Robin Trower’s rise to fame began with his work in the English rock band Procol Harum. He joined the band in 1967 and recorded five albums with the group. In 1971, Robin Trower left Procol Harum and began work with a band called Jude that never released any material. In 1973, Robin Trower released his first solo album entitled Twice Removed from Yesterday. One year later, Robin Trower would release the legendary Bridge Of Sighs album.
Over the next couple of years, Robin Trower would release a string of albums that would cement his status as one of the all-time greats. This Robin Trower song list will focus on most of the material that Robin Trower issued during his 1970s period. There were just so many great songs from this period, we had no room for any of the post 70’s material which is also quite fabulous. We recommend you check out Robin Trower’s entire body of work. This Robin Trower songs list is a great place to start.
# 10 – Tie – Lady Love /Bridge Of Sighs
There is no better way to start out our Top 10 Robin Trower Songs list than with two songs from the classic Bridge Of Sighs album. No need for more cowbell on this one. The song’s opening riff Of Lady Love is classic Robin Trower. What separated Robin Trower from other rock guitarists like Jimmy Page, Ritchie Blackmore, Brian May, and so on was the way Trower used 9ths and 11ths in such a slick groove-based way without shoving them down the listener’s throat. It was such brilliant playing. The title track to the album Bridge Of Sighs is daunting in many ways. Trower’s solos on the title track are among his career’s best. We wanted to catch your attention right away. This one does it.
# 9 – Sinner’s Song
Robin Trower’s “Sinner Song” was released on his first solo album, Twice Removed From Yesterday. The Robin Trower band was essentially a trio that consisted of Robin Trower on guitar, James Dewar on bass and lead vocals, and Reg Isidore on drums. It could be argued that James Dewar might have been the most popular rock singer of the 1970s that most people had never heard of.
If you had never seen Robin Trower live, then you would have probably assumed that Robin Trower was also handling the lead vocals. However, that was not the case, and Dewar probably never got the recognition he deserved for the killer vocal tracks he recorded with the Robin Trower trio both in and out of the studio. Eventually, Bill Lordan replaced Reg Isidore on drums.
# 8 – Sweet Wine Of Love
Once again, Robin Trower’s use of jazz voicing defines the brilliant songwriting and playing on the great track “Sweet Wine Of Love.” This great track was issued on the In City Dreams album. The record was Robin Trower’s fifth solo album. The record was issued in 1977. Rusty Allen played bass on the album, while James Dewar just handled the vocals. Bill Lordan was playing drums in the record.
Stevie Ray Vaughan has given much credit to Jimi Hendrix for inspiring much of his playing. But if you are aware of Robin Trower and Stevie Ray Vaughan’s catalogs, you can’t help but notice that Stevie Ray Vaughan was probably also listening to Trower.
# 7 – Daydream (Live)
If we were going to choose the top 10 live albums of the 1970s, Robin Trower Live would probably top the list. Of course, there is The Rolling Stones Get Yer Ya Ya’s Out, Foghat’s Foghat Live, Led Zeppelin’s soundtrack to The Song Remains The Same, Rush, All The World’s A Stage, Lou Reed’s Rock and Roll Animal and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s One More From The Road but the 1975 Live album that Robin Trower released was one of the most smoking guitar records ever issued. This one cranks past eleven. The airy opening to “Daydream” is reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing.” However, the song then takes on its own spellbinding groove that mesmerizes the audience. The song’s unbelievable second solo will drop your jaw and bend your knees.
# 6 – Too Rolling Stoned
Bridge of Sighs was a blockbuster album for Robin Trower. The album reached the top 10 on the Billboard album charts in 1973. Every track on the record was killer. We had to refrain from listing every song from this record in our top 10 Robin Trower songs list. The song’s opening bass and drum groove set in motion a monster rocking riff that is one for the ages. The dramatic time shift in the middle of the song sets the way for another incredible Robin Trower guitar solo.
# 5 – Confessin’ Midnight
After the success of Bridge of Sighs, Robin Trower came roaring back one year later with another rocking blues-infused album that was every bit as good as Bridge of Sighs. Robin Trower’s For Earth Below was even more successful than Bridge of Sighs as the record For Earth Below hit the number five-spot on the Billboard top 100 albums. “Confessin’ Midnight,” knocked listeners out with a heavy lick that resonated throughout the song and laid the groundwork for another blistering Robin Trower explosive guitar solo.
# 4 – Shame The Devil
Many critics argued that the For Earth Below album was a weaker record than the Bridge of Sighs album. Our response to those writers is to listen again to the standout track “Shame The Devil.” The killer album opener was simple proof that Robin Trower was on fire during the mid-seventies. “Shame The Devil” was a track with heavy airplay on FM album-oriented radio in the seventies. Easily one of the best Robin Trower songs ever recorded.
# 3 – Long Misty Days
The Robin Trower song “Long Misty Days” was the title track to Robin Trower’s fourth album. The record Long Misty Days was released in October of 1976. Of all the Robin Trower songs nestled in a slow blues groove, “Long Misty Days” stand out among the best of them. This is a slow blues song, but there is this sublet driving force that fuels the groove into an arena of specter undiscovered by most artists. It’s what made Robin Trower so special.
# 2 – Caledonia
From the opening moments of this incredible piece of music, you know you’re in for something special. Robin Trower’s “Caledonia” is our favorite Robin Trower studio recording. The fast, funky guitar riff that balances itself with Robin Trower’s solo guitar licks will make you want to buy every Robin Trower recording ever released. It’s that good and easily one of the best Robin Trower songs ever released on vinyl.
# 1 – A Little Bit Of Sympathy / Rock Me Baby (Live)
The guitar work on the live performance of “A Little Bit Of Sympathy” and “Rock Me Baby” was just so outstanding that it made it impossible to pick between these two killer performances. Both live tracks were released on Robin Trower’s magnificent, earth-shattering Robin Trower Live album. The Live album stemmed from a radio broadcast from a stadium show in Sweden in 1975. The band is as loose as possible, and the interplay between Robin Trower and bassist James Dewar is astonishing.
On “Rock Me Baby,” Robin Trower sounds like he is playing lead guitar throughout the entire track. This is Robin Trower’s peak moment, but the man has continued to perform and record brilliantly 40 years onward. However, if you’re looking to buy only one Robin Trower CD or at least looking for a place to start, we highly recommend Robin Trower Live.
Feature Photo at top of page: Photo: By Carl Lender (originally posted to Flickr as Robin Trower) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons