danielmclark Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 So, I've been thinking about this lately... there are some bands that are defined by one or two songs - Tom Sawyer, for example - but are those iconic tracks really the best the band has/had to offer? Tom Sawyer might be the most iconic Rush track, but it's far from their best song, IMO. Even if someone isn't into classic rock, they've likely heard of Stairway to Heaven, making that, IMO, Zeppelin's iconic track. But I think Achilles Last Stand is far better. What are some songs that you think are better than a band's signature track? Here's a short list of iconic songs to get it going... curious what you think are some others. AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long Kiss - Rock and Roll All Night Van Halen - Jump Ted Nugent - Cat Scratch Fever The Doors - Break On Through (To the Other Side) Aerosmith - Walk This Way Ozzy - Crazy Train Black Sabbath - Iron Man Peter Gabriel - Solsbury Hill Pink Floyd - Another Brick in the Wall The Police - Every Breath You Take The Who - Pinball Wizard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Can-Utility Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Honestly, I think Solsbury Hill might be Peter Gabriel's best.. there's just so much there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fledgehog Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 QUOTE (Can-Utility @ Aug 17 2011, 10:51 PM) Honestly, I think Solsbury Hill might be Peter Gabriel's best.. there's just so much there in the air tonight is better trollface.dll Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughedatbytime Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Iron Maiden--Run to the Hills Judas Priest--You Got Another Thing Comin' Metallica--Enter Sandman Billy Ray Cyrus--Achy Breaky Heart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Can-Utility Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I can only assume that Illegal Alien is Genesis' "iconic track" though I think that Turn It On Again is far better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scars Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 (edited) QUOTE (Can-Utility @ Aug 17 2011, 11:43 PM) I can only assume that Illegal Alien is Genesis' "iconic track" though I think that Turn It On Again is far better Trust me, "Illegal Alien" is FAR from being Genesis' iconic track. It really depends how you want to approach the group...You could take the Gabriel-era approach and claim "Supper's Ready," "Firth of Fifth," "The Lamb...," or "The Carpet Crawlers," (which the fanbase often does) but outside of the fans, the first Genesis song to come to most peoples minds would not be from the Gabriel-era (so do we count iconic as band-defining or most popular?). As far as the Collins-era goes, I think most people (even non-fans) would know pretty much anything off of the "Invisible Touch" album (as much as it's easy to say negative remarks about the Collins-era, most of the population wouldn't know much about the 5 previous albums before IT), but as far as labeling it "iconic," that's a bit of a stretch (is it absolutely great material? Yes, but iconic? I wouldn't say so). ...and out of all that, none of the above songs would be my favorite Genesis track, that goes to "Me and Sarah Jane" or "Home by the Sea." Edited August 18, 2011 by Scars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Can-Utility Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 QUOTE (Scars @ Aug 17 2011, 11:17 PM) QUOTE (Can-Utility @ Aug 17 2011, 11:43 PM) I can only assume that Illegal Alien is Genesis' "iconic track" though I think that Turn It On Again is far better Trust me, "Illegal Alien" is FAR from being Genesis' iconic track. It really depends how you want to approach the group...You could take the Gabriel-era approach and claim "Supper's Ready," "Firth of Fifth," "The Lamb...," or "The Carpet Crawlers," (which the fanbase often does) but outside of the fans, the first Genesis song to come to most peoples minds would not be from the Gabriel-era (so do we count iconic as band-defining or most popular?). As far as the Collins-era goes, I think most people (even non-fans) would know pretty much anything off of the "Invisible Touch" album (as much as it's easy to say negative remarks about the Collins-era, most of the population wouldn't know much about the 5 previous albums before IT), but as far as labeling it "iconic," that's a bit of a stretch (is it absolutely great material? Yes, but iconic? I wouldn't say so). ...and out of all that, none of the above songs would be my favorite Genesis track, that goes to "Me and Sarah Jane" or "Home by the Sea." *whoosh* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silas Lang Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I'm not going to get into what constitutes an 'iconic' song but I do think most of the time in the cases of the bands that I have most of or all their output, the most popular songs are among their best. That's not to say there aren't other songs that are just as good but aren't as well known. I mean how can you deny that 'Stairway' is one of Zep's greatest (Achilles Last Stand is up there too) or that Tom Sawyer and Spirit of Radio is Rush at their very best? It goes on and on like that... Aqualung & Locomotive Breath for Tull Won't Get Fooled Again & My Generation for The Who Iron Man & War Pigs for Sabbath A Day in the Life for The Beatles Eighteen & School's Out for Alice Cooper Roundabout & Starship Trooper for Yes Smoke on the Water for Purple All Right Now for Free Lucky Man for ELP Nights in White Satin for The Moody Blues Games Without Frontiers for Gabriel Light My Fire, Riders on the Storm & Roadhouse Blues for The Doors etc., etc. I mean, come on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandDesigner Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I feel like U2's iconic tracks are One, Beautiful Day, With Or Without You, and Pride. They have dozens of songs better than those (for the record, I LOVE WoWY and Pride as well) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metaldad Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 This is the reason i stopped listening to radio 20 years ago. The same songs by bands that people Think is their best work. Van Halen, Jump? Please. The only band I can think of where I think their best song is their most popular song is Slayer, Angel Of Death. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormtron Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 FREE BIRD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielmclark Posted August 18, 2011 Author Share Posted August 18, 2011 QUOTE (metaldad @ Aug 18 2011, 07:45 AM) This is the reason i stopped listening to radio 20 years ago. The same songs by bands that people Think is their best work. Van Halen, Jump? Please. The only band I can think of where I think their best song is their most popular song is Slayer, Angel Of Death. Right, but that's what I'm getting at here. I don't think Jump is their best song (hell, I'd take half the Sammy catalog over that track), but I do think that in the collective mind of the public, it's their most recognizable, or most iconic, song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metaldad Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 QUOTE (danielmclark @ Aug 18 2011, 10:52 AM) QUOTE (metaldad @ Aug 18 2011, 07:45 AM) This is the reason i stopped listening to radio 20 years ago. The same songs by bands that people Think is their best work. Van Halen, Jump? Please. The only band I can think of where I think their best song is their most popular song is Slayer, Angel Of Death. Right, but that's what I'm getting at here. I don't think Jump is their best song (hell, I'd take half the Sammy catalog over that track), but I do think that in the collective mind of the public, it's their most recognizable, or most iconic, song. Oh I know what your talking about. I should have given you one of these It drives me nuts that people think Kiss Rock And Roll All Night is their best song, I can think of 80 off the top of my head that are better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toscanobarga Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I love Thin Lizzy, but the only song you'll ever hear on US radio is "The Boys are back in Town" , they have SO much other great material. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driventotheedge Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 QUOTE (GrandDesigner @ Aug 18 2011, 05:26 AM) I feel like U2's iconic tracks are One, Beautiful Day, With Or Without You, and Pride. They have dozens of songs better than those (for the record, I LOVE WoWY and Pride as well) And "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driventotheedge Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 QUOTE (Storm Shadow @ Aug 18 2011, 07:01 AM) FREE BIRD And "Sweet Home Alabama". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driventotheedge Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 (edited) Pink Floyd - "Money" and maybe "Time". Nugent - "Stranglehold" The Beatles - Too many to list, seriously. The Stones - "Satisfaction" and Honky Tonk Women" for starters. I'm sure other folks will add to that list. Rush - "Limelight" and arguably "Freewill" and "Subdivisions". Creedence - "Bad Moon Rising" The Eagles - "Hotel California" and "Take It Easy" for sure and ??? Aerosmith - "Dream On" ZZ Top - "Sharp Dressed Man" and maybe "Legs" . . . . . Edited August 18, 2011 by driventotheedge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invisible airwave Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 (edited) Tom Petty - Listen To Her Heart, A Woman In Love (It's Not Me), Kings Highwway Edited August 19, 2011 by invisible airwave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natch Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Radio? What's radio? By the way, I think Pink Floyd's most iconic song is Comfortably Numb. As for Van Halen...on their last tour, I walked out when they launched into Jump for the final song of the encore. Can't stand that song. Love everything else they did though. How about Led Zeppelin - Stairway? Certainly not their best tune IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Invisible To Telescopic Eye Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Hang on....I'm confused here...I thought the point of the thread was to find songs you like more than the iconic track off of a record, but all I'm seeing is the iconic tracks listed...Am I missing the point? I see it like this: Red Barchetta > Tom Sawyer Shoot To Thrill > Back In Black Crackerman > Plush (STP Core) Making Memories > Fly By Night Ice Cream Man > Eruption Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rushman14 Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 QUOTE (laughedatbytime @ Aug 17 2011, 08:18 PM) Iron Maiden--Run to the Hills Judas Priest--You Got Another Thing Comin' Metallica--Enter Sandman Billy Ray Cyrus--Achy Breaky Heart these arent iconic? Im confused. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Star Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielmclark Posted August 18, 2011 Author Share Posted August 18, 2011 QUOTE (Invisible To Telescopic Eye @ Aug 18 2011, 02:53 PM) Hang on....I'm confused here...I thought the point of the thread was to find songs you like more than the iconic track off of a record, but all I'm seeing is the iconic tracks listed...Am I missing the point? I see it like this: Red Barchetta > Tom Sawyer Shoot To Thrill > Back In Black Crackerman > Plush (STP Core) Making Memories > Fly By Night Ice Cream Man > Eruption You got it. That was the point... to identify the iconic tracks and then come up with ones that are better... "better" being subjective, of course, but still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughedatbytime Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 QUOTE (Rushman14 @ Aug 18 2011, 03:09 PM) QUOTE (laughedatbytime @ Aug 17 2011, 08:18 PM) Iron Maiden--Run to the Hills Judas Priest--You Got Another Thing Comin' Metallica--Enter Sandman Billy Ray Cyrus--Achy Breaky Heart these arent iconic? Im confused. Yeah, these songs are iconic (from the standpoint that they're the signature songs for the band), but there are many songs (too many to list) that are better than these. For example, everything from Unleashed in the East (among many other JP songs) is better than You've Got Another Thing Comin', there are at least 20 Maiden songs better than Run to the Hills, and the entire Master of Puppets album (among others) > Enter Sandman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Sawyer Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 I think that often, "Iconic" songs are far from being the best. However, I will say this: If they are so bad, why are they so popular? IMO, Stairway is on of Zep's best tunes. But perhaps that's because I haven't heard it a thousand times. As I am 14, radio has not 'ruined' songs for me yet. Although I agree Red Barchetta is better than Tom Sawyer, I love Tom Sawyer almost as much and find it to be an awesome song. In a lot of cases, I think you guys hate the most popular songs not because they are bad, but because you've heard them a million times on the radio. Just IMO, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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