Photo: Craig Carper, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Our Top 10 Dead Weather songs list takes a listen to 10 songs from one of the most original and brilliant bands we have heard in the past 20 years. The band the Dead Weather is a supergroup that consists of vocalist Alison Mosshart of the bands Discount and The Kills, guitarist Dean Fertita of Queens of the Stone Age, bassist Jack Lawrence of The Greenhornes, The Raconteurs, and City and Colour and the legendary and most brilliant Jack White who first came to fame with his band The White Stripes, then the The Raconteurs and of course his own dazzling solo career.
These four musicians have put together a sound that is pretty much unlike anything we have ever heard before with maybe the exception of Jack White’s solo records which tell us a great deal about this band. Still, what is so mesmerizing about the Dead Weather is the interplay between Jack White and Alison Mosshart as both front people that are able to intertwine their brilliance in such an original and captivating manner together. Its stunning watching these two in all the videos below. By the time we got to the end of the article we had so much to say about the group that we didn’t want to say anything more about them, We felt in a way, like we weren’t even worthy to be writing about them. That’s never happened before. That’s how powerful this band is. It also made us think about what it must have been like to be a journalist back in the 60 when The Beatles and The Rolling Stones first arrived in the scene. It’s when the fan inside just begins to overwhelm the journalist, you just want to listen and not even write about it any more, just listen, listen, listen…..
# 10 – New Pony
If you never heard this band before and you heard this song on the radio, I guarantee that you that no matter what you were doing you would stand frozen in your rock and roll shoes with your mouth wide opening wondering “who is this?” This fantastic cover of Bob Dylan’s “New Pony,” was released on the first Dead Weather album entitled Horehound. The album was released during the summer of 2009. Rock and roll had on its hands a fantastic new very original sounding superband full of rock stars that were already legends on their own. The personnel on the Horehound album consisted of Alison Mosshart on lead vocals, Jack White on drums, Dean Fertita on guitar and Jack Lawrence on bass. This fantastic Horehound album consisted of eleven great tracks with a couple more on the Japanese release.
# 9 – Blue Blood Blues
For a second, the beginning of this song sounds a little like Led Zeppelin’s “Good Times Bad Times.” Of course it all changes within a few measures, but the spell that Led Zeppelin has cast on Jack White as well as everyone else who loves rock and roll is always lingering. And of course speaking of Jack White, the man seems to be having a lot of fun playing drums in this band.
# 8 – Buzzkill(er)
There is just something so interesting about the sound of this band that one never gets tired of. The sonic landscapes that they produce are an inescapable pleasure to listen to. This killer track “Buzzkill(er),” was released on the album Dodge and Burn. The album was released in 2014. Alison Mosshart’s vocals just bleed a sort of apocalyptic blues on this sensational recording.
# 7 – Will There Be Enough Water
You need to stop everything you’re doing once again to watch this spellbinding video of the Dead Weather performing their blazing-hot song “Will There Be Enough Water.” Jack White steps out from behind the drums and upfront on guitar and vocals where he belongs. There is definitely a Led Zeppelin “No Quarter,” vibe going on in this one between the John Paul Jones style Fender Rhodes playing and Jack White’s Robert Plant style vocals and also his Jimmy Page meets Jimi Hendrix style guitar playing. The way Jack White and Alison Mosshart share the mic shines in such an organic rock and roll spiritual bliss.
# 6 – I Cut Like A Buffalo
You got to love the spoken word introduction to this dark piece. There is sort of an evil circus quality to this one, a semi nightmare that your not sure if you want to wake up from. Originality on a scale of 1 to 10 is an 11 on this eerie track. Those eyes behind her mask will cut right through you with an even sharper cut than the knife she holds in here hand.
# 5 – Impossible Winner
If it doesn’t take you a long time to get through this article then your really missing out on these great songs and videos. At the halfway point we present another great Dead Weather song with another wondrous vocal by Alison Mosshart. The song’s arrangement wraps a set of ghostly strings around her voice as the black and white video only adds to the art of the song in such a brilliant way. This great video was directed by Sophie Muller & Ross McDowell.
# 4 -Treat Me Like Your Mother
There is a bit of a Rush vibe at the at the start of this one until Jack and Allison take over and then it’s all pure Dead Weather. This video is so sick. Its a pure adrenaline rush as Jack and Allison battle it out on the vocals and the silver screen . You have never seen or heard anything like this before. If this is a commentary on marriage or relationships which it sure seems like it is, well it just might be the most brilliant commentary ever made. You know what I mean?
