Photo: Bag-O-Bucks (management)/A & M Records [Public domain]
The band The Tubes was first formed in San Francisco in the early 1970s. Multiple musicians from various bands in the San Francisco area formed the group. After a few years the band released their first album in 1975 entitled The Tubes
. The legendary Al Kooper who had founded the band Blood Sweat & Tears and produced many of the early Lynyrd Skynyrd albums also produced The Tubes debut. The album would feature the song “White Punks On Dope,” which would become one of the band’s signature songs.
In 1976, The Tubes would release their sophomore album entitled Young and Rich
. The band’s third album entitled Now
was released one year later in 1977. Both albums utilized two different producers. In 1979, The Tubes would hook up with legendary producer and artist Todd Rundgren on their fourth album entitled Remote Control.
The Todd Rundgren sound was all over the record. Just a year before Todd Rundgren had produced Meat Loaf’s debut album. It was a brilliant move by the band artistically working with the genius of Todd Rundgren.
David Foster was brought in to produce the band’s next album entitled The Completion Backward Principle.
David Foster was one of the music industry’s most successful producers and songwriters having worked with some of the biggest names in the business and having extreme success with many of them. David Foster co-wrote one of The Tubes’ most popular songs on the album entitled “Talk To You Later.”
The hit-making success of David Foster would come to full realization for The Tubes on the next record also produced by David Foster. The album Outside Inside
released in 1983 would yield the band’s biggest hit single of their career entitled “She’s a Beauty.” Th song reached the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 in 1983. “She’s a Beauty” would become a staple on the Music Television Network known as MTV in the early 1980s’. Interestingly, the only two albums by The Tubes to be certified gold were produced by David Foster. They were also the only two albums produced by David Foster.
The band reunited with Todd Rundgren once again in 1985 for the release of the album Love Bomb.
Fee Waybill left the band after the album’s release. The band would not release another record until 1996 entitled Genius of America
. The album was produced by Richard Marx. The final Tubes studio album as of this writing was released in 2009 entitled Mondo Birthmark.
Any article on The Tubes should not fail to mention the brilliant musicians responsible for the band’s music. They are Fee Waybill, Bill Spooner, Roger Steen, Rick Anderson, Vince Welnick, Preposterous” Prairie Prince, Re Styles (Shirley MacLeod), Michael Cotten and Mingo Lewis
We hope you enjoy our presentation of 10 Essential Songs From The Tubes. The band’s body of work is brilliant and we highly recommend that you check out their amazing albums.
# 10 – T.V. Is King
We open up our 10 Essential Tubes songs list with the great Tubes Song “T.V. Is King.” This one had Todd Rundgren written all over it. The song was released on the band’s fourth album entitled Remote Control. The album was released in 1979. The song T.V. Is King was written by Fee Waybill and Todd Rundgren who also produced the album. The pairing of Todd with the Tubes was perfect!
# 9 – Tubes World Tour
The classic Tubes song “Tubes World Tour,” was released on the band’s second album. entitled Young And Rich
. The album was released in 1976. The record was produced by Ken Scott. “Tubes World Tour,” was the album’s opening track.
# 8 – Attack Of The Fifty Foot Woman
Is there no better song title than the Tubes song “Attack Of The Fifty Foot Woman?” The great track was released on the band’s album The Completion Backward Principle. The album was released in 1991. It was also the band’s first recording for their new label Capitol Records. The legendary record label of The Beatles and The Beach Boys.
# 7 – Cathy’s Clone
Perhaps the band’s most underrated record in their catalog was the album Now
. The great track “Cathy’s Clone,” stands as one of the band’s unheralded gems. This is not to be confused with The Everly Brothers’ “Cathy’s Clown.”
# 6 – What Do You Want From Life
Continuing with our 10 essential songs from The Tubes list we turn to their classic track “What Do You Want From Life.” The song was released on the band’s debut album The Tubes
in 1975. While the song “What Do You Want From Life.” may not have been a hit in the United States, it did reach the top 30 in the United Kingdom.
# 5 – Feel It
Another underrated song from the band was released on their last album together in the 1980s entitled Love Bomb.
The great song “Feel It,” would also be recorded by Todd Rundgren and released on his album Nearly Human
four years later later in 1989.
# 4 – Prime Time
The work Todd Rundgren did with the band The Tubes was really exceptional. Some may argue that Todd Rundgren was almost too dominant on the record. The 1979 Remote Control 
album actually sounds like a Todd Rundgren record. Just depends on how much of a fan one is of Todd Rundgren. Nonetheless, the track “Prime Time,” really stood out on the album and is one of the band’s most exceptional songs.
# 3 – She’s A Beauty
The next three Tube songs are the band’s most commercially successful songs. If you have only heard one Tubes song in your entire life it probably is this one. “She’s a Beauty,” stands as the band’s most successful commercial song. It is their only top 10 hit in the United States. The song “She’s a Beauty,” was written by Fee Waybill, David Foster, and Steve Lukather. The album featured an incredible lineup of musicians including most of the band Toto.
