Top 10 Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush Songs

Photo: kitmasterbloke, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Our Top 10 Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush Songs list takes a listen to one of classic rock’s greatest guitar players and one of rock’s all-time great bands. They are also one of the most underrated and have not received the credit or fame they deserve in classic rock history. While we repeatedly write articles about groups like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix, and all the other rock stalwarts, we have not paid enough attention to Frank Marino.

In high school in the 1970s, I remember all my guitar player friends who constantly raved about Frank Marino and Robin Trower. Yet, the group never had any big-time hits, and for that reason, many music fans knew little about them. Still, of course, hundreds of thousands were aware of the rock god guitar playing of Frank Marino, especially after his performance at California Jam II in 1978.

Our Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush songs list will take selections from the years when the band was just called Mahogany Rush and the later years when they were called Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush. It will also pick from some of Frank Marino’s solo albums.

# 10 – Buddy

Want to hear the connection between Frank Marino and Jimi Hendrix? All you have to do is listen to this tender song written by Frank Marino about Jimi Hendrix. The music of Jimi Hendrix would resonate forever in the art of Frank Marino. This magical song, entitled “Buddy,” was released on the debut album by Mahogany Rush in 1972. A year after Jimi Hendrix had passed away.

# 9 – You Got Livin’

Continuing with our Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush songs list, we turn to the band’s great album entitled What’s Next. The song “You Got Livin” was released as the opening track on this smoking album. The record was released in 1980. Frank Marino is tearing it up on this excellent recording from the song’s opening note. The album featured Frank Marino on lead guitar and lead vocals, Vince Marino on rhythm guitar, Paul Harwood on bass, and Jimmy Ayoub on drums.

# 8 – Rise Above

In the number eight spot on our Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush songs list is the eleven-minute masterpiece entitled “Rise Above.” This great piece of music was released in 1990 on the album From the Hip. This is a different band from the previous song on our list, except Frank and Vince Marino. On this album, Peter Dowse plays bass, and Timm Biery plays drums.

# 7 – Requiem for a Sinner

Frank Marino digs into the deep depths of psychedelic rock on this great track entitled “Requiem For A Sinner.” The song was recorded and released on the album entitled World Anthem. The album was released in 1977. The album featured the great trio of Frank Marino, Paul Harwood and Jimmy Ayoub.

# 6 – Child of the Novelty

This one will give you chills. We don’t have to say another word about it; listen and you will understand. This was the title track to the great 1974 album Child Of The Novelty.

# 5 – All Along The Watchtower

In the number four spot on our Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush songs list is one of the most heavily covered songs of all time entitled “All Along The Watchtower.” The song, of course, was originally written by Bob Dylan in 1967. Jimi Hendrix performed the most famous cover version of the song. The song has been covered by a wide range of artists, including many “A list” types such as Neil Young, U2, and the Grateful Dead. However, one of the most standout versions ever recorded was released by Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush on the album Tales Of The Unexpected, released in 1979. Don’t miss the groove the band finds on this one. Frank Marino gives Jimi Hendrix a run for his money on the amazing guitar work he lays down on this amazing cover version.

# 4 – I’m a King Bee (Live)

Want to define to someone what classic rock and roll guitar playing is all about to a young person just discovering the music’s great genre? Well then, all you have to do is drop the needle down on this classic recording for them by Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush entitled ” I’m A King Bee.” This live recording was released on the album entuited Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush Live (Expanded Edition). The original album was released in 1978.

# 3 – Dragonfly

In the number three spot on our Top 10 Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush Songs we present the great slow grooving rock tune entitled “Dragonfly.” This killer song was released on the band’s fourth album simply titled Mahogany Rush IV. The album was released in 1976. The song featured everything we loved about the band Mahogany Rush including a legendary guitar solo by Frank Marino. The man’s vocals on this one were very eerily reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix. The song featured Frank Marino on guitar and vocals, Paul Harwood on bass and Jimmy Ayoub on drums.

# 2 – Sweet Dreams

In the number two spot on our top 10 Top 10 Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush Songs list is the very emotional and passionate rock and roll song entitled “Strange Dreams.” This great song was released on the album entitled Juggernaut. The album was released in 1982. The Juggernaut album was released as Frank Marino’s second solo album. The personnel on the record and playing on this track included Frank Marino on lead guitar and lead vocals, Greg Nichols on keyboards, Vince Marino on rhythm guitar, Paul Harwood on bass, and Timm Biery on drums.

This is an incredible rock and roll tune written and performed by Frank Marino. Listen to how he balances the counterpoint between the keyboards and his instinctive guitar playing. It’s just simply brilliant. There have been so many great Mahogany Rush, Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush, and Frank Marino solo songs released over the years. However, “Sweet Dreams” is one that has always stood out in our view of Frank Marino’s greatness.

# 1 – Johnny B. Goode (Live at California Jam II)

One of the highlights of Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush’s career was playing at the legendary California Jam II concert. This was the sequel to the original California Jam concert held in 1974. California Jam II was held in 1978 at the Ontario Motor Speedway in Ontario, California. The concert featured legendary rock bands that included Aerosmith, Foreigner, Santana, Ted Nugent, Bob Welch, Dave Mason, and, of course, Mahogany Rush as well as a few others.

If anyone at that show or anyone who heard the live album released from the show was not aware of who Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush were before the show, they were now. Frank Marino delivered the guitar solo of his career in that old Chuck Berry song “Johnny B Goode.” He almost seemed inhuman in the notes he was playing. If you have never heard this before, your life is about to change forever and ever and ever……….