other than "Stairway to Heaven" as #1 rock song?

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Over the Thanksgiving weekend, one of the big corporate radio stations did a top 500 rock songs of all time. I only got a chance to listen to a couple in the 100-200 range, but it got me thinking, what might have a case to be the number one song. Some candidates include:

"We Will Rock You"/"We Are The Champions" by Queen. Played so often together that it's essentially one song.

"Prologue"/"Long Time" by Boston.

Any of several songs by Cher.

"Come Sail Away" by Styx

Now, I realize my list is heavy 1970s, but that's when I came of age. Other candidates include:

"Yellow Ledbetter" by Pearl Jam.

"Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons, although this is perhaps too recent a song to make a full judgment.

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And within the top 500, I fully count any song that might conceivably be played on a rock station, such as the country crossover "He'll Come Again" by Dolly Parton or any of a number of songs by Kenny Rogers, such as the jazz instrumental "Feels So Good" by Chuck Mangione, as well as "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" and the underappreciated "High Flying, Adored" from the musical Evita. And the fact that these songs are less likely to be overplayed is actually a point in their favor.

So, what are your candidates for number one song? As well as other really cool songs which should not be neglected.

"Age of Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" by the Fifth Dimension
"Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen
"Dream On" by Aerosmith
"Feelin' Stronger Every Day" by Chicago

born to be wild [Steppenwolf]
give it to me [j. geils band]
inagaddadavida [iron butterfly]
gimme some lovin [spencer davis group]
hey bartender [blues brothers]
I know I'm losing you [rod stewart]
Kentucky woman [deep purple]

"Stairway To Heaven" is so overrated. Personally, I think anything from Twisted Sister or Kiss should be #1.

"How you like me now?" The Heavy
"Tiger City Phone Card" Dengue Fever
"Where's my Mind?" The Pixies
"Layla" Eric Clapton
"White Rabbit" Jefferson Airplane
"I Wanna be Your Dog" The Stooges
"Seven Nation Army" White Stripes
"Gimme Shelter" Rolling Stones

"War Pigs"-Black Sabbath
"Money for Nothing"-Dire Straits
"Back in Black"-AC/DC
"Hey Joe"-Jimi Hendrix
"Summertime Blues"-Blue Cheer

Frankenstein - Edgar Winter Group
Lots of other worthy choices posted above, too.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d81fdU8EP28[/youtube]

OR

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iJ856xEbNg[/youtube]

OMG no nothing from Cher is Rock... I'd have a conniption fit in the 80's if someone said that lol. All the below is Rock, hard rock and while it may have a metal band or two, these songs are simply hard rock songs.

1. "Sympathy for the Devil"/Rolling Stones (Perhaps one of the greatest rock songs ever.)
2. "Maxwell's Silver Hammer"/Beatles (Creeptastic)
3. "Another Brick in the Wall"/Pink Floyd (What started it all for many of us.)
4. "Back in Black" AC/DC (if this does not get you pumped up, your dead inside.)
5. "Bohemian" Rhapsody"/Queen (Epic)
6. "The Trooper" Iron Maiden (Really rocks)
7. "Bobby Brown"/Frank Zappa (Genius song, so funny)
8. "Tom Sawyer"/Rush (Thinking mans rock)
9. "One"/Metallica (Powerful)
10. "My Ding-a-Ling"/Chuck Berry (Funny as hell, and not known to most. Perhaps more rock and roll)

I agree, "Stairway to heaven" is overrated.
There are plenty of other zeppelin songs I would rate higher. "Black Dog", or "Immigrant song" for example.

Anything from Jimi Hendrix or the Doors.

"Tom Sawyer" is also excellent.

"Long Live Rock" by the Who

"Another Brick in the Wall pt 2" by Pink Floyd
"Money" by Pink Floyd

"For those about to Rock", or "Dirty Deeds" by AC/DC

As far as Metallica goes, "Creeping Death", "For Whom the Bell Tolls", & "Master of Puppets" all rank higher than "One" on my list.

Come to think of it, my personal all time greatest rock song is "Creeping Death" is #1, especially any live version.

I like Cher. I particularly like the song "Gypsies Tramps and Thieves." I remember hearing it a number of times when I was six or seven, and it's one of the reasons I'm an activist! It's a great song of rebellion and siding with the underdog.

Perhaps musically, other songs by Cher are better, but I'd say "Gypsies" clearly belongs in the top 100, maybe even in the top 20.

all good selections so far, but I have to say that I think the thread seems to be including things that are not strictly rock.

Rock and Roll - The Velvet Underground

This.....

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyF8UI1ZeUM[/youtube]


or this.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuk6vuNZiHY[/youtube]

or this.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ktFEOWP6iY[/youtube]

I can't remember...

I think Hotel California should be number one

Led Zeppelin sux.