# 3 -Die by the Drop
The strange, eerie and bizarre continues in the art of the Dead Weather in another freakish but oh so wonderful and original video from The Dead Weather. This is a far cry form the days of Sonny and Cher, although an argument could be made that they were just as bizarre in their own way. Nonetheless, we just can’t get enough of The Dead Weather and songs and videos like “Die By The Drop,” are the reasons why. One can also definitely hear that there is a strong influence of the music of Captain Beefheart in this band and it really shines through on this song.
# 2 – I Feel Love (Every Million Miles)
There are bands that we write about, and sometimes it just hard to come up with anything to say about their music. The Dead Weather are the complete opposite. There is so much originality that pours out of this band in their songs and videos, we almost sometimes just want to stop writing and just keep listening and watching because we are being so highly entertained by this incredible band ourselves. We really don’t need to say anything, all you have to do is watch and listen and let us get out of your way. Now that’s how we honestly feel.
# 1 – Hang You from the Heavens
There really is no number one Dead Weather song because they are all unbelievably entertaining and orginal.So we can call this the number one Dead Weather song or we could just say this is the last one on our list and now it’s time for you to go out and buy all their cds and listen to them everyday as they change you lives and make you appreciate the true art form of rock and roll once again like you did when you first heard the The Beatles, The Rolling Stone, Led Zeppelin and Elton John. Remember? now go………go!
Top 10 Dead Weather Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2021
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![Rob De Luca of Spread Eagle, Sebastian Bach & UFO: 10 Albums That Changed My Life From humble East Coast origins to grandest stages worldwide, veteran bassist Rob De Luca has seen and done it all. De Luca first hit the local Boston rock and metal scene in the late 80s after meeting guitarist Paul DiBartolo, bonding over Van Halen before forming Bang. Regional success came quickly, but eventually, the members of Bang went their separate ways, with De Luca and drummer Tommi Gallo heading to NYC and hooking up with Ray West and, later, DiBartolo to form Spread Eagle. By 1990, Spread Eagle was on the fast track, with a contract through MCA Records and a self-titled debut album poised to crush skulls. But poor timing and MCA's sad indifference left Spead Eagle out in the cold despite being a hard-boiled answer to Guns N' Roses's West Coast sleaze. Spread Eagle's first chapter came to an end in '95. As for Rob De Luca, his nimble fingers and gift for melody and songwriting kept him moving forward. Soon, he found a gig with former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and the legendary outfit UFO. And in 2010, after coupling up with Ray West and his cousin Rik De Luca, Spread Eagle retook flight. During a break from Spread Eagle's increasingly busy touring schedule, Rob De Luca dialed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to run through the ten albums that changed his life. But only after adding, "I made a playlist of these songs, including some I've written or co-written. Do you hear any of these albums' influence on me?" Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LWJuhDrE8JmzhsmTeIDUq 10) Gentlemen by Afghan Whigs (1993) Here's an entry that was so important to me. This may be the darkest break-up album of all time. Greg Dulli has been in many projects, but I feel Gentlemen is his zenith. Somewhat undefinable at times but always profound and honest. Listen to "Gentlemen," "Fountain and Fairfax," and "What Jail Is Like." 9) In on the Kill Taker by Fugazi (1993) By this time, I had been sucked in and spit out by the major-label record industry. Glam came and went; grunge was history, too. I was searching for new sounds. When I heard Fugazi's twin guitar approach, I knew this was what was missing. Fugazi may be considered a less polished sound than the albums above; however, once you "get it," it hits you like a ton of bricks, and there's no going back. From the moment I heard Fugazi, I went to every NYC show after. It's easily some of the best concerts of my life, and possibly my favorite bassist in Joe Lally. And their DIY ethics refused to charge us more than $5 a show! In on the Kill Taker is a powerful album demonstrated in songs such as "Smallpox Champion," "Great Cop," and "Public Witness Program." 8) Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses (1987) I discovered many of these albums (sometimes long) after they were released. However, I was at the right place at the right time for this one. Steve Ostromogilsky had a Berklee College of Music lunch card and used to sneak out sandwiches for me. One day, he invited me to hang out at his place and listen to music. As we got off the train, he put Sony Walkman headphones on my ears and said, "Hey, check out this brand-new group." A song like "It's So Easy" was so different from the popular Sunset Strip sound at that time. Me and about 499 other informed rockers were lucky enough to see them on their first East Coast tour at the sold-out Paradise on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston (the same street Aerosmith started on). I saw Gn'R every tour after until I took a break when Buckethead joined. Gn'R is the band I've been lucky enough to see the most times live, almost 100! Everyone on this album is just stellar. Axl [Rose] had the tones, power, melodic sensibilities, and foresight to do what no other singer did then. Slash's playing was beyond memorable. Duff [McKagan] is one of the most underrated bassists in rock history, and learning his Appetite basslines is a masterclass. Steven [Adler] had the natural swing, and Izzy [Stradlin] was the secret weapon songwriter. Everything that's been heralded about this gem is deserved and true. Check out "It's So Easy," "Out Ta Get Me," and "Mr. Brownstone.' 7) Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (1975) Another contender for my favorite album and band of all time. Using The Beatles machine (same recording studio, engineer, record label), Pink Floyd made what I feel is their strongest, most cohesive album (my second favorite of theirs would be Animals). This list mainly consists of bands with an instantly recognizable sound. Floyd is certainly no exception to that! This album included a solid handful of undeniable rock radio classics, bookended by two halves of the mind-blowing song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond.' That song was written about former band member and founder Syd Barrett. It would be hard to live in a world without this album. Check out "Welcome to The Machine," "Shine on You Crazy Diamond (parts 6-9),' or even better yet, listen to the whole thing in one sitting! 6) Decade by Neil Young (1977) About this time, I started playing guitar. As a beginner, it was comfortable jamming to this album because the chord changes were simple—a great "first ten years" retrospective of Neil's stunning, unique songwriting. Neil is a treasure who always writes from the heart and stands up for what's right. Check out "Southern Man," "A Man Needs a Maid," "Down by The River," and "After the Goldrush." 5) Highway to Hell by AC/DC (1979) When I heard this album, I was firmly "me." My life would be 100% focused on hard rock music forever. AC/DC are like air; they're ubiquitous. Everyone knows them and their incredible songs. However, as a young teen in Wilmington, Delaware, I only had WMMR 93.3 FM Philadelphia and a few friends to inform me about the world of Rock outside my bedroom. AC/DC had not gone mainstream, and their albums were available primarily in the USA as imports. To put things more in perspective, I only knew two people in the world who had heard of AC/DC. A friend had an import that we played in Steve Buckley's basement, which sounded ripping. When Highway to Hell was released, WMMR started spinning the title track, and I immediately bought the album, listening to it every single day after school. Then WMMR announced AC/DC was coming to the Spectrum in Philly, supporting Ted Nugent! I liked Ted but loved AC/DC, so my good friend Mick Cummins and I bought tickets, and he drove us up to the Spectrum (where we saw most of our concerts). Bon Scott was in fine form, and the band went over great. Although the crowd knew Ted better, Angus [Young] wouldn't let anyone upstage him. I'll never forget it! Unfortunately, Bon would be gone in 6 months. Check out "Walk All Over You," "Touch Too Much," "Shot Down in Flames," and "If You Want Blood (You Got It)." 4) Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith (1975) By the time I heard this, I was now in my teens. I had a childhood friend up the street, Jim Linberg (we're still good buddies). His older sister had a great album collection, including Toys in The Attic. Once I heard that groove, my taste changed. I lost interest in rock music that didn't have some sort of "swing" feel to it. I think Rocks is a slightly better Aerosmith album (and possibly my favorite album of all time), but both are perfect or very close. Check out "Uncle Salty," "Adam's Apple," "No More No More," "Round and Round," and "You See Me Crying." 3) Alive! by Kiss (1975) When I was still a little kid, I asked for Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke album for Christmas. The entire family came over for an enormous feast, and I dropped the needle. When my mother heard the content, she turned off the album and said I had to exchange it. My mom was cool, but I was young and knew much more about life than she suspected. Anyway, the next day, she drove me back to the store. In the music section, promoted on an "endcap" was a Kiss Alive! display. I had never heard of Kiss, but that cover picture told me I had to have it! My first foray into hard rock. Check out “Strutter.” I went through my Kiss phase very quickly, I believe in a matter of months because I discovered the previous entry, Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic. 2) Honky Chateau by Elton John (1972) When I was a wee lad, my parents bought a used Volkswagen camper van from my uncle Ozzie. My favorite Elton John album is Yellow Brick Road, but Honky Chateau is great and easily one of his best. It sent me down a lifelong rabbit hole of loving everything about the 1970s partnership between Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin. The simple beauty of voice, the master songwriting, the perfect backing band, the clear, unobtrusive recordings, and always Bernie's incredible lyrics. The day this album was released, Elton became an unstoppable force that conquered the music industry. Check out "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Rocket Man." 1) Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) Another tape that was included in the VW Camper. The van had a bunch of music tapes, and one was Sgt Pepper. I was too young to understand the sophistication of the music, but that was one of the many skills of The Beatles. They attracted listeners at every level, even little kids. I still feel that immediate connection to Sgt Pepper; now, I hear so much more. It's an album that changed the world and the world of music. Check out "Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds," "A Day In The Life," and "Fixing a Hole."](http://www.classicrockhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Shutterstock_1815495569-1-300x200.jpg)
