Recent discussion on SOT about bad Live albums. Well, REO Speedwagon has one of the BEST! "LIVE You Get What You Play For". One of the '70's great Live albums!
I agree with the below comments. Gary Richrath may be the single most underrated guitarist of the seventies. R.I.P.... I’ve always been partial to the Nine Lives album.
Well.... Gary was GOOD, but Ronnie Montrose was far more inventive, adventurous ( Ronnie also Produced and Engineered as well ) and driven than Gary ever was. No disrespect to Gary, but there's really no comparison.
1970borntorun Montrose was a spectacular player who is always recognized for it. My point is so was Gary and he deserves to be recognized with the other greats of the era.
I never liked the production on the R.E.O album. Very flat sounding. The live album, I feel fleshed out these songs much better. "Lightning" is a hidden gem
Richrath could be rocks most underrated guitarist. What a guitarist. 1.) Nine Lives 2.) You Can Tune A Piano, But You Can’t Tuna Fish 3.) Hi Infidelity 4.) R.E.O. 5.) Wheels Are Turnin’ 6.) R.E.O./T.W.O. 7.) Good Trouble 8.) Life As We Know It
REO Speedwagon was a band made for a greatest hits album and a few nuggets while the rest of their material is average or filler pub blues Pop Hard Rock. The Self Titled album, REO 2, and You Can Tune A Piano are definitely their best rounded albums and the guitar work is top notch.
Contrary to what you said about "Life As We Know It" not having any "rockin'" songs, "That Ain't Love" is a pretty good rocker imo. One of my favorite REO songs
Just listened to Nine Lives the other day. What a serious rocker. Gary fans (like me) might want to check out his one solo album. It's not a must have but it's worth a listen.
My albums from this band is.... *1)* You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish *2)* Live: You Get What You Play For *3)* Nine Lives *4)* Hi Infidelity *5)* Good Trouble Didn't care for first 6 & rest was meh.
I am not sure about where I would put the other albums but "You Can Tune A Piano But You Can't Tuna Fish" would be number 1...and "Nine Lives" would definately be Number 2, those two albums are just amazing!
Awww Pete! You did REO! you wont believe it but I was going to message last week to request you do a show on them but I felt I would be pelted with eggs and rotten cabbages! I got into the band because of Hi-Infidelity (gasp!), fell in love with Cronins distinct vocal, went back into the back catalog and found a real rock band! It was sad what the record company did to the band but thats where were at. Still love KC but yes, the vocals are not what they once were. Thanks for the vid Pete
Ranking the Speedwagon: 16. Good Trouble 15. Building the Bridge 14. Find Your own way home 13. The Earth, a Small Man, his Dog, and a Chicken 12. Life as we know it 11. Hi Infidelity 10. Lost in a Dream 9. Nine Lives 8. Wheels are Turnin' 7. This Time We Mean It 6. You can Tune a Piano, but You can't Tuna Fish 5. Riding the Storm Out 4. R.E.O. 3. REO Speedwagon 2. R.E.O. T.W.O. 1. Live: You Get What You Play For That Live album is One of the Greatest Live Albums of All Time!
So weak and neutered are Kevin's vocals these days-painful to hear him try and sing and someone close to him (everyone close to him!) needs to tell him to HANG IT UP! Tarnishing a great career-just stop it!
Big Elton John fan (70's material) but he also has been trying to sing lately, apparently after having his lungs removed, and I no longer even recognize the voice that is coming out of him! Believe he is now retired, for good, and it always saddens me to see my heroes, whether in music or sports, go out with a whimper......stars need to go out on top or at least somewhat near their pinnacle. I mean I reached my prime stacking lumber and cutting wood at Home Depot and retired at 22 yrs. old.....I just knew my sawing and wood organizing wasn't going to get any better. The opposite of Cronin is one Sammy Hagar, who is 102 yrs. old and can still BRING IT! Dude is incredible!
Their 1971 debut with Terry Luttrell & "Ridin' the Storm Out", "Lost in a Dream", & "This Time We Mean It" with Mike Murphy are my personal favorites because as much as I love the Kevin Cronin albums, I'm more of a fan of the groups early blues rock days
Favorite song from each album: - REO Speedwagon: Dead At Last - REO/TWO: Golden Country - RIdin' The Storm Out: Son Of A Poor Man (although I prefer the Kevin version) - Lost In A Dream: Wild As The Western Wind - This Time We Mean It: Headin' For A Fall - REO: Breakaway - You Can Tune A Piano But You Can't Tuna Fish: Time For Me To Fly - Nine Lives: Only The Strong Survive - Hi Infidelity: Don't Let Him Go - Good Trouble: Keep The Fires Burnin' - Wheels Are Turnin': I Do'Wanna Know - Life As We Know It: Variety Tonight
1) You Can Tune a Piano, But You Can’t Tuna Fish 2) Hi Infidelity 3) Nine Lives 4) R.E.O. Speedwagon 5) R.E.O./T.W.O. 6) Ridin’ the Storm Out 7) R.E.O. 8) This Time We Mean It 9) Lost in a Dream 10) Wheels Are Turnin’ 11) Good Trouble 12) The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken 13) Find Your Own Way Home 14) Building the Bridge 15) Life as We Know It
Great choice for a band ranking. I first got turned onto REO , by listening to a local college radio station , early 1979. They always played the LIVE version of 157 Riverside Ave, and Riding the Storm Out. I was totally blown away as a young teen. Of all places, I found NINE LIVES in a local public library! When they had cool records. I bought TUNA FISH and the LIVE LP at a used shop. Then , a year later,,,,shit changed. They became huge with Hi Infidelity, which i hated. Non rockers were lapping it up. Chick music. I couldnt get into it. Never have. I prefer the early days!
1977 "You Get What You Play For" (LIVE) is a great album too!! The song "Golden Country" (1977 live) was the first time I heard them on the FM radio!! Also the first time that I heard the word "s--t" on "157 Riverside Ave." I also think that "You Can't Tune A Piano, But You Can't Tuna Fish" was my # 1 pick!! Followed by REO "Two" at # 2. "Life As We Know It" is their worst album!!
Great, great band! I dig them a lot. Amazing ballads and awesome prog-rock songs. Kevin Cronin voice is unmistakable. I have "You can tune a piano..." and "Hi Infidelity" albums and like them both.
My REO ranking PART TWO (Part One is no doubt underneath it, as you scroll....) T*W*O. I like the production on this record. They did a good job mic’ing all the instruments, and Gary’s guitar in particular. About on par, in my opinion, with Wheels are Turning as far as songs goes. How The Story Goes is kinda tuneless and aimless, Little Queenie is completely unnecessary; I’m going to credit their original material shortage for that one, and possibly a Gary whim, but that should have been left out. Flash Tan Queen - it’s not bad. Good bass line, but then again, Philbin was a great bass player - with a great sound. Like You Do - I like that the songs here take their time developing; this sounds like a rock band being a rock band. No rushing the songs out for the sake of brevity. I probably like the live version of this song better (from You Get What You Play For). Golden Country is the perfect example of that, and it’s the lone standout in this album, in my opinion. Now it’s all good from here. R*E*O. The most you’ll hear from Gary on vocals on any album, so bonus points right out of the gate. Summer Love is great, Any Kind of Love too, I Believe Our Time Is Gonna Come I like in particular. Here’s Kev being Positive Kev and not being annoying like the sappy crap from Wheels and later. “This band is gonna make it” and yes! It does! Good for you Kev. I think this is one of his earliest best work. Keep Pushing and Breakway I think are not bad, but Flying Turkey Trot is garbage. Here guys! I got this guitar riff - let’s make a song out of that! And nobody could be bothered. “Let’s just not put lyrics or singing on this - it’ll do fine!” Yeah - no. It’s crap. You Can Tune a Piano… Again: you had ONE JOB to do - and we get a frickin’ FISH WITH A TUNING FORK IN ITS MOUTH! Anyhoo… This album to me is just so… weird. It’s not bad, it’s kinda good, but to me it doesn’t really all sound like REO, I can’t explain it. Roll With the Changes is a good Kevin song, Time to Fly - ditto. Runnin’ Blind is where it gets weird for me. It’s tuneless. It seems to propel forward at full speed, everybody play at “10” all throughout. Can’t hear a damn word that Kev shouts out - it’s all either mumbled or buried in the mix. Blazin’ Your Own Trail is pretty good, Sing to Me is another weird song. I don’t know what kind of place mentally I was in when I first bought this album. I must have listened to it a hundred times and it’s still the red-headed step child of their offspring. But I like the imagery of Sing To Me: sundowns, snow drifts, frozen fires - remember I said Gary was underrated? He’s very good at lyrics I find. Do You Know Where Your Woman Is Tonight - good vocal harmonies here. Say You Love me or Say Goodnight is self-indulgent, let’s-throw-everything-in-here-and-the-kitchen-sink (a sax solo??!?) Faking us out on the ending before going for another short round on the piano, that was a nice touch. Pretty good rocker I must say, if a little “busy”. Lucky for You?? Another weird number. I dunno. Maybe I’m the weird one. Find Your Own Way Home. Man! - REO’s back and they’re in great shape! The production is stellar; here’s a seasoned band that know what the hell they’re doing, with a little help in the studio from Joe Vannelli. Here they’re finally ditching their softer side and after a nine year absence, they had plenty of time to write songs and it shows. Smilin’ in the End, great opening rocker, funny lyrics too. All us journeyman band members relate. The title track is beautiful songwriting, hits you right in the chest. Kev the Lyricist at his very best. Top notch stuff. I Needed to Fall - come on: if you’re gonna write a sappy love song, can you do better than that? It can’t be done. Everything You Feel I still get goose bumps listening to that. I can’t say enough good things about this song. Dangerous Combination, it goes down a notch here but it’s still refreshing REO after having had to listen to all the other stuff forever. Lost On The Road of Love is just fun. Another Lifetime - this record was not a hit?? Where was everybody? This is a great damn record!! Nine Lives. I said it before I’ll say it again: they should have left the Chuck Berry out. Nobody needs to hear Chuck Berry being played by a thousandth artist for a thousandth time. Maybe the label was pressing them for another record - I dunno. Great production, great rockin’ album. Heavy on Your Love - excellent rocker. Drop It, ditto. Probably the 1st song I feel might be a direct jab at Gary, to start wedging a little acrimony in their relationship, but maybe I’m reading too much into their lyrics. Only the Strong Survive and especially Easy Money - Gary just shining here with top notch rockers. And dig the engaging lyrics in Easy Money about a drug mule’s tough luck story. Meet Me On the Mountain, more great imagery of mountains and Feelings faded, melted away with the dew - telling you: Gary was underrated. RIP, buddy. Take Me’s friggin’ great, love the vocal harmonies. The only weak number here, other than the bloated Chuck Berry standard is Need You Tonight. Can’t hit ‘em all out of the ballpark, am I right folks? Riding the Storm Out. Yeah, I know I said I wasn’t a Mike Murphy guy but this is how strong I think this record is; even with his grating voice, this record is that good. The classic opener, Whiskey Nights, the obligatory Gary paean to partying and its aftermath. Dig the wah-wah, again. Find My Fortune, I get my Gary song where he sings; it’s kind of a light, fun, gonna-make-it-rich-some-day song. Diggit. There just really isn’t a bad song on here. It’s not as rockin’ and moving, displacing air with the pounding rock like other albums might, but the songs per se are just… pretty damn good! And I love the sound of Gary’s guitar, not too overdriven, just with a little bit of grit. The mic’ing job on the drums is a bit underwhelming though. Hi Infidelity. Yeah, it’s the mighty Speedwagon pulling out all the stops for a hit so they’re leaning big time into poppier territory here, but man! What a payoff! This record needs no commentary, it speaks for itself. I have nothing bad to say about this record. In my humble opinion, it’s probably one of the very few “perfect albums” I could think about to bring to a desert island. It’s that good. They lose me (a tiny bit) on the closing number. I have fun imagining what Gary was thinking when he wrote In Your Letter. “You want candy-ass pop? Heeeeere’s some candy-ass crap! G, E minor, C and D, bitches!" and he wrote that song. I like it! And my all-time fave - hasn’t been dislodged from number one all these years: Good Trouble. This album gets all kinds of flak for not being as good as its predecessor, and I only agree insofar as it has the song Back In My Heart Again - and still not a bad song at that. It is my belief that this one rocks harder than Hi Infidelity. You got scorchers like Good Trouble - Kev! My man! - and what a solo by Gary! I’ll Follow You, again featuring excellent Gary lyrics, like he’s right there next to you telling you a story. Two very underrated Bruce songs, Let’s Be-Bop and Girl With the Heart of Gold, the former being a touching statement about a guy finally making it big with his band and the latter his best song ever, in my opinion. Every Now and Then, yet another pearl from Gary the ever-underrated lyricist, and the awesome Stillness of the Night, where he tells of exorcising his demons when the darkness comes, by “making it right” “stopping the thunder til the light”. Just great stuff, REO at their best. So there you have it. Wish Gary had left us an autobiography, but I’m sure to buy Kev’s if he can just release the damn thing already. Peace.
A pretty underrated band, IMO. My top eleven are all worth owning. My top two could flip around. 15) Lost in a Dream 14) This Time We Mean It 13) Building the Bridge 12) Find Your Own Way Home 11) R.E.O. 10) Good Trouble 9) The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken 8) Wheels Are Turnin' 7) Life as We Know It (This holds some nostalgia for me... it's not great.) 6) R.E.O./T.W.O. 5) R.E.O. Speedwagon 4) Ridin' the Storm Out 3) Nine Lives (Maybe their heaviest album) 2) Hi Infidelity (It sold a ton of copies for a reason.) 1) You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish (Roll With The Changes is still my favorite song of theirs.) Thanks, Simon & Pete!
REO Speedwagon, a band you never knew what you were gonna get. They gave us some great songs and albums and others that were at the opposite end. A band I've very much enjoyed listening to over the years! I saw them in concert at CNE stadium in Toronto in 1982. Here's my top 10 ranking of their albums..... 1 Hi Infidelity 2 You Can Tune a Piano, But You Can't Tuna Fish 3 Nine Lives 4 Good Trouble 5 Wheels are Turnin' 6 Ridin' the Storm Out 7 R.E.O. / T.W.O. 8 Life as We Know it 9 The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken 10 REO Speedwagon
REO Speedwagon are one of those bands that drive me crazy. They produce songs like Back On The Road Again to show how great they could be but settled for the insipid mush like Keep on Lovin you etc..
I agree. The uptempo Rock songs are great, but Reo churned out FAR too much mushy, overly-commercial stuff to keep me interested. At least with Journey, their slow songs are incredibly well-Produced, have the ALWAYS tasty Neal Schon wailing away, and the songs stick with you.
I prefer their pre Hi Infidility period, I think it rocks much harder. 1 Nine Lives 2 REO 2 3 REO Speedwagon 4 REO 5 You can't tune a Piano, but you Can Tuna Fish (Hope I've got that the correct way round) 6 The Earth, A Small Man etc 7 Lost In A Dream 8 Wheels Are Turnin. 9 Reelin' 10 High Infidelity.
If anyone out there had the cure for "BALLADITIS", I wish they could have sent it to Aerosmith, Journey, Chicago, and yes, Reo Speedwagon.....all of whom forgot to bring their guitars to the studio, one too many times!!!
Cronin recorded quite a bit of Ridin' The Storm Out before he left the band. They released the original studio take of Ridin' The Storm Out with Kevin's vocals some years back. His vocal take of Poor Man's Son is on A Decade Of Hits.
1. REO/TWO 2. You Can Tune A Piano But You Can't Tuna FIsh 3. REO Speedwagon 4. Lost In A Dream 5. Nine Lives 6. Ridin' The Storm Out 7. REO 8. Hi Infidelity 9. This Time We Mean It 10. Wheels Are Turnin' 11. Good Trouble 12. Life As We Know It
‘I’ll follow you’ is the premier song on Good Trouble in my opinion. This song sounds like it should’ve been on ‘Tuna’. Great piano hammering and a great Richrath outro.
She doesn't like the tough guys They think that they can do anything they please But they're gonna get a surprise When she brings them to their knees...
1. R.E.O./T.W.O. 2. Ridin' the Storm Out 3. Lost in a Dream 4. R.E.O. 5. You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish 6. R.E.O. Speedwagon 7. Nine Lives 8. This Time We Mean It 9. Hi Infidelity 10. Good Trouble The rest I've only heard once or twice
I loved this band so much. My gods in the 80s were ELO, Supertramp, Chicago and REO Speedwagon. Two bands from England, three from the US. I had a major love affair with Hi Infidelity. Now I really should investigate your top picks.
I disagree with most of the people on here. REO Speedwagon's 1980s music is far better than their 1970s music as well as their 1990s and beyond music. Their ballads touch at the heart strings. "Hi Infidelity," "You Can Tune a Piano..," "Good Trouble," and "Wheels Are Turnin;" are the best REO Speedwagon albums.
I'd need a re-listen to rank the lower albums, but this is probably the top six for me: 6. REO Speedwagon (debut) 5. Riding the Storm Out 4. T.W.O. 3. Hi Infidelity 2. R.E.O. (aka C.O.W.) 1. You Can Tune A Piano...
First song I ever heard by them was Back on the Road Again - an absolute classic, so my fave studio album is Nine Lives. Next in line are REO Speedwagon and REO 2 then Tuna fish then Hi Fidelity and REO. After that , yes they are more wimpfest than metal but sometimes a bit of sugar is whats needed so I'll go with Wheels are Turning , Life as We Know it and Good Trouble. Next up are the three Mike Murphy albums - not so keen on his voice but love Richrath's guitar which is why the post Richraths all sit at the bottom of my list though strangely I do kind of like the title to the earth, a small man, is dog and a chicken. That being said my favourite of all their albums is the Live get what you play for, then the live stuff on Second Decade of Rock and Roll and the live 1980-90 on the classic years box set - I didnt get the first box as like Pete I got the early ones on the BGO 2 for 1s though I had to get the 1980-90 box to get everything after Good Trouble up to the earth etc.. as I only had a couple on worn out cassette tapes, and it has the live cd as well.
Here are my favorites My nasty 9 9. Lost In. A Dream 8. Nine Lives 7. This Time We Mean It 6. REO Speedwagon 5. Ridin The Storm Out 4. R.E.O. 3. You Can’t Tuna Piano But you Can Tuna Fish 2. You Get What You Play For 1. R.E.O. TWO
1: nine lives 2: you can tune a piano but you can’t tuna fish 3: hi infidelity 4: T.W.O 5: Good Trouble 6: the earth a small man his dog and a chicken 7: REO (cow) 8: riding the storm out 9: wheels are turning 10: life as we know it 11: building the bridge 12: find your own way home 13: REO Speedwagon 14: this time we mean it 15: lost in a dream
REO is one of those odd bands for me. Loved them growing up and then I went and seen them live. Kevin Cronin destroyed them for me with his 10 minute stories before every song. Now, whenever I hear them, I keep hearing his high pitched 100 word a minute rant for each song in my head. Wished I never took that free ticket to that concert as I really enjoyed them at one point.
Late to the party but I'm very partial to a bit of REO. I like all their albums well enough. Everything from my #12 would score at least 4/5. They never did become a ballad band. Apart from compilations, there were never more than two on an album. Using that sort of criterion, The Scorpions are also a ballad band. Anyway, my rankings: 15: This Time We Mean It 14: Debut 13: Find Your Own Way Home 12: Nine Lives 11: Ridin' The Storm Out 10: The Earth, A Small Man, His Dog & A Chicken 9. Lost In A Dream 8. Building The Bridge 7. REO/TWO 6. Life As We Know It 5. Wheels Are Turnin' 4. High Infidelity 3. REO 2. Good Trouble 1. You Can Tune A Piano But You Can't Tuna Fish
Here is an excerpt of a previous comment i made on another SPEEDWAGON ranking: I first saw Bruce Hall play at a school assembly in 1967 or 68 with a band called Purple Haze. I think Bruce was singing Back On the Road Again almost that far back. A couple years later I saw him play in a band with Gary Richrath called Feather Train. I saw Gary's first gig with Speedwagon, 50 cent cover at the Urbana Civic Center. I saw that lineup a half dozen times or so. They were really good live. Saw them in the neighborhood park for free. Once time was at the Champaign County Fair. That show was after they had recorded their first album, but before it's release. I have a live recording of that show, a cassette recording made from the audience They played 5 songs from the first record, Gypsy Woman's Passion, 157 Riverside Avenue, Anti Establishment Man, Lay Me Down, Sophisticated Lady, and also Golden Country, a never recorded song called Young Girl On The Mountain Side, and they finished the show as they always did, with Sympathy for the Devil. That closer was a holdover from when Steve Scorfina (Pavlov's Dog) was playing in the band. I saw them play with Cronin at the time of T.W.O.. Their stage setup looked identical to the TWO cover. That was the only time that I saw them with Kevin, and I saw them only once more with Mike Murphy (though I saw Mike play many times with Bruce in the One Eyed Jacks). That show was at the Illinois State Fair, opening the show for Joe Walsh (Smoker tour) and Leon Russell, about 1973. I haven't seen them since then, but one night about 15 years ago Kevin Cronin and Brian Hitt walked into the club that my band was playing at, and they sat in on a couple songs. We played Keep Pushin' & Roll With the Changes. All of my friends called them SPEEDWAGON for short, which has a lot more BALLS than REO.
5 - REO 2 4 - Nine Lives 3 - Wheels Are Turning 2 - You Can Tune A Piano, But You Can't Tune A Fish 1 - Hi Infidelity *You forgot "Find You're Own Way Home" It's an alright album
With all the singer this band has had I thought it would have been a schizophrenic experience, but most of the material is pretty consistent, although I mostly shun the 80s albums now
I'm not familiar with a lot of those albums towards the bottom of your list, which is probably a good thing. I'm glad you liked Nine Lives as much as you did, it is definitely one of my favorites and you can listen to the whole thing. I guess you aren't including You Get What you Play for, it being a live album, but I'm curious how it would rank in your opinion? One of my favorites also, and the first REO album I would grab if I wanted to listen to REO.
They were best from 1978 to '80, especially their #1 (roll... is their standout with killer/funny solos) and half of the famous one. In your letter never gets any respect! Can't understand early stuff nor like anything post-Wheels, judging by a few songs. Gotta listen more. Last point is how great richrath was until cronin took full control: not hard to imagine him writing take it on the run. Even those other mtv hits are listenable, despite that channel ruining the business for a while.
I knew he would put Life as we know it last, behind crap from Murphy and Luttrell. It's always rocking/bluesy with him, even if the song stinks. So predictable.
1. Hi Infidelity (80) 2. Good Trouble (82) 3. You Can Tune A Piano, But You Can't Tuna Fish (78) 4. Nine Lives (79) 5. Wheels Are Turnin' (84) 6. Life As We Know It (87).
From a songwriting standpoint, Kevin and Gary wrote 4 songs apiece on Good Trouble. Gary's songwriting output noticeably decreased with Wheels are Turnin' and was almost nothing on Life As We know it.
lol i loooovvveeee reo - all the old stuff for sure going back to REO TWO… i also love their more pop-ish but i stop after wheels are turnin. I have all the albums thru life as we know it but wouldnt buy one without Gary Richrath. But on wheels r turnin i actually love rock and roll star - and mtv did a special - u can see it on you tube and u see gary recording the solo for that one - very cool. Live every moment on that album also is aa great song- gary has a piercing lead in that one too
lol i loooovvveeee reo - all the old stuff for sure going back to REO TWO… i also love their more pop-ish but i stop after wheels are turnin. I have all the albums thru life as we know it but wouldnt buy one without Gary Richrath. But on wheels r turnin i actually love rock and roll star - and mtv did a special - u can see it on you tube and u see gary recording the solo for that one - very cool. Live every moment on that album also is aa great song- gary has a piercing lead in that one too
Gary Richrath sang at least one song on Ridin' The Storm Out, Lost In A Dream, This Time We Mean It, and he sang half the album on the COW album along with Cronin.
These rankings are wacky. This time we mean it better than Wheels are Turnin? That's their worst album. Even Cronin wouldn't be caught singing Reelin, a complete dorkfest of a song but the best thing on the album (still not a good song).;
4. TWO 3. Hi Infidelity 2. You Can Tune a Piano 1. Nine Lives - Heavy on Your Love is arguably their best-ever song, absolutely smokin'. Back on the Road Again kicks butt, both Drop It and Only the Strong Survive are catchy, infectious. I'm with Simon regarding their covers - Rock & Roll Music is terrible, should be on Pete's worst cover list when he does one.
Heavy On Your Love has played in my living room five thousand three hundred and sixty five times and I can't wait to crank it up again! Violent riff and heavy as Oprah! Yeah, man-you are on point with that mention and the Nine Lives album is easily their heaviest and Richrath really lets loose on this burner of a record! Just bought it on vinyl and feel it's a great way to introduce my new stylus to GROOVES OF FIRE!
Richrath was the best component of REOSW. Wheels .... and Nine Lives perhaps their best. Pete: jesus H. C. its distracting to CONTINUALLY put up with your suffering pets in the background.
My ranking of REO albums. Part One. (Full disclosure: I have never owned or heard in its entirety their first album and though I heard This Time We Mean It in its entirety, I don’t own it. In essence, from not having heard either album enough to have an honest opinion, I’m not including either of those two albums in this ranking. C’est la vie.) From worst to best: Last place: Life As We Know It. It suffers, first and foremost, from that horrendous, dry, soulless, sterile pablum eighties studio production. The songs are tame, uninspired - in my opinion the two songs that save the lot from being a total dumpster fire are That Ain’t Love and Neil’s Variety Tonight. Then listening to One Too Many Girlfriends is too painful; I can’t imagine poor Gary chugging along in a band that played songs about his own failings and not really bothering to do so discreetly or even trying to hide it. I think Gary died of a broken heart, but that’s just me and I digress. Building the Bridge. Oi… At least the title track is very good. Bruce’s Hey Wait a Minute is fun and quirky and different and funny. Good ol’ Bruce. REO’s secret weapon. He’s underutilized I find, as a source of material. But the rest of the album is drudgery to listen to. I Still Love You, okay, if you must, but the rest is an open baggie of smoking doodoo. One saving grace from this is that they didn’t overdo it with the eighties-studio sound. I guess bringing in those other producers helped save them. Lost In A Dream. I was never a Mike Murphy guy to begin with, his bawling meowing voice just irritates me. Wild as a Western Wind is good - I like when Gary sings. He’s underrated that guy, in so many ways. Throw the chains away, another Gary number, that’s pretty good. The band’s in good rockin’ form here. Down By The Dam… Other than that, I’m not in love with any of it. Kinda forgettable. Now it’s on to “Not Too Bad” territory. The Earth a Small Man His Dog and a Chicken. Who on earth did they put in charge of their album covers, for the love of god?? That guy had ONE JOB! And this is what he did with it. Anyway. I actually don’t dislike this album. Yeah sure, it’s still uber slick in the production department, but you get a sense of renewal, a fresh breath of air with Amato and Hitt and with Harms taking on a fair share of the songwriting. The songs overall don’t suck. In my opinion, Love Is A Rock, a tongue-in-cheek number about somebody’s wang, is quite good. All Heaven Broke Loose is very good. One of Kev’s best straight-from-the-heart songs, for lyrics, is Half Way. The Heart Survives, he’s done worse than this. But L.I.A.R and Go For Broke fall a bit flat; they’re obviously meant to show the world that this rejuvenated Speedwagon is still capable of rocking out, but… m’eh. They’ve done better. “Love is Alright”… gimme a break. Wheels Are Turning. In my opinion, the first “Kev’s firmly in command” album, sidelining Gary and his “evil ways”. We’re gonna get healthy, we’re gonna live healthy and we’re gonna write some more about our feelings and doing good and turn our backs forever on our bad ways of yore. “Live Every Moment”, that’s where Kev’s heart is at. Not a terrible song but nowhere near the old rocking REO. But sappy as the “new” Kevin can be with smoking turds like this one and “Gotta Feel More”, man he can still churn out the goods, like the title track! I Do’ Wanna Know is fun and catchy and rocking all at once. Dig Gary on the wah-wah pedal here. And speaking of Gary, “Break His Spell” - not one of his best but I kinda like it. And the Brewster puts in his “Through the Window”, which again, not his best effort, but not too shabby. Kinda wish he’d sung it instead of Kevin. Can't Fight This Feeling I never, ever need to hear again. The rest is forgettable.
After Gary left that was pretty much it for REO. As much as Kevin rocked out in their early albums he just preferred the sappy ballads over anything else. To this day I can't stand "Can't Fight This Feeling'. Horrible, horrible song from this band.
I'll fight anyone who plays "I Can't Fight This Feeling".....absolute trash and is perfect to combat Viagra that is working "too well". I would rather listen to the sound of my own death than this utter shite that literally blows and sucks at the same time! Also, I really hate this song.
I will exclude anything before "Tuna fish" as that's when I started listening to them and I like the 80's stuff the best. 1. Hi-Infidelity 2. Life As we Know it 3. Good Trouble 4. You can't tune a piano... 5. The Earth, A small man,... 6. Wheels Are Turnin' 7. Nine Lives 8. Building the Bridge 9. Find Your Own Way Home
Richrath was an incredibly gifted player. Totally underrated. And he plays the mighty Les Paul.
He made a good solo album: Richrath - Only the strong survive - which is worth given a listen
Huge tone, great riffs, volcanic soloing.....Gary crushed it LIVE, every damn time!
Recent discussion on SOT about bad Live albums. Well, REO Speedwagon has one of the BEST! "LIVE You Get What You Play For". One of the '70's great Live albums!
absolutely, not a dud track on the whole thing,....their finest moment
Golden Country Live version is awesome !
I agree awesome live album, great live songs.
Up there with the other great live albums f in the 70's along with Foghat, Kiss, Frampton!
I think it’s one of the best live records ever. Absolutely love it
REO starts and ends with Gary Richrath. My favorite is the “cow” album and REO 2 with Golden Country. The Get WhatYou Play For live album is super too
Philip Seymour Hoffman lives! ". . Tuna Fish" is my favorite album, too!
REO was great....until they suffered the Peter Cetera syndrome of swishy love songs to find that pot of gold😉
Don’t feel there is nothing wrong with that
I agree with the below comments. Gary Richrath may be the single most underrated guitarist of the seventies. R.I.P.... I’ve always been partial to the Nine Lives album.
Well.... Gary was GOOD, but Ronnie Montrose was far more inventive, adventurous ( Ronnie also Produced and Engineered as well ) and driven than Gary ever was. No disrespect to Gary, but there's really no comparison.
@@1970borntorun Where was he making a comparison to Ronnie Montrose? Maybe I am missing something.
I have always said that about Gary. Very underrated.
1970borntorun Montrose was a spectacular player who is always recognized for it. My point is so was Gary and he deserves to be recognized with the other greats of the era.
@@captainbeyond7469 Well said! He is a favorite of mine.
I got to say that the 1970s albums I like better than the 1980s albums
Of course that's usually the given with all top classic rock bands
Nine Lives was the last good album.
I never liked the production on the R.E.O album. Very flat sounding. The live album, I feel fleshed out these songs much better. "Lightning" is a hidden gem
Love lightning!!
Not eligible for Ranking the Studio Albums but You Get What You Play For is REO's greatest album IMHO
Richrath could be rocks most underrated guitarist. What a guitarist.
1.) Nine Lives
2.) You Can Tune A Piano, But You Can’t Tuna Fish
3.) Hi Infidelity
4.) R.E.O.
5.) Wheels Are Turnin’
6.) R.E.O./T.W.O.
7.) Good Trouble
8.) Life As We Know It
Nine Lives - their best album IMO, although Tuna Fish ain't no slouch.
Nine Lives is their heaviest and really kicks so much ass! KIller riffs all over that thing! LOve Tuna Fish as well!
REO Speedwagon was a band made for a greatest hits album and a few nuggets while the rest of their material is average or filler pub blues Pop Hard Rock. The Self Titled album, REO 2, and You Can Tune A Piano are definitely their best rounded albums and the guitar work is top notch.
Of please!!!
Knowing you don't include live albums, theirs is the best record they ever did. RIP Gary
I agree totally.
You took the worlds right of my mouth, excellent live album.
Gentlemen!!
FANTASTIC COUNTDOWN!!
I’m from central IL , grew up on R.E.O. and Gary is the reason I play a Les Paul !
RIP GARY DEAN RICHRATH!!
Gary was the best !! I used to live in Decatur.
Loved their 70's music but they sold out in the eighties much like Aerosmith. Gary was an amazing guitarist!
I totally agree with you 👍 👏👏👏👏👏👏
ALL Their albums are good!!!
Do you believe a reason you don’t like their 80’s stuff is because a lot of it was played all over the radio?
Except REO didn't need help from outside songwriters.
@@aaronshoaf4644 no I was a Gary fan and not so much a Kevin C fan. It was the same with Van Halen it was Eddie that I went to see.
My first guitar was a Les Paul and it’s because I was Gary Richrath freak! Such a great player!
I own one too because of him and other Les Paul players.
Contrary to what you said about "Life As We Know It" not having any "rockin'" songs, "That Ain't Love" is a pretty good rocker imo. One of my favorite REO songs
I love that album! Variety Tonight, Can't Get you out of my heart", That Ain't Love" , etc., are all great songs.
Agreed, I think that this is a pretty solid album, I starting at Girlfriends and thru to Over the edge is a solid 4 pack. I dig it!
I love Variety tonight@@rzrbckmz23
Just listened to Nine Lives the other day. What a serious rocker. Gary fans (like me) might want to check out his one solo album. It's not a must have but it's worth a listen.
I love Nine lives some awesome tracks on it
My albums from this band is....
*1)* You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish
*2)* Live: You Get What You Play For
*3)* Nine Lives
*4)* Hi Infidelity
*5)* Good Trouble
Didn't care for first 6 & rest was meh.
I am not sure about where I would put the other albums but "You Can Tune A Piano But You Can't Tuna Fish" would be number 1...and "Nine Lives" would definately be Number 2, those two albums are just amazing!
Their Live record, You Get What You Play For, was epic.
When I tell people my favorite REO songs are "5 men were killed today" and "Candalera", I get some puzzled looks lol
Love those. Plus I know they dissed Lost in a Dream but I love the title track.
Awww Pete! You did REO! you wont believe it but I was going to message last week to request you do a show on them but I felt I would be pelted with eggs and rotten cabbages! I got into the band because of Hi-Infidelity (gasp!), fell in love with Cronins distinct vocal, went back into the back catalog and found a real rock band! It was sad what the record company did to the band but thats where were at. Still love KC but yes, the vocals are not what they once were. Thanks for the vid Pete
REO - University of Illinois! The live album is really great !
I think that "Earth....."is under rated. A lot of great songs on that album IMHO
Ranking the Speedwagon:
16. Good Trouble
15. Building the Bridge
14. Find Your own way home
13. The Earth, a Small Man, his Dog, and a Chicken
12. Life as we know it
11. Hi Infidelity
10. Lost in a Dream
9. Nine Lives
8. Wheels are Turnin'
7. This Time We Mean It
6. You can Tune a Piano, but You can't Tuna Fish
5. Riding the Storm Out
4. R.E.O.
3. REO Speedwagon
2. R.E.O. T.W.O.
1. Live: You Get What You Play For
That Live album is One of the Greatest Live Albums of All Time!
Cronin's vocals are HORRIBLE NOW,and have been for about 25 plus years
I agree with you 100%.
So weak and neutered are Kevin's vocals these days-painful to hear him try and sing and someone close to him (everyone close to him!) needs to tell him to HANG IT UP! Tarnishing a great career-just stop it!
@@treffbennett6534 you're right ,he's horrible, ..retire already
Big Elton John fan (70's material) but he also has been trying to sing lately, apparently after having his lungs removed, and I no longer even recognize the voice that is coming out of him! Believe he is now retired, for good, and it always saddens me to see my heroes, whether in music or sports, go out with a whimper......stars need to go out on top or at least somewhat near their pinnacle. I mean I reached my prime stacking lumber and cutting wood at Home Depot and retired at 22 yrs. old.....I just knew my sawing and wood organizing wasn't going to get any better. The opposite of Cronin is one Sammy Hagar, who is 102 yrs. old and can still BRING IT! Dude is incredible!
Their 1971 debut with Terry Luttrell & "Ridin' the Storm Out", "Lost in a Dream", & "This Time We Mean It" with Mike Murphy are my personal favorites because as much as I love the Kevin Cronin albums, I'm more of a fan of the groups early blues rock days
You forgot to mention Wild As The Western Wind, that's a great song, Gary sings it.
Favorite song from each album:
- REO Speedwagon: Dead At Last
- REO/TWO: Golden Country
- RIdin' The Storm Out: Son Of A Poor Man (although I prefer the Kevin version)
- Lost In A Dream: Wild As The Western Wind
- This Time We Mean It: Headin' For A Fall
- REO: Breakaway
- You Can Tune A Piano But You Can't Tuna Fish: Time For Me To Fly
- Nine Lives: Only The Strong Survive
- Hi Infidelity: Don't Let Him Go
- Good Trouble: Keep The Fires Burnin'
- Wheels Are Turnin': I Do'Wanna Know
- Life As We Know It: Variety Tonight
@Donald Duck It's a great song, I can't believe Pete didn't mention it.
1) You Can Tune a Piano, But You Can’t Tuna Fish
2) Hi Infidelity
3) Nine Lives
4) R.E.O. Speedwagon
5) R.E.O./T.W.O.
6) Ridin’ the Storm Out
7) R.E.O.
8) This Time We Mean It
9) Lost in a Dream
10) Wheels Are Turnin’
11) Good Trouble
12) The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken
13) Find Your Own Way Home
14) Building the Bridge
15) Life as We Know It
Great choice for a band ranking. I first got turned onto REO , by listening to a local college radio station , early 1979. They always played the LIVE version of 157 Riverside Ave, and Riding the Storm Out. I was totally blown away as a young teen. Of all places, I found NINE LIVES in a local public library! When they had cool records. I bought TUNA FISH and the LIVE LP at a used shop. Then , a year later,,,,shit changed. They became huge with Hi Infidelity, which i hated. Non rockers were lapping it up. Chick music. I couldnt get into it. Never have. I prefer the early days!
Philip Seymour Hoffman is alive and well and living in the North of England.
Hhahah ya beat me to it
1977 "You Get What You Play For" (LIVE) is a great album too!! The song "Golden Country" (1977 live) was the first time I heard them on the FM radio!! Also the first time that I heard the word "s--t" on "157 Riverside Ave." I also think that "You Can't Tune A Piano, But You Can't Tuna Fish" was my # 1 pick!! Followed by REO "Two" at # 2. "Life As We Know It" is their worst album!!
Great, great band! I dig them a lot. Amazing ballads and awesome prog-rock songs. Kevin Cronin voice is unmistakable. I have "You can tune a piano..." and "Hi Infidelity" albums and like them both.
My REO ranking PART TWO (Part One is no doubt underneath it, as you scroll....)
T*W*O. I like the production on this record. They did a good job mic’ing all the instruments, and Gary’s guitar in particular. About on par, in my opinion, with Wheels are Turning as far as songs goes. How The Story Goes is kinda tuneless and aimless, Little Queenie is completely unnecessary; I’m going to credit their original material shortage for that one, and possibly a Gary whim, but that should have been left out. Flash Tan Queen - it’s not bad. Good bass line, but then again, Philbin was a great bass player - with a great sound. Like You Do - I like that the songs here take their time developing; this sounds like a rock band being a rock band. No rushing the songs out for the sake of brevity. I probably like the live version of this song better (from You Get What You Play For). Golden Country is the perfect example of that, and it’s the lone standout in this album, in my opinion.
Now it’s all good from here.
R*E*O. The most you’ll hear from Gary on vocals on any album, so bonus points right out of the gate. Summer Love is great, Any Kind of Love too, I Believe Our Time Is Gonna Come I like in particular. Here’s Kev being Positive Kev and not being annoying like the sappy crap from Wheels and later. “This band is gonna make it” and yes! It does! Good for you Kev. I think this is one of his earliest best work. Keep Pushing and Breakway I think are not bad, but Flying Turkey Trot is garbage. Here guys! I got this guitar riff - let’s make a song out of that! And nobody could be bothered. “Let’s just not put lyrics or singing on this - it’ll do fine!” Yeah - no. It’s crap.
