In Which Doctor Casino Listens to Classic Rock Classics for the First Time

yay! xp

i'm pretty sure this is the first song i ever heard where i was aware that it was in fact a blues. i hated it, as i would come to hate all blues at that point in my young life.

Love this BTW - reminds me of Tom Ewing's "UB40, I was aware, made reggae. Therefore reggae sounded like what UB40 made. I can’t have been the only one who made this logical mis-step, and I expect I wasn’t the only one who spent a decade-plus assuming they disliked reggae because of it."

My roommate tells me that at the bar we both used to frequent in Columbus, there was once a four-hour performance of "Roadhouse Blues," with musicians and vocalists trading off over time with volunteers from the audience. I would have probably been pretty into it if that was my introduction to the song, as one of my fondest musical memories from Ohio was being involved at this same bar in an extended workout of "Oh Boy."

prob won't convince many people here, but the live version of Roadhouse Blues on American Prayer is much better than the studio version

^^^ he speaks the truth

What are you, two years old? How have you not heard these songs, on Classic Rock or anywhere else for that matter?

Get off your high horse bruh

i have heard four of these songs

I'm not even a "classic rock fan" yet I've heard 90% of those songs without even trying

Cool story

Styx – Renegade

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Most of these are terrible tbh apart from ZZ Top.

― Οὖτις, Thursday, June 19, 2014 4:07 PM (7 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

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even if you've never heard the original, you almost certainly know the main riff from nile's "masturbating the war god"

"renegade," which we will get to in time in this thread, is a song whose main riff i frequently find myself humming at random moments, but i don't ever remember anything else about the song.

recap: IT RULES

yeah it's one of those songs that always makes me want to stomp & whistle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6iKe73N3JM

since "renegade" is on everybody's mind right now, let's make that today's listening experiment, dr. casino.

SONG #2: STYX "RENEGADE"

(audio/video in dreamland's post immediately above)

huh, I didn't know I knew this song, but I do, of course

is that a Division Bell statue earring in the still in that youtube?

The first time I tuned into a classic rock station, at the age of 11, the first song I heard was "Renegade."

huh, I didn't know I knew this song, but I do, of course

Yeah, same here.

Renegade RULES
Classic rock rules
KQ fuckin RUUUUULES

hi-five

I have never ever heard Styx in my life. ever. I think.

only heard about 25% of these songs and I can barely remember how half of them go.

I don't live in America though, so that might be why.

I enjoy the classic rock I have heard though, so Dr. Casino's experience isn't totally unique.

It's not unique: I'm sure my parents wouldn't recognize any of these songs. It is a little surprising, though, that someone could have listened to this radio format a lot in the US/Canada, and be something of a fan, without knowing any of these songs, esp most of the ones that contenderizer singles out, given that they are frequently played on the format.

Renegade: Was worried I was semi-busted, certain things did sound naggingly familiar (especially the opening intonation). The big crunchy guitar part also rings a bell - but I'm sort of convinced I'm actually thinking of something on Physical Graffiti (?). Before finishing this post I listened to it a second time and I'm now pretty sure I don't know this.

So, this is one of those songs where the guitar riff and the vocal line match each other a lot. I'm usually not that into that, but at least here it gives some oomph to the parts where they break apart are pretty sweet - the "HIGHNESS OF MY HEAD" (?) for example. Oh mannn, this air-guitar moment right around 2:00, that's sweet!

The organ player is kinda bugging me off and on, feels busy, fussy, gotta fill the space - makes me appreciate the sorta goofy and robotic blurts of same in say, the verses of "Abacab." Oooooh, the WRREREEEEEEEEE synth sounds at 2:50 are awesome.

The Queen stomp-along after that with the falsettos is also great! Shades of "Come Sail Away" obviously, I think I like these guys best when they step up into being kinda alien/fantasy-ish and lose the trudging workaday dear mama, wanted man steeze, or maybe they need that for the other moments to come into focus...this seems very much like, first half is kinda lumpy and the vocals are distractingly hysterical on top of that, but then in the second half they're all going in and it clicks. I dig "Blue Collar Man" but it'd be better if it erupted into these sci-fi fireworks more. Overall I would give this a thumbs up, mainly for the second half.

"high price on my head" iirc?

But great review!

My second guess was "hairbrush on my head," like a "no comb has touched my head" kinda thing, he's a renegade with poor hygiene.

Tommy totally kills that 'HIGH PRICE ON MY HEAD'

sidenote that line is fking murder to sing on Rockband, fyi

xpost irl lols

The scream before the band kicks in is the best thing Dennis DeYoung has ever done, or will ever do.

otfm

the Physical Graffiti song you're thinking of is probably Trampled Under Foot, which does sound pretty similar.

TS: DeYoung being The Renegade vs. Phil Lynott being The Warrior.

Xpost yeah that's it, totally!

Great analysis

I (selfishly) want to hear thoughts on Limelight, Let My Love Open The Door, Stay, and ROUNDABOUT

great thread and i am wondering if like 50% of theses songs you're gonna totally be 'oh i know this' / 'i never knew [x] did this' and/or 'so that's what this is called'

The scream before the band kicks in is the best thing Dennis DeYoung has ever done, or will ever do.

Too true, and if it has never been used as a funky drummer type sample I'm going to work on that.

YYYEAHHHHHH

Just started watching Freaks and Geeks for the first time on netflix last night. Both Renegade and Come Sail Away, among other classic rock jams.

xxpost yeah, a lot of people probably think of, say, "Casey Jones" "Life During Wartime" and "Peace Frog" as "That Riding that train/High on Cocaine song" "This Ain't No Party, This Ain't No Disco" and "Blood on the Streets in the Town of Chicago"

or whatever a casual listener thinks "Deacon Blues" is called

Both Renegade and Come Sail Away, among other classic rock jams

"Lady" figures prominently as well.

Oops, based on those descriptions, I know the first two there. D'ohhhhhhhhh. I stand behind not hearing ''Life During Wartime'' on classic rock (IME) though.

A little sad re: drivin' that train - was sort of hoping this would turn out to be a song I very very faintly remember from my childhood where people actually sing (rather dolefully) '''Ca-sey Jooones'' for the refrain. I now suspect this probably came from a cartoon adaptation of the actual Casey Jones tale. Or the Ninja Turtles, I guess. I had originally figured on checking out all of these briefly to make sure I didn't want any for my ballot of 100, but I don't want to spoil them for this thread, now!

I didn't know "Renegade" was Styx till now. Thanks thread.

Pieces of Eight is a pretty solid album!

Nice to see Z93 is remembered! I was practically raised by that station.

Feel like 95% of the reason "Life During Wartime" became a classic rock staple is the "This ain't no disco" line.

Feel like 95% of the reason "Life During Wartime" became a classic rock staple is the "This ain't no disco" line.

otm

So, this is one of those songs where the guitar riff and the vocal line match each other a lot. I'm usually not that into that, but at least here it gives some oomph to the parts where they break apart are pretty sweet

this is completely key to "renegade," for me anyway. not my favorite styx song by a longshot, but i love those parts to death. that, and the undeniable queen stomp-along, which is simultaneously perfect and too easy.

you will need to set aside 7 minutes to begin the next installment of our listening experiment. #2 on ilm's bruce springsteen poll. one of america's most beloved rock and roller's most beloved epics. i know a pretty little place in southern california, down san diego way, that would be a good place to listen to this one.

SONG #3: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN "ROSALITA"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC4bf67s5lQ

YES

fyi getting off lightly with a mere 7 min, live versions go 20+ min

man I am so bummed that all of Sandy's amazing pix are lost to time, can anyone repost them by chance?