Crafting playlists is my favorite thing to do – I am sure you already know that if you follow my blog or follow me on Twitter. I try to collect classic rock songs that share similarities in terms of themes, lyrics, titles, instrumentation and many other characteristics.
The idea of coming up with a playlist, featuring classic rock songs with a girl’s name in the title came to me the other day as I was listening to the playlist I have on my phone (it’s on shuffle, of course). First it played Toto’s “Rosanna” and then it jumped to Boston’s “Amanda” – such an interesting coincidence. Then it hit me – there are so many beautiful rock tunes who share that exact same peculiarity! Most of all, it was one of the biggest trends of the ‘70s and the ‘80s. Nowadays we don’t really observe such fashion; however as you will see in the following mixtape, every major rock act had at least one or two songs that were titled after a girl’s name. From AC/DC to Ramones; from Derek and the Dominos to Boston – all major artists loved to sing about that special girl with the gorgeous name. One more thing, pay attention to the names – all vocally strong, ending in –a or –e, aimed at creating a lasting memorable impact.
There are plenty more to add, however I had to draw the line somewhere! Feel free to add your choices on the comment section or on Twitter! Cheers!
Boston – Amanda (1986)
Derek & The Dominos – Layla (1970)
Toto – Rosanna (1982)
Europe – Carrie (1986)
Steve Perry – Oh! Sherrie (1984)
The Police – Roxanne (1978)
Rod Stewart – Maggie May (1971)
Ike & Tina Turner – Proud Mary (1970)
The Rolling Stones – Angie (1973)
The Kinks – Lola (1970)
+ Bonus Tracks
AC/DC – Whole Lotta Rosie (1977)
Ramones – Sheena Is a Punk Rocker (1977)
P.S. I don’t own any audio or visual material used in this publication. All the rights and credits go to the owners and/publishers.The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment. Cheers~
Since my semester starts tomorrow – 1st of September, I decided that it’s only right to prepare this playlist of 10 classic rock songs about school. I’m not sure how I feel about this new beginning, cause on top of everything it’s my final semester before graduation, but why not kick it off with a huge rock blast? To everyone who will start school or university tomorrow or any time soon (cause of course, it depends on the country), I wish a lovely new beginning and many new open doors and opportunities! Don’t forget to study hard, be responsible and dream big! Also, try to make new friends and explore new adventures! University/school times are the best ones, believe me! Cheers to the new semester and getting all the As!
Alice Cooper – School’s Out (1972)
Summer is definitely over and I wish it’s vacation time already! Till then, enjoy the killer riffs and energetic vibe, coming out of this 70s classic by Alice Cooper.
Van Halen – Hot for Teacher (1984)
This one comes from Van Halen’s infamous 1984 album and it tells us a story of a young man’s hots for his female teacher. Not so sure about the appropriateness of the music video, however the song rocks quite hard!
The Ramones – Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979)
This one has to be my favorite, not only because I adore The Ramones, but because it’s so energetic and uplifting. The lyrics are, naturally, representing the punk perspective of school – they just want to have their kicks and chicks and not taught “how to be a fool”. The movie is very cute as well, in case you haven’t watched it, you totally should.
Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall (1979)
A lot of skepticism and negative representation of teachers and school institutions come from Roger Waters in this track. Teachers, leave them kids alone and let them fly! The whole desperate atmosphere is highlighted by the voices of the children themselves, who sing “We Don’t need no Education!”
Motley Crue – Smokin’ in the Boys Room (1985)
The original version of this track comes from Brownsville Station, released in 1973 but I do prefer this one. Getting caught “smokin’ in the boys room” at school would “surely be the death of us all.”
Nirvana – School (1989)
Another one of my personal favorites on this list. Quite the rocker, actually! School may not be the most pleasant place for some people who are always troubled…
The Police – Don’t Stand So Close To Me (1980)
Very suggestive song – another one of those, telling the story of a student having a crush on the teacher. You know, Sting was actually a teacher once…Maybe he’s singing from experience.
The Kinks – The Hard Way (1975)
Their entire “Schoolboys in Disgrace”, 1975 album is basically a plotline on real school experiences of Dave Davies. This song is actually written from the perspective of a teacher who says, “Boys like you were born to waste. You never listen to a word I say… No matter what I do or say, You’re much too dumb to educate…”
Sam Cooke – Wonderful World (1960)
School and romance go hand in hand…Just like Sam Cooke sings, some students may not be so good in history or geometry, but they can be pretty good boyfriends 🙂
Chuck Berry – School Days (1957)
This late 50s classic by Chuck Berry simply tells us about a school day – with all of its expectations, adventures, agonies and horrors. “Ring ring goes the bell, The cook in the lunchroom’s ready to sell, You’re lucky if you can find a seat, You’re fortunate if you have time to eat, Back in the classroom open your books, Gee but the teacher don’t know how mean she looks.”
P.S. I don’t own any audio or visual material used in this publication. All the rights and credits go to the owners and/publishers. Cheers~
The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment.
I don’t know which side of the world you live in, but for me it’s time to rise and shine and marry the day! Like many other rock fans out there, I can’t really imagine waking up and start preparing for the day, without listening to some rock ‘n’ roll tunes as a background. However, mornings can be pretty tough – we are still too sleepy, still very tired and it takes time for the coffee to start working…So, to some people, including myself, solid hard rock sounds and crazy guitars might not be the best option for your morning…especially if it’s the beginning of the week. Thus, a few years ago, I made the so called “morning playlist” or “morning mixtape”, featuring classic rock tunes which I think are perfect for the early start of your day. I love collecting songs and making playlists, so I decided to share with you guys, some of the songs you can find on this morning playlist of mine (My personal playlist is too long, so I decided to share just 20 songs from it). They are indeed more soft and melodic than the usual songs I post on the blog, because I just can’t handle the crazy riffs at 6 am in the morning (haha). I hope you guys will enjoy the mixtape I prepared for you and might get some ideas for your own “morning playlist”. It’s a personal selection, combining classic rock songs with no common grounds, except being suitable for your busy and tiring mornings ( of course, based on my opinion only). Let’s play!
Eagles – I Can’t Tell You Why ( 1979 )
Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight ( 1977 )
Led Zeppelin – Stairway to Heaven ( 1971 )
Whitesnake – Don’t Fade Away ( 1997 )
Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Lucky Man
The Alan Parsons Project – Some Other Time ( 1977 )