Songs For Your Day

The title of this little post is a bit hyperbolic (I foresee certain WTF-style groans from readers when I finally reveal my choice), because I’d be hard pressed to pick a Greatest Song in any category; especially since such an exercise requires first defining the category.  I mean, truly, what is Rock n’ Roll?  Is it loud guitars, fast drums, and very long, teased hair?  Then Guns N’ Roses is the greatest band of all time.  Or is it thrilling, theatrical piano rolls with sexually suggestive lyrics and rhythms leading to sexually suggestive dancing?  Then all hail Little Richard.

Nonetheless, I would say (emphasis on the personal nature of these reflections) that good ol’ Rock n’ Roll has certain inalienable features:

• Guitars, preferably electric
• Energy, usually sexual- or youth-related; see: cocksureness
• Head-Bob factor: do you purse your lips and close your eyes and even, yes, start to raise that old hand above that old, now-swaying head?
• Drums; I mean, Fucking Drums
• The Obviously These Guys Are Really Enjoying Themselves factor

There are many songs I know that satisfy these criteria well; most Faces songs do, actually, and surely every Beatles song.  But my personal number one?  Don’t laugh, now: ”Queen Bitch” by David Bowie.  From Hunky Dory, 1971.  When I played this song for my siblings the other day, I intro’d it by saying, “We will now listen to the definition of Rock n’ Roll.”  And I thought that was a pretty good way of putting it.  But listen for yourselves.

Now, I’m hoping, like Barry’s Monday morning mix tape from High Fidelity, that this post will be “like, a fucking conversation starter!”  So what’s your nominee for TGRnRSE?