Classic Rock Album Olympics

In this episode of Classic Rock Album Olympics music historians Gary Wenstrup and Robert Rodriguez turn their attention to the self-titled album by The Band and award their gold, silver and bronze medals accordingly.

Medal Winners

Jemima
Surrender

Whispering
Pines

The
Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

Rockin’
Chair

Across
The Great Divide

 

Released in the fall of 1969, the album arrived roughly a year after the group’s acclaimed debut, Music From Big Pink.  At a time when psychedelic rock and hard rock dominated popular music, The Band looked backward instead of forward, drawing inspiration from American folk traditions, country, blues, gospel, and early rock and roll to create a sound that helped lay the foundation for what would later become known as Americana.

The album was produced by John Simon, who had also produced
Music From Big Pink.  Recording sessions took place primarily in a converted pool house at a rented home in the Hollywood Hills before moving to The Hit Factory in New York City to complete the project.

The Band consisted of Robbie Robertson who served as the principal songwriter and lead guitarist.  Levon Helm played drums, mandolin, and sang many of the group’s most memorable lead vocals.  Rick Danko
handled bass guitar, fiddle, and shared lead vocal duties with his expressive tenor voice. Richard Manuel contributed piano, drums, and soulful lead vocals that ranged from tender ballads to powerful rock performances. Garth Hudson, regarded by many as one of rock’s greatest keyboardists, supplied the album’s organ, piano, accordion, saxophone, and other instrumental textures that gave the music its distinctive character.

Commercially, The Band was a significant success. It reached #9 on the Billboard 200 album chart in the United States.  Two singles were released from the album. “Up on Cripple Creek” became the band’s biggest American hit, climbing to #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and “Rag Mama Rag” reached #57. 

At a time when rock music often celebrated excess and experimentation, The Band created an album rooted in history, tradition, and compelling storytelling. Its songs explored themes of community, hardship, faith, work, and the changing American experience, helping redefine what rock
music could accomplish artistically.

The album became influential on later generations of musicians, inspiring artists such as Eric Clapton, Elvis Costello, Wilco, and countless Americana, country-rock, and folk-rock performers.

Bonus Tracks

The
Night They Drove Old Dixie Down – Joan Baez

The
Weight

Stage
Fright

Chest
Fever

Up
On Cripple Creek

Tears
Of Rage

I
Shall Be Released

Side 1

Across The Great Divide

Rag Mama Rag

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

When You Awake

Up On Cripple Creek

Whispering Pines

Side 2

Jemima Surrender

Rockin' Chair

Look Out Cleveland

Jawbone

The Unfaithful Servant

King Harvest (Has Surely Come)

 

Hashtags: #TheBand #TheBrownAlbum #ClassicRock
#RootsRock #Americana #1969Music #LevonHelm #RobbieRobertson #GarthHudson
#RickDanko #RichardManuel #JohnSimon #AlbumHistory #MusicHistory
#VinylCommunity #ClassicAlbums

Contact Info

Website: ⁠⁠⁠Gary Wenstrup⁠⁠⁠

Podcast Website: ⁠⁠⁠Home - Classic Rock Album Olympics⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠(556) Classic Rock
Album Olympics - YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠(7) Facebook⁠⁠⁠

Podcast Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠(17) Gary Wenstrup | LinkedIn⁠⁠

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In episode #26 of Classic Rock Album Olympics music historians Gary Wenstrup and Robert Rodriguez award their gold, silver and bronze medals for songs from David Bowie’s Station To Station.

Released in January 1976, Station to Station represented Bowie’s transition away from American soul influences toward the avant-garde European sensibilities that would define his late-1970s work with Brian Eno.

Station To Station introduced Bowie’s mysterious “Thin White Duke” persona — elegant, detached, and emotionally fractured. Recorded in Los Angeles during a turbulent period of Bowie’s life, the album blended art rock, funk, krautrock influences, and hypnotic electronic textures into one of his most acclaimed works.

The album reached #3 on the US Billboard 200, making it the highest charting album of Bowie's career.  The major single from the album was Golden Years which peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Second single TVC 15 reached #64.

The musicians on the album formed one of Bowie’s most celebrated backing bands. Guitarist Carlos Alomar anchored the music with sharp
funk rhythms. George Murray and Dennis Davis created the sleek rhythmic
foundation that would continue into Bowie’s Berlin recordings. Keyboardist Roy Bittan of E Street Band fame and guitarist Earl Slick played roles as well.  Producer Harry Maslin helped shape the album’s polished sound.

Culturally, Station to Station became enormously influential on post-punk, new wave, gothic rock, and alternative music. Its cold elegance and rhythmic experimentation inspired artists ranging from Joy Division and Talking Heads to later musicians such as Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead.

Medal Winners

Wild
Is The Wind

TVC
15

Station
To Station

Stay

Golden
Years

Bonus Tracks

Fame

Young
Americans

Space
Oddity

Rebel
Rebel

Cat
People (Putting Out Fire)

Wild
Is The Wind – Bowie Video

(Just
Like) Starting Over – John Lennon

Rockin
Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu – Johnny Rivers

When
You Wish Upon A Star -Jiminy Cricket/Cliff Edwards

Baby
Mine – Bonnie Raitt

The
Nearness Of You – Glen Miller & His Orchestra

Rawhide
– Frankie Lane

Town
Without Pity – Gene Pitney

Town
Without Pity – Ronnie Montrose

Wild
Is The Wind – Johhny Mathis

Wild
Is The Wind – Nina Simone

Do
Not Forsake Me, Oh, My Darling – Tex Ritter original soundtrack High Noon

Bennie
& The Jets – Elton John

Funeral
For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding – Elton John

Autobahn - Kraftwerk

Track Listing

Side One

Station To Station

Golden Years

Word On A Wing

Side Two

TVC 15

Stay

Wild Is The Wind

 

 

#StationToStation #DavidBowie #ThinWhiteDuke #GoldenYears
#TVC15 #ArtRock #ClassicAlbums #1976Music #BerlinTrilogy #RockHistory

Contact Info

Website: ⁠⁠⁠Gary Wenstrup⁠⁠⁠

Podcast Website: ⁠⁠⁠Home - Classic Rock Album Olympics⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠(556) Classic Rock
Album Olympics - YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠(7) Facebook⁠⁠⁠

Podcast Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠(17) Gary Wenstrup | LinkedIn⁠⁠

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In episode #25 of Classic Rock Album Olympics music historians Gary Wenstrup and Robert Rodriguez sail with Reggatta de Blanc by The Police and award their gold, silver and bronze medals for their favorite songs.

Released October 1979, Reggatta de Blanc was the second album by The Police and the record that transformed the trio from promising new-wave outsiders into stars. Produced by Nigel Gray along with the band, the album expanded the reggae-rock and post-punk sound introduced on Outlandos d’Amour.

The title – Reggatta de Blanc - loosely translates to “white reggae,” reflecting the group’s fusion of punk energy, reggae rhythms, jazz textures, and pop songwriting.  

The album featured the classic Police lineup: Sting on bass and lead vocals, Andy Summers on guitar and Stewart Copeland on drums.  Together they created a sparse but highly rhythmic sound built around Summers’ atmospheric guitar work, Sting’s melodic bass lines, and Copeland’s inventive drumming.  

Reggatta de Blanc became the band’s first UK No. 1 album. In the United States it reached No. 25 on the Billboard album chart, helping establish the band’s growing American audience.

The singles “Message in a Bottle” and “Walking on the Moon” both reached No. 1 in the UK.  The singles did not fare as well in the US. “Message” hit #74 and "Moon" did not chart.  The instrumental title track earned the band its first Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.  

