“Up Around The Bend” by Creedence Clearwater Revival

 From the start, the guitar riff in “Up Around the Bend” captures you with its sharp and unpolished sound. The song is just as upbeat as its message. Creedence Clearwater Revival tracks have an undeniable habit of setting the tone of the song with its opening riff. Have a listen to the first 12 seconds of “Have You Ever Seen The Rain”; play the first 17 seconds of “Fortunate Son”; listen to the first five seconds of “Bad Moon Rising” and the first 22 seconds of “Down On The Corner.” You’ll see what I mean.

After you listen to the beginning of these songs, you might not want to press pause. The listener is swiftly pulled into the song with the lyrics and catchy riff, transporting the audience with lines like, “there’s a place up ahead and I’m going/ Come along, come along with me…” and, “bring a song and a smile for the banjo/ Better get while the getting’s good.”

The idea for the song came to John Fogerty, lead singer and guitarist, while he was riding his motorcycle through California hills, according to his memoir, “Fortunate Son: My Life, My Music.” “Up Around The Bend” was released in 1970 as a part of their fifth album, “Cosmo’s Factory.”

“Midnight Rider” by the Allman Brothers

The intro tune to “Midnight Rider” will stay rent-free in your head and have you wishing you could charge it a fee. You may catch yourself humming to the beat of the guitar strums, but you won’t be able to catch the “Midnight Rider” once it’s stuck in your head. The song, released on the Allman Brothers’ 1970 album “Idlewild South,” is a certified classic. “Midnight Rider” invites the listener to make their own assumptions about who this traveler may be and what they’re running from.

If you feel as though you’ve worn out the tape with this track, you’ve probably heard the Allman Brothers’ “Blue Sky” off their 1972 album “Eat a Peach” plenty of times. I mention this so I can turn you towards other songs from these albums, such as “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” and “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’.”

“Witchy Woman” by the Eagles

Where to start with this one… maybe with the way it compels me to close my eyes and snap my fingers when the beat kicks in. The fast tempo reels you in but reveals a laid-back melody once it has you hooked and the lyrics begin. “Witchy Woman” was released on their 1972 namesake album, “Eagles,” and will have you “spellbound in the night” while listening to it. This silky piece will move you — but it’s not just the instrumental sound of it. The poetic lyrics are harmonized by the entire band, rendering your ears into submission of this devilishly charming production.

“D’yer Mak’er” by Led Zeppelin

Off-beat drums stop you in your tracks so you can focus on the melody four seconds in, proving “D’yer Mak’er” is a song you must listen to. Not just in general, but often, like taking a vitamin. “D’yer Mak’er” was released in 1973 off of Led Zeppelin’s “Houses of the Holy” album.

If you wouldn’t consider yourself well acquainted with Zeppelin, then you probably associate them with “Immigrant Song,” “Whole Lotta Love” or maybe “Black Dog.” Ergo, a hard rock sound shredded throughout their songs. “D’yer Mak’er” is much different. It strays from their assumed sound and introduces some reggae, offering a laid-back listening experience.

“Already Gone” by the Eagles

“Well I heard some people talkin’ just the other day… and they said you were…” looking for new music? You can add this one to your playlist. “Already Gone” by the Eagles was released in 1974 on their third album, “On the Border.” This song (though you could say the album as a whole) starts to slightly stray from the Eagles’ debut sound and introduces much more original rock and roll into their music.

Their second album, “Desperado,” integrates rock in a more “wild-west” sort of tune, but when it comes to “On The Border,” it was a time when more rock and roll elements were drawn into the Eagles’ sound. This was thanks to band member Glenn Frey taking inspiration from (friend) Bob Seger and (inspiration) rhythm-guitarist Chuck Berry. When you give “Already Gone” a listen, you won’t need to put in effort to learn the lyrics, because the chorus will already be stuck in your head. You’ll realize this is nothing to complain about.

“It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock and Roll)” by AC/DC

 Ain’t that right. This electric song will have you tapping your foot, nodding your head and singing along to the chorus in no time. It is much more on the metal and hard rock side than all the previous songs mentioned. In comparison to other hard rock music at the time, this piece unconventionally includes a bagpipe on the track, but don’t let that scare you away.

If the only songs you know by AC/DC consist of “Back in Black,” “Highway to Hell,” “Thunderstruck,” “You Shook Me All Night Long” or “T.N.T” … Need I tell you what to do? Give it a listen. With “It’s a Long Way to the Top,” the lyrics glaze over what it takes to make it big in the world of rock. You can make your own assumptions behind the meaning of the lyrics, but I believe we all have a good idea. It’s not all glamour, and it’s not just about the music and drugs and girls. “Gettin’ robbed/ Gettin’ old/ Gettin’ grey/ Gettin’ ripped off/ Underpaid…Second hand…” but, “that’s how it goes, playin’ in the band.” Of course, glamour comes along with it.

Juliana Yacoubian can be reached at [email protected].