The J. Geils Band was made up of mad, bad, and dangerous to know blues players who, by the 1980s, had become a successful pop group. Fans of either one or the other era were never quite able to reconcile the two extremes. Still, I believe that both are worth your time. The J. Geils Band is one of the greatest rock bands of all time.

You don’t believe me? You’re just whistling “Centerfold” aggressively while reading these lines? Look, I’ll prove it to you. These are the best songs recorded by The J. Geils Band.

Greatest 10 Songs by The J. Geils Band

10. ”Hard Drivin’ Man”

The debut album by The J. Geils Band was unfairly ignored when it was released in 1970. To be fair, I suppose, listeners were mostly concerned that the blues-rock mutation was early heavy metal and earnest singer-songwriter folk.

However, “Hard Drivin’ Man” shows a good glimpse of the streetwise, nasty rockin’ blues for which the band would build its reputation throughout that decade.

9. ”Freeze-Frame”

The J. Geils Band made peace with the new wave for 1981’s “Freeze Frame”, and the result was a level of popularity that had eluded the group in its first 11 years as a professional, recording band.

At the same time, I think that songs like “Freeze Frame” captured the sense of fun and looseness that, clearly, the band was chasing. It may sound a little dated, but if you can get past that, you’ll discover a strong track.

8. “Must of Got Lost”

Seth Justman was the man responsible for crafting R&B into radio hits for the band. But it was Peter Wolf’s charisma and soulful delivery that made the crowds fight their way into the group’s shows. By 1979, The J. Geils Band was a big draw, and with songs like “Must of Got Lost,” it’s no wonder.

7. ”Floyd’s Hotel”

I’ll listen back to British bands playing the blues in the 1970s, and little of what they’re singing about sounds believable. On the other hand, what The J. Geils Band brought to the style was a mischievousness that sounded wholly truthful, fully lived by the band members.

“Floyd’s Hotel,” off the group’s sophomore album, is a song about bad decisions made in disreputable establishments. I reckon that it ought to be a classic.

6. ”Whammer Jammer”

If you appreciate bands tearing it up live, you should do yourself a favour and check out The J. Geils Band. That is, coincidentally, also the way to enjoy “Whammer Jammer,” the blues harmonica solo meant to showcase the considerable talents of Magic Dick, the Afro-wearing force of nature and the band’s secret weapon.

5. ”Give It to Me”

J. Geils (the man, not the band) was an excellent guitarist with the kind of ego that allowed him to sit back in a group that carried its name. His rhythm work on “Give It to Me,” a fully assured funk-rock, showcases his undeniable talent.

Still, as a whole, this 1973 release proved that, at this stage, The J. Geils Band could go toe-to-toe with any of the big blues-rock groups of the time, and do even more than just hold their own. Sensational band, and one of the most underrated in all of rock’s rich history.

4. ”Love Stinks”

“Love Stinks” was the band’s first serious foray into hooky pop-rock territory. It worked and provided J. Geils Band with a Top 20 hit in the U.S. and the groundwork for their 1980s success story.

But while the production, I think, sounds a little dated, the dark humour of this, Peter Wolf’s singing, and the hooks are absolutely undeniable. It was a good choice for Adam Sandler to breathe new life into it by angrily performing it in “The Wedding Singer.”

3. ”Piss on the Wall”

Peter Wolf, on stage, looked like a man you wouldn’t want to owe money to. He was an American Mick Jagger who appeared to have spent time on the streets. He was a street hussler who knew what to line work on which person.

But in the 1980s, he was also supposed to be a clean-shaven pop artist. The closest that the band gets to merging its two main eras is the funny, but confrontational “Piss on the Wall.” In my book, it’s a (nearly) long-lost classic.

2. ”First I Look at the Purse”

It’s one of the great blues rock performances ever caught on tape! And, I first read about it before I actually heard it.

My first interaction with this song, at least the version heard on “Full House Live”, was through an essay by the esteemed writer Nick Hornby.

Hornby wasn’t kidding when he hailed The J. Geils Band as being the rude, mean blues band that The Rolling Stones as always too afraid to become. Great, rowdy performance!

1. ”Centerfold”

In retrospect, this is one of the most bizarre changes of fortune of any band. “Centerfold” is in no way representative of the dirty blues-rock that had made J. Geils Band a notorious touring act back in the 1970s.

And, “Centerfold” wasn’t even the kind of one-hit wonder that came and went away. I suppose it is one of those songs that defines 1980s pop and the early MTV era. Whistle the hook to strangers nowadays and they’re likely to know what you’re talking about.

While atypical, “Centerfold” is also a perfect pop song. The lyrics are brilliant, and the subtext is surprisingly dirty. Peter Wolf sings well and is careful not to overdo it. And yeah, I suppose that it’s a thrill to hear it every time that it does come on.

“Centerfold” changed the career trajectory of The J. Geils Band. And while it hardly tells the whole story, it’s still the shining moment of a fantastic career.