Classic Rock Song of the Day (Deep Cuts now being featured!!)

[jingle.boy]

Billy Joel - Piano Man

Another classic many of us have probably heard hundreds, if not thousands, of times over the years, yet it still sounds great every time I hear it.  This song put Joel on the map, and remains his definitive song to this day.  It's a great story.

When I first read this, my brain interpreted it as Billy Idol.  Just picturing Billy Idol behind the keys with this tune is a helluva giggle. 

Great little tune; great lyrics.

[Orbert]

Great song that tells a great story.

[masterthes]

It's my favorite of his 

[DebraKadabra]

It's not my absolute favorite Billy Joel song, but it's on the upward end of my list (I reserve #1 for "Captain Jack").  Oh, and I FINALLY get to tell a story (ala Jaq, but not really )!

So, my boyfriend at the time got Billy Joel tickets and we ended up going with his best friend - this was... 1990 during the Storm Front tour.  It was also after Milli Vanilli had gotten their Grammys stripped - and let me tell you, Billy was ripping on them ALL NIGHT.

Anyhoo, Piano Man was the encore (duh) and when he turned it over to us (the audience at the Frank Erwin Center here in good ol' Austin) for the last chorus, you could hear the WHOLE audience echoing all over the venue.  It was mindblowing, and I think Billy had said that it was one of the loudest sing-alongs that wasn't on the East Coast.

Oh... and the show was AWESOME.  I don't remember the setlist (fogey brain) but I'm glad that I got to see him at least once.  The man is definitely an entertainer.

[masterthes]

Would love to see him perform

[Jaq]

It's not my absolute favorite Billy Joel song, but it's on the upward end of my list (I reserve #1 for "Captain Jack").  Oh, and I FINALLY get to tell a story (ala Jaq, but not really )!

So, my boyfriend at the time got Billy Joel tickets and we ended up going with his best friend - this was... 1990 during the Storm Front tour.  It was also after Milli Vanilli had gotten their Grammys stripped - and let me tell you, Billy was ripping on them ALL NIGHT.

Anyhoo, Piano Man was the encore (duh) and when he turned it over to us (the audience at the Frank Erwin Center here in good ol' Austin) for the last chorus, you could hear the WHOLE audience echoing all over the venue.  It was mindblowing, and I think Billy had said that it was one of the loudest sing-alongs that wasn't on the East Coast.

Oh... and the show was AWESOME.  I don't remember the setlist (fogey brain) but I'm glad that I got to see him at least once.  The man is definitely an entertainer.

Been busy lately, glad someone is bringing some stories to the forums. 

I love Piano Man. You just don't get lyric heavy songs that tell stories anymore, but they were all over the place in the late 60s and early 70s.

[KevShmev]

Electric Light Orchestra - Fire on High

It seems odd to call this an instrumental, given the backward talking message and the choir vocals (which faintly sing the song's title near the end of the song), but it is usually referred to as an instrumental.  Either way, this is a beast of a classic rock song, one that still sounds awesome every time I hear it.  That fast guitar riff, first heard around 2:40, had to have been played prominently somewhere on TV at some point, because the first time I heard the song, I knew that riff from somewhere.  I almost want to say it was used in a commercial for one of the local radio stations, but it is impossible to know for sure.

[Jaq]

Fire On High was used as background music on a lot of sports shows on CBS in the late 70s and early 80s, and in a LOT of radio spots, and it was always the guitar riff part. The question should be not where you heard it, but how many different things you heard it in.

Love this song. I remember when some metal heads were bitching because Bev Bevan did a tour as drummer for Black Sabbath about how Sabbath had "that shitty drummer from ELO now", and my response would always be to play Fire on High and watch their expressions change when the drum fills started coming. 

[KevShmev]

The question should be not where you heard it, but how many different things you heard it in.
 
That's probably true.

Also, this is the 89th song I have featured in this thread so far.  I am not sure if anyone has noticed, but I have yet to do a second song by any artist yet (except for cases like Clapton, who was a solo artist and in several bands).  I want to get to 100 songs before I start repeating artists, but it is inevitable since bands like Zeppelin, The Who, Floyd, etc. have dozens of songs that could be featured here.

[theseoafs]

Turns out I've only ever heard this song on the radio, so I'd never heard the intro with the backwards message before.  Interesting.  Incredible song, by the way.

[KevShmev]

Oh, and for anyone who doesn't know, the backwards talking actually says:

"The music is reversible, but time is not. Turn back. Turn back. Turn back. Turn back."

[Orbert]

DebraKadabra's "Piano Man" story reminded me that I have a "Piano Man" story, too.

We were visiting my friends back in Michigan over Winter Break, and on New Year's Eve, we had a small get-together with a bunch of the old gang.  It was slightly dampened by the snowstorm, but Michigan in Winter, everyone's kinda used to it.  Something the guys always do when we get together is jam.  But the power went out around 9:00 because of the storm.  Damn, what to do?  Plenty of candles, so that's not a problem.

Well, there's the piano upstairs, so we went upstairs, I played the piano, and John sang.  Acoustic guitars came out.  We started leaning towards Elton John and Billy Joel songs, which everyone knew, and it became a big sing-along.  There may have been alcohol involved.  A lot of it.

During the final chorus of "Piano Man", everyone's singing "SING US A SONG, YOU'RE THE PIANO MAN!" and suddenly all the lights came back on.  Yay!  The power of music.  ♫♫

[King Postwhore]

Electric Light Orchestra - Fire on High

It seems odd to call this an instrumental, given the backward talking message and the choir vocals (which faintly sing the song's title near the end of the song), but it is usually referred to as an instrumental.  Either way, this is a beast of a classic rock song, one that still sounds awesome every time I hear it.  That fast guitar riff, first heard around 2:40, had to have been played prominently somewhere on TV at some point, because the first time I heard the song, I knew that riff from somewhere.  I almost want to say it was used in a commercial for one of the local radio stations, but it is impossible to know for sure.

I remember being so pissed off that no Greatest hits had this song.  No with digital downloads it's a snap but I had the album but didn't want to go back and by one CD for one song.  Fantastic song.  Top 5 instrumental songs of all time for me and I do think if it as an instrumental.

[KevShmev]

DebraKadabra's "Piano Man" story reminded me that I have a "Piano Man" story, too.

We were visiting my friends back in Michigan over Winter Break, and on New Year's Eve, we had a small get-together with a bunch of the old gang.  It was slightly dampened by the snowstorm, but Michigan in Winter, everyone's kinda used to it.  Something the guys always do when we get together is jam.  But the power went out around 9:00 because of the storm.  Damn, what to do?  Plenty of candles, so that's not a problem.

Well, there's the piano upstairs, so we went upstairs, I played the piano, and John sang.  Acoustic guitars came out.  We started leaning towards Elton John and Billy Joel songs, which everyone knew, and it became a big sing-along.  There may have been alcohol involved.  A lot of it.

During the final chorus of "Piano Man", everyone's singing "SING US A SONG, YOU'RE THE PIANO MAN!" and suddenly all the lights came back on.  Yay!  The power of music.  ♫♫

 

Electric Light Orchestra - Fire on High

It seems odd to call this an instrumental, given the backward talking message and the choir vocals (which faintly sing the song's title near the end of the song), but it is usually referred to as an instrumental.  Either way, this is a beast of a classic rock song, one that still sounds awesome every time I hear it.  That fast guitar riff, first heard around 2:40, had to have been played prominently somewhere on TV at some point, because the first time I heard the song, I knew that riff from somewhere.  I almost want to say it was used in a commercial for one of the local radio stations, but it is impossible to know for sure.

I remember being so pissed off that no Greatest hits had this song.  No with digital downloads it's a snap but I had the album but didn't want to go back and by one CD for one song.  Fantastic song.  Top 5 instrumental songs of all time for me and I do think if it as an instrumental.

Same here.  When I got into the song, probably around '92 or '92, I had to resort to buying...wait for it...the studio album.

[King Postwhore]

I know, what the hell!!   These damn kids don't know how easy they got it.

[KevShmev]

When I think of all the money I could have saved by buying individual tracks for $1 or so instead of spending 12-15 bucks on CDs just for a few songs (or even just one, in some cases), it boggles the mind.

[DebraKadabra]

Been busy lately, glad someone is bringing some stories to the forums. 

Thanks, man.

DebraKadabra's "Piano Man" story reminded me that I have a "Piano Man" story, too.

We were visiting my friends back in Michigan over Winter Break, and on New Year's Eve, we had a small get-together with a bunch of the old gang.  It was slightly dampened by the snowstorm, but Michigan in Winter, everyone's kinda used to it.  Something the guys always do when we get together is jam.  But the power went out around 9:00 because of the storm.  Damn, what to do?  Plenty of candles, so that's not a problem.

Well, there's the piano upstairs, so we went upstairs, I played the piano, and John sang.  Acoustic guitars came out.  We started leaning towards Elton John and Billy Joel songs, which everyone knew, and it became a big sing-along.  There may have been alcohol involved.  A lot of it.

During the final chorus of "Piano Man", everyone's singing "SING US A SONG, YOU'RE THE PIANO MAN!" and suddenly all the lights came back on.  Yay!  The power of music.  ♫♫

"There may have been alcohol involved."

Really neat story though, and interesting that Elton John songs were in the mix - seeing how they toured together and all.

Electric Light Orchestra - Fire on High

I think this is one of my favorite ELO songs - so creepy... then weird... then majestic... then just flat out rocking.  So awesome.

[masterthes]

ELO is awesome as is this song

[Orbert]

Really neat story though, and interesting that Elton John songs were in the mix - seeing how they toured together and all.

That's just something that John and I have always done.  I've been playing the piano since I was ten, and we used to hang out at his house after school, I'd play the piano and he'd sing.  I had a bunch of sheet music books, including Elton John's Greatest Hits, and we'd just go through them all.

