Dirty Deeds” and “Heaven and Hell”. Aerosmith → “Dream On”, or maybe “Sweet Emotion”. Black Sabbath → another toughie. I’ll say “Black Sabbath” but could also be “Paranoid”, “Iron Man”, or even “Heaven and Hell” if you want to divide up the eras. Green Day → “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” is probably the one, if only because 90% of people don’t know the real title. 🙂 I’d personally pick “Longview” or “Jesus of Suburbia”. Iron Maiden → “The Trooper”, with many possible alternates. Kansas → “Dust in the Wind” barely edges out “Carry On Wayward Son”, much as I hate to admit it. Pantera → “Cowboys from Hell”, pretty easy. Talking Heads → gotta be “Once in a Lifetime”, hands down. ZZ Top → I’m gonna say “Sharp Dressed Man” is a lock here. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479/70 "2015-11-26T14:34:56Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > The Ramones = Sedated. Maybe Rockaway Beach. Woah there, pilgrim. Blitzkrieg Bop? > [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Oh, come on…you simply CANNOT record a song called “Rock and Roll High School” and NOT have it immediately become your signature tune. Well, except when you’ve already written Blitzkrieg Bop. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479/71 "2015-11-26T14:38:41Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > VH: Eruption in terms of the effect it had on guitar-based music and hair metal going forward. But I would say Panama for its combo of guitar pyrotechnics and crossover commercial popularity. Hot for Teacher as well. I’ll give you this, Hot For Teacher was one of the ass-kickingest video of all time: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6M4_Ommfvv0/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGUgZShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLBsB_P0sF_DdTK5KgW1xVh0_OuRSA "Van Halen - Hot For Teacher (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M4_Ommfvv0) As for Neil Young I’d think Heart Of Gold or Needle And The Damage Done. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479/72 "2015-11-26T14:40:12Z")
And in a similar vein > [@buddha\_david](#): > > ZZ Top –\> I’m gonna say “Sharp Dressed Man” is a lock here. Umm, La Grange? ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479/73 "2015-11-26T14:45:22Z")
Missed the edit window… ZZ Top - La Grange, that’s the lock. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479/74 "2015-11-26T15:13:45Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > Woah there, pilgrim. Blitzkrieg Bop? > > Well, except when you’ve already written Blitzkrieg Bop. Can’t argue your point 😉 You have the chant of BBop and the “Ba Ba Ba-Ba” end of Sedated. Both are timeless in their ability to make people go nuts. The only other song that stirred the pot as much was the opening bars to Blister in the Sun. ---
**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:** [November 26, 2015, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479/75 "2015-11-26T15:20:48Z")
Here’s a tough one: Lynyrd Skynyrd. Is it “Free Bird” or “Sweet Home Alabama”? ---
**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:** [November 26, 2015, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479/76 "2015-11-26T15:28:26Z")
For Talking Heads, it surely would be “One in a Lifetime,” no? I guess, for my definition of “signature song” it would be. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479/77 "2015-11-26T15:39:13Z")
For The Mamas & The Papas, it’s “I Dig Rock And Roll Music”. No, I know. But still. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479/78 "2015-11-26T15:45:47Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > For The Mamas & The Papas, it’s “I Dig Rock And Roll Music”. > > No, I know. But still. No way! Monday Monday or better yet, California Dreamin’ ---
**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:** [November 26, 2015, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479/79 "2015-11-26T16:00:54Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > Here’s a tough one: Lynyrd Skynyrd. Is it “Free Bird” or “Sweet Home Alabama”? Ooo…that’s a real tough one. The latter certainly gets more play and I suspect is more widely known than the former, but “Freebird” is kind of like “Stairway” in terms of rock’s iconic songs. I think “Sweet Home Alabama” better reflects the sound and style of Skynyrd, but “Freebird” is so legendary, that I’ll go with that for Lynyrd Skynyrd. ETA: And, of course, that’s “Once in A Lifetime” not “One in a Lifetime” a few posts back. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479/80 "2015-11-26T17:48:43Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > For The Mamas & The Papas, it’s “I Dig Rock And Roll Music”. > > No, I know. But still. > [@WordMan](#): > > No way! Monday Monday or better yet, California Dreamin’ Word, man! _California Deamin’_ all the way!!! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-signature-song-by-the-rolling-stones/738479.md?page=5)