I already gave my 3 songs but wanted to add this non-song comment:
“Rock’n’roll won’t solve your problems. But it will let you sort of dance all over them.” (Pete Townshend)
Smoke on the Water - DP (from Made in Japan, not Machine Head)
Pretty Vacant - Sex Pistols
Long way to the Top - AC⚡️DC
Won’t Get Fooled Again - The Who
A Day in the Life - The Beatles
Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin
Gimme Shelter - The Rolling Stones
Lola - The Kinks
Behind Blue Eyes - The Who
“Don’t Stop Me Now” - Queen
“City of New Orleans” - Arlo Guthrie
“Kodachrome” - Paul Simon
Excellent choices.
Don’t Fear the Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
New York City Serenade - Springsteen
Begin the Begin - R.E.M.
Whenever someone says ‘what’s the greatest rock song ever?’ I always reply with Don’t Fear the Reaper. It has everything that makes a rock song great: the vocals, the guitar, the drums, the keyboards. the mysterious and ominous lyrics, etc. etc…
You may as well ask me which 3 of my 15,000 children are my favorites.
- Like a Hurricane - Neil Young
- Won’t Get Fooled Again - The Who
- Stay with Me - Faces
mmm
- Lookout Mountain by Drive By Truckers - just the pure, unadulterated essence of rock n roll for me. Pissed off, loud and in your face.
- Eruption by Van Halen - What can you say that hasn’t been said. It changed the game and after a million listens it still gives me goosebumps every time.
- Ball and Biscuit by The White Stripes - It’s furious, powerful, chaotic and insanely good. Absolutely never gets old no matter how many times I hear it.
I know, right?
Using the “when scanning radio stations on the car radio and hearing this song, I must choose it and always have to turn it up very loud” rule:
- Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin (almost chose ‘When the Levee Breaks’ instead)
- Gimme Shelter - Rolling Stones
- War Pigs - Black Sabbath
Moonage Daydream - David Bowie (preferably this live version)
Troy - Sinéad O’Connor
Meet Me in the City - Bruce Springsteen
“Welcome to the Jungle”
“Smells Like Teen Spirit”
“Under My Thumb”
…I can’t help but think the story told by chaining those makes this a thread I maybe shouldn’t have posted in…
“Look! No Head!”
“Bang The Drum All Day”
and
“California Sex Lawyer”.
@Jackmannii; Adding the groups would be good.
Apache - The Shadows
Pipeline - The Chantays
Walk-Don’t Run - The Ventures
Well alrighty then.
"Look! No Head! - Laika and the Cosmonauts
“Bang The Drum All Day” - Todd Rundgren
“California Sex Lawyer” - Fountains of Wayne
Old 97s - Four Leaf Clover. To me, this song has everything that makes a rock song great: pounding drums, screaming guitars, angsty lyrics, male/female vocal duet (with Exene Cervenka!), and it clocks in at under 3:30 so it doesn’t overstay its welcome. Short, sweet, and loud.
Also:
Richard Thompson - Shoot Out The Lights
Beatles - Helter Skelter
Highway Star Space Truckin’ - Deep Purple
Station To Station What In The World - David Bowie
Helter Skelter While My Guitar Gently Weeps - The Beatles
Dick Dale’s version of “Miserlou”
Blue Oyster Cult’s “Veteran of the Psychic Wars”
Chuck Berry’s “Promised Land”
Ask me in an hour, and I will name three completely different songs.
“Baracuda”- Heart
“Radar Love”- Golden Earring
“Dragon Attack”- Queen
I was wondering when Richard Thompson would show up. i would normally just exclude RT, simply because I could never make up my mind. But if forced to choose one of his songs, it would be “Walking on a Wire.” I don’t think any artist can do more with a couple vocal tracks and a Strat (plus some backing instrumentals).
But, I digress…
Derek & The Dominos - “Layla”
The Who - “Won’t Get Fooled Again”
Boston - “More Than a Feeling” (controversial,I know)