Deep Tracks: Deep Purple

One of the most influential hard rock bands, Deep Purple were pioneers in the heavy-metal subgenre and embraced the burgeoning prog rock movement, too. Most of the music you’ll know is from the “Mark II” lineup, which included frontman Ian Gillan, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, keyboard player Jon Lord, drummer Ian Paice, and bassist Roger Glover. Everyone’s probably heard “Smoke On The Water” at least a few times in their life, whether it was on the classic rock station or a person trying to learn to play the opening riff on the guitar. You might even know “Child In Time” or “Black Night,” but surprisingly, they only had two top 10 hits in America, the aforementioned “Smoke On the Water” and “Hush.” Though they still have yet to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, their catalog is nonetheless impressive. Here are 10 deep tracks to prove it.

1) “And The Address,” Shades of Deep Purple (1968)

This track, written by Ritchie Blackmore and Jon Lord, kicks off Deep Purple’s first album, and I gotta say, what an epic start to such an amazing debut. Don’t just take my word for it — Rick Wakeman said that this was one of his favorite albums. This is my personal favorite album from “Mark I,” a very under-appreciated lineup of Deep Purple. I really love how this instrumental showcases Jon Lord’s organ playing. Just listen to the track; three minutes and 17 seconds in, you’ll hear the organ solo. If you don’t know much of his work on keyboard, this is a great track to start off with to appreciate it. Ritchie Blackmore’s guitar sound on this song just adds to the psychedelia.

2) “Anthem,” The Book of Taliesyn (1968)

Another great song from Mark I from one of their two albums released in 1968. It didn’t get the sales that the record label was expecting, but Deep Purple toured America that year, and it was a success, contrary to their album’s performance. This is definitely a highlight from the album, and it’s a bit different from the music that Deep Purple later released; it’s definitely not something you’d expect from a band that were famous for hard rock. Nevertheless, it’s a beautiful song and not just in the way it sounds with the keyboards, drums, and guitar, but the lyrics as well. There’s a bit of a classical sound it it with the strings, arranged by Jon Lord, a big fan of classical music. Additionally, Rod Evan’s vocals are great. As you can tell, it’s about a love that was lost.

3) “Exposition/We Can Work It Out,” The Book of Taliesyn (1968)

This was not the first time that Deep Purple covered a Beatles song, but this is an especially great example because they really put their own spin on it and approached it from a different angle with a classically inspired introduction called “Exposition,” which sampled Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 7” and Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet.” Even if you’re not a fan of classical music, the interpretation is very prog rock and pretty heavy considering it was released in 1968, and it’s something that definitely deserves appreciation. When the track gets to “We Can Work It Out,” the sound takes a psychedelic turn. Rod Evans’ vocals were perfect for this song. You can’t miss this Beatles cover!

4) “Hallelujah,” Single (1969)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_o6W0LJqQw

This was the first single released as Mark II, with Ian Gillan as frontman and Roger Glover as bassist. Coincidentally, this wouldn’t be the only time that Ian Gillan would sing a religiously themed song. After all, he played Jesus in the 1970 recording of Jesus Christ Superstar. It’s really interesting to hear the sound of the band evolve over time, and this song didn’t depart too much from the Mark I sound.

5) “Bloodsucker,” Deep Purple In Rock (1970)

This song is from Deep Purple’s first album with the Mark II lineup. This is a more hard-rock track and much more like the songs they released during this era. One of the highlights of this track is Ritchie Blackmore’s guitar playing and Jon Lord’s organ playing going back and forth. As always, Ian Gillan’s vocals are great!

6) “The Mule,” Fireball (1971)

If you’re a big Deep Purple fan, you’ll certainly know this song, but for those who aren’t as familiar with their discography, this is a must hear! They were famous for their performances of this song live, so if the five minutes and 22 seconds of this song isn’t enough, the live versions, like the one from Made in Japan which features a drum solo by Ian Paice, will be right up your alley. The drumming alone makes this one of my favorite Deep Purple songs.

7) “Never Before,” Machine Head (1972)

This is from Deep Purple’s most commercially successful album, and one of my favorite albums they released. While “Smoke On The Water” and “Highway Star” helped sell copies of the album, you’re missing out if you skip over the other tracks. The beginning guitar riff is amazing and really hooks you into the song.

8) “Coronarias Redig,” B-Side of “Burn” Single (1974)

This is a song from Mark III of Deep Purple. By this point, Ian Gillan and Roger Glover had left the band and David Coverdale took over on vocals and Glenn Hughes played bass. You might know David Coverdale from Whitesnake, a band he started after Deep Purple broke up. This instrumental has a slight funk sound to it, and I really like that!

9) “You Can’t Do It Right (With the One You Love),” Stormbringer (1974)

This is still Mark III of Deep Purple, and this song is from the second-to-last album that Deep Purple released in the ’70s. This was also the last album Ritchie Blackmore played on before leaving the band. This song has a bit of funky sound to it, and the album on the whole has a funkier sound than the previous albums. There’s also a bit of a prog/futuristic sound in this song.

10) “Comin’ Home,” Come Taste The Band (1975)

The lineup of Deep Purple changed once again by 1975, making this lineup — you guessed it — Mark IV. Tommy Bolin, formerly of Zephyr and the James Gang joined the band as guitarist, replacing Ritchie Blackmore. The band broke up in March 1976, and he sadly died the following year at the age of 25. This song is more hard rock and more of a familiar sound to those who are fans of Mark II and a great, energetic way to start the album.

Do you have a favorite Deep Purple song that’s not listed here? Have your say in the comments!

Angie Moon

Angie Moon is a 20-year-old classic rock fan from Chicago. She also loves the mod subculture and travelling. She is in her last year of university studying communication, media, and theatre. She also DJs and writes a blog called The Diversity of Classic Rock.