Castanets in Rock & Pop

My follow-up blog to my 3 blogs sharing playlists of songs featuring instruments in rock and pop music intrinsic to our bodies, hand clapping, finger snapping, and whistling, highlights an extension of one of these instruments, in the form of castanets held in hands, somewhat a variation of clapping, if you will, believe it or not featured in some prominent rock and pop songs.

Who knew castanets, commonly used in Spanish flamenco music, would make their way into rock and pop, right under our noses. We’ve oft heard them but not acknowledged them, thus not given them credit where credit is due. One you start listening for them, you will hear them more and more. I never stopped to consider what was the opening clacking in The Diamond’s “Little Darlin’” or the clackety sound Supertramp’s “The Logical Song.” And recently, after having “completed” my playlist of castanet songs, I was listening to a different playlist, and when hearing Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” the sound of what appeared to me castanets jumped right out at me. And upon researching, yes – castanets. Who knew? And similar to my comments on banjo in rock songs, once you hear it, you can’t unhear it. And yes Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance,” David Bowie’s “Golden Years,” OneRepublic’s “Apologize,” even Led Zeppelin’s “Bron-Y-Aur Stomp” give us a little castanet. The Drifters, The Beach Boys, The Crystals, The Ronettes, The Carpenters, Ringo Starr, Three Dog Night, Neil Young, Raspberries, Elton John, and even Judas Priest made the list.

https://listentothemusicblog.com/like-castanets-castanet-songs-in-rock-pop/