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Our “10 Most Underrated Hand Clapping Songs in Rock Music” article presents a group of songs that are often overlooked when discussing legendary rock tracks with hand claps. Why repeat the same list that every other website offers? Every article we found on this topic featured the same 10 to 20 songs. So no, we’re not going to include “Jack and Diane,” “My Best Friend’s Girl,” “Please Mr. Postman,” or any of the other popular songs that everyone else keeps recycling. For this piece, we went the extra mile, powered up with fresh batteries in our flashlight, and unearthed some tracks you probably wouldn’t have considered. That’s what makes this fun, different, and unique—that’s what makes this ClassicRockHistory.com, baby. What can you come up with?
# 10 – Ain’t That Love – Ray Charles
We open up our list of the 10 most underrated hand clapping songs in rock music by going all the way back to 1957. How many people remember this song that was released on Ray Charles’ debut album, simply titled Ray Charles? The song “Ain’t That Love” was the opening track on Ray Charles’ debut. The album would be re-released a few years later under a different title, Hallelujah I Love Her So. “Ain’t That Love” was released as a single from the record. However, it was probably lost in the shuffle because it was the eighth single released from the album. We thought this was the perfect way to open up this list of hand clapping songs filled with hidden gems.
Read More: 10 Essential Ray Charles Songs
# 9 – 1969 – The Stooges
# 8 – Roller Skating Rink – The Beach Boys
# 7 – Subway Joe – Joe Battan
# 6 – The Secret Life of Arabia – David Bowie
# 5 – Coz I Love You – Slade
At the halfway point on our list of underrated hand clapping songs in rock music, we return to a great Slade song called “Coz I Love You.” This is an interesting one because there’s a lot of echo on those hand claps. At times, it sounds like percussion, but when you listen closely and do the research, they are definitely hand claps—and it works really well. The song was originally released as a non-album single back in 1971. It would eventually find its way onto Greatest Hits compilations and as a bonus track on their 1970 album Play It Loud when it was re-released on CD in 2006.
Read More: Top 10 Slade Songs
# 4 – Six Months In A Leaky Boat – Split Enz
What we love about this song, besides it being a fantastic track, is that the hand claps are placed so perfectly right at the start of the chorus. They’re not overdone; they’re not too loud. It’s just the perfect placement of hand claps that really adds to the song. Split Enz placed this song on the band’s eighth studio album, entitled Time and Tide. The album was released in 1982. “Six Months in a Leaky Boat” was the second single released from the album. The song was very successful in Australia, where it became a top 10 hit. The song was written by Tim Finn.
Read More: Top 10 Split Enz Songs
# 3 – Ev’rybody’s Gonna Be Happy – The Kinks
# 2 – Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood – Santa Esmeralda
And the number two spot on our underrated classic rock songs list goes to a legendary song that’s been covered by many different artists across multiple genres. The song dates all the way back to 1964 when Nina Simone first recorded it. It was written by Bennie Benjamin and Sol Marcus. However, the following year, The Animals took control of the song and had a popular hit with it. But it was in 1977 when Santa Esmeralda recorded the song, and it became bigger than it had ever been. Then, almost ten years after that, our friend Elvis Costello recorded his own version of it. Sections of this song were used in Kill Bill so perfectly. Quentin Tarantino probably stands as a director who knew how to use music almost better than anybody else in film, with maybe the exception of Martin Scorsese.
# 1 – Joe’s Garage – Frank Zappa
I’m sure Frank Zappa fans will be pleased with our selection of Joe’s Garage for the number one spot. There’s a lot of hand clapping in this one. It’s not at the start; it’s in two separate sections, but it’s very prominent. Joe’s Garage was released in 1979 and issued in two separate parts. There are so many classic songs on the Joe’s Garage albums, such as “Catholic Girls,” “Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?” and many more. The musicianship on these records was just extraordinary. How many artists would come up with a character called the Central Scrutinizer? Zappa was such a genius.
Read More: Frank Zappa’s Greatest Studio Guitar Solos
10 Most Underrated Hand Clapping Songs In Rock Music article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2024
About The Author
Brian Kachejian
Brian Kachejian was born in Manhattan and raised in the Bronx. He is the founder and Editor in Chief of ClassicRockHistory.com. He has spent thirty years in the music business often working with many of the people who have appeared on this site. Brian Kachejian also holds B.A. and M.A. degrees from Stony Brook University along with New York State Public School Education Certifications in Music and Social Studies. Brian Kachejian is also an active member of the New York Press.