Some rock songs just give you chills. Personally, quite a few rock songs from the 1970s still send a chill up my spine whenever I hear them. The following three legendary songs certainly have that chilling factor, no matter when or how many times you hear them. Let’s get nostalgic with some heart-pumping, arresting rock songs from days past, shall we?
“Black Sabbath” by Black Sabbath from ‘Black Sabbath’ (1970)
“Big black shape with eyes of fire / Tellin’ people their desire.”
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You just can’t beat this early heavy metal song from the legendary band Black Sabbath. That thunderous rain, that ominous guitar riff à la Tony Iommi, the supernatural horror of it all. This song is still spine-chilling after all these years. I can only imagine how insane it was to hear “Black Sabbath” for the first time back in 1970. I’m not sure there’s a more incredible album-opener in heavy metal history.
“No Quarter” by Led Zeppelin from ‘Houses Of The Holy’ (1973)
“They’re wearing steel that’s bright and true, ooh-ooh / They carry news that must get through / They choose the path where no one goes.”
This cold and ethereal song from Led Zeppelin has a mysterious quality that still makes me just a little bit uncomfortable whenever I hear it. In a good way, of course. “No Quarter” is a proggier song on Houses Of The Holy, with a dark theme that centers around the concept of not asking for mercy when one is defeated. The song became a go-to for the band’s live performances.
“The Bewlay Brothers” by David Bowie from ‘Hunky Dory’ (1971)
“In our wings that bark / Flashing teeth of brass / Standing tall in the dark / Oh, and we were gone.”
David Bowie makes it to our list of rock songs from the 1970s that have that “chill” factor with “The Bewlay Brothers”. This cryptic and bizarre song gets more disturbing as it goes on, and the spooky psychedelic instrumentation of this Hunky Dory cut only makes the whole thing even weirder. Some believe the song refers to Bowie’s sibling who dealt with schizophrenia, while others believe it’s about homosexuality. Bowie himself said it was based on himself and his brother.
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