When you think of the word "anthem" you might think of the national anthem, the Star Spangled Banner, or the vastly superior "O Canada" from our friends up north, but here I'm talking about a rock anthem. What makes a rock anthem? Well, some or all of the following: a soaring chorus, a unifying message, universal appeal, a (figurative) call-to-arms. An anthem will thrill you, it will inspire you, it will cause you to pump your fist and raise your Bic lighter phone in solidarity with others around you (unless you're home alone, in which case, you will probably skip that last part.) But it will thrill you. An anthem that tries being patriotic usually just ends up sounding jingoistic, instead.
Blitzkrieg Bop, by the Ramones, like most of these songs was never a hit on Top 40 radio but is now commonly roared along to by fans in eighty thousand seat sports arenas. That's an anthem!
(Speaking of the Ramones, my friend Carl Cafarelli's highly anticipated book, featuring his in-depth interviews with all four Ramones, is due in May and is available at Rare Bird Books. You can preorder "Gabba Gabba Hey: A Conversation With the Ramones," with his scrawled autograph, here:)
https://rarebirdlit.com/gabba-gabba-hey-a-conversation-with-the-ramones-signed-by-carl-cafarelli/
Certainly, Pete Townsend's power chords help make the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again", "Baba O'Riley" (aka "Teenage Wasteland") and "My Generation" anthems.
How about Springsteen? Is "Thunder Road" an anthem? (No, classic though it is.) "The Promised Land," and "Badlands," (especially in concert), now those are anthems; "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" is a love anthem.*
Alice Cooper, man. He has a knack for them--"I'm Eighteen," and "School's Out," and even "Elected." Anthems, all.
Some songs sound like anthems until you listen to the lyrics:
"Revolution," by the Beatles (the single, not the album cut), certainly sounds like an anthem until you hear John say if you're talking about destruction, you can count him out.
"Born in the U.S.A." by Springsteen certainly is a rouser, especially in concert, but the lyrics about a down-on-his-luck Vietnam vet belie that. He did a stark and emotional acoustic version of the song on his "Tracks" box set from 1998 that uses a melody much better suited to the lyrics. Here it is:
"Get Off of My Cloud," "Sympathy For the Devil," and "Satisfaction," by the Stones
"Don't Stop Believing" by Journey
"I'm Still Standing," by Elton John, the song that inspired this post.
"American Pie," by Don McLean, even if he did turn out to be a jerk**
"Dancing in the Street" by Martha and the Vandellas
"Shout it Out Loud," by KISS
"Rock and Roll, Part 2" by Gary Glitter ***
"I Love Rock and Roll," by Joan Jett
"All You Need is Love" by the Beatles
"We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions." by Queen
"We're Not Gonna Take It," by Twisted Sister
"Mandy," by Barry Manilow****
What songs have I egregiously omitted? Chastise me by email or in the comments.
* A term I just now made up.
** "Jerk" is probably being too kind. Look him up if you want more info.
*** Speaking of jerks.
**** Just seeing if you're paying attention.
Song of the Day: Not an anthem, but man, it sure feels like one: Randall Bramblett, “The End of the String:
