What Tracks Define the Proto-Punk Sound?

My PJMedia colleague Allston asks the question — why not weigh in in the comments?

His first pick is “White Punks On Dope,” which is lyrically and vocally “punk” I guess but musically not so much.

I’d have chosen pretty much anything by Iggy and The Stooges, by way of the less-psychedelic stuff on Nuggets, or latter day anthologies like the amazing Back From the Grave series.

This is 1970, folks:

Sure, you can say “Jim Morrison with a haircut,” but that music, despite being too “long” and jammy, isn’t quite The Doors.

Or how about “Jack the Ripper” (1961)?

I like the version by the One Way Streets of “I Love Peanut Butter” “fame,” however, it went biggish first via Screaming Lord Such’s version and has everything going for it, except it’s too slow:

Sutch’s version of “Jack the Ripper” is two minutes and forty-eight seconds long, in the key of B-flat major, and 4/4 time. It begins with the sound of footsteps and a woman screaming, followed by a rendition of the “Danger Ahead” motif by the guitar and drum kit, accompanied by a ghoulish moan from Screaming Lord Sutch. The song itself is a three-chord song, with a vamp played by guitar and bass, with accompaniment by piano and drum kit, which is repeated throughout.

And it was banned by the BBC!