A Couple "Long" Ones
This blog post, I will dedicate to some classics that are ALMOST ALWAYS played in its entirety and are rather long (5+ minutes). The post will not adresss the almost countless number of progressive rock songs which, by nature, are long and quite abundant. Instead, this blog post will address all other genres with lengthy tracks.
Iron Butterfly - In a Gada da Vida
Ah yes! The daddy of the lengthy classics. This one runs just over 17 minutes and combines all the psychadelic elements you could ever imagine! The rest of the band thought Doug Ingle (keyboards/vocals) was saying "In The Garden of Eden," and so recorded it, but as we all know, that is so not true!
Peter Frampton - Do You Feel LIke we Do?
Closing out his critically-acclaimed 1976 live record Frampton Comes Alive, this one features EXTENSIVE useage of his signature talkbox. Throught the latter half, he talks to the audience through the talkbox saying stuff such as "I wanna thank you," and "Good night." A lot of people credit Joe Perry of Aerosmith for coining the talkbox, but it was actually Mr. Frampton who put it to good use. Fun fact, the studio version runs 6:40. Also many jocks who play (or used to play) this classic would take a long break during it.
Creedence Clearwater Revival - I Heard it Through The Grapevine
How could I possibly talk about lengthy classics without referencing this one? CCR's cover of Marvin Gaye's Motown classic runs at an astounding 11 minutes, most of which is filled up with guitar solos and Doug Clifford's astounding cowbell. Critics have slashed CCR for recording this as an 11 minute version and including that version on their greatest hits package, Chronicle Vol 1. I personally agree with that. They should have used the single, (4 minute) version instead.
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free Bird
NOW WE'RE TALKIN'
Who would've thought that a band's breakthrough hit would be the longest from their debut album?
Clocking in at just over 9 minutes, this classic has become a staple of their live shows (did I mention it gets extended when performed live?) and has let audiences to request this song REGARDLESS of who was performing. It's an incredible tune and even a touch progressive with the sudden shift. Former guitarist, Allen Collins, wrote this tune with his girlfirend and together they came up with the opening lines of "If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me?"
Don McLean - American Pie
You can sing the words if you know them...
Anyway Mr. McLean was what you might call a one-hitter, but this track, paying homage to the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly is a monster! The acoustic song comes as a single as well.
The Heavy Metals
Now to make this blog post the right length, I'm going to hit off all the heavy metals in one go. Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Led Zeppelin had all released lengthy clasics at one point in time or another. Sabbath released two of their most memorable lengthy numbers from their breakthrough record War Pigs (1970). The title track, and the biggest hit from that album Iron Manbecame their most well known hits. Deep Purple's two longest hits include Sweet Child in Time and let's not forget perhaps their signature song, Smoke on The Water. Zeppelin have also released two long tracks Kashmir, as well their signature one, Stairway to Heaven. That one is so notorious as the drums don't kick in until about halfway through. Trampled Under Foot is another lengthy Zeppelin song, which although not as long as the other two, is good for irritating neighbors :).
The Doors
The Doors themselves had two significant lengthy hits (by "significant" I mean they got the most airplay, etc.) one of which was released as a single. Light my Fire from their debut album, and another one much later in their career, Riders on The Storm.
The Beatles Hey Jude
That one has got to be another long one. Starting out with McCartney and a piano, the track builds up with some heavy orchestration. Macca also pulls that one off well in his live performances.
Derek and the Dominoes - Layla
This band may have been short-lived, but they did produce one of the songs that became Slowhand's signature piece. Many don't even CONSIDER Derek & The Dominoes to have recorded this song preferring to credit it to E.C. himself, but lo and behold, this track which was written about George Harrison's girlfriend Pattie Boyd, became a hit. Closing with a lengthy Jim Gordon piano coda, the song features what I call "weeping" pedal steal guitar curteousy of Duane Allman. Twenty years later, Clapton redid this classic into a slow, acoustic, ballad-like version. Today he plays that version on electric guitar in his live shows. My only question, Eric why didn't you do a STUDIO version of the acoustic version of Layla.
FYI there IS a single version that omits the bulk of the piano ending (like fades out as it begins).
Eagles - Hotel California
I've mentioned this song already not ONCE but TWICE. Well folks, here it is for the THIRD time. This track is classic and epic. Running for 6 minutes and 30 seconds the song's meaning has a big fat question mark over it. Some say it is drug-related, but I think the MOST ACCEPTED explanation out there is that it is about the American dream and finding disappointment. AGAN, I DO NOT WISH TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR BIAS. I am ONLY stating my opinion of things. Please don't leave harsh comments.
Well those are the main classics that are ALMOST ALWAYS long. Please comment any others you may come up with, but I think I hit up the main ones. Again there are NO progressive or deep rock links in this blog post. However, feel free to share some in the comments.
Iron Butterfly - In a Gada da Vida
Ah yes! The daddy of the lengthy classics. This one runs just over 17 minutes and combines all the psychadelic elements you could ever imagine! The rest of the band thought Doug Ingle (keyboards/vocals) was saying "In The Garden of Eden," and so recorded it, but as we all know, that is so not true!
Peter Frampton - Do You Feel LIke we Do?
Closing out his critically-acclaimed 1976 live record Frampton Comes Alive, this one features EXTENSIVE useage of his signature talkbox. Throught the latter half, he talks to the audience through the talkbox saying stuff such as "I wanna thank you," and "Good night." A lot of people credit Joe Perry of Aerosmith for coining the talkbox, but it was actually Mr. Frampton who put it to good use. Fun fact, the studio version runs 6:40. Also many jocks who play (or used to play) this classic would take a long break during it.
Creedence Clearwater Revival - I Heard it Through The Grapevine
How could I possibly talk about lengthy classics without referencing this one? CCR's cover of Marvin Gaye's Motown classic runs at an astounding 11 minutes, most of which is filled up with guitar solos and Doug Clifford's astounding cowbell. Critics have slashed CCR for recording this as an 11 minute version and including that version on their greatest hits package, Chronicle Vol 1. I personally agree with that. They should have used the single, (4 minute) version instead.
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free Bird
NOW WE'RE TALKIN'
Who would've thought that a band's breakthrough hit would be the longest from their debut album?
Clocking in at just over 9 minutes, this classic has become a staple of their live shows (did I mention it gets extended when performed live?) and has let audiences to request this song REGARDLESS of who was performing. It's an incredible tune and even a touch progressive with the sudden shift. Former guitarist, Allen Collins, wrote this tune with his girlfirend and together they came up with the opening lines of "If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me?"
Don McLean - American Pie
You can sing the words if you know them...
Anyway Mr. McLean was what you might call a one-hitter, but this track, paying homage to the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly is a monster! The acoustic song comes as a single as well.
The Heavy Metals
Now to make this blog post the right length, I'm going to hit off all the heavy metals in one go. Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Led Zeppelin had all released lengthy clasics at one point in time or another. Sabbath released two of their most memorable lengthy numbers from their breakthrough record War Pigs (1970). The title track, and the biggest hit from that album Iron Manbecame their most well known hits. Deep Purple's two longest hits include Sweet Child in Time and let's not forget perhaps their signature song, Smoke on The Water. Zeppelin have also released two long tracks Kashmir, as well their signature one, Stairway to Heaven. That one is so notorious as the drums don't kick in until about halfway through. Trampled Under Foot is another lengthy Zeppelin song, which although not as long as the other two, is good for irritating neighbors :).
The Doors
The Doors themselves had two significant lengthy hits (by "significant" I mean they got the most airplay, etc.) one of which was released as a single. Light my Fire from their debut album, and another one much later in their career, Riders on The Storm.
The Beatles Hey Jude
That one has got to be another long one. Starting out with McCartney and a piano, the track builds up with some heavy orchestration. Macca also pulls that one off well in his live performances.
Derek and the Dominoes - Layla
This band may have been short-lived, but they did produce one of the songs that became Slowhand's signature piece. Many don't even CONSIDER Derek & The Dominoes to have recorded this song preferring to credit it to E.C. himself, but lo and behold, this track which was written about George Harrison's girlfriend Pattie Boyd, became a hit. Closing with a lengthy Jim Gordon piano coda, the song features what I call "weeping" pedal steal guitar curteousy of Duane Allman. Twenty years later, Clapton redid this classic into a slow, acoustic, ballad-like version. Today he plays that version on electric guitar in his live shows. My only question, Eric why didn't you do a STUDIO version of the acoustic version of Layla.
FYI there IS a single version that omits the bulk of the piano ending (like fades out as it begins).
Eagles - Hotel California
I've mentioned this song already not ONCE but TWICE. Well folks, here it is for the THIRD time. This track is classic and epic. Running for 6 minutes and 30 seconds the song's meaning has a big fat question mark over it. Some say it is drug-related, but I think the MOST ACCEPTED explanation out there is that it is about the American dream and finding disappointment. AGAN, I DO NOT WISH TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR BIAS. I am ONLY stating my opinion of things. Please don't leave harsh comments.
Well those are the main classics that are ALMOST ALWAYS long. Please comment any others you may come up with, but I think I hit up the main ones. Again there are NO progressive or deep rock links in this blog post. However, feel free to share some in the comments.
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