Rock Blog - The Last DJ (Tom Petty)

Artist: Tom Petty
Song:  The Last DJ

Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00sy6_jv7Lc

Quick Thoughts:  A Rock n' Roll Hall of Famer, Tom Petty is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, a superband founded in the late 1980's.  According to Petty, The Last DJ later was inspired by Los Angeles DJ Jim Ladd, one of the few notable remaining freefrom rock DJs in United States commercial radio.  Freeform is a radio station programming format in which the disc jockey is given total control over what music to play, regardless of music genre or commercial interests. This song comes from his 11th studio album of the same title.

Ranking from Original "Top 1000" List:  900
Added to my Personal List?  YES
Total Songs Added to Final List: 50

For upcoming concerts: http://www.tompetty.com/tour/archive/2013

Having grown up listening to mostly hip-hop, R&B, some alternative, and all sorts of music in Spanish, I decided it was time to give myself a personal survey of Rock music.  My friend BJ Swanner compiled a "Top 1000 Rock Song List", aggregated from several "Top Lists".  As I go through all 1,000 songs, I'll be creating my own list, sharing a brief post like this for all the songs that will make my final list.   I will not be ranking the songs that make it to my final list.....for now.

Twitter: @jimmythelion

Rock Blog - Street of Dreams (Rainbow)

Artist: Rainbow
Song:  Street of Dreams

Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQvu5Eo7rKI

Quick Thoughts:   Ranked 90th on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow was a British band formed in California, featuring various lead singers over the years, including the amazing Ronnie James Dio.  Ritchie Blackmore himself was an original members of Deep Purple.  "Street of Dreams" was the first single from Rainbow's Bent Out of Shape album, released in 1983. According to Blackmore's official website, the music video was banned by MTV for its supposedly controversial hypnotic footage.

Ranking from Original "Top 1000" List:  901
Added to my Personal List?  YES
Total Songs Added to Final List: 49

For upcoming concerts: Unfortunately it is no longer possible to see this band live anymore.

Having grown up listening to mostly hip-hop, R&B, some alternative, and all sorts of music in Spanish, I decided it was time to give myself a personal survey of Rock music.  My friend BJ Swanner compiled a "Top 1000 Rock Song List", aggregated from several "Top Lists".  As I go through all 1,000 songs, I'll be creating my own list, sharing a brief post like this for all the songs that will make my final list.   I will not be ranking the songs that make it to my final list.....for now.

Twitter: @jimmythelion

Rock Blog - Mama's Little Helper (The Rolling Stones)

Artist: Rolling Stones
Song:  Mama's Little Helper

  
Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13olfeD026g

Quick Thoughts:   How could a band formed in 1962 still be going strong?  If you ask American music critic Robert Palmer, their "remarkable endurance" stems from being "rooted in traditional verities, in rhythm-and-blues and soul music" while "more ephemeral pop fashions have come and gone".  Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, this song deals with the sudden popularity of Valium ,a mild tranquilizer used by housewives, and the ease of obtaining it from their doctors.  Mother's Little Helper was released as a single in the U.S. in 1966 and has since been covered by various bands, including
Mexican rock band, Los Ovnis, from the 1960's. (here is link to that cover in Spanish http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uA03CG6f70)

Ranking from Original "Top 1000" List:  903
Added to my Personal List?  YES
Total Songs Added to Final List: 48

For upcoming concerts: They just ended a tour that wrapped up in England.  I hope I get to see them someday.    http://www.rollingstones.com/

Having grown up listening to mostly hip-hop, R&B, some alternative, and all sorts of music in Spanish, I decided it was time to give myself a personal survey of Rock music.  My friend BJ Swanner compiled a "Top 1000 Rock Song List", aggregated from several "Top Lists".  As I go through all 1,000 songs, I'll be creating my own list, sharing a brief post like this for all the songs that will make my final list.   I will not be ranking the songs that make it to my final list.....for now.

Twitter: @jimmythelion

Rock Blog - Mysterious Ways (U2)

Artist: U2
Song:  Mysterious Ways

Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxcDTUMLQJI

Quick Thoughts: This Irish band from Dublin has been around since 1976, featuring Bono (vocals and guitar), The Edge  (guitar, keyboards, and vocals), Adam Clayton (bass guitar), and Larry Mullen, Jr.(drums and percussion)  From their 1991 album Achtung Baby, Mysterious Ways is song praised by critics, well received by fans and even studied by scholars for its perceived religious undertones. While the intent of the lyrics can be debated, the undeniable seduction of this song stems largely from its varied musical influences, from funk, R&B, and gospel music.

