Epitomising the sense of injustice that so often fuels teenage rebellion, ‘Summertime Blues’ tells the story of a young boy’s dissatisfaction with the expectation that he will leave school at 15 and spend the rest of his days working in a factory. A masterpiece of 12 bar blues, this song remains a classic long after Eddie Cochran’s premature death in a taxi crash at the age of just 22.
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When Red Hot Chili Peppers dubiously released their 1992 ballad ‘Under The Bridge’ they did not expect it to become as popular as it did. Singer Anthony Kiedis was concerned it was too sensitive to stand alongside the other, more aggressive songs on their album Blood Sugar Sex Magik. But his concerns were unfounded and the song has become the Chilis’ signature song.
Buy this song at iTunes or Amazon. The official band site is here.
The lyrics of ‘Brown Sugar’ use metaphors to touch on themes as risqué as interracial sex, S&M and heroin use. The title of this energising song was inspired by Jagger’s then girlfriend Marsha Hunt and it combines full-on riffs, falsetto backing vocals and a swinging groove. Blazing the way for rock lyrics for years to come, ‘Brown Sugar’ is all about the emotion and audience connection.
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A classic case of blues guitar, ‘Bad to the Bone’ features an addictive opening riff played by George Thorogood. In terms of composition, the riff bears some similarity to that in certain songs by Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry. Since its release the track has continued to grow in renown owing to its use in many films and commercials…usually during scenes which feature unsavoury characters!
Buy this song at iTunes or Amazon. The official band site is here.
Perhaps featuring one of the most infuriatingly catchy riffs, ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ was not just a little ditty of a track when country-rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd released it in 1974. Dealing with political issues (the song mentions the pro-segregation Alabama Governor George Wallace) amid America’s perceived north/south divide, it was written in response to ‘Southern Man’ and ‘Alabama’ by Neil Young, which dealt with issues of racism and slavery.
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Roy Orbison was already a popular artist with hits such as ‘Only The Lonely’ and ‘It’s Over’, but it was with his 1964 hit ‘Oh, Pretty Woman’ that firmly cemented him into popular history. Its classic, jangling opening riff provoked an instant reaction in its listeners to hit the dance floor and swing their hips. Thanks to the 1990s hit film Pretty Woman, the song received a revival and the title is back in common parlance.
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During the 1980s the way we listened to music received a huge makeover, not only with the introduction of MTV but the new compact disc technology allowed a generation of music lovers to consume music more conveniently. Dire Straits’ hit ‘Money for Nothing’ with its CGI-heavy video, accompanied by frontman Mark Knopfler’s fingerpicked blues riff were one band to take advantage of this new direction.
Buy this song at iTunes or Amazon. The official band site is here.
The Ultimate Rock Riffs 