You Can Tune a Piano… Again: you had ONE JOB to do - and we get a frickin’ FISH WITH A TUNING FORK IN ITS MOUTH! Anyhoo… This album to me is just so… weird. It’s not bad, it’s kinda good, but to me it doesn’t really all sound like REO, I can’t explain it. Roll With the Changes is a good Kevin song, Time to Fly - ditto. Runnin’ Blind is where it gets weird for me. It’s tuneless. It seems to propel forward at full speed, everybody play at “10” all throughout. Can’t hear a damn word that Kev shouts out - it’s all either mumbled or buried in the mix. Blazin’ Your Own Trail is pretty good, Sing to Me is another weird song. I don’t know what kind of place mentally I was in when I first bought this album. I must have listened to it a hundred times and it’s still the red-headed step child of their offspring. But I like the imagery of Sing To Me: sundowns, snow drifts, frozen fires - remember I said Gary was underrated? He’s very good at lyrics I find. Do You Know Where Your Woman Is Tonight - good vocal harmonies here. Say You Love me or Say Goodnight is self-indulgent, let’s-throw-everything-in-here-and-the-kitchen-sink (a sax solo??!?) Faking us out on the ending before going for another short round on the piano, that was a nice touch. Pretty good rocker I must say, if a little “busy”. Lucky for You?? Another weird number. I dunno. Maybe I’m the weird one.
Find Your Own Way Home. Man! - REO’s back and they’re in great shape! The production is stellar; here’s a seasoned band that know what the hell they’re doing, with a little help in the studio from Joe Vannelli. Here they’re finally ditching their softer side and after a nine year absence, they had plenty of time to write songs and it shows. Smilin’ in the End, great opening rocker, funny lyrics too. All us journeyman band members relate. The title track is beautiful songwriting, hits you right in the chest. Kev the Lyricist at his very best. Top notch stuff. I Needed to Fall - come on: if you’re gonna write a sappy love song, can you do better than that? It can’t be done. Everything You Feel I still get goose bumps listening to that. I can’t say enough good things about this song. Dangerous Combination, it goes down a notch here but it’s still refreshing REO after having had to listen to all the other stuff forever. Lost On The Road of Love is just fun. Another Lifetime - this record was not a hit?? Where was everybody? This is a great damn record!!
Nine Lives. I said it before I’ll say it again: they should have left the Chuck Berry out. Nobody needs to hear Chuck Berry being played by a thousandth artist for a thousandth time. Maybe the label was pressing them for another record - I dunno. Great production, great rockin’ album. Heavy on Your Love - excellent rocker. Drop It, ditto. Probably the 1st song I feel might be a direct jab at Gary, to start wedging a little acrimony in their relationship, but maybe I’m reading too much into their lyrics. Only the Strong Survive and especially Easy Money - Gary just shining here with top notch rockers. And dig the engaging lyrics in Easy Money about a drug mule’s tough luck story. Meet Me On the Mountain, more great imagery of mountains and Feelings faded, melted away with the dew - telling you: Gary was underrated. RIP, buddy. Take Me’s friggin’ great, love the vocal harmonies. The only weak number here, other than the bloated Chuck Berry standard is Need You Tonight. Can’t hit ‘em all out of the ballpark, am I right folks?
Riding the Storm Out. Yeah, I know I said I wasn’t a Mike Murphy guy but this is how strong I think this record is; even with his grating voice, this record is that good. The classic opener, Whiskey Nights, the obligatory Gary paean to partying and its aftermath. Dig the wah-wah, again. Find My Fortune, I get my Gary song where he sings; it’s kind of a light, fun, gonna-make-it-rich-some-day song. Diggit. There just really isn’t a bad song on here. It’s not as rockin’ and moving, displacing air with the pounding rock like other albums might, but the songs per se are just… pretty damn good! And I love the sound of Gary’s guitar, not too overdriven, just with a little bit of grit. The mic’ing job on the drums is a bit underwhelming though.
Hi Infidelity. Yeah, it’s the mighty Speedwagon pulling out all the stops for a hit so they’re leaning big time into poppier territory here, but man! What a payoff! This record needs no commentary, it speaks for itself. I have nothing bad to say about this record. In my humble opinion, it’s probably one of the very few “perfect albums” I could think about to bring to a desert island. It’s that good. They lose me (a tiny bit) on the closing number. I have fun imagining what Gary was thinking when he wrote In Your Letter. “You want candy-ass pop? Heeeeere’s some candy-ass crap! G, E minor, C and D, bitches!" and he wrote that song. I like it!
And my all-time fave - hasn’t been dislodged from number one all these years: Good Trouble. This album gets all kinds of flak for not being as good as its predecessor, and I only agree insofar as it has the song Back In My Heart Again - and still not a bad song at that. It is my belief that this one rocks harder than Hi Infidelity. You got scorchers like Good Trouble - Kev! My man! - and what a solo by Gary! I’ll Follow You, again featuring excellent Gary lyrics, like he’s right there next to you telling you a story. Two very underrated Bruce songs, Let’s Be-Bop and Girl With the Heart of Gold, the former being a touching statement about a guy finally making it big with his band and the latter his best song ever, in my opinion. Every Now and Then, yet another pearl from Gary the ever-underrated lyricist, and the awesome Stillness of the Night, where he tells of exorcising his demons when the darkness comes, by “making it right” “stopping the thunder til the light”. Just great stuff, REO at their best.
So there you have it.
Wish Gary had left us an autobiography, but I’m sure to buy Kev’s if he can just release the damn thing already.
Peace.
A pretty underrated band, IMO. My top eleven are all worth owning. My top two could flip around.
15) Lost in a Dream
14) This Time We Mean It
13) Building the Bridge
12) Find Your Own Way Home
11) R.E.O.
10) Good Trouble
9) The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken
8) Wheels Are Turnin'
7) Life as We Know It (This holds some nostalgia for me... it's not great.)
6) R.E.O./T.W.O.
5) R.E.O. Speedwagon
4) Ridin' the Storm Out
3) Nine Lives (Maybe their heaviest album)
2) Hi Infidelity (It sold a ton of copies for a reason.)
1) You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish (Roll With The Changes is still my favorite song of theirs.)
Thanks, Simon & Pete!
You care for any of the big hits from Life As We Know It?
REO Speedwagon, a band you never knew what you were gonna get. They gave us some great songs and albums and others that were at the opposite end.
A band I've very much enjoyed listening to over the years! I saw them in concert at CNE stadium in Toronto in 1982. Here's my top 10 ranking of their albums.....
1 Hi Infidelity
2 You Can Tune a Piano, But You Can't Tuna Fish
3 Nine Lives
4 Good Trouble
5 Wheels are Turnin'
6 Ridin' the Storm Out
7 R.E.O. / T.W.O.
8 Life as We Know it
9 The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken
10 REO Speedwagon
Thank you guys for Ranking the Studio Albums: REO SPEEDWAGON🎤🎸🎵🥁
REO Speedwagon are one of those bands that drive me crazy. They produce songs like Back On The Road Again to show how great they could be but settled for the insipid mush like Keep on Lovin you etc..
The Edelweiss Pirate lol
The mushy stuff added zeros to their bank accounts.
They had to do what the record label wanted or they would have been dropped
I agree. The uptempo Rock songs are great, but Reo churned out FAR too much mushy, overly-commercial stuff to keep me interested. At least with Journey, their slow songs are incredibly well-Produced, have the ALWAYS tasty Neal Schon wailing away, and the songs stick with you.
@@1970borntorun Yip
"That Ain't Love" from "Life As We Know It" is a real rocking song with great lyrics too.
Cronin wanted to go for the $$$..can’t really blame a guy for that. But it alienated Gary. Personally, they lost me after YCTAPBYCTF.
I prefer their pre Hi Infidility period, I think it rocks much harder.
1 Nine Lives
2 REO 2
3 REO Speedwagon
4 REO
5 You can't tune a Piano, but you Can Tuna Fish (Hope I've got that the correct way round)
6 The Earth, A Small Man etc
7 Lost In A Dream
8 Wheels Are Turnin.
9 Reelin'
10 High Infidelity.
If anyone out there had the cure for "BALLADITIS", I wish they could have sent it to Aerosmith, Journey, Chicago, and yes, Reo Speedwagon.....all of whom forgot to bring their guitars to the studio, one too many times!!!
Cronin recorded quite a bit of Ridin' The Storm Out before he left the band. They released the original studio take of Ridin' The Storm Out with Kevin's vocals some years back. His vocal take of Poor Man's Son is on A Decade Of Hits.
great job, guys. pretty much agree but I'd put Good Trouble a little higher. Nine Lives #1 for me.
1. REO/TWO
2. You Can Tune A Piano But You Can't Tuna FIsh
3. REO Speedwagon
4. Lost In A Dream
5. Nine Lives
6. Ridin' The Storm Out
7. REO
8. Hi Infidelity
9. This Time We Mean It
10. Wheels Are Turnin'
11. Good Trouble
12. Life As We Know It
‘I’ll follow you’ is the premier song on Good Trouble in my opinion. This song sounds like it should’ve been on ‘Tuna’. Great piano hammering and a great Richrath outro.
Yes, great song on a relatively weak album. Keep the fire burnin, sweet time and the key are the only other keepers.
Yay REO Speedwagon is my favorite band!
She doesn't like the tough guys
They think that they can do anything they please
But they're gonna get a surprise
When she brings them to their knees...
@@thepearsinator1875 "Very Really Like"? I take it English isn't your first language?
1. R.E.O./T.W.O.
2. Ridin' the Storm Out
3. Lost in a Dream
4. R.E.O.
5. You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish
6. R.E.O. Speedwagon
7. Nine Lives
8. This Time We Mean It
9. Hi Infidelity
10. Good Trouble
The rest I've only heard once or twice
I loved this band so much. My gods in the 80s were ELO, Supertramp, Chicago and REO Speedwagon. Two bands from England, three from the US. I had a major love affair with Hi Infidelity. Now I really should investigate your top picks.
I disagree with most of the people on here. REO Speedwagon's 1980s music is far better than their 1970s music as well as their 1990s and beyond music. Their ballads touch at the heart strings. "Hi Infidelity," "You Can Tune a Piano..," "Good Trouble," and "Wheels Are Turnin;" are the best REO Speedwagon albums.
I'd need a re-listen to rank the lower albums, but this is probably the top six for me:
6. REO Speedwagon (debut)
5. Riding the Storm Out
4. T.W.O.
3. Hi Infidelity
2. R.E.O. (aka C.O.W.)
1. You Can Tune A Piano...
where is Nine Lives? So heavy and rockin'!
First song I ever heard by them was Back on the Road Again - an absolute classic, so my fave studio album is Nine Lives. Next in line are REO Speedwagon and REO 2 then Tuna fish then Hi Fidelity and REO.
After that , yes they are more wimpfest than metal but sometimes a bit of sugar is whats needed so I'll go with Wheels are Turning , Life as We Know it and Good Trouble. Next up are the three Mike Murphy albums - not so keen on his voice but love Richrath's guitar which is why the post Richraths all sit at the bottom of my list though strangely I do kind of like the title to the earth, a small man, is dog and a chicken.
That being said my favourite of all their albums is the Live get what you play for, then the live stuff on Second Decade of Rock and Roll and the live 1980-90 on the classic years box set - I didnt get the first box as like Pete I got the early ones on the BGO 2 for 1s though I had to get the 1980-90 box to get everything after Good Trouble up to the earth etc.. as I only had a couple on worn out cassette tapes, and it has the live cd as well.
It is now The Kevin Cronin Band! There is no more REO and this is coming from one of the biggest fans you will ever hear from.
Gary is my all time favorite guitar player and I love TWO and the cow album
What is the cow album? What is the proper title of that album?
Brian Ezell I think the actual title is R.E.O. It’s called the cow album because of the album cover being one of a cow hide
I agree 100% the tuna album was their best...
REO is like Journey to me. Started off great and then got incredibly sappy. Too many ballads not enough rocking.
I agree
Here are my favorites My nasty 9
9. Lost In. A Dream
8. Nine Lives
7. This Time We Mean It
6. REO Speedwagon
5. Ridin The Storm Out
4. R.E.O.
3. You Can’t Tuna Piano But you Can Tuna Fish
2. You Get What You Play For
1. R.E.O. TWO
My top REO album list:
1 - REO Two
2 - Tuna Piano
3 - REO Speedwagon
4 - Ridin' the Storm Out
5 - Tie - Nine Lives and High Infidelity
1: nine lives
2: you can tune a piano but you can’t tuna fish
3: hi infidelity
4: T.W.O
5: Good Trouble
6: the earth a small man his dog and a chicken
7: REO (cow)
8: riding the storm out
9: wheels are turning
10: life as we know it
11: building the bridge
12: find your own way home
13: REO Speedwagon
14: this time we mean it
15: lost in a dream
Gregg Philbin, member of REO Speedwagon (1968 - 1977) has died at 75 years old. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REO_Speedwagon
They’re all horrible.
REO is one of those odd bands for me. Loved them growing up and then I went and seen them live. Kevin Cronin destroyed them for me with his 10 minute stories before every song. Now, whenever I hear them, I keep hearing his high pitched 100 word a minute rant for each song in my head. Wished I never took that free ticket to that concert as I really enjoyed them at one point.
I am from Illinois and they were great until about 1979 , and then Cronin turned them to wimps.
The first 3 albums were great !!
@@jimgood4610 It was a Loop fest in the 90's which ruined them for me. I think he is still rambling on...LOL
Late to the party but I'm very partial to a bit of REO. I like all their albums well enough. Everything from my #12 would score at least 4/5. They never did become a ballad band. Apart from compilations, there were never more than two on an album. Using that sort of criterion, The Scorpions are also a ballad band. Anyway, my rankings:
15: This Time We Mean It
14: Debut
13: Find Your Own Way Home
12: Nine Lives
11: Ridin' The Storm Out
10: The Earth, A Small Man, His Dog & A Chicken
9. Lost In A Dream
8. Building The Bridge
7. REO/TWO
6. Life As We Know It
5. Wheels Are Turnin'
4. High Infidelity
3. REO
2. Good Trouble
1. You Can Tune A Piano But You Can't Tuna Fish
I got that wrong, it was Neal Doughty and Alan Gratzer who were U of I students! Gary drove down from Peoria to join them there in Champaign, Urbana.
Here is an excerpt of a previous comment i made on another SPEEDWAGON ranking: I first saw Bruce Hall play at a school assembly in 1967 or 68 with a band called Purple Haze. I think Bruce was singing Back On the Road Again almost that far back. A couple years later I saw him play in a band with Gary Richrath called Feather Train. I saw Gary's first gig with Speedwagon, 50 cent cover at the Urbana Civic Center. I saw that lineup a half dozen times or so. They were really good live. Saw them in the neighborhood park for free. Once time was at the Champaign County Fair. That show was after they had recorded their first album, but before it's release. I have a live recording of that show, a cassette recording made from the audience They played 5 songs from the first record, Gypsy Woman's Passion, 157 Riverside Avenue, Anti Establishment Man, Lay Me Down, Sophisticated Lady, and also Golden Country, a never recorded song called Young Girl On The Mountain Side, and they finished the show as they always did, with Sympathy for the Devil. That closer was a holdover from when Steve Scorfina (Pavlov's Dog) was playing in the band. I saw them play with Cronin at the time of T.W.O.. Their stage setup looked identical to the TWO cover. That was the only time that I saw them with Kevin, and I saw them only once more with Mike Murphy (though I saw Mike play many times with Bruce in the One Eyed Jacks). That show was at the Illinois State Fair, opening the show for Joe Walsh (Smoker tour) and Leon Russell, about 1973. I haven't seen them since then, but one night about 15 years ago Kevin Cronin and Brian Hitt walked into the club that my band was playing at, and they sat in on a couple songs. We played Keep Pushin' & Roll With the Changes. All of my friends called them SPEEDWAGON for short, which has a lot more BALLS than REO.
I loved REO up until hi infidelity came out. I won’t listen to any thing off that album.
5 - REO 2
4 - Nine Lives
3 - Wheels Are Turning
2 - You Can Tune A Piano, But You Can't Tune A Fish
1 - Hi Infidelity
*You forgot "Find You're Own Way Home" It's an alright album
Best album by far is the live album. Then Reo 2 best studio album for me.
With all the singer this band has had I thought it would have been a schizophrenic experience, but most of the material is pretty consistent, although I mostly shun the 80s albums now
Have you ranked the albums by Spirit yet?
I'm not familiar with a lot of those albums towards the bottom of your list, which is probably a good thing. I'm glad you liked Nine Lives as much as you did, it is definitely one of my favorites and you can listen to the whole thing. I guess you aren't including You Get What you Play for, it being a live album, but I'm curious how it would rank in your opinion? One of my favorites also, and the first REO album I would grab if I wanted to listen to REO.
