I was recently discussing with my brother the question of the greatest rock song of all time. VH1, as you may know, named the Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" #1, producing disgusted reactions from at least one big music lover, Craig Ferguson. I sadly didn't tune into his show that night in time to hear what he thought the top song was, but I know he loves his metal and the Sex Pistols. My brother instantly went for Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody." I'm down with that, as I love Queen, revere the late Freddie Mercury and the skiffling astrophysicist Brian May, and pretty much think that "Rhapsody," in all its insanity, is one of the great songs of all time, never mind rock songs. I revisited VH1's list to see where they placed it, comfortably expecting it to be in, oh, the top 5 or so. Oh no. Number twenty-seven. Right above "You Really Got Me."
And on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time? Number one hundred sixty-three. Right below "Nothing Compares 2 U." That's right, below a text message.
I understand that opinions will always differ on this. Bob Dylan, he don't light my fire, baby, and neither do the Beatles. I understand votes for them, or for The Doors, or for Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb," or the Stones... But man, it looks like Queen's legacy has been shuffled off into the ambiguous world of glam rock and left there for another generation to revive. Bowie wasn't exactly burning up these lists either. What do you think? Too cool for school? Are these editors all troublemakers? Or is "Like a Rolling Stone" really that monumental?
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