Ten Classic Rock Songs....with a difference.

 Over the years I've listened to a lot of music and I tend to love the good old classic rock and roll songs. I've collated a list of ten of my favorite songs and found a youtube version of each that may surprise you.

I had fun finding these songs, I hope you have fun listening to them.

I’ve been a Queen fan for as long as I can remember, and Bohemian Rhapsody has always been one of my favorite songs. Its combination of ballad, classic rock and opera make it one of the most unique and innovative songs I have heard and I still love to hear it whenever I can.

The sublime lyrics are deep and sad, while the upbeat opera section is vigorous and full of passion. With the advent of Wayne’s World, this song gained a huge following making it one of the most successful songs ever.

The version on Youtube is actually pretty amazing – it’s shows how good the song is, and how well it can sound when sung by masterful singers – I note that it takes 10 tenors to sound anywhere near as good as Freddie Mercury.

This song always comes out on top in most ‘number one rock songs of all time’ lists – although Led Zeppelin didn’t really like the song, it has become one of the most played and loved songs of all time. From the initial moment you hear the balladic tones, right through the increase of power and tempo, the song is masterful and amazing.

This Rolf Harris version is perhaps sacrilegious, but it just goes to show the wide impact this song has had on the whole musical (and no musical) world.

I am a huge Rush song, and Tom Sawyer is Rush’s greatest hit. Not many people are aware of this virtuoso trio, but most have heard this song. It is a classic combination of their styles, merging their progressive rock prowess together with their ability to play classic ballads. It really shows the talents of Peart, Lifeson and Lee.

When attending a Rush concert a few years ago I was amazed and pleasantly surprised when SouthPark made an appearance, and introduced this classic song – it’s funny and a huge testament to the following Rush have.

I am a late comer to Styx and actually found them after listening to this SouthPark version of ‘Come Sail Away’. I heard it on the radio and while searching the web, found the original Styx song. I found it a profoundly good song, especially with the surprise ending – it seems that I love songs that start of balladic and become good old rock and roll half way through.

This is the first and only song I can play on the guitar. Its simple riff is one of the most recognizable riffs ever. Deep Purple were one of the first rock bands I listened too, and their no nonsense heavy rock sound has always pleased me – I still play air guitar when I hear this on the radio.

This Jazz version intrigued me; it’s not particularly good, but it does show how a classic rock tune can have serious blues undertones when played with different instruments.

I was a teenager in Wales when this first came out – it was a perfect song for all of us angry teenagers and seemed to capture our teenage angst pretty well. The song’s classic tune combined with the clever video (and the classic album The Wall) make this one of my favorite songs of all time.

Recently I’ve been listening to a lot of classic rock played by orchestras – it goes to prove that rock musicians are very talented and produce some amazing music – just listen to some of the classical variations of Rush songs.

This Procol Harum song has always appealed to me; it’s classical roots make it an amazing song to listen to especially when you delve into the deep lyrics. It’s one of those songs can play in the background without being noticed, but also is up there with the best.

Having started listening to some classic old musical recently, I began to explore the music of Sarah Brightman, and was amazed to find this version of the classic song – it’s actually an excellent version in itself.

There’s just something about this song that makes it a classic-  whether it’s the rhythm, that somehow makes you want to dance, or the classic 50s feel of it, it just simply is a fun and classic song. This version I found on Youtube is very similar to the original, but somehow also has its own unique feel – while not a classic in itself, it did bring back memories of the original for me.

I have to say that I’m not a huge Bruce Springstein fan, but some of his early songs have a power and a meaning that are very profound – there’s something ‘American’ about the early songs, and they have always struck a chord with me.

I should also point out that I am not a huge ‘Frankie Goes to Hollywood’ fan either, but this version somehow adds a punk feel to it as it speeds it up – it’s one of the better covers I’ve heard.

Out of all the Beatles songs that I love, and there are many, this is one of my favorites – it’s simplicity, combined with the almost sad words make it a pure classic. The Beatles were so diverse, and this is one of their more melodic tunes, with some great and subtle harmonies.

This Mantovani version shows how good the underlying music really is, and underlines the musical prowess of Lenon and Mcartney.