Willie Simpson

Tag: Rock and Roll

  • The Rolling Stones, Out of Time

    For part 82 of my youtube countdown, you’re in danger of running “Out of Time” with the Rolling Stones incredible 1966 single.  First released on the UK version of Aftermath, the song is a fabulous example of 60s Brit pop, as well as being another song in a string of misogynistic themed lyrical exercises the…

  • Howlin' Wolf, Smokestack Lightning

    Back to rock and roll with part 81 of my youtube countdown.  Today I have the fierce Howlin’ Wolf with his immortal classic, Smokestack Lightning.  Wolf, born Chester Arthur Burnett, was a massive imposing man with a growling blues roar.  He didn’t get his name from his size, but rather his fear.  His grandfather used…

  • George Harrison, Bangladesh

    Part 80 of the countdown continues with George Harrison’s charity rock performance of “Bangladesh.”  This is the second video I’m posting from the “Concert for Bangladesh,” the first being the incredible rehearsal video of Bob Dylan and George Harrison playing “If Not For You.” This song starts off really sad and maudlin, but kicks into…

  • Michael Jackson, Pepsi Commericals

    We’re the Pepsi Generation in part 79 of my youtube countdown.  I’ve got Michael, Marlon, Jackie, Randy, Tito, and Jermaine all pitching soft drinks in the height of the 80s soda craze.  These 3 awesome videos to take you back in time to a more magical place where if you were drinking a Pepsi and…

  • Jeff Bridges, The Man in Me

    For part 77 of my countdown, I got Jeff Bridges performing “The Man in Me” at a Lebowski Fest in Los Angeles.  The song of course was featured beautifully in the Coen Brothers ultra cult classic, “The Big Lebowski,” when the Dude is riding that magic rug.  Dylan wrote this song for his 1970 LP…

  • The Ramones, Howard Stern On-Air Fight, I Wanna Be Sedated

    Part 76 of my youtube countdown closes down punk week in a hilarious fashion.  It’s an old interview from the Howard Stern show featuring Joey Ramone and Marky Ramone going at each others throats with juvenile comic viciousness.  Marky calls up Howard complaining that Joey called Marky a drunk the other day.  Joey gets on…

  • X Ray Spex, Identity

    Part 75 continues my unplanned punk week, this time with the legendary X Ray Spex performing their underground surf punk classic, “Identity.”  Never heard of X Ray Spex?  Well, they were an original punk group from London whose goal was to be “deliberate underachievers.”  Releasing only one album, Germ Free Adolescents, X Ray Spex were…

  • The Ramones, Blitzkrieg Bop

    Part 74 roars on, as I guess its punk week here on williesimpson.com.  This time I have the Ramones smashing through a blistering live performance of “Blitzkrieg Bop,” the lead off track from their debut record.  The Ramones, hailing from Forest Hill, Queens, NY, are probably the world’s first original punk rockers.  This video is…

  • Elvis Costello, Pump it Up

    Lets “Pump it Up” with part 72 of my youtube countdown.  That’s right, I got Elvis “Declan MacManus” Costello’s 1978 hit “Pump it Up” from This Year’s Model. Now according to wikipedia, “Pump it Up” is a double entendres song about turning up your music’s volume and masturbation.  The two seem to go hand and…

  • John Lennon, Instant Karma

    Part 71 of my youtube countdown begins in a flash with John Lennon’s 1970 release “Instant Karma.”  “Instant Karma” is one of the fastest released songs in rock history.  John wrote it in the morning, recorded it in the afternoon, and released it ten days later.  The urgency of its release convinced karmic minded George…