Top 10 Live Versions

[Jesse]

Haven't done a top 10 in a while. I'm not running out of ideas, just not having time to find ten items for each list. I came up with this one kinda on the fly, cuz I couldn't find my tablet that has all my ideas for top 10's. I'm probably missing a few here.


First, the ground rules: It has to be a live version ON RECORD (or tape or CD....you know what I mean), I'm sure Blue Oyster Cult played the greatest version of "Godzilla" when you saw them back in the day, but if it's not on a released live album, it doesn't count.

Second, there has to be a studio version to compare it to by the artist in question. Blackfoot did a killer version of Uriah Heep's "Easy Livin'" on their King Biscuit Flower Hour CD, but they never did a studio version of that song, so it doesn't count.


Third, I'm kinda looking for songs that were significantly better in their live form than they were on the original studio version. Live versions of already great songs are just that: great songs done in front of an audience, big deal. I'm shooting for songs that were BETTER live. For my list, some songs were changed slightly, some were rearranged altogether, others jammed longer, some were heavier, some just had more energy....one or two were all these things.


Here we go, I think you'll recognize most of these:


10-"Rock'n Roll All Night by Kiss from Kiss Alive!

9-Dreams I'll Never See by Molly Hatchet from Double Trouble Live

8-Oh Well by Fleetwood Mac from Fleetwood Mac Live

7-Say You Will by Foreigner from No End In Sight

6-Ghost Riders In The Sky by The Outlaws from High Tides Forever

5-If Looks Could Kill by Heart from Rock This House-Live

4-Guitar Man by Jerry Reed from Hot Stuff Live

3-Poor, Poor Pitiful Me by Warren Zevon from Stand In The Fire

2-Do You Feel Like I Do by Peter Frampton from Frampton Comes Alive

1-Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd from One More From The Road


1st runner up:
I Want You To Want Me by Cheap Trick from Live At Budokan

[Trexx]

Dang great list!

[Frank]

I love live albums. Great idea!

1. Cheap Trick - Gonna Raise Hell - from Music For Hangovers

2. Aerosmith - Come Together - from Live Bootleg

3. Kiss - Deuce - from Alive!

4. Foghat - Home In My Hand - from Live!

5. AC/DC - Whole Lotta Rosie - from If You Want Blood...You Got It

6. Iron Maiden - Fear Of The Dark - from En Vivo!

7. Ted Nugent - Wang Dang Sweet Poontang - from Double Live Gonzo

8. UFO - Rock Bottom - from Strangers In The Night

9. Thin Lizzy - Suicide - from Live & Dangerous

10. Foreigner - Juke Box Hero - from Extended Versions II

[spacel0rd]

Off the top of my head....


1. Carry On- CSN&Y (4 Way Street)
2. Tonight- Elton John (Live in Australia)
3. Travelin’ Man/Beautiful Loser- Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band (Live Bullet)
4. Prison Bound- Social Distortion (Live at the Roxy)
5. Whipping Post- The Allman Brothers (The Filmore Concerts)
6. Wilson- Phish (A Live One)
7. Children of the Damned- Iron Maiden (Beast Over Hammersmith)
8. Dream On- Aerosmith (Last Action Hero Soundtrack)
9. Trenchtown Rock- Bob Marley & the Wailers (Live!)
10. Breakdown- Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (Pack Up the Plantation: Live!)

[Trexx]

This thread brings to mind the stark difference of B.O.C.'s two versions of "Godzilla". I truly cannot enjoy the studio version at all. Check it out for yourself!

vimeo.com/100670266 <---Dynamic and Great

youtu.be/1dF_5PMTods <---Falls Flat

[bucky]

Great lists! Jesse, I seen the Outlaws with Foghat & Johnny Van Zandt band around 1980 and the Outlaws jammed Ghost Riders and while the album version is great it lacked the live feel (& length) that I witnessed so I'm glad to know there's a live version out there. I love that whole Warren Zevon live album. Frank, I'll have to check out the Music for Hangovers album (I was happy with the extended Budokan CD but a live version of Gonna Raise Hell definitely peaks my interest). Space, totally agree with Prison Bound(love Social D). I'm curious on that live version of Dream On because one of my picks that almost made my top 10 is Dream On from Live Bootleg. T-Rexx, I agree with your thoughts on the studio version of Godzilla (any live version is better than the studio)

This was tough because I have so much of my music on my IPod (almost 22,000 tunes) so I constantly make up playlists and after seeing this thread I made up a playlist. It's tough to pick 10! I narrowed it down to 47 but for now my Top 10:

10) Then Came the Last Day of May by Blue Oyster Cult from A Long Day's Night ( this version really needs to be heard by any classic rock fans as it is phenomenal if you like a great guitar jam on this 11 minute version)

9) Pills by the NY Dolls from Live at the Bowery (I love the studio version but this live version is great because the Dolls end up turning this into a Bo Diddle medley mixing in Hey Bo Diddle & Who Do You Love)

8) I Just Want to Make Love to You by Foghat from Foghat Live ( I love the Intro and the beginning guitar exchange...I easily could pick basically any track from this album...it was close between this & Honey Hush)

7) Moonage Daydream by David Bowie from Ziggy Stardust Motion Picture Soundtrack (this blows away the studio version with Mick Ronson really shining on his solos)

6) I'm 18 by Alice Cooper from the Alice Cooper Show (this was my first Alice Cooper album and while Coop's vocals may be weak the guitar duo of Dick Wagner & Steve Hunter are not)

5) Wang Dang Sweet Poontang by Ted Nugent from Double Live Gonzo ( I can't even enjoy the studio version after hearing this version)

4) Boom Boom Out go the Lights by the Pat Travers Band from Go for What you Know Live (this live version kicks ass!)

3) Sweet Jane by Lou Reed from Rock n Roll Animal ( Amazing guitar intro by once again the guitar duo of Steve Hunter & Dick Wagner)

2) Rock and Roll All Nite by Kiss from Kiss Alive ( much better than the studio version with an added guitar solo and a lot of energy)

1) Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd from One more from the Road (How could this not be number 1!!!)

I had so many others that should have made it ...ME 262 by Blue Oyster Cult from their On Your Feet or on Your Knees is a great jam (Godzilla from any BOC live album as well), Cheap Trick's I Want you to Want me, Midnight Rambler by the Stones, Let me Go Rock & Roll & Deuce by Kiss, Katmandu by Seger,157 Riverside Avenue & Riding the Storm out by REO Speedwagon, Baba O'reilly by the Who, Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo by Rick Derringer, and one that is really worth checking out is Johnny Winter's live version of Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited from his Captured album which he originally covered on his Second Winter album...I better stop here

[duojett71]

1. Thin Lizzy-Massacre(Live And Dangerous)
2. Wings-Let Me Roll It(Wings Over America)
3. Iron Maiden-Remember Tomorrow(Maiden Japan)
4. Iron Maiden-Sign of The Cross(Rock in Rio)
5. Scorpions-Polar Nights(Tokyo Tapes)
6. Thin Lizzy-Still In Love With You(Live And Dangerous)
7. Cheap Trick-Big Eyes(Live At Budokan)
8. Judas Priest-Victim Of Changes(Unleashed In The East)
9. Ted Nugent-Great White Buffalo(Double Live Gonzo)
10. Bruce Dickinson-Tears of The Dragon(Scream For Me Brazil)