OP10: Songs by "classic rock" artists that should be mainstays on classic rock radio, yet inexplicably arent

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What would really add that je ne sais quoi to the Block Party Weekends and Workforce Blocks of the world? For those Rockin' On The Job, what could make them sit up and say, 'Hey, that's a dynamite tune. I hope to God it's a two-fer!' ?

1. Sway--Rolling Stones
2. I've Had Enough--The Who
3. Saint Dominic's Preview--Van Morrison
4. Incident on 57th Street--Bruce Springsteen
5. Fearless--Pink Floyd
6. Ten Years Gone--Led Zeppelin
7. Razor Boy--Steely Dan
8. Pretty Words--Elvis Costello
9. Quicksand--David Bowie
10. Night Bird Flying--Jimi Hendrix

Extended Play
In Thee--Blue Oyster Cult
Oh Candy--Cheap Trick
Straight Into Darkness--Tom Petty

― The King of Flop Threads, Friday, 2 September 2005 02:54 (twenty years ago)

I got 5 on it:
1. Art Lover - The Kinks
2. Emotional Rescue - Rolling Stones
3. A World Without Heroes - KISS
4. Private Life - The Pretenders
5. For Pete's Sake - The Monkees

― Bobby Peru (Bobby Peru), Friday, 2 September 2005 03:11 (twenty years ago)

2. Emotional Rescue - Rolling Stones

I hear this on "classic rock" radio. Not as much as, say, "Street Fightin' Man", but they still play it.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 2 September 2005 03:14 (twenty years ago)

Thank you for the correction... Rock on, Al!

― Bobby Peru (Bobby Peru), Friday, 2 September 2005 03:21 (twenty years ago)

I get the feeling some of this varies by "market"

― Hurting (Hurting), Friday, 2 September 2005 03:29 (twenty years ago)

This would make a great radio format..

1. He's Misstra Know-It-All--Stevie Wonder
2. In Time--Sly and the Family Stone
3. Armenia City In The Sky--The Who
4. Mandolin Wind--Rod Stewart
5. Chest Fever--The Band
6. Presence, Dear--Blondie
7. The French Inhaler--Warren Zevon
8. Ramble Tamble--Creedence Clearwater Revival
9. Tomorrow Is A Long Time--Elvis Presley
10. Rock Me On The Water--Jackson Browne

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Friday, 2 September 2005 03:36 (twenty years ago)

1. Lynyrd Skynyrd, "Roll Gypsy Roll"
2. Free, "Fire And Water"
3. David Bowie, "Panic In Detroit"
4. Def Leppard, "Comin' Under Fire"
5. Elton John, "Holiday Inn"
6. The Rolling Stones, "One Hit"
7. Tom Petty, "Dogs On The Run"
8. The Who, "Love Ain't For Keeping"
9. John Mellencamp, "What If I Came Knocking"
10. Bruce Springsteen, "Tougher Than The Rest"

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Friday, 2 September 2005 04:42 (twenty years ago)

"The Wanton Song" probably gets in my head more than any other Zeppelin tune. And I think I might like "Dreams" and "Feels So Good" more than any Roth-era Van Halen song. Great sprawling feel and crackling synths (Is there guitar synth on there?) on "Feels So Good" and the guitar sonics on "Dreams" are perfect for the song and video. Hagar also seems to do better at achieving what Roth was going for.

― Sundar (sundar), Friday, 2 September 2005 15:34 (twenty years ago)

(All these songs do get play but they're not "mainstays" compared to other songs by those bands.)

― Sundar (sundar), Friday, 2 September 2005 15:35 (twenty years ago)

this IS classic rock, ASSHOLE:

1. "Down on the Street" - The Stooges
2. "Non-Alignment Pact" - Pere Ubu
3. "Rockaway Beach" - The Ramones
4. "We're for the Dark" - Badfinger
5. "TV Party" - Black Flag
6. "Hurricane Fighter Plane" - The Red Crayola
7. "Waterpark" - Royal Trux
8. "Sold America" - Michael Yonkers Band
9. "Roadrunner" - Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers
10. "Blank Generation" - Richard Hell and the Voidoids

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 2 September 2005 15:39 (twenty years ago)

Obviously somebody needs an FM refresher course. And some decaf. SHITHEEL.

― The King of Flop Threads, Friday, 2 September 2005 15:51 (twenty years ago)

I heard Waterpark during a highlight reel on TSN (Cdn ESPN) back when Veterans of Disorder was new. It was the best day of my life.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Friday, 2 September 2005 15:55 (twenty years ago)

that was pleasant. anyway, there's no stuff nearly 40 year old stuff like the stooges ISN'T classic rock, now. it'd be nice for it to be played.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 2 September 2005 16:07 (twenty years ago)

Danzig-bodies.

