10 Most Rocking J. Geils Band Songs

Feature Photo: Marcel Antonisse (ANEFO), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Our 10 most Rocking J. Geils Band songs present a showcase of the band’s most ferocious killer rock and roll performances on vinyl and in concert for pretty much the entire decade of the 1970s. Nothing on this list was released past 1978. That doesn’t mean that we didn’t enjoy the band’s success in the early eighties. We just wanted to highlight a lot of their earlier music, especially their live rock and roll performances that captured a loyal following that has never left. This article is not just a showcase of their live performances, as we do have some studio recordings on here, too. The one commonality between both is the songs rock hard. It doesn’t mean that they rock fast. Some are mid-tempo rockers, and some of them are slow blues tunes, but they all rock hard. If you don’t understand what that means, I can’t explain it to ya. Just listen to the music below.

# 10 – First I Look At That Purse – The J. Geils Band

The J. Geils Band turns it the other way around with this rocking song based on looking for a woman based on money and nothing else. It’s not an original J. Geils Band song, but boy, do they do a rip-roaring cover on this one. Smokey Robinson and Bobby Rogers wrote the song for the band The Contours, who had a top 100 hit with the song back in 1965. The J.Geils Band released it on their self-titled 1970 debut album.

# 9 – Detroit Breakdown (Live) – Blow Your Face Out

One of the issues we had with picking the most rocking J. Geils Band songs for this list was whether or not to use the studio versions or the smoking live versions which usually took their songs to a whole new level of rock and roll brilliance. We decided to jump back and forth. Here is the first live song on this list from their killer live album Blow Your Face Out. This was the band’s second live album, which was released in 1976.

# 8 – Floyd’s Hotel – The Morning After

J. Geils Band, The - The Morning After - Atlantic - SD 8297

All legendary rock and roll bands have one thing in common: “The Blues.” You can’t rock and make it real if you can’t play the blues. There is no way around it. This great rocking blues-infused J. Geils Band song was released on the group’s album The Morning After. It was the band’s second studio album. The song was written by Seth Justman and Peter Wold

# 7 – Serves You Right To Suffer – Live Full House

Listen to the wasy Peter Wolf introduces this song on the live album. You can tell somebody did him wrong, probably more than one, just like the rest of us have all experienced. Just because this one has a slow blues groove doesn’t mean it can’t rock hard. Listen to that guitar solo. Holy Wham Jammer smokes! This great John Lee Hooker song was released on the band’s first live album entitled Live Full House. It was released in 1972.

# 6 – One Last Kiss – Sanctuary

This mid-temp rocker by the band may just be one of the group’s most overlooked songs, lost a bit among all the new wave that was happening at the time. It’s just such a great song, and there was no way we would leave this one off this list. Love that Phil Spector drum break between verses. The song was released on the band’s Sanctuary album. It was released in 1978. Peter Wolf and Seth Justman composed the song.

# 5 – I Do – Monkey Island

Monkey Island is one of those J.Geils Band albums that kind of fell through the cracks. In fact they changed the name of the band to just Geils for this record. Despite the name change, I always really enjoyed this album, especially the sound quality of the record. “I Do” is a real party-type song and, of course, is an amazing song to play live. Nonetheless, I just love the sound of this one in the studio. Everything is just so clear and balanced right, so action-packed and full of soul.

# 4 – Chimes – Live Blow Your Face Out

I get chills when I listen to this song. The sound of that opening organ as the band breaks in just blows my face out every time. It’s as simple as that. This is pure rock and roll, baby! Of course, we went with the dynamic live version of this one. If you have never heard it before, don’t go anywhere; listen to it all the way through, as it gets very intense!

# 3 – Looking for a Love – Live Full House

We really tried to present some studio versions of these songs, but their live albums are just so good that we just couldn’t help but go to the live version of these classic tunes. If you have someone in your family who’s just learning how to play a guitar, drums, keyboards, or whatever, and you want to teach them how to play live music, how to put rock and roll soul into performances, and what it’s all about, put on one of these J Geils Band live albums.

# 2 – Whammer Jamer – Live Full House

The live renditions contiune with one of the most explosive rock and roll instrumentals in classic rock history. “Whammer Jammer” was originally released on The Morning After album. The live version will knock off your rock and roll shoes and bow tie.

# 1 – (Ain’t Nothing But A) House Party – Live Full House

Was there any doubt that this powerhouse rock and roll party song would fall in any other spot but number one? I am going to need this one today because I’m watching the Jets game, and I already know, as a Jets fan, how it’s going to turn out.