Like a Rolling Stone named greatest song ever

Reuters ^ | November 18, 2004 | Steve Gorman

[ConservativeStatement]

"No other pop song has so thoroughly challenged and transformed the commercial laws and artistic conventions of its time, for all time," wrote Rolling Stone senior editor David Fricke in an article accompanying the magazine's list of the top 500 rock songs of all time.

[Dr.Deth]

every time he saw Lennon driving around New York City, Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale" always seemed to be emanating from the stereo in Lennon's Bentley

Wow, good song. Certainly better than any of Lennon's solo stuff I can think of, even "#9 Dream". If he ever could have shook Yoko off, maybe he would have achieved his goal of writing a better song. Not bad for the thrown-together cobble of studio musicians that was Procol Harum.

For that matter, "Homburg", "Repent Walpurgis" and "In Held 'Twas I" were all better too. And I have a soft spot for "Whiskey Train" although it reminds me more of Status Quo than Harum.

Speaking of which... did "Pictures Of Matchstick Men" make the list? Gooood song.

[drjimmy]

Nice list of tunes, but not a power chord or drum break among 'em. If that's REALLY rock, then you have to include Donovan as a rocker, and I, for one, can't go there.
Donovan's "Season of the Witch" is a rocker, with John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page playing on it. Dylan does rock, folk, gospel, blues, pop, country, rap--just about every genre imaginable. He's got a lot of clunkers in each category, but a lot of gems as well.

[wku man]

Same here. I love The Clash (despite their loony Leftist leanings), but London Calling doesn't belong in the Top 50. Complete Control and White Man in Hammersmith Palais are much better songs. Also, not only do Nirvana not belong in the Top 50, but they belong in the garbage heap. Nrvana is one of the worst things to ever happen to rock and roll, along with MTV.

And what's this crap of only including one Zeppelin song, and Stairway at that? One could argue that Zeppelin tunes could make up the entire Top 50, with Stairway somewhere around 45 or 46.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[baguette]

I could not agree more. This absolutely is the greatest of the greats. Of his other masterpieces:

Desolation Row; Jokerman; Tom Thumb's Blues; Love Minus Zero; Brownsville Girl.

Only act close to him is the Stones, of course.

[wku man]

I saw Foreigner in '79, and they rocked. Eye of the beholder, I guess.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[wku man]

Well, Nirvana's on there...I can't think of a more outrageous joke than them.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[Red Badger]

By 79 they may have gotten their stage presence in order. In 78, they just stood like statues and played. No one LIGHTED for a encore, but they gave one anyway.......

[kjam22]

lol.....I don't even know what song they're talking about......and I'm a musician.

You're a musician and you don't know "like a rolling stone".... ???

I'm betting you're under the age of 18 or you're not much of a musician.

[kjam22]

I agree with your post #13 on all counts... !

[Psycho_Bunny]

I'd bet, "More than you"

[kjam22]

You have no ground to bet on. You already stated you never even heard of "like a rolling stone". I mean, you've already given up. I think your just a psycho-bunny :)

[myrabach]

Actually I know lots of musicians, including my Mom, who know very much about Bob Dylan and give him the kudos he deserves.

Maybe you should "bone up"?

[kjam22]

Yeah.... the idea that someone says "I've never even heard of the song.... and I'm a musician"...... as if that makes the song of less importance? That statement speaks much more loudly about the person makeing the statement than it does the quality of the song.

[beckett]

Good list but I personally would include a few tunes by the Temptations, namely My Girl and Just My Imagination. The Four Tops deserve a shout out too.

[okkev68]

Any "greatest song" list that includes Imagine is automatically invalidated IMHO. That is the worst song, with the stupidest message, ever written.

And the only post 70's song on the list is by the pitiful still dead former husband of Courtney "the queen skank" Love. Incontheevable.

[Cruising Speed]

Best song ever? How about 'Theme for an Imaginary Western' (Bruce/Brown) as played by Leslie West & Mountain?

#2) 'All Along the Watchtower' (Dylan) as played by Jimi Hendrix.

#3)I'm putting away all those other great rock tunes and going with 'I Can See Clearly Now' by I-don't-know-who.

[newcats]

Well...it's not as bad as most modern hip-hop...

So that makes it acceptable?

[RockinRight]

Sure, for an adult that knows the difference between right and wrong and can appreciate a fun song.

[newcats]

Sure, for an adult that knows the difference between right and wrong and can appreciate a fun song.
So you have no problem with shock jocks or the Super Bowl fiasco or the Monday Night Football intro?

[RockinRight]

Alright. Stick to your Gospel and I'll keep my rock and roll.