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

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It makes perfect sense that hundreds, if not thousands, of rock songs would have the word “water” in the title. Not to overuse a very popular phrase recently, but “water is life,” unless some may argue it’s soccer. Yes, I’m a big fan of Ted Lasso.

But back to rock and roll, picking just ten songs that use the word “water” in the title was challenging because there are so many legendary ones. It gets boring if we just pick the really popular ones, but then we also risk people writing in, “How could you forget such and such?”

So we tried mixing it up a little. We picked some songs people might not have thought of, but that we think are really good. And of course, we had to close it out with some of the most legendary rock songs ever written with the word “water” in the title.

I tried to make it entertaining, informative, and of course, a whole lot of fun. I hope you enjoy this article about rock songs with the word “water” in the title. Yeah, these can be a little silly at times, but we think it’s worth the fun, and we really enjoy picking them out.

The most fun is deciding which ten we want to put in these articles. We open with one of our all-time favorites.

# 10 – Water Sign – Gary Wright

We open up with one of my all-time favorites by Gary Wright. In the 1970s, Gary Wright had two big hits: “Dream Weaver” and “Love Is Alive.” While he never matched the success of those monster hits, “Water Sign” appeared on The Light of Smiles, the 1977 follow-up to The Dream Weaver.

I always thought this should have been a bigger hit because it’s a fantastic song. The chorus just knocks you off your feet.

Read More: Top 10 Gary Wright Songs

# 9 – Wade in the Water – The Chambers Brothers

One of the greatest joys of running a rock site like this is getting to interview truly legendary rock stars. Interviewing Lester Chambers was a real highlight. The Chambers Brothers broke down many barriers and stood tall during the 1960s.

This is one of my all-time favorites from the band. Listen to that rocking introduction. These guys could really jam.

# 8 – Hell & High Water – Allman Brothers Band

The Allman Brothers Band released two albums in the early ’80s that have kind of been forgotten about in their history. Critics have not always spoken so highly of those two records, Reach for the Sky and Brothers of the Road. Yet, I always enjoyed listening to them.

The band had a bit of a different vibe during that time, but music was changing dramatically, and Southern rock was taking a bit of a beating. Nonetheless, this song was one of the highlights of that period.

# 7 – Cold Water – Tom Waits

As a huge Tom Waits fan, I am always going to take a shot at adding one of his songs to these types of lists. Hey, it’s my site, I can do what I want. But who’s going to argue about adding a Tom Waits song to any type of list? His Mule Variations record just may have been the greatest album of his career. Here is one of the highlights of the record.

# 6 – Running Water – The Moody Blues

When most fans think of the music of The Moody Blues, they think of songs like “Nights in White Satin,” “I’m Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band),” “Tuesday Afternoon,” and all the big hits and legendary albums from the ’60s and ’70s. Yet the band also released some very good material in the ’80s.

While they may not have been as popular any longer with a new generation of fans, the old true-blue fans stayed loyal to the group and continued buying their albums. This is a very deep track off a really good record called The Present, released in 1983.

# 5 – Rock Me on the Water – Linda Ronstadt

Yes, I already hear you screaming that Jackson Browne wrote this song. Yes, we know that. But how could anybody argue against Linda Ronstadt’s version of it?

If you were a songwriter in the 1960s or ’70s or even the eighties, your dreams would come true if you found out that Linda Ronstadt was going to record one of your songs. Was there any better female singer in the 1970s than Linda Ronstadt? I dare you to mention one!

# 4 – Fire and Water – Free

Like Tom Waits, if we can get a song sung by Paul Rodgers into any of these types of lists, we are going to do it. Just how many bands has Paul Rodgers been in? I’m still trying to figure that out. And what was he doing in Queen?

Nonetheless, here is one from his first great band, called Free. And of course, if we had to pick one band where we thought Paul Rodgers did his best work, it would obviously be… do I really have to tell you? Bad Company, baby!

I really wish that the Firm had released more records. We have already interviewed half of that band, including Paul Rodgers. Now, if we could only get Jimmy Page.

# 3 – Tie: Two Classics – Bridge Over Troubled Water / Smoke on the Water

Of course, now it’s time to put the classics in, although many people would argue that many of the songs we have already listed are classics. We would, too. Nonetheless, we know better than to write an article about the 10 Best Rock Songs with the word “water” in the title and not include the legendary ones from Simon & Garfunkel and, of course, our friends Deep Purple.

Now the question is, which one of these two do you think you’ve heard more in your life?

# 2 – Tie: Madman Across the Water / Crazy Water – Elton John

I’m sorry if this is the second time we’ve included a tie on this list, but it was really tough to choose between these two Elton John songs. Obviously, everyone knows “Madman Across the Water,” the title track of his early 1970s album that also included two of his most popular songs, “Levon” and “Tiny Dancer.”

Yet one of our favorite Elton John albums will always be Blue Moves. We think that just might be his most underrated record. A lot of people complain that it was too long and had too much filler, but there’s no way we agree with that.

Maybe the song “Where’s the Shoorah?” could have been left off, or even “Boogie Pilgrim,” the two songs we’re not too crazy about on that album. But aside from those, it’s filled with pure gems, including this one. “Crazy Water” was actually released as a single.

One of the reasons we write these lists is to help people remember songs they may have forgotten and, of course, to turn people on to ones they don’t know about. We know you know “Madman Across the Water,” but if you don’t know “Crazy Water,” definitely check that one out.

# 1 – Water (Live) – The Who

Since this site is first and foremost a Classic Rock site, although we do make connections to other styles of music, it seems fitting to end this list with a live recording from one of the greatest classic rock bands of all time. The Who! If you have never heard the live version of The Who’s “Water” from the Isle of Wight in 1970, make sure to check it out in the recording below.