Dec 072012
One of my favorite albums of 2012 is Dwight Yoakam’s 3 Pears, which has “Rock It All Away” — a slow burner that I like.
Then I started thinking about other songs with “rock” in the title — and there are many of those, but what would be my favorite? I think I’ve settled on this chestnut from Garland Jeffreys’ out of print “Escape Artist” called “R.O.C.K.”
So, what’s your favorite song with ROCK in the title?
The first song of this sort that I LOVE that comes to mind is David Essex’s “Rock On,” which I learned in these hallowed halls is NOT beloved by everyone. That still shocks me.
I like “Rock On” plenty, but I need a clarification: is it a song with “Rock” only in the title or is it accepted as part of the compound “Rock and Roll” or, for that matter, “Rock ‘n’ Roll”? This would change things substantially.
But for the moment, just by way of throwing out a favorite, though not THE favorite, from the same era as “Rock On,” Andy Kim’s classic “Rock Me Gently,” which is such a great Neil Diamond knock-off that Kim should have changed his last name to Rhinestone. WARNING: there is a glimpse of Jimmy Savile in this TOTP clip, a fact which would have been merely unpleasant a short time ago but which is now deeply creepy. Sorry. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-8iHlGZ1FI
“Rock and Roll”, Velvet Underground. Hands down.
I love Sammy’s suggestion but I might even consider Rock and Roll All Night by KISS. Seriously.
Since we’re on the nefarious subject of Jimmy Savile, and we seem to be focusing on glam and the 70’s, I’m gonna throw down Gary Glitter’s Rock and Roll (1&2).
The intent was any variation of “rock” — for instance — Steve Miller’s “Rock ‘N Me” is another one that I thought of right away.
Garland Jeffreys covered “Rock On” on his latest record “The King of In Between.” He also did a song called “Graveyard Rock” and you may remember his “Hail, Hail Rock N’ Roll” which was a minor hit.
http://youtu.be/SB9NZkKJoGo
He likes to ROCK!
DUH, the number 3 song on my Greatest Songs of the Last Millenium List!
“Rock Me Gently” is awesome – and that reminds me of Paul Simon’s “Loves Me Like a Rock,” or whatever that song is called.
I could make a case for Rock and Roll Hootchie Koo, too
I was also going to say “Rock and Roll” by the VU, but I’ll say “Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio” by the Ramones.
Here’s a live version without the Spector goop:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU_EkTg5tfo
Yeah, that Velvets tune is hard to beat.
I remember hearing it on the FM radio in my mom’s car late one night as I was falling asleep in the backseat. By the end of the tune, I was sitting up, fully awake. There was some effect it had on my mind that I can’t describe now without imputing too much into the experience; I was just a dumb kid, but that song spoke to me.
Rock me Gently is great, too. I have that 45, horked from my sister’s collection (she was a teen when that came out, but she doens’t care about rock anymore).
I suppose “Rocks Off” doesn’t count because there’s an “s” on there? It’s a good one, for sure. Plus, there’s all that RTH Exile baggage to consider! Juicy stuff!!
This one will surely raise some Bronx Cheers, but I don’t care: Rock Steady (BadCo). They were first rate dorks, for sure, but that is one of the best air guitar songs ever written.
Yes, that was the one I had in mind, too. Especially, of course, the Fully Loaded version.
“horked”? Is that a regionalism of some kind?
It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n Roll)
Of course.
The late MJ’s great “Rock with You” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X-Mrc2l1d0 He’s mighty sparkly.
I suppose it’s from Berks / Lehigh / Lancster / and Chester County?
That’s where I grew up. That’s where I’ve always heard it most, and that’s where it receives no raised eyebrows when I say it.
Seven Nights To Rock — Moon Mullican.
Lots of versions of this one. First heard it through Nick Lowe.
Hey, that’s Brinsley Schwarz playing the Hamer in that Jeffreys appearance on Fridays. I know the Rumour backed him for a spell, but it looks like he’s the only band member in this clip. Would this give Schwarz the weird distinction of being the only musician to play in two bands on the short-lived Fridays?
Great photo of Jeffreys and studio cats: http://wildinthestreets.info/Images-Garland-Jeffreys/Garland-Jeffreys-Escape-Artist-Session-1.jpg
What’s his background? Was he the Matthew Sweet of his time, a guy who kind of came out of nowhere and got all sorts of cool sideman support? We need an RTH Glossary term for this kind of character…
He is definately a “friend of the great” — also a “Friend of Bruce”
http://youtu.be/dC092YbIK80
Many people think his “Wild in the Streets” was written by Springsteen, but it wasn’t.
I first got into him as a teenybopper because they played his cover version of “96 Tears” on the radio in Minneapolis quite a bit. I ended up really liking the entire “Escape Artist” album and went back into his older stuff, like “One-Eyed Jack” and “American Boy & Girl.” His1992 album “Don’t Call Me Buckwheat” is another favorite. His latest album was his first in 13 years.
I just did a check on MOG and “Escape Artist” and some of his other stuff is now available, which is fantastic. When I saw him late last year — he was pissed that his 1970s and 80s stuff on A&M and Epic was unavailable — and he was threatening to bootleg his own stuff! I had a chance to chat with after his show, and he was a real nice guy.
He’s one of those rockers, like Dwight Twilley, who may have done some stuff to torpedo his own career, but I dig him.
“Don’t you call James Bond or Secret Agent man, cause they can’t do it like I can
I’m a Rocker, baby I’m a Rocker.”
Speaking of Nick Lowe, there’s also every post-punker’s : matrimonial must-play: I Knew the Bride When She Used to Rock and Roll.
Regarding “this kind of character,” yeah, we need a term. He’s not an “Oliver,” of course, nor a “Baldwin,” (as is the term the girls in Clueless use to describe hunky boys), so what is he? Maybe Matthew Sweet is a “Jeffreys” who amassed his own group of “Brinsleys.” These aren’t good terms, but….you get the idea.
As for the possibility of an RTH gathering the night of the Sins gig at JB’s, I’m in, as long as I can secure babysitting for the kiddos and the keys to the Family Truckster for the jaunt into the city that night. It’s looking like the ayes have it at the moment, but I’ll let you know for sure via other channels if I can make it.
Earlier this year one of the first posts on my blog linked Garland, Willy de Ville & Dion as I am a fan of these New Yorkers. I made an assumption about Garland’s past that was mistaken and a day later received an e-mail from him noting his disapproval.
I felt stupid & was embarrassed to have upset someone who’s music I had liked since “Wild In the Streets”. I was also shocked at the reach of stuff I wrote mainly for myself.
Now, I am more careful about fact checking, I am still a fan & hey…I got an e-mail from Garland Jeffreys !
Garland met Lou Reed at Syracuse U, played on John Cale’s “Vintage Violence” & was in Grinder’s Switch before making his own records.
That was the first song I ever heard streamed over the Internet. I met the Real Audio guys at Internet World in 1995 and that was what they demoed for me. The audio sounded like a children’s record player at one end sending sound between two tin cans connected by string. I smiled and told them how great it was.
Good call.
“Rock and Roll Music” Beatles version. Or VU.
Not surprised — he’s all in — after checking out for awhile.
Yes! — the Nick Lowe version!
Excellent call
Quite a vanilla choice here, but I’ll admit it’s because I didn’t have the balls to go with Donnie Iris “Love is Like a Rock”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lNP-x94-SE
I’m a big fan of the Stones’ If You Can’t Rock Me (Somebody Will).
Aretha Franklin – Rock Steady
I think we should really stick to Rolless Rock in this thread.
I like most of those songs mentioned. I generally like songs with Rock, Rock N’ Roll or Teen in the title. But I tought about it awhile and I’m giving the nod to Johnny Burnette and the Rock N Roll Trio. Rock Therapy is what you need!
http://youtu.be/rx4fuGYw8BM
That is such a great groove.
Love “Rock and Roll” by VU and “Rock Therapy” by Johnny Burnette, but “Rock House” by Conway Twitty is one damn fine piece of rockabilly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC4tRkqZiGc
My fave song with rock is Rock of Ages. Just seeing if you paying attention. Seriously speaking of Lou Reed (Loosehandlebars) I think my favorite with rock is LR’s “Rock and Roll” How basic can one get with that song title. My least liked is “Its only rock and roll but I like it. For the lyric “suicide right on stage” Its the suicide not the stage part.
all of which reminded me of the excellent “Flying Saucer Rock and Roll” by Billy Lee Riley. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMD7ZzRxWmk
Nick Lowe – They Called It Rock
Spinal Tap – Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight