The 3 Best Canadian Classic Rock Songs of All Time

I have often been involved in discussions about what rock songs, from which country, were the greatest. The question of this article is; which are the 3 best Canadian classic rock songs of all time? Here is my list.

I suggest that the top 3 are:

· American Woman

It is so quintessentially Canadian, given the notion that we live next door to an elephant, that my first pick would be about an American woman. Released in January of 1970, the song, "American Woman" made its way to the top of the Billboard 100 by March. The Guess Who performed and released the song, written by two of its members, Burton Cummings and Jim Hale, on the album of the same name, and as a single. The song created quite a stir in the United States as The Guess Who toured, and more and more audiences became aware they were a Canadian rather than an American band. The song was viewed by many as being anti-American. The band was anything, but political, as a perusal of their extensive library of music would quickly reveal. They were lovers and not fighters.

· Takin' Care of Business

Released as a single by Bachman Turner Overdrive in 1973 and was written by band leader Randy Bachman, formerly of The Guess Who. Bachman Turner Overdrive were forever linked to this song and its signature riff with echoes of the George Harrison riff in The Beatles song Paperback Writer. According to Randy Bachman, it was the most licensed song in Sony Music's publishing catalogue. Randy is recognized as one of Canada's premiere guitar players and many of the BTO releases are empowered by Bachman's superior guitar skills.

· Needle and the Damage Done

Neil Young continues to rock away after decades of fabulous music, this song still resonates as one of his best. The imagery of the damage done by the needle and the idea that "every junkie's like a setting sun" caught the folk-rock world by surprise. The song was written about one of the members of Neil's band Crazy Horse who was an addict. Neil released Danny Whitten from the band because of his heroin addiction and Danny died of an overdose shortly after. Neil went on to play in some legendary bands including Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Neil is a legend of rock and roll and folk-rock in particular. His songs and albums are legendary in the genre of Classic Rock.