10 Out of the Ordinary Songs for Guitar Hero

With the recent release of Guitar Hero: Smash Hits I(and the American public) feel like we have been let down. While I am happy that they have released these recycled songs into full band mode, they could have easily done that in the music store. Its like they mailed this one in. So starting today and for the weeks to follow I will be suggesting 10 songs in no particular order that could have been, or could hopefully be a part of a future version of Guitar Hero. Feel free to suggest your own songs in the comment section or completely mock me for my selections. Either or would be appreciated.

So as I was saying, for the next few weeks I will be releasing my lists. Each with its own special title. My thoughts for this one is if "Beat It" can be a GH song then why not these 10. Which is why this one is called...

10 Out of the Ordinary Songs for Guitar Hero

Remember these are in no particular order...

Victor Wooten "Me and My Bass Guitar"

So as to why I have chosen this song, its awesome. Give it a listen sometime(check out Youtube). Sure I know the song is all bass and vocals, I don't care. GH: World Tour had a Joe Satriani song with no lyrics so why not have this as the song that you play after you have gone through the bass career. It would be the bassist's version of "Through the Fire and Flames" as far as difficulty. It would make all those who enjoy "Slappin da bass" on GH(a la Paul Rudd from I Love You Man) elated. My phrase for this song, "So what if it's all bass, it's all awesome."

The Roots "Guns Are Drawn"

Who doesn't love the Roots? This is one of their better songs from The Tipping Point album. This one stands out above some of their others to me because of its good use of all instruments. Not just all bass and drums. Which speaking of those, as if it would be that hard to get ?uestlove to do motion capture for the drums. I mean if the band itself can be on Jimmy Fallon, what won't they do? In addition to the instrument use the lyrics wouldn't be heavily edited as some of their other songs. As those who have played the game know, there are a few words they do not like. Some Roots songs contain a lot of those.

Electric "Life is a Struggle (Remix)"

This is a little known hip hop group that I started listening to back in Salisbury. The best way to describe them or a group you could compare them to is the Roots. The regular version is pretty tight as well however its a drum machine and a lot of other things going on, nothing to do with a band. The remix edition does use a full band however is full on the bass and drums. So what it lacks in guitar it makes up there. Another positive is the lack of a whole lot of profanity, as in there is none. Thank god since my daughter Caylie loves to join in on the rocking. I have GH to thank for a lot of her vocabulary. So while the song starts out with a good balance of all instruments it definitely would be best on bass/drums.

Genesis "Sussidio"

Okay before you mock me and use a Family Guy or South Park reference hear me out. Obviously the vocals are good due to Phil Collins (insert South Park joke here) but that isn't all. The drums are awesome throughout the entire song with bass being a close second. Guitar is also well used in this but not as thoroughly as bass/drums. The guitar is used a whole lot more in this song then the previous, no real heavy solos though.

Prince and the Revolution "Computer Blue"

Now if you want guitar solos, Prince is your man. "Computer Blue" is not just a basketball play that owns Charlie Murphy and his group of flunkies. The guitar solo in the middle will completely own your soul if you attempt it on expert. I can't believe that a Prince song has not been on any GH games, completely ridiculous. As far as other memorable songs like "Darling Nikki" or "Little Red Corvette" I gave them a listen as well. "Darling Nikki" wouldn't make it past Red Octane censors since the song is about...a chick masturbating. Way to go Prince, when interviewed regarding this he was quoted as saying, "Owwww!" There is also more of a full use of a band in this song but what honestly sold it for me is the guitar solo from about the middle of the song that just goes on forever. It will also have you saying, "Owwww" when you try to play it. I can only imagine. Drums would also be pretty sweet on this however what I can't make out is much of a bass line but I'm sure its there. Either instrument you play will have you heading for the waters of Lake Minnetonka for purification.

Blackalicious "Green Light : Now Begin"

Now what this lacks in solos it makes up for in other instruments. This is one of the group's better songs off their Blazing Arrow album. There is a decent guitar section in the opening and in the end (around the 3 minute mark) but it doesn't really appear too much in between. Small sections here and there have guitar. The song itself is heavy on the drums and the bass. The interesting part would be getting all of the lyrics even close to right(that doesn't matter though, only pitch matters). Chief Xcel and the Gift of Gab are true artists in the form of hip hop so good luck to those of you vocalists out there. I think this is one song I could actually get the pitch on. All in all its a great song to chill to and something different for GH to try out.

Non Phixion w/ Steph (Deftones) & Christian and Ray (Fear Factory)

"The CIA is Still Trying to Kill Me"

If you are racking your brain as to whether or not the name Non Phixion sounds familiar, it doesn't. Although one of their songs was sampled in the Transporter during a fight scene. Not this song so I will move on. Now this is a remix version of "The CIA is Trying to Kill Me" but this one is far more superior when it comes to rocking. Heavy guitar riffs throughout, they are their hardest in the chorus, make this song a rap/hip hop song that truly rocks. The biggest issue with the song is how much it would have to be edited or cut up since it has more F-bombs then a B-52 bomber. The song is still awesome and deserves to be in GH and has the best chance of any other song from this genre.

Mos Def "Rock & Roll"

Let's stay in the same genre with another pretty good combo of hip hop and rock. With the tightly wound lyrics of Mos Def and the excellent use of a full band to back them up this one is can't miss. The song itself does start out slow, most songs are from his Black on Both Sides album, but the last minute of the song is insane. There is a minute long riff at the end that would make any pure rocker proud. It's not like this is the only section where the guitar is used however the beginning is very repetitive. Any one who plays the song if it were on GH would get sucked into the easy start and get owned in the end. Until of course they played it 30 million times.

James Brown "The Payback"

Get ready you mothers, for the big payback! Anyone who knows me is probably surprised that this isn't "Super Bad, pts. 1-2" due to my love of the movie White Men Can't Jump. I mean people called me Billy Ho when we used to play basketball in gym class back in the day. This isn't about me, its about the man who loves to jump back and kiss himself, hey! Part of me would love to be a fly on the wall, when anyone who thinks they know all of Brown's lyrics for the song, to see them fall on their face or completely screw up the pitch of one of his classic screams. As Eddie Murphy has pointed out before, that is a James Brown lyric. The reason for this song is due to its length and great opening that has probably been sampled, used in many hip hop/rap songs today. Also if anyone makes fun of you for screwing up the song you can drop this gem on them. "I don't know karate, but I know kaRAzy(spelled as pronounced)." So with the heavy amount of bass and guitar in this song, classic James Brown lyrics and it being sampled everywhere, how could this song not be in GH. It couldn't be any of the better knowns, some don't use all the instruments as much as this one. Now come on fellas, hit it and quit it!

George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic "We Want the Funk"

Well funk you very much, now with this song you have to know about its heavy bass line. You also have to know why, Bootsy Collins make it do what it do baby. Make him or George an unlockable and Bootsy's bass, the infamous star design, as well. The best two instruments would have to be bass, duh, and the drums. There could be another song that I just might not know out there that would be better however the ones I have heard this one would be best. Better known then others like "Stomp" that use full band. Plus we need the funk and we gotta have that funk, la da da da da, do do do do do do do owwwwwwwww.

So there you have it. 10 songs that are stuff you have never heard or would ever associate with GH. Other songs that were considered were Busta Rhymes & Lenny Kravitz "Make Noise" (denied because of the amount of profanity, there would be no lyrics if edited) along with "Anxiety" by the Black Eyed Peas. The song itself was just full of guitar riffs around the chorus and in the opening but otherwise it was little used. I could only choose 10 after all, do you know of any you would like to have? Let me hear your thoughts people!