Monday, May 10, 2021

Mighty Catchy Stuff: George Thorogood Greatest Hits, Thirty Years of Rock


Given this post's title, naturally I will start talking about Alice Cooper.

Alice is my favorite musical performer, which means his music is often found in my car.  However, while semi regularly it is the playlist of ALL his music, there isn't one specific album that meets the Mighty Catchy criteria.  Invariably whatever his most recent release is will be somewhere in there.  Also From the Inside (my favorite) and Welcome 2 My Nightmare (Anabelle's favorite) are on high rotation.  A song or two of his made their way onto the original Catchy Stuff since I started getting into his music in earnest during college.

There is usually one of his live shows in the mix as well, but since there isn't a definitive "all the time" one, oddly this "Impact Artist" doesn't make the Impact Album list.

However, one of the songs from the Alice Cooper Band days is tied for the greatest driving song in history.

It is "Under My Wheels."

The song it is tied with, is on the Impact Album of today. 
"Gear Jammer."

I will accept no argument on these two.

The Thorogood "best of" was one of the earliest denizens of the TDK cassette pouch, which like many others on this list, has gone through technological upgrades to remain in my vehicles.  I knew several of his tunes (mostly the drinking related ones) from the radio, and the original purchase was cemented by needing "Bad to the Bone" to go along with the Terminator 2 soundtrack. (That soundtrack is another with featured selections on the original "Mighty Stuff" tape.)

Like the Blues Brothers, it is R&B based rock and roll, but with a grittier edge than Jake and Elwood.  The baselines pound, the horns wail, George belts out the lyrics in his gravel-ly voice, and the miles pass easily by.

I tried running to it a couple of times, but it wasn't quite right. Not to mention there was the danger of accidentally forgetting the tape in my walkman when I got in the car, which could not be allowed.






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