3 Rock Guitar Riffs That Are So Good They Obscure Great Lyrics

Many guitar riffs are so good that the lyrics don’t matter. They are powerful enough to move listeners at a primal level, and the louder the better. But occasionally, a classic riff obscures great lyrics. Especially in heavier music, the volume from distorted guitars and pounding drums can mask what the singer is singing. Just think of how often song lyrics are misinterpreted. So for this list, let’s focus on the words behind these legendary riffs.

“Bulls On Parade” by Rage Against The Machine

Few guitarists can drop a bone-crushing riff with the fury of Tom Morello. Together with the bassist Tim Commerford and the drummer Brad Wilk, Morello shreds the kind of deep grooves that even non-pinkos must admire. Still, the soul of Rage Against The Machine is singer Zack de la Rocha. In “Bulls On Parade”, de la Rocha aims his poetic ire toward the war machine, and considering the current state of affairs in the world, you see why some songs remain timeless.

Weapons, not food, not homes, not shoes,
Not need, just feed the war cannibal animal.
I walk the corner to the rubble that used to be a library,
Line up to the mind cemetery now.

“Baba O’Riley” by The Who

Many have mistakenly called this tune “Teenage Wasteland”. It’s the most iconic lyric in The Who’s epic, but it would have been one of the greatest song titles ever. The real title combines two people who inspired Pete Townshend to write “Baba O’ Riley”: an Indian guru named Meher Baba and minimalist composer Terry Riley. Written for Townshend’s abandoned rock opera, Lifehouse, The Who’s anthem remains a defining song for the band, with festival-worthy lyrics to match the ear-bleeding chords.

Don’t cry,
Don’t raise your eye,
It’s only teenage wasteland.

“Jumpin’ Jack Flash” by The Rolling Stones

My favorite Rolling Stones riff also features unforgettable lyrics. The titular character happens to be Keith Richards’s then-gardener, Jack Dyer. One night, Richards and Mick Jagger heard the sound of boots outside the guitarist’s home, and when Jagger asked who it was, Richards replied, “Oh, that’s Jack. That’s jumping Jack.” Meanwhile, the rest of the track employs survival metaphors and 60s lingo like “gas, gas, gas.” It’s an outlaw anthem from a band enduring chaotic times.

I was born in a crossfire hurricane,
And I howled at my ma in the driving rain.

But it’s all right now, in fact, it’s a gas.
But it’s all right, I’m Jumpin’ Jack Flash,
It’s a gas, gas, gas!

Photo by Ollie Millington/Redferns