The greatest guitar song

We all love lists. That is the reason why we now get them all the time. These range from the relevant and noteworthy like Time Magazine’s lists of Top 100 movers and shakers in politics, entertainment, philantrophy, science and other fields to the outrageous like the 10 Sexiest Moments on the Red Carpet in Entertainment Tonight or the 10 Sexiest Men Alive of People Magazine.

But no matter what is in it, the fact is that people, even the supposedly disinterested would at least scan the list and then ooh and aah at what it says. Does Oprah Winfrey really make that much money? or Bill Gates is not the richest man alive! Most of the time, they would also agree or disagree or come up with their own choices, think Robert Downey is sexier than Matt Damon.

Being a magazine established during the rock era, the lists that Rolling Stone Magazine has come up with over the years mostly concern rock music. There have been lists like The 100 Greatest Rock Albums of All Time, The 100 Greatest Rock Songs of All Time and The 100 Greatest Rock Artists of All Time. Pay no mind to the All Time bit. Nothing in these lists is written in stone and they do need updating every five years or so. But until that happens, the names and titles in the lists, which were chosen by people knowledgeable in rock music, are considered truly deserving.

The latest issue of Rolling Stone features a new list and it is The 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time. Now do you know anybody who cares about the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time? I don’t but like most lists this one is fun to read. Then you can agree or disagree and perhaps come up with one of your own. Besides, I like it that Chuck Berry’s Johnny B. Goode made No. 1 and that for once he is not playing second fiddle to Bob Dylan or The Beatles. Admit it, these guys and thousands of others all stole or, let us be nice and just say, borrowed, lots of riffs from Chuck.

Chuck is the guy behind rock songs like Sweet Little Sixteen, Back in the USA, Roll Over Beethoven, Maybelline and many others. Those songs came about during a most difficult period for black entertainers, the ‘50s and ‘60s. Fortunately, Chuck never allowed that to get him down. He simply stayed true to himself and created landmark rock recordings like Johnny B. Goode, from 1958.

It is about a poor, illiterate country boy, who could “play the guitar like ringing a bell.” It has all the elements of a great rock song. There is pain, hunger, rage, joy and that all-important sense of fun. And I do not think anybody can dispute the fantastic guitar work Chuck gave the arrangement. The opening bar alone is already more than enough to set the mood for an exciting rock and roll moment. Take note of how effectively it was put to use in the Michael J. Fox movie Back to the Future.

Johnny B. Goode, which laid the groundwork for generations of rock artists, is indeed the greatest of them all but there are still lots of other rock recordings that made memorable use of the guitar. Here are more of them. For the rest which made it to the Top 100 list, you might want to check out the new issue of Rolling Stone.

Purple Haze, The Jimmy Hendrix Experience 1967; Crossroads, Cream 1968; You Really Got Me, Kinks 1964; Brown Sugar, The Rolling Stones 1971; Eruption, Van Halen 1978; While My Guitar Gently Weeps, The Beatles 1968; Stairway to Heaven, Led Zeppelin 1971; Statesboro Blues, The Allman Brothers Band 1971; Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana 1991.

Whole Lotta Love, Led Zeppelin 1969; Voodoo Child (Slight Return), The Jimi Hendrix Experience 1968; Layla, Derek and the Dominoes 1970; Born to Run, Bruce Springsteen 1975; My Generation, The Who 1965; Cowgirl in the Sand, Neil Young with Crazy Horse 1969; Black Sabbath, Black Sabbath 1970; Blitzkrieg Bop, The Ramones 1976; Purple Rain, Prince and the Revolution 1984; People Get Ready, The Impressions 1965.

Seven Nation Army, The White Stripes 2003; A Hard Day’s Night, The Beatles 1964; Over Under Sideways Down, The Yardbirds 1966; Killing in the Name Of, Rage Against the Machine 1962; Can’t You Hear Me Knocking, The Rolling Stones 1971; How Blue Can You Get, B.B. King 1965; Look Over Yonders Wall, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band 1965; Where the Streets Have No Name, U2 1987; Back in Black, AC/DC 1980; Rock Around the Clock, Bill Hayley and His Comets 1954.