# Who did it better, Rundgren or Priest? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 16, 2016, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-it-better-rundgren-or-priest/768787 "2016-10-16T23:17:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-it-better-rundgren-or-priest/768787/1 "2016-10-16T23:17:31Z")
Todd Rundgren, Bang on the Drum: [- YouTube](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=u1YB8oOLsjw) Judas Priest, Living After Midnight: [Judas Priest - Living After Midnight (Official Video) - YouTube](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gEeJbXcxy1k) ETA - or Green Day, Welcome to Paradise: [Green Day - Welcome To Paradise - [HQ] - YouTube](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=A5oz-wpTuRE) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-it-better-rundgren-or-priest/768787/2 "2016-10-16T23:54:13Z")
Todd Rundgren ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-it-better-rundgren-or-priest/768787/3 "2016-10-17T17:03:24Z")
Yup ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-it-better-rundgren-or-priest/768787/4 "2016-10-17T17:13:56Z")
> [@](#): > > Todd Rundgren, Bang on the Drum Ain’t saying nothing… Even if it’s not their best song, Judas Priest. ---
**Author:** ![Chicken\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Chicken\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicken_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-it-better-rundgren-or-priest/768787/5 "2016-10-17T17:25:03Z")
I love the Todd. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-it-better-rundgren-or-priest/768787/6 "2016-10-17T18:09:05Z")
I don’t get it. Three wholly different things, here. Everything Todd does is pretty damn good, but I prefer the Priest song. Fuck Green Day! So… I’ll pick Steak and Lobster. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-it-better-rundgren-or-priest/768787/7 "2016-10-17T19:16:34Z")
Green Day is my favorite out of the three but I detest that song. I probably like Todd Rundgren better than Judas Priest over all but _Bang on the Drum_ is played out. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-it-better-rundgren-or-priest/768787/8 "2016-10-17T20:15:51Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > I don’t get it. Three wholly different things, here. They are all based around the same 3-chord riff. I had brought up the Priest video for some reason I can’t recall, when an ad that featured Rundgren’s song came on and I heard the same chords over different (duh) rhythm grooves. And as I was creating this thread, the Green Day song popped into my head as starting with the same three chords. I know - it’s rock and roll; it’s ALL three chords! But these struck me as interesting on a Sunday night. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-it-better-rundgren-or-priest/768787/9 "2016-10-17T22:24:53Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > They are all based around the same 3-chord riff. Ah. A thread for people who actually _know something_ about music. It ain’t me, Babe. Reminds me of something I heard once. Band is tuning their guitars in between songs, and the guys says,\* “For those of you who don’t know why we do this between every song, it’s for those of you who do”. - ---
**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:** [October 17, 2016, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-it-better-rundgren-or-priest/768787/10 "2016-10-17T22:55:21Z")
I’ll be somewhat noncomittal and say I like all three songs for different reasons but, gun to head, if I had to pick one, it’d be between Priest and Green Day, and I’ll go with Green Day here. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-it-better-rundgren-or-priest/768787/11 "2016-10-17T23:02:18Z")
(There goes) Todd’s BtDAD is so pop compared to his other works (including Utopia). It’s like he was trying to create a song to be played at sporting events (whenever I hear it, I think the Packers have scored a TD). Priest’s LAM is one of their weaker songs, from the era when\* they\* tried to be a pop hit band. Sell outs! Whenever I hear it, I think of the guy on my dorm floor who would CRANK the opening riff, then turn the volume down when the singing started - every time! BtDAD makes me want to bop around and dork-dance. LAM makes me want to air guitar. I’d be embarrassed to have either one booming out of my car in traffic, but Priest less so. Winner: LAM ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-it-better-rundgren-or-priest/768787/12 "2016-10-17T23:24:56Z")
Rundgren had such a great, long career, but Bang the drum was not one of the highlights. Priest was the heavy metal MASTER for a few years. But again, Living After Midnight, though a hit, was weak tea for them. I hate that song.