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Our Top 10 Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels Songs list takes a look at one of the most rocking and inspirational bands in classic rock history. Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels were formed in the late 1950s in Detroit, Michigan. The group was originally named Billy Lee & The Rivieras. The group consisted of Jim McCarty on lead guitar, Joe Kubert on rhythm guitar Jim McAllister on bass, John Badanjek on drums and William Sherille Levise, Jr (Mitch Ryder) on lead vocals. The group would change their name to Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels when they met record producer Bob Crewe.
Bob Crewe and Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels would release three studio albums from 1966 to 1967. Their debt album entitled Take A Ride was released n 1966. They released their second album also in 1966 titled Breakout…!!!. The groups final album of new materiel was issued in 1967 entitled Sock It To Me! A clear reference to the Goldie Hawn saying from Laugh In that became heavily ingrained in pop culture at the time.
Our Top 10 Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels songs list takes a look only at the materiel released by Mitch Ryder with his band the Detroit Wheels. This top 10 does not include Mitch Ryder’s solo materiel after the breakup of the Wheels.
# 10 – Shaking With Linda
We open up our top 10 Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels Songs list with the smoking track “Shaking With Linda,” The song opens with a true rock and roll line “I got a girl, she shakes so fine!” “Shaking With Linda,” was the eighth track on the band’s debut album Breakout…!!!. The album was released in 1966.
# 9 – I’d Rather Go to Jail
OMG! listen to that psycho riff, it never stops, it never ends, it will keep you shaking to you have a heart attack! Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels song “I’d Rather Go To Jail,” was released on the Sock It To Me! album. The record was released in 1966. It’s one of our favorite original Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels songs.
# 8 – Walking The Dog
The classic tune “Walking The Dog,” was the opening track on Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels debut album Breakout…!!!. The song was written by Rufus Thomas who had a top 10 hit with the song in 1963. The song has been covered by many artists from The Rolling Stones to Aerosmith to Bruce Springsteen to The Grateful Dead.
# 7 – I Never Had It Better
Mitch Ryder’s vocal performance on this great one is so darn killer, its soul planet killer. The song “I Never Had It Better,” was released on the Sock It To Me! album in 1966.
# 6 – Any Day Now!
We have always loved the Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels song “Any Day Now.” It was a bit of an outlier for the band with its slow groove. The song was written by Burt Bacharach and Bob Hilliard.
# 5 -Too Many Fish in the Sea / Three Little Fishes
The song “Too Many Fish In The Sea,” was written by Norman Whitfield and Eddie Holland. The song was originally a hit for The Marvelettes. “Three Little Fishes,” was a 1930s song that was a hit for Kay Kyser and His Band back in 1939. Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels combined the two songs and had their last charting hit with the combination in 1967.
# 4 -Little Latin Lupe Lu
The song Little Latin Lupe Lu was originally recorded by The Righteous Brothers. It was a song that Bill Medley had written that helped kick start The Righteous Brothers’ career. Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels released their own killer version of the song in 1966. They had a top twenty hit with it as the song peaked at number seventeen on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966.
# 3 -Jenny Take A Ride
As we close in on the number one spot on our top 10 Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels Songs list we take a listen to the classic track Jenny Take A Ride. The song was released on the band’s debut album Take A Ride. It was the band’s first top 10 hi. The song peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1965.
# 2 – Sock It To Me!
This killer song “Sock It To Me!” was the title track from the band’s third album Sock It To Me! The song would become the band’s second biggest hit of their career. The song reached all the way to number six on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967.
# 1 -Devil with a Blue Dress On / Good Golly Miss Molly
Our choice for the number one spot on this top 10 Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels songs list is their famous recording “Devil with a Blue Dress On / Good Golly Miss Molly.” The song “Devil With a Blue Dress On,” was written by Frederick Long and William Stevenson. “Good Golly Miss Molly,” was a Little Richard song.
Mitch Ryder combined the two and had the biggest hit of his career with the combination. “Devil with a Blue Dress On / Good Golly Miss Molly,” was a top 10 hit in 1965 peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. The song would receive new life when Bruce Springsteen took the Mitch Ryder arrangement and added “Jenny Take A Ride, to it in 1979. It would become a stale encore of Springsteen’s shows all through the 1980s.
Mitch Ryder Solo Songs
Mitch Ryder Solo SongsMitch Ryder has had a long successful career since his start with the Detroit Wheels. Below is a sampling of some of the great songs he released in his post-Detroit Wheels days.
Sugar Bee
Released in 1969 With Booker T. and the M.G’s
When You Were Mine
A cover of the classic Prince song. Released in 1983. His first charting hit since 1967.
Rock and Roll
A super cool cover of Lou Reed’s “Rock and Roll.” The song was released in 1979.
Updated May 21, 2023
Top 10 Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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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)
Rock and roll was released 1971 or 2