Top of the best Bob Seeger songs!

Bob Seeger is a well-known American rock musician and songwriter. Seeger began his career in the early 60's: much of this was due to his love for the rising stars of The Beatles... His first national single was 1968's "Ramblin 'Gamblin' Man": in this record Seeger managed to combine the meticulous construction you'd expect from the Beatles with the hot excitement of James Brown. At the same time - "Ramblin 'Gamblin' Man" sounds very casual and, one might say, even modest... Bob's magical and surprising style produced a lot of hits that are still relevant today! We offer to recall the most interesting and brightest of them...

Meditative fairy tale tracks....

Bob Seeger was never in a hurry. He clearly wanted to be a rock 'n' roll star, but he only achieved his dream through diligence... And such restraint is the hallmark of some of his best songs. Back in 1972, when he was just 20, Seeger wrote eloquently about the painful loneliness of being on the road in the song "Turn the Page." Subsequently, "Turn the Page" became one of Seeger's best-known songs after his 1976 live album. "Live Bullet," his first record with the Silver Bullet Band, conquered rock radio.

Beautiful Loser is Bob's fifth solo album, the title track from which also became a first-class hit! Instead of the usual slow drum beat, the song "Beautiful Loser" features new instruments - piano, organ and finally a swelling horn section... The composition feels like it's bubbling, building up but not boiling over. Seeger sings: "He wants to dream like a young man / With the wisdom of an old man / He wants his home and security / He wants to live like a sailor at sea..." This grand compromise between the idealism of youth and the realities of middle age is a theme that Seeger will return to again and again.

The track "Night Moves" was undoubtedly Seeger's big breakthrough. As in "Beautiful Loser", Seeger plays a dreamer obsessed with what was and what could have been... Seeger's signature melody celebrates the attachment to youth... By the way: the track reached number 4 on the Hot 100 and the album went platinum six times.

The tracks "Fire Lake" and "Roll Me Away" once again prove Seeger's talent! They are musical stories that draw the listener in, enchanting the listener with a well thought-out harmonious tempo... Seeger and his team convinced Capitol Records to release "Fire Lake" as the first single of the 1980s, and... it was the right decision!

A decade after 'Turn the Page', Seeger presented another tale-tale of life on the road, namely 'Roll Me Away': a middle game full of tough choices and questions about what comes next....

Soul-stirring ballads ...

Bob Seeger knows how to compose heartbreaking ballads, and it's hard to argue with that fact... Consider the famous "Mainstreet": the protagonist pines for an exotic dancer, knowing he'll never get up the courage to talk to her....

"I remember standing on the corner at midnight
Trying to muster up some courage.
There was one tall lovely dancer in a small club in the centre of town,
I loved watching her perform her moves.
On long lonely nights, she was in my dreams,
Her body swayed gently to the beat of the muted rhythm..."

In the equally beautiful "We've Got Tonite," we witness the same desperation.....

However, "Against the Wind" already softens his sense of despair: this time Seeger reflects on fame and mistakes...

A lesser-known gem of a musician is his cover of country singer Rodney Crowell's song "Shame on the Moon."

Dynamic hits!

When Bob Seeger speeds up, he layers his influences on top of each other. The song "Rock 'n' Roll Never Forgets" is a prime example! The tune will remind you once again that you're never too old for rock 'n' roll.....

"Hollywood Nights" is a song about lost people struggling for a place in the sun. The heavy drums and guitars in "Hollywood Nights" epitomise the Californian dreams of...

Despite releasing tracks with the aim of reaching the top 40 for a decade, Seeger didn't reach number one until the soundtrack to the film Beverly Hills Cop 2 propelled his recording of "Shakedown" to the top of the charts!

Expanded epics

Seeger's long and complex compositions are often overlooked... But these tunes are worth a listen, and the best place to start is with "Sunburst"! This is a 5-minute rock symphony that starts with a clear hint of the Beatles' "Dear Prudence"...

Top-notch extended epics also include: "Brave Strangers", "Little Victories" and "The Fire Inside".

Good old rock 'n' roll!

Bob Seeger repeatedly expressed his love for the major hits of his youth by covering or writing new songs that served as a sort of remake or continuation of a particular musical narrative... One such recording was "Mary Lou":

Ironically, Bob Seeger's song "Old Time Rock & Roll" began as a demo sent to him by friends at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Seeger rewrote some parts of the lyrics. His session assistant Barry Beckett recorded the rockabilly piano music, and Alto Reed added a saxophone solo! "Old Time Rock & Roll" has since become one of the most famous tunes in the world....

And another prime example is "Tryin' to Live My Life Without You"!

"Trying to live my life without you, baby.
It's the hardest thing I've ever done..."