I POLLed It On The ILX! - ILM Artist Poll #110 - ZZ Top - Results Thread

I'm still disappointed that Billy never does tell us why he's a rough boy (unless the guitar solo is his explanation).

https://img.discogs.com/Sm0X8Lzayc-OAt-JxwxCvSsKw9Q=/fit-in/600x600/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-4888073-1497827205-6124.jpeg.jpg

14. “I Thank You”
Degüello, 1979
163 Points (7 Votes)

The Track
Live 1979
Live On The Test 1980
Live In Germany 1980
Sam & Dave Original
Sam & Dave Live On Ed Sullivan 1969

a little late, but I had "I gotsta get paid" high on my ballot. i don't think 17 is wrong, but imho it's a top ten, kinda for the same reason I rated Eliminator so much higher than I planned to.

BFG has on the one hand stuck to a pretty narrow lane... but within that lane, even 40 years into a career and with nothing to prove he seems to never stop exploring or engaging with the broad landscape of pop. the riff is up there with his best, and fun as hell to play, and the "5 bixonic expandoras exploding at once" tone is epic af.

this isn't a great late career ZZ Top track; it's a great ZZ Top track.

"Rough Boy" made my ballot, but in retrospect I think I should have cut it for a more deserving track, maybe "I Gotsta Get Paid." It's okay, but not one of my favorites.

XP One of things that's great about it is that "25 Lighters"--lyrics aside--is actually a pretty breezy Hip Hop track, so Gibbons or Rubin or whomever gets the idea to present it ala "99 Problems".

It swags harder than basically all Nü Metal.

rough boy was my #1, it’s so great!

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-64x6GZg7pig/W-2KmvGLdTI/AAAAAAAAzi8/gdbkSXbCkywcd8aVYkXxOSmKKeX3f1ZjwCLcBGAs/s1600/15%2BSeco%2B2.jpg

13. “El Diablo”
Tejas, 1976
166 Points (7 Votes)

The Track
Six Pack Version
Live In Germany 1980

fucking love this song, especially the outro.

i love the way dusty's crude slap bass interacts gibbons' rippling arpeggios during those instrumental interludes.

and that weirdly frenetic 16th note shuffle that beard plays under the otherwise fairly laid-back piece.

Great point, beard's skittering really helps give the track an additional eeriness in a way I can't quite put a finger on

Love to see this track so high

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BBUxvfcVq68/TDZq1jKuntI/AAAAAAAABHg/4Yz6pcVq-Bk/s1600/zz.JPG

12. “Legs”
Eliminator, 1983
172 Points (8 Votes)

The Track
Single Mix
"Metal Mix"

https://barnfinds.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/1962-Mack-Front-View-630x473.jpg

11. “Master of Sparks”
Tres Hombres, 1973
179 Points (7 Votes, 1 #1)

The Track
Six Pack Version
Shinyribs Live Cover

...and that's it for today. Please enjoy this video of Billy Gibbons making guacamole.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9yvRv4Cazo

Rancho Texicano (my go-to ZZ Top if that hasn’t been apparent) includes both the original “Legs” and the dance mix, which seemed like a useless redundancy at first, but the remix I now realize is a sonic work of art.

"El Diablo" (my #7) and "Master of Sparks" (#1)! I love the minor-key ominous mood on both of these, the ethereal atmospheric guitars over the propulsive bottom that voodoo chili mentions. It helps that the lyrics are a little out of the ordinary as well, it makes the songs stand out.

are either of those canon zztop songs? seems like high placement but also pretty cool to see them this high

these BFG cooking ad/videos are so good thank you

Ikr? If they decide to slow down the touring he could totally carry a Food Network series.

idk if El Diablo is canon but it sure stood out on relistening, I wanna make a DJ edit of that outro

Don't know all the albums well enough to vote but Master of Sparks would have been my #1.

