Let's Have a War: The 100 Best Punk Songs
Published May 25, 2006
For my first three songs, I just went with my three most played songs on my Last Fm thing for this week. I have this tendency to obsess.
Rocket From the Crypt - "Salt Future" It's one of those songs that you can't just have on, you don't just listen to it - you have to sing it. And I mean sing. Loud. Like you mean it. Even if you don't know the words you just make them up as you go along and then sing real loud on the parts you do know and who knows what the fuck a salt future is or why it's rising, but god damn this is some good drunken barroom sing-along music and I'm gonna belt this out like I mean it. download
Fugazi - "Promises" Another song you just have to sing, but this one you belt out with the windows in the car rolled up instead of down because your voice may crack on a word or two. The pickup right before he starts in with the "Go where you think you want to go" verse, the promises/words exchange at the end, the way the anger beneath the lyrics comes out as frustration in his voice - it all makes for one of those songs I shouldn't listen to a lot, but I can't help doing it anyhow. download
Rich Kids on LSD- "Scab on My Brain" - This song is awesome. It's fast and loud and obnoxious and, if you do it right, your throat should hurt when you are done singing. And really, having the words SCAB ON MY BRAIN! burst forth from your speakers as your kids' friends are hanging out in your kitchen is just icing. download
That's just the start. Six down, 194 to go. Throw some suggestions at us!
- Let's Have a War: The 100 Best Punk Songs
- Published: May 25, 2006
- Type: Opinion
- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Music: Lists, Music: Punk Rock
- Part of a feature: Let's Have a War: 100 Best Punk Songs
- Writer: Michele Catalano
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- Michele Catalano's personal site
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Comments on this articleComments
Oh, Roadrunner will definitely appear on my list somewhere.
Someone can't tell the difference between bad music, loud music, fast music and actual punk music.
Dave
Whey don't you enlighten us at to what "actual" punk music is?
Lets see, I like 'Satellite' by the Sex Pistols, 'Too Drunk to Fuck' by the Dead Kennedys, Gimme Violation by X-15, 'Strychnine' by th Sonics, etc....
Dead Milkmen
My Bitchin Camaro or
Swordfish has to be in the 100...it has to...
"repetition"-the fall
C'Mon Everybody- Eddie Cochran, Jack The Ripper-
Link Wray,I'll Go Crazy - James Brown, You've Got
Your Head On Backwards - The Sonics, Psycho - The
Swamp Rats, I'm Your Witch Doctor - John Mayall &
The Bluesbreakers and Out Of Our Tree - Wailers
That's just a few from the Pre-Punk era... OK,not
"PUNK ROCK" per se,but definitely seven very good
examples of without whom, blah blah blah...
HW, good call on the Sonics and Wailers. Both having roots in Tacoma, WA. Many say that these bands are the beginning of punk rock as we know it in modern times.
But I'll keep remembering top 100 candidates as the day goes on. How about adding 'Transmission' by Joy Division and 'Angels Ride' by Napalm Beach.
Oh man, due to the underground nature of punk rock, this list could get very obscure. And every choice is quite valid!
Joe McCarthy's Ghost.
We're Desperate.
"I Wanna Be Sedated"-The Ramones
"Longview"-Green Day
"Adam's Song"-blink-182
"Smells Like Teen Spirit"-Nirvana
Just some suggestions. I think the 90's was a big time for punk, since that's when it came back into the spotlight, so I do think that a lot of great songs came from the 90's. But of course the original stuff was beyond good.
emilythestrange1992
are u serious???? take your head out of your ass! FIRST OFF nirvana is not punk there grunge blink 182 is punk???? are u fucking kidding me???? actually the 70s and 80's was a "big time for punk" not the 90's u tard!! all these wanna be pop punk bands flooded in the 90's and almost killed punk. here are some REAL PUNK BANDS!!
SEX PISTOLS
BLACKFLAG
UK SUBS
CRASS
FUCK YOU UPS
FEAR
DEAD KENNEDYS
THE PAGANS
STIFF LITTLE FINGERS
A GLOBAL THTREAT
CASUALTIES
ANT-FLAG
CIRCLE JERKS
MIONOR THREAT
CHEAP SEX
THE EXPLOITED
BUZZCOCKS
SHAM 69
AGENT ORANGE
THE GERMS
ANGELIC UPSTARTS
G.B.H
ALLEYCATS
AVENGERS
The Refused. Hands down. Hardcore, political, fast-paced punk. The New Noise is one of the best punk songs ever written.
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This opens the door to the age-old question "What are the roots of punk rock?". Based on my wide interpretation, my contribution for the list of top 100 punk songs consists of "Roadrunner" by The Modern Lovers, "Pushin' Too Hard" by the Seeds and "TV Eye" by The Stooges.
Feel free to disagree.