[this band]'s Stairway to Heaven

[Alidar Jarok]

I heard on the radio recently that someone said Smell's Like Teen Spirit is Nirvana's Stairway to Heaven and I immediately nodded my head in agreement. It didn't even need any explanation, but I guess the idea is a song that is good to great, but is so overplayed that it overshadows that band's other great music and you start to get sick of the song.

Can anyone think of any other examples from other bands? I suppose you could argue Queen's Stairway to Heaven is Bohemian Rhapsody, although I still enjoy that song every time I hear it.

 

[Star Wolf]

Only the most elite of bands get more then one shot at immortality. Almost the entire playlist of oldies radio is made up of one hit wonders and the "Stairway's" of other acts.

 

[cultcross]

I think the most obvious example that jumps to mind is Sweet Child O' Mine. Another might be Summer of '69 but I'm not sure he did anything else

 

[Canadave]

I think the most obvious example that jumps to mind is Sweet Child O' Mine. Another might be Summer of '69 but I'm not sure he did anything else

I dunno, you hear "Summer of '69" a lot, but I don't think it overshadows his other big singles to quite the same degree "Stairway" does. "Cuts Like a Knife" and "Run to You" come to mind, for example.

 

[the G-man]

Unfortunately, I'd say the "Robin Hood" song (Everything I do I do it for you) is actually Bryan Adams' Stairway.

As for other examples, Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'"

 

[cultcross]

I think the most obvious example that jumps to mind is Sweet Child O' Mine. Another might be Summer of '69 but I'm not sure he did anything else

I dunno, you hear "Summer of '69" a lot, but I don't think it overshadows his other big singles to quite the same degree "Stairway" does. "Cuts Like a Knife" and "Run to You" come to mind, for example.

Maybe it's an across the pond difference, because I've don't think I've heard either of those played commercially, ever. While Summer is a stalwart of 'cheese' clubs nationwide.

 

[FPAlpha]

Yet all these supposedly overplayed songs are total gems when a whole room packed with about 10 people play/sing it with Rock Band 3 as i found out a few weekends ago at a party.. it was glorious!

 

[Alidar Jarok]

That's because they're kickass songs (except Summer of '69 and anything by Bryan Adams ). If you actually have an excuse to force yourself to listen to the song, it's a great reminder that they're overplayed because they were good (and popular). But if you hear it on the radio, your first instinct (at least my first instinct) is to change the channel.

 

[Canadave]

Unfortunately, I'd say the "Robin Hood" song (Everything I do I do it for you) is actually Bryan Adams' Stairway.

Ugh, I'd blocked that song from my mind until you posted that. I actually don't mind Bryan Adams's stuff, at least from the early parts of his career, but when he started to lay on the cheese extra-thick it gets to be a little much.

 

[Chaos Descending]

Pink Floyd - "Money"
Deep Purple - "Smoke on the Water"
Black Sabbath - "Paranoid"
Metallica - "Enter Sandman"

All songs I love from bands I love, but they come closest (for my tastes) to what I think the OP is talking about.

 

[RoJoHen]

As for other examples, Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'"

Ugh, yes. There was not a single weekend that went by in college where I did not have to deal with a bunch of drunk people singing along to this fucking song. It is now one of my least favorite songs of all time.

 

[Nowhere Man]

That's because they're kickass songs (except Summer of '69 and anything by Bryan Adams ). If you actually have an excuse to force yourself to listen to the song, it's a great reminder that they're overplayed because they were good (and popular). But if you hear it on the radio, your first instinct (at least my first instinct) is to change the channel.

The Canadian Government has apologized for Bryan Adams on several occassions.

 

[Australis]

think Bryan Adams's Stairway is 'Run To You'.

And as for Deep Purple, Smoke is their most popular song but not necessarily their best. I'd offer up two others, Highway Star and Burn. Listen to the middle section of Burn, it's classical set to a powerhouse beat, with soaring harmonies in the chorus. And silly lyrics. Highway Star is a song that rolls over everything in its path.

Another possible DP contender is Child in Time.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Pink Floyd - "Money"
Deep Purple - "Smoke on the Water"
Black Sabbath - "Paranoid"
Metallica - "Enter Sandman"

All songs I love from bands I love, but they come closest (for my tastes) to what I think the OP is talking about.

I don't know, The Wall might be closer for Pink Floyd, if we're just talking about a huge, unforgettable, mega-hit for an otherwise popular band.

Can't argue with the others at all.

The thing with Zeppelin is, they had sooooo many other hits, at least as far as what we hear nowadays. I don't know offhand what those songs did chart-wise back in the day.

I think of Led Zeppelin as a latter day Beatles. Tons of hits, all written by 2 guys. Obviously Stairway was played near to death, even to this day, but it was hardly a breakout hit for them. The first 3 albums were rife with great stuff.

 

[Kirby]

I would have to agree that Bryan Adams' Stairway is 'Summer of 69'

Survivor's Stairway is 'Eye of the Tiger'

 

[Mistral]

Survivor can burn in hell. Still sick of that song 25 years later...

Sweet Home Alabama-Skynrd

Dust In the Wind-Kansas

RUSH- Tom Sawyer

Steve Miller - Abracadabra (sad, really, since so much of their other stuff is so great)

YES- Roundabout

Blue Oyster Cult-Don't Fear the Reaper

The Cars- Shake It Up (see Steve Miller comment)

The Stones- Satisfaction(and I still groove to it when it comes on the radio)

The Who- Won't Get Fooled Again


There's a few to contemplate...

 

[Canadave]

S
Steve Miller - Abracadabra (sad, really, since so much of their other stuff is so great)

You think? "Fly Like An Eagle," "Rock 'N Me," and "Space Cowboy" all come to mind for me before "Abracadabra" does...

 

[Jack Bauer]

sometimes I wonder if Satisfaction is the only song the Rolling Stones ever recorded...

 

[cultcross]

The Who- Won't Get Fooled Again

My Generation? Behind Blue Eyes?


However, definitely correct on Don't Fear the Reaper.

 

[Owain Taggart]

I think if an artist has a lot of hits like Bryan Adams, it depends on what's popular where, which is why nobody can agree what his big hit is. I'd definitely say it's Summer of 69 though. He had that big hit and then he did the the Prince of Thieves soundtrack (All for One and Everything I Do).

The Guess Who - American Woman