ZZ Top is one of the influential bands that’s a driving force behind blues rock. Led by lead singer and guitarist Billy Gibbons, drummer Frank Beard, and former bassist Dusty Hill (who passed away in 2021), ZZ Top’s sound is defined by their ability to blend the blues with fierce rock and roll sensibilities. While they’re known for electrifying hits like “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Gimme All Your Lovin,'” their expansive discography proves that they have several deep cuts that are just as noteworthy. Check some of them out below.
Videos by American Songwriter
1. “Jesus Just Left For Chicago” (Tres Hombres)
Though “Jesus Just Left For Chicago” is technically a deep cut, it’s become a cult classic among the band’s fanbase since its release in 1973 off the album Tres Hombres. “Jesus” comes in a package deal with “Waitin’ for the Bus,” the two tracks opening the album with a bang. “Jesus” boasts prominent guitar slaying by Gibbons that makes for a smoldering blues-rock song wherein the Biblical figure travels through many places important to the Delta blues sound. The song is a staple in ZZ Top’s catalog, making for an iconic deep cut.
2. “El Diablo” (Tejas)
“El Diablo” is a solid classic rock storytelling song. With frontman Gibbons serving as the narrator, the blues-meets-western track tells the story of a mysterious man known only as “the devil of Mexico” who lived by the luck of the draw and was known to break the law a time or two. With a steady guitar riff supporting the story, “El Diablo” makes for one of the band’s most intriguing deep cuts.
3. “Sure Got Cold After the Rain Fell” (Rio Grande Mud)
With “Sure Got Cold After the Rain Fell,” the legendary rock band proves they don’t need heavy instrumentation to craft an ear-catching song. This slow-burning blues ballad about a lovelorn man who’s nursing a broken heart after his partner left him is one of their rare slow numbers. It brings the hard rockers back to earth, making for one of their best deep cuts.
[RELATED: Behind the Lusty ZZ Top Song “Legs”]
4. “Delirious” (Afterburner)
“Delirious” is a little fun and a little dangerous. The song follows a man who finds himself in one troublesome situation after another, saved each time by a state of delirium. A straight-up ’80s rock jam, this deep cut from Afterburner features thrashing guitar and drums that make for a wild ride from start to finish.
5. “Over You” (La Futura)
Though ZZ Top is defined by their tough sound that’s helped establish them as rock legends, “Over You” offers a rare expression of vulnerability. Here, the lyrics take the lead with such poetic imagery as, A chilly wind is blowing / And I’m all covered up / With despair and desperation. The heartbroken nature of the lyrics strongly shines through on one of their most sorrowful deep cuts.
Photo by Frank Hoensch/Redferns
