Why has none of Jim Steinman's music been mentioned yet???

Before my time, but I do enjoy listening to him very much. He really is fantastic.



Agreed.



Is Ex Parte Quirin valid precedent for Hamdi v Rumsfeld

Lobo, my point was not that there isn't a best. When I said rock and roll is too big to be about one song, I meant what I said.

But the best? I'd let the Gods decide. I'd ask someone like Bob Dylan. And I bet you...I mean, I'd bet thousands...that his answer would surprise us.

The song I play by myself the most--by far--is "Come Together." It has a groove that really, truly moves me. But the greatest rock song ever? No.

My vote for Mystery Train is based on several factors:

1. It was a song that actually helped to invent the genre of rock.

2. It's my personal favorite cut by the man who played the greatest role in inventing rock.

3. It ROCKS, and you could play it on the banjo or the ukulele or the digeridoo, and it would still rock, because the song itself rocks.

4. If Led Zeppelin had recorded it, it would have been better that Stairway. (Confession: I was never a Stairway fan. It's OK, I suppose. But back in my Zeppelin days I had a least two dozen cuts I favored more. My favorite Zeppelin cut? Right now, early in the morning of 10 August 2011, I'd say "Kashmir".)

5. It SCREAMS the philosophy of rock and roll. It screams FREEDOM. If you don't hear it, you ain't listening.

6. It's also the title of a book by Greil Marcus, who may be the single most acute observer of America that I have ever read. And I'm not kidding. And I've read a frigging pile of books about what America means or doesn't mean, from Jefferson to Toqueville to Boorstin to Obama. Greil Marcus understands American better than anyone I know.

7. It proves that rock and roll is not about the instrumentation. This was proved decades later by MTV's "Unplugged", of course. But it was there with Mystery Train. Thing is, everything improves with the instrumentation. If a group like, say, Motörhead, were to play Mystery Train, it would blow our minds and we would bow down and pray to both them and Elvis for having saved our souls. For two or three minutes, at least.

That's enough for now. Remember, it's early, so I'm probably hung over. Also remember that it's a trick question, folks. Glen didn't ask about the greatest "recording", but for the greatest "song". If I were to grab my banjo and play Mystery Train, there is a very slight possibility that some of you might enjoy it. If I were to grab my banjo and play Stairway, there is a very distinct possibility that you would think I am insane.

Which, of course, I might very well be.

But at least I'm not Madonna.

Jeff - you familiar with UFO's cover of Mystery Train? It kind of backs up your point 7. Good cover by Goodbye Mr Mackenzie too. I love Mystery Train.

Nah- I was busy with the mentalism thing.

But your prediction is correct. Ginger Baker for sure. (I think it's fantastic watching him on that video I posted earlier. Tell me he wasn't cranked up!)

Best-

Bob

No, but I'm gonna check it out right now, if the Internet Police let me.

Uh, found something:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ahZ9bhkniw

Wow. Just wow. It's hard to type while bowing down to the monitor.

Wow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3jNqdoNdRg

Thanks. I'm too young to have seen them play live, and I never really got into buying live albums.

Still, it's kind of weak. Just Jimmy Page on the acoustic and Robert Plant doing his thing--which is good, but he's no Elvis.

Everybody knows that Ronnie James Dio is the greatest singer of all time.

I think we have done those categories.
Randy Rhoads and Neil Peart.

Actually, I think we've done almost all the categories there are. We have at least two threads on hotdogs.

Let me throw down some stuff:

(Note that I ain't talking "best", but favorite)

Favorite guitar player: Jimi (by far). But someone like James Burton really gets my blood going.

Favorite drummer: don't have one, but I love those drummers who drive the band so much that you think the music simply wouldn't work without them. Imagine Motörhead without drums.

Favorite flautist in rock: Ian Anderson.

Favorite single rock musician (meaning the band doesn't matter): Neil Young. I worship Neil Young.

Favorite porn star: Brigitte Lahaie

Favorite single song of all time, regardless of genre: Red River Valley. I want it played at my funeral.

Favorite rock star for looks: Roy Orbison. He looked as cool as a man can look, and a titanic voice.

Favorite rock video: Whitesnake's ah...uh...don't remember the song. I just remember Tawny Kitaen rolling on the hood of a car.

I could go on, but you get the point.

Ok the pool is pretty shallow. But check out what James Galway adds to a Pink Floyd tune. Joni aint too bad either

John

Add Thijs Van Leer, Focus frontman:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4ouPGGLI6Q

Ian Anderson don't yodel.

And what's Lola, chopped liver?

Lola's wicked fast!

Tough call for me...he's on the shortest of the short lists, and the guy that made me a confirmed metalhead, but I don't think there's much to separate him from a group that includes Bruce Dickenson, Geoff Tate, Rob Halford, Ray Alder, James LaBrie...I think I'd give a slight nod to John Arch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUJQ5Kngw8g

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

I think Dio gets bonus points for generating that much power at a mere 3" tall.

They didn't call his band "Elf" for nothing.