10 Best Rock Songs With The Word 'Red' In The Title

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Classic rock music bleeds red in so many ways. Songs are abundant in rock and roll that use the noun “Red” in their titles. The question here is which ones come to mind first or stand out the most. There is significant meaning in the term and color “Red.” It is the one color that stands out among all other colors for various reasons. It’s why they use it on stop and warning signs around the world. Yet, because red also symbolizes heat and fire, its use in rock and roll music is immeasurable.

# 10 – Little Red Rooster – The Rolling Stones

We open up our 10 Best Rock Songs With The Word ‘Red’ In The Title list with the Rolling Stones’ blues song “Little Red Rooster.” The song was released on the band’s third US studio album, The Rolling Stones, Now!, in 1965. As Rolling Stones fans know, the band covered many classic blues songs on their first few albums. Willie Dixon wrote the song “Little Red Rooster.” The Rolling Stones released it as a single in the United Kingdom, and it was a tremendous success. It became the first blues record to hit number one in the United Kingdom.

# 9 – Red Headed Woman – Bruce Springsteen

Continuing with our 10 Best Rock Songs With The Word ‘Red’ In The Title list, we take a listen to the cheery Bruce Springsteen song entitled “Red Headed Woman.” Bruce Springsteen recorded the brand-new song live for MTV in 1992, and it was released on his 1993 In Concert/MTV Plugged album. It was evident that the song was written for his wife Patti Scialfa. The song’s title was also the name of a 1931 novel written by Katherine Brush, which was turned into a 1932 MGM motion picture.

# 8 – Red Barchetta – Rush

When you first saw the title of this article, this was probably one of the first songs you thought of. The song “Red Barchetta” by Rush appeared on the 1981 album Moving Pictures. Everyone had the Moving Pictures album. Fueled by the singles “Tom Sawyer” and “Limelight,” the album turned many new fans on to the band.

# 7 – Red Skies – The Fixx

In seventh place on our 10 Best Rock Songs With The Word ‘Red’ In The Title list is the extraordinary Fixx song “Red Skies.” If you grew up watching MTV in the early 1980s, you know this song, as it was in heavy rotation at the dawn of the MTV era. The song about a nuclear holocaust was released on the band’s debut album, Shuttered Room.

# 6 – Red Shoes by the Drugstore – Tom Waits

While this may not be one of the most famous rock songs to use the word red in its title, it is one of the most outstanding. If you’re a Tom Waits fan, you know this one. It was released on what we feel was Tom Waits’ best album, Blue Valentine. The album was released in the fall of 1978. At the time, it was Tom Waits’ sixth studio album. Its tribal beat and sinister bass line paint a cinematic view of urban backstreets straight out of a Hollywood film. Where’s the magic rat?

# 5 – Red Red Wine – UB40

At the halfway point on our 10 Best Rock Songs With The Word ‘Red’ In The Title list is the much-loved song “Red Red Wine.” You get two reds for the price of one with this song. The song was initially written and released by Neil Diamond all the way back in 1967. However, it was the band UB40 who had a massive hit with Neil Diamond’s song. The UB40 version went to number one in both the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s.

# 4 – Little Red Corvette – Prince

Once again, going back to the early MTV generation and the channel’s power to break songs and artists, we present one that MTV broke big time. At the number four spot on our list, we present the song entitled “Little Red Corvette.” Prince was already known at the time, but the exposure he received on MTV with this song helped him reach an even larger audience. No one was expecting what would happen just a couple of years later when Purple Rain turned him into one of the biggest pop artists of all time.

# 3 – Red House – Jimi Hendrix

We couldn’t put together this list without including the classic Jimi Hendrix recording of “Red House.” Jimi Hendrix released his original version of “Red House” on the UK edition of the first Jimi Hendrix Experience album. It was not included in the US version of the album. This slow blues-burning Jimi Hendrix original composition stands as one of his most covered songs.

# 2 – Red Rain – Peter Gabriel

Just off the top spot on our 10 Best Rock Songs With The Word ‘Red’ In The Title list, we celebrate the moody Peter Gabriel song entitled “Red Rain.” This one is just so good. The song was released on the album entitled So. The album was released in 1986. It was the fourth single released from the album. It was also the opening track on the album, setting the tone for what would become his most successful solo album. We must also give credit to the production skills and creativity of Daniel Lanois, who helped shape the sound of this magnificent track and album.

# 1 – Red – Sammy Hagar

How could we not close out our 10 Best Rock Songs With The Word ‘Red’ In The Title with anyone but the Red Rocker? For many Sammy Hagar fans, this was the track that first turned fans on to the music of Sammy Hagar. The song serves as the opening track on Sammy Hagar’s sophomore album, Sammy Hagar. We’ve written about this album many times. I mean, it’s very simple: if we’re writing an article about rock and roll songs with the word red in its title, you know darn well that we are going to place a song simply called “Red” that appeared on an album in which everything on the cover was red in the number one spot. There’s just no doubt about it.