[KevShmev]

Black Sabbath - Iron Man

If Smoke on the Water is the most classic riff ever, Iron Man is probably not far behind.  That is another one of those riffs that everyone knows and everyone who wanted to play guitar wanted to learn how to play.  It's not a song I really listen to that much anymore, but it is still pretty .

[BlobVanDam]

The Iron Man riff is to classic metal what Smoke on the Water riff is to classic rock. The fact it's singable by a crowd helps it too. Great song from a great album.


I found it a bit strange that the song plays in the credits of the movie Iron Man, yet it plays all of the least recognizable parts (to the average person), and doesn't even include the riff, or any words/lyrics (such as "I AM IRON MAN" from the intro).

[Orbert]

The Iron Man riff is to classic metal what Smoke on the Water riff is to classic rock. The fact it's singable by a crowd helps it too. Great song from a great album.

Agreed.  The other similarity is that most people play the riff incorrectly.

I found it a bit strange that the song plays in the credits of the movie Iron Man, yet it plays all of the least recognizable parts (to the average person), and doesn't even include the riff, or any words/lyrics (such as "I AM IRON MAN" from the intro).

Agreed again.  Actually, people who know the song (which is most people) recognize it, but don't immediately know where from.  I thought it was an interesting choice, myself, as I was among those who did recognize it immediately.

[King Postwhore]

Black Sabbath - Iron Man

If Smoke on the Water is the most classic riff ever, Iron Man is probably not far behind.  That is another one of those riffs that everyone knows and everyone who wanted to play guitar wanted to learn how to play.  It's not a song I really listen to that much anymore, but it is still pretty .

Though Deep Purple was adding the "darkness" into music, it was Black Sabbath that carried that torch and made them the fathers of Metal. Iron Man is one of the anthems for all us young kids who got into Metal in the 70's and early 80's.

[Jaq]

THE metal riff. That's it, really. All you need to know about Iron Man. Tony Iommi was always a riff master, even in the less successful days of the 80s and 90s for Sabbath (some of the Martin albums have some of the best riffs Iommi ever wrote) but Iron Man's riff is immortal.

[wolfking]

CLASSIC

[DebraKadabra]

Black Sabbath - Iron Man

Overplayed, but still fricking classic as all hell.

[Zydar]

The riff of all riffs in the Valley of Riffs can cause a rifft in the riffage of riffing.

And did I mention the riff?

[DebraKadabra]

 

[Ħ]

THE metal riff.

[jjrock88]

Road Warriors

[BlobVanDam]

The Iron Man riff is to classic metal what Smoke on the Water riff is to classic rock. The fact it's singable by a crowd helps it too. Great song from a great album.

Agreed.  The other similarity is that most people play the riff incorrectly.

I know all the ways people play Smoke on the Water wrong, but how do they play Iron Man wrong? Are they not doing the slides (and picking every chord), or are they not playing it in the high neck position for the trademark Iommi sound?

[jingle.boy]

Road Warriors

 

[wkiml]

Electric Light Orchestra - Fire on High

It seems odd to call this an instrumental, given the backward talking message and the choir vocals (which faintly sing the song's title near the end of the song), but it is usually referred to as an instrumental.  Either way, this is a beast of a classic rock song, one that still sounds awesome every time I hear it.  That fast guitar riff, first heard around 2:40, had to have been played prominently somewhere on TV at some point, because the first time I heard the song, I knew that riff from somewhere.  I almost want to say it was used in a commercial for one of the local radio stations, but it is impossible to know for sure.

CBS sports used it for years

Actually its was a 3 year run   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CBS_Sports_Spectacular

[Orbert]

The Iron Man riff is to classic metal what Smoke on the Water riff is to classic rock. The fact it's singable by a crowd helps it too. Great song from a great album.

Agreed.  The other similarity is that most people play the riff incorrectly.

I know all the ways people play Smoke on the Water wrong, but how do they play Iron Man wrong? Are they not doing the slides (and picking every chord), or are they not playing it in the high neck position for the trademark Iommi sound?

I'm not a guitarist, so I couldn't say about neck position, but it might be the first one.  Basically, people tend to play an extra note/chord in the riff, because it would echo what Ozzy sings.



To my ears, the first line is correct (except I realize now that I have the wrong key signature).
But what I hear far more often is the second line.  The only difference is the third beat of the second measure.  That's what Ozzy sings when he comes in, but it's not what Tony plays.  I think he's moving his left hand toward the D while the E is still playing, so it sounds more like the first line.

What do you think?  I've argued with guitarists about this, but it's always a brief argument.  I back down because "I'm not a guitarist so I don't know" but it always bugs me.

I think it's what you said about them picking it instead of letting it slide, which pronounces it a lot more.  So techinically the D should be there, but much more subtly.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Here's why everybody disputes it:  That quarter note on beat 3 of the 2nd measure - when he hits it, he doesn't cut the note off to jump down and hit the chord on the 4th beat.  He kinda slides his hand down the strings (without unfretting) to hit that 4th beat chord.  It IS a quarter note on the 3rd beat, but the way his hand slides down to the next chord, it sounds like 2 eighth notes, likes beats 1 and 2.  At least that's what I'm hearing.