Steel Drums + Rock Music = ?

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What other supersmash top chart hits besides "Carrie Ann" have steel drums in them? okay, it doesn't have to be just rock. Boney M used them. More please.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 2 May 2005 13:26 (twenty years ago)

Not really a supersmash but "Jane Says"...

― M Nolan (Severian), Monday, 2 May 2005 13:37 (twenty years ago)

Not hits either, but..

City Soliel - Afghan Whigs
Permanent Vacation - Aerosmith

― inachu, Monday, 2 May 2005 13:56 (twenty years ago)

Steel Drums on 50 Cents P.I.M.P. Remix--First such usage in hiphop?

― steve-k, Monday, 2 May 2005 14:12 (twenty years ago)

Gastr Del Sol, "Seasons Reverse"

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 2 May 2005 14:20 (twenty years ago)

The first song (i think it's "From Above") on Joel RL Phelps Downer Trio's recent Customs.

― Huk-L, Monday, 2 May 2005 14:21 (twenty years ago)

What was that Delays song? "Wanderlust"?

― mrjosh (mrjosh), Monday, 2 May 2005 15:02 (twenty years ago)

There's at least one Microphones song that features the steel drums.

― n/a (Nick A.), Monday, 2 May 2005 15:04 (twenty years ago)

Brian Deck productions on RRMeat and Califone records typically have an interesting steel drum bit thrown in somewhere. Fits quite well with that whole junkyard aesthetic.

― Mark (MarkR), Monday, 2 May 2005 15:05 (twenty years ago)

Van Dyke Parks Discover America
Far from a hit, but a really enjoyable album.

― Tripmaker (SDWitzm), Monday, 2 May 2005 15:14 (twenty years ago)

Harry Nilsson's Duit On Mon Dei — "Salmon Falls" isn't really "rock music," but it is awfully good pop in the classic sense.

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Monday, 2 May 2005 15:21 (twenty years ago)

Belinda Carlisle - Shot In The Dark ..... right? Izzat the one? Sounds like SMB theme....

― John 2, Monday, 2 May 2005 16:17 (twenty years ago)

there's a great steel drum version of "all right now" by Free on one of those BlueNote "Blue Juice" comps

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Monday, 2 May 2005 17:30 (twenty years ago)

Would you count "Kokomo"?

― The Mad Puffin, Monday, 2 May 2005 17:41 (twenty years ago)

Prince, "New Position"

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Monday, 2 May 2005 17:44 (twenty years ago)

Jackson 5's "It's Great to Be Here" NOT to thread--slowed down on Afrika Bambaataa's "Death Mix," it sounds like steel drums but it's actually a guitar.

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Monday, 2 May 2005 17:45 (twenty years ago)

A steel drum cover band used to practice across the street from my house. They did Heart of Glass and 99 Luft Balloons.

― darin (darin), Monday, 2 May 2005 17:53 (twenty years ago)

Those infernal things must show up on at least a few Jimmy Buffett songs, no?

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Monday, 2 May 2005 18:22 (twenty years ago)

Kinks - "Apeman"

(or am I conflating it with other songs on the Club Paradise soundtrack?)

― Mark (MarkR), Monday, 2 May 2005 18:24 (twenty years ago)

Isn't the opening sample on Amnesiac a steel drum that syncs up with an electronic drum beat?

― ath, Monday, 2 May 2005 18:31 (twenty years ago)

Not exactly a hit (yet.. :) ), but I used them on "Just Another Friday Night" ;)
http://www11.nrk.no/urort/user/?id=13875

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 2 May 2005 18:35 (twenty years ago)

Also, isn't that a steel drum (or a sample thereof) on Bjork's "Venus As a Boy"?

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Monday, 2 May 2005 18:50 (twenty years ago)

I once saw Belle and Sebastian introduce some steel drummers onstage halfway through their set. But as the cunts were playing a hall which held five thousand with a PA which wouldn't have filled a car with noise, I have no idea what it sounded like.

― snotty moore, Tuesday, 3 May 2005 00:25 (twenty years ago)

is there a single GREAT rock/ pop/ whatever song with steel drums??!

i can't think of a single instance where they do not just absolutely DESTROY my enjoyment of any song.

― Michael J McGonigal (mike mcgonigal), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 00:46 (twenty years ago)

the version of "Uh-Oh, Love Comes To Town" on that Talking Heads box set has steel drums on it, IIRC.

― haitch (haitch), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 00:55 (twenty years ago)

I don't understand the steel drums hate. One of my favorite intstruments. Though I can't think of any famous songs that use it...though I did here one in a department store yesterday. Forget how it went though, dangit.

― Patrick South (Patrick South), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 01:46 (twenty years ago)

zeppelin - "fool in the rain"

― j blount (papa la bas), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 01:49 (twenty years ago)

xpost -- i don't hate the instrument in and of itself, personally.

i just have never heard it used well in a po/ rock type context -- it always sounds cheesey and overpowering to me.

― Michael J McGonigal (mike mcgonigal), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 01:50 (twenty years ago)

"Northern Lights" - Super Furry Animals

― Steve Gertz (sgertz), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 01:55 (twenty years ago)

the version of "Uh-Oh, Love Comes To Town" on that Talking Heads box set has steel drums on it, IIRC

It was on the original release too. It's no "Pulled Up", but it's a decent pop song.

