Argent - "Hold Your Head Up"

Oh yeah, as far as I know it's still on regular rotation on classic rock stations, where they exist. What I think is more interesting is that 'classic rock' as a format seems as though it is being slightly phased out. When I moved to the Chicago area over a decade ago, there were two distinct classic rock stations. Both have since been phased out - one became a talk station, and one went to a present-day "modern rock" format. There is a relatively new station that refers to its format as "classic hits"; basically it's the old classic rock playlist made slightly softer. You'll still hear something like "Hold Your Head Up"; but whereas in the past you'd hear the occasional Deep Purple or Black Sabbath cut, now it's more likely to be the Climax Blues Band or Stealer's Wheel.

Hear this song on the radio today and it sounded awesome.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=argent+hold+your+head+up&aq=0&oq=argent+hold

oops
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ_UuPH3cyw

i have a soft spot for these late-'60s/early-'70s tunes with chugging, repetitive, 'smoke on the water'-ish guitar riffs.

i have a soft spot for this tune because caustic resin has an incredible cover of it on one of their records

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77By5JMoOgM

i didn't know jeff tweedy was in mr big

One interesting thing about this song is that it was written as a tribute to the women's liberation movement, as it was called at that time. The chorus is "hold your head up, woman" but because of the way it's sung the "woman" at the end is usually not noticed. Even many of the lyric sites on the web don't include it. I grew up hearing this song on the radio, never knowing it was a tribute to women until I read about it somewhere years later.

The chorus is "hold your head up, woman" but because of the way it's sung the "woman" at the end is usually not noticed.

Mr. Big seemed to have missed this finer point in their attempt to impress us with what skilled shredding musicians they were. Walken: Needs more guitar.

What a great clip La Lachera posted. I had never seen Mr. Argent's hair in action before.

The Soulwax remix was mentioned upthread but I thought I'd post it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOBkpSkWy0E

This is different from the one I have, which is odd, but I can't find another on YT.

i have a soft spot for these late-'60s/early-'70s tunes with chugging, repetitive, 'smoke on the water'-ish guitar riffs.

and screemy vocals

argent - "tragedy"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxb57lpKmxs

this song still rules

Had never noticed the "woman" before!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=223Pmymfm4Y

\m/

this song still rules

― free your spirit pig (La Lechera), Wednesday, May 8, 2013 2:37 PM (nine years ago)

otfm. as does the caustic resin cover

Yeah this is one of the best rock and roll anthems ever recorded.

I saw the Zombies (still with Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent) earlier this month, they had a great rendition of this song in their set. When they introduced it, Rod Argent asked people to sing along but stressed the fact that the lyrics are "woooman" instead of "whooaa!".

On a rather unrelated note: Blunstone really sounds incredibly impressive at 77 years old.