Give me some rock songs with raw, real-time emotion
October 21, 2022 3:34 PM Subscribe
I'm trying to put together a playlist of rock/rock-adjacent (no classical/opera for this list, that's its own world with its own candidates) songs, but of a very specific type.
I went down a YT rabbit hole earlier and came across the December 9, 1980 Bruce Springsteen performance of Born To Run, the night after John Lennon was murdered. The performance was cathartic, angry, and emotive - Danny Federici actually broke a key off his keyboard he played so hard.
Discovering that got me thinking about my personal favorite of this type of song - U2's version of Sunday Bloody Sunday from the movie Rattle & Hum (the soundtrack version isn't the same performance). The anger in Bono's voice before the song starts is almost edible, and the anguish in his voice when he shrieks NO MORE is chilling, even to this day.
Do you have any examples of a live performance of a rock song that is propelled by this much raw, unfiltered emotion? "Emotion" could be anything: anger, sadness, angst. I'm not sure if "excessive happiness" fits in here, since a great deal of music hits that particular button for me, but I'm open to the idea.
Whatever the emotion, though, it needs to be raw and fresh, in order to fit with what I'm thinking of here.
I went down a YT rabbit hole earlier and came across the December 9, 1980 Bruce Springsteen performance of Born To Run, the night after John Lennon was murdered. The performance was cathartic, angry, and emotive - Danny Federici actually broke a key off his keyboard he played so hard.
Discovering that got me thinking about my personal favorite of this type of song - U2's version of Sunday Bloody Sunday from the movie Rattle & Hum (the soundtrack version isn't the same performance). The anger in Bono's voice before the song starts is almost edible, and the anguish in his voice when he shrieks NO MORE is chilling, even to this day.
Do you have any examples of a live performance of a rock song that is propelled by this much raw, unfiltered emotion? "Emotion" could be anything: anger, sadness, angst. I'm not sure if "excessive happiness" fits in here, since a great deal of music hits that particular button for me, but I'm open to the idea.
Whatever the emotion, though, it needs to be raw and fresh, in order to fit with what I'm thinking of here.
A recent discovery for me, perhaps from Metafilter:
Fleetwood Mac - The Chain - Live, 1982.
posted by papayaninja at 4:28 PM on October 21, 2022 [5 favorites]
Fleetwood Mac - The Chain - Live, 1982.
posted by papayaninja at 4:28 PM on October 21, 2022 [5 favorites]
I don't know how well it will work on a playlist because it basically falls apart, but Phish's performance of Wading in the Velvet Sea from their Coventry show in 2004 is gut wrenching. The Coventry festival was their (at the time) final performance and for a number of reasons it was a disaster. Pressure and drugs had torn the band apart and as soon as keyboardist Page McConnell begins singing he just breaks down crying. Trey does the same and the two of them can't even get through the song. It's normally a sad song anyway but you can just see and feel the emotions they were dealing with.
(but now they are all clean and healthy and happy and playing better than ever and having more fun than any four human should be allowed to have)
posted by bondcliff at 4:40 PM on October 21, 2022
(but now they are all clean and healthy and happy and playing better than ever and having more fun than any four human should be allowed to have)
posted by bondcliff at 4:40 PM on October 21, 2022
here to nominate The Thermals - there are a few live versions of both Pilar of Salt and Now we can see. the live versions on YT are phenomenal, although I can't provide a context to frame these performances as particularly historical or responsive to a great seismic shift in the force.
posted by garfy3 at 4:41 PM on October 21, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by garfy3 at 4:41 PM on October 21, 2022 [3 favorites]
I'll add another one:
Neil Young's performance of Rocking in the Free World from Saturday Night Live in 1989. I don't know what the emotions are exactly, but he is playing from somewhere deep inside.
posted by bondcliff at 5:08 PM on October 21, 2022 [3 favorites]
Neil Young's performance of Rocking in the Free World from Saturday Night Live in 1989. I don't know what the emotions are exactly, but he is playing from somewhere deep inside.
posted by bondcliff at 5:08 PM on October 21, 2022 [3 favorites]
This clip of David Bowie performing Absolute Beginners just wrecks me every time, and it was really cathartic right after he died. As the song goes on he just becomes incandescent with joy, he's having the time of his life up there.
