Here’s an embarrassing guilty pleasure of mine. I like audience participation rock songs, particularly those with clapping. Don’t judge, I know many of you like them too. “Take The Money And Run” wouldn’t be half as popular as it is were it not for the hand clapping. Then there is this song which goes so far as to include clapping in the title. It’s the more cowbell of hand clapping songs.
The Guess Who are legends here in Canada, being our first ever international hit making rock band. Imagine the stature this band would hold if Randy Bachman had never left and all the BTO material was part of The Guess Who canon. They’d easily be top ten greatest bands of all time. As it stands, they are by and large Canada’s personal treasure.
That being said, I have to admit there are a few Guess Who songs I don’t particularly like. At the top of that list, which is sure to shock some of you, is “American Woman”. There is something about that song that irritates me, fun as the lyrics may be. But I guess there are worse songs for a band to be renowned for.
To kick of this weekend, I’m offering up a Guess Who song that I do like. A lot. It’s a clapping song, of course, as well as an homage to the most famous radio DJ to ever live. It’s practically a novelty song, I guess, but still a fun, upbeat rocker. Empty your hands and ready them to clap, this is “Clap For The Wolfman” by The Guess Who from the 1974 album Road Food.
Studio Version: