MC5 Songs Ranked
MC5 was an American rock band from Lincoln Park, Michigan, formed in 1964. The original band line-up consisted of vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred “Sonic” Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson. MC5 was listed by VH1 as one of the most important American hard rock groups of their era. Their three albums are regarded by many as classics, and their song “Kick Out the Jams” is widely covered. “Crystallizing the counterculture movement at its most volatile and threatening”, according to AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine, the MC5’s leftist political ties and anti-establishment lyrics and music positioned them as emerging innovators of the punk movement in the United States. Their loud, energetic style of back-to-basics rock and roll included elements of garage rock, hard rock, blues rock, and psychedelic rock. Here are all of the MC5 songs ranked.
Don’t miss out on the TIMELESS MC5 music! Click to experience the power of blues rock!
16. Tonight (Back in the USA, 1970)
“Absolute masterpiece. The intro is the best intro out of hard rock I’ve ever heard and the first hit of the snare gets me every time.”
15. Starship (Kick Out the Jams, 1969)
““Starship,” opens with a thyroid burst of energy but degenerates into the sort of exercise in self-indulgence that drives reviewers to the bottle each month, testing the length of human endurance before finally sputtering and wheezing to an end.”
14. Motor City is Burning (Kick Out The Jams,1969)
“Really ahead of its time. It has the punk energy though it didn’t quite figured the 3 chords guitar playing. Still the amount of raw energy in the song is pretty impressive. Not that individually the band had very talented musicians it is more like they really weren’t afraid to go out and do what they felt was right”
13. I Want You Right Now (Kick Out the Jams, 1969)
“I Want You Right Now” are alternately abrasive, mangy, and breathtakingly homicidal, ultimate needle-freak breakdowns punctuated with basic monster-mash guitars which howl like coyotes and die in glorious blazes of confusion.”
See more: MC5 Albums Ranked
12. Come Together (Kick Out the Jams, 1969)
“And if you want proto-metal, boy you’ve got it. Come Together, which emerges roaring from the tail end of the title track, reaches almost speed metal velocities, and with its lyrics about revolution and solidarity in the darkness is scary as hell – not in a “Satan is going to eat your soul” way but in a “they’re going to riot in the streets and burn the world down” kind of way”
11. Ramblin’ Rose (Kick Out the Jams, 1969)
“Brother Wayne Kramer on vocals here, with one of the 5’s purest Rama-lama rock blasts. Kick Out The Jams starts proper with “Ramblin’ Rose”, a vitriolic blues/ hard-rock battery.”
10. The American Ruse (Back in the USA, 1970)
“The American Ruse is comprised of early takes and alternate mixes taken from the sessions that would produce the MC5’s sophomore release, Back in the USA”
9. Rocket Reducer No 62 (Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa) (Kick Out the Jams, 1969)
“With guitars jacked up and overloaded amps hummin’, the boys let loose on the bad ass, five-minute “Rocket Reducer No. 62 (Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa)”
8. Black to Comm (Power Trip, 1994)
“Clean off the make-up, throw the hair back in a ponytail and slip on a tracksuit and you got it! The real MC5 live! Still, the real deal is pretty good too.”
7. Sister Anne (High Time, 1971)
“The atmosphere and melody are gripping, the songs start off with such an amazing intro, the melody being so amazing, and builds up to awesome drumming in the thrash metal part of the song.”
See more: The Psychedelic Furs Albums Ranked
6. Skunk (Sonically Speaking) (High Time, 1971)
“Am amazing song by an amazing band. One of the best of all their songs to date. The lyrics convey a deep meaningful message that is sure to stand the test of time.”
5. Over and Over (High Time, 1971)
“This song just has a great guitar piece in the beginning. It starts out with your soul being flushed away into the air.”
4. The Human Being Lawnmower (Back in the USA, 2011)
“This is the most lyrically put together masterpiece I have ever heard. It defines what MC5 was and is. Best song to date”
3. Shakin’ Street (Back in the USA, 1970)
“One of the best rock riffs ever… It has everything… Sharp lead… Cool bass… Drumming to die for… A more than complete rock number.”
2. Kick out the Jams (Kick out the Jams, 1969)
“They live and the raw energy of “Kick Out the Jams” is amazing. The song features one of the greatest opening lines to a song ever, and everything is LOUD. Call it garage-rock, proto-punk, whatever you will, this track just rocks, and will until the world ends.”
1. Looking At You (Back in the USA, 2011)
“Lovely song! But really easy to play! But don’t think it is easy for the beginners because contains sweep picking as well as tapping! Which beginners are not capable of!”
