Stephen King’s Top Three Rock and Roll Tracks Revealed
Stephen King shares his picks for the greatest rock and roll songs, spotlighting unexpected choices from Slobberbone, Count Five, and Elvis Costello.
When he’s not penning his next bestseller or seeing his stories adapted for the screen, Stephen King is usually found with rock and roll blaring in the background. It’s always been his go-to genre, though he’s not completely closed off to other styles. Still, there are some tunes he’s banned from the house. Lou Bega’s ‘Mambo No 5’ is a prime example—King’s wife once threatened to walk out if he played it again, thanks to his relentless obsession with the track.
King’s admiration for AC/DC is well-known. He even roped them in to do the soundtrack for his directorial effort, Maximum Overdrive. The film itself didn’t exactly win over the critics, but the music is one part he’s still proud of. He’s also mates with Bruce Springsteen, and counts Metallica, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Ozzy Osbourne among his favourites. Despite this, none of these big names made his shortlist for the greatest rock and roll song ever.
King’s Musical Tastes and Pet Peeves
King isn’t shy about what he dislikes, either. He’s taken the mickey out of Celine Dion more than once. In his words,
“What I’m not interested in is ear candy. There’s a place where you can put that, and it’s not in your ear. I think that stuff should crawl right out of the radio speaker and get in your face.”
He’s got no time for Dion’s music, and he’s not fussed about her fans’ opinions, either.
“If you like Celine Dion, you should write or email the editors of this magazine and tell them that on no account should they hire Steve King to write commentaries, because Steve King thinks ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’ is better than all the songs Ms Dion has recorded, put together.”
Safe to say, you won’t hear ‘My Heart Will Go On’ echoing through the King household any time soon.
The Three-Way Tie for Greatest Rock Song
So, what does King reckon are the best rock and roll tracks ever laid down? He’s got a clear answer, but it’s not a single song.
“Ask me to name the greatest rock and roll song of all time, and I have to say it’s a three-way tie,”
he’s said. His picks are a mixed bag: Slobberbone’s ‘Gimme Back my Dog’, Count Five’s ‘Psychotic Reaction’, and Elvis Costello’s take on ‘(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace Love, and Understanding.’
Slobberbone’s 2000 release, the garage rock classic from Count Five in 1966, and Costello’s 1978 cover of Nick Lowe’s original don’t have much in common on the surface. But for King, these three tracks stand out as the finest examples of what rock and roll can be.