Make Some Noise – It Is May!

Welcome to May! Were you aware that May is International Drum Month? Cheers to the instrument that keeps the music in time.

Anyone who has played in a school band or any band really knows that there are plenty of jokes made about the percussionists and the percussion section:

What do you say to a drummer in a three-piece suit?
“Will the defendant please rise?”

Hey, did you hear about the drummer who finished high school?
Me neither.

What is the difference between a drummer and a savings bond?
One will mature and make money.

What is the difference between a bad drummer and a vacuum cleaner?
 You have to plug one of them in before it sucks.

There are hundreds of jokes like that. Honestly, though, without the percussion section (or percussionist) the rest of the group would fight to keep time. I can’t imagine marching in a parade without a solid drum cadence and so many great bands had well known drummers.

So in honor of International Drum Month – I wanted to share some of my favorite drum songs, drum solos, and songs about drums.

First, let’s head back to 1936 and the fantastic song by Benny Goodman – Sing, Sing, Sing. The song was written by Louis Prima and became one of Benny’s signature songs.

In 1941, legendary drummer Gene Krupa had a hit with Drum Boogie (with Irene Day on the vocals). There are many videos of him performing this.

Instrumentals were big in the 50’s and 60’s. My dad introduced me to 1958’s Topsy Part 2 by Cozy Cole. He worked with great artists like Louis Armstrong and Cab Calloway.

Preston Epps learned how to play the bongos when he was in the Korean War. His big hit was Bongo Rock, but I liked 1960’s Bongo, Bongo, Bongo a bit better (Though it never broke the top 40). I often used this as background music when I was on the radio.

If you have ever heard To Know Him Is to Love Him (Teddy Bears), Alley Opp (Hollywood Argyles), or A Thousand Stars (Kathy Young and the Innocents), then you’ve heard Sandy Nelson. He was a session drummer and played on a lot of songs. He even had some solo hits, including 1961’s Let The Be Drums.

Johnny Smith recorded Walk, Don’t Run in 1954. Chet Atkins covered it in 1957 and when the Ventures heard it, they recorded their own version in 1960. While many consider it more of a guitar tune, the drums are a key part of the song.

Probably one of the most famous drum songs was from 1963. The Surfaris took Wipe Out! all the way to #2 on the Hot 100 chart. It is a song that continues to pop up on TV and in movies and has even made a few reentries on the charts because of that.

In 1967, Michael Nesmith of the Monkees penned a percussion tune for Linda Ronstadt and her group The Stone Poneys. Linda has a birthday coming up and I was going to feature this song on that day, but it fits better here. This was her first single and it reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

In 1969, The Beatles released Abbey Road, which contains a song that has a drum lick that famous drummers everywhere still talk about. It is often called “genius” and I couldn’t agree more. The drum line from Come Together is just an amazing thing to listen to. Atta Boy, Ringo!

In 1972, Gary Glitter had a hit with the B-side of Rock and Roll Part 1, which was appropriately called Rock and Roll Part 2. Most folks remember this one as simply, “The Hey Song.” This was his only top 10 hit in the US. It used to be big at sporting events, but it went away after some sexual crimes in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. It was featured in the recent Joker movie.

1972 also brought one of my favorite drum intros by way of Stevie Wonder. I’ve written about this one before, but you know I had to hear it again as I wrote this.

1977 brought another great drum tune that is still used at sporting events today. I couldn’t do a piece about drum songs without Queen’s We Will Rock You.

So many songs can be instantly recognized by the drum intros and the next one from 1980 is no exception. It is a classic rock and party staple. I am, of course, talking about AC/DC’s Back in Black.

When you talk about drums and drum solos, there seems to be one song that always comes up – In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins. It’s not my favorite song, but you can’t deny the very cool drum solo.

The next drum song has become sort of a Monday morning anthem for anyone who works for a living. Todd Rundgren’s 1983 Bang On The Drum All Day is unique in that he plays every instrument on the track.

I am sure I could feature many more songs, but I have decided to conclude with a song that was very unusual. It was unusual, because there are very few songs that begin with a 30 second drum solo. In 1984, Van Halen did just that. Alex Van Halen kicks off Hot for Teacher with an amazing double bass drum performance and a song remembered not only for his drum work, but a steamy video.

This month, I salute drummers like Ringo Starr, John Bonham, Keith Moon, Buddy Rich, Sheila E, Dave Grohl, Alex Van Halen, Phil Collins, Charlie Watts, Gene Krupa, Questlove, Hal Blaine, Max Weinberg, Lars Ulrich, Neil Peart, Levon Helm, Chad Smith, Ed Shaughnessy, and so many others!! Thanks for keeping the beat!

What songs do you remember for drum solos or great drum work?