Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Twenty-five Songs which might form part of a "forty minute classic rock block" or equivalent, but would rarely be heard in any other context

1. Bad Company, "Bad Company"
2. Styx, "Renegade"
3. Foreigner, "Juke Box Hero"
4. Eagles, "Tequila Sunrise"
5. Heart, "Barracuda"
6. Journey, "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'"
7. Rush, "The Spirit of Radio"
8. Doobie Brothers, "China Grove"
9. REO Speedwagon, "Keep on Loving You"
10. Boston, "Rock and Roll Band"
11. John Mellencamp, "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A."
12. Bob Seger, "Her Strut"
13. Steve Miller Band, "Rock 'n Me"
14. Lynyrd Skynyrd, "Gimme Three Steps"
15. The Cars, "Good Times Roll"
16. Todd Rundgren, "Bang the Drum All Day"
17. Supertramp, "Logical Song"
18. ZZ Top, "Tush"
19. Molly Hatchet, "Flirting with Disaster"
20. Foghat, "Slow Ride"
21. Queen, "You're My Best Friend"
22. Eddie Money, "Take Me Home Tonight"
23. Fleetwood Mac, "Landslide"
24. Rick Derringer, "Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo"
25. Steely Dan, "Rikki Don't Lose That Number"

3 comments:

Matt K said...

Brilliant list. But it's amazing how much of this dreadful classic rock sludge slips into other pop culture forms -- especially movie soundtracks. "Renegade" is featured in 'Billy Madison'; "You're My Best Friend" in the opening credits of 'The Break-Up'; and of course "Tush," "Slow Ride" and "Rock and Roll Hootchie Koo" are all in the Dazed and Confused Sountrack. "Slow Ride" is also one of the songs Elaine dances to in Seinfeld (although she does hear it on the radio, possibly as part of a classic rock block).

"Tush," a truly loathesome song, has managed to get itself into the new Nick Cage "Ghost Rider" movie (not a huge surprise), but also "The Perfect Storm," "Private Parts," "Sgt. Bilko", and an episode of the Sopranos. Not bad. A bit of poking around on IMDB reveals that Steven Soderborough's 1999 film "The Limey" has one of the best classic rock block soundtracks of all time: "China Grove," "Magic Carpet Ride," "Smokin'" by Boston, and "The Seeker" by the Who -- where else can you hear that tune?

John said...

Yes, movie soundtracks do often feature such songs, although I think that a movie like Dazed and Confused can perhaps be exempt, as being a period piece with a soundtrack that more or less is a 40 minute classic rock block.

Also, you've seen "Ghost Rider"?

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