click on the picture below for a recap of all episodes
| episode | Title | Artist | Year | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot | Sweet Home Alabama | Lynyrd Skynyrd | 1974 | Lynyrd Skynyrd a band from Jacksonville, Florida. From 1970 to 1972 they recorded at the Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Alabama and wrote this song about their impressions and as a tribute to the studio musicians, the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. Neil Young had implied in his songs, "Southern Man" and "Alabama", that people in the American South were racist and stuck in the past. In response to those songs, Lynyrd Skynyrd sing about Southern pride and all the good things in Alabama. To know more about the legendary studios and artists you should watch the documentary Muscle Shoals (2013). |
| Pilot | California Dreamin' | The Mamas & The Papas | 1963 | This song from the Mama's and the Papa's is about longing to be in another place. (Mama) Michelle Phillips was living with her husband (Papa) John Phillips in New York and she felt homesick. Michelle was from sunny California. |
| Pilot | It Never Rains In Southern California | Albert Hammond | 1972 | Albert Hammond wrote this song with Michael Hazlewood in London, before they came to Los Angeles. He had never been in California when he wrote this song. |
| Pilot | Work Song | Nina Simone | 1961 | Nina Simone, one of a kind, imprisoned for robbing a grocery and condemned to work in a chain gang. (At the same time, she likens the heavy labor of breaking rocks to slavery, through which the song becomes a cry for emancipation as well.) Her music was often censored and sometimes even prohibited in the Southern states (by the Jim Crow laws). |
| Pilot | Giant | Calvin Harris & Rag'n'Bone Man | 2019 | Rag'n'Bone Man feels like a giant. Now he has another success after his breakthrough single called "Human". |
| Pilot | Gypsy Woman | Crystal Waters | 2008 | Crystal Waters is best known for this groundbreaking 1991 single “Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless)”. She wrote down what she had witnessed in Washington, D.C. A woman who had lost her job dressed all in black wearing make-up, singing gospel songs in front of a hotel. Crystal, daughter of jazz musician Junior Waters, had studied business and computer science and was employed at that time. |
| Pilot | When Am I Going to Make a Living | Sade | 1984 | The story has it that Sade wrote the song on the back of a cleaning ticket after she picked her clothes up from the cleaners. She had no money and she wrote down, “When Am I Going to Make a Living.” |
| Pilot | Busy Earnin' | Jungle | 2014 | Jungle, is a London based group founded by two friends and expanded to a seven piece band to turn the music from their laptops into a full and organic live experience. Busy Earnin' is directed at individuals who spend their existence working for money and neglecting other aspects of their life. It's about that fear of spending your life chasing a career you don't really want. |
| Pilot | Je veux | Zaz | 2018 | 'Je Veux’, ‘I want’ is the debut single of the talented singer ZAZ, born Isabelle Geffroy. Her fifth studio album is called ‘Isa’ by the way. Her mother was a Spanish teacher and ZAZ toured in the early years 2000 with a basque group Izar-Adatz (Basque for "Shooting Star"). |
| Pilot | The Race | Yello | 1998 | "The Race", a song by Swiss band Yello, released in April 1988, |
| Nine 2 Five | A Hard Day's Night | The Beatles | 1964 | It was Beatles' drummer Ringo Starr that used the expression first and later repeated by John Lennon in his book In His Own Write before ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ was used as a movie and song title. |
| Nine 2 Five | 9 To 5 | Dolly Parton | 1980 | This epic song from 1980 by Dolly Parton from the movie "9 to 5" speaks to the frustrations – and hopes – of the average working-class person and exposes the gender balance in the workplace. It didn't start any kind of movement at that time, but it did push the issue forward. The film is worth watching. Not only because it's a funny classic movie but also to better understand the statements and the sounds in the song. |
| Nine 2 Five | Morning Train (Nine To Five) | Sheena Easton | 1990 | Outside of the United States, Sheena Easton’s “Morning Train” was released as "9 To 5". Female songwriter Florrie Palmer wrote this song about how dull a woman’s life can be while she's waiting for her man to come home and show her a good time. |
| Nine 2 Five | The Worker | Fisher-Z | 1979 | Fischer-Z's band leader John Watts was still studying clinical psychology and working in mental institutions at the he wrote this song in 1979 about his father’s daily commute to London. |
| Nine 2 Five | Sixteen Tons | Tennessee Ernie Ford | 1955 | Sixteen Tons by Tennessee Ernie Ford was written in 1947 by singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Rosewood, Kentucky Merle Travis and based on the experiences of his coal-mining family. His brother, John Travis, who wrote him a letter quoting the sentence "It's like working in the coal mines. You load 16 tons and what do you get? Another day older and deeper in debt." and his father who told a neighbour, "I can't afford to die. I owe my soul to the general store," inspiring the lyrics: Saint Peter don't you call me, 'cause I can't go, I owe my soul to the company store. |
| Nine 2 Five | Chain Gang | Sam Cooke | 1960 | Chain gangs, were groups of prisoners linked together while performing physical labor. They were first used during the reconstruction of the south after the US Civil War as a way to utilize prisoners as free labor in rebuilding Southern states' infrastructure. Sam Cook wrote the “Chain Gang” in 1959 while on tour by bus, meeting a chain gang of prisoners in Georgia working on the side of the road. |
| Nine 2 Five | Let's Clean Up The Ghetto | Philadelphia International All Stars | 1977 | “Let’s clean up the ghetto” was released in 1977 and performed by the Philadelphia International All Stars who were a funk and soul collective including Dee Dee Sharp, Billy Paul, Lou Rawls, Teddy Pendergrass, The O’Jays & Archie Bell |
| Nine 2 Five | Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem) | Jay-Z | 1998 | Jay-Z’s ‘Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)’ is based on the song from the Broadway musical “Annie” where little orphan Annie is punished after she tried to escape. Just like Jigga, she tries to overcome her difficult circumstances. |
| Nine 2 Five | Living For The City | Stevie Wonder | 1973 | “Living For The City” by Stevie Wonder, who not only wrote the song but also played all the instruments on this song and also did all the vocals. The story of a young kid leaving his hometown in the south, where he has seen the hardships faced by his family, seeking for opportunities in New York City where he gets caught up in a different system of inequality that imprisons him and leaves him disillusioned. |
| Nine 2 Five | Movin Out (Anthony's Song) | Billy Joel | 1977 | Billy Joel's “moving out” from 1977 deals with working and lower-class New Yorkers to find a bigger and brighter future and get their own slice of the “American Dream.” Near the end of the recording is the sound of a car starting up and driving away, and it was actually the bass player’s (Doug Stegmeyer) 1960s Corvette that was used. |
| African Waves | In Zaire | Johnny Wakelin | 1976 | This song commemorates the "Rumble In The Jungle", the famous boxing match between world heavyweight champion George Foreman and Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.). The fight took place on October 30, 1974, in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). The location in Kinshasa was "le Stade du 20 Mai" (originally known as Stade Roi Baudouin) and now known as "Stade Tata Raphaël". You get to know much more about this event if you watch the American documentary film "We Were Kings" of 1996. |
| African Waves | A.I.E. (A'mwana) | Black Blood | 1971 | Believe it or not, this is a Belgian production. Black Blood with singer Steve Banda Kalenga from Lubumbashi in Zaire, was a Belgium-based, African group. They recorded « A. I. E. (A Mwana) », a cheerful family hymn, with a typical African disco rhythm, in 1975. The song was written by their creator and mentor Michel Jaspar, at that time a young airline pilot, born in Belgian Congo. Apart from the title, the lyrics are in Swahili. In 1981 it was covered by the London all-female trio Banarama. |
| African Waves | Africa | TOTO | 1982 | Toto keyboard player David Paich, at the beginning of the eighties, was deeply impressed by a TV documentary about the people in Africa suffering and dying. He tried to imagine how he would feel about if he was there and what he would do because he had never been in Africa when he wrote the song. |
| African Waves | The Boy in the Bubble | Paul Simon | 1986 | Forere Motloheloa an accordionist from Lesotho wrote the original song. Paul Simon recorded with his band at the Ovation Studios in Johannesburg in 1985. Simon wrote English lyrics and called it "The Boy In The Bubble" about his own observations that life is filled with so much potential (days of "miracle and wonder") but also so many challenges. Forere Motloheloa, plays the piano accordion, which is an accordion with piano keys on one side. |
| African Waves | Nelson Mandela | Special AKA | 1984 | Written by Jerry Dammers, "Nelson Mandela" was the first hit song specifically about the imprisoned South African political leader and apartheid government he fought against. Jerry Dammers, founder and keyboard player of the Special A.K.A., also known as The Specials, was inspired by the spirit and positivity of that African music. "Nelson Mandela" was the first hit song specifically about the imprisoned South African political leader and apartheid government he fought against. He had been imprisoned by the South African government since 1962 on charges of sabotage and attempting to overthrow the government. Unsurprisingly this song couldn't be played freely in South Africa, however it helped install optimism within the black community there. Prisoner no 46664 was finally released in February 1990 and became State President of South Africa in 1994. |
| African Waves | Scatterlings of Africa | Johnny Clegg & Savuka | 1987 | The original song is from the South African band Juluka and you listened to its successor band Savuka a multi-racial band formed in 1986 by Johnny Clegg (sometimes called "The White Zulu"). They mixed Zulu music with influences from rock and Celtic music. This song is "reflecting the myriad dislocations of South African society.". |
| African Waves | Ebony And Ivory | Stevie Wonder | 1982 | Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney was inspired by British TV comedian Spike Milligan playing on a TV show a segregated piano, on which the white and black keys were kept apart, in order to demonstrate how one couldn't work without the other. Despite it’s huge US and UK hit success in 1982, it has been named worst duet ever by BBC 6 Music listeners in 2007. |
| African Waves | Black And White | Three Dog Night | 1972 | “Black and White” was co-written in 1954 by American folk singer Earl Robinson. It was inspired by a US Supreme Court ruling that segregation in public schools is illegal. Pete Seeger, an American folk singer and activist first recorded it two years later. The original lyrics opening line, in reference to the court: “Their robes were black, their heads were white” was omitted in later version like this one by Three Dog Night from 1972. |
| African Waves | Khululuma | African Rhythm Travellers | 2003 | 'Khululuma’ meaning luxury in Zulu was released in 2003 by the African Rhythm Travellers |
| On The Road | Jet Airliner | The Steve Miller Band | 1973 | Steve Miller recorded this song in 1977. “Jet Airliner” was written by blind American bluesman Paul Pena who taught himself the vocal techniques of traditional Tuvan throat-singing. He became known as "Cher Shimjerg " meaning “Earthquake” in the Tuvan language because of his amazingly deep voice. In 1999 Paul was named 'San Francisco's Tuvan Blues Ambassador' and since then, July 11 is 'Paul Pena Day'. The documentary Genghis Blues tells you all about it. |
| On The Road | San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair) | Scott McKenzie | 1967 | John Phillips from The Mamas And The Papas wrote this as the unofficial anthem for the Monterey Pop Festival, near San Francisco, which he helped organising. It became one of the big Hippie hits during the Summer Of Love in 1967. Many peace activists and folkies wore flowers in their hair. |
| On The Road | On The Road Again | Canned Heat | 1967 | This was Canned Heat, with guitar player Henry Vestine a.k.a. "The Sunflower" and Alan Wilson playing the tambura that gives this song the psychedelic touch. Their hit “On the Road Again” is based on earlier versions of Chicago blues musician Floyd Jones and Mississippi Delta bluesman Tommy Johnson's song "Big Road Blues" from 1928. |
| On The Road | A Horse With No Name | America | 1971 | Three sons of US Air Force personnel stationed in the UK, met in high school in London in the late sixties. They started the band called “America”, because they did not want anyone to think they were British musicians trying to sound American. Being stuck in rainy England, this song goes back to their childhood when traveling through the Arizona and New Mexico desert. But it is also inspired by Salvador Dali’s painting and stands for a metaphor to get away from life's confusion into a quiet, peaceful place". |
| On The Road | (I'm A) Roadrunner | Jr. Walker & The All Stars | 1966 | "(I'm a) Road Runner" by Junior Walker & the Allstars is a one of the greatest R&B singles ever made. It first appeared on their debut album “Shotgun” in 1965 and because of its success was repeated on the following album. The record sleeve pictured a running bird similar to the Road Runner cartoon character, part of the successful Looney Tunes universe at that time. |
| On The Road | Midnight Train To Georgia | Gladys Knight & The Pips | 1973 | This song was originally recorded by Jim Weatherly as “Midnight Plane to Houston”. The song got written after a phone call with ‘Charlie’s Angels’ actress Farrah Fawcett telling she was gonna take the midnight plane to Houston to visit her folks. The song got renamed to "Midnight Train To Georgia" when Cissy Houston (Whitney Houston’s mother) recorded it. The rest is history. |
| On The Road | Come Fly With Me | Frank Sinatra | 1958 | Co-writer Jimmy Van Heusen had a passion for flying and wrote Frank Sinatra’s “Come Fly with Me” specifically for Ol' Blue Eyes in 1958. |
| On The Road | Airport | Motors | 1978 | Airport by the Motors, was written by Scottish co-founder Andrew McMaster while living under the Heathrow flightpath. |
| On The Road | We Can't Fly (radio edit) | Aeroplane | 2010 | Vito de Luca, a Belgian club DJ and producer, better known as Aeroplane, created together with Belgian fellow DJ Stephen Fasano (The Magician), and Nicole ‘Coco’ Morier the single and album ‘We Can’t Fly’ in 2010. |
| Hard Times | Shout To The Top! | The Style Council | 1984 | The Style Council’s frontman and songwriter Paul Weller addresses in his song ‘Shout to the Top’ the turmoil in England at the time their Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, wanted to reduce the power of the trade unions. |
| Hard Times | Smalltown Boy | Bronski Beat | 1984 | The song “Small town boy” is a semi-autobiographical story of Jimmy Somerville, the lead singer of Bronski Beat. “Smalltown Boy” discusses the oppression and mistreatment of closeted gay youths in Scotland during the 1980s. |
