When is a bad band a good band? When the good band in question is Bad Company, who – despite the negativity in their name – are generally regarded as one of the most consistent hard rock groups to emerge from the United Kingdom. Check out some of the biggest and best songs the supergroup put together in the '70s and early '80s.
“Can’t Get Enough” (Bad Company, 1974): Released as the first single from the band’s self-titled debut album, this track – which Cashbox praised at the time as being “one of the best rockers to come out of Britain in years” – ultimately turned out to be the biggest hit of the band’s career, climbing to No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping Cashbox's singles chart.
“Movin’ On” (Bad Company, 1974): Although it’s obviously known predominantly as a Bad Company song – as well it should be, given that it was a Top 20 hit for the band – the song was actually first released as a single by the band Hackensack in 1972. (Needless to say, it didn’t find the same degree of success as the Bad Company version ultimately did.)
“Bad Company” (Bad Company, 1974): Though the third single from the band’s debut album failed to chart upon its release, it's since accrued a ridiculous amount of airplay on album rock radio over the years.
READ MORE: September 1974: Bad Company's Debut Tops Billboard Charts
“Good Lovin’ Gone Bad” (Straight Shooter, 1975): Released in advance of the band’s second album, Straight Shooter, this track made its way into the Top 40 on both sides of the pond - No. 36 in the U.S., No. 31 in the U.K. – and got high praise from Billboard as a “raucous, smashing assault.” Yep, sounds like a fair assessment to us.
“Feel Like Makin’ Love” (Straight Shooter, 1975): When it comes to great power ballads of the ‘70s, accept no substitutes: this is unquestionably one of the best. Lead singer Paul Rodgers started the lyrics to this track when he was on tour with Free, but it wasn’t until he played it for guitarist Mick Ralphs, who gave it the kick-ass chorus, that it became the stuff of rock legend.
“Honey Child” (Run with the Pack, 1976): Released as the third and final single from Run with the Pack, this was a rare Bad Company song to be credited to all four members of the band, and while it wasn’t a massive hit, it did manage to climb to No. 59 on the Hot 100.
READ MORE: February 1976: Bad Company Releases "Run with the Pack"
“Burnin’ Sky” (Burnin’ Sky, 1976): The title track of the band’s fourth album, the song was the second and final single to be released from Burnin’ Sky, but it was the only single from the LP to chart. Alas, it wasn’t exactly a blockbuster, peaking at No. 78 before beginning its descent.
“Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy” (Desolation Angels, 1979): Written by Rodgers, this song took Bad Company back into the upper reaches of the singles charts again, hitting No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. While it wasn’t their highest-charting song, it was their biggest-selling single, earning a gold record from the Recording Industry Association of America.
“Gone, Gone, Gone” (Desolation Angels, 1979): A bluesy rock track written by bassist Boz Burrell, this single didn’t match the success of “Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy,” but it did provide the band with another minor hit, hitting No. 56.
“Electricland” (1982 – Rough Diamonds): No, it wasn’t a huge hit, but it was the final charting single by the original lineup of Bad Company, not to mention the last single by the band to feature Rodgers on vocals until 1999’s “Hey, Hey.” Although it only hit No. 74 on the Hot 100, it was a massive hit on album rock radio, climbing all the way to No. 2 on Billboard's rock albums and top tracks chart.
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