Ranking from Original "Top 1000" List:  906
Added to my Personal List?  YES
Total Songs Added to Final List: 47

For upcoming concerts:  http://www.u2.com/tour/index/tour/id/76
(There appear to be no upcoming tours at this time)


Having grown up listening to mostly hip-hop, R&B, some alternative, and all sorts of music in Spanish, I decided it was time to give myself a personal survey of Rock music.  My friend BJ Swanner compiled a "Top 1000 Rock Song List", aggregated from several "Top Lists".  As I go through all 1,000 songs, I'll be creating my own list, sharing a brief post like this for all the songs that will make my final list.   I will not be ranking the songs that make it to my final list.....for now.

Twitter: @jimmythelion

Rock Blog - Green Manalishi (Judas Priest)

Artist: Judas Priest
Song:  Green Manalishi (With the Two-Prong Crown)

Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgnOJXIvu6s

Quick Thoughts:  Anyone that is serious about rock music and follows its paths into metal music will eventually stumble upon Judas Priest.  Widely regarded as the "Metal Gods", their1980 album, British Steel, has been referred to as the "record that, more than any other, codified what is meant by "heavy metal".  Green Manalishi features excellent guitar play, I mean, amazing electric guitar!  While this song is heavily identified with Judas Priest, it should be noted that it was a cover based on a song by Fleetwood Mac.  Here is the Fleetwood version:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTvKaLW5bu8

Ranking from Original "Top 1000" List:  910
Added to my Personal List?  YES
Total Songs Added to Final List: 46

For upcoming concerts:  http://www.judaspriest.com/tour/default.ASP

Having grown up listening to mostly hip-hop, R&B, some alternative, and all sorts of music in Spanish, I decided it was time to give myself a personal survey of Rock music.  My friend BJ Swanner compiled a "Top 1000 Rock Song List", aggregated from several "Top Lists".  As I go through all 1,000 songs, I'll be creating my own list, sharing a brief post like this for all the songs that will make my final list.   I will not be ranking the songs that make it to my final list.....for now.

Twitter: @jimmythelion

Rock Blog - Stop Dragging My Heart Around (Stevie Nicks)

Artist: Stevie Nicks
Song:  Stop Dragging My Heart Around

Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UD0c58nNCQ

Quick Thoughts: Sometimes referred to as the Reigning Queen of Rock n' Roll, between her work with Fleetwood Mac and her solo career, Stevie Nicks has produced more than forty Top 50 hits, an astonishing feat!  "Stop Dragging My Heart Around" stems from her 1981 debut solo album Bella Donna. Written by Tom Petty and Mike Campbell for their own band, but eventually arranged for Nicks.  This is a smooth duet, and Stevie Nick's voice is justifiable ranked among the greatest voices in Rock music history.

Ranking from Original "Top 1000" List:  915
Added to my Personal List?  YES
Total Songs Added to Final List: 45

For upcoming concerts:  http://stevienicks.net/

Having grown up listening to mostly hip-hop, R&B, some alternative, and all sorts of music in Spanish, I decided it was time to give myself a personal survey of Rock music.  My friend BJ Swanner compiled a "Top 1000 Rock Song List", aggregated from several "Top Lists".  As I go through all 1,000 songs, I'll be creating my own list, sharing a brief post like this for all the songs that will make my final list.   I will not be ranking the songs that make it to my final list.....for now.

Twitter: @jimmythelion

Rock Blog - New World Man (Rush)

Artist: Rush
Song:  New World Man

Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQRShD0xuAk

Quick Thoughts: This is Rush's only American Top 40 hit, peaking at #21 on the Billboard singles chart for three weeks.  According to wikipedia, "the song's lyrics, by contrasting a New World Man with that of one from the Old World and Third World, apparently refer to the need for Canadians and Americans, as their nations take their societal and political place in the 21st century, to learn from the experiences of European and Third World nations".  I don't know what exactly Rush band members meant by this, but it's a title that makes me curious about the political views behind it.  The song is good, though I'm having a hard time really liking Geddy Lee's voice.

Ranking from Original "Top 1000" List:  918
Added to my Personal List?  YES
Total Songs Added to Final List: 44

For upcoming concerts:  http://www.rush.com/

Having grown up listening to mostly hip-hop, R&B, some alternative, and all sorts of music in Spanish, I decided it was time to give myself a personal survey of Rock music.  My friend BJ Swanner compiled a "Top 1000 Rock Song List", aggregated from several "Top Lists".  As I go through all 1,000 songs, I'll be creating my own list, sharing a brief post like this for all the songs that will make my final list.   I will not be ranking the songs that make it to my final list.....for now.

Twitter: @jimmythelion