Dedicated to Dave Grohl’s mother, ‘The Teacher’ recalls when rock broke the rules to create ‘Hey Jude’, ‘Echoes’ and even ‘Hotel California’; see the list of five of the longest rocks in history
Songs longer than three minutes, in the 60s, were for a few. Or almost none. Singles at the time, released on small vinyl (yes, they weren’t invented by Spotify) contained no more than one song per side. Artists started getting bolder in the late 1960s and Hi Judasof the Beatlesopen the door.
Seven minutes and 33 seconds, it was a radio snub. Hi Judas, the longest-running pop song recorded in the UK until 1998, was among the most played for four consecutive months. The biggest songs came one after another until FM radio came in the 70s, picking up solos and intros, and streaming came in the 2000s, sending artists’ egos skyrocketing.
bold, the foo fighters enter the room of sonic prolixity by publishing, in mid-2023 (the era of anxious listening), a ten-minute song. The cause is noble. The teacher will be on the group’s next album, But here we are, and is dedicated to Dave Grohl’s mother, the recently deceased teacher Virginia. This is already the fourth single from the forthcoming album, which is scheduled for release in June (Friday now).
The beginning of the song gives a red herring. It will not be sweet at all, as the first chords indicate. The band goes heavy after some guitar and vocal lyricism, bringing the group closer to their seminal grunge. Josh Freese’s battery, a two-ton watch, is brilliantly engraved. For ten minutes and four seconds, Grohl talks about his mother without ever quoting her: “You showed me how to breathe / But you never showed me how to say goodbye / You showed me how to be / But you never showed me how to say goodbye goodbye / All the pages are turned, it’s a lesson learned in time / You showed me how to breathe / But you never showed me how to say goodbye.
Foo Fighters, it is worth mentioning, will play a show in São Paulo in September, where they will perform at The Town, on the 9th. The band will be coming to the country with new drummer Josh Freese. Here is the song that joins the band, at least in terms of running time California hotelsby the Eagles (seven minutes), With theby Guns ‘n Roses (10 minutes), Lucilleby BB King (over 10 minutes and 16 seconds), At the time of my deathby Led Zeppelin (11 minutes) e Echoes, by Pink Floyd, with an impressive 23 minutes and 35 seconds in length. See also, below, a list of some of the most famous long songs in history.
Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
This one came to kick all the rules. In addition to not having a refrain and bringing a thought of opera singing, it has a duration of more than five minutes. If today is difficult, imagine doing it in 1975
Revolution #9 – The Beatles
So much has already been said about this piece from the White Album, released in 1968… There are still those who believe that, by turning this album backwards, on the turntable, you will hear, for the more than 8 minutes of duration of this song, demonic voices or something like that.
Hotel California — Eagles
His six and a half minutes pass without anyone noticing. Written by Don Felder and Glenn Frey, this monumental song is one of pop’s most ingenious constructions. The entry and development of his solo is a highlight, as are the lyrical scraps. The authors say it’s about the American dream, but there are other readings as well.
The end – The doors
They were good – okay, they were great – but Jim Morrison’s ego didn’t fit into something too small. The End, composed by himself, ended up running over 11 minutes. Rolling Stone magazine named it one of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Echoes – Pink Floyd
Straight from the days of acid travel, Echoes is a torpedo launched into galaxies. She, who is on the 1971 album Meddle, has an appalling 23 minutes, but according to her fans, not a thousandth is wasted. It all makes sense.
Source: Terra
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
