The Very First Rock Song You Remember Hearing That Changed Your World...

[GGJaguar]

But the original for me was A Whole Lotta Love

For me, too. Growing up with parents playing jazz and opera, and sisters playing pop rock, Brit Beat, Motown, and R&B, it took my brother buying Led Zep II in 1969 and playing Whole Lotta Love to open my eyes to rock that went beyond "nice and gentle" sounding music. Then a short time later (1970) he bought Grand Funk Railroad's "Closer to Home" album which equally blew my mind with Sin's a Good Mans Brother" and "I'm Your Captain".

 

[matsickma]

In looking over all the entries I'm quite sure I know 99% of the songs mentioned. It is amazing to have been part of the era of rock-n-roll, Elvis, the Beatles, British invasion, Hendrix, heavy rock, Prog Rock, Glam Rock, Punk, New Wave, Fusion Rock, Grunge rock and TechnoRock. I was preschool when Elvis came out and now over stayed my work life and hovering upon retirement.
Been a great musical journey and as soon as this pandemic ends I am going to indulge in live music like their is no tomorrow, which is more truth than fiction!

Long live rock of all forms!
M

 

[Westerly Wood]

Long live rock of all forms!

 

[Budha]

Yeah

Yeah that was my experience too i.e., my sister is 5 years older to me and it was her 45s that introduced me to rock and roll. Of course when I tried to hang out with her and her girlfriends I was told to scram.

I had three older sisters who were buying up 45's in the 1950's. My wife is often "amused" when I start singing some obscure rock and roll song from the 50's. My wife is the oldest of 5 kids and missed out on deep emersion into the music of the 1950's. The running funny in my home is when we go to google to prove I'm not making these "obscure-to-her" songs up in my head. Old and rarely remembered songs of the 1950's just seem to pop up in my head periodically.

 

[Westerly Wood]

Old and rarely remembered songs of the 1950's just seem to pop up in my head periodically.

that actually sounds nice Budha! peaceful almost.

 

[Rich Cohen]

I had three older sisters who were buying up 45's in the 1950's. My wife is often "amused" when I start singing some obscure rock and roll song from the 50's. My wife is the oldest of 5 kids and missed out on deep emersion into the music of the 1950's. The running funny in my home is when we go to google to prove I'm not making these "obscure-to-her" songs up in my head. Old and rarely remembered songs of the 1950's just seem to pop up in my head periodically.

Me too.

 

[beecee]

I just found out that the excellent bass playing on that cut was by Stephen Stills.

Wow...so I Googled Jim Gordon after Bobby mentioned him going to jail in that interview.

I had no clue. Also did not realize he, (Gordon) was on some of the best songs/albums of all time! Look at that discography!!

Jim Gordon (musician) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Funny where Googling can take you....1st part is great but 5 minutes in it takes an upward spiral!! FUN

 

[mellowgerman]

This is the first rock tune I remember loving as a little kid... maybe around the age of 3, when we still lived in Germany. Might be forgetting earlier favorite tunes, but the reason this one sticks with me is that my dad had a harmonica and, though he never performed or played with a band, could play along to this song. It was always exciting when he would break it out and play it. My brother and I would always make sure we got a turn too.
Thanks for reminding me of that harmonica! I'm going to see if he still has it somewhere. Last memory I have of him playing it was in the 90's before we moved to America.

 

[bobouz]

Breathless (original 1958 version) by Jerry Lee Lewis. I remember playing that Sun 45 over & over again.

 

[dougdnh]

I'm 75, so I can remember when rock and roll first started breaking out. I remember Bill Hailey when I was around 10, it was ok, but just dance music to me.
But then my older cousin played a new record he just bought - 'Bo Diddley' - WOW it was like something from another planet! A few months later this Elvis guy was on the Tommy Dorsey TV show, and I knew the world was changing.

 

[dreadnut]

All I know is my brother kicked my butt for scratching his new Herman's Hermits album...

For an 8th grade Christmas party, I gave some guy The Beatles' White Album. Wish I had that one backl!

 

[dougdnh]

Just to ad - the first record I absolutely had to own was Santo & Johnny's 'Sleepwalk'. I loved this record so much (still do) I bought it before I even owned a record player. Back then, once a record fell off the charts, it was almost impossible to find a copy of it.

 

[adorshki]

Many many many influential tunes as a 12-14 year old including Quicksilver's Happy Trails and Airplane's After Bathing at Baxter's, but the one that introduced me to my ultimate favorite guitarist of all time was "Rice Pudding" from Beck-Ola.

Hendrix even copped the opening lick in a version of "Ezy Rider" on the Incident at Rainbow Bridge bootleg, I realized a few years later.

A musical journey in repeating movements. Opening with the classic LP-on-the-verge-of-breakup sound. Then the slide section segueing into and interplaying with Hopkins' piano is sublime. A musical tapestry. So many lead threads to tease apart and savor. A true rock landmark.

 

[adorshki]

Just to ad - the first record I absolutely had to own was Santo & Johnny's 'Sleepwalk'. I loved this record so much (still do) I bought it before I even owned a record player. Back then, once a record fell off the charts, it was almost impossible to find a copy of it.

Yep.

Around '98 or so I began a concerted effort to find all the old sheet music from my favorite one-hit wonders. I'd copy 'em out of library books, and a few years later from OLGA on the 'net. Felt no guilt about downloading stuff that was out of print. Happily paid for published collections like Hendrix, Neil Young, Beatles, Zeppelin, Airplane, etc, when available.

 

[adorshki]

Okay since @Guildedagain mentioned it, the year was 1969 and my brother went to Vietnam leaving me his brand new 1969 red Firebird!! I used to drive it to high school and it had a 4-track tape deck!! I played Steppenwolf's Magic Carpet Ride LOUDLY going to school and cruise into the parking lot. It was one of the few times I was semi-cool.......

Yep. "Magic Carpet Ride" was my introduction to Steppenwolf in 7th grade. Schoolbus driver used to play the local AM pop station to try to drown out us kids..

 

[mushroom]

Does “Bye Bye Baby” by the Bay City Rollers count?

I must have been 4?

That’s ridiculous.