| Hard Times | Parklife | Blur | 1994 | Damon Albarn, frontman of the band Blur, was inspired by the novel "London Fields” for Parklife. The song and video won numerous awards in England but went nowhere in the US (maybe it was too British). The band asked British actor Phil Daniels doing the verses as they were big fans of his film, Quadrophenia, where he played a young working-class mod, named Jimmy. Another mod that featured in the movie was Sting as “Ace Face” who had a job as a bellboy in a Brighton hotel. |
| Hard Times | While You See A Chance | Steve Winwood | 1980 | Steve Winwood had known success as a member of The Spencer Davis Group, Blind Faith and Traffic. When he went solo and was living in rural England, Will Jennings wrote him this song in the spirit of the old English saying "Fake it till you make it." |
| Hard Times | Slippery People | Talking Heads | 1983 | “Slippery People” by the Talking Heads from 1983 could well be referring to the charismatic preachers and the congregations that they lead. The American gospel, soul, and R&B singing group The Staple Singers, with civil rights activist, Mavis Staples, recorded the song in 1984. |
| Hard Times | Feeling Good | Nina Simone | 1965 | Nina Simone’s mother was a Methodist preacher. Nina became an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her 1965 version of this Broadway musical song ‘feeling good’ became one of her best known songs. The message of joy and contentment after hard times translated well to Simone's vocal stylings. |
| Hard Times | 365 jours | Oxmo Puccino | 2009 | Oxmo Puccino is a French hip hop musician born in Mali as Abdoulaye Diarra. 365 Jours deals with the perception of time with age: Born in the morning, major at noon, old at 8 pm. |
| Hard Times | I Need Never Get Old | Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats | 2015 | This is a song by Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats from 2015 before he founded The Marigold Project that supports community and non-profit organisations working on issues of economic, racial and social justice. |
| Hard Times | Débranche | France Gall | 1987 | "Débranche" ("Loosen-up") by France Gall was released in the mid-eighties when she joined Chanteurs Sans Frontières and Action Écoles for the benefit of Ethiopia and other African countries where famine and drought prevailed. "débrancher" basically means "unplug" or "turn off", but it was also a trendy term in the 80's for "chill out" or "relax". This beautiful song was written by her husband Michel Berger, who was a songwriter and singer. Her father, the lyricist Robert Gall, wrote songs for Édith Piaf and Charles Aznavour. After they married on 22 June 1976,, Gall only sang songs written by Berger until his death in 1992. |
| Hard Times | This World Today Is a Mess | Donna Hightower | 1974 | Missouri born Donna Hightower settled in the sixties in France, then Belgium and finally in Madrid and won in 1971 the Costa del Sol International Song Festival. |
| Hard Times | Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves | Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin | 1985 | "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" is a modern feminist anthem, written by Eurythmics members Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart. It featured on both Eurythmics' and Aretha Franklin's albums of 1985. |
| Hard Times | Only the Strong Survive | Jerry Butler | 1968 | "Only the Strong Survive" is a song by Jerry Butler, a successful songwriter of numerous big R&B hits in the sixties. |
| Hard Times | Hey, Hey, Rise Up | Pink Floyd | 2022 | British rock legends Pink Floyd reunited to write their first new track in almost three decades “Hey Hey Rise Up”.“Hey, Hey, Rise Up”. It is inspired by Andriy Khlyvnyuk’s Instagram post. Khlyvnyuk – whose band BoomBox had performed with David Gilmour in 2015, had joined the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces and made a recording singing the Ukrainian folk song “Oh, the Red Viburnum in the Meadow” while on the front lines in Kyiv against the Russian invasion. The track was recorded on March 30, 2022, and released a week later. |
| Hard Times | A Change Is Gonna Come | Sam Cooke | 1964 | A year after hearing Dylan’s “Blowing in the wind”, Sam Cooke wrote in 1964 “A Change Is Gonna Come”, a protest song to support the civil rights movement for Black Americans equality. The song was released as a single a few months after Cooke was fatally shot at a Los Angeles motel. |
| Hard Times | What's Going On | Marvin Gaye | 1971 | "What's Going On" was written by three Motown hitmakers and golfing buddies: Al Cleveland, Four Tops member Renaldo "Obie" Benson and singer Marvin Gaye. Marvin Gaye’s lyrics were inspired by stories his brother Frankie told him when he came back from the Vietnam War. "What's Going On" was an expression he used to greet his friends. |
| Hard Times | Mad World | Tears For Fears | 1983 | Tears For Fears' first UK hit ‘Mad World’ was written by Roland Orzabal when he was as a 19 year old unemployed boy living with his girlfriend in Bath, watching people go about their daily routine, having to work, nine to five, for a living. |
| Hard Times | Stand by Me | Playing for Change | 2009 | "Stand By Me" was the name of a gospel hymn written in 1905. Playing For Change, is a multimedia music project, founded in 2002, and featuring musicians and singers from across the globe. It’s aim is to connect the world through music. |
| Resist | A quién le importa | Alaska y Dinarama | 1986 | “A quién le importa” or "Who cares?" written by Carlos Berlanga and “Nacho” Canut in March 1986 and performed by the band ‘Alaska y Dinarama’ with singer María Olvido Gara Jova. The song became a gay anthem by the Spanish language-speaking LGBT community. |
| Resist | Controversy | Prince | 1981 | "Controversy" from American musician Prince in 1981. He could not understand the curiosity surrounding him at the time such as his sexuality, gender, religion, and racial background. “my Lord and savior, Jesus Christ” as well as a deep fascination with the afterlife and Judeo-Christian scripture, which he was constantly quoting |
| Resist | Diamonds | Rihanna | 2012 | “Diamonds” by Rihanna in 2012. The song's message is to embrace and love yourselves, to do what you love and what makes you happy." |
| Resist | I Got You (I Feel Good) | James Brown | 1964 | James Brown reworked the song “I found you” from 1962, added some instrumentation, and recorded this version of "I Got You (I Feel Good)" in October 1965 at the Criteria Studios in North Miami, Florida |
| Resist | Pressure Drop | The Maytals | 1970 | The Maytals frontman Toots Hibbert wrote Pressure Drop in the late sixties while his fellow Jamaican musicians had a hard time to make a decent living. He believed that if you do bad things to innocent people, then “pressure is going to drop on you”. |
| Resist | No Stress | Laurent Wolf | 2008 | “No Stress” recorded in 2008 by the French house producer and DJ Laurent Wolf, featuring Anggun, an Indonesian-born artist, entertainer and humanitarian activist. Anggun was not only UN Goodwill Ambassador but also joined the Belgian “Make A Wish” foundation to help children with life-threatening medical conditions. |
| Resist | Résiste | France Gall | 1981 | France Gall’s "Résiste" is a call to protect one's freedom of choice. Not to blame the political system, but to change the world little by little by changing yourself. It could be considered "feminist" and "revolutionary". |
| Resist | Resistiré | Duo Dinamico | 1988 | Inspired by Spanish novelist and Nobel Prize winner, Camilo José Cela's phrase “el que resiste gana”, "Resistiré" (in English: "I Will Resist") by Spanish group Dúo Dinámico from 1988, became the anthem of resistance during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain, being played in many cities and neighborhoods of the country to encourage the workers of the Spanish Health System. |
| Resist | I Saved The World Today | Eurythmics | 1999 | This hit from the Eurythmics (the duo of Annie Lennox with Dave Stewart) deals with the idea of all the problems and the million things to solve. The song from 1999 tells our mind can't cope with all that information and puts us at risk of many ridiculous mental problems. |
| Resist | Bright Side Of The Road | Van Morrison | 1979 | Van Morrison wrote the uplifting, almost spiritual song “Bright Side of the Road” in 1979 in answer to James Carr’ soul song, “Dark End of the Street” from 1967 (written by Dan Penn and Chips Moman). George Ivan Morrison was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on August 31, 1945; his mother was a singer, while his father ardently collected classic American jazz and blues recordings. At 15, he quit school to join the local R&B band the Monarchs, touring military bases throughout Europe before returning home to form his own group, Them. Plagued for some time by chronic stage fright. |
| Resist | White Room | Cream | 1968 | Cream in 1968 and "white room", one of the rooms in poet and writer Pete Brown’s apartment where he was trying to come to terms with various things that were going on. |
| Resist | Pills | Selah Sue | 2022 | “Pills” by the so talented Belgian pop and soul artist Selah Sue, born Sanne Putseys, telling her story about the numbing effects antidepressants can have on her. |
| Resist | Bad Day | Carmel | 1983 | “Bad day” from the band “Carmel” with singer Carmel McCourt, much appreciated by the French as the new Edith Piaf after the release of the album ‘Strictly Piaf’. |
| Resist | Survivor (blade runnaz remix) | The blade runnaz remix of destiny’s child’s song survivor. | 2006 | The blade runnaz remix of destiny’s child’s song survivor. |
| Resist | When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going | Billy Ocean | 1985 | Billy Ocean’s single “When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going” became the theme song for the 1985 movie “The Jewel of the Nile”, a romantic adventure comedy featuring Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito. |
| at the movies | Theme From "Shaft" | Isaac Hayes | 1971 | "Theme from Shaft", written and recorded by Isaac Hayes in 1971 for the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie Shaft. The theme describes the character of John Shaft and Isaac Hayes became the first African American to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song. |
| at the movies | Across 110th Street | Bobby Womack | 1973 | New York City’s “110th Street” is the traditional dividing line between Harlem and Central Park that functioned as an informal boundary of race and class in the 1970s. The 1972’s movie title song, written and performed by Bobby Womack, was later featured in Quentin Tarantino's 1997 homage ‘Jackie Brown’. |
| at the movies | Everybody Needs Somebody to Love | The Blues Brothers | 1980 | This song was originally recorded in 1964 by one of the founding fathers of soul music, Solomon Burke and since then covered by many other artists. In the 1980 American musical comedy film “The Blues Brothers”, “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love” is sung by Saturday Night Live stars John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as The Blues Brothers. |
| at the movies | Ghostbusters | Ray Parker Jr. | 1984 | The movie “Ghostbusters”, co-written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, was released in 1984. Aykroyd had initially conceived it as a project starring himself and John Belushi, who died in 1982. The theme song, "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker Jr., became a number-one hit. |
| at the movies | Don't You (Forget About Me) | Simple Minds | 1985 | Scottish rock band Simple Minds released their number one hit single "Don't You (Forget About Me)" in 1985. They had been reluctant to record the song which was written by Keith Forsey and Steve Schiff for the 1985 American coming-of-age movie “The Breakfast Club”. |
| at the movies | Pinball Wizard | Elton John | 1975 | The original song "Pinball Wizard" is written by Pete Townshend, member of the English rock band the Who, for their 1969 rock opera album “Tommy”. “Tommy” is about a "psychosomatically deaf, mute, and blind" boy who becomes a pinball champion and a religious leader. In 1975 Ken Russell produced the film version of the Who's rock opera Tommy where Elton John performs this song. It’s among the first films to be released with Dolby-encoded soundtracks. |
| at the movies | Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life | Monty Python | 1979 | Monty Python's Life of Brian, is a 1979 British comedy film telling the story of a young Jewish-Roman man who is born on the same day as Jesus, and is subsequently mistaken for the Messiah. Some countries like Ireland, Norway and Italy banned the showing of the movie. Monty Python member Eric Idle wrote the song "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" which appears at the end of the film. The rest is history .. |
| at the movies | Everybody's Talkin' | Nilsson | 1968 | “Everybody’s Talkin' ” sung by Harry Nilsson is the title song for the 1969 film “Midnight Cowboy”. Nilsson had earlier discovered this song written and performed by Fred Neil in 1966. Nilsson's version later also appeared on the soundtrack of the 1994 film “Forrest Gump”. |
| at the movies | You're the One That I Want | John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John | 1978 | This world hit was released in May 1978 as the second single from the Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture “Grease” with John Travolta as Danny Zuko, leader of the T-Birds, and his girlfriend Sandy Olsson, played by Olivia Newton-John. Rest in peace dear Liv. They were the subject of persistent romance rumours after they steamed up screens in 1978’s “Grease.” Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta never got physical while filming the movie musical, and instead went on to share a 44-year friendship that remained strictly platonic. |
| at the movies | Stayin' alive | Bee Gees | 1977 | Another world hit released in 1977 as the second single from the Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture “Saturday Night Fever”, featuring John Travolta as Tony Manero a 19-year-old Italian-American from Brooklyn, New York, who spends his weekends dancing and drinking at a local discothèque where he is king of the dance floor. “Stayin’ Alive”, written and performed by the Bee Gees, has a disco beat of 120 beats per minute which coincides the heartbeat of your heart when you're excited. A study on medical professionals found that the quality of CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) is better when thinking about the beat of "Stayin' Alive". Bee Gees manager and film producer Robert Stigwood had signed a million dollar deal with John Travolta in 1976. |
| at the movies | Flashdance...What A Feeling | Irene Cara | 1983 | American singer and actress Irene Cara Escalera (born in The Bronx, New York on March 18, 1959) co-wrote the song "Flashdance... What a Feeling". She had already become a star since her performance in the 1980 hit film “Fame”. For the movie “Flashdance” in 1984 she worked with Keith Forsey on the lyrics and Giorgio Moroder for the music composition. |
| at the movies | A Brand New Day (Everybody Rejoice) | The Wiz Stars | 1978 | The Wiz is a 1978 American musical adventure fantasy film directed by Sidney Lumet, featuring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.The story is based on the children's novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”. The adapted 1978 movie version follows the adventures of Dorothy Gale, a shy, twenty-four-year-old Harlem schoolteacher who finds herself magically transported to the urban fantasy Land of Oz, which resembles a dream version of New York City. "A Brand New Day", also known as "Everybody Rejoice", is written by Luther Vandross. |
| at the movies | Over the Rainbow | Judy Garland | 1939 | At the age of sixteen, Judy Garland played the role of Dorothy Gale in the 1939 cinematic adaptation of The Wizard of Oz where she performed this ballad "Over the Rainbow". She received the Academy Juvenile Award for it. Fifteen years later she received an Academy Award nomination for her performance in “A Star Is Born”. |
