BBE vs. TH = popularity contest

[mleaman@sccoast.net (Mark Leaman)]

>But my personal opinions aside, Stairway to Heaven is generally
>regarded as one of, if not the, best rock song ever written.  It
>continually wins every poll ever given by every radio station.  (Here
>in Boston, they're doing the top 500 of all time, I am fervently
>hoping that this will be the year something else will win.  BTW, Won't
>Get Fooled Again regularly makes the top ten.)  The solo is always in
>the top ten solos in the guitar mags.  Etc, etc...

Brad:

Popularity does NOT equal greatness. If you are inclined to disagree, allow
me to mention FRAMTON COMES ALIVE, which was the biggest selling album of
its time. Sure, now people know it was mush. In those days everyone was
singing along to Do You Feel Like We Do (a more self-serving song I've yet
to hear).
I've never really thought about Stairway as being "one of the best Rock
songs ever written." I like it, and it's certainly popular. But not one of
the best. For Zep, that would be Immigrant Song or Kashmir. Something
uniquely Zep and somewhat original. That Stairway sort of thing had been
done before by other bands.
Layla, now (the original, not the "night club" version) is a Rock Classic.
For The Who, there are a number: I Can See For Miles, My Generation, Baba
O'Riley, Magic Bus, WGFA, Pinball Wizard, I'm Free, Who Are You, and
more...all original, all distinctly Who.

>But if you really want to stake the difference between the two bands
>on these two songs, all you do is show why the Who plays 2nd fiddle to
>Led Zep these days.  Zep didn't make fools of themselves with this
>song, they made gods of themselves.

Gods? As in: "I might even end up a Rock n Roll God/Might turn into a steady
job..." (The Kinks, Top Of The Pops)
The Who never has, nor will they ever play "second fiddle" to Zep (or anyone
else, for that matter). Unless you will also claim that Zep plays second
fiddle to Michael Jackson, who is more popular and has sold more albums and
can make more on a tour. Popularity means nothing in regard to performing
"one of the best Rock songs ever written." One of the best Rock songs ever
written is Respectable Street. Can you name the artist?



                   Cheers                   ML

"Never underestimate the power of human stupidity."  L. Long