Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Carol of the Bells (Dead Winter Dead)
Earlier recordings of Carol of the Bells always freaked me out, eliciting visions of Halloween fear rather than Christmas cheer. Then, Trans-Siberian Orchestra came along and turned the song into an action movie theme. Who’s pumped for Christmas?
RUN-DMC’s Christmas in Hollis (A Very Special Christmas)
Here is the full music video for a song which I remember so clearly from the opening of Die Hard. Great way to get in the Christmas spirit.
The Band’s Don’t Do It (The Last Waltz concert film)
I love the layered intro. Drums…bass guitar…piano…organ…electric guitar and the band. This song was originally written by the Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting trio and performed by Marvin Gaye. In my opinion, no one ever performed it quite as well as The Band. If this version doesn’t bring a smile to your face and force you to sing out loud, then you may want to check that ticker in your chest. The joy these guys brought to every performance is infectious. They loved music. For that, I give thanks. As Rick Danko so gleefully declared, Happy Thanksgiving!
Fatboy Slim’s Weapon of Choice (Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars)
Another Top-100 video of all-time. This one features the enigmatic Christopher Walken sashaying around an empty hotel. In a way, his appearance in this music video re-invigorated his career, re-defining him for a younger audience after a decade of playing sadistic killers, minus his hilarious role in Wayne’s World 2. This video was such a pop culture hit, that in the unfortunate time following Walken’s eventual passing, it and the ‘Cow Bell’ skit from SNL will probably be mentioned more often than his acting work in The Deer Hunter and King of New York. On that note, enjoy.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Heads Will Roll (It’s Blitz!)
First time I heard this song I fell in love with it. I went out and bought the LP. It’s a fantastic LP. I love this lead singer’s voice, and the intro progression of instruments has me restarting the song a number of times before I listen to the entire thing. This is a phenomenal video; Top-100 all-time.
Australian, yes Australian, Gods of Rock AC/DC have been rockin’ hard since 1975, releasing 18 studio albums and 5 live albums. They’re one of the highest-grossing live performers ever (their 2008 Black Ice Tour was the 3rd highest-grossing tour of all-time) and one of the best-selling bands ever (they rank in the top-15 all-time for album sales with the likes of The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and The Beatles).
Their lyrics are highly-sexualized, their riffs hard and tight. Their live performances are electric and exhilarating (I’m a vet of the 2008 tour at Giants Stadium). They lost their lead singer, Bon Scott, to an alcohol-induced death early in their career when they were climbing the charts, and their next album, with new singer Brian Johnson, surpassed all others and became the 2nd highest-grossing album of all-time. It’s hard not to like AC/DC’s music, even if you dislike rock and/or metal, because the men in the band seem to be having so much fun. Their joy in rockin’ out is contagious. Are they the greatest rock band ever? No. They haven’t taken many chances throughout their career, nor have they advanced their understanding of musicology, blending genres and creating new ones. Not every band can be The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, or The Beatles. AC/DC is eminently listenable and completely enjoyable. That’s enough.
For this list, my focus is only on the studio albums, though I will rate both the original Australian albums and their International counterparts. In their early career, AC/DC first released albums in their home country, then released similar albums to the international crowds. The international albums had edited versions of hit songs from the Australian albums. That was a bummer for American audiences at the time. For those shopping for albums today on EBay or Amazon or in their local record stores, buy the original Australian albums, if they’re available.
Onto the list…
1. Back in Black (1980) – Writing out the playlist is all I need to do to show to you that this is their quintessential album: Hells Bells, Shoot to Thrill, What Do You Do For Money Honey, Given the Dog a Bone, Let Me Put My Love Into You, Back in Black, You Shook Me All Night Long, Have a Drink On Me, Shake a Leg, Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution. AC/DC purists may condemn this selection, as it does not represent the work of original lead singer Bon Scott, but when I listen to AC/DC I find myself drawn to the power and charisma of Brian Johnson, who replaced Bon Scott after his death from alcohol overdose in 1980. Back in Black ranks 2nd all-time worldwide with 49 million units sold.
2. T.N.T. (Australia, 1975) – Many of the songs on this album were included on the international release of High Voltage the following year, but this album got to the songs first and deserves credit for that. It also has a fantastic Chuck Berry cover on it that wasn’t included on the international release the following year.
