Top 10 Wishbone Ash Songs

Photo: Dave Catchpole / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)

Our Top 10 Wishbone Ash songs list looks at an English band from Devon formed in the late 1960s. The group’s original lineup consisted of Martin Turner on bass and vocals, Andy Powell on guitars, Ted Turner on guitars, and Steve Upton on bass. That original lineup continued until 1974, when Laurence Wisefield replaced guitarist Ted Turner. The number of lineup changes within Wishbone Ash from that point on would make you dizzier than a ride on the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. From our standpoint, the biggest lineup change that would affect the legacy of Wishbone Ash occurred in 1980 when founding member and lead vocalist Martin Turner left the band. While we will cover the band’s entire career, most of the Wishbone Ash songs listed will come from the band’s glory days in the 1970s with Martin Turner in the group.

The band Wishbone Ash has been releasing studio albums for fifty years. From 1970 to 2020, the band released twenty-four studio albums. The band’s first album was released in 1970 and is entitled Wishbone Ash. Andy Powell is the only original member of the band remaining. During their fifty year recording period, the band had most of its success on the album music charts in the 1970s. The band’s third album, Argus, was their highest charting record in the United Kingdom, peaking at number three in 1972. In the United States, the band’s highest-charting album was released in 1973, entitled Wishbone Four. That album peaked at number forty-four on the Billboard Albums charts. Wishbone Ash has also released twelve live albums and ten compilation albums. They were never a big-time hit singles band, as hits are uncommon among progressive rock groups. However, the band has released twenty singles during their long fifty year career.

Wishbone Ash was a very influential progressive rock band that stood out from many other British progressive rock bands at the time. Their use of dual guitarists may have been popular in the Southern rock format, but it was more unique in the progressive rock genre. Their utilization of the blues in progressive rock was also influential. Our list of the top 10 Wishbone Ash songs is a small introduction to the band. Simply put, these guys were great and you need to check them out if you are not already aware of all their great songs.

# 10 – Sometime World

We open our top 10 Wishbone Ash songs list with a great track from the band’s legendary Argus album. If you’re going to buy one Wishbone Ash album, this is the one to go with. The album was released in 1972 and has been reissued multiple times with bonus tracks on CD. The song “Sometime World” was written by Martin Turner and Ted Turner.

# 9 – That’s That

It was interesting to hear John Wetton sing lead vocals with Wishbone Ash. The 1981 Wishbone Ash album Number the Brave was the only record John Wetton recorded with Wishbone Ash. This was right before John Wetton formed his supergroup Asia and had incredible success with that band. Still, this great song, “That’s That,” penned by John Wetton, is our favorite song from the Number the Brave albums. It’s simply killer.

# 8 – Something’s Happening In Room 602

This great instrumental track, “Something’s Happening In Room 602,” was released on the album Nouveau Calls. The album was released in 1987. The album was instrumental, which was quite interesting because it was the first album in fourteen years to feature the band’s original lineup. That in itself is a reason to check out this very cool guitar track that almost has a certain Dick Dale vibe to it at times.

# 7 – Jail Bait

Continuing with our top 10 Wishbone Ash songs list, we turn to the great rocking track “Jail Bait.” The song was released on the band’s 1971 album Pilgrimage. It was written by Martin Turner, Steve Upton, Ted Turner, and Andy Powell. We love the song’s introduction, which has a cool “Roadhouse Blues” by The Doors vibe to it.

# 6 – Blind Eye

“Bind Eye” was released on the band’s first album, Wishbone Ash. I love the dual guitar sound and the boogie-woogie piano playing that dances all around the track. Procol Harum’s Matthew Fisher provided great piano playing. It sounds like Lynyrd Skynyrd was listening to this track.

# 5 – You See Red

“You See Red” is probably one of the most underrated Wishbone Ash songs. This great track was released on the album No Smoke Without Fire. The album was released in 1978. “You See Red” was the opening track on the album. The main guitar lick sound on this track always reminded me of the band Yes meets The Eagles. And speaking of guitars, don’t miss this track’s killer guitar solo.

# 4 – So Many Things To Say

As we edge close to the number one spot on this top 10 Wishbone Ash songs list, we turn to the band’s fourth album, Wishbone Four. This great song was the album’s opening track, released in 1973. This one always reminded me of The Who.

# 3 – Persephone

I could listen to that opening guitar solo all day and never turn it down. This amazing slow progressive rock blues song was released on the album There’s The Rub. It was the fifth Wishbone album released. It also introduced fans to the amazing guitar talents of the group’s newest member, Laurie Wisefield. The track presented here is from the band’s live album entitled Live Dates 2.

# 2 – The King Will Come

It was a toss-up between The King Will Come, Time, and Blowin’ Free for the number one spot on our top 10 Wishbone Ash songs list. All three are brilliant tracks. In fact, the entire Argus album could have landed on this list, but we wanted to keep space available to present songs from their other albums, which are pretty darn good in their own right.

# 1 – Blowin’ Free / Time Was

These two are so great we had to pick them both for our number one spot. Our favorite Wishbone Ash songs have always been the wonderful tunes “Blowin’ Free” and “Time Was.” These songs capture so many different genres of rock and roll. It’s almost like Yes meets Crosby Stills Nash & Young meets The Grateful Dead meets The Allman Brothers Band. No one sounded like Wishbone Ash, yet you could hear Wishbone Ash in everyone and everyone in Wishbone Ash. Are you dizzy yet?