Greatest Rock Song of the 20th Century?

[musichal]

I'll have to browse it and see what's out there on the subject but if you could only pick one to resurge in the year 2317 to rep 20th century rock, what would it be?

I don't know... Dylan? Beatles? Elvis? Stones? Yeah, stupid question, begging for stupid answers...


Heck with it, I'll go with Sting's Telegraph Road since the lyrics embody the history of that era pretty well.

 

[Musicfan#51]

Pink Floyd: Money

 

[4-2-7]

Stairway to Heaven

 

[dosmalo]

Born to be Wild

 

[c-atle-79bay]

Hard one, I come back to Sgt Peppers Reprise> A day in the life. For a tune, combo here, that came out in 1967 to me it seems to set the stage for so much music to come.....

 

[eljr]

we just did this a couple weeks ago

they correct answer was and still is:

Sunshine of Your Love
Cream

 

[SA-708]

"Louie Louie" by The Kingsmen
"OK! Let's give it to them, right now!"

 

[mhardy6647]

I would submit that the greatest one, by definition, was the first one. The sine qua non (literally).

Ike Turner's Rocket 88.
(1951)

 

[Andyman]

Stairway to Heaven

I gotta agree. It's not my favorite, but it is something everybody knows and it does ROCK.

"Free Bird" would be up there too . Both of these used to rule the Top 100 lists for quite a while.

We'd probably like them more if Classic rock hadn't played them to death...

Honorable Mention: Smoke on the Water

 

[exhippy]

Robert once said he hated singing that song when they toured.

 

[grillebilly]

Does greatest mean have the most impact? There have been thousands of "great" rock songs. A song from one of the artists that spawned the genre would have to lay claim to being the greatest. I know this thread is just for kicks but naming a single song is harder than saying who was the prettiest woman on the planet.

 

[hi*ball]

"Love Will Tear Us Apart" by Joy Division (obviously)

 

[Andyman]

Robert once said he hated singing that song when they toured.

I bet a LOT of guys feel that way. What does John Mayall say on that LP when they're calling for "Room to Move"? Something like "Did you come here to hear an old record?"

 

[musichal]

we just did this a couple weeks ago

they correct answer was and still is:

Sunshine of Your Love
Cream

Not surprised recently done, just shows somebody (me) hasn't been checking in on the Music Forum as oft as he should. As far as the selection, I'd have to go for Stairway over Sunshine, but I'm certain you didn't over-state the consensus for the latter...

 

[eljr]

Not surprised recently done, just shows somebody (me) hasn't been checking in on the Music Forum as oft as he should. As far as the selection, I'd have to go for Stairway over Sunshine, but I'm certain you didn't over-state the consensus for the latter...

No conscious, I just informed everyone.

 

[Auto Analog]

I'll nominate Dire Straits-Money For Nothing. The music video made a huge impact.

 

[4-2-7]

"Free Bird" would be up there too .

Yeah I'd have to agree here also, but I heard somewhere that Stairway has some kind of top honor for being the biggest, best or otherwise rock song....

But we can step back to a concert I went to in 1977...

 

[Tom Brennan]

Lucille. Or something else by Little Richard.

 

[musichal]

Lucille. Or something else by Little Richard.

Tutti-Fruiti, O, Rudy!

 

[squirrelnest]

Deep Purple - In Rock