3. The Razors Edge (1990) – Any album headlined by Thunderstruck need be in the top-3.
4. Highway to Hell (1979) – Certainly their most popular album after Back in Black. It’s great, but I find the early purity of T.N.T. and the hard-hitting cuts of The Razors Edge a bit more visceral.
5. Black Ice (2008) – I love Side A of this album. Yes, the band’s gotten a bit more generic in their 33rd year of existence, but they still cut it up on their riffs and pack a powerful beat behind each song. To put it simply, they’re in their late-fifties and still demanding their audience to head-bang.
6. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (Australia, 1976) – The only real difference between this album and its international counterpart is that the title song is edited in the international version. You don’t edit a song titled Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap!
7. High Voltage (International, 1976) – A mix of their hits from the previous Australian releases of High Voltage and T.N.T.. Mostly, this is a retread of T.N.T., my #2 album on this list.
8. For Those About to Rock We Salute You (1981) – The follow-up to their biggest album, Back in Black, this album has some highlights, but isn’t as strong across the board.
9. Let There Be Rock (Australia, 1977) – The band was coming into its own with its fourth album. The final song, Whole Lotta Rosie, is a concert anthem that includes a giant, inflatable female doll ready-for-action.
10. Stiff Upper Lip (2000) – The band’s first album in five years and only its second in ten. Rather than being a resurgent return to greatness, this album is more like the band getting its toes wet again after so many years and such a radical change in popular music thanks to MTV and boy bands.
11. High Voltage (Australia, 1975) – Their debut album. For purists, this may be the golden goose, but the alum is a classic hit-or-miss debut, with the band finding its voice and sound. Not great, but a very interesting album to listen to.
12. Blow Up Your Video (1988) – This album is a solid entry into their canon, though not an outstanding album in its own right.
13. Ballbreaker (1995) – This hit #4 on the U.S. Chart because audiences were clamoring after five years for another album, but this album is not up to par with their best work. Like #12 on this list, the album is solid, but not memorable.
14. Powerage (1978) – A standard entry from their early years. Worth listening to as a build-up to two of their top-5 albums, Back in Black and Highway to Hell.
15. Fly on the Wall (1985) – As with #16 on this list, this album is a mediocre release from the band’s post-zenith period.
16. Flick of the Switch (1983) – As with #15 on this list, this album is a mediocre release from the band’s post-zenith period.
17. Let There Be Rock (International, 1977) – An international album that contains edited versions of the originals released on the Australian album. I’ll always go with the original.
18. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (International, 1976) – How do you edit the song Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap? That’s my question, and my reasoning for placing it dead last.
Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells: Part I (The Exorcist Theme, off Tubular Bells)
Director William Friedkin decided late in the process of finishing production on The Exorcist to include this progressive rock song, which gained the Mike Oldfield record, Tubular Bells, instant popularity and forever embedded the song in social consciousness as being both creepy and, well, creepy. Happy Halloween, everyone!
John Carpenter’s Halloween Theme (Halloween Soundtrack)
This is to get you all in the mood for the upcoming holiday, Halloween. This song was composed and (originally) recorded by director John Carpenter. The theme alone would make the movie worth the viewing, but it also happens to be a great film, with plenty of mood and plenty of scares.
The Eagles’ Take It Easy (Eagles)
In honor of my currently being in Sedona, AZ, here’s the song most often played on the local “Classic Hits” station, 95.9 The Cloud. I actually love this song, so, enjoy. It was co-written by Jackson Browne, and was the first song on the Eagles’ first album. That’s an interesting bit of trivia.
The Zutons’ Valerie (Tired of Hanging Around)
I first heard this band’s music in a Madden football game. They were one of the featured artists, which means the company that markets Madden football games also markets The Zutons’ music. But, I remembered them and continue listening to them, so… They record fun songs, akin to Vampire Weekend. I like how the lead singer looks like Rob Thomas and sounds like the lead singer of a Brooklyn-based hipster folk quartet, even though they’re from Liverpool. Enjoy.
To cycle through older Songs of the Week, click here and follow the rabbit back to I.
« Older Entries Newer Entries »