ZZ Top - Your Favorites

[bilbal]

I have always been a huge ZZ Top fan. After hearing Billy Gibbons with the Allman Brothers the other night, I have been listening to them non-stop it seems.

List your favorite ZZ Top tune and/or album...

Though there are soooo many tunes I love, mine has to be either Just Got Paid or I Thank You. As far as albums go, I will go with either Deguello or Tres Hombres.

Rev. B's tone kills on everything. That goes without mentioning though.

[TREV FLINT]

Just Got Paid is one of my fav's as well.

I really like the vibe of ZZ TOPS FIRST ALBUM.:phones

[TwoTubMan]

"Neighbor, Neighbor"
"Bar-B-Q"
and all of Tres Hombres.

[beatnix]

You're right on bro....Tres Hombres or Deguello takes it IMHO.

[stratman89]

Tres Hombres for me.

[GAT]

Tres Hombres is a true classic. The beginning to La Grange, when the heavy guitar comes in, still excites me after all these years.

[wstsidela]

Everything up to Fandango. IMHO Early ZZ Top is the best.

[TwoTubMan]

Everything up to Fandango. IMHO Early ZZ Top is the best.

The studio side of Fandango is great. The live side? After the 173rd repetition of "Gotta get down!", I picked the needle up, and have never listened to it again. Complete waste of vinyl.

[FeloniousBishop]

I like ZZ Top's First Album

Other songs:

Down Brownie
Arrested For Driving While Blind
Ten Foot Pole

[wstsidela]

The studio side of Fandango is great. The live side? After the 173rd repetition of "Gotta get down!", I picked the needle up, and have never listened to it again. Complete waste of vinyl.

Gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out,
gonna mellow out easy, baby!!!

[BleedndaBlues]

Tres Hombres is one of my favorite albums.
Other songs
Brown Sugar
Just Got Back from Baby's

[Rusty G.]

You're right on bro....Tres Hombres or Deguello takes it IMHO.


Same here!

[emilio]

the first three or four albums...Brown Sugar high on the list of favorites tunes

[fusion58]

Favorite ZZ tune: "Manic Mechanic."

[Thwap]

Beer drinkers and hell raisers
Just got paid

[gproud5150]

First 4 albums for sure....










and Rhythmeen.... Just a sensational album. Not a bad cut on it IMO. Hopefully they'll continue the stripped down 3 piece mojo on their next album...

Anyone been to their website lately? Front page

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/gproud/ZZ%20Top/theband.jpg

[ecbluesman54]

I also love Just Got Paid, the version from the recent live DVD/CD is great. the first album is a great album, and I still love the big hits (Legs, Gimme all your lovin, La Grange, Tush, etc.)

[Papajuice]

TV Dinners

[Teleplayer]

Fave Album - First
Fave Tune - many

[MBreinin]

Down Brownie is probably my favorite.
Sure Got Cold After the Rain Fell
Brown Sugar
Just Got Back from Baby's
Master of Sparks
Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings.

I like EVERY ZZ Top record. I can find a great song on each one. However, I think they were strongest up to Eliminator. Rhythmeen is a standout in the post Eliminator era, but the more recent offerings have not excited me that much.

Mike

[Telebluze]

If it's possible to get it down to just one favorite......ZZ is probably my all-time favorite band and The Rev is probably my all-time favorite guitarist.......

Soooooooo many killer albums, with sooooooo many killer tunes.....

The first 4 albums are virtually flawless from front to back, as is Deguello.....

As far as songs......

Sure Got Cold After the Rain Fell
Cheap Sunglasses
Fool For Your Stockings
Precious and Grace
Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers
Heard it on the X
Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings
Arrested for Drivin' While Blind
I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide
Blue Jean Blues
Neighbor, Neighbor
Brown Sugar
She Loves My Automobile
Dust My Broom
Snappy Kakkie
Back Door Love Affair
Balinese
El Diablo
I Thank You
Just Got Paid
Francine
Master of Sparks
Mexican Blackbird
Appologies to Pearly
Ten Dollar Man
Shiek
Whiskey'n Mama
Waitin' on the Bus
Jesus Just Left Chicago
Down Brownie

......and that's just for starters

Peace,
Ken

[surfshack]

ZZ Top is the best!

i love disc 1 of the new "Rancho Texicana".......it has all the great early stuff!
and the sound is killer.......thumpin' bass!

[Shane S]

"Just Got Paid" is my all time favorite ZZ Top song. While I really like their old stuff, Rhythmeen is my hands down favorite album of all time. It would be my desert island cd if I could only have one.

[Bankston]

Wow. I don't know where to start. The Top, or the Home Team, as we call them in Houston, is my all-time favorite band. The first album I ever bought was Eliminator. My grandmother took me to the Wal-Mart in Waxahachie, Texas in 1983, and that's what I picked out. I went back the next week and bought the Best of ZZ Top album.

Another vote here for "Just Got Paid." It's my all-time favorite song period. I love the riff, and Billy's raunchy slide playing. Don't see his name mentioned with the great slide players too often, but I think he's as good as anyone with a slide in his hand.

Also agree that Rhythmeen is a great album.

Got the chance to meet the guys a couple of years back. Told Billy he was the reason I picked up the guitar. His answer, "Well, that sounds fine!"

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v310/185/115/1318361069/n1318361069_62030_2910.jpg

[markophonic]

Francine

:BEER

[dcooper]

Apologies to Pearly & Bar B Q

[CocoTone]

If it's possible to get it down to just one favorite......ZZ is probably my all-time favorite band and The Rev is probably my all-time favorite guitarist.......

Soooooooo many killer albums, with sooooooo many killer tunes.....

The first 4 albums are virtually flawless from front to back, as is Deguello.....

As far as songs......

Sure Got Cold After the Rain Fell
Cheap Sunglasses
Fool For Your Stockings
Precious and Grace
Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers
Heard it on the X
Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings
Arrested for Drivin' While Blind
I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide
Blue Jean Blues
Neighbor, Neighbor
Brown Sugar
She Loves My Automobile
Dust My Broom
Snappy Kakkie
Back Door Love Affair
Balinese
El Diablo
I Thank You
Just Got Paid
Francine
Master of Sparks
Mexican Blackbird
Appologies to Pearly
Ten Dollar Man
Shiek
Whiskey'n Mama
Waitin' on the Bus
Jesus Just Left Chicago
Down Brownie

......and that's just for starters

Peace,
Ken

Notice well over half those tunes were Strat tones? I find it odd that he is so much linked to the "Less Pawl" tone, when in fact his best, most memorable tones were all Strat tones. :huh

CT.

[GAT]

Notice well over half those tunes were Strat tones? I find it odd that he is so much linked to the "Less Pawl" tone, when in fact his best, most memorable tones were all Strat tones. :huh

CT.

I love the Strat tone on Shiek. That is a great one! So is Heard It On The X! :banana

[9fingers]

Rhythmeen is just so over-all flat out gritty & raunchy - I love it - not real well known as it has no "radio hits". Vincent Price Blues has about the most low-down guitar & vocals I have ever heard. The whole disc is really primal.

[doc]

Notice well over half those tunes were Strat tones? I find it odd that he is so much linked to the "Less Pawl" tone, when in fact his best, most memorable tones were all Strat tones. :huh

CT.
I would find it very handy is someone could list which tunes are done on which style guitar. Some are pretty obvious, some not so much.

[pickslide]

ZZ Top has become one of my top 5 bands over the past year. Just way too many amazing tunes to list. I will say that I do quite like the XXX album. Sick tone and some cool tunes. My favourite on the album is 36-22-36. I cannot wait for the new album and to see them live for the first time.

[P90Nut]

ZZ Tops 1st Album - My favorite.

Mark

[Bankston]

Notice well over half those tunes were Strat tones? I find it odd that he is so much linked to the "Less Pawl" tone, when in fact his best, most memorable tones were all Strat tones. :huh

CT.

Maybe it's that most fans think his best, most memorable tones are the LP tones.

It doesn't get much better than Brown Sugar, tonewise, imo.

Most pics of Billy playing live throughout the 70's were with Pearly.

[presence]

I love the album Tejas. To me it's kind of like ZZ's experimental/textural album. Cool strat tones all over that one.

[wstsidela]

The greatest album picture E.V.E.R!!!

http://www.aintnosurfintexas.com/zz%20top%20tres%20hombres%20mexican%20feast4.jpg

[CocoTone]

Strat tones all..

Sure Got Cold After the Rain Fell
Fool For Your Stockings
Precious and Grace
Heard it on the X
Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings
Blue Jean Blues
Brown Sugar
She Loves My Automobile
Snappy Kakkie
Balinese
El Diablo
I Thank You
Just Got Paid(both)
Francine
Master of Sparks
Mexican Blackbird
Appologies to Pearly
Waitin' on the Bus
Jesus Just Left Chicago

I may have missed a couple.

CT.

[Bankston]

There's several on your list that I don't think are Strats. "Brown Sugar" sounds nothing like a Strat tone. Sounds like a warm, fat LP to me.

Billy has always recorded with various LPs, Strats, Teles, SG's as well as exotic stuff.

Every time I've seen him play "Just Got Paid" he always plays an LP, except for last week when he had a custom guitar that looked like a Gibson Moderne. Unless I'm mistaken, I think he used a '58 LP on Just Got Paid.

[theRocco]

the first three or four albums...Brown Sugar high on the list of favorites tunes

Same here. For a good single CD choice try "One Foot in the Blues" an anthology of those years, and the CD mix is better than the originals imo, but still the Vinyl is better!

[CocoTone]

There's several on your list that I don't think are Strats. "Brown Sugar" sounds nothing like a Strat tone. Sounds like a warm, fat LP to me.

Billy has always recorded with various LPs, Strats, Teles, SG's as well as exotic stuff.

Every time I've seen him play "Just Got Paid" he always plays an LP, except for last week when he had a custom guitar that looked like a Gibson Moderne. Unless I'm mistaken, I think he used a '58 LP on Just Got Paid.

