These updates take forever. After listing and tagging everything, I still have to write about the songs. That is why these updates are so far apart. My apologies.
[Edit] Jesus this took me over 2 months to start and finish. I think this Epic Playlist will be a year-long project... Let me know if you find it interesting or if I'm just wasting my time.
Enough complaining let's get back to it:
-B-
- The B-52's - Love Shack - Who doesn't know/love this classic song. Grab your boards, we're going to the Love Shack
- Bachman-Turner Overdrive - Takin' Care of Business - All about how much better your life is if you're in a band. Couldn't say it better myself.
- Bad Company - Bad Company - About a man who who "was born with a six-gun in [his] hand." Outlaws and hooligans, live by the gun, die by the gun.
- The Bags - Cavemen Rejoice - I'm not going to lie, the only reason I know about this song is from Guitar Hero, but it is a good one. All about cavemen rejoicing (who would have thought?) over the killing of a Woolly Mammoth and victory against the neighboring tribe of cavemen. I really like the break down in the middle, where it is the guitarist (maybe bassist) playing a few notes, holding them out, dropping it, then repeating over and over. I always think that the power for the player is just too much and he has to keep re-attempting the same rhythm. But that's just me.
- Barenaked Ladies - One Week -Just a simple song about a guy and his girl arguing and eventually coming back together. Its a fast song with catchy lyrics (who can't remember "Chickety China, the Chinese chicken, you have a drumstick and your brain stops tickin"?). Just a throwback to the alt. rock of the 90's
- The Beach Boys - Kokomo - Another classic. If this island paradise that the Beach Boys sing about actually exists, I totally want to find it.
- The Beastie Boys - (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party) -A Rap/Rock anthem about telling your parents to shove it. I'm not much into rap but The Beastie Boys are a favorite of mine. "Licence To Ill" was a great album.
- The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps -The genuine guitar song. While the lyrics are whimsical and really signifying nothing, I love the guitar work, and the haunting melody and chorus; "While my guitar gently weeps." I raises the hairs on my arm every time it comes on
- Bill Withers - Lean On Me - Once one person starts this song, you can't help but join in. With the slow piano and rhythm, and the soulful melody, this is a song for the ages.
- Billy Idol - White Wedding - I really have no clue what this song is about. It references a "Little Sister" and of course the "White Wedding," but very little ties them together. Still, this being one of Billy Idol's two hits (The other being "Rebel Yell") it's hard not to add. Plus this is another song that everyone knows
- Billy Joel - Scenes From An Italian Restaurant - One of my favorite songs of all time. I remember belting the lyrics to this in the back seat of my parent's car as a kid, and I still do it now (although I have moved to the front seat). The song is broken into three parts, and it flows effortlessly between them. The piano, the love, the regret; all classics.
- Black Eyed Peas - Pump It - This song is catchy. It really is just a remix of "Misirlou" by Surf Rock great Dick Dale, with some lyrics thrown over it. That guitar tune in the back ground of the entire song? That's "Misirlou." The only real instrument besides clapping? "Misirlou." So while I do enjoy the song, let's just sum up what this really is: a re-vamped cover. Still, it is catchy, and it is one of the few rap songs that I know every word of.
- Black Label Society - Fire It Up - I've seen Black Label Society two times live, and they put on a decent show. They are a straight-forward metal band, and play the part. This song has a solid guitar riff, simple lyrics, and of course a bitchin' solo. While is is not a great in the halls of metal, it is the best BLS song that I have heard.
- Black Sabbath - The Wizard - While not the most popular of the Black Sabbath songs, this one is by far my favorite. It starts with the harmonica which leads into Tony Iommi's guitar. Any song about wizards is cool by me (see the next song). About how everyone is excited when the Wizard visits their town.
- Black Stone Cherry - Rain Wizard - Following in the footsteps of Black Sabbath, Rain Wizard is a prayer of sorts to a Rain Wizard to bring rain to the people's crops. I really loved Black Stone Cherry's debut album, really great southern rock/metal, and was looking forward to their follow up, but it left me wanting more. Not nearly as good. (See my review)
- Black Tide - Warriors of Time - See Here for entire band/album review. This song is haunting. Every time I hear it, chills run up my spine. It begins with a simple Spanish-guitar melody, and quickly turns into a Power Metal anthem for the ages. I love the singers voice/vocals, I love the guitar solos, I love the lyrics, I love this song.
