Rod Stewart’s first official solo album was released in 1969 entitled The Rod Stewart Album. The same album was released with a different title in the United Kingdom in 1970 entitled An Old Raincoat Never Lets You Down. From that point in 1969 to 1979, Rod Stewart released nine solo albums. Nine albums in a ten year period is a pretty impressive body of work considering how great most of those albums were. The man worked his tail off and it showed as he was a constant presence on all types of music charts around the world.
Many people gave Rod Stewart a lot of flack for all the standard albums the singer released in the 2000’s and 2010’s. Those who criticized Rod Stewart for covering standards might not have realized that Rod Stewart has always been one of the greatest song interpreters of all time. In fact, many of Rod Stewart’s biggest rock songs from the 1970’s were written by other artists. Nonetheless, Rod Stewart has also written many rock classics. It’s rare that a master song interpreter is also a master songwriter.
Our top 10 Rod Stewart songs list is purely subjective. This one is also about the rockers. “Tonight’s the Night, First Cut Is the Deepest, The Killing of Georgie (Part I and II), Your in my Heart, I was only Joking,” were all great songs, but we are sticking to the Rocking Rod Stewart songs for this list. It also has to be on a Rod Stewart album, so no Faces material is here unless Rod also recorded it as a solo track which he did with some of them. Our Rod Stewart songs list is just a list of Rod Stewart songs that we think define some of his best moments. He has had many others, but it’s fun trying to narrow it down to just 10.
# 10 – Every Picture Tells A Story
We open our Rod Stewart songs list with the great song “Every Picture Tells A Story.” The song was released on the album Every Picture Tells a Story. The album was released in 1971. It served as the third Rod Stewart solo album. Its amazing how many great albums were released in 1971. The Rolling Stones released Sticky Fingers, The Who released Who’s Next, Jethro Tull released Aqualung, and Led Zeppelin released what fans came to call Led Zeppelin IV. Wow!
# 9 – Three Time Loser
The Rod Stewart song “Three Time Loser,” was released on the Atlantic Crossing album. The album was released in 1975. The great album cover art has always defined our favorite Rod Stewart album cover. The album Atlantic Crossing marked Rod Stewart’s departure from The Faces.
# 8 – Blondes Have More Fun
While many Rod Stewart fans were screaming “WTF?” when Rod Stewart released “Do You Think I’m Sexy? “Rod Stewart wound up having one of the biggest hits of his career. Most of us who grew up rock fans in the seventies hated disco and so this album was a bit of a disappointment. However, the great track “Blondes Have More Fun,” certified that Rod Stewart’s foray into disco was just a small moment in time and that the album was not all disco.
# 7 – Pretty Flamingo
The great classic track “Pretty Flamingo,” is easily one of our favorite Rod Stewart cover songs. The man’s personality and voice fit this one perfectly. A standout track from his fabulous Night On The Town album which made him into a bigger star than he even was before. It was an album loaded with ballads one one side and hard rockers on the other.
# 6 – Cut Across Shorty
This one is probably the least known as far as commercialism goes, but it’s one of the best Rod Stewart songs ever recorded. The song was released on the Gasoline Alley album in 1970. This one rocks hard, fasts and is pure Rod Stewart singing his butt off. This is Classic Rock!
# 5 – You Wear It Well
“You Wear It Well,” might not rock as hard as many of the other tracks on this Top 10 Rod Stewart songs list, but it just bleeds pure rock and roll emotion. The song was released on the spectacular album entitled Never A Dull Moment. The album was released in 1972. It served as Rod Stewart’s fourth solo album release.
# 4 – Born Loose
Continuing with our Rocking Top 10 Rod Stewart songs list, we turn to his great album Foot Loose & Fancy Free. The album served as the follow up to mega selling A Night On The Town album. “Born Loose,” was the closing song on side one of the record.
# 3 – Hot Legs
Sticking once again with the Foot Loose & Fancy Free album we turn to the album’s smash hit single “Hot Legs.” If ever there was a song that defined the personality of Rod Stewart’s womanizing it was “Hot Legs.” This one was smoking!
# 2 – Maggie May
“Maggie May,” is probably Rod Stewart’s most famous song. It’s the one we have all heard the most. Most lists have this one at number one. However there was one track that we simply just liked better.
# 1 – “(I Know) I’m Losing You”
If there ever was a song that Rod Stewart recorded on one of his solo albums that defined Rod Stewart’s rock and roll heart. it was the classic Rod Stewart recording of “(I Know) I’m Losing You.” Just listen to the great guitar work and interplay between the future Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood and Rod Stewart. Two great musicians portraying why they were one of the best pairs in rock and roll.
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