Favorite song from live Rock albums?

Submitted by Ashgeauxbleaux on August 12th, 2022 at 2:32 PM

Talking lead singers got me to thinking about some of my favorite songs from live albums,

Live Bullet-I always crank up Heavy Music and of course Nutbush City Limits.

J.Geils-From live Full House Hard Drivin Man and Whammer Jammer

J.Geils-Blow Your Face Out,I musta got lost

Journey-Lovin touchin squeezin “I’m talking to you Deetroit 

MMBbones

August 12th, 2022 at 3:04 PM ^

Came on here to suggest "Blow Your Face Out," only to find you had already listed it. "Chimes" is an unfamiliar great track from that same album.

I think Foghat LIVE had a much better version of "I Just Wanna Make Love to You" than the studio version. Slow Ride was at least as good live.

Live Bullet is the obvious choice with "Turn the Page." U.M.C. too. The studio versions are quite forgettable.

Of course Peter Frampton's "Comes Alive" 

And Cheap Trick would be unknown had the not gone to Japan with "I Want You to Want Me"

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rjc

August 12th, 2022 at 3:05 PM ^

Because the Night - 10,000 Maniacs (MTV Unplugged)

Come as You Are - Nirvana (MTV Unplugged)

Brown Eyed Women and Estimated Prophet - Grateful Dead (Cornell 5/8/77)

No Woman, No Cry - Bob Marley & the Wailers (Live at The Lyceum)

Oregon Hill and Murder, Tonight, in the Trailer Park - Cowboy Junkies (200 More Miles)

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tybert

August 12th, 2022 at 3:20 PM ^

J Geils - musta got lost

Kinks - lola

Jackson Browne - running on empty + stay

Clapton - layla

Frampton comes alive - whole album

Seger - Katmandu

Cheap Trick - Surrender

U2 - Bloody Sunday

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Rendezvous

August 12th, 2022 at 3:42 PM ^

I'm guessing you meant Jackson Browne's The Load Out + Stay, although there's nothing wrong with Running On Empty. I did a lot of tech/roadie-type work in college, and my buddies and I would usually play Load Out/Stay as our last song before shutting down the sound system as we struck a show, so that one has a special place in my heart.

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Laser Wolf

August 12th, 2022 at 3:33 PM ^

Off the top of my head...

  • Bruce Springstreen & The E Street Band - Prove It All Night (1979 No Nukes Concert @ Madison Square Garden). Sets the perfect tone for the entire show.
  • My Morning Jacket - Anytime (Okonokos). Perfectly encapsulates a great live band.
  • Sam Cooke - Bring It on Home to Me (One Night Stand, Live at the Harlem Square Club). Incredible buildup to a cathartic release for one of the best voices of all-time.
  • Aretha Franklin - Don't Play That Song (Live at Fillmore West). My god that voice.
  • The Band - It Makes No Difference (Last Waltz). Great band at their very best. Rick Danko forever.

 

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Number 7

August 13th, 2022 at 10:01 AM ^

Love this list.  Since you brought up Springsteen, I'll just add that his August 22, 1985 Meadowlands concert is 3 hours (or so) of pure 1980s energy, and makes my list.  If I had to get a little more specific, I'd point to the encore, which runs about 45 minutes and features Stevie van Zandt rejoining Bruce and the E Street Band on about 5 songs.

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MRunner73

August 13th, 2022 at 10:19 AM ^

Although I didn't attend, ALL of my friends who went to the Bruce Springsteen concert at Hill Auditorium in 1975 couldn't stop raving about it. He was relatively unknown at that time but in a few months, he got a lot of radio airplay.

I remember the Michigan Daily headline- Springsteen Rocks Hill!

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loucreekmur

August 12th, 2022 at 4:09 PM ^

More than likely there are not enough rock and roll live fans over 65 on this site to remember how great this album was. Whippin' Post was my favorite from "At Fillmore East". One should not forget Little Feat's "Waiting for Columbus".  Dixie Chicken flowing into Tripe Face Boogie are 16 minutes of genius vocal and instrumental effort.  In the view of many, the writer included, these were the two best live rock and roll albums ever recorded.  I sure was lucky to be born in the 40s.

