22 Best ZZ Top Deep Cuts Part 1

ZZ Top top deep cut list. How does one choose from a band with so many LP’s, songs, and catalog that spans five decades? (I’ll pick a few honorable mentions, but still?)

ZZ Top songs to soothe and celebrate. Certainly I am one out of millions that felt the crushing loss of Dusty Hill from ZZ Top. This piece starts very soon after Dusty’s transition was announced up until now. Fall 2022 and on . Since then I listen to as much of the catalog as I can to select these tracks. I am having trouble with Afterburner, Recycler and the LP’s that follow those. That is not to say that the LP’s do not contain great songs. However let’s face it a record like Antenna just can’t touch the magic of Tejas.

The loss of Dusty has been profound. Although I never met him and only saw the band play one time ( never really got into bigger venue shows) I feel like this was a band for all ages (as in times and age groups). ZZ Top took the blues and really made it somethnig unique to them. When one third of said trio passes it is just feelings I really couldn’t put my finger on.

Sadly, with grief, not much you can do except celebrate what is left behind. Fortunately for fans like me there are quite a few studio albums that you can celebrate. Here are some tracks that MTV and the other bullshit media neglected in the career of ZZ Top. Personally my interests waned at Afterburner but I’m willing to listen to their stuff that came later.

Curated by me, a longtime fan but not a ZZ Top deep diving mega fan. However I am more than just a casual occasional listener. I saw them live (2012). That sealed the deal. (Since then I’ve been slowly and steadily investigating a good portion of the back catalog).

Outlaws of Country (tour name, LOL) featured Gretchen Wilson, 3 Doors Down, and ZZ Top. Luckily they were free tickets because my mother gambled enough to get ‘comp’ tickets. I tell ya.. I tried to get into 3 Doors Down and I don’t believe Gretchen Wilson is my bag. It may sound narrow-minded but I just wanted to see ZZ. The little ole band from Texas did not disappoint that night. Also they played some odd ones, from El Loco Heaven , Hell or Houston and Vincent Price Blues from Rhythmeen. On the other hand, kind of cool because you know they were going to play the hits from Eliminator and songs like Tush. Great songs in their own right but also somewhat predictable. So any curveball surprises are welcome. Now I will select some songs that I reckon are underplayed and excellent from the ZZ catalog.

No Tush, Cheap Sunglasses, Legs, or even my favorite 80’s ZZ Top ballad, Rough Boy.

You can send in your reasons why Gimme All Your Lovin should be included here https://meatsheetfanzine.com/contact/. Won’t help because songs like that are obvious. I hope to shine a light on the ones that didn’t get as much love. The hits are great in their own right, Sharp Dressed Man and Gimme All Your Lovin‘ are using similar chords. La Grange and Cheap Sunglasses are undeniably classic and cool.

On the other hand, I can’t get down with Velcro Fly , Sleeping Bag, and anything that seems like ZZ Top trying to update a sound in a way that helps them “cross over “. I do commend them for trying to venture outside their “box” and making an effort to update their sound. After all artists should take risks rather than do the same thing.

If some of those songs were purely experimentation then that is understandable. My opinion is simply that they are so good, they don’t need to add DJ scratches, synths, and instrumentation . Their music speaks for itself, sans any gimmicks.

If the band wanted to branch out, I get it. They did weird stuff in the past, such as Heaven , Hell or Houston, Manic Mechanic, etc.

Conversely this is about the unsung hero songs , in my opinion, of course. These tracks are just as essential as the ones that charted. They have that Texas groove, boogie, and blues that defines their career.

Some notes and points , opinions to consider. It would be unfair to include the whole entire album of Tejas by ZZ Top. It would be neglectful of the rest of their catalog. On the other hand they really delivered a full spectrum of rock, blues, mood, and just feeling good tracks on Tejas. I’ll try to pick only two or three from it. Hopefully you have not checked out with this rambling. On to the deep tracks.

First track 1) Squank from ZZ Tops’ First Album. I chose this one for the unorthodox pinch harmonic. The cadence and timing of these squeals stands out. Occurring pinch at 5 second mark and through the song. Frank Beard’s drum fills, that snare has such a crisp and dull sound, somehow at the same time. Cannot describe it, must be heard.

2) Neighbor, Neighbor next from same album. If the opening riff doesn’t sell you, the way Billy and Dusty fill the empty spaces with their bass and treble notes is outstanding. That riff though, thick and chunky, like peanut butter. Conversely, this song still goes down smooth. Billy Gibbons really stretches out his chops on the solo, without overplaying. Very important.

