Who doesn’t love them some ZZ Top?
I never managed to see this fabulous Texas trio in concert, but I sure listened to a bunch of their stuff over the years. One of my favorite memories of our notorious New Year’s Eve parties my buddies and I had when we were young was of being in a decidedly altered state of mind, thanks to large intakes of Black Label beer and Southern Comfort, finding ourselves watching an old Patrick Wayne claymation-monster Sinbad movie with the sound turned off and a ZZ Top album playing.
It took us a while to figure that one out.
ZZ Top was a great group, with a long, long history. It’s nearly impossible to pick out just six songs that stand out from their long, long discography, but I gave it my best shot to get your long Independence Day weekend off to a good start. So here, in no particular order:
La Grange (1973): From the album “Tres Hombres,” it’s the tale of a small, dusty Texas town, a shack just outside of that town, a home out on the range – and they’ve got a lot of nice girls. Now you could interpret that in a number of ways, but no matter what spin you put on it, it’s a great song.
Tush (1975): This one’s from the album “Fandango!” and was rated the 67th best rock & roll song in history by the cable TV music network VH-1. Again, there are a number of ways you can interpret the message here (when I was a young man, I was pretty certain I had it sussed), but the band walked a fine line with what could be played on ‘70s radio stations; I think they threaded that needle pretty well.Of course, a lot of great rock & roll comes out of Texas. Must be something in the water.See Also: Start Your Weekend Right With 6 Great Stevie Ray Vaughan Tunes
Viva Las Vegas (1992): I like this take on the Elvis Presley tune better than the original. Not that both aren’t great; I just like the ZZ Top version better. If you listen to it, it’s the great classic ZZ Top sound with a lot of heavy Elvis tribute thrown in. It’s just great. I am aware, of course, that Elvis fans may disagree. Every cat its own rat, you know.
Legs (1983): The album “Eliminator” produced a lot of hits, including the next one in this lineup. And, yeah, the video lives up to the title. You’ve got to love the fuzzy guitars and the patented guitar spin. As is so often the case with ZZ Top’s first generation of themed music videos, the main characters are rescued from nefarious buffoons by a trio of lovely young women in the band’s signature chopped ’33 Ford.See Also: Start Your Weekend Right With Five Great '80s Music Videos.
Gimme All Your Lovin’ (1983): Also from Eliminator, and again with the same theme. But it’s a fun song, a little peppier than a lot of ZZ Top’s traditional work. At the same time, nothing is more suggestive than hugs and kisses. After all, ‘80s radio was pretty close to as tightly monitored as ‘70s radio – at least in small towns in eastern Iowa, where I was at the time.
I’m Bad I’m Nationwide (2022): From a live performance by the guys who are all clearly a little older and a little grayer (like all of us), they are showing here, that they can take one of their old hits and still make it rock. This performance is for their album “Raw,” and it’s a keeper.Sadly, bassist Dusty Hill passed away in 2021, after over 50 years playing bass for ZZ Top. The band is still technically together, as near as I can determine, with Frank Beard still on drums with Billy Gibbons on lead guitar and vocals, and a newcomer, Elwood Francis, on bass. But the original is, and always will be, best – 50 years of slamming Texas rock that just won’t be beat.I’m sure all of you have some ZZ Top favorites of your own. Take a moment from your Independence Day celebration and let your fellow readers know – the comments are all yours!