| at the movies | Evergreen (Love Theme from"A Star Is Born") | Barbra Streisand | 1976 | "Evergreen" (also called "Love Theme from A Star Is Born") is the theme song from the the film “A Star Is Born”. Composer, performer and actress Barbara Streisand received an Academy, a Grammy and a Golden Globe Award for it. The 1976 version is a remake of the 1937 original picture, which had also been adapted in 1954 as a musical starring Judy Garland, and again in 2018 starring Lady Gaga. |
| at the movies | Hero | Family of the Year | 2012 | "Hero" is a song by American band Family of the Year and written by Joseph Keefe. It was used first in the 2012 comedy ‘Thanks for sharing’ and was prominently used in the 2014 epic coming-of-age drama ‘Boyhood’. Director Richard Linklater filmed from 2002 until 2013 the childhood and adolescence of Mason Evans Jr., played by Ellar Coltrane. |
| at the movies | In The Death Car | Iggy Pop | 1993 | "In the Deathcar" comes from the 1993 comedy drama “Arizona Dream” composed by Sarajevo born, Goran Bregović, starring Johnny Depp, Jerry Lewis and Faye Dunaway. "In the Deathcar" is a variation of Enrico Macias song "Solenzara” sung by Iggy Pop. |
| at the movies | Car Wash | Rose Royce | 1976 | The Los Angeles-based group Rose Royce released in 1976 their Billboard number one single and movie theme “Car Wash”. |
| at the movies | Goldfinger | Shirley Bassey | 1984 | Welsh singer, Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey recorded the theme songs to three James Bond films: Goldfinger (1964), Diamonds Are Forever (1971), and Moonraker (1979). The picture “Goldfinger” starring Sean Connery and with music by John Barry received the Oscar for Best Sound Editing. |
| City 2 City | Nutbush City Limits | Ike & Tina Turner | 1973 | "Nutbush City Limits" one of the last hits that husband-wife R&B duo Ike & Tina Turner released together August 1973. Tina Turner wrote it to commemorate the rural little village of Nutbush, Tennessee were she grew up. |
| City 2 City | Hometown Glory | ADELE | 2007 | Adele wrote this love song to her hometown of West Norwood, South London as a still-at-home teenager. |
| City 2 City | Goodbye Yellow Brick Road | Elton John | 1974 | "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" is a ballad written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, The titular road is a reference to The Wizard of Oz film and book series. Taupin expresses a desire to get back to one's "roots", to leave Oz and get back to his childhood farm in Lincolnshire. |
| City 2 City | Durham Town | Roger Whittaker | 1969 | "Durham Town (The Leavin')" is written by British singer Roger Whittaker. The song was released as a single in 1969. Its original title was "The Leaver". Roger was born in Kenya, lived in Ireland for ten years until 2006. He was very successful in Germany and moved to the south of France with his great love Natalie O’Brien. |
| City 2 City | Streets Of London | Ralph Mctell | 1969 | The song was inspired by McTell's experiences busking and hitchhiking throughout Europe, especially in Paris and the individual stories are taken from Parisians. McTell was originally going to call the song "Streets of Paris" but eventually London was chosen, because he realised there was another song called "The Poor People of Paris". McTell's song contrasts the common problems of everyday people with those of the homeless, lonely, elderly, ignored and forgotten members of society. McTell left the song off his debut album, Eight Frames a Second, since he regarded it as too depressing. |
| City 2 City | Georgia On My Mind | Ray Charles | 1960 | The song was written and first recorded in 1930 band leader Hoagy Carmichael for his sister Georgia Carmichael. Ray Charles, born in Albany, Georgia, made it a #1 hit and today it has become the official song of the state. |
| City 2 City | L.A. Is My Lady | Frank Sinatra | 1964 | “L.A. Is My Lady”, recorded in Los Angeles, is the title song of Frank Sinatra’s final solo studio album, released in 1984 and produced by Quincy Jones. |
| City 2 City | Down town | Petula Clark | 1964 | English singer Petula Clark and her first US hit "Downtown", written by Tony Hatch after he made his first trip to New York City in 1964. |
| City 2 City | Empire State of Mind | Jay-Z & Alicia Keys | 2009 | This song was originally from Brooklyn-native singer/songwriter Angela Hunte who lived in the same building where Jay-Z lived. Jay-Z penned new verses mentioning Angela’s place "560 State Street" and claiming “I'm the new Sinatra”. |
| City 2 City | New York, New York | Frank Sinatra | 1979 | Frank Sinatra’s 1979 version of the theme song "New York, New York" is amongst the best-known songs about New York City. It’s is written by John Kander and Fred Ebb for Martin Scorsese’s movie starring Liza Minnelli and Robert De Niro and praising the "City that never sleeps". |
| City 2 City | Big City Life | Mattafix | 2005 | This song is about the hard life in a metropolitan city. It explains how living is hard, and how everyone's on the move. The British band Mattafix won with “Big City Life” the Polish ‘Sopot Music Festival Grand Prix‘ in 2006. |
| City 2 City | Bruxelles je t’aime | Angèle | 2021 | "Bruxelles je t'aime" (transl. Brussels I love you) is a song by Belgian singer-songwriter Angèle, born in 1995 in Ukkel as Angèle Joséphine Aimée Van Laeken. She composed "Bruxelles je t'aime" during the first COVID lockdown to express her love for her hometown where all her family and childhood friends live. The song was released in October 2021. While she might miss her home city, she mainly lives in Paris. |
| City 2 City | Il Est Cinq Heures, Paris S'eveille | Jacques Dutronc | 1968 | "Il est cinq heures, Paris s'éveille" (English: "It is five o'clock, Paris awakens") takes inspiration from song by Marc-Antoine Madeleine Désaugiers: "Tableau de Paris à cinq heures du matin" in 1802, Jacques Dutronc and Jacques Lanzmann modernised the lyrics with less soothing scenes of trucks, cars and strippers and reexamined familiar Parisian landmarks in the sixties. Thomas Dutronc, his son, recorded in 2007 “J’aime plus Paris”. In 2022 father and son recorded together a new version of "Il est cinq heures, Paris s'éveille". |
| City 2 City | Twist à Saint-Tropez | Les Chats Sauvages | 1961 | Les Chats Sauvages (The Wild Cats) with Dick Rivers (Hervé Forneri) on vocals was one of the first rock and roll bands in France formed in 1961. The song is a hymn to the crazy nights at Saint-Tropez, at that time a small port on the French Riviera. |
| City 2 City | Summer in the City | The Lovin' Spoonful | 1966 | Here’s another song talking about nightlife but in a big city during a hot summer. The Lovin’ Spoonful released “Summer in the City” in July 1966. Based on his younger brother Mark’s poem, founder John Sebastian wrote the song together with base player Steve Boone. They added sound effects to mimic the city noises. |
| City 2 City | Barcelona | Freddie Mercury | 1988 | The Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballe requested her friend Freddie Mercury to write a song about her hometown Barcelona, which he did. Montserrat Caballe performed it at the 1992 Summer Olympic Games opening ceremony with Freddie Mercury’s vocals on a backing track since he had recently died from AIDS. |
| City 2 City | We're From Barcelona | I'm From Barcelona | 2006 | 'I'm from Barcelona’ is a Swedish 29 member band from south of Sweden. The song "We’re From Barcelona" is an homage to the Spanish waiter Manuel, a character on BBC Television comedy series Fawlty Towers with John Cleese stating: "He’s from Barcelona". |
| City 2 City | Amsterdam | Jacques Bel | 1964 | The legendary grand Jacques Brel live in the Paris Olympia in 1964. He first wrote this song about the sailors sailors on shore leave situated in Belgian port of Zeebrugge, but moved to Amsterdam as "it sounded better to the ear". |
| City 2 City | On My Way to Harlem | Gregory Porter | 2012 | Gregory Porter born and raised in California by his mother who encouraged him: "Sing, baby, sing! He moved on and performed at Harlem club St. Nick's Pub. |
| OMG | One of Us | Joan Osborne | 1995 | "One of Us" is a song by American singer Joan Osborne written by Eric Bazilian, released on November 21, 1995. The song is about the personification of a God and how you would deal with it. Hence the many questions in the song. The lyrics end by “Nobody callin' on the phone 'Cept for the Pope, maybe, in Rome” – I wonder which number she dialled? |
| OMG | Superstar | Murray Head & Jesus Christ Superstar Original Cast | 1973 | Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera written by Tim Rice and composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber about the psychology of Jesus and other characters. In 1970 they released it as a concept album featuring Ian Gillan (Deep Purple) singing as Jesus. In 1971 it came on-stage on Broadway and eventually in 1973 a movie was filmed in the Holy Land itself (in Israel) featuring Ted Neeley playing Jesus and Yvonne Elliman as Mary Magdalene. Jesus Christ Superstar was initially considered by some as ultimate blasphemy. Eventually it became a spiritual “Sesame Street” used to teach children spirituality since children can relate to the story and the music. For many it was their first theatre production to see. |
| OMG | I Don't Know How to Love Him | Yvonne Elliman | 1973 | Yvonne Elliman as Mary Magdalene in the rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar” was one of the few cast members to have performed on the original record, original Broadway production and the movie. Both, Helen Reddy and Yvonne Elliman released the single "I Don't Know How to Love Him" in 1971 and concurrently reached the Top 40. |
| OMG | Are You Gonna Go My Way | Lenny Kravitz | 1993 | Maybe some of you are too young to have known Lenny Kravitz. However, this was one of his greatest hits. “Are You Gonna Go My Way” is one of the biggest anthems of the 1990s and also appears in video games like Gran Turismo and Guitar Hero. In the song, Lenny refers to Jesus Christ, as "the ultimate rock star." It's about how God gives choice to man about where to turn. |
| OMG | Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) | Kate Bush | 1985 | The song “Running up that hill” was originally titled "A Deal with God". British singer-song writer Kate Bush considered making "a deal with God" was more powerful than “a deal with the Devil” and can create a greater understanding between men and women. The song was first released in 1985, it got a remix in 2012 for the London Olympics and re-entered the UK Singles Chart as #1 in June 2022 after its appearance in an episode of the BBC series “Stranger Things”. It made Kate Bush at age 63 the oldest female artist to top the UK singles chart. |
| OMG | Laughing With | Regina Spektor | 2009 | Regina Spektor is a Russian Jew immigrated to New York. Sometimes she is really positive about religion and sometimes she can really be sarcastic about it. “Laughing With” she wrote a couple of years before she released the song on her album “Far” in 2009. |
| OMG | Whenever God Shines His Light | Van Morrison | 1989 | Whenever God Shines His Light is a song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and released on his 1989 album Avalon Sunset as a duet with Cliff Richard. the most manifest example of Morrison's Christian commitment, it works as a testament of faith. Have I Told You Lately is a romantic ballad written and recorded by Northern Irish singer and songwriter Van Morrison in 1989. “Van the Man” wrote it as a prayer and relationship with God. |
| OMG | Reverence | Faithless | 1995 | 'Reverence’ is the title song of the debut album of Faithless, released in April 1996. Frontman Maxi Jazz, born Maxwell Fraser, introduces himself as the Grand Oral Disseminator, or GOD … two years later he claimed GOD is a DJ. Jazz peacefully passed away on 23 December this year at age 65. Rest in peace Maxwell. |
| OMG | Lift Me Up | Moby | 2005 | “Lift me up” by Moby in 2005, singing the chorus line: "Lift me up, higher now, Ama.". God names such as Buddha, Jehovah, Allah, and Krishna, all have an 'ah' sound in common that Moby was trying to emulate. It’s about how religious leaders and political leaders play upon people's willingness to lose themselves in said atavistic, tribal, collective, irrational behaviour. |
| OMG | Life | Des'ree | 1998 | “Life” from and by Des’ree with lyrics and rhymes voted as the "worst ever pop lyric" in a 2007 BBC poll. |
| OMG | Stairway To Heaven | Led Zeppelin | 1971 | "Stairway To Heaven" is a legendary song from British band Led Zeppelin, featuring on their fourth studio album from 1971. Written by frontman Robert Plant with music composed by their lead guitarist Jimmy Page. It is one of the most famous rock songs of all time. Rumour has it "to have hidden messages" but maybe Plant was only inspired by books like “Magic Arts in Celtic Britain” and “The Lord Of The Rings” or recent events like the death of Janis Joplin. And then there was also the controversy about the song's opening riff compared to the instrumental song "Taurus" from the band “Spirit”. |
| OMG | Mercedes Benz | Janis Joplin | 1971 | "Mercedes Benz" by Janis Joplin, one of the last tracks she ever recorded as she died three days later, on October 4, 1970. |
| OMG | Sympathy for the Devil | The Rolling Stones | 1968 | "Sympathy for the Devil" by the Rolling Stones. Mick Jagger wrote it inspired by the novel “The Master and Margarita” where the devil shows up in Stalinist Russia. He gives everybody what they want but no one believes he’s real. The Rolling Stones muses Marianne Faithfull and Anita Pallenberg played also a role in the conception of the song and not only for their backing vocals. |
| OMG | Personal Jesus | Depeche Mode | 1989 | Depeche Mode and “Personal Jesus” is from 1989. The lyrics are inspired by Priscilla Presley’s book about Elvis, her man and her mentor. Founding member, singer and guitar player, Martin Gore wrote the song. |
| OMG | It's a beautiful day | U2 | 2000 | ‘I’’s a beautiful day’ written by U2’s frontman Bono in 2000 is about losing everything but still finding joy in what one has. The lyrics were inspired by Bono's experience with Jubilee 2000, which was set up with the sole aim of urging politicians to drop the Third World Debt. R.E.M.'s frontman Michael Stipe wished he had written it. |
| OMG | Everybody Hurts | R.E.M. | 1992 | “Everybody Hurts” was written by R.E.M. drummer Bill Berry before he left the band to become a farmer. The “ultra melancholic ballad" from 1993 is an anti-suicide song reaching out to people who feel they have no hope and especially aimed at teenagers. Michael Stipe stated to be proud that R.E.M. created a song that actually saved lives. |
| OMG | Don’t Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down | Eiric Bibb, Rory Block & Maria Muldaur | 2004 | “Don't Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down” is co-written by Eric Bibb and Charlotte Höglund. Songwriter Eva Charlotte Höglund, born (on June 9, 1964) in Sweden these days serves as pastor in a missionary community. In 2018, Eric Bibb recorded in Sweden with his wife Ulrika an album ‘PRAY SING LOVE’. |
| OMG | Human | Rag'n'Bone Man | 2006 | “Human” was released as a digital download on 21 July 2016 and won a Brit Award for British Single of the Year in 2018. Rag’n’Bone Man being “only human after all” and only the “Lord in heavens above” can resolve some of the issues people face. |
| OMG | We're Only People (And There's Not Much Anyone Can Do About That) | Father John Misty | 2018 | Joshua Michael Tillman (born May 3, 1981), better known by his stage name Father John Misty, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. “We're Only People” is the closing track of his 2018 album “ God's Favorite Customer” Father John Misty is known for his satire he puts in his songs. |
