Best of the Songs Clocking 10:00 to 15:00

[Charger]

Thanks to ZZZ stealing my NUMBER 1 I had to rethink things....and this is what I came up with...

So at #4 we have


BLACK SABBATH - THE WARNING


I don't think I need to post a link to this one...


Originally I was planning on leaving this out as it is a cover song but now I had to come up with something quick and I do LOVE this song...or to be more precise the solo section of the song...Tony's guitar solo jam here is nothing short of brilliant and it's something that very few bands have done on a record and Sabbath never did anything like this again either. So this is a bit of an oddity in that regard and I assume the only real reason at the time to do this was to fill the record up but my goodness it works great. Anyone who thinks Tony's just a riff master should most certainly listen to this song!

[Zzzptm]

Noticing in this list there are many more ninja moves than with the short songs. Also there are a lot more short songs to play with and that they tend to favor the punk side of things. This list is leaning more towards prog, jazz, and 12" dance remixes...

... which is what this one is. I *love* Ashford & Simpson, as there's an incredible positivity in their music, much like Earth Wind & Fire and other funk acts that wanted to put out a message of hope and love.

I also *love* Tom Moulton and the touches he brings to his mixes. He has a special touch for extending the instrumentals and making things flow in a brilliant journey that is both listenable and danceable.

So put them together and we have "Found a Cure (A Tom Moulton Mix)"...

Being where I am between jobs, it's good to hear the repeated line of "Love will fix it" as the dancebeats drive the funky mix forward. I should also note that while not all disco is funk, this funk is also disco. Thank you, Ashford, Simpson, and Tom.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

I was expecting someone to include "Warning". I do like the song but I'm the exact opposite Charger reasoning... I like the song part but I'm not keen on the guitar noodling!


Into my top 3 now and at number 3 we have:

Hawkwing - Assault and Battery / The Golden Void

This one is barely long enough at 10:08. It comes from the 1975 album Warriors at the Edge of Time. I'm not always a fan of their longer songs, but this works well.

[Charger]

Have listened to very little Hawkwind (as it's not really my cup of tea) but listening to that song now and it again baffles me how far outside the Hawkwind sound Lemmy went with Motörhead. I think it was clear that Hawkwind was NOT the kind of music Lemmy really wanted to play....

[Vyn]

"Advance Romance" by Frank Zappa. This song appears all over the place as a live rendition. In fact, it's original release was as a live song. But, all of the versions I'm aware of clock in at the 10 < song < 15 minute requirement, so I picked the one from Philly '76. As with much from him, it's about the sound and tone despite the often puerile lyrics that made him notable to the average Joe. While listening to him in their garage )

Anyway, guitar solo kicks in around 6:20 and cooks. Thanks Frank!

[Charger]

Since KDC took my IE track I'll do another one....frankly both songs are rather excellent so it doesn't matter..


So my choice for #3 is the first part of the magnum opus of Iced Earth called THE DEVIL TO PAY

An absolutely stellar piece of epical heavy metal greatness this one. It's about the events that took place on July 1st 1863 during the US civil war.
There are lot of different passages in the song with various themes but one that rises above all and serves as a great hook and bridge in the middle of the song is a fantastic version of When Johnny Comes Marching Home which Jon dedicated to the fallen Union general John Reynolds that was struck down by a Rebel sharpshooter.
Tim's vocal preformance on this song is masterful, it's preformance that I can't believe any other singer could achieve.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Regarding Lemmy, I think he was still learning his trade whilst in Hawkwind. The sacking was probably the kick up the ass he needed to go out and do his own thing! I don't think there was anything like Motorhead in the early-mid 70s so he just created it.

And, of course, The Devil to Pay is a tremendous achievement.


Choice 9, number 2 on my list.


Metallica - The Outlaw Torn  (Unencumbered By Manufacturing Restrictions Version)

The original version from Load only clocks in at about 9:45 because they ran out of space on the CD to fit it all in (frankly I can thin of a song they could have ditched and the album wouldn't have suffered!). However the 10:48 version appears in the Memory Remains single.

I can't put my finger on quite why it's such a masterpiece but we find it at number 2 on my list.

[Vyn]

Number 2: A toss-up between this and, "Overworlder," and this track won out on a coin toss.

Released as the opening track on 2022's The Singularity, "Orphans of the Singe" is a standout track that exemplifies Wo Fat's ability to combine heavy riffage with psychedelic exploration. The song stays relatively simple in terms of harmonic progression, but it’s the intricate layering, rhythmic diversity, and dynamic control that elevate it. The band’s deep connection to blues-based riffing, paired with their willingness to stretch into more avant-garde territory, makes this track both a heavy and hypnotic experience. It’s a testament to their ability to craft songs that are as crushing as they are captivating.

[Zzzptm]

^ I almost chose that one and decided, "no, I'll let Vyn have it."

[Vyn]

^ I almost chose that one and decided, "no, I'll let Vyn have it."

Thanks!

[Zzzptm]

When I first heard this as a kid, it really stuck with me, especially the question about "if you only had a minute to breathe..." Great chill song, long jam, solid mood piece.

Traffic - "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys"

[Vyn]

That song used to get heavy rotation on the local radio station from circa 1980-1990. They played it seemingly every other hour for a decade. And that was about the last time I had heard it.

Listening to it now, I am reminded why it was such an awesome tune. Oversaturation ruined it for a while, but it really is excellent across the board.

[Charger]

So time for the SECOND best song over 10 minutes, but under 15 minutes.


This one comes from BENEDICTUM and it's called SEASONS OF TRAGEDY

It's the title track of their second album and it's one monster of a song! It starts of with a hindu chant before kicking off the riff barage! Veronica Freeman's vocal preformance he is nothing short of amazing and Peter Wells' guitar work it top notch. Former DIO bassist Jeff Pilson plays keyboards here!
Great epic tune this one.

The track starts at 47:25.

[Zzzptm]

Ninth suggestion...

From the epic Headhunters album, Herbie Hancock's "Sly"

This is a great track for driving around town, feels like I'm in a 1970s police drama/thriller/chase scene as things warm up and then get fast and exciting.

[Vyn]

Numero Uno: "The World is a Ghetto" by War.

This was their fifth long player, and by 1972 they had long since left Eric Burdon behind. All Day Music firmly positioning them as a world-class act in and of themselves, The World is a Ghetto solidified their standing. The title track clocks in just over ten minutes, and I used to annoy the hell out of my friends playing this record because none of them liked it.

I always have.