10 Best Classic Rock Songs About Fighting

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Our list of the 10 best classic rock songs about fighting showcases a group of songs that represent many different interpretations of fighting. When we say fighting, it doesn’t always have to mean punching somebody in the face. Fighting could mean challenging one’s inner demons or the battles one faces in society, politics, work, family, religion, economics, and just about any other challenges one encounters in life.
Fighting, in the truest sense of the word, means not giving up. It means rising to the occasion despite the consequences one might face instead of just walking away. However, sometimes walking away may also have significant consequences. These songs look to answer or at least explore those questions.

# 10 – Mean Street – Van Halen

We open our “10 Best Classic Rock Songs About Fighting” article with a great one from Van Halen. If we were doing a list of the 10 best classic rock album covers about fighting, this one would definitely place number one. I don’t think we’ve ever seen an album cover with so much fighting going on as Van Halen’s Fair Warning. The artwork was based on a painting by Canadian artist William Kurelek. The album was released on April 29, 1981. “Mean Street” was the opening song on what we believe is Van Halen’s best album.

# 9 – “Fight the Good Fight” – Triumph

Continuing with this list of fighting songs, we turn to the fantastic Canadian band Triumph. Led by Rick Emmett, who we had the privilege of interviewing here at the site, their song “Fight the Good Fight” takes its place among our list of the 10 best songs about duking it out. This progressive rock music masterpiece was released on the band’s Allied Forces album. It was their fifth studio album, which proved to be very successful for the band. The album featured Rik Emmett on guitars and lead vocals, Gil Moore on drums, and Mike Levine on bass. Who doesn’t love this power trio from Canada? These guys were great.
Read More: Rik Emmett of Triumph: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview

# 8 – Eye Of The Tiger – Survivor

Well, we couldn’t have a list of songs about fighting without at least one song representing the most loved boxer of the silver screen. Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” was written as the theme song for Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky III. While Rocky III might not have been in the same league as Rocky I and II, it was still a major blockbuster film that millions of people loved. The song “Eye of the Tiger” went all the way to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for six weeks. That’s a pretty successful tune. This great song was written by Frankie Sullivan and Jim Peterik.

# 7 – “Fighting My Way Back” – Thin Lizzy

Somehow, it always seemed that these guys were fighting somebody, which is probably why they named their album Fighting. Thin Lizzy was the first rock and roll band I ever saw in concert. They opened up for Queen at Madison Square Garden in New York City in 1976. I’ll never forget that show. Phil Lynott looked badass on that stage, the way he handled that bass guitar and sang those fighting words. One of the greatest groups of all time. We all miss Phil.
Read More: Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy: The ClassicRockHistory.com Interview

# 6 – The Wrestler – Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen’s “The Wrestler” is one of the saddest songs ever written about fighting. You don’t have to see the film to understand what Springsteen is talking about, especially in the lyric, “Have you ever seen a one-armed man punching at nothing but the breeze?” The song was written for the film The Wrestler, which came out in 2008. The motion picture starred Mickey Rourke as a washed-up wrestler fighting many demons. It’s a brilliant film, and Springsteen’s words, melody, and arrangement capture the hopelessness of the story so perfectly.

# 5 – You Got That Right – Lynyrd Skynyrd

At the halfway point on this fun rock and roll song list about fighting, we return to a band that had their fair share of fights during their early days: the good old boys of Lynyrd Skynyrd. While they don’t have any songs that specifically have the word “fighting” in the title, many of their songs hint at rowdy behavior. Take these lyrics from the song “You Got That Right”: “I like to drink and to dance all night, comes to a fix, not afraid to fight.”
It’s not the only part of the song where Steve Gaines and Ronnie Van Zant sing about stirring things up. He also sings about how, when he gets older, they’re going to have to pry him out of his own house: “When my time’s up, I’ll hold my own. You won’t find me in an old folks’ home.” Sadly, we all know what happened to Steve and Ronnie, which makes it a little painful to listen to this song. But it’s also a joy to know that they lived their lives to the fullest while they were on this good old earth.

# 4 – 2 Minutes to Midnight- Iron Maiden

Now this song is action-packed. There’s everything in this song. I’m pretty sure the gist of it is about stopping a nuclear war from happening. It makes sense because the song was written in 1984, at the height of the Cold War. It’s definitely a critique on the atomic bomb, war, and everything else that happened from 1945 to 1984 when the song came out. It’s a pretty intense tune written by Adrian Smith and Bruce Dickinson. The song was released on Iron Maiden’s Powerslave album. I love these guys.

# 3 – The Boxer – Simon & Garfunkel

While this may not seem like a violent song, as it is sung in such a whisper until the thunder creeps in towards the end, it is indeed a song about a boxer. Although maybe not a boxer in the sense of one in the ring, but rather someone fighting for respect. It all depends on how you want to interpret it. It is definitely one of the most brilliant songs ever written and one of a handful of masterpieces composed by the great Paul Simon. The song became a top 10 hit for Simon and Garfunkel, peaking at number seven. However, the commercial success it had at the time pales in comparison to the legend the song has become.

# 2 – “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” – Pat Benatar

The minute you heard Pat Benatar sing this song, you knew right then and there not to mess with her. She had such a tough attitude when she first hit the scene back in the early eighties, and people loved her for it. Of course, it was her voice, the songs, the arrangements, and the overall package that turned Pat Benatar into a star. This has always been one of my favorite songs, which was released on her second album, Crimes of Passion. I just wish she would put out some new music—we need more Pat Benatar in our lives.

# 1 – “Street Fighting Man” – The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones have put out so much music over their 60-plus year career, and “Street Fighting Man” is one of their best. The song was released as a single during the summer of 1968 and later appeared on the Beggars Banquet album. It’s a song about politics, revolution, and everything else that was going on in the late sixties. This was a pretty important song at the time for so many reasons and still is today. The song features Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Charlie Watts, Nicky Hopkins, and Dave Mason. This is classic rock and roll, my friends.

Sometimes you just miss a great one, and if I had thought of this next one, it would have been at number one. I can’t believe I forgot about this track. I have only listened to it like a million times. So sorry about that, but here it is…