10 Most Underrated Hand Clapping Songs In Rock Music

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Hand claps have powered some of rock music’s most famous hooks, but the same familiar titles tend to dominate every list. These 10 overlooked tracks dig deeper, finding unforgettable clapping rhythms in songs by Ray Charles, The Stooges, The Beach Boys, David Bowie, Slade, The Kinks, Frank Zappa, and more.

AVRO, CC BY-SA 3.0 NL <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/nl/deed.en>, via Wikimedia Commons

Our “10 Most Underrated Hand-Clapping Songs in Rock Music” article presents a group of songs that are often overlooked when discussing legendary rock tracks with hand claps. Why repeat the same list every other website offers? Every article we found on this topic featured the same 10 to 20 songs. So no, we’re not going to include “Jack and Diane,” “My Best Friend’s Girl,” “Please Mr. Postman,” or any of the other popular songs everyone else keeps recycling. For this piece, we went the extra mile, powered up our flashlight with fresh batteries, and unearthed some tracks you probably would not have considered. That’s what makes this fun, different, and unique. That’s what makes this ClassicRockHistory.com, baby. What can you come up with?

# 10 – “Ain’t That Love” – Ray Charles

We open our list of the 10 most underrated hand-clapping songs in rock music by going all the way back to 1957. How many people remember this song, which appeared on Ray Charles’ debut album, simply titled Ray Charles? “Ain’t That Love” was the opening track on the album, which would be re-released a few years later under the title “Hallelujah, I Love Her So”. The song was also issued as a single, but it may have been lost in the shuffle, as it was the eighth single released by the record. We thought this was the perfect way to begin a list of hand-clapping songs filled with hidden gems.

Read More: 10 Essential Ray Charles Songs

# 9 – “1969” – The Stooges

If you’re a Stooges fan thinking about songs that begin with hand claps, you might be wondering why we didn’t list “No Fun.” Well, that’s because it is more widely recognized for its hand claps than “1969.” “No Fun” features full-on clapping right from the start, while the claps in “1969” are a little more hidden. Regardless, we could have gone with either one, since neither song typically appears on many hand-clapping song lists. Plus, it’s always cool to listen to The Stooges whenever we get the chance.

Read More: Top 10 Stooges Songs

# 8 – “Roller Skating Child” – The Beach Boys

By the time The Beach Boys released their 21st studio album, The Beach Boys Love You, in 1977, the group was no longer as dominant on Top 40 radio as it had been during the 1960s. The music industry had changed dramatically, although the band remained a major concert attraction. Their era of brand-new pop hits had largely faded until “Kokomo” became a major success in 1988. That means there is a good chance some listeners do not know “Roller Skating Child,” a song from what we believe is a very underrated album. Give it a listen; we think you’ll like it.

# 7 – “Subway Joe” – Joe Bataan

This is one that has definitely flown under the radar for most people. However, if you like Chinese food, riding the subways, and New York City, then you might really enjoy this song. I was born in Manhattan and grew up in the Bronx, raised on Chinese food and pizza, so songs like this find a special place in my heart. Joe Bataan’s debut album, Gypsy Woman, was released in 1967, and Subway Joe followed in 1968. Check out Joe’s music; you may really dig it.

# 6 – “The Secret Life of Arabia” – David Bowie

One of our all-time favorite David Bowie songs has always been “The Secret Life of Arabia.” The song was released on Bowie’s 12th studio album, “Heroes”. It was written by David Bowie, Brian Eno, and Carlos Alomar and served as the album’s closing track. What an album closer it was! You will not hear any hand claps at the beginning. They do not enter until about halfway through, but once they arrive, they become quite prominent in the mix.

# 5 – “Coz I Luv You” – Slade

At the halfway point of our list of underrated hand-clapping songs in rock music, we return to a great Slade song, “Coz I Luv You.” This is an interesting one because there is a lot of echo on those hand claps. At times, they sound like percussion, but when you listen closely, they are unmistakably hand claps, and they work really well. The song was originally released as a non-album single in 1971. It eventually appeared on greatest-hits compilations and as a bonus track on the 2006 CD reissue of the band’s 1970 album Play It Loud.

Read More: Top 10 Slade Songs

# 4 – “Six Months in a Leaky Boat” – Split Enz

What we love about this song, besides being a fantastic track, is that the hand claps are perfectly placed at the start of the chorus. They are not overdone and not too loud. It is simply the perfect placement of hand claps, adding another layer to the song. Split Enz included “Six Months in a Leaky Boat” on the band’s eighth studio album, Time and Tide, released in 1982. It was the second single issued from the album and became a Top 10 hit in Australia. The song was written by Tim Finn.

Read More: Top 10 Split Enz Songs

# 3 – “Ev’rybody’s Gonna Be Happy” – The Kinks

We’re currently riding a Kinks wave here at ClassicRockHistory.com. Following our interview with Dave Davies, we have been inspired to include Kinks songs in as many articles as possible. The Kinks may very well be the most underrated band of all time. Considering the vast amount of material they released and the significant impact they had on music, their contributions are truly astonishing.

# 2 – “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” – Santa Esmeralda

The number two spot on our underrated hand-clapping songs list goes to a legendary song that has been covered by artists across multiple genres. The song dates back to 1964, when Nina Simone first recorded it. It was written by Bennie Benjamin, Gloria Caldwell, and Sol Marcus. The following year, The Animals had a major hit with their version. In 1977, Santa Esmeralda transformed it into an extended Latin-disco performance that became an international success. Elvis Costello later recorded his own version. Sections of Santa Esmeralda’s recording were also used perfectly in Kill Bill: Volume 1. Quentin Tarantino stands as a director who understood how to use music almost better than anyone else in film, with perhaps the exception of Martin Scorsese.

# 1 – “Joe’s Garage” – Frank Zappa

I’m sure Frank Zappa fans will be pleased with our selection of “Joe’s Garage” for the number one spot. There is a lot of hand clapping in this one. It does not appear at the start; instead, it enters in two separate sections, where it becomes very prominent. The song appeared on Zappa’s 1979 rock opera Joe’s Garage, which was issued in multiple parts. The project contains many classic songs, including “Catholic Girls” and “Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?” The musicianship throughout these records was extraordinary. How many artists would come up with a character called the Central Scrutinizer? Zappa was such a genius.