In a new interview with “Mistress Carrie” Sarao of The Mistress Carrie Podcast, Skid Row bassist Rachel Bolan was asked to name a song from any other artist that he thinks is “perfectly crafted”.
He responded (as transcribed by blabbermouth.net), “There’s a couple. Lido Shuffle [by] Boz Scaggs. There’s nothing that isn’t amazing about that song as a body of work. Every time I listen to it, I’m, like, ‘Wow, where did this come from?’ I don’t know if I would be able to create something like that. And then the other is Breakdown by Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers. That’s just one of those songs, even though it has that false start which kind of makes it even more amazing and beautiful — the structure of that song is so bizarre. It’s almost like it’s unfinished. But it’s such an incredible song ’cause from the minute it starts, it’s like, ‘Yep, breakdown. Cool.’ And then, before you know it, it’s gone. But that’s one of those songs that I wish I wrote. Simplicity.”
After Mistress Carrie noted that the hardest songs to write are usually the simplest ones, Bolan concurred. “I agree,” he said. “I write simple. And I guess that’s just the stuff I listen to. Most of the stuff I listened to was three-chord rock: KISS, AC/DC, Ramones, Sex Pistols, for the most part. And so that is kind of in my wiring to write like that, I guess. And that’s the only thing I know…”
[Dana’s comment: I will have to think about this, since there are so many great songs, but as of my typing this, The Beatles were the kings of writing catchy, simple songs.]
6 Responses
I never paid attention to Lido as it always seemed to be on in the background at a store or a party. Always thought it was Elton John for some reason. But Rachel is right, Lido Shuffle is perfectly crafted as well as Tom Petty’s Breakdown.
I could be here all day writing about this as there are thousands of perfectly crafted songs. Several jump out in my mind instantly:
Iron Maiden – Hallowed Be Thy Name
Iron Maiden – Fear Of The Dark
Kiss – Detroit Rock City
The Beatles – While My Guitar Gently Weeps
The Beatles – Here Comes The Sun
Alter Bridge – Blackbird
Ozzy Osbourne – No More Tears
Black Sabbath – Into The Void
From this point forward………I’m calling him ‘Tom Peggy’……..
Silas,
Your comment is hysterical, but I have a feeling that stupid autocorrect changed that spelling for him, so I corrected it.
The Eagles are pretty damn good at writing perfect songs. Hotel California, Witchy Woman, Lying Eyes, Take it to the Limit, One of These Nights, New Kid In Town, Try and Love Again and Last Resort. To name a few.
‘Last Resort’ my favorite from that album. Good call on a perfectly crafted song.
Red Barchetta.
It’s the most standout song to me where the music matches the the various points in the story.
Incredible.