― Hunter (Hunter), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 01:56 (twenty years ago)

― j blount (papa la bas), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 02:00 (twenty years ago)

"is there a single GREAT rock/ pop/ whatever song with steel drums??!"

"Carrie Ann" is great!

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 03:08 (twenty years ago)

"fool in the rain" and "new position" and everything dlr does or ponders doing are great

― j blount (papa la bas), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 04:04 (twenty years ago)

M.I.A. - "Bingo"

― Mike O. (Mike Ouderkirk), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 04:43 (twenty years ago)

Y'all sleepin'.

The Police: "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic"

― Bobby Peru (Bobby Peru), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 16:18 (twenty years ago)

"I Love Horses" by De Agostini Publications has Steel Drums I think. I don't know about great or anything but right now I'd rather hear it than anything else mentioned.

― Tom (Groke), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 16:20 (twenty years ago)

A couple really great songs on the new Mint Condition album have steel drums:

http://www.mintconditionmusic.com/

― Pete Scholtes, Tuesday, 3 May 2005 20:53 (twenty years ago)

Otherwise, the Clash, "Street Parade"

― Pete Scholtes, Tuesday, 3 May 2005 20:54 (twenty years ago)

Musical Youth, "Pass the Dutchie"

― Paul in Santa Cruz (Paul in Santa Cruz), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 21:01 (twenty years ago)

"is there a single GREAT rock/ pop/ whatever song with steel drums??!"
"Carrie Ann" is great!

"Northern Lights" is great too

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 21:04 (twenty years ago)

I believe a couple of the songs on "Kissing To Be Clever" used steel drums. "I'm Afraid Of Me", at least, and possibly "I'll Tumble 4 Ya"?

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 21:05 (twenty years ago)

I love all these songs. I want to hear more nonhits people like...

― Pete Scholtes, Tuesday, 3 May 2005 21:21 (twenty years ago)

Hongroe represents the nonhits people in this thread ;)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 21:27 (twenty years ago)

Almost certainly synthesizer rather than real steel drums: Eurhythmics, "Right By Your Side"

― Paul in Santa Cruz (Paul in Santa Cruz), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 23:27 (twenty years ago)

Oops, I spelled "Eurythmics" wrong. (Actually, I spelled it right, but the band didn't.)

― Paul in Santa Cruz (Paul in Santa Cruz), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 23:29 (twenty years ago)

Pulling all the threads together: Is that steel drum on the kinks' apeman? I can't hear it in my head for sure. Regardless, the esso trinidad steel band's cover of apeman certainly does use steel drums, and it's great. They also cover the jackson 5's I want you back, which I've seen on various compilations--obviously a hit then. AND van dyke parks produced it and said something hilarious like 'they're the greatest group I've ever been associated with.'

― Billy Pilgrim (Billy Pilgrim), Wednesday, 4 May 2005 00:51 (twenty years ago)

half of the knife's album, the one with 'heartbeats' on it

― minolta (minolta), Wednesday, 4 May 2005 03:30 (twenty years ago)

The close of "Believing in You" by the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Wednesday, 4 May 2005 15:26 (twenty years ago)

"Sing a Happy Funky Song" by Miz Davis has a steel drum solo. And as the title suggests, it's a pretty happy, funky song.

― Braces Tower, Wednesday, 4 May 2005 15:39 (twenty years ago)

eight years pass...

Stephen Stills "Love the One You're With" 1970

― sharp_arris, Wednesday, 9 April 2014 15:26 (eleven years ago)

six months pass...

I think "Like To Get To Know You Well" by Howard Jones; something by Thompson Twins; Sting; Police; Lionel Richie; Kid Creole and the Coconuts and some bands from the 1980's tried steel drums but i can't recall names although I remember in the 80's hearing steel drums in some songs; any help here?

― khalil2014, Friday, 10 October 2014 22:51 (ten years ago)

about time - moby grape

― salthigh, Friday, 10 October 2014 23:27 (ten years ago)

I realize this isn't what you're actually asking for, but it involves rock and steel drums and it's way better than it has any right to be:

http://open.spotify.com/album/3JmoipanJVpQskmWVUy90u

― glenn mcdonald, Friday, 10 October 2014 23:38 (ten years ago)

robert palmer - "pride"

― brimstead, Friday, 10 October 2014 23:39 (ten years ago)

Family, "Emotions"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cfQOUoerI8

(I think they're used on a track on the "Fearless" album too)

― ... and a Martin Parr photo essay (Tom D.), Saturday, 11 October 2014 13:01 (ten years ago)

four years pass...

ton of competition steel drum bands on youtube, this is amazing

https://youtu.be/G9czsuzbEWg

― Greta Van Fleek (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 24 October 2018 19:38 (six years ago)

The steel drums sound great in "Party Stinkt"

https://youtu.be/PxG0oAP9bxI

― sbahnhof, Saturday, 27 October 2018 09:22 (six years ago)

That competition thingy is...well, yeah, pretty amazing.

Not nearly so immense, but I've always thought this Aphex cover was pretty nifty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XlTjeNHv-8

― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Saturday, 27 October 2018 12:29 (six years ago)

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