Happy Birthday Dave!
Looking at Dave Grohl's 10 best songs to celebrate his birthday.
It’s January 14, which means it’s my father in-law’s birthday, and did you know who he shares a birthday with? The one and only Dave Grohl. Dave turns 56 today. You could make a decent argument that over the last 35 years, Grohl has played one of the most vital roles in keeping rock music relevant. Not only has he been part of two Hall of Fame rock acts, but he’s also helped shape the landscape of rock. So, for today’s birthday tribute, I’m going to rank the 10 best songs Dave Grohl has had a hand in. We’re not just looking at drumming, we are looking at the song as a whole. So happy birthday Dave, thanks for all the great music and memories over the last decades, the world is a much better place with you in it.
10. Foo Fighters – My Hero
This song is played in so many TikTok videos of ordinary folks doing extraordinary deeds, that’s enough for it to make this list, but truth be told, it’s a pretty rocking song. With the Foos finding their legs on the second album, the sound is fuller and it definitely comes through in “My Hero”. This video is from one of the Taylor Hawkins concerts after his death in 2023. Always seemed like a great guy. Great guy, great song, nice way to start a top 10.
9. Queens of the Stone Age – No One Knows
There are many perfect driving songs, but for some reason this one often gets overlooked. This is an excellent song and while it’s not really a Grohl song, his drumming is extremely important to the overall beat of the song. Seriously, put this song on loud. I love this video from 2002 Glastonbury, look how young they all look, even though Grohl had been in the game for a dozen years. And how hard is he hitting those drums? Like so hard!
8. Nirvana – Come as You Are
Love the way this song just grows. Dave and Kris’ consistent rhythm keeps this song in long. This is the song that was a bit of a slap in the face after Cobain took his life, because of the ironic ending of “I don’t have a gun”. Hey, this is a good reminder, reach out to a friend who you haven’t spoken to in a while to make sure they are good. I think that would be a nice thing to do. This video from Reading in 1991 is taken four weeks before Nevermind came out, a year later they would be the biggest band in the world.
7. Nirvana – the Man Who Sold the World
Nirvana’s cover of Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold the World” is a classic that actually surpasses the original. It’s such a great version of the song. Slightly sped up in this live version from 1993. The funny thing is the crowd looks so not into it.
6. Foo Fighters – Monkey Wrench
This is a song that really showed Dave Grohl grow as a lyricist. If you want to talk about the dissolving of a marriage, yup, this is about as clear as it gets. This song is one that continues to surprise me when I hear it on the radio, because I used to skip over it, but now realize it’s really good. The ending seems that it’s cathartic for Grohl, or at least that’s what I hear in it. This is a quintessential Dave Grohl song. This live version from Wembley Stadium in 2008 is the Foos at their apex, seriously, they are firing on all cylinders here.
5. Nirvana – All Apologies
Just so I’m upfront, I’ve never been a fan of In Utero. I don’t get the big deal about it, but if there was one song that I can get behind it’s “All Apologies”. And what a difference a year makes. The video earlier on for Come as You Are is the previous year’s festival, this one they are headlining. The lyrics to this song (which I know DG didn’t write) are just so devastating.
4. Nirvana – In Bloom
Excellent song. This video from a festival in Brazil shows a band that has definitely spent too many months on the road. They all look so exhausted, but there’s Dave hitting the drums as hard as he can.
3. Foo Fighters – Best of You
There’s a lot of confusion about what this song is about, but from what I’ve found, it was written by Grohl after spending time with John Kerry on the 2004 campaign trail. Dave’s philanthropic work spreads wide from his work with the homeless to cancer, AIDS, Autism, and supporting gay rights. We should all take a look at ourselves and make sure that we are giving the best of ourselves. Thanks for this absolute rocker Dave, here’s an epic version from Reading 2019.
2. Foo Fighters – Everlong
It’s a perfect song. In fact, if it wasn’t for the obvious number 1, this is actually his best song. But since this list is about songs Dave plays on, it’s the tiniest of fractions behind a song that will be played in 100 years, and that’s not bad. Everlong is wonderful. This live version from Dave Letterman’s comeback show is great. From the story about them cancelling their tour to be there, to calling out Paul and then welcoming Dave back. This is a band that is still in its early stages and 25 years later would still be one of the biggest bands in the world. Great song.
1. Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit
There was only going to be one song that topped this list and it might as well be a song that will continue to speak to young people for generations to come. TBH, when Nevermind came out, this was the only song I liked. I bought Nevermind the day it was released at CD Warehouse in Ottawa. I brought it home, taped Smells like Teen Spirit on a couple of mixed tapes and traded it in the following week. I just don’t think I got the album as a whole, but this song, this song spoke to me. We would dance to this song every night in the club, we would listen to it daily and we would have debates with our parents one why this was the only song that mattered. Sure, at the end of 1991 the biggest band in the world was Guns n’ Roses, but within half a year, the biggest band of a generation was Nirvana and it was because of this song.
Happy birthday Dave!