The Definitive 1000 Songs Of All Time 1955 to 2005: Number 464

Number 464

Joe Walsh

"Rocky Mountain Way"

(1973)
.

Genre:Rock

Why isn't this song on Guitar Hero? Speaking of Guitar Hero, i just recently purchased the GH Aerosmith version, it's a bit of fun but not exactly got what i was hoping for. Besides the upcoming GH Metallica version i was thinking what else would be a group to cover on GH. Yep, i was thinking the same thing ... Pink Floyd Hoo Ya! Now that would be a cool set to play. Also, i have heard that there might be a Beatles version too! The one to wait for will no doubt be GH4 or otherwise known as "Guitar Hero World Tour" later this year, with a stunning 85 songs to play and not to mention the game includes a drum set [!], bass and mic. It won't be far away till we have a band on MTV playing GH4 instruments with new songs. Lets hope the electric guitar never fades away because i'm starting to fear it just might.

Yeah you

The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get, Walsh's second solo studio album, continues the heavy and light rock mix of tracks found on his previous release Barnstorm. Indeed, the opening two tracks bear this out. The first, perhaps Joe Walsh's most recognized track, "Rocky Mountain Way", comes replete with overly distorted guitars and the obligatory solo. The next song, "Bookends", is a tuneful ode to happy memories. Walsh's ability to swing wildly from one end of the rock scale to the other is unparalleled and makes for an album to suit many tastes. Joe Vitale (drums, flute, backing vocals, keyboards, and synthesisers is a talented man) and Kenny Passarelli (bass and backing vocals) are once again employed, and once again prove themselves adept at handling Walsh's various styles.

Gonna try for CSI

The album sees an addition to the backing band in the form of Rocke Grace on keyboards and vocals. The legendary Bill Szymczyk works along with Walsh to handle the production, and takes care of the mixing. Szymczyk's work on this area is as always astounding. The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get features some of the most remembered Joe Walsh tracks, but it's not just these that made the album the success it was. Each of the nine tracks is a song to be proud of. This is a superb album by anyone's standards. Following 1987's Got Any Gum?, he toured with Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band, returning to his solo career for 1991's Ordinary Average Guy. In 1994 he joined the reunited Eagles for their blockbuster Hell Freezes Over tour and remained on the road as a solo act for years to come ~[Ben Davies, All Music Guide]

Triv Time

Lucy Walsh (Joe's daughter) ~ wow!

* ~ Walsh gave his main guitar, a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Sunburst, to Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page

* ~ Walsh appeared in the television series Duckman, as medical video actor in episode 315 - "They Craved Duckman's Brain". Walsh also plays a version of "Life's Been Good" in a Duckman episode. He also appeared on Mad TV in 1995 as a customer at an air guitar shop, and on the comedy game show Street Smarts. Walsh appeared in the audience on the April 10, 2008 episode of the MTV show Rock the Cradle as a surprise for his daughter Lucy.

* ~ Walsh has produced albums for artists such as Dan Fogelberg and Ringo Starr. He was a background musician (1st guitar solo) on Eagles bandmate Don Henley's 1982 hit "Dirty Laundry" (listed as such in the liner notes of I Can't Stand Still and Actual Miles: Henley's Greatest Hits).

* ~ Walsh played guitar alongside Laura Hall in a surprise appearance in Drew Carey's pay-per-view presentation of "Drew Carey's Improv All-Stars" in Las Vegas. He participated in one game in each show, the ending game "biography." He sometimes made guest appearances on the Drew Carey Show as Ed, a laid-back guitarist in a bar band.

* ~ Walsh appeared as a featured performer at the 1992 Seville Expo Guitar Legends with on-stage featured guitarists Nuno Bettencourt, Brian May, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. ~ [Source:Wikipedia]

Roll Call ....

For Metallica see Number 484

For more Metallica visit MM Vol 1 #033 & Vol 2 #136

For Pink Floyd see Number 497

For more Pink Floyd visit MM Vol 1 #138

For Beatles see Number 489, #587, #894 & #947

For Ringo Starr see Number 901

For Eagles see Number 509

For Led Zeppelin see Number 577 & #957

For Brian May see Number 539, #747, #799 & #805

For Joe Satriani see Number 477 & #688

For Steve Vai see Number 896

What does Rolling Toked think about Joe Walsh?

Joe Walsh is out to do the Stephen Stills number by splitting his supergroup and forging out for Musical Freedom and a distinguished solo career (least that's what it says here). Sounds great—only Joe's band, the James Gang, wasn't that super and while Stills has just now completed the process of consuming himself, Joe's already done a pretty good job of it on only his second solo album. "Rocky Mountain Way," with its "The Rocky Mountain Way/Is better than the way we had," is the LP's standout—and it sounds the closest to the old James Gang. It opens a set which dips down into rhythm-led power tunes, reggae leanings, close-harmonied ballads and acoustic pieces, but never seems comfortable with anything. Ex-Amboy Duke Joe Vitale remains from Barnstorm, with keyboard man Rocke Grace and bassist Kenny Passarelli now added: All are properly subdued, with the exception of Vitale's tasteful flute work on "Midnight Moodies." Mostly, however, the playing is of a detached nature, professional but uninspired. ~ [Source:Rolling Stone #143]

For Stephen Stills see Number 660

Rolling Stone magazine deemed their '464th Song of all Time' was "Standing In The Shadows Of Love" by The Four Tops. The Four Tops has not appeared in The Definitive 1000.

Other songs with reference to Joe Walsh #622

Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs ranked this song at Number (Joe who?) and the Album ranked at (what band is he from?)

This song has a Definitive 1000 rating of 76.6 out of 108

Joe Walsh - Rocky Mountain Way
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