3) Beard’s breakdown on Certified Blues. Funky ZZ Top. Dusty’s bass thumps along “thoom da doom “. The finger dexterity is in top form. It’s extremely hard for me to pick these. As far as the ZZ Top’s First Album goes… Not a clunker on it.

4) Rolling on to Rio Grande Mud , Apologies To Pearly is one of the best feel good songs I ever done heard from these guys. Classic hard blues, never cliche. Nods to classic rock and roll, perhaps Bill Haley and Chuck Berry ? Noteworthy : seemingly different recording/ production on Beard’s kit. Still sounds awesome, but it’s more dialed in and not as raw as the (1st) last album.

5) Sure Got Cold After The Rain Fell is a track that engages the senses. I can feel cold temperature. Imagining the smell of rain. Classic blues ballad feel. Billy singing “from my eye” one can hear the pain of a break up. Also honorable mention to Bar B Q which plays right before this. High energy ZZ grooves and then chased with a slow six minutes of lamenting. Billy’s guitar weeps and about 3:40 in, it lets out a long groan. It would be hard for me to pick my favorite ZZ slow song, but this one is surely in the top 5 with aforementioned Rough Boy.

Movin on down the line in order. Tres Hombres is another killer from start to finish. First one I choose is 6) Precious and Grace. Pure chugging satisfaction. This is the sound of stoner rock before it is a widely used term. Riffs like this pave the way for Kyuss and Queens of The Stone Age. QOTSA does cover it in fact. The bass just hums along and the snare puts its accents on that hum like drone. Perfection.

Second is 7) Hot Blue and Righteous. Billy’s voice is pained. It is the epitome of blues. He seems a little more bothered and it feels as if he is suffering. Singing this song is his balm for personal woes.

Next Fandango. The whole record chugs and plugs along. It’s quite a ZZ Top experience. Some times I get to the point I have to skip Backdoor Medley (around 4 minute mark) however if I’m looking for the ‘live’ experience I’ll put up with whatever he’s repeating and chanting as fast as an auctioneer or the old Micro Machines guy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Moschitta_Jr. Linked in case you’re young and or wondering what the fornication I am talking about. Songs on Fandango are excellent so choosing the deep track or so is not easy.

8) Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings is under three minutes of classic ZZ boogie. Smoking guitar licks. You get one satisfying harmonic squeal as opposed to multiple but the tight riffs and rhythm carry this one along quite superbly. Smoky and heavy, but not too slow, perfection.

9) Balinese is catchy. The chorus can easily burrow into your ear like those nasty parasites from Wrath Of Khan (again, look it up and be horrified). This song is proof that ZZ Top can have a pop element and retain the hard rock blues infused grit. An infectious chorus melody. Complete with 2 maybe 3 vocal harmonies. I admire how the lyrics paint a picture for the listener. The solo also stands out in the way there is less pich harmonic squeals. Just some intricately picked notes. Clocks in under three minutes. Just enough to get down. Honorable mention to Mexican Blackbird for the groovy bends by Billy.

Movin on down the line we have Tejas. The entire LP has me spellbound. Not in a dungeon and dragons way but more like in a way that only this trio can muster.

10) It’s Only Love is equally catchy as the previous. Think of it as signature ZZ Top with a chorus hook that is poppy. The first breakdown feels like the pre cursor to what they will do on Eliminator. The second breakdown has some super sweet, but subtle drum fills that can easily get overlooked. When I honed in on them though, it makes me appreciate them even more.

11) One who cannot revel in Pan Am Highway Blues is probably a suspicious person that is not to be trusted. The contrast in this song alone makes it for me. The aggression and speed of how it opens. Next going into a mid tempo groove that feels like highway trucking tunes. Then the warble and sliding guitar tones where the vocals drop out are rich in tone. I’d be amiss not to acknowledge Dusty Hill’s flurry of bass notes that come off the instrumental interludes.

12) Asleep In The Desert is simply a gorgeous instrumental song. Succinctly picked guitar notes. Sublime. These guys nailed it in a big way. I can picture the stars in the clear sky. Grab yourself a blanket and drift off to this wonder of a tune. Don’t believe me? Get a load of this

So there you have 12 of 22 deep tracks from ZZ top . Stay tuned for part II and as always thank you for reading especially if you recognize this is not targeted or like my usual content. I can’t help it. Love this band.