The Ten Best Stone Roses Songs

With a tour and the chance of a new album on the horizon, 2016 is certainly looking bright for The Stone Roses. Successfully selling out four nights in Manchester and announcing their festival headline slot at this years T in the Park (not to mention those Glastonbury rumours), The Stone Roses are highlighting exactly why they’re more than just a long forgotten 90’s Madchester band. Maintaining a strong fanbase over the years The Stone Roses are just as popular, and relevant as ever. We count down their ten best tracks and what makes them so, so special.

10, Elephant Stone:

The debut of Mani, a cult legend amongst Roses fans. Couzens and Garner were given the boot and in stepped Mani and Squire. Ian Brown was slowly realising that his dreamier and wistful vocal style was more suited to the band than his somewhat questionable vocal range potential. The Roses were complete and finding themselves, a teaser single for their first and self titled album, the rest, as they say, is history.

9, Love Spreads:
A change from the norm, a heavy guitar and a quicker pace. It’s a harsh change, but a good change. The quicker pace sounds harsher and the tempo is amped up but my God it’s so good. A Stone Roses renaissance that was greatly welcomed by their adoring fans.

8, Ten Story Love Song:
A single from the Roses second album, The Second Coming, but could easily, and quite often has been, mistaken to have appeared on their first album. It is slower and more melodic, a slight hint of lethargic, but that works for the song. It contrasts the pace that was set by their first album sublimely. The Roses stood out amongst the heavily stagnated genre of Britpop, and with the benefit of hindsight that is a tremendous move on their behalf. Britpop was overpopulated and many bands slipped into the abyss of obscurity, Roses survived and lived on.

7, Sally Cinnamon:
It is somewhat unknown who Sally Cinnamon was, but if I was her, and had this song named after me, I would appreciate the hell out of it! The first commercially released single and one of the greatest, it can be seen as the birth of that unique entity known as the Stone Roses sound. Their debut single, “So Young” is not well known, for a reason, that reason being that it is a far cry from the sound and tone that the fans love and appreciate. This song gave them the platform, showcased their talent and introduced the world to the Stone Roses.

6, This is the One:
A single that has become the anthem of Manchester United Football Club, which may divide the opinion of many. It has the sense of occasion to it, a build up to a great climax and a real sense of celebration. It creates the atmosphere that will accompany a great event, getting the listeners ready. It has certainly worked as a means of getting people pumped up for a Manchester United match. The crowd hear this song come on and just know they are going to be in for a good time. Quite often now the results of the match do not seem to match this, but at least the music that accompanies them can give you a sense of expectancy.

5, She Bangs the Drums:
Flash back to The Stone Rose’s first album, kicking off with I Wanna be Adored, what could possibly follow that? She Bangs the Drums. This was actually the first Roses single that hit the charts, reaching an impressive number 38 (hard to believe looking at the bands popularity now) The subtle blend of bass and piano is one to be admired.

4, I Wanna be Adored:
A slow build-up to the opening song of the debut album. It’s commonplace now to say that their first album was their best, but having this song as the opening to said album sure gives it some leverage. A Manchester anthem that has grown into a timeless classic. Its simplicity is its advantage, it thrives from so little and creates pure brilliance.

3, I am the Resurrection:
A favourite amongst the fans and for many, the best ever. Not me though. Although it can boast 9 minutes of pure bliss and excellence there is just something about it that does not quite match Fools Gold and Waterfall. How do you create the perfect bookend to accompany the starting track of I Wanna be Adored? With this of course. It is a perfect way of showing just what the band are capable of, there is a moment of silence for around 30 seconds where you think the song is over, then it roars back into it with a screeching guitar rift that just lifts you so greatly.

2, Fools Gold:
Want a song that summarises the 90’s? Here it is. It has been described as a song that can define a generation. It’s long, but you don’t mind that, it’s simple, but that works so well. The fade and echo on Ian’s voice is hypnotic and the beat that is produced for upwards of nine minutes by the drum and bass just makes you want to dance along, the urge is somewhat irresistible and it almost feels natural to jive to this.

1, Waterfall:
A simply beautiful song that, for me, is just the most perfect example of the talent that The Stone Roses possess. It shows that they have almost limitless potential and the ability to push out the boundaries of what would be considered to many as contemporary rock music. They obliterate the common musical stereotypes and create their own norms. The hidden gem of a song that was sandwiched between I Wanna be Adored and I am the Resurrection, but for me this is the stand out song and the best song The Stone Roses ever created. Their talent knows no limits and their potential is limitless.