The album captured the restless energy of the late-1970s post-punk era while proving that reggae influences could coexist with mainstream rock radio. The Police stood apart from both traditional punk and arena rock by emphasizing space, rhythm, and sophistication over heavy guitar excess.

Many critics and fans view Reggatta de Blanc as the album where the band honed its signature sound, paving the way for later classics like Zenyatta Mondatta and Synchronicity.
Follow-up Note: As speculated in the podcast, The Police did not perform at Live Aid.  Sting however did play a few Police hits with outside musicians.  

Medal Winners

No
Time This Time

Message
In A Bottle

The
Bed’s Too Big Without You

Bring
On The Night

Reggatta
de Blanc 

Bonus Tracks

Roxanne

Next
To You

Nothing
Achieving

Truth
Hits Everyone

So
Lonely

Visions
Of The Night

Fall
Out

Behind
The Camel

Be
My Girl/Sally

Mirror
In The Bathroom – English Beat 

Further Reading

Shot
In The Heart -Mikal Gilmore 

Track Listing

Side One

Message In A Bottle

Reggatta de Blanc

It's Alright For You

Bring On The Night

Deathwish

Side Two

Walking On The Moon

On Any Other Day

The Bed's Too Big Without You

Contact

Does Everyone Stare

No Time This Time

 

#ThePolice #ReggattaDeBlanc #Sting #AndySummers
#StewartCopeland #NewWave #PostPunk #ReggaeRock #ClassicAlbums #1979Music

Contact Info

Website: ⁠⁠⁠Gary Wenstrup⁠⁠⁠

Podcast Website: ⁠⁠⁠Home - Classic Rock Album Olympics⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠(556) Classic Rock
Album Olympics - YouTube⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠(7) Facebook⁠⁠⁠

Podcast Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠(17) Gary Wenstrup | LinkedIn⁠⁠

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In episode # 24 of Classic Rock Album Olympics music historians Gary Wenstrup and Robert Rodriguez dig into Silk Degrees by Boz Scaggs and award their gold, silver and bronze medals accordingly.

Medal Winners

Georgia

Harbor
Lights

Lido
Shuffle

We’re
All Alone

Bonus Tracks

We
Were Always Sweethearts – Boz

Finding
Her – Boz

Dinah
Flo – Boz

Near
You - Boz

Brandy
(You’re A Fine Girl) – Looking Glass

Look
What You’ve Done To Me – Boz

Harbor
Lights – Platters

Low
Down - Boz

Love
Me Tomorrow - Boz

Sooner
Or Later – Grass Roots

Long
Tall Glasses (I Can Dance) – Leo Sayer

What
Do You Want The Girl To Do – Boz

Lone
Me A Dime – Boz

Jump
Street – Boz

 

Silk Degrees by Boz Scaggs was released in March 1976 and became the defining album of his career, blending blue-eyed soul, smooth pop, and West Coast R&B into a polished, radio-friendly sound that helped define
mid-1970s adult contemporary music.

Recorded at CBS Studios in San Francisco, the album benefited from a group of top-tier session musicians, many of whom would soon form Toto, including David Paich (keyboards), Jeff Porcaro (drums), and David
Hungate (bass), along with guitarist Fred Tackett. Their tight, groove-oriented playing gave the record its sleek, sophisticated feel.

The album was produced by Joe Wissert, whose clean, layered production emphasized rhythm, melody, and Scaggs’ smooth vocal delivery.

Several hit singles emerged, including “Lowdown,” “Lido Shuffle,” “What Can I Say,” and “It’s Over,” with “Lowdown” becoming the biggest success, reaching #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.  “Lido Shuffle” also performed strongly, reaching the Top 20, helping sustain the album’s momentum across radio formats.

Silk Degrees peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 and became a multi-platinum success, eventually selling over five million copies in the United States. Its crossover appeal—bridging pop, R&B, and soft rock—made it a staple of FM radio and a key influence on the emerging yacht rock sound.

Critically and commercially, the album marked the high point of Scaggs’ mainstream popularity, cementing his place in 1970s music and showcasing a seamless blend of craftsmanship, musicianship, and accessibility.

Track Listing

Side One

What Can I Say

Georgia

Jump Street

What Do You Want The Girl To Do

Harbor Lights

Side Two

Lowdown

It’s Over

Love Me Tomorrow

Lido Shuffle

We’re All Alone

 

Hashtags

#BozScaggs #SilkDegrees #1970sMusic #YachtRock
#ClassicAlbums #Lowdown #LidoShuffle

Contact Info

Website: ⁠⁠Gary Wenstrup⁠⁠

Podcast Website: ⁠⁠Home - Classic Rock Album Olympics⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠(556) Classic Rock
Album Olympics - YouTube⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠(7) Facebook⁠⁠

Podcast Facebook: ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠(17) Gary Wenstrup | LinkedIn⁠

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In episode #23 of Classic Rock Album Olympics music historians Gary Wenstrup and Robert Rodriguez discuss London Calling by The Clash and award their gold, silver and bronze medals accordingly.

Medal Winners

Lost
In The Supermarket

Spanish
Bombs

The
Right Profile

Rudie
Can’t Fail

Clampdown

Train
In Vain  

 London Calling by The Clash was released in the U.S. in January 1980, marking a turning point not just for the band but for late-1970s rock. Expanding far beyond their early punk sound, the double album blends reggae, ska, rockabilly, R&B, and pop into a politically charged yet musically adventurous statement that captured the turbulence of the era—economic decline, nuclear anxiety, and social unrest—while still delivering sharp songwriting and energy. 

The album is considered the most “musical” punk album and its most ambitious.

The core lineup featured Joe Strummer (lead vocals, rhythm guitar + lyrics), Mick Jones (lead guitar, vocals + music), Paul Simonon (bass), and Topper Headon (drums). The album was produced by Guy Stevens with mostly just 1 or 2 takes for each song. 

While the album only reached #27 on the U.S. Billboard 200, its reputation grew steadily, and it is now widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time.  The lone single released from the album in the U.S. was “Train in Vain.” The song was added at the last minute and unlisted on early pressings, reaching #23 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Critically, London Calling has been celebrated for its ambition and range, often cited alongside landmark albums in rock history for its fusion of genres and its ability to translate political urgency into compelling music.

Its iconic cover—featuring Simonon smashing his bass, photographed
by Pennie Smith—echoes the design of Elvis Presley’s debut album, visually linking past and present while signaling a reinvention of rock tradition.

Original album title: The Last Testament

For more information: Route 19 Revisited: The Clash and
London Calling by Marcus Gray

Bonus Tracks

Vanilla
Tapes – The Clash

London
Calling - The Clash

Guns
Of Brixton – The Clash

Clampdown
– Bruce Springsteen

The
Clash - Live on Fridays 1980

 

Track Listing

Side One

London Calling

Brand New Cadillac

Jimmy Jazz

Hateful

Rudie Can’t Fail

Side Two

Spanish Bombs

The Right Profile

Clampdown

The Guns of Brixton

Side Three

Wrong ‘Em Boyo

Death Or Glory

Koka Kola

The Card Cheat

Side Four

Lover’s Rock

Four Horsemen

I’m Not Down

Revolution Rock

Train In Vain    

Hashtags  

#TheClash #LondonCalling #PunkRock #ClassicAlbums
#MusicHistory #JoeStrummer #MickJones #PaulSimonon #TopperHeadon

Contact Info

Website: ⁠⁠Gary Wenstrup⁠⁠

Podcast Website: ⁠⁠Home - Classic Rock Album Olympics⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠(556) Classic Rock
Album Olympics - YouTube⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠(7) Facebook⁠⁠

Podcast Facebook: ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠(17) Gary Wenstrup | LinkedIn⁠

Intro & Outro Music by Flwers
⁠Flwers⁠
Something About The Beatles Podcast

⁠somethingaboutthebeatles.com

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