5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #169

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week is a feature I run on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective on Sundays/early hours of Monday morning where I pick out 5 tunes that I think are notable and tell you a bit about them. The point is to give you some rocking music to help you deal with your weekday blues. You can either listen to one each day, listen to them all at once, or any other combination that you feel. As long as you can get through the week without the man getting you down, that's all I care about. Without further ado, here are the 5 tracks I've picked out for this week:

1. Strutter, by Kiss

It is definitely no easy task for me to ever pick a single favorite Kiss song, but if ever for whatever reason I was forced into such a situation then this song would be one of the top contenders. It has everything I like in a Kiss song: big flashy riffs, Paul Stanley singing his ass off, Ace Frehley giving it his all on the fret board, a sweet groove, and an overall fun vibe. This was definitely the right track to put as the opener on their debut record.

2. The Trooper, by Iron Maiden

This is some of Iron Maiden's finest dual harmonized guitar playing. Plus, it has that driving galloping rhythm that Iron Maiden have always been known for. This really is the band at their prime back in the early 80's when the best of the bands from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal were taking the scene by storm and becoming superstars and legends that still influence young metal heads all over the world even to this day.

3. Gates of Babylon, by Rainbow

This is such an under rated song from an under rated band. For the last several years every time I have put it on I have gotten chills. Even now when the wind and mysterious yet foreboding synth melody starts playing the hairs on my neck and arms stand up. It transitions into a song that makes me feel like I'm moving fast across an ancient desert in the middle of the night. Ronnie James Dio's singing is haunting and Ritchie Blackmore's guitar playing is absolutely top notch.

4. Death Letter Blues, by Son House

And now for something completely different. Son House really is one of the all time delta blues greats, but sadly never seems to get the credit he deserves. He was the one who taught legendary blues man Robert Johnson how to play the guitar back before he wrote and recorded the songs that are all considered blues standards to this very day. This tune in particular showcases Son House's mournful yet soulful voice, passionate guitar chops, and overall powerful presence.

5. Mechanix, by Megadeth

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming. For those of you who are unaware of the history behind the feud between Metallica and Megadeth, Megadeth front man Dave Mustaine used to play lead guitar in Metallica but was fired due to drinking/drug problems. He wrote many of the song's on Metallica's first two albums. However, one of the songs Metallica slowed down, changed the lyrics, made other minor changes, and renamed it "The Four Horsemen". Mustaine decided to keep the song as it was and recorded it for Megadeth's debut album.