# 2 – Talk To You Later
One of the all time classic guitar riffs in classic rock history dominated this legendary Tubes song. “Talk To You Later,” was released on the album The Completion Backward Principle. Songwriting credit for the song was given to The Tubes, David Foster, and Steve Lukather. While the song just missed the Billboard Top 100, it did reach the Billboard Top 10 Mainstream Rock Tracks charts in 1981. It also received considerable airplay on MTV.
# 1 – White Punks On Dope
Landing in the number one spot on our 10 Essential Songs From The Tubes list is the band’s legendary song “White Punks On Dope.” The song appeared on the band’s first album entitled The Tubes
. The song “White Punks On Dope,” was written by Bill Spooner, Roger Steen, and Michael Evans. “White Punks On Dope,” was never a big commercial hit, but it got significant airplay on FM album-oriented rock stations in the 1970s.
Updated June 7, 2023
10 Essential Songs From The Tubes article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
Classicrockhistory.com claims ownership of all its original content and Intellectual property under United States Copyright laws and those of all other foreign countries. No one person, business, or organization is allowed to re-publish any of our original content anywhere on the web or in print without our permission. All photos used are either public domain creative commons photos or licensed officially from Shutterstock under license with ClassicRockHistory.com. All photo credits have been placed at the end of the article. Album Cover Photos are affiliate links and the property of Amazon and are stored on the Amazon server. Any theft of our content will be met with swift legal action against the infringing websites.
![Rob De Luca of Spread Eagle, Sebastian Bach & UFO: 10 Albums That Changed My Life From humble East Coast origins to grandest stages worldwide, veteran bassist Rob De Luca has seen and done it all. De Luca first hit the local Boston rock and metal scene in the late 80s after meeting guitarist Paul DiBartolo, bonding over Van Halen before forming Bang. Regional success came quickly, but eventually, the members of Bang went their separate ways, with De Luca and drummer Tommi Gallo heading to NYC and hooking up with Ray West and, later, DiBartolo to form Spread Eagle. By 1990, Spread Eagle was on the fast track, with a contract through MCA Records and a self-titled debut album poised to crush skulls. But poor timing and MCA's sad indifference left Spead Eagle out in the cold despite being a hard-boiled answer to Guns N' Roses's West Coast sleaze. Spread Eagle's first chapter came to an end in '95. As for Rob De Luca, his nimble fingers and gift for melody and songwriting kept him moving forward. Soon, he found a gig with former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and the legendary outfit UFO. And in 2010, after coupling up with Ray West and his cousin Rik De Luca, Spread Eagle retook flight. During a break from Spread Eagle's increasingly busy touring schedule, Rob De Luca dialed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to run through the ten albums that changed his life. But only after adding, "I made a playlist of these songs, including some I've written or co-written. Do you hear any of these albums' influence on me?" Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LWJuhDrE8JmzhsmTeIDUq 10) Gentlemen by Afghan Whigs (1993) Here's an entry that was so important to me. This may be the darkest break-up album of all time. Greg Dulli has been in many projects, but I feel Gentlemen is his zenith. Somewhat undefinable at times but always profound and honest. Listen to "Gentlemen," "Fountain and Fairfax," and "What Jail Is Like." 9) In on the Kill Taker by Fugazi (1993) By this time, I had been sucked in and spit out by the major-label record industry. Glam came and went; grunge was history, too. I was searching for new sounds. When I heard Fugazi's twin guitar approach, I knew this was what was missing. Fugazi may be considered a less polished sound than the albums above; however, once you "get it," it hits you like a ton of bricks, and there's no going back. From the moment I heard Fugazi, I went to every NYC show after. It's easily some of the best concerts of my life, and possibly my favorite bassist in Joe Lally. And their DIY ethics refused to charge us more than $5 a show! In on the Kill Taker is a powerful album demonstrated in songs such as "Smallpox Champion," "Great Cop," and "Public Witness Program." 8) Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses (1987) I discovered many of these albums (sometimes long) after they were released. However, I was at the right place at the right time for this one. Steve Ostromogilsky had a Berklee College of Music lunch card and used to sneak out sandwiches for me. One day, he invited me to hang out at his place and listen to music. As we got off the train, he put Sony Walkman headphones on my ears and said, "Hey, check out this brand-new group." A song like "It's So Easy" was so different from the popular Sunset Strip sound at that time. Me and about 499 other informed rockers were lucky enough to see them on their first East Coast tour at the sold-out Paradise on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston (the same street Aerosmith started on). I saw Gn'R every tour after until I took a break when Buckethead joined. Gn'R is the band I've been lucky enough to see the most times live, almost 100! Everyone on this album is just stellar. Axl [Rose] had the tones, power, melodic sensibilities, and foresight to do what no other singer did then. Slash's playing was beyond memorable. Duff [McKagan] is one of the most underrated bassists in rock history, and learning his Appetite basslines is a masterclass. Steven [Adler] had the natural swing, and Izzy [Stradlin] was the secret weapon songwriter. Everything that's been heralded about this gem is deserved and true. Check out "It's So Easy," "Out Ta Get Me," and "Mr. Brownstone.' 7) Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (1975) Another contender for my favorite album and band of all time. Using The Beatles machine (same recording studio, engineer, record label), Pink Floyd made what I feel is their strongest, most cohesive album (my second favorite of theirs would be Animals). This list mainly consists of bands with an instantly recognizable sound. Floyd is certainly no exception to that! This album included a solid handful of undeniable rock radio classics, bookended by two halves of the mind-blowing song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond.' That song was written about former band member and founder Syd Barrett. It would be hard to live in a world without this album. Check out "Welcome to The Machine," "Shine on You Crazy Diamond (parts 6-9),' or even better yet, listen to the whole thing in one sitting! 6) Decade by Neil Young (1977) About this time, I started playing guitar. As a beginner, it was comfortable jamming to this album because the chord changes were simple—a great "first ten years" retrospective of Neil's stunning, unique songwriting. Neil is a treasure who always writes from the heart and stands up for what's right. Check out "Southern Man," "A Man Needs a Maid," "Down by The River," and "After the Goldrush." 5) Highway to Hell by AC/DC (1979) When I heard this album, I was firmly "me." My life would be 100% focused on hard rock music forever. AC/DC are like air; they're ubiquitous. Everyone knows them and their incredible songs. However, as a young teen in Wilmington, Delaware, I only had WMMR 93.3 FM Philadelphia and a few friends to inform me about the world of Rock outside my bedroom. AC/DC had not gone mainstream, and their albums were available primarily in the USA as imports. To put things more in perspective, I only knew two people in the world who had heard of AC/DC. A friend had an import that we played in Steve Buckley's basement, which sounded ripping. When Highway to Hell was released, WMMR started spinning the title track, and I immediately bought the album, listening to it every single day after school. Then WMMR announced AC/DC was coming to the Spectrum in Philly, supporting Ted Nugent! I liked Ted but loved AC/DC, so my good friend Mick Cummins and I bought tickets, and he drove us up to the Spectrum (where we saw most of our concerts). Bon Scott was in fine form, and the band went over great. Although the crowd knew Ted better, Angus [Young] wouldn't let anyone upstage him. I'll never forget it! Unfortunately, Bon would be gone in 6 months. Check out "Walk All Over You," "Touch Too Much," "Shot Down in Flames," and "If You Want Blood (You Got It)." 4) Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith (1975) By the time I heard this, I was now in my teens. I had a childhood friend up the street, Jim Linberg (we're still good buddies). His older sister had a great album collection, including Toys in The Attic. Once I heard that groove, my taste changed. I lost interest in rock music that didn't have some sort of "swing" feel to it. I think Rocks is a slightly better Aerosmith album (and possibly my favorite album of all time), but both are perfect or very close. Check out "Uncle Salty," "Adam's Apple," "No More No More," "Round and Round," and "You See Me Crying." 3) Alive! by Kiss (1975) When I was still a little kid, I asked for Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke album for Christmas. The entire family came over for an enormous feast, and I dropped the needle. When my mother heard the content, she turned off the album and said I had to exchange it. My mom was cool, but I was young and knew much more about life than she suspected. Anyway, the next day, she drove me back to the store. In the music section, promoted on an "endcap" was a Kiss Alive! display. I had never heard of Kiss, but that cover picture told me I had to have it! My first foray into hard rock. Check out “Strutter.” I went through my Kiss phase very quickly, I believe in a matter of months because I discovered the previous entry, Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic. 2) Honky Chateau by Elton John (1972) When I was a wee lad, my parents bought a used Volkswagen camper van from my uncle Ozzie. My favorite Elton John album is Yellow Brick Road, but Honky Chateau is great and easily one of his best. It sent me down a lifelong rabbit hole of loving everything about the 1970s partnership between Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin. The simple beauty of voice, the master songwriting, the perfect backing band, the clear, unobtrusive recordings, and always Bernie's incredible lyrics. The day this album was released, Elton became an unstoppable force that conquered the music industry. Check out "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Rocket Man." 1) Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) Another tape that was included in the VW Camper. The van had a bunch of music tapes, and one was Sgt Pepper. I was too young to understand the sophistication of the music, but that was one of the many skills of The Beatles. They attracted listeners at every level, even little kids. I still feel that immediate connection to Sgt Pepper; now, I hear so much more. It's an album that changed the world and the world of music. Check out "Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds," "A Day In The Life," and "Fixing a Hole."](http://www.classicrockhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Shutterstock_1815495569-1-300x200.jpg)
No Responses