― Ellis, Friday, 2 September 2005 16:38 (twenty years ago)

Wings "Junior's Farm"

― drewo (drewo), Friday, 2 September 2005 17:15 (twenty years ago)

1. "That's the Way" -- Led Zeppelin
2. "Kitty's Back" -- Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
3. "Fearless" -- Pink Floyd
4. "Tumbling Dice" -- Rolling Stones (at least where I grew up)
5. "Ramrod" -- Bruce Springsteen
6. "I Shall Be Released" -- The Band

...and 4 more.

― PB, Friday, 2 September 2005 17:29 (twenty years ago)

- "Amen" - Rotary Connection
- anything by the Isley Bros. from 1971-75 (the height of their "black rock" era)
- anything by Stevie Wonder from 1971-76 (see Isley Bros.)
- "Walk On By" - Isaac Hayes
- "Two Hangmen" - Mason Proffitt
- "San Francisco Girls" - Fever Tree
- anything from Marvin Gaye's WHAT'S GOING ON album
- "Groovin' Is Easy," Electric Flag
- "Omaha," Moby Grape
- any of Bill Withers' Sussex albums
- "Love's Made A Fool Of You," Cochise (I don't even know if this is on CD, yet it was a charting single in '72)
- "Roberta," Bones (see Cochise)
- anything by War ('nuff said)
- "Keep On Smiling," Wet Willie
- "You, I," Rugbys
- "Seven & Seven Is," Love
- "Alone Again Or," Love

My list is heavy on progressive black acts because they actually did get played on FM rock stations in the pre-"disco sucks" days. I could easily add a few more rockish funk bands to the list (Mandrill; Cymande; Earth, Wind & Fire)...

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Saturday, 3 September 2005 05:35 (twenty years ago)

Pink Floyd, "The Gold It's In The..."
Van Halen, "Little Dreamer"
Led Zeppelin, "Celebration Day"
Blue Oyster Cult, "Morning Final" (or just about anything from their first two albums)
Thin Lizzy, "Southbound"
Shocking Blue, "Long and Lonesome Road"
Flamin' Groovies, "Teenage Head"
The Rolling Stones, "Winter"
Roxy Music, "All I Want is You"
Taj Mahal, "Take a Giant Step"

― disco violence (disco violence), Saturday, 3 September 2005 05:55 (twenty years ago)

Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains The Same (studio version)

― Mr. Whirly, Please Don't Call Me (Bimble...), Saturday, 3 September 2005 06:18 (twenty years ago)

Great Stones nods on this thread. "Sway" is the greatest album lead track ever, shame it's the second track. "Winter" is all the reason Goat's Head Soup needs.

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Saturday, 3 September 2005 06:56 (twenty years ago)

I wish hstencil programmed the radio.

― Sweat Loaf (Sweat Loaf), Saturday, 3 September 2005 08:35 (twenty years ago)

Those are all great Zep tunes but I'm starting to think that maybe it's good that they have a few gems that aren't played all the time.

― Sundar (sundar), Saturday, 3 September 2005 12:09 (twenty years ago)

How could I forget? "Maggot Brain" by Funkadelic.

Cosign on what Sundar just said about Led Zep - I love 'em too, but they already dominate classic rock radio as it is. Same goes for the Stones and Hendrix - they don't need any more than what they've got, IMO.

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Saturday, 3 September 2005 12:44 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, but Night Bird Flying is such a great song, that never gets played on the radio. If they play anything from The Cry Of Love it's Angel or Freedom. Also, Night Bird has my favorite Hendrix guitar solo, and the dude obviously had a lot to choose from.

― The King of Flop Threads, Saturday, 3 September 2005 13:59 (twenty years ago)

Trying for some that are possibly slightly less obvious (and sticking to bands that are actually FM rock staples):

Deep Purple - "Pictures of Home" is a really great concise rockin' melody. Maybe Bowie's "Sons of the Silent Age" would be nice once in a while.
It would be great to hear "Starship Trooper" or "South Side of the Sky" instead of "Roundabout" the odd time.
Supertramp's "Hide In Your Shell" instead of "Dreamer".
Maybe "Goodbye Blue Sky" instead of "Young Lust".
ZZ Top's "Leila" instead of crap like "Legs" or "Sharp-Dressed Man", perhaps. It's a really nice ballad.
King Crimson's "Red" is pretty memorable, concise and heavy for an instrumental.
Metallica's "Sad But True" once in a while instead of yet another shot of "Enter Sandman".
Queensryche - "Queen of the Reich" or "Another Rainy Night" instead of "Silent Lucidity".
Guns n Roses - "Think About You".
Steely Dan - "Everyone's Gone to the Movies", "Rose Darling"
Fleetwood Mac - "The Chain"
Soundgarden - "Kickstand"
Genesis - "Harold the Barrel"
Thin Lizzy - "Sarah"
Rush - "Anthem" has maybe their best riff.

"Morning Final" is such a great choice.

Going hstencil's route, I could see songs like "Heroin" (or at least "Pale Blue Eyes") or "Marquee Moon" working. Definitely lots of Patti Smith. Probably even something like Sonic Youth's "Dirty Boots" and lots of Unknown Pleasures. (They played "Shadowplay" on Toronto's modern rock station once. It reminded my cousin of The Cult.) Not so sure about Black Flag though.

― Sundar (sundar), Saturday, 3 September 2005 16:07 (twenty years ago)

Would Sly and the Family Stone's "I Want to Take You Higher" or Curtis Mayfield's "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Gonna Go" have been among the progressive black artists playlisted that Rev. Hoodoo was mentioning?

― Ian Riese-Moraine: Let this bastard out, and you'll get whiplash! (Eastern Mantr, Saturday, 3 September 2005 16:11 (twenty years ago)

God, most Kinks songs. Best non-Beatles british band of the 60's, by far. How bout -

Sunny Afternoon, Dead End Street, Picture Book, Apeman

The Dead Boys - Sonic Reducer
Savoy Brown - Street Corner Talking, Jack the Toad

And I was going to say "Pictures of Home" too, thats is my fav Deep Purple song. Killer solos, catchy tune. Yeeeah

― Erock Lazron, Saturday, 3 September 2005 16:13 (twenty years ago)

Do they still play 60s bands like the Kinks, Animals, and Yardbirds on classic rock radio? I remember hearing them all the time as a kid but don't notice them much anymore.

― Sundar (sundar), Saturday, 3 September 2005 16:18 (twenty years ago)

Ian Riese-Moraine: yes, I definitely would have included Sly and Curtis in the line of FM-leaning black artists.

King of Flop Threads: I totally feel you about the Hendrix songs you never hear on the radio. I just wouldn't want to see him crowding out other deserving artists who were big back then, but don't get any modern-day airtime.

One more that springs to mind: Black Pearl's "Forget It." This hard rock band had two albums in '69 and '70, and the self-titled debut (on Atlantic) was fairly big, charting in Billboard's album listings (although I forget the ranking).

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Saturday, 3 September 2005 16:18 (twenty years ago)

Sundar: I hardly ever hear garage-era bands like the Kinks, Yardbirds, etc.. on classic rock radio these days. When I do, it's definitely something from a later era (I never hear any pre-1969 Who).

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Saturday, 3 September 2005 16:19 (twenty years ago)

Ooh, I thought of another: Sweet's "Fox On the Run". Such an amazingly catchy little pop-rock anthem.

xpost Yeah, older Who is a really good example. At one time it used to seem to me like the 60s Who was the most significant and popular era.

― Sundar (sundar), Saturday, 3 September 2005 16:25 (twenty years ago)

Has 60s rock been replaced by 80s rock?

― Sundar (sundar), Saturday, 3 September 2005 16:28 (twenty years ago)

Was 60s-era rock ever the dominant decade for classic rock? I've spent a lot of time listening to clasic rock radio, and it seems to me the dominant decade was always the 70s. Or more specifically, the 1970s output from bands that started in the 1960s. Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Who's Next-era Who, Sticky Fingers-era Stones...those are the big classic rock bands and albums.

The 80s are carving out a little niche for themselves with ACDC, Van Halen and other metal bands, but it's still all about the 70s on classic rock radio. Always was.

― The King of Flop Threads, Saturday, 3 September 2005 16:36 (twenty years ago)

Oh, you're probably right about the 70s being the bread and butter. I just seem to remember that in addition there seemed to be more 60s stuff on when I was a kid (could be selective memory too). Another one I hadn't thought of is Queen's "Death On Two Legs", which must be one of the best songs of the era. Every line is classic. I like how he's still coming up with new insults ("You should be made unemployed/Declare yourself null and void") even while the song fades out.

Ottawa's classic rock station lists these as the 106 essential classic rock artists.

― Sundar (sundar), Saturday, 3 September 2005 17:25 (twenty years ago)

"Panic In Detroit" (Bowie's greatest tune EVAH!) gets lots of airplay in (naturally) Detroit, Roger.

(Ignoring Zep/Beatles/Stones:)

Queen, "Ogre Battle"
Guns 'n' Roses, "Rocket Queen"
Steely Dan, "Kid Charlemagne"
BÖC, "Stairway To The Stars"
Yes, "South Side Of The Sky"
Deep Purple, "Flight Of The Rat"
Black Sabbath, "Wheels Of Confusion"
Chicago, "Free-Form Guitar" (snickers)
Alice Cooper, "Halo Of Flies"
Van Halen, "Could This Be Magic"

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Sunday, 4 September 2005 11:25 (twenty years ago)

"Don't Bogart Me," Fraternity of Man
(a/k/a That Song From EASY RIDER that goes: "don't bo-gart that JOINT, my FRIEND...")

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Sunday, 4 September 2005 13:04 (twenty years ago)

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