Golly,,,,I got one wrong. :thud

CT.

[Lt_Core]

I like early ZZ Top, like most everyone else here. I have a hard time with any of the MTV-era videos/hits. Not sure if I'm alone on this one but I really like "One Foot In The Blues" from 1994. Compilation with a ton of their bluesier tracks. Good stuff!

[wntbtw]

Golly,,,,I got one wrong. :thud

CT.

IMO:

I think you got more than one wrong!

Precious and Grace sounds like a LP/humbucker to me

Nasty Dogs--alot goin` on in that one, but I think the main solo again is w/ a humbucker guitar

Brown Sugar--a Strat? No way!

Just Got Paid--'Pearly Gates' all the way!

Master of Sparks--again his LP goin` strong!

Waitin` for the Bus--another great one w/ 'Pearly'.

There are others but those are the main ones IMO.

[Marc Roy]

I've been listening to older Top a lot these days. I love albums like Deguello, Fandango and Tres Hombres.

[Redbell]

Anything before Eliminator, spotty after that.
Especially like the first two albums.

[The Last Rebel]

My favorite album would have to be either ZZ Top's First Album or Rio Grande Mud. Favorite soung would be either Brown Sugar or I'm Bad I'm Nationwide.

I'm looking forward to their new album, I heard the guys from The Black Keys are going to have a hand in the writing process.

[Bobby D]

basically EVERYTHING between their first album up to and including Eliminator.

the right Rev Gibbons is one of my favorite guitarists ever.

i like some of the stranger songs...

Manic Mechanic

TV Dinners

Rough Boy is a great ballad, with great solos.

Just Got Paid, but I am tired of it right now

Driving While Blind

on and on and on and on......

we almost did a ZZ tribute band back in tampa. i have a good friend there who used to work for Thoroughbred Music, and he has a world class collection of vintage guitars and basses, including several matching "pairs" of guitars/basses.


we were gonna call it "Tres Dudes" :banana

[George H]

The tones on Brown Sugar are among my favorite ever recorded.

George:)

[talpa]

Gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out, gonna mellow out,
gonna mellow out easy, baby!!!


gotta mellow down


bro.

[Ian Anderson]

Early ZZ spinning on the turntable. Precious and Grace is my current favorite.

[talpa]

The greatest album picture E.V.E.R!!!

http://www.aintnosurfintexas.com/zz%20top%20tres%20hombres%20mexican%20feast4.jpg

The Special Mexican Dinner plate at Leo's (RIP) in Houston..



bro.

[Jason Carter]

It's so hard to pick my favorite ZZ Top songs. Currently I'm listening to the first three albums. My current favorite tunes are:

Down Brownie
Brown Sugar
Have You Heard?
Shiek

[talpa]

Early ZZ spinning on the turntable. Precious and Grace is my current favorite.

Frank used to say he knew just 3 grooves, the shuffle, cut shuffle & the monkey beat.

Ex.:

P&G - cut shuffle

Sheik - monkey beat

Vincent Price Blues - shuffle (slo)

[shngn7]

My favorite song is probably "Cheap Sunglasses."

[Alligator > jam]

I love the first album more than most but not by much, all of the early stuff is terrific. I really dig (Somebody Else Been) Shaking Your Tree, probably my favorite Top. The harmonies, the traded lyrics, the changes, the swagger ... everthing's there in perfect dose in that song. Killer album.

[Rama]

I like it all except the Eliminator era stuff..I like the late stuff like Rhythmeen real well.

Some favorites..

Humbucking Part II
Ten Foot Pole
Groovy Hippie Pad
Driving While Blind
Bus/Jesus
Tramp
Hot Blue and Righteous

[cr8z4life]

Most of my favorites have already been listed......but there is a tone I cant get out of my head.......my head's in mississippi.........just love that tone and the words.........man, they must have been really partying back then!! lol

[jackthecat37]

Probably mostly Tres Hombres, Fandango Tejas and Deguello
Heard it on the X
Master of Sparks
Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings (learned the blues scale on this one)
Mexican Blackbird
Balinese
Blue Jeans Blues
And most everything Dusty sings...Hi-Fi Mama and Jailhouse Rock come to mind

[DeaconBlues]

The first 3 1/2 albums. This includes the studio side off Fandango. Deguello isn't bad, either.

[markw1980]

Brown Sugar, Sqwank, and every song from Rhythmeen (one of my favorite records)

[Bankston]

IMO:

I think you got more than one wrong!

Precious and Grace sounds like a LP/humbucker to me

Nasty Dogs--alot goin` on in that one, but I think the main solo again is w/ a humbucker guitar

Brown Sugar--a Strat? No way!

Just Got Paid--'Pearly Gates' all the way!

Master of Sparks--again his LP goin` strong!

Waitin` for the Bus--another great one w/ 'Pearly'.

There are others but those are the main ones IMO.

Checked Rock & Roll Gearheard. It's a '58 Burst on "Just Got Paid." Not that it matters. I just like being right.