| OMG | Creep | Vega Choir | 1992 | I am not a Radiohead fan, so forgive me to present you a cover song by Vega Choir from Malmö in Sweden. Here’s looking at you Mark Zuckerburg! The original 1992 song “Creep” from Radiohead written by Thom Yorke, is supposed to be a happy song about "recognizing what you are" but it is also about social alienation. Yorke based this on a song called "The Air That I Breathe" which was written by Albert Hammond and Mike Hazlewood in 1972. After "Creep" was released, Radiohead agreed to share the songwriting royalties, so this is credited to Yorke, Hammond and Hazlewood. |
| OMG | The Air That I Breathe | Albert Hammond | 1973 | “The Air That I Breathe” written and performed by Albert Hammond shortly after he moved to Los Angeles in 1972. Co-writer Mike Hazlewood stated it referred to the smog, for Hammond it referred to a girl that gave him shelter. Hammond recorded a Spanish version in 1976 called "Necesito poder respirar." The Hollies recorded the song in 1974 with success. |
| OMG | He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother | The Hollies | 1969 | “He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother” is a ballad written by Bobby Scott and Bob Russell. It was recorded in June 1969 at the Abbey Road Studios, with Allan Clarke on lead vocals and Elton John playing the piano. The title phrase goes back to “The Parables of Jesus” a book of 1884 and the story of a little girl carrying a big baby boy. Seeing her struggling, someone asked if she wasn't tired. With surprise she replied: "No, he's not heavy; he's my brother." |
| OMG | Run Shaker Life | The Voices of East Harlem | 1971 | The Voices of East Harlem was an African-American energetic young vocal ensemble of black adolescents (aged between 12 and 21). Founded as a community initiative in 1969, the group performed with top soul and R&B musicians and recorded four albums in the early and mid-1970s. Issachar Bates is the composer of this original Shaker dance song: "Come Life, Shaker Life" which has nearly identical lyrics as Richie Havens version (1967) "Run, Shaker Life". This recording is of the band’s performance in Ghana at the "Soul to Soul" soul and gospel music concert in 1971. |
| OMG | Brand New Christmas | Hot Chocolate | 1980 | Hot Chocolate probably made the most funky Christmas song so far with “Brand New Christmas”, a song from their 1980 album “Class”. |
| OMG | I'm Going All the Way | Sounds of Blackness | 1993 | "I'm Going All the Way" by Sounds of Blackness was released in 1993, a year before their very successful album “Africa to America: The Journey of the Drum “. |
| Wandering | Trains And Boats And Planes | Dionne Warwick | 1966 | “Trains and Boats and Planes” was written, arranged and conducted by Burt Bacharach with lyrics from Dave Hal. Dionne Warwick recorded her version of the song in 1966. |
| Wandering | Via Con Me | Paolo Conte | 1981 | Paolo Conte earned International acclaim in 1981 with his jazzy song “Via Con Me” (Come away with me). The Italian song includes references to nature and landscapes. The rhythm reminds me of a galloping horse. In 2022 a documentary titled “Paolo Conte, Via con me” was released. |
| Wandering | Voyage Voyage | Desireless | 1986 | Claudie Fritsch-Mentrop (born 25 December 1952), is the woman behind Desireless (oui, il faut le dire avec un accent français - French pronunciation: [deziʁlɛs]) and the International hit “Voyage Voyage”. This French song from 1986 has been covered in various languages. In Japanese by the female duo Wink and in Spanish by the Mexican boys-band Magneto. |
| Wandering | Marrakesh Express | Crosby, Stills & Nash | 1969 | "Marrakesh Express" written by Graham Nash while he was still a member of the English rock band The Hollies but released by the band Crosby, Stills and Nash (CSN) in May 1969. Nash describes in the song his train ride from Casablanca to Marrakesh during his holiday in Morocco in 1966. |
| Wandering | City To City | Gerry Rafferty | 1978 | Gerry Rafferty released in 1978 an album titled “City To City” with a couple of numbers inspired by his long distance commuting. The album was released outside the UK with a slightly higher pitch than the actual recording speed. In this title song the night train is carrying Rafferty home to his daughter Martha. |
| Wandering | I.G.Y. | Donald Fagen | 1982 | The song ‘I.G.Y.’ is a look back at the “International Geophysical Year” from 1957 to 1958 (the year of the World Exposition in Brussels) of scientists trying to improve the world through technology. Musically, this is also the brilliant opening track to his 1982 album, The Nightfly from Donald Fagen. Donald Fagen describes a futuristic world like a transatlantic tunnel (Ninety minutes from New York to Paris: More leisure for artists everywhere) and cities fully powered by solar energy. |
| Wandering | Last Train to Clarksville | The Monkees | 1966 | "Last Train to Clarksville" was released as the Monkees's debut single on August 16, 1966. It as well featured several times in the band's television series. Because of their TV series, the lyrics remained rather vague meaning it did not explicitly refer to the Vietnam War or army base. Anyway, the story goes they replaced the initial city name Clarkdale by Clarksville because it sounded better. Musically, the songwriting duo Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, was inspired by the Beatles, in particular their hit at the time "Paperback Writer". |
| Wandering | Last Train To London | Electric Light Orchestra | 1979 | "Last Train to London" is a song from the English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It appeared on their disco-inspired successful album Discovery in 1979. Band leader, writer and producer Jeff Lynne was inspired by the time they spent on trains going back and forth from their home town Birmingham to the various TV and radio stations in London. |
| Wandering | Enjoy the Ride | Morcheeba | 2008 | Here is some good advice from Morcheeba: “Enjoy the Ride”. Guest vocalist Judie Tzuke wrote the inspiring lyrics like “The day that you stop running Is the day that you arrive”. Tzuke, sticked to her Polish name, and seemed to be familiar with traveling titles. Her first album of 1997 was called “Welcome to the Cruise”. “it’s about accepting who you are in the moment and not trying to distract yourself with everything else – gaining a new understanding of yourself and life. |
| Wandering | Homeward Bound | Simon & Garfunkel | 1966 | “Homeward Bound” the American duo Simon & Garfunkel’s second single (after “The Sound of Silence”) in 1966. Paul Simon wrote this song at age 22 when he toured small folk clubs in England and was stuck at a train station. Peter Carlin used the title for his book 'Homeward Bound: The Life of Paul Simon’ released fifty years later in 2016. |
| Wandering | Adieu Sweet Bahnhof | The Nits | 1984 | “Adieu Sweet Bahnhof” by Dutch band The Nits in 1984. The title translates “Farewell Sweet Railway Station”. Sitting in a train back to Paris, arriving at the Gare du Nord upon arrival what do you do? Take the metro or jump into a taxi? |
| Wandering | Joe Le Taxi | Vanessa Paradis | 1987 | “Joe Le Taxi” is a big hit from Vanessa Paradis when she was still a young teenager (14). The songwriter Estèva Roda Gil used the life of the lesbian Portuguese Maria-José Leao Dos Santos, who he met in a Parisian club and who was a night shift taxi driver. At the beginning of the song you hear Paradis’s destination is “Barbès” which used to be one of the cheapest districts of Paris with a large immigrant population. |
| Wandering | Low Rider | War | 1975 | “Low Rider" is a song written by American funk band War in 1975. The vocals are from saxophonist Charles Miller, A low rider is a customized car with a lowered body initially designed by Mexican-American youth in Los Angeles, California, to cruise as slowly as possible, |
| Wandering | Route Nationale 7 | Lunabee | 2008 | The Belgian “Lunabee” won a cover contest (organized by the Tilt festival & CQFD (Inrocks)) in 2008 with this version of "Route Nationale 7" from Charles Trenet. Trenet drove many times the 996 Km long RN7 that links Paris to the south of France. Lunabee added a dash of salt and a good dose of carbon dioxide to his composition of 1955. Today, most people use the motorways ‘sur l’autoroute des vacances’. |
| Wandering | Une Belle Histoire | Michel Fugain | 1977 | Michel Fugain et Le Big Bazar with one of the many songs written by Pierre Delanoë, Un beau roman (Une belle histoire). The romance of two people crossing each other along the motorway. One heading home to the foggy (hazy) north, the other going south. |
| Wandering | Born To Be Wild | Steppenwolf | 1968 | “Get your motor runnin' and Head out on the highway” "Born to Be Wild" by the American-Canadian rock band Steppenwolf. The song featured (during the opening credits) in the 1969 road movie “Easy Rider“ about two bikers who travel through the American Southwest and South, carrying the proceeds from a cocaine deal. |
| Wandering | Rocket Man (I Think It's Going To Be A Long, Long Time) | Elton John | 1972 | Rocket Man" (officially titled "Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time)") is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. Taupin based it on The Illustrated Man, a 1951 collection of 18 science fiction short stories by American writer Ray Bradbury. One of them, “The Rocket Man”, presumably situated in decade 2020-2030 is about a boy missing his astronaut father who often goes to space for periods of three months and is only home for a few days. His mother is no longer attached to her husband for she knows that some day he won't return home. |
| Wandering | Major Tom (Coming Home) | Peter Schilling | 1983 | One-hit wonder Peter Schilling, born in Stuttgart, Germany with "Major Tom (Coming Home)" from his 1983 album, ‘Error in the System’. Schilling first released the songs in German: Das Original war “Major Tom (Völlig losgelöst – translated: completely detached)" und das Album ‘Fehler im System’. The song is a retelling of David Bowie's classic (1969) "Space Oddity". Schilling formed in 1995 a new band the Space Pilots and released several remixes of his hit. His songs often feature science-fiction themes like aliens, astronauts and catastrophes. Synthpop was a popular genre in Europe those years … |
| Wandering | Magic Fly | Space | 1977 | Space was a French group, created around Didier Marouani (Ecama) and Roland Romanelli, acclaimed for their 1977 synthpop hit “Magic Fly”. The composition initially was for the credits for a program on the first French TV channel, requested by the astrologer Élizabeth Teissier in early 1977. In the official video clip (https://youtu.be/ZavwtJxmqJI) they perform in space suites, no wonder they inspired their compatriots of Daft Punk. |
| Wandering | Le vent nous portera | Noir Désir | 2001 | “Le vent nous portera” from the French rock band Noir Désir. The song from 2001 evokes the story of two inseparable characters, whose memories will fly away forever. “Le vent nous portera” meaning “the wind will carry us”. The peaceful style is marked by the participation of Manu Chao on guitar and Akosh S. on bass clarinet marked. |
| Wandering | Sailing | Rod Stewart | 1975 | Rod Stewart, as a fan of the Sutherland Brothers, put a cover of their song ‘Sailing’ on his album ‘Atlantic Crossing’, which he recorded in 1975 (at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio). Writer Gavin Sutherland explained the spiritual meaning of the song: "it's an account of mankind's spiritual odyssey through life on his way to freedom and fulfilment with the Supreme Being." |
| Wandering | Leaving on a Jet Plane | John Denver | 1969 | John Denver wrote this song at age 23 during a layover at Washington Airport in 1966 as "Babe I Hate To Go". His producer Milt Okun convinced him to rename it as "Leaving on a Jet Plane" in 1967. Okun was also producer of the folk group ‘Peter, Paul and Mary’ and they recorded the song the same year on their LP “Album 1700”. Denver released his version in October ‘69 which caused ‘Peter, Paul and Mary’s belated success. In December ‘69 their version of "Leaving On A Jet Plane" became their only No. 1 single as well as their final top 40 pop hit. |
| Wandering | I Don't Wanna Die In an Air Disaster | Albert Hammond | 1974 | Gibraltarian singer-songwriter Albert Hammond wrote “I don't wanna die in an air disaster” when he was young and pretty in 1974. The same year he also released “I’m a train” and one year later he sang “Rivers are for boats to take us sailing, One day we will” … |
| Wandering | Night Boat To Cairo | Madness | 1979 | "Night Boat to Cairo" is a song by British ska/pop band Madness from their debut 1979 album One Step Beyond.... Keyboard player Mike Barson composed it as an instrumental, but lead singer Graham McPherson (Suggs) added lyrics. The band often closes their concerts with this song. |
| Wandering | Vesoul | Jacques Brel | 1968 | "Vesoul" is a song written, composed and performed by Jacques Brel, released in 1968 on his album “J'arrive”. Brel stayed twice in a hotel in the city of Vesoul in France and was so grateful that he dedicated a song title to it. The song is a mix of musette and swing where Jacques Brel is accompanied by the accordionist Marcel Azzola, The story goes that Brel only had ten minutes left at the recording studio, just enough for two takes. In the second and final take, Marcel Azzola was asked to add a few musical and rhythmic variations from which comes Brel’s expression "chauffe, Marcel, chauffe”. |
| Wandering | Wand'rin Star | Lee Marvin | 1970 | "Wand'rin Star" is a song written for the Broadway musical comedy “Paint Your Wagon” of 1951. For the 1969 movie, Nelson Riddle orchestrated and arranged Lee Marvin’s version of the song. The soundtrack became a success and "Wand'rin Star" topped the UK charts in March 1970. |
| Wandering | Andando | Sidestepper | 2000 | Sidestepper is a Colombian band from Bogota D.C. started in 1996 by English DJ/producer Richard Blair (born 17 June 1965, London). Richard Blair collaborated with Toto La Momposina. who had arrived in Paris in 1979 as a refugee and performed extensively in Europe, particularly France and Germany. Totó la Momposina, the “Queen of Cumbia”, has dedicated her life to represent the music of Colombia’s Caribbean coastline, where African, indigenous Indian and Spanish cultures mingle to create a unique musical tradition. This original song ‘Andando’ was released on a compilation album ‘Nirvana Lounge - Ethnic Lounge’ in 2003. |
| Wandering | Spanish Stroll | Willy Deville | 1977 | “Spanish Stroll” was taken from the 1977 album Cabretta by Mink Deville. Willy Deville, a macho dandy, blended the tracks with the unique New-York Spanish flavour. |
| Wandering | Walking In Memphis | Marc Cohn | 1991 | "Walking in Memphis" from the American singer-songwriter Marc Craig Cohn (born July 5, 1959). According to Cohn, the song is "100 percent autobiographical", about a Jewish gospel-music-lover and about more than just a place; it's about a kind of spiritual awakening, one of those trips where you're different when you leave. |
| Wandering | Home on Monday | Little River Band | 1977 | "Home on Monday" is a song by the Australian Little River Band, released inv1977. Songwriter Glenn Shorrock sings about the “Las Vegas Hilton”. This hotel was initially ‘The International Hotel’ that opened on July 2, 1969 and where Elvis Presley performed on July 31,1969, the first show of what would become a seven-year run at the hotel. More details about the 636 consecutive sold-out shows you get in the 2022 biographical drama film ‘Elvis’. |
| Wandering | Heartbreak Hotel | Elvis Presley | 1956 | Elvis Presley’s "Heartbreak Hotel" recorded with his band, The Blue Moon Boys, ‘Mr Guitar’ Chet Atkins, and the pianist Floyd Cramer in January 1956. |
| remains | Black Man in a White World | Michael Kiwanuka | 2016 | Michael Kiwanuka’s song is about his lack of self-esteem because he never really felt fitted in with the stereotypes of black culture. |
| remains | Going Back To My Roots | Odyssey | 1994 | "Going Back to My Roots" is a 1977 song by Lamont Dozier, a member of Holland–Dozier–Holland, the songwriting and production team responsible for much of the Motown sound. The song was written for the African-American market and touches on the matters of self-identity, family, and soul fulfilment. |
| remains | Alors on dance | Stromae | 2009 | “Alors On Danse” or “So we dance” the breakthrough single from Stromae in 2009. Wonder-boy Stromae was born as Paul van Haver in Etterbeek, Belgium as son of a Flemish mother and Rwandan Tutsi father. Stromae established himself as sort of a vocal activist and more songs about existential angst and personal trauma’s would follow. Recently, he was awarded as best male artist in France at the “Victoire de la music” for his latest album “Multitude” after a nine year career break. |
| remains | Fade to grey | Visage | 1980 | British band Visage and “Fade to grey” released in 1980. Frontman Steve Strange was assisted by the Belgian French spoken Brigitte Arens. Chris Payne wrote this song along with Visage band members Billy Currie and Midge Ure. Family is the key to staying colourful. If you lost the “joix de vivre” without human touch…you eventually may lose your purpose and fade to grey. |
| remains | Human Nature | Michael Jackson | 1982 | The song demo was initiated by Toto band members. Steve Porcaro was inspired by bringing comfort to his daughter’s bad experience at school. His fellow keyboard player David Paich added some synthesizer strings to it. The demo got into the hands of producer Quincy Jones and the rest is history. |
| remains | Don't Look Back In Anger | OASIS | 1995 | “Don't Look Back In Anger” by OASIS in which the Gallagher brothers recall St Patrick's Day when their Mum would take their picture beside the fireplace to send it to Grandma in Ireland. Noel looked grumpy in these photos, so she told him to take that look from off his face. As stated once by Noel Gallagher, his alcoholic father "beat the talent into him". The song became an anthem of solidarity after the Manchester terrorist attack. Three days after the suicide bomber killed 22 people at the Manchester arena, people gathered in the city centre to observe a minute of silence in honor of the victims. Following the silence, the crowd started singing this tune in an act of camaraderie. |
| remains | My Father's Eyes | Eric Clapton | 1998 | Eric Clapton was raised by his grandparents and lost his son Conor in 1991 at age 4. In his song “My Father’s Eyes” of 1998 he tried to describe the parallel between looking into the eyes of his son and seeing the eyes of the father he had never met. |
| remains | Father & Son | Cat Stevens | 1970 | Stevens’ father, Stavros Georgiou, owned a restaurant in London, hoping his son Steven would join his family business. But Steven Georgiou pursued a music career. In 1965 he changed his name to "Steve Adams" then to Cat Stevens and adopted the name “Yusuf” when he converted to Islam in December 1977. |
| remains | Seven Seconds | Youssou N'Dour | 1994 | "'7 Seconds' is about the first positive 7 seconds in the life of a child just born not knowing about the problems and violence in our world." Three different languages were used in this song: English, French and Wolof, which is a language spoken in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania. |
| remains | Born under a bad sign | Richard Hawley | 2005 | Richard Hawley was born in January 1967, in Sheffield, England. “Born Under A Bad Sign” is one of the lovely retro sounds that Hawley, as the crooner, masters. He tells the story of someone who has had an eventful life and who’s partner needs reassurance, commitment. |
| remains | Why | Annie Lennox | 1992 | This was the first single Annie Lennox released after the 1990 breakup of Eurythmics, (her duo with Dave Stewart). She had recently become a mother, her father had died, and she was just getting going as a solo artist. |
| remains | Les Enfants De Mes Enfants | Claude-Michel Schönberg | 1976 | “Les Enfants De Mes Enfants” a song from French singer and musical composer Claude-Michel Schönberg. The lyrics go “The children of my children, running in the fields in the middle of the Milky Way, will tell of me while mocking, our grandfather was a singer in a wild and lying World”. |
| remains | Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2) | Pink Floyd | 1979 | Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2) taken from Pink Floyd's 1979 rock opera The Wall. Bassist and songwriter Roger Waters reflected on how schooling had been playing a part in his life and ended up with this protest song (against corporal punishment, and rigid and abusive schooling). |
| remains | Gangsta's Paradise | Coolio | 1974 | Coolio and "Gangsta's Paradise" of 1995 with a sample of Stevie Wonder’s "Pastime Paradise" and why it has no profanity in it. The song is linked with the autobiographical picture “Dangerous Minds” where Michelle Pfeifer plays the role of LouAnne Johnson, a former marine, teaching a high school class of tough, sullen teenagers. |
| remains | Games People Play | Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra feat. Marc Almond | 1968 | “Games People Play” is the bestselling book published in 1964 by Psychiatrist Dr. Eric Berne which uncovered the dynamics of human relationships. The song "Games People Play" written, composed, and originally performed by American singer-songwriter Joe South in August 1968 is a protest song against various forms of hatred, hypocrisy, inhumanity, intolerance, and irresponsibility, in both interpersonal and social interactions between people. Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra with vocals by Marc Almond (known from Soft Cell) released this version on their album “Moving Out to the Country” in 2006. |
| remains | Everybody Wants To Rule The World | Tears For Fears | 1985 | Tears For Fears’ band member Curt Smith explained that “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” is about everybody wanting power, about warfare and the misery it causes. |
| remains | We Didn't Start The Fire | Billy Joel | 1989 | “We Didn't Start The Fire” from Billy Joel in 1989 is a stream-of-consciousness list of events that Billy Joel felt his generation, the baby boomers, was not responsible for. A lot of the references are to the Cold War (US vs. Russia), a problem his generation, the baby boomers, inherited. |
| remains | Golden Years | David Bowie | 1975 | The song utilises elements of 1950s doo-wop and the multi-tracked vocal refrain resembles the Diamonds' 1958 single "Happy Years". The main guitar riff is based on the 1968 Cliff Nobles and Company song "The Horse". Rumour has it that David Bowie wrote the song for Elvis Presley, who just returned a note wishing Bowie good luck. |
| remains | Superstition | Stevie Wonder | 1972 | "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder, playing Hohner clavinet, drums and Moog Synth Bass. The track was intended for Jeff Beck, who was brought in to play some guitar parts on the album in exchange for a song. Wonder wrote this about the dangers of believing in superstitions. Some of the bad luck superstitions he alludes to include walking under a ladder, breaking a mirror (said to bring seven years of bad luck), and the number 13. |
| remains | Nothing Rhymed | Gilbert O’Sullivan | 1970 | According to Irish singer-songwriter O'Sullivan, he wrote the song after seeing film footage of starving children in Africa (during the Nigerian Civil War) on television for the first time. He started as a drummer in a band called Rick's Blues, founded by Rick Davies who later founded Supertramp and who taught O'Sullivan how to play both drums and piano. Hence his style of piano-playing, which often utilises a distinct, percussive piano pattern. O'Sullivan has explained "My left hand is hitting the high hat and the right hand is the snare. |
| remains | Dreamer | Supertramp | 1974 | This song was composed by Supertramp’s singer Roger Hodgson on his mother’s Wurlitzer piano at 19. “Dreamer" appeared on British band Supertramp successful album of 1974 “Crime of the Century”. This song is about a guy with big dreams who is incapable of acting on them, so they never come true. |
| remains | Blame | Gabriels | 2021 | Gabriels and “Blame” from 2021. The band is named after St. Gabriels Avenue, the street in Sunderland, England that producer Ryan Hope grew up on. They fuse musical styles such as gospel, doo-wop and jazz. Their special recording technique creates a vintage sound with the stunning gospel vocals of Compton’s Jacob Lusk. When examining our life’s problems, we hastily assign blame. 'This happened because of this…' The song ‘Blame’ seeks to examine the construct of not only fault and shame, but take a deep dive into the world of addiction, and indulgence.” |
| remains | Heaven Is a Place on Earth | Belinda Carlisle | 1987 | The song is about peace of mind and the hopeful idea you can make your own heaven on your own patch (in your comfort zone). Belinda Carlisle was the lead singer of the all female band the Go-Go’s. The song features Thomas Dolby on keyboards, and among the backing singers were Michelle Phillips (of the Mamas and the Papas) and the song’s writers, Rick Nowels and Ellen Shipley. |
| remains | To My Father's House | The Les Humphries Singers | 1970 | Englishman Les Humpries lived and worked in Hamburg, Germany, and formed ‘The Les Humphries Singers’ in 1970. “To My Father's House”, a passage from the Bible set to a snappy tune, was their biggest hit in 1970. |
| remains | Who'll Come With Me (David's Song) | The Kelly Family | 1980 | The Kelly Family is an Irish-American family music group. In 1965 they settled in Spain and in the seventies the Kelly Kids popularity increased in Spain. They play a repertoire of rock, pop, and folk music, and sing fluently in English, Spanish, German, and Basque. After signing a record contract in Germany their first major chart hit came in 1980, with the song "Who'll Come With Me (David's Song). Family father Dan Kelly, wrote the lyrics for the instrumental composed by Vladimir Cosma. His twelve year old son John Kelly performed as lead singer. |
| remains | Beautiful People | Melanie | 1969 | Melanie Safka (Melanie Anne Safka-Schekeryk), an American singer and songwriter, born 3 February 1947 in Astoria, New York City, USA. She was a flower child of the Flower Power era and had her breakthrough at 18 during the Woodstock festival. The inspiration for "Beautiful People" came during a New York City blackout that happened in Melanie's childhood. "It was dark," Melanie said. "There were old people in the building. (OK, maybe they were in their 40s, but they seemed old at the time.)" Melanie handed candles out during the emergency. "The evening was magical," she recalls. "It was anything but cold and uncaring, which was New York's reputation. Days after the blackout, on the subway, I was thinking, 'beautiful people caring from the heart.'" |
| remains | In My Life | Beatles | 1965 | “In my Life” a masterpiece by Lennon–McCartney with George Martin delivering the piano solo bridge. Autobiographical lyrics talking about people from Lennon’s childhood and younger years. |
| remains | One day like this | Elbow | 2008 | Elbow’s lead singer Guy Garvey had the chorus line lyric for several years in his diary: "one day like this a year would see me right". The band’s 2009 BRIT Award and 2012 London Olympics closing ceremony appearance gave the single an extra boost into the charts. |
| remains | The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan | Marianne Faithfull | 1979 | “The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan” was originally recorded by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show in 1975. Shel Silverstein wrote this song, which is about a woman who lives a comfortable, middle class lifestyle, but goes crazy. In 1979 English singer Marianne Faithfull released her version with a happy end interpretation of the song. The woman gets taken away by "the man who reached and offered her his hand" and in a "long white car" (an ambulance) rides along to a psychiatric hospital. |
| remains | Everybody's Got To Learn Sometimes | The Korgis | 1980 | Korgis’ member James Warren on vocals and bass, at the time, was very into Buddhist philosophy. Back in 1980 he pleaded in this song to break away from your social conditioning (oops how is this possible today) and to look at the world as if you were looking at it for the first time without any preconceptions. The lyrics are about changing fundamentally the way we look at life, the way we look at other people. Change your heart and look at the world with completely fresh eyes, not with the eyes of our social conditioning. |
| remains | I Shall Be Released | Nina Simone | 1968 | With "I Shall Be Released" Bob Dylan wrote his very own ‘prison song’. In 1967 he recorded it first in collaboration with the Band during the Basement Tapes sessions. Four years later in 1971 Dylan recorded an new version with altered arrangement and lyrics. Nick Cave once told he thinks Nina Simone sings other artist’s tracks better than her own. Indeed, in her version of Dylan’s song she is again moving like a butterfly and stinging like a bee. |
| remains | Green Green Grass Of Home | Tom Jones | 1966 | Nashville songwriter Claude "Curly" Putman Jr. wrote in 1964 this song that was inspired by a crime scene in John Huston’s film noir “The Asphalt Jungle” of 1950. “Green Green Grass Of Home” was Tom Jones' biggest hit in the UK. Welshman Tom Jones learned the song from Jerry Lee Lewis, while staying in New York in 1965. But there exist of course many other cover versions and interpretations in different languages: Afrikaans ("Groene Velde Van My Land"), Czech, Danish ("Det grønne græs"), French, German (‘Der Weg zurück nach Haus'), Portuguese (“Os Verdes Campos Da Minha Terra”), Serbian ("Zelena trava doma mog"), Swedish ("En sång en gång för länge sen") and so on, and so on. I couldn’t find a Spanish version though … In 1967 Dalida called it “Les grilles de ma maison” (the gates or bars of my house) while Nana Mouskouri (and Les Compagnons de la Chanson) called it "Le toit de ma maison" (the roof of my house). Maybe Dalida felt more imprisoned after attempting to take her life. |
| remains | New World In The Morning | Roger Whittaker | 1971 | On the album with the same name, Whittaker seems to be obsessed by mornings. He’s got four consecutive titles: “Early One Morning”, “Morning Please Don’t Come”, “New World in the Morning” and “Good Morning Starshine”. |
| remains | What A Difference A Day Makes | Esther Phillips | 1975 | “What a Diff'rence a Day Made", also recorded as "What a Difference a Day Makes" is a song with a long history. It was originally written in Spanish by María Joaquina Grever, a Mexican songwriter, in 1934 with the title "Cuando vuelva a tu lado". American songwriter Stanley Adams translated the song into "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes". Orquesta Pedro Vía first recorded it in 1934. Thirty years later in 1964 it was recorded by the Trio Los Panchos with Eydie Gormé. Meanwhile, in 1959, Dinah Washington won a Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Performance with her version of the song. It was Esther Phillips that made her comeback in 1975 with this disco version. |
| Funky Beach | Walking On Sunshine | Katrina & The Waves | 1983 | English rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Kimberley Rew wrote “Walking on Sunshine" for his rock band ‘Katrina and the Waves' in 1983. In 1997, Katrina and the Waves won the Eurovision Song Contest for the United Kingdom with another of Rew’s composition "Love Shine a Light". |