Recapping:

40 (Tie). “Enjoy And Get It On”
40 (Tie). “Sheik”
39. “Francine”
38. “Stages”
37. “HiFi Mama”
35 (Tie). “Mexican Blackbird”
35 (Tie). “Move Me On Down The Line”
34. “Arrested For Driving While Blind”
33. “Sure Got Cold After The Rain Fell”
32. “My Head’s In Mississippi”
31. “Blue Jean Blues”
30. “She Loves My Automobile”
29. “Asleep In The Desert”
28. “Ten Dollar Man”
27. “I Got The Six”
26. “Sleeping Bag”
25. “A Fool For Your Stockings”
24. “Nasty Dogs And Funky Kings”
23. “I Wanna Drive You Home”
22. “Pearl Necklace”
21. “Precious and Grace”
20. “Got Me Under Pressure”
19. “Tube Snake Boogie”
17 (Tie). “I Gotsta Get Paid”
17 (Tie). “It’s Only Love”
16. “Brown Sugar”
15. “Rough Boy”
14. “I Thank You”
13. “El Diablo”
12. “Legs”
11. “Master of Sparks”
10.?

https://alcalde.texasexes.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/ZZtopBEST.jpg

10. “Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers”
Tres Hombres, 1973
185 Points (8 Votes)

The Track
Six Pack Version
Live In Germany 1980
Motörhead Cover
Van Halen Live Cover

the top flirted with heaviness on tres hombres much more than they did on future albums. it's appropriate that motorhead covered this one, they didn't have to change much.

http://www.iamnotastalker.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/ScreenCap228.jpg

9. “Gimme All Your Lovin’”
Eliminator, 1983
202 Points (9 Votes)

The Track
Live On The Tube 1983
Live On Crossroads W/Brooks & Dunn

"Gimme All Your Lovin'" is one of the best "turn that sucker UP!" hits on classic rock radio for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozauyowDz3E

8. “Tush”
Fandango!, 1975
275 Points (10 Votes, 1 #1)

The Track
Six Pack Version
Live In Germany 1980
Live In 1982
Dazed and Confused Vandalism Scene
Joan Jett Cover
Roy Head Trio: "Tush Hog"

https://img.discogs.com/vAaEQO2Mwgj8aUe_xEwwaqSuOgw=/fit-in/500x486/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-3918085-1349187052-3372.jpeg.jpg

Pic sleeve is alltime. Song was my #2. There are 8 songs better than this?

my #1, easily

Sorry, 7 songs better? Math is hard...

https://www.guitarplayer.com/players/how-to-write-a-hard-rock-classic-in-five-minutes-billy-gibbons-tells-the-incredible-story-of-zz-tops-tush

how to make an awesome song awesomer ^

i ain't askin for much!

are there any other enduring pop or rock songs that use a yiddish word so prominently? i would venture not, unless someone wrote a song called "schmuck" or something

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ua5Yh8JLXU

^^About Rob writing a hit song called "Bupkis".

Isn't the yiddish tush pronounced like "push" rather than the song's pronunciation like "hush" though? I was always confused by that pronunciation in the song. I just read somewhere that it's texas slang for a feral hog.

aka "tusk hog" spoken by a toothless redneck was shortened to "tush".

Isn't the yiddish tush pronounced like "push" rather than the song's pronunciation like "hush" though?

yes

it always confused me too!

top ten coming in hot

are there any other enduring pop or rock songs that use a yiddish word so prominently?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ8kKGQOJiI

https://gr8erdays.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/vlcsnap-2016-01-20-06h32m46s78.png

7. “Sharp Dressed Man”
Eliminator, 1983
280 Points (12 Votes)

The Track
Live On The Tube 1983
TopPop Clip 1985
Live On The Tonight Show 1986

https://250722-778774-raikfcquaxqncofqfm.stackpathdns.com/images/handbook/entries/BB/border_radio.jpg

6. “Heard It On The X”
Fandango!, 1975
320 Points (12 Votes, 1 #1)

The Track
Six Pack Version
Live In Germany 1980
Los Super Seven Cover

Genuine lol at the graphic for Sharp Dressed Man!

"heard it on the x" is my #1! a fucking ripper, and also just a good old-fashioned tune about rock and roll radio

I so now want a Fiesta grocery store in my neighborhood.

heard it on the x SMOKES

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/e4/72/09/e47209e59fd5df0b01433aed4406034d--cross-country-cadillac-eldorado.jpg

5. “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide”
Degüello, 1979
329 Points (12 Votes, 3 #1’s)

The Track
Live In Germany 1980
Live In 1982 (+"Ten Foot Pole")
Dwight Yoakam Cover