This (apparently live) recording of Ed Schrader's Music Beat performing This Is My Sermon just slams you in the face like a Louisville slugger. The meek little "thank you" at the end is kind of hilarious. This guy has nothing left.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 5:50 PM on October 21, 2022 [3 favorites]
This (apparently live) recording of Ed Schrader's Music Beat performing This Is My Sermon just slams you in the face like a Louisville slugger. The meek little "thank you" at the end is kind of hilarious. This guy has nothing left.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 5:50 PM on October 21, 2022 [3 favorites]
“Where Did You Sleep Last Night” from Nirvana’s Unplugged.
posted by kevinbelt at 5:53 PM on October 21, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by kevinbelt at 5:53 PM on October 21, 2022 [5 favorites]
Caroline, Concrete Blonde
Volunteers, Jefferson Airplane
Unknown Soldier, The Doors
Dazed and Confused, Led Zepplin
Let it Bleed, The Rolling Stones
Ball and Chain, Annie Lennox
What's Love Got To Do With It, Tina Turner
Boys Of Summer, Don Henley
posted by Oyéah at 6:06 PM on October 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
Volunteers, Jefferson Airplane
Unknown Soldier, The Doors
Dazed and Confused, Led Zepplin
Let it Bleed, The Rolling Stones
Ball and Chain, Annie Lennox
What's Love Got To Do With It, Tina Turner
Boys Of Summer, Don Henley
posted by Oyéah at 6:06 PM on October 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
I’ll add another.
2016, beloved Canadian band The Tragically Hip performed their last concert ever, with lead singer songwriter Gord Downey as a part of the band. This performance, was known ahead of time to be the last official Tragically Hip performance . It was wild. I wasn’t there, but I know people who were, and the experience of watching a bands last ever performance, in their home town hockey arena (because, Canada) (Gord was battling and late succumbed to cancer), was beyond description. The event was broadcast on YouTube, to my knowledge for free, and will serve as a cultural touch point for years to come. Video is widely available.
posted by walkinginsunshine at 6:50 PM on October 21, 2022 [6 favorites]
2016, beloved Canadian band The Tragically Hip performed their last concert ever, with lead singer songwriter Gord Downey as a part of the band. This performance, was known ahead of time to be the last official Tragically Hip performance . It was wild. I wasn’t there, but I know people who were, and the experience of watching a bands last ever performance, in their home town hockey arena (because, Canada) (Gord was battling and late succumbed to cancer), was beyond description. The event was broadcast on YouTube, to my knowledge for free, and will serve as a cultural touch point for years to come. Video is widely available.
posted by walkinginsunshine at 6:50 PM on October 21, 2022 [6 favorites]
Not technically rock and I don't know of a specific live version (the studio version gives me the sensation you're talking about) but the emotion and message of the Chicks' "Not Ready To Make Nice" always gives me chills. Released after the Chicks (formerly Dixie Chicks) were effectively canceled for criticizing George Bush (it was a *such* a different time in 2003....) I am always struck by the raw emotion in the song, especially during the middle part. Official Video. 2017 Performance
posted by cgg at 8:24 PM on October 21, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by cgg at 8:24 PM on October 21, 2022 [4 favorites]
I respectfully submit the entire soundtrack of The Summer of Soul for your consideration.
posted by brookeb at 9:20 PM on October 21, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by brookeb at 9:20 PM on October 21, 2022 [4 favorites]
Of all people I’ll submit David Hasselhoff, singing on the Berlin Wall in 1989.
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 11:03 PM on October 21, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 11:03 PM on October 21, 2022 [2 favorites]
This is an emotional one, all the context is right there at the start of the video: Frank Turner - Song for Josh
And this one, he can't finish the song: Elliott Smith - Waltz #2
posted by snusmumrik at 3:28 AM on October 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
And this one, he can't finish the song: Elliott Smith - Waltz #2
posted by snusmumrik at 3:28 AM on October 22, 2022 [2 favorites]
Pearl Jam's performance of "Black" on Unplugged
posted by synecdoche at 3:46 AM on October 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by synecdoche at 3:46 AM on October 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
During the Foo Fighters' own tribute concert to its late drummer Taylor Hawkins: Dave Grohl got so choked up singing Times Like These that he had a hard time actually singing.
