Thursday, May 17, 2007

Stephen King Picks the 25 Best Rock Songs

Not a bad list, and I love it that he includes "Stupid Cupid." And yet Connie Francis is not in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. Those people are nuts. Thanks to "Rockin' Jeff" Meyerson for the link.

Photo 1 | Stevie's Wonders | Photos | EW.com: "So I run into one of my Constant Readers and — everybody's a critic — the guy says, ''Your column's suckin' out lately, Steve. You're losin' your edge.'' My first impulse is to tell him I have a cozy place where he can put my column, but since he looks like a recently retired Hell's Angel, I rethink this option. Instead I ask him what he thinks would make a good piece.

''Best rock songs of all time,'' he says. ''That subject always starts arguments, especially if you don't put 'Stairway' on there.''

I realized he was right. Especially since the idea of putting ''Stairway to Heaven'' on such a list grosses me out. So I decided to take my biker buddy up on his idea. Twenty-four great songs, one for every hour of the day, picked by the Infallible Me."

6 comments:

Frank Denton said...

My wife says that I'm the oldest rock and roller alive but what does she know? Steve's taste is not my taste. Three by Elvis? Not in my list. But I'll give him credit for The Hollies' Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress.

Unknown said...

Elvis is okay by me!

Anonymous said...

I never cared for that Hollies song, Frank. But I give Steve credit for getting the Beach Boys thing right by calling "Kokomo" odious, which it is.

But no Roy Orbison? And where is Del Shannon's "Runaway"?

Unknown said...

Maybe Roy didn't rock enough for SK. But "Runaway" should be there.

Anonymous said...

Yes, but That Much Elvis, and no Jerry Lee? This list isn't embarrassing, but it would've helped if someone at EW would've reminded King that the Lyres' song is called simply "Help You Ann" (and the raggedly-recorded concert clip, as pleasant as it might be particularly if You Were There, is not a patch on the studio recording from ON FIRE [or was that ON FYRE?]). Or, how you can tell Stephen King is a New Englander...his only '80s track is from the Lyres...

Unknown said...

You're right, Todd. Gotta be some Jerry Lee on there.