Top 10 Deep Purple Songs

#10: “Woman from Tokyo” Who Do We Think We Are (1973)

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As a staple of classic rock radio, “Woman from Tokyo” may be one of Deep Purple’s most beloved commercial hits, although the single sometimes gets lost in the shuffle of the band’s other iconic successes. With lyrics recounting the band’s first Japanese tour, the song was taken from the album “Who Do We Think We Are,” which was the band’s final release with famed frontman Ian Gillan and beloved bassist Roger Glover until 1984’s “Perfect Strangers” saw the classic lineup reunite for a comeback record. Still, this memorable, mid-paced number certainly isn’t a bad note to go out on, right?  

If you’re searching for an excellent example of proto-heavy metal at its finest, look no further than the song “Lazy,” which ticks all the right musical boxes and set the stage for everything heavy that emerged in its wake. The track features a legendary Hammond organ lead-in from keyboardist Jon Lord, before guitarist Ritchie Blackmore’s bluesy guitar licks and dizzying prowess send “Lazy” soaring into the upper echelon of Deep Purple classics. Sure, it could be argued that “Machine Head” is an album full of stone cold killers, but for our money “Lazy” is amongst its best.  

As the only song on our list to feature founding member and original Deep Purple vocalist Rod Evans, “Hush” is actually a cover of a 1967 song by singer Billy Joe Royal. Although the Purple version would arguably become the definitive version of the track, their take on the Joe South-penned slice of gospel rock is drenched in the psychedelic style that defined Deep Purple during their debut era. The Deep Purple guys liked performing “Hush” so much; they re-recorded it in 1988 with singer Ian Gillan, bringing their important relationship with the tune full circle.  

Opinions are generally split when it comes to Deep Purple’s Mark III era lineup, particularly about their second album “Stormbringer,” which features future Whitesnake singer David Coverdale on the mic. Make no mistake: Mark III Purple could definitely bring the sonic thunder – listen to “Stormbringer”’s epic title track or its bluesy “Burn” counterpart “Mistreated” to see what we mean. But “Soldier of Fortune” is a pensive and emotional ballad featuring classical, renaissance guitar playing from Ritchie Blackmore. What’s more, Coverdale’s passionate, bluesy vocals lend a credibility and wisdom to the track. Simply stated: this is a must-hear.  

#6: “Black Night” “Black Night” single (1970)

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Although this hard rocking tune was released as a single back in the early days of Deep Purple, “Black Night” actually wouldn’t make an appearance on one of the band’s studio albums until the 25th Anniversary re-release of their classic record, “In Rock.” Even so, the song’s been a live and fan favorite for many years. Featuring a simple yet oh-so-effective pentatonic blues riff from guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, while drummer Ian Paice pounds the skins for all their worth, “Black Night” was a sign of things to come from Deep Purple, and from the heavy metal genre as a whole.   

#5: “Perfect Strangers” Perfect Strangers (1984)

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The title track from Deep Purple’s Mark II comeback album, “Perfect Strangers” serves as one seriously heavy return to form. As a reunion of the classic lineup, it’s both familiar territory and a curious experiment for the band, since it’s one of the few Purple tracks not to feature a ripping Ritchie Blackmore guitar solo. Instead, the guys opt for an Arabic-tinged melody reminiscent of Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir,” while Ian Gillan does his best Robert Plant impression, spouting off Michael Moorcock-inspired fantasy lyrics that wouldn’t have sounded out of place on their “Stormbringer” LP. Add to this the track’s crushingly heavy main riff, and you’ve got a winner.  

#4: “Burn” Burn (1974)

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This album marked the debut of Deep Purple’s Mark III lineup, which featured ex-Trapeze bassist and vocalist Glenn Hughes and frontman David Coverdale. And, it opens with one electrifying statement of musical intent: the iconic title track known as “Burn.” The song endures to this day as one of the band’s most beloved and impressive-sounding recordings; fast, furious and with absolutely amazing organ/guitar/bass interplay from Jon Lord, Ritchie Blackmore and Glenn Hughes. “Burn” also benefits greatly from the dual vocals of Coverdale and Hughes, the latter of whom delivers a hair-raisingly awesome bridge that helps lift the song from great, past classic, to pure, solid gold.  

#3: “Child in Time” Deep Purple in Rock (1970)

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Epic in length at over ten minutes, and with an anti-Vietnam War sentiment, this next song has endured as a Deep Purple fan favorite over the years, and with good reason: it’s a magical metal monster. “Child in Time” is most known for the tour-de-force performance from Ian Gillan, as the singer wails and howls over a basic, but heavy arrangement from Ritchie Blackmore and company. Ian Paice’s pounding drums, Jon Lord’s otherworldly organ sound and Blackmore’s plodding, gloomy riffage just might be the closest Purple came to sounding like their countrymen Black Sabbath, who’d released their own legendary debut the same year as “In Rock.”  

If there’s a song better suited to speeding down a long stretch of highway, we can’t think of one! “Machine Head” is perhaps Deep Purple’s most beloved album both critically and commercially, and “Highway Star” is one of its most famous tracks. And with its blazingly fast guitar riff from Ritchie Blackmore, breakneck drums from Ian Paice and Jon Lord’s unmistakable organ grinding it’s a doozy. Classic rock this fast hadn’t even been imagined back in 1972, but “Highway Star” set the stage for nearly all the thrash and speed metal bands that would erupt in the ‘80s – many of whom were likely inspired by this slice of Deep Purple metal madness.   Before we unveil our top pick, here are a couple of honorable mentions: - “Space Truckin’” Machine Head (1972) - “Fireball” Fireball (1971)  - “Speed King” Deep Purple in Rock (1970)

#1: “Smoke on the Water” Machine Head (1972)

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As Deep Purple’s most enduring and iconic song, this inspired gem ranks as one of rock and roll’s landmark classics, with millions of fans and guitarists alike drawn to Ritchie Blackmore’s Godzilla-sized opening riff. Another standout “Machine Head” track, it has everything you’d want from a Deep Purple effort. Lyrically, the song details a crazy story from the band’s mobile recording session in Montreux, Switzerland, when a fire broke out at a Frank Zappa concert, destroying the venue’s casino and all the Zappa band’s equipment. Purple themselves watched the smoke billow out from the safety of their hotel room, but it was an inspiring enough sight that it spawned this eternal song.