Music

Carley Jellett / September 19, 2014

Five of the Best: Rod Stewart

Rod Stewart is a living legend. His distinctive voice, incredible song-writing and self-deprecating humour have kept him at the top of his game since the 1960s. Following a critically-acclaimed Summer tour and his role in opening the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Stewart is bringing his incredible ‘The Hits’ tour to Vector Arena on April 13, 2015. While whittling down decades of hit songs was a huge challenge, we believe we have found the quintessential list of Rod Stewart classics. We hope you enjoy this edition of Five of the Best.

5. Sailing

Rod Stewart recorded Sailing in 1975 in Alabama and it was featured on his album, Atlantic Crossing. The song spent four weeks at Number 1 in the UK and remains his best-selling UK hit, with more than a million copies sold. The music video was shot in New Your Harbour and was one of the first to be played on MTV, following the launch of the music video show in 1981. Sailing is a melodic ballad and remains an iconic Rod Stewart hit almost 40 years after it was released.

4. All For Love

Rod Stewart teamed up with Sting and Bryan Adams for the ultimate 90s love ballad, All For Love. The song, which was made famous in the film The Three Musketeers, was a huge hit for Stewart, Sting and Adams in 1993, reaching Number 1 in North America, across Europe and in Australia. Borrowing from the motto of the Three Musketeers ‘all for one and one for all’, the song was written by Bryan Adams alongside Robert Lange and Michael Kamen. The combination of three of music’s most-successful male vocalists makes All For Love an enduring hit for Stewart.

3. Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?

Stewart is well known as a ladies man so his hit 1978 song Do Ya Think I’m Sexy, which appeared on the Blondes Have More Fun album, should come as no surprise. While the song was a major hit around the world, it did receive criticism due to its disco-flavour, which deviated from Stewart’s more well-known blues/rock roots. The song was revived in 1997 when it was remixed by English techno group, N-Trance, featuring Stewart’s vocals. It again reached the top 10 in many charts around the world. Disco or not, we love this song and consider it one of Stewart’s finest.

2. Tonight’s the Night

Tonight’s the Night was recorded for Rod Stewart’s 1976 album, A Night on the Town and features whispers from then girlfriend and Bond girl, Britt Ekland. The song was Stewart’s second hit and was a chart success around the world. Some radio stations cut the song short, believing it was too suggestive for airplay. You be the judge – we think it is a classic Stewart hit, with double entendres and innuendo only improving the song.

1. Maggie May

Maggie May is the quintessential Rod Stewart hit. It is essentially the true story of Stewart’s first sexual experience – with an older woman when he was a teenager. The song was recorded in 1971 for the Every Picture Tells A Story album, and was a major hit around the world. The song and album enjoyed concurrent success at Number 1 on both the UK and USA charts, a feat achieved by only a handful of artists, including the Beatles. While Stewart refers to ‘Maggie’ throughout the song, it is only in the title that he mentions her full name ‘Maggie May’. Ronnie Wood of Rolling Stones fame played guitar on the song. We think Maggie May is Rod Stewart at his absolute best.

Rod Stewart is bringing The Hits Tour to Vector Arena on April 13, 2015. Limited tickets are still available – Click here to buy yours now.