Joe's Jams 10.03.08: Top Classic Rock Songs 100-51

Posted by Joe Rivett on 10.03.2008

I have a feeling number 70 is going to upset a lot of people...

Disclaimer
- I came up with this list based on what I would listen to if two songs were on the radio. This list is not what I think are the most impressive songs, it is simply what I would pick.
– I don't include Metallica as they would really flood the list and I'm not sure I want to label them classic rock.
- I consider the Beatles to be Oldies.
- My hope is that you don't own all of these songs and will try downloading some which is really the purpose of all of my columns.

100. John Fogerty: Centerfield – A simple song but it gets you in a baseball/sports mood
99. Rolling Stones: She's So Cold – Mick Jagger has one of the most unique voices in this song.
98. Supertramp: School – The piano in this song makes it stand above many of their other songs.
97. Foreigner: Cold as Ice – Women can be cold, see number 99.
96. Rush: La Villa Strangiato – This song got me into Rush; one of the best instrumentals ever.
95. Police: Every Breath You Take – I'm biased toward Sting's voice.
94. Triumph: Fight the Good Fight – This should have been the theme of Stevie Richards when he led Right To Censor.
93. Marshall Tucker Band: Can't You See – A relaxing song with an authentic sound.
92. Ozzy Osbourne: Mama I'm Coming Home – The best vocals for an Ozzy song.
91. Rolling Stones: Gimmie Shelter – One of those songs that goes perfect in any movie.
90. Dire Sraits: Money for Nothing – I love the intro with Sting followed by drums.
89. America: Horse with No Name – I like songs that sound like the title.
88. Ten Years After: I'd Love to Change the World – A great song that took me years to find out what band did it.
87. Chicago: 25 or 6 to 4 – I like rock music fused with jazz and this is one of the best.
86. Don Henley: Boys of Summer – I can't explain why I like this song other than it is catchy.
85. Derek and the Dominos: Layla – I prefer the unplugged version but you know a song is popular when you meet a lot of women named Layla.
84. Manfred Mann: Blinded By the Light – "Mama always told me not to look in the eyes of the sun, but mama, that's where the fun is."
83. Queen: Fat Bottomed Girls – The lyrics of this song crack me up.
82. Styx: Come Sail Away – A cheesy but fun song that chicks love.
81. Who: Baba O'Riley – I like how this song feels like the end of something.
80. Jimi Hendrix: All Along the Watchtower – A great song with an excellent solo in the middle. If you want to know the lyrics, listen to the Dylan version.
79. Grand Funk Railroad: American Band – This is a song you have to play when you are having a 4th of July BBQ.
78. Rush: 2112 – A really long song that never gets boring. Geddy Lee's voice goes insane in certain parts.
77. Neil Young: Southern Man – The song that inspired "Sweet Home Alabama."
76. Jimi Hendrix: Hey Joe – Another great Hendrix cover.
75. Moody Blues: Nights in White Satin – A great love song with a memorable flute solo.
74. Rush: Spirit of Radio – I love how this song goes reggae with a focus on the upbeat toward the end.
73. Neil Young: Heart of Gold – If you dig harmonicas you will dig this song.
72. Paul McCartney: Band on the Run – I like this one better than "Live and Let Die."
71. Bachman Turner Overdrive: Takin Care of Business – When I hear this song I think of taking a dump.
70. Toto: Africa – On the 411's worst 80s song list. This song came up a lot but if you were a singer this song was a hell of a challenge.
69. Loverboy: Turn Me Loose – If you hear this song once, you'll be singing it all day.
68. Boston: More Than a Feeling – The song that made me a Boston fan.
67. Supertramp: Goodbye Stranger – The background singers add to this song.
66. Head East: Never Been Any Reason – Another one hit wonder that took me years to learn who performed it. I like the duet between the two singers in this one.
65. Queen: Don't Stop Me Now – It sounds like something you would hear in a musical.
64. Steve Miller Band: The Joker – "I really love your peaches want to shake your tree."
63. Styx: Blue Collar Man – In Buffalo, this song is our town.
62. Iron Maiden: The Trooper – The guitars are too fast, too furious.
61. Loverboy: Working for the Weekend – This song gives me energy when I'm at work.
60. Supertramp: The Logical Song – At certain points of this song, it sounds like a Jesse Jackson speech.
59. Journey: Separate Ways – The video is one of the worst ever but Steve Perry sings with a lot of passion in this one. The synthesizers in this song are strong.
58. Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here – "We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year."
57. Van Halen: Eruption/You Really Got Me – One of the top three greatest guitar solos ever with one of the greatest covers ever.
56. Police: Don't Stand So Close to Me – I know I sound like a broken record but Sting is a real good singer.
55. Pink Floyd: Us and Them – As a former Jazz musician, I'm biased toward a great saxophone sound.
54. Santana: Black Magic Woman – I love how exotic the guitar is in this song.
53. Boston: Don't Look Back – Often overlooked by "More Than a Feeling" but this song is more fun.
52. Who: Squeeze Box – This song just makes me smile. And makes me think of Robin Quivers.
51. Genesis: Mama – One of the greatest vocal performances in rock history.

I'll be getting into more detail when I go over the top 50 so look forward to that in the next few days!