3 Forgotten Classic Rock Jams That Were Wildly Different From the Songs of Their Time

Thinking outside of the box as a musician is very difficult. However, it’s worth the time spent perfecting one’s art. The following three classic rock tunes were so different from the songs that were all over mainstream radio at the same time, and they’ve each inspired musicians in new genres and eras as well. Without further ado, let’s look at a few forgotten classic rock jams that sounded totally different from the music of their respective eras!

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1. “Rollin’ And Tumblin’” by Cream

This song has been around long before Cream was even a thought in Eric Clapton’s noggin. In fact, quite a few big names have covered this Delta blues tune by Hambone Willie Newbern, including Muddy Waters, Canned Heat, Robert Johnson, and more. Cream, though, produced the most well-known version of the song.

Released in 1966, Cream’s version of “Rollin’ And Tumblin’” is incredibly high-energy compared to the original. It’s one of those forgotten classic rock jams that took blues rock to a more modern and psychedelic level, as did the whole of the band’s debut album Fresh Cream.

2. “Hocus Pocus” by Focus

I’ve written about this particular song before, specifically about how bizarre a work it is. And while I stand by my description of “Hocus Pocus” as “weird”, it’s also quite a unique and engaging tune. Few songs could blend yodeling with progressive rock and have a listenable result. 

Focus deserves more love for “Hocus Pocus”, as well as their diverse catalogue of jazz fusion and baroque rock work. They’re still considered one of the most successful rock bands to come out of the Netherlands today.

3. “You Really Got Me” by The Kinks

The Kinks make our list of forgotten classic rock jams that were way different from other songs of the time with the 1964 hit “You Really Got Me”. In many ways, this garage rock outfit was ahead of its time across multiple albums. But early on, they proved they could produce something unique for the times with “You Really Got Me”.

Many consider this tune to be an excellent example of proto-punk. I wouldn’t argue with that. This song has a very punk-sounding guitar solo and yet boasts a ton of blues elements that were clearly inspired by the likes of Lead Belly and Big Bill Broonzy. Nobody was really using power chords in 1964. The Kinks changed that.

Photo by Bill Wood/Shutterstock 

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