So I was thinking recently about compiling a list of "epic" rock songs. What do I mean by "epic"? In this case, I'm talking about lengthy songs (usually five minutes or longer) that have a lot of musical changes or actual movements, where different parts of the song have a different feel and tone. Lyrically there may be a discernible story, but there may not be as well.
Here's my list so far, in no particular order:
Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin
Killing In The Name - Rage Against the Machine
Green Grass and High Tides - The Outlaws
In the Presence of Enemies PT. 2 - Dream Theater
Martian Boogie - Brownsville Station
An Hour In the Shower - Chicago
Paradise By The Dashboard Light - Meat Loaf
The Murder Mystery - The Velvet Underground
Brown Shoes Don't Make It - The Mothers Of Invention
Karn Evil 9 - Emerson Lake and Palmer
Any thoughts on others?
One song per artist.
It needs to be one long song, not a number of short songs stitched together. No medley.
Replies
I'm too lazy to do links, and we're doing rock songs.
Starship Trooper - Yes
Achilles Last Stand - Led Zeppelin
2112 - Rush - there maybe some push back on this
Hotel California - The Eagles
Green Grass and High Tides - The Outlaws
A lot of Dream Theater
Thick as a Brick by Jethro Tull (Pretty much the whole album)
Something on Quadrophenia by The Who must qualify (or the whole thing). "5:15"?
"A Day in the Life" by The Beatles? (Two stories/movements)
Days of Future Passed, the Moody Blues ("The Day Begins"/”Dawn Is a Feeling”/”The Morning: Another Morning”/”Lunch Break: Peak Hour”/”The Afternoon”/”Evening”/”The Sunset”/”Twilight Time”/”Nights in White Satin”/”Late Lament”)
"Medley" or "The Long One" by The Beatles on Abbey Road ("You Never Give Me Your Money/"Sun King"/"Mean Mr. Mustard"/”Polythene Pam”/"She Came In Through the Bathroom Window"/"Golden Slumbers"/"Carry That Weight"/"The End”)
"Can't You Hear Me Knocking" (Rolling Stones)
"Monkey Man" (Rolling Stones)
I don't know if these meet your criteria, but they're all long favorites of mine.
I added Starship Trooper and Grern Grass and High Tides
I didn't add Achilles Last Stand or Hotel California. While they are long, they don't change much musically.
I'm not big into Rush. Is 2112 considered to be a song or a side of an album?
Travis Herrick (Modular Mod) said:
It would be easy to load this list up with 70s prog-rock songs, as it's likely many qualify I'm not an expert of that sort of thing, although I do have some familiarity.
I think I'd like to keep it to one song per artist, so I'm leaving out Thick as. A Brick.
I'm sure the Who have a song that would qualify, maybe on Quadrophenia or Tommy. I know they did their share of mini-operas/medleys
I'll have to listen to the Moody Blues song to make a decision.
I'm actually leaning awzy from medleys like The Long One, as I tend to think of those as separate songs linked together rather than one coherent piece.
I have to listen to the Rolling Stones songs. I'm sure I've heard them before, but I need to refresh my memory.
Captain Comics said:
This may not go on your list, but it's definitely on mine: Heart, doing "Silver Wheels/Crazy on You," with a touch of "Hijinx" thrown in:
Geez, how could I forget the Moody Blues? The first box set is the first I ever got!
My only argument for Hotel California (which we what we are here for, right? hahaha) is that it goes from slow to slower.
I understand you wanting to limit to one song per artist. So then I would say: Pull Me Under by Dream Theater, their most popular song by far. (Although I prefer "In the Presence of my Enemies pt. 2)
While Metallica has a lot of great of great songs that fit this criteria, IMO. I would say One is their best in this context.
I'm sure I will have more to add.
So 2112, is weird. Side 1 was a 7 part song if you will. If you wanna kic it out, I'm sure I can find another Rush song..
The only thing wrong is that it's a medley, not one song.
ClarkKent_DC said:
Added In the Presence of Enemies PT 2 - Dream Theater and One - Metallica.
While Hotel California does get slower at the end, it's definitely still the same song as it started. Contrast that with Street Hassle, which while the sbg structure stays the same, by changing up the instrumentation and vocal styles it divides itself into three dulistonct parts.
Travis Herrick (Modular Mod) said:
Martian Boogie by Brownsville Station
Autobahn by Kraftwerk
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