the Triumverate
As a rock site, it is encumbent on me to:
1. stop using works like 'Trimuverate' and 'Encumbant' and
2. talk about the most important songs in the history of rock
There are three that I have in mind, and I will do a seperate piece on each. The three most important songs in rock are, in no order:
1. the Weight the band
2. Born to Run Bruce Springsteen
3. Baba O'Reilly The Who
4. Life's Been Good The Eagles (Joe Walsh, really)
ok, that was four. Let's start with The Weight.
The Weight is a song better known to you as 'Take a load off Annie'. It is from 70's southern rock band 'the Band'. Brief and strange history of 'The Band'. They used to be known as 'the Hawks' because they were the backup band for Ronnie Hawkins. So, the bill was always 'Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks.
Then, they were Bob Dylan's back up band. The finally struck out on their own as 'the Band'. Have a listen here, in fact just buy the disc while you are there. I am crazy for this song. The lyrics are beautiful and strange. They are mystic at some points 'Carmen and the Devil walking side by side' and stupid at other points 'I will fix your rack, if you take Jack, my dog'.
Somehow, the song becomes a journey we all take together. It is a 70's masterpiece, as are all the songs on my list. So, was the 70's the peak of rock? Yes it was. Anyhow, to speak more on the song would be just blather. Know that I regard it as one of the top five songs in all the history of rock.
One last thing, here. I can't mention 'The Band' without a reference to their epic farewell concert as they broke. This band literally had the biggest and best and most important break concert in history. A few folks showed up to jam: Neil Young, Neil Diamond, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Eric Clapton, and Muddy Waters. Don't worry, they caught it all on camera. Some kid named Marty Scorsesee managed to document the whole event and it is called 'The Last Waltz'. The more I think about it, the more we owe damn near everything in rock to one dude... Bill Graham.
1. stop using works like 'Trimuverate' and 'Encumbant' and
2. talk about the most important songs in the history of rock
There are three that I have in mind, and I will do a seperate piece on each. The three most important songs in rock are, in no order:
1. the Weight the band
2. Born to Run Bruce Springsteen
3. Baba O'Reilly The Who
4. Life's Been Good The Eagles (Joe Walsh, really)
ok, that was four. Let's start with The Weight.
The Weight is a song better known to you as 'Take a load off Annie'. It is from 70's southern rock band 'the Band'. Brief and strange history of 'The Band'. They used to be known as 'the Hawks' because they were the backup band for Ronnie Hawkins. So, the bill was always 'Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks.
Then, they were Bob Dylan's back up band. The finally struck out on their own as 'the Band'. Have a listen here, in fact just buy the disc while you are there. I am crazy for this song. The lyrics are beautiful and strange. They are mystic at some points 'Carmen and the Devil walking side by side' and stupid at other points 'I will fix your rack, if you take Jack, my dog'.
Somehow, the song becomes a journey we all take together. It is a 70's masterpiece, as are all the songs on my list. So, was the 70's the peak of rock? Yes it was. Anyhow, to speak more on the song would be just blather. Know that I regard it as one of the top five songs in all the history of rock.
One last thing, here. I can't mention 'The Band' without a reference to their epic farewell concert as they broke. This band literally had the biggest and best and most important break concert in history. A few folks showed up to jam: Neil Young, Neil Diamond, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Eric Clapton, and Muddy Waters. Don't worry, they caught it all on camera. Some kid named Marty Scorsesee managed to document the whole event and it is called 'The Last Waltz'. The more I think about it, the more we owe damn near everything in rock to one dude... Bill Graham.
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