| Funky Beach | Happy | Pharrell Williams | 2013 | Pharrell made the world “Happy” in 2014 with this feel-good anthem. The song soared to #1 in 35 countries—it was the best selling song of 2014. Originally, Pharrell intended Cee Lo Green to sing the song—but things didn’t work out. “Happy” is repeated 56 times over the course of the song. |
| Funky Beach | H.A.P.P.Y. Radio | Edwin Starr | 1979 | "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio" is a 1979 disco song written, produced and recorded by soul singer Edwin Starr. |
| Funky Beach | Yeke Yeke | Mory Kante | 1987 | Guinean recording artist Mory Kanté released “Yé ké yé ké" in 1987 as a single from his album “Akwaba Beach”. The lyrics are in Mandinka and adapted from a traditional song called "Yekeke". 'Yekeke' is the sound that young girls, approaching the age of marriage, make when they dance and flirt with each other through music. |
| Funky Beach | Poppa Joe | Sweet | 1971 | The Sweet and ‘Poppa Joe’ in 1971 is one of the many songs by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman. The Sweet, with their blond haired frontman Andy Scott and talented bass player Steve Priests, is one of the best glam rock bands of the seventies. |
| Funky Beach | Sunflower | Glen Campbell | 1977 | "Sunflower" is a song written by Neil Diamond and recorded by American country music singer Glen Campbell. It was released in June 1977. Neil Diamond did not release his own version of this song until late 2018, when it was included the release of his 50th Anniversary Collectors Edition 6-CD set. |
| Funky Beach | Good Vibrations | Beach Boys | 1966 | Glen Campbell played lead guitar on the final recording of ‘Good Vibrations’. Beach Boys lead singer Mike Love wrote the lyrics as a kind of a flower power poem. Brian Wilson composed it while on LSD, which explains why the song is the musical embodiment of a spectacular acid trip. The unusual, high-pitched sound in the song was produced using an electro-theremin. |
| Funky Beach | Sunshine Superman | Donovan | 1966 | More sixties psychedelic pop from Scottish singer-songwriter "Sunshine Superman": Donovan. Session guitarist Jimmy Page (The Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin) played the lead guitar, employing an innovative use of the volume control on his guitar for the repeating figure during the verses. |
| Funky Beach | All I Wanna Do | Sheryl Crow | 1993 | Sheryl Crow closely based her lyrics of this song on the poem "Fun" by Wyn Cooper, which starts with the phrase “'All I want do do is have a little fun before I die." "All I Wanna Do" was her breakthrough hit and won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. |
| Funky Beach | Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In | The Fifth Dimension | 1969 | This song "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" is a medley of songs taken form the 1967 American Tribal Love Rock Musical "Hair" and released as a single by American group the “5th Dimension”. This song was one of the most popular songs of 1969 worldwide and won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Group in 1970. In the documentary "Summer of Soul" about the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969, the story behind the unusual way they stumbled into recording "Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In," is told by band members Billy Davis Jr. and his wife Marilyn McCoo. |
| Funky Beach | Funkin' For Jamaica (ft. Toni Smith) | Tom Browne | 1980 | "Funkin' for Jamaica (N. Y.)" is a 1980 single by jazz trumpeter Tom Browne with vocals performed by Toni Smith (Thomassina Carrollyne Smith), who also helped compose the song. . The single is a memoir of the neighbourhood in the New York City borough of Queens where Browne was born and raised. Browne got the idea for the song while he was at his parents' home. |
| Funky Beach | Dreadlock Holiday | 10cc | 1978 | 10cc’s Internationally acclaimed reggae hit "Dreadlock Holiday" from their album, Bloody Tourists of 1978. The song lyrics are inspired by real experiences in Barbados and Jamaica. |
| Funky Beach | Kingston Kingston | Lou & The Hollywood Bananas | 1978 | The Belgian project “Lou & The Hollywood Bananas” added in 1978 some ska style to their reggae hit “Kingston Kingston”. The lyrics go: “C'est l'hiver à Paris - Paris la pluie et l'ennui - Mais ici plus d' soucis“ meaning: “winter in Paris, rain and boredom but here no worries” Lou Deprijck is the mastermind behind ‘Two Man Sound’, ‘Plastic Bertrand’ and ‘Viktor Lazlo’, one of the “Hollywood Bananas”. |
| Funky Beach | Three Little Birds | Bob Marley & The Wailers | 1980 | Bob Marley based the song “Three Little Birds” on his observations around him, such as the pretty canaries flying around his home. |
| Funky Beach | Sunshine Reggae | Laid Back | 1982 | "Sunshine Reggae" is a song written and recorded by Danish electronic music duo Laid Back. It was originally released as a single in 1982 and released on their second album Keep Smiling (1983). |
| Funky Beach | Jamaica Farewell | Harry Belafonte | 1956 | Many of Harry Belafonte’s hits are Caribbean folk songs. The lyrics of "Jamaica Farewell" were written by Lord Burgess (Irving Burgie), an American-born, half-Barbadian songwriter. It is about the beauties of the West Indian Islands. The line "ackee, rice, saltfish is nice" refers to the Jamaican national dish. |
| Funky Beach | Isla en el Sol (Island In the Sun) | Julio Iglesias | 1981 | Harry "King of Calypso" Belafonte wrote "Island In The Sun" about simple life on a Caribbean island. The island is a fictional Caribbean one named Santa Marta. Julio Iglesias adapted the song in Spanish for his 1981 album ‘De Niña a Mujer’ (English: From a Child to a Woman) dedicated to his daughter Chábeli. |
| Funky Beach | La Isla Bonita | Madonna | 1987 | "La Isla Bonita" or "The Beautiful Island" from Madonna in 1987. She considers it a "A tribute to the beauty and mystery of Latin American people." The location of San Pedro is unclear and goes from a Los Angeles’ neighbourhood to a Belize district. European tourists may know "La Isla Bonita" as La Palma, the most beautiful of the Canary Islands! |
| Funky Beach | El mismo sol (ft. Jennifer Lopez) | Álvaro Soler | 2015 | "El mismo sol" (English: The Same Sun) is a 2015 summer hit of Spanish-German singer-songwriter Álvaro Soler. This Spanglish version feature additional lyrics in English and vocals by American entertainer Jennifer Lopez. The lyrics convey an intense will to enjoy and love life, have fun, and travel. |
| Funky Beach | Vacances, J'oublie Tout | Elegance | 1982 | “Vacances, J’oublie Tout” by French one hit wonder “Elegance” in 1982. The title says it all: “on holiday, I forget about everything”. |
| Funky Beach | On The Beach | Chris Rea | 1988 | "On the Beach" is a song by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea that was first released in 1986 and re-recorded in 1988. It is inspired by the Spanish island Formentera off the coast of Ibiza where Rea married his wife Joan Lesley." |
| Funky Beach | You Are The Sunshine Of My Life | Stevie Wonder | 1972 | With "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" Stevie Wonder expressed his devotion to his wife Syreeta Wright. Earlier, in 1970, Syreeta had written the lyrics for “"Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours". The male vocalist who first sings on the track is Jim Gilstrap, and the female singer who follows is Lani Groves - both were backup singers in his band. Stevie is the third singer heard on the track. |
| Funky Beach | Mykonos | Fleet Foxes | 2008 | “Mykonos” by the American indie folk band Fleet Foxes in 2008. The Greek LGBT-friendly island Mykonos's nickname is "The Island of the Winds", due to the very strong winds that usually blow on the island or it it because its vibrant nightlife? |
| Funky Beach | The Speak Up Mambo (Cuéntame) | The Manhattan Transfer | 1977 | The original version of “The Speak Up Mambo (Cuentame)” was released in 1955 by Cuban bandleader Al Castellanos and his Orchestra. The Manhattan Transfer scored a world hit with it in 1977. |
| Funky Beach | Here Comes The Sun | The Beatles | 1969 | George Harrison found the inspiration for "Here Comes the Sun" during spring of 1969 in Eric Clapton’s garden in Surrey, England and completed the lyrics while on holiday in Sardinia, Italy. The song featured on the Beatles album Abbey Road of the same year. |
| Funky Beach | Soley Soley | Middle Of The Road | 1971 | “Soley Soley" is a song by Scottish band Middle of the Road, released as a single in August 1971. The song is written by Spanish musician Fernando Arbex (founder of Los Brincos) and and recorded in Spain. |
| Funky Beach | Kokomo | The Beach Boys | 1988 | “Kokomo" by the Beach Boys (without Brian Wilson) from the 1988 film Cocktail. The group later recorded a Spanish-language version of with participation from Wilson. The song is written by John Phillips, Scott McKenzie, Mike Love, and Terry Melcher and describes two lovers taking a trip to a relaxing place on Kokomo, a u topic island off the Florida Keys. In addition to the fictional Kokomo, the song also makes references to many real Caribbean islands, including Aruba, Jamaica, Bermuda, Bahamas, Martinique, and Montserrat. |
| Funky Beach | So Nice (Summer Samba) | Bebel Gilberto | 2000 | Brazilian bossa nova singer Bebel Gilberto is the daughter of João Gilberto and singer Miúcha. “So Nice” or “Summer Samba” (originally "Samba De Verão") created by the brothers Marcos and Paulo Sérgio Valle in 1964 became first a world hit in1966 for the “Walter Wanderley Trio”. Bebel Gilberto recorded the English version on her 2000 album Tanto Tempo |
| Funky Beach | Waters Of March (feat. Oleta Adams) | Al Jarreau | 1997 | Antônio Carlos Jobim wrote "Waters of March" (Portuguese: "Águas de março"). The inspiration comes from Rio de Janeiro's rainiest month where the rains of March mark the end of a Brazilian summer. Al Jarreau’s version, with vocals by Oleta Adams, features on the 1997 compilation album ‘A Twist of Jobim’. |
| Funky Beach | In The Summertime | Mungo Jerry | 1970 | "In the Summertime", released in 1970, is the debut single by British rock band Mungo Jerry. Written and composed by the band's lead singer, Ray Dorset, the song celebrates the carefree days of summer. |
| Funky Beach | Summertime | Billy Stewart | 1966 | In his teens Billy Stewart won a talent singing contest performing George Gershwin’s “Summertime” but it was in 1966 that he recorded this "scat-singing style" cover. The drummer for Stewart’s recording was Maurice White (founder of the band Earth, Wind & Fire). Billy Stewart’s version became the most successful recording of “Summertime” in the 20th Century. |
| Funky Beach | Don't Worry, Be Happy | Bobby McFerrin | 1988 | "Don't Worry, Be Happy" is a song by American musician Bobby McFerrin, released with the 1988 movie Cocktail. The inspiration for the song came from a Meher Baba, an Indian spiritual master, poster. The song won the1989 Grammy awards for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. |
| Funky Beach | La ballade des gens heureux | Gérard Lenorman | 1975 | "La Ballade des gens heureux" (translation: The Ballad of the Happy People) is a song by Gérard Lenorman, released in 1975 with lyrics by Pierre Delanoë. French singer-songwriter Gérard Lenorman (born 9 February 1945) was born in Normandy as the son of Madeleine Lenormand and an unknown German soldier. |
| Funky Beach | Joy | Apollo 100 | 1971 | "Joy" is a 1971 instrumental pop hit record by ‘Apollo 100’. Apollo 100 was founded by British arranger and multi-instrumentalist Tom Parker. “Joy” is a contemporary interpretation of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cantata No. 147: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring. |
| Sweet Sunset | Night Rider | The Electric Blues Band | 2018 | This song features on a compilation CD I got from my late neighbour. |
| Sweet Sunset | Stardust | Nat King Cole | 1957 | Bandleader Hoagy Carmichael composed the classic ‘Stardust’ after giving up his law career in 1927 and it was Mitchell Parish who wrote two years later the wonderful lyrics. Nat King Cole's released his version in 1957 and got renewed success with it in 1993 when it featured in the movie ‘Sleepless In Seattle’. |
| Sweet Sunset | Slow | Rumer | 2010 | The British singer songwriter Rumer with 'Slow’ from the album ‘Seasons of My Soul’. Rumer stated once in an interview she believes in angels. He is one from Elcho Island. |
| Sweet Sunset | Wiyathul | Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu | 2008 | Indigenous Australian singer-songwriter Gurrumul with a beautiful song inspired by his love for his people and homeland: Elcho Island. ‘Wiyathul’ (longing for place) is sung in Yolŋu. Yolngu culture in north-east Arnhem Land - a heartland of Aboriginal culture and land rights - is among the oldest living cultures on earth, stretching back over 40,000 years. Yolngu people speak a dozen dialects of a language group known as Yolngu matha. Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu sang in Galpu, Djambarrpuynu, Gumatj - and, occasionally, in English. Even if you can’t understand the language, you can relate to the emotion. Blind from birth, Geoffrey was a long-time member of the Saltwater Band, a talented Aboriginal outfit from Elcho Island, before he developed a solo career. |
| Sweet Sunset | For All We Know | Donny Hathaway | 1972 | Soul legend Donny Hathaway (a.k.a. Donny Pitts) with the classic "For All We Know", first published in 1934, with music by J. Fred Coots and lyrics by Sam M. Lewis. |
| Sweet Sunset | Fragile | Sting | 1987 | “Fragile” Sting from the 1987 Album: Nothing Like The Sun. As Sting stated once: “… every time something happens, it seems an appropriate song to play …” |
| Sweet Sunset | Fields Of Gold | Eva Cassidy | 1996 | The original of ‘Fields of Gold’ is by Sting, but Eva Cassidy's voice and the way she changes the rhythm elevates it to the next level, so gifted that she did not need extra vibrato, electronics, background singers etc. The song is recorded live at the Blues Alley nightclub, Georgetown, Washington, D.C. in early January 1996. It was the last album recorded by Cassidy before her death in November 1996. |
| Sweet Sunset | Jesus To A Child | George Michael | 1996 | In January 1996, George Michael released "Jesus to a Child", his melancholy tribute to his deceased Brazilian lover Anselmo Feleppa. |
| Sweet Sunset | If | Telly Savalas | 1974 | Hollywood actor Telly Savalas, best known at the time for his iconic role in the detective series Kojak released in 1974 a spoken word cover of a Bread song ‘If’. |
| Sweet Sunset | Calling You (Bagdad Cafe/Soundtrack Version) | Jevetta Steele | 1988 | The terrific American gospel singer Jevetta Steele sings Bob Telson's "Calling You" from the 1988 movie soundtrack of Bagdad Café. |
| Sweet Sunset | The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face | Roberta Flack | 1972 | 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ was the breakthrough hit for Roberta Flack when it won in 1973 the Song and Record of the Year Grammy awards. Originally written by folk singer Ewan MacColl in 1957 for his lover, Peggy Seeger. |
| Sweet Sunset | Mad World | Gary Jules | 2001 | Gary Jules covered the Tears for Fears hit ‘Mad World’ for the 2001 movie Donnie Darko. |
| Sweet Sunset | To Love Somebody | Scott Matthew | 2013 | Australian singer Scott Matthew describes himself as a ‘Quiet-Noise-Maker’ with a passion for ballads. In 2013 he released the covers-album UNLEARNED with ‘To Love Somebody’ from the Bee Gees in 1967. |
