100 Rock Songs (41 to 50)

The next lot – again vaguely chronological …

(41) Guns’n’Roses – Paradise City

Forget the hype – G’n’R are/were a fantastic band and “Appetite For Destruction” was a landmark album. Initially I refused to be swept away with it all but when I heard “Paradise City” for the first time I realised that I had made a mistake. The song reaches its peak at the end when the tempo is switched to overdrive. Superb.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsrDv3K7RNI

(42) Helloween – I Want Out

Helloween are a German rock band founded in the early eighties. “I Want Out” is a brilliant power metal anthem with driving guitars and screaming vocals – just the way I like it. Wonderful!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjV8SHjHvHk

(43) Queensrÿche – Anarchy-X/Revolution Calling

“Operation Mindcrime” is the magnum opus of Queensrÿche, a brilliant concept album full of pure magnificence. It is certainly my favourite concept album and that includes everything produced by Rush. “Anarchy-X” and “Revolution Calling” need to be combined together in my view and start the album with an angry explosion that demonstrates the pure initial anger of the protagonist, Nicky. If you haven’t heard “operation Mindcrime” I urge you to borrow it or buy it. You won’t regret it. Revolutionary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJb3Lcvtn4M

(44) Yngwie J. Malmsteen – Heaven Tonight

“Heaven Tonight” features Joe Lynn Turner, the former Rainbow vocalist. The song is a big eighties metal anthem by Yngwie J. Malmsteen who is a fabulous guitarist from Sweden. I really love this song due to its bombastic nature and partly due to Joe Lynn Turner’s vocals. Typical of eighties metal but I love it all the same. Pounding.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp2jNhZWxBM

(45) Blue Murder – Ptolemy

John Sykes played guitar with David Coverdale in Whitesnake and with Phil Lynott in Thin Lizzy. With a pedigree like that it was hard to ignore his subsequent band Blue Murder. I bought the album having just heard one song called “Valley Of The Kings”, which was a totally piece of rock pomposity. However, there was one song on the album that blew it away – the incredible “Ptolemy”. This is metal at its very best. Get that air guitar ready – you will wear it out. Grandiose.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhIET6KwLq8

(46) Faith No More – From Out Of Nowhere

When Mike Patton joined Faith No More, the band became huge. “The Real Thing” was a superbly different album and Mike Patton added something special to the group. The opening track on the album is the brilliant “From Out Of Nowhere” and, in my opinion, the band have never written a better song. Belting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BusOupjBJaY

(47) Joe Satriani – Big Bad Moon

Joe Satriani is the greatest guitar player I have ever seen, end of story. The man is a genius. I have never seen a man play the guitar so well. Normally his albums a purely instrumental but, on the album “Flying In A Blue Dream”, he actually sings on a couple of the songs. One of them is “Big Bad Moon”. Now his voice may not be perfect but who cares? The song is outstanding and my favourite by the main man. Virtuoso.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK-slJC_2TY

(48) AC/DC - Thunderstruck

“Thunderstruck” is my favourite post-Bon Scott song by the brilliant AC/DC. It is real head-banging fist-pounder. It is another song requiring an air guitar. Thunderous.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvoeeq-BH4w

(49) Queensrÿche – Silent Lucidity

Queensrÿche’s follow up to “Operation Mindcrime” was “Empire”, which actually sold millions more. While the album is not as good as “Operation Mindcrime” there are some great songs on it, including my favourite by the band, a power ballad called “Silent Lucidity” that features an orchestra. The singer Geoff Tate has a raw rock voice but on “Silent Lucidity” his voice fits the power ballad style perfectly. Beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC444i8tcyc

(50) Thunder – Backstreet Symphony

Thunder are brilliant. I have seen this band more times than any other and I still pop to see their annual visit to Manchester even now. The band has a lot of fun and has created some of the best rock songs to come out of the United Kingdom. They never fail to disappoint. “Backstreet Symphony” is the title track to their first album and is typical of the band. Keep going lads. Fantastic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDL1iFX2Vm0

51 to 60 to follow …

100 Rock Songs (31 to 40)

The next bunch – again roughly chronological …

(31) Thin Lizzy – Thunder And Lightning

“Thunder And Lightning” was the last album by Thin Lizzy and arguably the best. It is certainly my favourite and heavier than a lot of their previous offerings. The title track is a great example of this. Subtle it is not. Fantastic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHmu9k6WWcg

(32) Yes – Owner Of A Lonely Heart

Fans of Yes are not generally fans of “Owner Of A Lonely Heart”. From a personal point of view, though, I think the song is wonderful. Okay it is a little commercial and more of a pop song than a rock song to be fair. Despite this, I think it works and Yes fans who moan should take the song on its own merits. Classy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELpmmeT69cE

(33) Deep Purple – Perfect Strangers

Deep Purple reformed in 1984 with the greatest line up, the Mark IV version, with Ian Gillan, Ritchie Blackmore, Roger Glover, Ian Paice and of course Jon Lord. “Perfect Strangers” the album was the result and the title track was released as the first single. And what a song it is. I’ve seen the band a couple of times and one of the highlights is the performance of this deep and moody number complete with lasers. Excellent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwoTaisFMIE

(34) Whitesnake – Slow And Easy

“Slow And Easy” is a bluesy masterpiece from Whitesnake, just before David Coverdale ditched this line up and set sail for superstardom in America. A real foot stomping song and shows Whitesnake at their very best. Unbeatable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW4LQN1Bx1Q

(35) Faith No More – We Care A Lot

“We Care A Lot” is a great song by Faith No More with a superb bass line and great lyrics. To be honesty I prefer the band when Mike Patton was singing (he’s not present on this song) and have been fortunate to see him actually perform it. Top tune.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDwiTxXzFsA

(36) Megadeth – Peace Sells

I must admit that I didn’t really like Megadeth in the 1980’s. They were just a little too heavy for me. However, when I played “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City” the song cropped up on the radio and it grew on me immensely, so much in fact that after several plays I was hooked. I rate it as one of the finest truly heavy metal songs from that decade. Heavy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DWoJBHibhM

(37) Rush – Turn The Page

“Hold Your Fire” is a classic Rush album full of fabulous songs. Every song is a classic in my view and “Turn The Page” is the best of them. Turn the volume up full and ascend into prog rock heaven. Songs like this prove that Rush are the greatest band on the planet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E0m0Gcblp0

(38) Whitesnake – Still Of The Night

David Coverdale morphed the Whitesnake I loved into a big-haired American rock band in 1987 and stripped away the blues to produce an album full of appeal to young college students. I was sad when I first heard the album “1987”. However, one track stood out a mile. “Still Of The Night” is a masterpiece and I take my hat off to David Coverdale for giving the world this fabulous track amongst AOR banality. What’s more, the accompanying video features Tawny Kitaen – say no more! Brilliant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqb5EcU65IQ

(39) Aerosmith – Rag Doll

Aerosmith are massive and have produced some great music over the decades. My favourite album is the first one I bought; “Permanent Vacation” from the late eighties. I bought it on the strength of two songs, one of which is featured in this list. “Rag Doll” is a superb feelgood song. Aerosmith are also one of the best bands I have seen live. Amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIAYxFApsEM

(40) Gary Moore – Over The Hills And Far Away

Gary Moore now sings the blues and while it is admirable that he has gone back to his roots and the music he loves, it is such a shame that he has left behind the pure belting rock music he performed in the eighties. “Over The Hills And Far Away” is a classic Celtic rock anthem, with pounding drums and violins. Unbeatable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyJEytBlp1I

41 to 50 to follow …