Photo: By Michael Reason-Wiki (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Hawkwind was first formed in 1969. The band released their first album in 1970 entitled Hawkwind. The biggest hot of their career was the single “Silver Machine,” which reached Number 3 on the UK charts. Their music for the most part never charted on the US Billboard Hot One Hundred. But like stated before, Hawkwind was never a hit making machine. Most rock fans in the United States only know Hawkwind as the band that Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister was a member of before he formed Motorhead. That’s a disservice to the legacy of Hawkwind and even Lemmy.
This Top 10 Hawkwind Songs list attempts to choose 10 Hawkwind songs that fans always associated with the best of Hawkwind. They have been chosen based on fans research and our own subjectivity as Hawkwind fans. We of course will miss many of your favorites songs as we are only choosing 10 Hawkwind songs from a catalog of thirty studio albums. But that is what makes this so fun to do.
# 10 – Brainstorm
Starting out our Top 10 Hawkwind Songs list is the eleven minute track “Brainstorm.” The “Brainstorm,” track was released on Hawkwind’s Doremi Fasol Latido album. The record was released in 1972 and was Hawkwind’s third album release.
# 9 – Waiting For Tomorrow
The “Waiting For Tomorrow,” track was released on the Choose Your Masques album. The Choose Your Masques LP was released in 1982. The song “Waiting For Tomorrow,” was the last track on the record. The song was written by Huw Lloyd-Langton.
# 8 – Magnu
The Hawkwind track “Magnu,” was released on the Warrior On The Edge of Time LP. The Warrior On The Edge of Time album was one of the most popular Hawkwind albums ever released. The album was issued in 1975. “Magnu,” was the album’s opening track. The song “Magnu,” was written by Dave Brock.
# 6 – Hurry On Sundown
The song “Hurry On Sundown,” was the opening track in the bands first album entitled Hawkwind. The song featured Dave Brock on lead vocals.
# 5 – Fall Of Earth City
The great Hawkwind track “Fall Of Earth City,” was released on the album Church Of Hawkwind. The Church of Hawkwind album was issued in 1982. The band at the time consisted of Dave Brock, Huw Lloyd-Langton, Harvey Bainbridge and Martin Griffin.
# 4 – Sword Of The East
As we move closer to the number one spot on our top 10 Hawkwind songs list, the choices have become more difficult to separate. These are such great songs, that on any given day we would rearrange the order. The Hawkwind track “Sword Of The East,” was released in 1988 on the he Xenon Codex album. It is easily one of our favorite Hawkwind albums.
# 3 – Assault and battery/Golden void
Once again the legendary Warriors on the Edge of Time album makes an appearance on our top 10 Hawkwind songs list. This time the album is represented by the “Assault and Battery/Golden Void,” track.
# 2 – Silver Machine
The Hawkwind recording of “Silver Spring,” was the band’s most commercially successful song. It’s simply a stunning track and helped the band garnish more fans outside of their loyal following. The song was released on the band’s In Search of Space LP. The In Search of Space album was released in 1971. It was the band’s second album.
# 1 – Born To Go
It’s almost impossible to choose a Hawkwind songs to stand at the top of all their other pieces. Today we are in the mood to choose “Born To Go.” Tomorrow it may be “Sword Of The East,” or “Images,” which didn’t even make our top 10 Hawkwind songs list.
The song “Born To Go,” was released on the Hawkwind album Space Ritual. The legendary album was issued in 1973. it was a double live album that contained three new tracks including “Born To Go.”
Updated Nov 7.2020
Flying Doctor!! You missed Flying Doctor! Tsk, tsk.