How Many Band Names Start With the Letter B? F! Day 127, April 127

Bored of Directives
Creative Studio Blog
Day 127, April 12th, 2011

As promised, I am continuing my special mission, my mission to listen to the top 500 songs of all time as chosen by Rolling Stone Magazine.  Today we are looking at artists who start with the letter B and I will choose the best song.  Check the OTBAP Facebook page for comments by other Bored of Directives folk such as Gary and Randall (yes, he is even starting to post).  Be warned, there is a ridiculous amount of bands that start with the letter B.  For new bands out there, you would be wise to name your band something that in no way starts with the letter B.

Here are a few liberal rules I have taken for this round.  In the event that a band has more than one song listed (Beatles, Bob Marley) I will list the song that I think is the best one from their catalogue.  I will add some snarky comments as necessary and how I choose the winner of the B’s is totally subjective and up to me.  Discussion is encouraged.  Here we go!

STEEL CAGE MATCH:
ROLLING STONE TOP 500 SONGS OF ALL TIME SMACKDOWN
Today’s Challenge: B’s

Today’s Competition:

B-52’s
2 songs: Love Shack is my pick
B.B King
The Thrill is Gone
The Band 
2 songs: The Night They Drove Ol’ Dixie
Band of Gold
Freda Payne
Barret Strong
Money (that’s what I want)
Beach Boys
7 songs the best of which is easily Sloop John B
Beastie Boys
Sabotage
The Beatles
23 songs.  Ridiculous.  Best of which is Hey Jude.  Discuss.
Beck
Loser (1 song!  Are you kidding me?  Beck was robbed.  He must have slept with every editorial writer’s sister at Rolling Stone to deserve this sort of disrespect)
Bee Gees
2 songs.  Doesn’t matter.
Ben E. King
2 songs.  Stand out is obviously Stand By Me.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
Props for cool band name only.
Big Joe Turner
Possible name of my first son but shake, rattle and roll doesn’t make it to my top 500.
Big Star
Rather indulgent band name.  Like calling yourself Best Singer Ever.  Coincidentally, Liam Gallagher’s new band.
Bill Haley & the Comets
Opening soon for the Eagles.  They will play Rockin’ Around the Clock for 25 minutes.
Bill Withers
2 songs.  Lean On Me.  Inspired by Stand By Me.  Same song.
Billy Joel
Piano Man
Black Sabbath
Paranoid
Iron Man
Blondie
3 songs: One Way Or Another is the top one.
Blue Oyster Cult
One Hit Wonderful: (Don’t Fear the Reaper)
Bo Diddley
3 songs: Who Do You Love (hard choice seeing as how he has a song named after himself.  That’s pretty balls.)
Bob Dylan
12 songs: Subterranian Homesick Blues (Rap before Rap.  Awesome)
Bob Marley
4 songs: Redemption Song
Bobby Gentry
Ode to Billy Joe
Bobby Darin
I Can’t Make You Love Me
Bobby Fuller Four
I Fought The Law
Bonnie Raitt
I Can’t Make You Love Me (I can’t believe Bonnie only has 1 singular entry)
Booker T. and the M.G.S (great name)
Green Onions
Boston
More Than a Feeling (tragically disqualified because name of band is a place)
The Box Tops
The Letter
Brook Benton
Rainy Night in Georgia
Bruce Springsteen
3 songs: Born to Run is obvious stand out and a front runner in the B competition
Buddy Holly
5 songs: Peggy Sue (immediately disqualified because Rave On is on the list)
Buffalo Springfield
For What It’s Worth (Awesome Song)

So after some serious deliberation and total lack of productivity today because of extensive song list, the winner has to be Bob Dylan’s Subterranean Homesick Blues (Springsteen came close.  Very, very close).  Reasons:  The video kicks ass (video.ez-tracks.com/videos/subterranean-homesick-blues-bob-dylan.html), it was written in ‘65 and is still incredibly relevant and fresh and lastly, this dope lyric: “you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows”.

Winner of the B’s: AC DC’s HIGHWAY TO HELL.

All episodes from ON THE BEAT AND PATH in Sumatra are live and can be seen here:

www.boredofdirectives.com/episodes_sumatra.html

Photos from our shoot in Sumatra are also live and available on FACEBOOK:

www.facebook.com/album.php?id=117330331613463&aid=58955

Otherwise, Catch Us Live Somewhere on this Planet.

Peace,
Steve

www.boredofdirectives.com/OBPath_index.html

Twitter: twitter.com/#!/OnTheBeatNPath
Blogspot: onthebeatandpath.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OnTheBeatAndPath
CBC Radio 3 (Original Canadian Indie Music): radio3.cbc.ca/#/bands/On-The-Beat-and-Path

steve@boredofdirectives.com
gary@boredofdirectives.com

P.S Oh yeah, Lake Week continues tomorrow with PART 2!