10 Most Infamous Tracks In Rock N Roll
The notorious tales behind legendary acts.
Over the years, bands can build up a track record for writing really solid tunes. Regardless of genre, these songs tend to either come naturally to the artist or are the result of diligent hard work that culminates in great music. On the other side of things, some songs manifest in different ways.
For one reason or another, some of the tracks that come together over a band's tenure don't necessarily pan out the way the artist intended. Whether it be through legal proceedings or through their willingness to experiment, these tracks have developed a bit of a nastier reputation than other songs the band conjure up.
Ironically, a good portion of the songs here have gone on to be some of the group's more well-known tracks, if only for the shock value. The infamy behind these tracks have even had drastic effects on the band itself, from setting the band off-course to full-blown breaking the band apart. They say that rock and roll's greatest moments are shaded in infamy, but these songs are the prime example of what happens when the more unflattering moments in rock and roll reach a boil.
10. Mother - The Police
The Police's Synchronicity is known as one of the masterpieces of the 80's, with some of the band's most adventurous playing and also some of the best pop hooks of the era on songs like the "King of Pain" and "Every Breath You Take." However, the album isn't necessarily perfect given the whacked-out avant-garde track in the middle of the record.
While nearly every track on this record is a true new wave masterstroke, one of guitarist Andy Summer's contributions was the song "Mother," whose abrasive sound takes the listener out of the mood of the record. The track seems to be tackling Summer's relationship with his own mother, which sounds like a pretty heavy subject matter given the tone of the lyrics.
With very minimal percussion and a seemingly never-ending loop, this track can be looked at as a rather intriguing piece of audible performance art, but the actual placement of it on the band's best work makes for a perplexing musical experiment all-around. The band's internal struggles during the making of this album caused a breakup only a few months after the album's release, leaving "Mother" as one of the wildest musical shifts for a band known for their experimental passages.