Pandemonium

20 Of The Best
Classic Rock Songs
Of All Time
These fist-pumping anthems and sing-along standards are, simply put, the best
classic rock songs ever
By: Bryan Kerwin
1
Jimi
Hendrix,
“Purple Haze”
There are famous riffs, and then there's “Purple
Haze.” As usual, Hendrix was operating on a level
wholly different than that of mere mortals, laying
down an effortlessly original blend of freaky psych
and screaming old-school blues with enough
panache to seem like he really could just excuse
himself for a few minutes to kiss the sky (or this guy)
if he wanted to.
Queen & David
2Bowie, “Under
Pressure”
Don't be fooled by the undemanding funk of that
notorious two-tone bass line, this baroque and
passionate plea for love from sorcerers Bowie and
Mercury still sounds like they might beat you over
the head with the mic stand if you don't listen up.
Pink Floyd,
3“Comfortably
Numb”
This epic track from their magnum opus is a
distillation of everything Floyd—swirling,
psychedelic organs, a doom-laden narrative of
druggy madness and multiple heaven-scraping
solos from David Gilmour, endlessly searching for
some redemption through the haze.
The Rolling
4
Stones,
“Start Me Up”
The sexual bluster and braggadocio of “Start Me
Up” is quintessential Stones, but the song's playfully
gratuitous come-ons—heightened by Mick Jagger's
bug-eyed performance—and Keith Richards's
monster riff take it from 10 to 11.
Creedence
5Clearwater
Revival,
“Proud Mary”
The utopian vision of provincial life “Proud Mary”
promotes would seem exceedingly cheesy if it
wasn't such an authentically successful country-blues
hybrid, with John Fogerty's relaxed but
powerful voice and the languid vibe all but packing
your bag for you to set sail on a river boat queen.
Neil Young,
6“Rockin' in the
Free World”
The godfather of grunge comes out swinging on
one of his most intense tracks, with the first Bush
administration, American malaise and drug addiction
catching jabs, all while Young's fierce, fervid
guitar work capitalizes on his titular promise.
Led Zeppelin,
7“Whole
Lotta Love”
There's no innuendo here, no way. Robert Plant
delirious and yelpy, the band strutting and chugging;
it's a frenzied, lightheaded trip that only slows down
for a second in that middle part to...well, you know.
The Clash,
8
“Should I Stay or
Should I Go”
This tune’s Muddy Waters–style appeal to an
indecisive lover plus some controlled chaos in the
form of wild tempo shifts and half-Spanish calland-response
vocals makes it sound like one of the
best tracks of the 1950s twenty years after the fact
Aerosmith, “Walk
9This Way”
Aerosmith achieves impressive synergy as
Joe Perry's big-dog riff struts around Steven Tyler's
breakneck near-scatting with ease despite the
frantic pace. The rhythms are so front-and-center
that it's not so surprising Run DMC reinvented it 11
years later as a hip-hop hit.
P8
Issue No. 1