- BlackFoot - Train, Train - This is a song that makes me turn up the radio every time it comes on. I love the harmonica intro, I love harmonicas in rock music, I think that they add something different. Actually, the harmonica intro is not officially part of the song. It is titled "Train, Train (Prelude)" and lasts for roughly 30 seconds. When I uploaded this album onto my computer, I melded the two tracks together, because to me, like Queen's "We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions," they cannot be split up.
- Blind Guardian - Into The Storm - Off the Nightfall In Middle-Earth album, Into the storm is the second track (but the first song), telling the beginning of the story of the fall of the old king. I like it because of its high musical sound, with several vocals layered on top of one another. A great war chant.
- Blind Melon - No Rain - The only single, off the only album, by these Alt. Rock/Grunge wannabes. They stopped recording because of the death of their singer, Shannon Hoon, by (you guessed it) a drug overdose. Regardless, this is a simple song, with haunting lyrics. And this will live forever, shouting out the memory of it's creator
- Bloodhound Gang - Fire Water Burn - The Bloodhound Gang is known for their crazy lyrics that are self-detrimental and overall insultive to everyone. This song is no different. It's a laugh riot every time.
- Blue Cheer - Summertime Blues - A cover of an old blues song, and it's been covered several times sense this, but it is still a good one. One of the originators of metal, Blue Cheer down-tuned their guitars for a "Heavy" feel, which would become prevalent in the works of Black Sabbath, some time later.
- Blue Öyster Cult - Godzilla - One of the biggest song of their career, "Godzilla" cashes in on the old Japanese movie craze that went wild during the 70's. Becoming an unofficial theme song, this song catapulted the movies to an even wider audience (and quite possibly, the movies helped out the song's popularity too). Now a constant staple on US classic rock radio.
- The Blues Brothers - Theme To Rawhide - An awesome movie, and awesome soundtrack, an awesome idea. Cover a song from a TV show from the 60's, this song brings a piece of history to new masses (such as myself). I love the back and forth part between John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. If you haven't seen this movie (where have you been?!?) go out and buy it. It is a hilarious classic with a great blues/funk soundtrack.
- Blues Traveler - Run-Around - As stated before, I love the harmonica, which is probably why I like the Blues Travelers. They always have very musical-oriented songs, with a mix of fast lyrics and excellent bass. And of course that harmonica. This song is no different. I grew up to this song (my Mom's a fan), so it has a certain nostalgia value to it.
- Bon Jovi - You Give Love A Bad Name - A classeic, enough said. If you don't know it, come out from under your rock and buy Bon Jovi's Greatest Hits. You'll enjoy it.
- Boston - Foreplay/Long Time - My favorite drum intro ever. I love the sound and feel of triplets, and this intro ("Foreplay") is rife full of them. The song itself is good too. But that beginning....
- Breaking Benjamin - So Cold - This song is another throwback to my highschool days. I've seen these guys live, and they were pretty good. While I didn't like their albums too much (they aren't bad), this song has always held my appeal. It's hard rock with downer lyrics. Not bad.
- The Brighouse And Rastrick Brass Band - Floral Dance - An old English horn song. I only know about this because of my mother (who is British). It's a fun horn and drum song, no lyrics, nothing close to vocals, but I smile every time it comes on. Apparently it was number one in England in the 70's for one week, before getting knocked out by Wings.
- Bruce Dickinson with Godspeed - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - One of my Cover Songs That Are Better Than The Original, this song, off of the first Nativity In Black Album (a tribute album to Black Sabbath), was where I got the idea for my aforementioned List. After going back and listening to the original Sabbath version, I felt that the song was empty. It was missing Bruce Dickinson's amazing voice. That man can sing. While he has done nothing of merit solo, his years with Iron Maiden are some of the bast in Metal history. This song follows in that trend. This is one of the songs that made Nativity In Black a stellar album
- Buckcherry - Lit Up - A catchy riff, swingin' lyrics, lots of references to cocaine. What's not to love.
- Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth - Another protest Vietnam song, but one of the few that has made it out of the decade. Most young people (my own age) don't even realize the dark sub-content of the song. But nevertheless it is a timeless classic
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