They were best from 1978 to '80, especially their #1 (roll... is their standout with killer/funny solos) and half of the famous one. In your letter never gets any respect! Can't understand early stuff nor like anything post-Wheels, judging by a few songs. Gotta listen more. Last point is how great richrath was until cronin took full control: not hard to imagine him writing take it on the run. Even those other mtv hits are listenable, despite that channel ruining the business for a while.
I knew he would put Life as we know it last, behind crap from Murphy and Luttrell. It's always rocking/bluesy with him, even if the song stinks. So predictable.
1. Hi Infidelity (80)
2. Good Trouble (82)
3. You Can Tune A Piano, But You Can't Tuna Fish (78)
4. Nine Lives (79)
5. Wheels Are Turnin' (84)
6. Life As We Know It (87).
From a songwriting standpoint, Kevin and Gary wrote 4 songs apiece on Good Trouble. Gary's songwriting output noticeably decreased with Wheels are Turnin' and was almost nothing on Life As We know it.
lol i loooovvveeee reo - all the old stuff for sure going back to REO TWO… i also love their more pop-ish but i stop after wheels are turnin. I have all the albums thru life as we know it but wouldnt buy one without Gary Richrath. But on wheels r turnin i actually love rock and roll star - and mtv did a special - u can see it on you tube and u see gary recording the solo for that one - very cool. Live every moment on that album also is aa great song- gary has a piercing lead in that one too
lol i loooovvveeee reo - all the old stuff for sure going back to REO TWO… i also love their more pop-ish but i stop after wheels are turnin. I have all the albums thru life as we know it but wouldnt buy one without Gary Richrath. But on wheels r turnin i actually love rock and roll star - and mtv did a special - u can see it on you tube and u see gary recording the solo for that one - very cool. Live every moment on that album also is aa great song- gary has a piercing lead in that one too
Gary Richrath sang at least one song on Ridin' The Storm Out, Lost In A Dream, This Time We Mean It, and he sang half the album on the COW album along with Cronin.
Richrath and Cronin together is Reo Speedwagon. Once Richrath was out I quite listening to them.
These rankings are wacky. This time we mean it better than Wheels are Turnin? That's their worst album. Even Cronin wouldn't be caught singing Reelin, a complete dorkfest of a song but the best thing on the album (still not a good song).;
I went to the same University, University of Illinois, as Richrath, for what that might possibly be worth, lol.
Holy shit it's Philip Seymour Hoffman!
4. TWO
3. Hi Infidelity
2. You Can Tune a Piano
1. Nine Lives - Heavy on Your Love is arguably their best-ever song, absolutely smokin'. Back on the Road Again kicks butt, both Drop It and Only the Strong Survive
are catchy, infectious. I'm with Simon regarding their covers - Rock & Roll Music is terrible, should be on Pete's worst cover list when he does one.
Heavy On Your Love has played in my living room five thousand three hundred and sixty five times and I can't wait to crank it up again! Violent riff and heavy as Oprah! Yeah, man-you are on point with that mention and the Nine Lives album is easily their heaviest and Richrath really lets loose on this burner of a record! Just bought it on vinyl and feel it's a great way to introduce my new stylus to GROOVES OF FIRE!
Just got the two REO album box sets looking forward to digging into the them.
Early days were rock and roll. Still should be in the Rock and Roll HOF
In my opinion REO TWO is the overall best album they ever made
Nine lives,tuna,first,two...
Richrath was the best component of REOSW.
Wheels .... and Nine Lives perhaps their best.
Pete: jesus H. C. its distracting to CONTINUALLY put up with your suffering pets in the background.
Wheels are turnin’ is a good album. Thru the window is a great song.
Ridin the Storm Out is their best .. Its Everywhere is their best tune
Have any of you ever ridden horses thru a rainstorm or led a lion thru a busy street bizarre?
My ranking of REO albums. Part One. (Full disclosure: I have never owned or heard in its entirety their first album and though I heard This Time We Mean It in its entirety, I don’t own it. In essence, from not having heard either album enough to have an honest opinion, I’m not including either of those two albums in this ranking. C’est la vie.)
From worst to best:
Last place: Life As We Know It. It suffers, first and foremost, from that horrendous, dry, soulless, sterile pablum eighties studio production. The songs are tame, uninspired - in my opinion the two songs that save the lot from being a total dumpster fire are That Ain’t Love and Neil’s Variety Tonight. Then listening to One Too Many Girlfriends is too painful; I can’t imagine poor Gary chugging along in a band that played songs about his own failings and not really bothering to do so discreetly or even trying to hide it. I think Gary died of a broken heart, but that’s just me and I digress.
Building the Bridge. Oi… At least the title track is very good. Bruce’s Hey Wait a Minute is fun and quirky and different and funny. Good ol’ Bruce. REO’s secret weapon. He’s underutilized I find, as a source of material. But the rest of the album is drudgery to listen to. I Still Love You, okay, if you must, but the rest is an open baggie of smoking doodoo. One saving grace from this is that they didn’t overdo it with the eighties-studio sound. I guess bringing in those other producers helped save them.
Lost In A Dream. I was never a Mike Murphy guy to begin with, his bawling meowing voice just irritates me. Wild as a Western Wind is good - I like when Gary sings. He’s underrated that guy, in so many ways. Throw the chains away, another Gary number, that’s pretty good. The band’s in good rockin’ form here. Down By The Dam… Other than that, I’m not in love with any of it. Kinda forgettable.
Now it’s on to “Not Too Bad” territory.
The Earth a Small Man His Dog and a Chicken. Who on earth did they put in charge of their album covers, for the love of god?? That guy had ONE JOB! And this is what he did with it. Anyway. I actually don’t dislike this album. Yeah sure, it’s still uber slick in the production department, but you get a sense of renewal, a fresh breath of air with Amato and Hitt and with Harms taking on a fair share of the songwriting. The songs overall don’t suck. In my opinion, Love Is A Rock, a tongue-in-cheek number about somebody’s wang, is quite good. All Heaven Broke Loose is very good. One of Kev’s best straight-from-the-heart songs, for lyrics, is Half Way. The Heart Survives, he’s done worse than this. But L.I.A.R and Go For Broke fall a bit flat; they’re obviously meant to show the world that this rejuvenated Speedwagon is still capable of rocking out, but… m’eh. They’ve done better. “Love is Alright”… gimme a break.
Wheels Are Turning. In my opinion, the first “Kev’s firmly in command” album, sidelining Gary and his “evil ways”. We’re gonna get healthy, we’re gonna live healthy and we’re gonna write some more about our feelings and doing good and turn our backs forever on our bad ways of yore. “Live Every Moment”, that’s where Kev’s heart is at. Not a terrible song but nowhere near the old rocking REO. But sappy as the “new” Kevin can be with smoking turds like this one and “Gotta Feel More”, man he can still churn out the goods, like the title track! I Do’ Wanna Know is fun and catchy and rocking all at once. Dig Gary on the wah-wah pedal here. And speaking of Gary, “Break His Spell” - not one of his best but I kinda like it. And the Brewster puts in his “Through the Window”, which again, not his best effort, but not too shabby. Kinda wish he’d sung it instead of Kevin. Can't Fight This Feeling I never, ever need to hear again. The rest is forgettable.
Don’t even like “In My Dreams” from Life As We Know It?
So underated,great band.rp
Hey Pete what are your thought on the progressive metal, experimental band the Mars Volta
Not much of a fan to be honest.
After Gary left that was pretty much it for REO. As much as Kevin rocked out in their early albums he just preferred the sappy ballads over anything else. To this day I can't stand "Can't Fight This Feeling'. Horrible, horrible song from this band.
I'll fight anyone who plays "I Can't Fight This Feeling".....absolute trash and is perfect to combat Viagra that is working "too well". I would rather listen to the sound of my own death than this utter shite that literally blows and sucks at the same time! Also, I really hate this song.
Good job, guys.
I will exclude anything before "Tuna fish" as that's when I started listening to them and I like the 80's stuff the best.
1. Hi-Infidelity
2. Life As we Know it
3. Good Trouble
4. You can't tune a piano...
5. The Earth, A small man,...
6. Wheels Are Turnin'
7. Nine Lives
8. Building the Bridge
9. Find Your Own Way Home
Hi Infidelity, big sellouts!