Another "Times Like These" performance: on SNL, the same day Biden was finally confirmed the winner of the 2020 election.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:54 AM on October 22, 2022
Another "Times Like These" performance: on SNL, the same day Biden was finally confirmed the winner of the 2020 election.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:54 AM on October 22, 2022
David Bowie covering Simon & Garfunkel's America at The Concert for New York City, just a couple of weeks after 9/11.
posted by kimdog at 5:36 AM on October 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by kimdog at 5:36 AM on October 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
INXS - Doctor
This is one of my favorites of raw emotion - it's the ending of a song called Jumping, and the singer is talking about the lead-in to the next song, called Doctor, which he partially quotes, dejectedly.
"I could have been a doctor if I'd gone to uni - but I didn't. I wound up here. But anyways...." Considering INXS went on to become pretty famous, it's interesting to get tidbits from their very early performance with far less confidence, and how much the very idea of being in a rock n roll band can kind of existentially suck.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:44 AM on October 22, 2022
This is one of my favorites of raw emotion - it's the ending of a song called Jumping, and the singer is talking about the lead-in to the next song, called Doctor, which he partially quotes, dejectedly.
"I could have been a doctor if I'd gone to uni - but I didn't. I wound up here. But anyways...." Considering INXS went on to become pretty famous, it's interesting to get tidbits from their very early performance with far less confidence, and how much the very idea of being in a rock n roll band can kind of existentially suck.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:44 AM on October 22, 2022
Nine Inch Nails' Woodstock '94 performance in its totality, but particularly in the middle of "Reptile" when Trent groans the lyrics "please don't hurt me", screams in agony, and starts writhing on the ground. (Around 33:30 in this video)
Emotions: abandonment, pain, loneliness, grief, rage, sex, violence, self-loathing...
posted by Balthamos at 9:34 AM on October 22, 2022
Emotions: abandonment, pain, loneliness, grief, rage, sex, violence, self-loathing...
posted by Balthamos at 9:34 AM on October 22, 2022
This live version of Common People really captures some very raw anger towards the end
posted by crocomancer at 12:11 PM on October 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by crocomancer at 12:11 PM on October 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
Patti Smith performing Bob Dylan's "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall" at the Nobel Awards (I think her forgetting the words at one point even adds to the emotion of it)
posted by perhapses at 12:32 PM on October 22, 2022
posted by perhapses at 12:32 PM on October 22, 2022
Glen Hansard is amazing for pure, raw, powerful emotion. Lots of songs I could link, but his six minute version of This Gift on David Letterman featuring a string section, a horn section and a mid-song broken string & guitar swap is a pretty amazing example.
posted by platinum at 2:31 PM on October 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by platinum at 2:31 PM on October 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm thinking of Ann and Nancy Wilson plus Jason Bonham pounding out Stairway to Heaven and sending chills up the spines of Robert and Jimmy.
posted by credulous at 3:35 PM on October 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by credulous at 3:35 PM on October 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
Warren Zevon sang “Keep me in your heart” on David Letterman’s show, just weeks before Zevon died. It was beautiful and heartbreaking.
posted by LaBellaStella at 4:17 PM on October 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by LaBellaStella at 4:17 PM on October 22, 2022 [1 favorite]
Johnny Cash singing Nine Inch Nails song "Hurt" To me the anguish gets more intense as the song goes on.
posted by annieb at 6:19 PM on October 22, 2022
posted by annieb at 6:19 PM on October 22, 2022
Demi Lovato - EAT ME feat. Royal & the Serpent Especially the two times they sing 'Choke on it!'
posted by signal at 7:18 PM on October 22, 2022
posted by signal at 7:18 PM on October 22, 2022
@walkingonsunshine I came here to say precisely that. Many of the songs are available on YouTube. It's also a DVD: "Tragically Hip, a National Celebration" is the title.
In terms of specific cuts to look for: "At the Hundredth Meridian" and "Grace Too" both wrecked me
posted by SaharaRose at 7:56 AM on October 24, 2022
In terms of specific cuts to look for: "At the Hundredth Meridian" and "Grace Too" both wrecked me
posted by SaharaRose at 7:56 AM on October 24, 2022
Nina Simone's live version of "Why? (The King of Love is Dead"), recorded at Westbury Music Fair 3 days after MLK's death, is heart wrenchingly good.
posted by Furnace of Doubt at 1:21 PM on October 24, 2022
posted by Furnace of Doubt at 1:21 PM on October 24, 2022
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posted by akk2014 at 4:14 PM on October 21, 2022 [1 favorite]