| Sweet Sunset | Need Your Love So Bad | Fleetwood Mac | 1968 | In 1968, Peter Green with Fleetwood Mac recorded a version of the song “Need Your Love So Bad”, written in 1956 by the brothers William Edward “Little Willie” John and Mertis John Jr. |
| Sweet Sunset | I'd Rather Go Blind | Chicken Shack | 1969 | "I'd Rather Go Blind" was first recorded by Etta James in 1967. Chicken Shack released its version in 1969 with vocalist Christine Anne Perfect before she married Fleetwood Mac’s bass player John McVie. |
| Sweet Sunset | Ooh Baby Baby | Linda Ronstadt | 1979 | The classic Tamla Motown hit "Ooo Baby Baby" is written by Smokey Robinson and Pete Moore and in 1979 Linda Ronstadt (the most successful female singer of the 1970s) put her "stamp" on the song. Ronstadt's touring band members Don Henley and Glenn Frey formed the Eagles shortly after playing on her 1972 self-titled album. Ronstadt was very supportive, encouraging Henley and Frey to form the group even though it meant losing some of her best talent. |
| Sweet Sunset | Desperado | Eagles | 1973 | "Desperado" by the Eagles was a touchstone in bringing this kind of song to the rock genre. Linda Ronstadt recorded and released it on her 1973 album Don't Cry Now a few months after the Eagles' Desperado album was issued. In 1975, Ronstadt performed shows with the Eagles singing lead vocal on Desperado. |
| Sweet Sunset | Angel | Sarah McLachlan | 1998 | "Angel" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan inspired by articles about musicians turning to heroin to cope with the pressures of the music industry, in particular the overdosing and death of Smashing Pumpkins keyboard player Jonathan Melvoin in 1996. |
| Sweet Sunset | Into My Arms | Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 1997 | “Into My Arms" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds is a love ballad written by Nick Cave in rehab after consecutive relationship break-ups in 1997. |
| Sweet Sunset | More Than Words | Extreme | 1991 | "More Than Words" is a song by American rock band Extreme from March 1991. A sweet, pure acoustic ballad written by singer Gary Cherone and guitarist Nuno Bettencourt that proves that sometimes less really is more. |
| Sweet Sunset | Albatross | Fleetwood Mac | 1969 | After his brief tenure with the Bluesbreakers Peter Green recorded three studio albums with Fleetwood Mac before LSD and illness derailed his talent. In 1968 he created the instrumental ‘Albatross’, Fleetwood Mac’s first UK No. 1 hit. From start to finish, this song contains only two guitar chords: Emaj7 and F#m. Similarities can be found in Chuck Berry’s instrumental ‘Deep Feeling’ of 1957. |
| Sweet Sunset | I'm Not In Love | 10cc | 1975 | 10cc’s Eric Stewart’s dilemma to tell his wife he did love her without saying the three word phrase resulted in the 1975 track ‘I’m Not In Love’. It took over 256 vocal dubs to create the tsunami of voices. Kathy Redfern, the secretary of Strawberry Studios, whispered the vocals of "Be quiet, big boys don't cry" as if they had a phone call. |
| Sweet Sunset | Hijo de la luna | Mecano | 1987 | "Hijo de la Luna" (English: "Son of the Moon") is a song by the Spanish band Mecano. Written by José María Cano it refers to a tragic Romani legend. Mecano with singer Ana Torroja and brothers Nacho and José María Cano, was one of the most successful pop bands of Spain formed in 1981 (they were part of the countercultural movement La Movida Madrileña) and active until 1992. |
| Sweet Sunset | Riverside | Agnes Obel | 2010 | "Riverside", referring to the river Spree in Berlin, is a song by Danish singer-songwriter Agnes Obel, using water as a border between one world and another during people’s transformation. |
| Sweet Sunset | Suzanne | Leonard Cohen | 1966 | Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen wrote a poet in 1966 inspired by Suzanne Verdal, a dancer living at the waterfront of Montreal harbour. Later, Cohen met Suzanne Elrod who gave birth to his two children, Adam and Lorca. After Judy Collins had recorded the song first it was Cohen’s debut single. |
| Sweet Sunset | L'Eté Indien | Joe Dassin | 1975 | "L'Été indien" (French for "Indian summer") from 1975 is American/French singer Joe Dassin’s biggest hit. In the song he reflects with fond memories of his lover, who he met during an Indian summer, but with whom he has now lost contact. The song was based on the song "Africa" by Toto Cutugno (originally released by Toto Cutugno's band Albatros). |
| Sweet Sunset | Perfect Day | Lou Reed | 1972 | Lou Reed’s description of a romantic ‘Perfect Day’ in 1972, produced by David Bowie. |
| Sweet Sunset | Roxanne | George Michael | 1999 | The Parisian red light district of Montmartre worked inspirational for Sting in October 1977 when he wrote this song. 'Roxanne’ by The Police covered by George Michael in 1999. |
| Sweet Sunset | (You're Gonna Look) Good In Blues | Tony Joe White | 1991 | “Good In Blues”, written and performed by Tony Joe White, a song from his successful album “Closer to the Truth” from 1991. |
| Sweet Sunset | Song for Guy | Elton John | 1978 | "Life... Isn't ever-y-thing", a song for Guy Burchett, a messenger for Rocket Records, Elton John's label, who died in a motorcycle accident in 1978. |
| Sweet Sunset | Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue | Crystal Gayle | 1977 | American country musician Crystal Gayle recorded "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" in Nashville on October 27, 1976 (in one take). Writer Richard Leigh received a Grammy Award for "Best Country Song" for the song in 1978. |
| Sweet Sunset | Let it be me | The Everly Brothers | 1959 | For the Everly Brothers, “Let it be me” was the first song they did not record in Nashville. It was done in New York as one of the first pop songs to use a string section - eight violins and a cello were used. The song is an adaptation of French singer Gilbert Becaud’s 1955 song "Je t’appartiens" (I belong to you). |
| Sweet Sunset | Backdoor Man | Viktor Lazlo | 1984 | Viktor Lazlo (real name: Sonia Dronnier, born 7 October 1960) is a French-Belgian singer who took her stage name from a character in the 1942 film Casablanca. She sings in French, English, Spanish and German. “Backdoor Man” is written by Boris Bergman (a.k.a. John Kipoor) and composed and produced by Alain Chamfort. |
| Sweet Sunset | Wonderful Tonight | Eric Clapton | 1976 | Eric Clapton wrote this beautiful song for his future wife Pattie Boyd while she was trying on dresses upstairs. In the time she had taken to get ready Clapton had written the song. A win/win story you could say. Not sure if she dressed in red that night … |
| Sweet Sunset | The Lady In Red | Chris De Burgh | 1986 | Chris De Burgh remembers what his wife Diane was wearing when they first met and shared it with us in 1986. |
| Sweet Sunset | Ain't No Sunshine | Eva Cassidy | 1996 | “Ain't No Sunshine” was written by West Virginia soul star Bill Withers in 1970. Eva Cassidy recorded her version in 1996 before she died later that year at the age of 33. The song was four years later released on an album called “Time after Time”. |
| Sweet Sunset | Time After Time | Miles Davis | 1985 | In 1983, Rob Hyman and Cyndi Lauper wrote the number one hit "Time After Time". In her memoir, Cyndi Lauper wrote that the most honoured she ever felt was when Miles Davis covered her song in 1985. |
| Cosy Comfy | I'll Be There for You | The Rembrandts | 1994 | Written in 1994 by Friends creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane, as well as composer Michael Skloff and songwriter Allee Willis, the lyrics focus on Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), whose life is turned upside down after she abandons her fiancé, Barry, at the altar. The Friends theme song is generally seen as a memorable anthem about the hardships of adulthood and the restorative powers of friendship. |
| Cosy Comfy | (Theme From) The Monkees | The Monkees | 1966 | In 1966, The Monkees, a made-for-TV band, performed their own theme song of their TV series. "(Theme from) The Monkees" is a 1966 pop rock song, written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart as the signature tune for the TV series The Monkees. The TV comedy series The Monkees was inspired by "Catch Us If You Can" by The Dave Clark Five (DC5) and “A Hard Day's Night” by the Beatles. In 1967, the Monkees (also referred to as the Pre-Fab Four) outsold both The Beatles and The Rolling Stones combined. |
| Cosy Comfy | Can't Buy Me Love | The Beatles | 1964 | "Can't Buy Me Love" is a song by the Beatles that was released in March 1964 and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The song was included on the group's album A Hard Day's Night and was featured in a scene in Richard Lester's film of the same title. "Can't Buy Me Love" supposedly written by Paul McCartney as a humorous reply to John Lennon's performances of "Money", while the Beatles were performing a series of shows at the Olympia Theater in Paris. |
| Cosy Comfy | Glad All Over | The Dave Clark Five | 1964 | “Glad All Over” is a 1965 song from The Dave Clark Five, written by group's drummer Dave Clark and guitarist Lenny Davidson. In 1964, the Dave Clark Five with their Tottenham Sound roots helped spearhead the British invasion of popular rock n' roll in the United States (along with the Beatles). The Dave Clark Five was the first band to have their own private plane, which bore the DC5 insignia that the group later was fondly referred to, for shorthand. They are referred to as DCQ = "Dave Clark Quintet" (1957 to 1962), DC5 = Dave Clark Five (1962 to 1970) and DC&F = Dave Clark & Friends (1970 to 1973). |
| Cosy Comfy | TSOP | MFSB | 1974 | TSOP was the theme song for the American musical television program Soul Train. "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" is a 1974 hit recording by MFSB ("Mother Father Sister Brother") featuring vocals by The Three Degrees. It is written by Gamble and Huff, the fathers of the typical Philadelphia sound (a.k.a. Philly soul). |
| Cosy Comfy | Dirty Ol' Man | The Three Degrees | 1973 | The Three Degrees with "Dirty Ol' Man" written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff. |
| Cosy Comfy | Ma Quale Idea | Pino D'Angio | 1980 | "Ma quale idea" by Pino D'Angiò in 1980 is a humorous take on falling in love and making advances towards someone. The chorus of the song, "Che idea, Ma quale idea? Non vedi che lei non ci sta?" ("What an idea, what an idea? Don't you see she doesn't want it?") serves as a reminder that a person has to respect the wishes of someone who has decided not to pursue a relationship with them. ‘No is no, no?’ Pino D’Aangio (born Giuseppe Chierchia in Pompei on August 14, 1952 ) used the base line of “Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now”. |
| Cosy Comfy | Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now | McFadden & Whitehead | 1978 | In 1978 ‘McFadden & Whitehead’ released “Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now” later consider as "the new black national anthem". The disco funk song is credited to Jerry Cohen, Gene McFadden and John Whitehead. |
| Cosy Comfy | Back Stabbers | The O'Jays | 1972 | Gene McFadden and John Whitehead wrote this song along with Leon Huff (playing also the piano intro), who along with Kenny Gamble produced the track and released it on their Philadelphia International label. The song was inspired by problems Whitehead faced with his family and friends. The O'Jays were formed in 1958 and named after Cleveland DJ Eddie O'Jay. |
| Cosy Comfy | Redondo Beach | Patti Smith | 1975 | One afternoon Patti Smith had a rare argument with her sister Linda and she left. Worried about her sister, who had not returned, Smith went to Coney Island and after sunrise had drafted the text. Patti Smith, who considered herself more as a poet and performer rather than a musician in any way, had published the lyrics as a poem entitled ‘Radando Beach’ in her 1972 book, Kodak, before turning them into a song for her debut album “Horses”. Guitarist Lenny Kaye and keyboard player Richard Sohl, came up with the reggae arrangement. As stated by Patti Smith: “Redondo Beach is a beach where women love other women.” In 1975, Patti Smith released one of punk rock’s most influential records: Horses. Smith was a longtime roommate of Robert Mapplethorpe and a frequent subject in his photography, including a stark, iconic photograph that appears on the cover of her first album, Horses. Mapplethorpe’s work inspired KT Tunstall for her song ‘Sunddenly I See”. |
| Cosy Comfy | Suddenly I See | KT Tunstall | 2005 | “Suddenly I See" is a song by Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall. The song is a tribute to "female power", inspired by and about American singer and songwriter Patti Smith. As described in the lyrics, KT Tunstall was inspired to a career in music through looking at a black and white picture of a woman. Admiring her strength and accomplishments, she suddenly realised what she wanted to do with her life. Tunstall stated in an interview that the song was "about Robert Mapplethorpe's photograph of Patti Smith on the cover of Horses". The album cover for Horses (1975) also inspired Tunstall's album cover for Eye to the Telescope. "Suddenly I See" became a popular hit and was played during the opening credits of the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada. It also featured in Blind Dating, Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy and Love, Rosie; Thrillville, and as a campaign song on the Hillary Clinton 2008 presidential campaign. Norwegian Spam wanted to use this song in one of their commercials. Tunstall - a vegetarian - was amused by the situation but did not grant them permission to use the song. |
| Cosy Comfy | What's Up | 4 Non Blondes | 1992 | “What’s Up” not the App but the 1992 song by the authentic female rock band ‘4 Non Blondes’ or should we say one of the first openly lesbian groups? Frontwoman Linda Perry wrote the song at age 24. Especially European non-English speaking people could easily relate to the song because of the simple lyrics … |
| Cosy Comfy | Karma Chameleon | Boy George & Culture Club | 1983 | Best known for his soulful voice and his androgynous appearance, Boy George has been the lead singer of the pop band Culture Club since the group's formation in 1981. His gender bending appearance of the New Romantic movement. Boy George's band Culture Club, which formed in 1981, produced a sound that combined elements of Motown, Philly soul, reggae and lovers rock. Singer-songwriter Jimmy Jones claimed his 1959 hit "Handy Man" was plagiarizes. In 1981, Blitz Club regular Boy George occasionally sang with the group Bow Wow Wow, performing under the stage name Lieutenant Lush with the group. The New Romantic movement, where both sexes often dressed in androgynous clothing and wore cosmetics such as eyeliner and lipstick, partly derived from earlier punk fashions was heavily influenced by former glam rock stars of the 1970s like David Bowie, Marc Bolan and Roxy Music. The emergence of the New Romantic movement into the mainstream coincided with Vivienne Westwood's unveiling of her "pirate collection", which was promoted by Bow Wow Wow and Adam and the Ants, who were managed by her then-partner Malcolm McLaren. |
| Cosy Comfy | Because of You | Gustaph | 2023 | The Belgian Boy George: Gustaph will represent Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest this year in Liverpool with “Because of You”. Born as Stef Caers in Leuven on 5 July 1980, Gustaph performed as a backing vocalist at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2018 and 2021. From top to bottom he will be dressed by ‘Antwerp Six’ fashion designer Walter Van Beirendonck. So, the “W” on Gustaph’s shoes or clothes do not refer to “Waterloo” but Walter. |