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Slim Whitman

August 12th, 2022 at 3:42 PM ^

J Giles - Musta Got Lost (with the intro and the fusion with Jackie Wilson (Your Love) at the end)

Queen  - Love of my Life, Live at Wembley '86

Midnight Oil, Progress, Scream in Blue: Live (from the post-Valdez Exxon Protest, 6th Ave, NYC 1990)

Fleetwood Mac, Landslide, The Dance

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JBLPSYCHED

August 12th, 2022 at 3:56 PM ^

I second the 'nominations' of Nutbush City Limits and Heavy Music from Live Bullet. You didn't grow up a baby boomer in SE Michigan and not love that album.

Also worthy:

Because the Night/Candy's Room/Darkness on the Edge of Town (Springsteen Live '75-85)

Shock Me (Kiss Alive II)

Sonic Reducer (Pearl Jam Fox Theater Atlanta '94)

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buckeyekiller1

August 12th, 2022 at 4:14 PM ^

https://youtu.be/hEMm7gxBYSc

Nirvana Unplugged - Where did you sleep last night.
 

It was only a few months before Kurt killed himself and it seemed like he knew this would be one of his last live performances. This was the last song of the night, with all the candles around the stage which Kurt requested to make it “look like a funeral”.
 

When he takes that deep breath and briefly opens his eyes in between “the whole (deep breath) night through” I get chills every time no matter how often I see it. It’s like he’s putting every last bit of himself into finishing this song because he knows there won’t be another performance like this again.

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mooseman

August 12th, 2022 at 4:16 PM ^

As above, Whipping Post, Allman Bros at Filmore East

At least 3 from Woodstock:

-Going Home, Alvin Lee

-Soul Sacrifice, Santana

-Freedom, Richie Havens

-J. Geils--so many but I'll pick Give it to Me

Many more

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jhayes1189

August 12th, 2022 at 4:19 PM ^

 - If you ever get a chance to find a bootleg of Billy Joel live at Long Island University, every song on it is pure gold, his jazzy rendition of his own song “Captain Jack” is phenomenal. 
 

- Also, “Goodnight Saigon” live in Moscow by Billy Joel has all the feels. 
 

- Dave Matthew’s and Tim Reynolds “Bartender” live at Radio City Music Hall

 

- There is a version of “No Woman No Cry” where Ziggy Marley joins Blues Traveller and John Popper rips off possibly the greatest harmonica solo of all time, you have to YouTube it to find it. 
 

- Another YouTube live classic for me is the Killers “Glamorous Indie Rock and Roll” live somewhere….again, on YouTube.  
 

- Danny Gatton live at Austin City Limits (or anywhere for that matter, the GOAT of guitarist IMO)

- Roy Buchanan has an incredible live concert on YouTube 

-Roger Miller “Can’t Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd/England Swings” live at Austin City Limits (with Danny Gatton on guitar. 
 

- Chet Atkins has a beautiful instrumental live rendition of Don Mclean’s “Vincent” 

 

Chris Stapleton playing “Amanda” at Grand Ole Opry

Chris Stapleton and Justin Timberlake “Can’t Drink You Away” live at either the Grammy’s or the CMA’s, I can’t remember. 
 

….there are simply too many astounding live performances to name just one…there are probably 100 more I could list. These ones just always light me up. 

 

 

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BuddhaBlue

August 12th, 2022 at 4:31 PM ^

To me these U2 tracks on Under a Blood Red Sky are the definitive versions:  Sunday Bloody Sunday, I Will Follow, Gloria

I think the popular version of the MC5 "Kick Out the Jams" is a live recording

I dig the live version of "War Pigs" on Black Sabbath's 1999 Reunion album

James Brown's performance of "Give it Up, Turn it Loose" live in Augusta is maybe one of the most sampled songs ever

Every live recording of Stevie Ray Vaughn

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