For those who have rocked my world, I salute you.
Without too much of a preface let me get down to the brass tacks. These are not in any particular order.
Stairway to Heaven - Led Zepellin
This song has been on my list since the beginning of time. It’s the most timeless song I have ever heard. Jimmy Page gets your attention with this famous haunting guitar melody and Robert Plant is absolutely soulful. This is truly a tribute to the heavy metal genre. This is one of my favorite parts of this song.
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last
When all are one and one is all
To be a rock and not to roll
Woe oh
And she’s buying a stairway to heaven .
Wasting Love - Iron Maiden
The masters of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. These Britons are deep thinking musicians, contrary to what one might believe. The lyrics of Bruce Dickinson are poignant and absolutely flow into the supporting double harmony and twin guitar solos that has come to be Iron Maiden’s signature sound. Wasting Love is a beautiful haunting ballad that talks about the pointlessness of love. here are a few lines.
Maybe one day I’ll be an honest man
Up till now I’m doing the best I can
Long roads, long days, of sunrise, to sunset
Sunrise to sunset
Dream on brother, while you can
Dream on sister, I hope you find the one
All of our lives, covered up quickly by the tides of time.
Far Beyond The Sun - Yngwie Malmsteen
Mr Flying fingers - once touted to be the fastest guitarist on the planet, this Swedish guitar maestro has never ceased to amaze me with his over the top instrumentation. Far Beyond The Sun exemplifies his complete prowess over the electric guitar - with harmonic minor solos and near-impossible arpeggios that leave you breathless by the time it’s over. A must listen if you’re a fan of instrumental music.
Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd has been a defining band for me. In my college days, no one could get enough of Floyd. Every band that played at our college cultural festivals did at least ONE cover by these guys. Comfortably Numb totally reflects the sentiment of a generation lost in musical nirvana.
Hello.Is there anybody in there.
Just nod if you can hear me,
Is there anyone home?
Come on, now.
I hear you’re feeling down.
Well I can ease your pain,
Get you on your feet again.
Goodbye to Romance - Ozzy Osbourne
This is a ballad by the Ozzmeister - one of the few I’ve heard from him - and it’s a really good one so he makes it to the top 20. Supporting him is the instrumentation of guitar whiz kid Randy Rhoads who unfortunately died in an accident shortly after.
.say goodbye to romance, yeah
Goodbye to friends, I tell you
Goodbye to all the past
I guess that we’ll meet
We’ll meet in the end.
Children of the Sea - Black Sabbath
Another haunting song. I love how this song opens - it gives you the chills. Ronnie James Dio is just the man to sing a song like this and that definitely puts it in this list!
In the misty morning, on the edge of time
We’ve lost the rising sun, a final sign
As the misty morning rolls away to die
Reaching for the stars, we blind the sky
We sailed across the air before we learned to fly
We thought that it could never end.
Man on the Silver Mountain - Rainbow
Another Ronnie James Dio feat - this time in the band Rainbow that he and Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore founded - this song is an epic for Rainbow fans.
.I can move, I can run
But you’ll never stop me burning
come down with fire
Lift my spirit higher
Someone’s screaming my name
Come and make me holy again
I’m the man on the silver mountain.
Pull Me Under - Dream Theater
Dream Theater is the best progressive rock band out there today. This song totally showcases their talent and has evolved into the band’s signature song that they usually open with when they play live. The instrumentation is brilliant, take special note of the constantly changing time signatures and keys. This is a must listen for progressive rock fans.
Surfing with the Alien - Joe Satriani
A masterpiece by a guitar maestro. Satriani is a genius guitar player. He can make a guitar’talk’ and can extract emotions by his very soulful yet technically perfect guitar work. His style is effortless and one of a kind. Surfing With The Alien is an absolute must-listen if you havent heard Satriani before.
Manhattan - Eric Johnson
If you’re looking for a slightly jazz and blues sound, Eric Johnson is the ruler of this realm. This upbeat song has some jazz grooves and very nice guitar improvisations. Eric doesnt use too many guitar effects - but gets out a beautiful sound that really captivates the listener. Check this out.
Geurilla Radio - Rage against the Machine
Turn that SH*T up! Rage is one of my favorite rap metal bands - and this is one of the best songs I have heard from them - makes for very good listening especially when driving.
Synchronicity - The Police
The Police is another intellectual band. They pioneered the fusion of rock and reggae and have come out with some fabulous stuff. The lyrics of this song as well as Stewart Copeland’s amazing percussion make for great listening. This song basically talks about psychosocial connecting principles.
La Villa Strangiato - Rush
A musical feat by this amazing Canadian band. These guys are right up there in terms of musicianship and have one of the best drummers on the face of the earth. La Villa Strangiato is a fine example of the sheer genius of these guys.
Paradise City - Guns’N’ Roses
I’m pretty sure most of you have heard this song, very radio friendly and poppish yet catchy. I like the way this song goes and is probably one of maybe 2-3 songs that I like from this band.
Light my fire - Doors
Jim Morisson - the 60’s icon who revolutionized rock n roll with his shock outfits and crazy psychadelic rock shows - this song reflects the band’s attitude and is a timeless classic.
Play with me - Extreme
This song is ALL about Extreme’s’extremely’ talented guitarist Nuno Bettencourt. There is a killer solo in this song that will blow anyone away. I like how this song has a tongue-in-cheek quality to it while at the same time showcasing how good Nuno is.
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