There are certain artists that intimidate us greatly when we start putting together a top 10 song list because they are just so good. Beth Hart is one of those artists. Hands down, Beth Hart is one of the most passionate and brilliant rock and roll vocalists to have hit the music scene in the past twenty five years. It’s as genuine as it gets when one listens to Beth Hart sing her heart out. There’s no-nonsense, no sales pitch, just real low-down grit and soul that fuels her vocal lines.
She’s not only a one-in-a-million vocalist but also a songwriter, musician, and phenomenal performer. Witnessing her play the piano and sing or standing front and center on the stage and hitting it hard is jaw-dropping. Her collaborations with guitarist Joe Bonamassa, both on record and on the stage, became a religious experience for both the artist and the audience. There are so many great recordings that it feels almost criminal to pick ten. But that’s what we do, and so here we go……..
This top 10 Beth Hart Songs list has been put together chronologically to give a small snapshot of her work. We picked only one song from each selected album to cover as much ground as possible on only ten songs.
# 10 – Spiders In My Bed
We open our top 10 Beth Hart songs list with the fabulous song entitled “Spiders In My Bed.” The song was released on the album entitled Immortal. It was the first single released from the album. The album was released in 1996. We were blown away when we first purchased this album in 1996. The sounds of grunge were still growing strong, and you can hear a bit of it during the album production. Still, the artistry of Beth Hart and her soul filled with the blues from a past that was not kind to her stood above it all.
This was grunge meets soul. It was Janis Joplin meets Johnny Winter meets Soundgarden. It’s all there. “Spiders in My Bed” was a standout track on the record and just one of those songs that you couldn’t forget the melody and performance. It’s a perfect way to start this Beth Hart songs list.
# 9 – LA Song (Out of This Town)
Continuing with our top 10 Beth Hart songs list we take a listen to the great song entitled “LA Song (Out of This Town).” The song was released on the album entitled Screamin’ for My Supper. The album was released in 1999. It was the first single released from the album. “LA Song (Out of This Town)” would become the only Beth Hart single release to break onto the Billboard Hot 100. The song would go all the way to number one in the county of New Zealand. Beth Hart’s piano playing fuels the song while her vocals are just stunning. Beth Hart wrote the song. It would become the song that would turn many heads while also turning many music fans onto the sounds of the artist Beth Hart.
# 8 – Am I The One (This Is Unbelievable!)
We could not have composed this Beth Hart songs list without including this stunning live version of the song “Am I The One.” This is one of the most incredible live vocal performances we have ever heard or witnessed. Those people who were in the audience that night were just stunned. Talk about an intimate performance and connecting with the audience. Lord, does she take this one all the way? I have never seen a performer do what she did in this video. Don’t miss it!!!! The performance was released on the album entitled Live at Paradiso. The album was released in 2005.
# 7 – Caught Out In The Rain
In the number seven position on our top 10 Beth Hart songs list is the song entitled “Caught Out In The Rain.” The song was initially released on the studio album Bang Bang Boom Boom. The album was released in 2012. However, the version we have chosen to include here is the mesmerizing live performance released on the album Live at the Royal Albert Hall. It’s Beth Hart’s most recent live album, released in 2018. Watching Beth Hart perform this sad tale will leave you gasping for air. When she sings, “God Don’t take my man,” you will feel the chill deep in your bones.
# 6 – Nutbush City Limits
Landing in the number six spot on our top 10 Beth Hart songs list, we present the song “Nutbush City Limits.” Most rock fans know this song from the original Tina Turner version or the roaring Bob Seger recording. Beth Hart does it equal justice. She teamed up with the amazing Joe Bonamassa on the duo’s second studio album entitled Seesaw. The two did a lot more swinging on this one. The album was released in 2013.
# 5 – Tell Her You Belong To Me
At the halfway point on our top 10 Beth Hart songs list is the song entitled “Tell Her You Belong To Me.” This one is just magical. The vocal will cut right through you. For anyone who has had to deal with their significant other being stolen away by someone else, this one will resonate. You can feel Beth Hart’s pain so clearly and her determination not to lose her man. The song was first issued on the album entitled Better Than Home. The album was released in 2015. The version that appears below was released on the live album Front and Center – Live from New York which was released in 2018.
# 4 – Love Is A Lie
Okay, now this one is intense. You won’t mess around on Beth Hart after seeing the video for this one? Talk about cell phones being the death of you. Theatrics aside, “Love Is A Lie” is Beth Hart’s most passionate. It’s a song of revenge sung with a fit of anger and emotion that feels so real. This is the blues with a vengeance in every literal aspect of the phrase. The song was released on the album entitled Fire on the Floor. The album was released in 2016.
# 3 – Give It Everything You Got
This one might give you a heart attack. When you hear your old friends complaining that nothing good is coming out anymore, play them this. Just off the top spot on our top 10 Beth Hart songs list, we celebrate the Edgar Winter-penned song entitled “Give It Everything You Got.” The song was released on the album entitled Black Coffee. The album was released in 2018. This was a Beth Hart, Joe Bonamassa album. It was the duo’s third studio album together. Let’s hope they keep doing it, because the two of them have released so much great music together.
The band on the album included Beth Hart on vocals, Joe Bonamassa on guitar, Rob McNelley on rhythm guitar, Michael Rhodes on bass, and the legendary Anton Fig on drums. This album has so many killer cuts, like “Black Coffee,” “Joy,” and many others.
Read More: Top 10 Joe Bonamassa Songs
# 2 – Bad Woman Blues
Some songs leave you speechless. This is one of them. Beth Hart’s tempestuous song “Bad Woman Blues” will knock you down to your knees. Its blues, rock, and pop are all mixed in songs and videos, leaving you panting for more. Yeah, baby, this one is hot and sweaty, and we can’t get enough of it. “Bad Woman Blues” was released on the War in My Mind album. The album was released in 2019. This is our favorite Beth Hart album, which is saying a great deal because we love every one of her albums.
# 1 – Whole Lotta Love
We close out our top 10 Beth Hart songs list with the song entitled “Whole Lotta Love.” This is as new as it gets from the Beth Hart world. Although she has been doing Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” for years in concert, this is the first time she recorded it in the studio. The song was released on the album entitled A Tribute To Led Zeppelin.
The album has been getting more plays on our turntable than any other album we have purchased in the past year. The entire record is just off the charts, out-of-this-world fantastic. “Whole Lotta Love” opens the album up. Just listen to how Beth Hart nailed the sound of Robert Plant while bringing her passionate delivery to the mix. Just stunning. The album was released on February 25th, 2021.