LookBack #19: Defining Tracks

This week our Classic Track LookBack looks back at two tracks and a double album that could arguably be termed career defining.

1968 - The Beatles

If we check the singles charts for this week in November 1968, we find The Beatles at #1 for what would be the first of 9 weeks. Hey Jude stands as a Fab Four defining track because both then and now it stands as one of the longest chart-topping singles in the history of the charts. Even for the Fab Four, who set a new standard for chart success, Hey Jude, backed by Revolution, was a record that made rock history.

Hey Jude

1968 - The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Meanwhile, the #1 album for this week in 1968 was a double album from the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Electric Lady Land is, for me at least, the Hendrix career defining album. It featured the Dylan penned All Along the Watch Tower, Cross Town Traffic, Voodoo Chile and Rainy Day, Dream Away is the track we'll feature here to give you something a little different from the tracks we usually hear from Jimi. Guest performers on the album included Dave Mason, Steve Winwood and Al Kooper. It was nothing short of brilliant.

Rainy Day, Dream Away

1976 - Rod Stewart

Moving ahead to this week in 1976, Rod Stewart was launching his own 8 week visit to the top of the US singles charts. The record was not without controversy, which never hurts sales. First, there were the contributions to the song from Britt Ekland, Rod's girlfriend at the time. I'm sure if you know the song, you know exactly what I mean. Then there were lyric lines that some folks weren't pleased to hear. One of the lines in question was "don't say a word, my virgin child. Just let your inhibitions run wild". Credit the controversy or the fact that people just found it to be a really good record. For Rod Stewart, former member of both the Jeff Beck Group and the Faces, Tonight's the Night stands as a defining track.

Tonight's the Night


Till next time, that's another Classic Track LookBack at rock history Oh and don't forget that last week's #rockhistory tweets and links are now Storified!