For a while now, I have been perusing my friend’s punk collection and discovering some by myself. I’ve enjoyed doing it because I’ve been able to experience a genre I haven’t before. And I thought that I should share some great songs that I’ve been introduced to because of this.
In no special order, here they are:
“Amoeba” by The Adolescents
This song basically channels the ethos of Californian punk, fast, catchy, and borderline intelligible. I have listened to this song many times, and I still have no idea what it is about, something about scientists, and reaching for a telephone? It does not matter, the song propels itself with an almost military-esque drum beat, and continues with a chant that is made to get caught in your head. Compressed brilliance.
“Silly Girl” by Descendents
From the probably America’s first pop-punk band, the Descendents here are in their forte, songs about girls they once loved. “Silly Girl” opens with a crunchy guitar beat that leads into a drum beat that goes through out the song. The singer Milo Aukerman’s lispy roar brings emotion to the center of the song. A breezy pop-punk song with teeth, it is one of my favorite Descendents song.
“Rise Above” by Black Flag
The definite statement of hardcore punk, Rise Above is the clarion call of Black Flag’s album Damaged with a distorted guitar opening leading into a blistering bass, the song is like a thunder storm rushing over a plain. Rolling faster towards it with each guitar lick.
“Waiting Room” by Fugazi
“I am a patient boy, I wait, I wait, I wait…” says Ian Mackaye at the beginning of the song, which is funny because the song almost immediately begins with it’s savage pummeling of the eardrums, stopping at one point where it then begins again. With an almost frenetic zeal ,Mackaye continues by blasting through with an almost growl, he is assisted by the hammering drums and bass. An indictment of the perceived laziness of people in general, with this song it’s impossible to see how anyone wouldn’t “get up”.
“Blitzkrieg Bop” by The Ramones
If you haven’t heard this song, then you must hear it now, though you most likely have, and if then you might wonder why it’s on this list. Well it’s probably the most accessible punk song that is also enjoyed by devotees. And it’s not hard to see why, starting from Joey Ramone yelling “Hey ho, let’s go, Hey ho, let’s go” to the almost pulsating guitar lick, listening to this song is like seeing the foundation for a great monument, and if the beginning is this good there’s no telling how much better it might get.
