Signatures

My responses in blue, following your responses.

British Artists

• Beatles HARD! "Help!" -- Lisa and I think perhaps "Let it Be" or maybe "Hey Jude". Both are from later. "Help" is a good one, though.
  
• Rolling Stones "Satisfaction" -- Agree. No question about this one.
  
• The Who "My Generation" -- Agree. A few other possibilities -- "Pinball Wizard" or "Won't Get Fooled Again." But "My Generation" is clearly their song.
  
• Led Zeppelin "Stairway ..." -- When every radio station's annual "Top 100" songs list ends with Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" as #1, I'd say there was no question about this.
  
• Eric Clapton "Layla" -- That's a good choice, but it wasn't what I thought of originally. I had "Cocaine" in my head. Perhaps it's because when I think of "Layla," I think "Derek and the Dominos."
  
• U2 "Pride (In The Name of Love)" -- Another good choice, but not my first one. I think "Sunday Bloody Sunday" put them on the map. The "Rattle and Hum" DVD I have shows them in concert performing this and the crowd going nuts.
  
• Kinks "Lola" (Maybe "You really got me"?) -- Yep, I had "Lola" in mind. But "You Really Got Me" was actually what made their name. Lola came later, I think.
  
• Dire Straits "Money For Nothing" -- Yeah, though "Sultans of Swing" is what I hear more on the radio now. But "Money For Nothing" off their "Brothers in Arms" album is what sent Dire Straits into the 1980's stratosphere.
  
• Deep Purple "Smoke On The Water" -- No way, man! "The Mule" off the "Made in Japan" album, man! Or "Space Truckin," man. You're right -- Smoke is their song.
  
• Oasis "Wonderwall" -- I don't know Oasis well enough to comment. I'll defer to you.
  
• Pretenders "Brass In Pocket" -- Yeah. Though over here in the U.S. more people recognize the tune "My City Was Gone" because that's the opening theme music for Rush Limbaugh's show. But few people know that's a Pretenders' song. I like "Brass in Pocket" quite a bit. In fact, I like the Pretenders quite a bit. I generally don't care for female vocalists, but I like Chrissy Hind's voice.
  
• Black Sabbath "Paranoid" (Maybe "Iron Man" if you're American) -- I'd agree with you ... Paranoid is their signature. But as for titles, then "Fairies Wear Boots" or "Rat Salad" is the best. :-)
  
• The Clash "Should I stay .." (But SO inferior to "Rock The Casbah") R.I.P Joe. -- Here in the U.S. I think "Rock the Casbah" might be their signature. But it's close. This one is tough for me because I think their "London Calling" album has better songs -- "Hateful," "Koka Kola," "Guns of Brixton." But not signature songs.
  

American Artists

• Aretha Franklin "Say A Little Prayer" -- I think "R.E.S.P.E.C.T" or maybe "Natural Woman" might take it over "Say A Little Prayer." That girl could sing.
  
• Stevie Wonder "Superstition" (Maybe "Uptight"?) -- How does one choose? When I put Stevie Wonder on this list, I did so simply as an example of an American icon. But I didn't really think much about it. But look at these songs: Uptight, I Was Made To Love Her, For Once In My Life, My Cherie Amour, Signed Sealed Delivered I'm Yours, You Are The Sunshine Of My Life, Superstition, Higher Ground, Living For The City. Goodness! The man was a genius. I'm going to toss a dart and go with "Superstition." But it's just a dart toss. Lisa votes for "Superstition" -- she likes anything funky.
  
• Michael Jackson "Billie Jean" -- Yeah ... or maybe "Thriller". I think "Billie Jean" is a better song, but that "Thriller" was everywhere back in the 80's.
  
• Creedence Clearwater Revival "Born on the Bayou" -- I thought either "Heard it Through the Grapevine" or "Have You Ever Seen the Rain."
  
• Talking Heads "Once in a lifetime" -- Here in the U.S. it would be "Burning Down the House."
  
• Simon and Garfunkle HARD! "Sound Of Silence" -- "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Sure, it's got way too many strings, but that song was THE song. It's been covered more than any other song, I think (may be second to "Yesterday" -- not sure).
  
• Bob Dylan "Blowin' In The Wind" (Possibly the much superior "Like A Rolling Stone") -- I'd go with "Like a Rolling Stone." I'm not much of a Dylan fan, but my personal favorite is "Tangled Up in Blues." But that's not his signature song.
  
• Iron Butterfly (WTF?) I will check out that track of theirs you mention ... -- I can't believe you didn't immediately know In A Gadda Da Vida!