Dad rock. The lost art in music. Here are six tunes that will make you want to shred air guitar and grow a moustache.
By Alexander Marks McLeod
1. Born to Run - 1975
An incredible track from the album of the same name, Born to Run is potentially The Boss’ very best work. The song gloriously builds to a crescendo of electric guitars, a swelling saxophone solo and Springsteen’s gravelly voice. Pure passion. Pure dad rock.
2. Baba O’Riley - 1971
This classic owes its unique identity to the futuristic rolling ostinato which sits beneath the music throughout. It’s a song that’s been around since 1971 and still manages to rock harder than a dad bod watching The Who live.
3. Free Bird - 1973
It’s hard for a song which runs for nine minutes and eight seconds with the last lyric sung at four minutes and fifty five seconds to hold your attention. But Free Bird does. It makes you wait. It holds itself back. Before Skynyrd’s three guitarists - Ed King, Allen Collins and Gary Rossington - take turns making rock n’ roll history.
4. Smoke on the Water - 1972
Pass somebody a guitar, and such is the power of Smoke on the Water, their fingers most probably will see-saw between the third, fifth and sixth frets with no hesitation. Ingenious simplicity. Farmed for that iconic riff. But it also offers an outstanding drum beat from Ian Paice (if you haven’t already, listen to the isolated drum track).
5. Fortunate Son - 1969
It’s a song so good they made a war about it. Fortunate Son is a testament to the power of music to inspire change and give a voice to those who have been silenced - notions we support. It’s also the song we will play whilst submitting this magazine. Badass.
6. The Boys are Back in Town - 1983
From the first chord, you know what you're getting with The Boys are Back in Town. It takes you to a different world: When Lynott sings, “That jukebox in the corner blasting out my favourite son,” you can almost smell the stale beer and feel the sticky floor under your feet. Party on.
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