Jeff Beck: Top 30 Songs

Jeff Beck Top 30 Songs

Jeff Beck was born on June 24, 1944, in Wallington, Surrey, England. He died on January 10, 2023 at age 78. He is considered one of the best and most influential guitarists of all time, being credited with how his experimentation with feedback, distortion, and fuzz tone opened the door for psychedelic rock. All Music Guide’s Stephen Thomas Erlewine called him “as innovative as Jimmy Page, as tasteful as Eric Clapton, and nearly as visionary as Jimi Hendrix.” He became well-known as a guitarist with the Yardbirds from 1965 to 1967 before forming his own group, The Jeff Beck Group, which lasted from 1967 to 1972. The next year he recorded an album with bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice, both of Vanilla Fudge. He then became a solo artist, largely recording instrumental albums. He only released three solo albums in the 1980s, but in 1984 he worked with The Honeydrippers, a one-time supergroup which also featured Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and Nile Rodgers. In the ‘90s, he played guitar on a number of projects, including Jon Bon Jovi’s solo album Blaze of Glory (1990), Roger Waters’ Amused to Death (1992), Kate Bush’s The Red Shoes (1993), and Paul Rodgers’ Muddy Water Blues (1993). He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Yardbirds in 1992. He was inducted a second time as a solo artist in 2009. He won eight Grammys from 1985 to 2010. For a complete list of this act’s DMDB honors, check out the DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry. Click here to see other acts’ best-of lists. Spotify Podcast: Check out the podcast Remembering Jeff Beck, 1944-2023, based on this list. Debut: January 18, 2023, at 7pm CST. New episodes based on Dave’s Music Database lists are posted every Tuesday at 7pm CST.

Awards:

Top 30 Songs Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists, appearances on compilations and live albums by the featured act, and songs’ chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. Songs which hit #1 on various charts are noted. (Click for codes to singles charts.) DMDB Top 5%: 1. Shapes of Things (Yardbirds, 1966) 2. Heart Full of Soul (Yardbirds, 1965) DMDB Top 10%: 3. Rockin’ at Midnight (The Honeydrippers, 1984) DMDB Top 20%: 4. Happenings Ten Years Time Ago (Yardbirds, 1966) 5. People Get Ready (with Rod Stewart, 1985) 6. Over Under Sideways Down (Yardbirds, 1966) 7. Beck’s Bolero (Jeff Beck Group, 1967) 8. I Ain’t Superstitious (Jeff Beck Group, 1968) 9. I’m a Man (Yardbirds, 1965) 10. Ol’ Man River (Jeff Beck Group, 1968) Beyond the DMDB Top 20%: 11. Down So Long (live with Sting from Live for Life, 1986) 12. Freeway Jam (1975) 13. ‘Cause We’ve Ended Up As Lovers (1975) 14. Hi-Ho Silver Lining (1967) 15. Goo Goo Barabajagal (Love Is Hot) (Donovan with the Jeff Beck Group, 1969) 16. Plynth (Water Down the Drain) (Jeff Beck Group, 1969) 17. Tallyman (1967) 18. I’ve Been Drinking (Jeff Beck Group, 1968) 19. Manic Depression (with Seal, 1993) 20. She’s a Woman (1975) 21. Evil Hearted You (Yardbirds, 1965) 22. Love Is Blue (L'Amour Est Blue) (Jeff Beck Group, 1968) 23. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat (1976) 24. Like a Rolling Stone (with Seal, 2012) 25. Going Down (Jeff Beck Group, 1972) 26. Gets Us All in the End (1985) 27. Still I’m Sad (Yardbirds, 1965) 28. Train Kept A-Rollin’ (Yardbirds, 1965) 29. A Day in the Life (1998) 30. Scatter Brain (1975) Resources and Related Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Jeff Beck DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Jeff Beck Group DMDB Encyclopedia entry for The Yardbirds Dave’s Music Database: “Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists” First posted 1/17/2023; last updated 1/19/2023.