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The classic rock era of the 1970s delivered some of the most epic 10 minute plus rock songs in musical history. While it was very common for classical composers to write music that was always over 10 minutes long, rock and roll was a genre that usually stuck around the 2 to five-minute mark. If one wanted a hit single, it was generally in a musical artist’s best interest to keep the song under three and a half minutes. Even Billy Joel joked about that point in one of his songs called “Entertainer” when he referenced a beautiful musical composition that took him three years to write, but the record company cut it down to 3:05. The emergence of FM radio and the album format changed all of that in the 1970s. The band became free to write long epic pieces, sometimes filling up an album side with just one track.
This article presents 10 of the best 10-minute-plus songs that we have enjoyed over the years. There were hundreds to choose from, but in the end, these are ten of our favorites.
We purposely limited the songs to 20 minutes simply because we wanted to create a separate list for those over 20-minute epics.
Additionally, we asked our readers to choose their favorites to add to this list. Those picks are below before number 15 where our list starts
READERS PICKS
# 29 – Salisbury -16:02 -Uriah Heep
Reader pick added by Rick O
# 28 – In Held ‘Twas In I -17:09 – Procol Harum
Reader pick added by Rick O
# 27 – Low Spark Of The High Healed Boys – 11:41 -Traffic
Reader pick added by Rick O
# 26 – Incomudro/Hym To The Atman-12:12 – Kansas
Reader pick added by Rick O
# 25 – I’m Your Captain/Closer To Home -10:09 – Grand Funk Railroad
Reader pick added by Rick O
# 24 – In A Gadda Da Vida -17:04 – Iron Butterfly
Reader pick added by John C
# 23 – When The Music’s Over – The Doors
Reader pick added by Allen D
# 22 – Child In Time – 10:19 – Deep Purple
Reader pick added by Allen D
# 21 – Ballet For A Girl In Buchannon – Chicago
This one is a suite, but it’s considered one large work, so it counts. Reader pick added by Michale D.
# 20 – Time Has Come Today – 11:03 – The Chamber Brothers
Reader pick added by Jim P
# 19 – Rime of the Ancient Mariner – 13:38 – Iron Maiden
Reader pick added by Peter M
# 18 – Heart Of The Sunrise – 11:32 – Yes
Reader pick added by Darren Hall
# 17 – Warning – 10:11 – Black Sabbath
Reader pick added by Earl S
# 16 – Telegraph Road – 14:18 – Dire Straits
Reader pick added by Luann S
Our Orginal 15
# 15 –Voodoo Chile – 15:01 – Jimi Hendrix Experience
How about a little Jimi Hendrix to start off this list? Voodoo Child was released on Jimi Hendrix’s final studio album before he passed away called Electric Ladyland.
# 14 – Ashes Are Burning – 11:21 – Renaissance
The band Renaissance was huge in the 1970s, especially among progressive rock fans. The song was released on the Ashes Are Burning album. The album was released in 1973.
# 13 – The End – 11:43 – The Doors
If ever a movie director gave a song new life it was what Francis Ford Coppola did with this one in the movie Apocalypse Now. It is an epic moment in movie history utilizing one of The Doors’ most enduring classics.
# 12 – Starless – 12:31 – King Crimson
The majestic piece “Starless” was released on the album Red in 1974.
# 11 – Pirates -13:21 – Emerson, Lake & Palmer –
The epic piece “Pirates,” was released on the album Works. The album was released in 1977
# 10 – And You And I – 10:09 – Yes
We open up our Classic Rock’s Best Songs Over 10 Minutes Long But Under 20 list with the much-loved Yes song entitled “And You And I.” The song’s length stands at 10:12 just making it with twelve seconds to spare. The song was released on the album Close To The Edge, which makes two appearances on this list. It was the first single released from the album. The album was released in 1973.
# 9 – Achilles Last Stand, Led Zeppelin – 10:25
“Achilles Last Stand” was featured as the opening track on their seventh studio album, Presence (1976). It was recorded in November 1975 at Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany. Bonham’s thunderous drumming, combined with Jones’s bass lines, fueled the foundation of the song’s epic wonderland. This one blew us all away. It was said that The song’s narrative was inspired by Robert Plant’s travels around Greece.
# 8 – Loan Me A Dime – Boz Scaggs – 12:31
The genre of Progressive Rock doesn’t own all the great 10-minute plus songs. While most people know Boz Scaggs for his big hits like “Lowdown,” and It’s Over, the man released some great rock and roll and blues music before he became a household name with his Silk Degrees album. “Loan Me A Dime” is an epic, emotionally filled blues song that will tear your heart apart.
# 7 – Xandu – 11:08 – Rush
We couldn’t put together a top 10 list like this without a little bit of Rush to make us feel good. They have so many epic pieces, but this one from our favorite Rush album will always be special to so many Rush fans.
# 6 – Liberation – 14:37 – Chicago
Landing in the number six spot on our top 10 songs list, we present the grand song “Liberation.” It’s possible that this may be one of the most unrecognized pieces on this list unless you’re a big Chicago fan. “Liberation” was released on the debut Chicago album when they were still called Chicago Transit Authority. It’s the album’s closing track. It’s a wonderful showcase for the guitar genius of Terry Kath. It’s one of the greatest guitar solos I have ever heard. If you don’t know this piece make sure to take a listen.
# 5 – Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I–V) – Pink Floyd – 13:32
At the halfway point on our top 10 songs list is the epic Pink Floyd piece “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.” Parts one and four opened up the Wish You Were Here album. Since this piece of music was split into two halves of eight parts, we thought it was fair to include the epic first half of this piece of music that fits in our 10 to 20 minutes frame of reference for this article. It’s simply one of the most original sounding recordings we have ever heard in classic rock history.
# 4 – Station To Station – 10:18 – David Bowie
When David Bowie passed away a few years ago, rock and roll and the world in general lost one of its greatest artists. “Station to Station” was the title track of David Bowie’s 1976 album Station to Station. The musical piece “Station to Station” transitions through different tempos and moods, just like the persona of David Bowie. Incorporating elements of rock, soul, and funk, it was indicative of all the musical styles Bowie explored throughout his magical career.
# 3 – Dogs – 17:05 – Pink Floyd
While albums like Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here are considered Pink Floyd’s best along with The Wall, if you ask many hardcore Pink Floyd fans to name their favorite Pink Floyd album, many of them will say Animals. One of the reasons they go with the Animals album is this song, “Dogs.”
# 2 – Close To The Edge – Yes – 18:41
In our opinion, Yes stands as the most important band in progressive rock history. They may not have been the first, but they were definitely the band that took the art of progressive rock into the mainstream. The music to “Close to the Edge” filled an entire side of an album. This piece of music was released on the album of the same name in 1973.
# 1 -Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding – 11:06 – Elton John
Some may argue that these are two separate songs. To that argument, we will respond with the question of whether you have ever listened to either one of these by themselves. You know the answer to that. Released as the opening track on Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album in 1973, this one stands as possibly Elton John’s greatest recording of all time. It became his most popular concert opener throughout his entire career. It’s the perfect concert opening piece. Ask yourself how many times have you listened to this and still have never gotten tired of it.
Classic Rock’s Best Studio Songs Between 10 And 20 Minutes Long article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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