| Cosy Comfy | Waterloo | ABBA | 1974 | ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest 1974 for Sweden with “Waterloo”. The song was written by Benny Andersson Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson. The 19th edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest took place in Brighton, United Kingdom after Luxembourg, having won in both 1972 and 1973, declined to host it for a second successive year on the grounds of expense. The song differed from the standard "dramatic ballad" tradition of the Eurovision Song Contest by its flavour and rhythm, as well as by its performance. ABBA gave the audience something that had rarely been seen before in Eurovision: flashy costumes (including silver platform boots), plus a catchy uptempo song and even simple choreography. The song's production style was influenced by Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" and in particular "See My Baby Jive", by English glam rock band Wizzard. |
| Cosy Comfy | See My Baby Jive | Wizzard | 1973 | “See My Baby Jive” by Wizzard from 1973 is written by frontman Roy Wood as a faithful and affectionate tribute to the Phil Spector generated 'Wall of Sound'. The song inspired the writers of ABBA’s hit "Waterloo" the following year. |
| Cosy Comfy | To Know Him Is to Love Him | Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt & Emmylou Harris | 1987 | In 1989 Phil Spector won the BMI Country Song of the Year award for his composition “To Know Him Is To Love Him” recorded by Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt performing under their collective group name “Trio.” Phil Spector wrote the song, inspired by words on his father's tombstone, "To Know Him Was to Love Him." It was first recorded by the only vocal group of which he was a member, the Teddy Bears. Phil Spector was one of the most distinctive producers in the history of popular music, the originator of the famous “Wall of Sound” production technique and a pioneer of the 1960s’ girl group sound. |
| Cosy Comfy | I Will Always Love You | Dolly Parton | 1967 | Dolly Parton wrote “I Will Always Love You” in 1967 to show her appreciation for the time she had co-hosted Porter Wagoner’s TV show. Over time she composed three different versions of the song and it was covered by many artists, such as Linda Ronstadt. |
| Cosy Comfy | Blue Bayou | Linda Ronstadt | 1977 | "Blue Bayou" was originally recorded by Roy Orbison on his legendary 1963 album “In Dreams” and covered by Linda Ronstadt on her 1977 album “Simple Dreams”. Linda Ronstadt is a year older than Emmylou Harris and they've been friends since the early '70s. In 1999 they recorded an album together in the Arizona Inn hotel in Tucson, Ronstadt’s hometown. |
| Cosy Comfy | You Never Can Tell | Emmylou Harris | 1977 | In 1977, Emmylou Harris, who mainly sees herself as a discoverer and interpreter of other artists' songs, had a Top 10 Country hit with her version of Chuck Berry’s “You Never Can Tell” which she renamed "(You Never Can Tell) C'est La Vie." |
| Cosy Comfy | Johnny B. Goode | Chuck Berry | 1958 | “Johnny B. Goode” is Chuck Berry’s life story, although he was from St. Louis, not Louisiana and knew how to read and write very well. “Johnny” was inspired by Johnnie Johnson, whose band he played with (the Johnnie Johnson Trio), collaborated on many of Berry's songs and was his regular piano player. "Goode" was from the street in St. Louis where he grew up (he lived at 2520 Goode Avenue). The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Sex Pistols and the Grateful Dead are among the many artists who covered the song. |
| Cosy Comfy | Great Balls Of Fire | Jerry Lee Lewis | 1957 | "Great Balls of Fire" is a 1957 popular song recorded by American rock and roll musician Jerry Lee Lewis on Sun Records and featured in the 1957 movie Jamboree. It was written by Otis Blackwell and Jack Hammer. "A person tells at least a little bit about himself in any song he cuts," Jerry Lee Lewis said once. |
| Cosy Comfy | Il jouait du piano debout | France Gall | 1980 | The song “Il jouait du piano debout”, brilliantly performed by Berger’s wife France Gall, refers to Jerry Lee Lewis and his particular way to play piano. According to Berger the ways Jerry Lee Lewis plays piano is a symbol of the right to be different. |
| Cosy Comfy | El Hombre Del Piano | Ana Belén & Víctor Manuel | 2008 | Singer actress Ana Belén interpreted Billy Joel’s "Piano Man" in Spanish in 2008. Billy Joel worked at the Executive Room bar in Los Angeles from 1972 to 1973 as a piano player using the name "Bill Martin" (Joel's full name is William Martin Joel). Ana Belén’s husband, Victor Manuel, adapted the lyrics with a quiet distinct view and changed the point of view of the piano player as an observer of his clients to a third person talking about the piano player. |
| Cosy Comfy | Que Le Han Hecho A Mi Canción, Mamá? | Jeanette | 1973 | Melanie Safka’s “What Have They Done To My Song, Ma” covered by Spanish singer Jeanette and released on her 1973 album “Palabras, promesas…”. Jeanette’s (born Janette Anne Dimech on 10 October 1951) father was Belgian and French spoken (born in Belgian Congo) and her mother was from Tenerife. Janette Anne Dimech was born in the UK, grew up in the US and worked in France. Hence her perfect English and French accents. |
| Cosy Comfy | Lay Down (Candles in the Rain) | Melanie | 1970 | "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)" written and performed by Melanie Safka in 1970 in collaboration with the Edwin Hawkins Singers, who had reached the national Top Ten the previous year with "Oh Happy Day". The song describes here feelings at her Woodstock performance in August 1969, overlooking the sea of people in the audience. |
| Cosy Comfy | Oh happy day | The Edwin Hawkins Singers | 1969 | The gospel style arrangement of the hymn "Oh, Happy Day" by The Edwin Hawkins Singers has influences of Sérgio Mendes and James Brown. George Harrison has stated the song was a primary inspiration in the writing of his 1970 international hit single "My Sweet Lord”. |
| Cosy Comfy | My Sweet Lord | George Harrison | 1970 | George Harrison wrote "My Sweet Lord" in praise of the Hindu god Krishna, with help of Billy Preston in 1970. He intended to offer it to Edwin Hawkins but eventually decided to record it with Billy Preston. |
| Cosy Comfy | That's the Way God Planned It | Billy Preston | 1969 | "That's the Way God Planned It" is one of Billy Preston's best-known songs. Preston performed it at the Concert for Bangladesh in August 1971 backed by George Harrison and Eric Clapton. Preston stated he was inspired by Paul McCartney's composition "Let It Be" for writing the song. |
| Cosy Comfy | Let It Be | The Beatles | 1970 | “Let it Be”, a Lennon–McCartney ballad by The Beatles released in 1970 with Billy Preston on Hammond organ. Paul McCartney was inspired by a dream about his mother telling him "It will be all right, just let it be." The Album “Let it Be” was produced by Phil Spector, which gave the song a different sound than its single version, produced by George Martin. George Martin wanted printing in the album cover credits "produced by George Martin, over produced by Phil Spector”! |
| Nah pop no style | Uptown Top Ranking | Althea & Donna | 1977 | Don’t worry if you don’t get the Rastafarian patois of this Jamaican female duo. This song became a hit in the UK after John Peel started to promote it on his BBC Radio 1 evening show and even the Britons didn’t understand the lyrics. 17-year-old Althea Rose Forrest and 18 year-old Donna Marie Reid used various local slang words. "Uptown Top Ranking" describes what a country Jamaican does when he goes to the city to show off and was a response to "Three Piece Suit" by Trinity (a Jamaican DJ), who used samples of Marcia Aitken’s ‘I’m Still In Love’. Black Box Recorder made an offbeat version of Uptown Top Ranking on their 1998 album England Made Me., here is Black Box Recorder. |
| Nah pop no style | I'm Still In Love With You / Three Piece Suit | Marcia Aitken & Trinity | 1977 | Marcia Aitken’s “I’m Still in Love” (with you boy) reggae hit in 1977 is a cover of Alton Ellis’s “I’m Still in Love With You” (1977), one of the innovators of rocksteady ("Godfather of Rocksteady"). "Three Piece Suit" by (Jamaican DJ) Trinity used samples of Marcia Aitken’s ‘I’m Still In Love’. |
| Nah pop no style | Girl I've Got a Date | Alton Ellis | 1966 | Alton Ellis (born Alton Nehemiah Ellis on 1 September 1938 in Kingston, Jamaica) was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and one of the innovators of rocksteady (given the informal title "Godfather of Rocksteady"). Ellis recorded "Girl I've Got a Date" in 1966 with Jackie Jackson on bass. It is considered one of the foundational songs of the rocksteady genre. The bass line of "Girl I've Got a Date" was allegedly duplicated in other international hits "The Liquidator" (Harry J Allstars and "I'll Take You There" (The Staple Singers). |
| Nah pop no style | I'll Take You There | The Staple Singers | 1972 | I'll Take You There" is a song by soul/gospel family band the Staple Singers, written by Al Bell and recorded with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. Hip-hop trio Salt-N-Pepa sampled "I'll Take You There" in their 1991 hit "Let's Talk About Sex". |
| Nah pop no style | Let's Talk About Sex | Salt-N-Pepa | 1991 | American hip-hop group ‘Salt-N-Pepa’ released “Let’s Talk About Sex” in 1991. It samples "I'll Take You There" by the Staple Singers. Salt-N-Pepa was formed in New York City in 1985 with Salt (Cheryl James), Pepa (Sandra Denton), and DJ Spinderella (Deidra Roper). |
| Nah pop no style | Teach Your Children | Kathy Mattea, Suzy Bogguss, Alison Krauss with Crosby, Stills & Nash | 1994 | Red Hot + Country (or RH+C), released in September 1994, is a classic country compilation album produced to raise awareness and money to fight AIDS/HIV as well as other related health and social issues. The album featured "Teach Your Children" performed by Suzy Bogguss, Alison Krauss and Kathy Mattea with Crosby, Stills, and Nash. |
| Nah pop no style | Wake Up Everybody | John Legend and The Roots | 2010 | Wake Up! is a collaborative studio album by American R&B recording artist John Legend and hip hop band The Roots. Inspired by the 2008 United States presidential election, Legend and The Roots primarily covered 1960s and 1970s soul music songs for the album with social themes of awareness, engagement, and consciousness. The album's lead single, "Wake Up Everybody", a cover of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes song of the same name, was released on April 29, 2010, and features rapper Common and Canadian R&B singer Melanie Fiona. |
| Nah pop no style | If You Don't Know Me by Now | Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes | 1972 | "If You Don't Know Me by Now" is a song written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, and recorded by the Philadelphia soul musical group Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. It was originally written for Labelle (a trio led by Patti LaBelle) but they never recorded it. |
| Nah pop no style | Lady Marmalade | Labelle | 1974 | Philadelphia soul group Labelle with Patti LaBelle (born Patricia Louise Holte on May 24, 1944) as lead vocals on "Lady Marmalade" with backing vocals by bandmates Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash. The song was written by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan who initially recorded it with his disco band The Eleventh Hour. Allen Toussaint decided to record the song with Labelle. Their manager Vicki Wickham (and Nona Hendryx’ partner), inspired by "watching pantos when she was a kid", David Bowie and Elton John, gave them the glam style. Patti, with the powerhouse lead vocals, Nona, with the iconic futuristic fashion looks and stage presence, and Sarah, with the seductive and fun energy, turned Labelle into a super group. Vicki Wickham was besides assistant producer of the 1960s British television show Ready Steady Go! Also manager of Dusty Springfield who co-presented the show. After Labelle called it quits in 1976, Hendryx released her debut record Nona Hendryx, which was an amazingly strong amalgam of soul and hard rock. Nona Hendryx is a gay-rights activist and joined Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Tour (raising awareness of discrimination and the LGBT community) in the summer of 2008. |
| Nah pop no style | I Only Want to Be With You | Dusty Springfield | 1963 | Born Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien (16 April 1939 – 2 March 1999), better known by her stage name Dusty Springfield, launched her successful career in 1963 with “I Only Want to Be With You”. At age 16, she started as a lifelong professional singer and only worked three weeks in an insurance company. The Queen of Blue-Eyed Soul hosted the ‘Ready Steady Go!’ TV special called ‘The Sound of Motown’ in 1965 and performed with the Funk Brothers and Martha and the Vandellas. Martha and Dusty remained friends until Dusty’s death. |
| Nah pop no style | (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave | Martha Reeves & The Vandellas | 1963 | “Heat Wave" by Martha and the Vandellas is a 1963 song written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Edward Holland, Jr. (Holland–Dozier–Holland) with Instrumentation by the Funk Brothers delivering the typical “Motown sound”. |
| Nah pop no style | Where Did Our Love Go | Diana Ross & The Supremes | 1964 | Diana Ross, (born Diane Earle, on March 26, 1944 in Detroit) together with the Supremes was the flagship act of with Berry Gordy’s Motown Records in 1960. In 1964 Holland-Dozier-Holland gave the Supremes their first number one single with “Where Did Our Love Go.” The Supremes were the idealized look and sound of the “integrated Negro.” |
| Nah pop no style | I've Got the Music In Me | The Kiki Dee Band & Kiki Dee | 1974 | In the 1960’s Kiki Dee was on the same label as Dusty Springfield, Fontana Philips, and did some backing vocals for her. At age twenty, she became the first white UK artist to sign with Tamla Motown Records. In 1970 she released an album “Great Expectations” with Motown covers. “I've Got the Music In Me” was her first US hit in 1974 and did her own backing vocals on the recording. Bias Boshell, on piano and electric piano, wrote the song. The song is about a free-spirited yet pragmatic woman who's on her way up in life due to her musical talent and isn't going to let anything get her down or stand in her way. Kiki Dee (born Pauline Matthews on 6 March 1947) is a lifelong professional singer. She left school at 15 and only worked for three months at Boots. |
| Nah pop no style | Indiana Wants Me | R. Dean Taylor | 1971 | In 1963, Canadian, Richard Dean Taylor signed as a writer and artist for Motown Records and became part of The Clan, the group of Motown composers. In 1970, Dean recorded "Indiana Wants Me" and became the first white artist in the history of Motown to reach #1 on the US charts. Taylor was inspired by the movie "Bonnie and Clyde" he had seen. When "Indiana Wants Me" was released, the content was controversial. It opened with a (very realistic) police siren which had to be removed to get airplay in California. Promoter Al Valente decided to release the promo copies for the radio stations on red vinyl. |
| Nah pop no style | The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde | Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames | 1967 | "The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde" is a song, written by Mitch Murray and Peter Callander and recorded by the British rhythm and blues singer Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames. In fact ticket sales were so sluggish even for a bill with that line-up that the Number One act in the UK, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames whose Yeh Yeh was the currently top of the charts, was added to the line-up for extra box office appeal. Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames were added to the line-up of the 1965 Tamla Motown Package Show, a 24 day trip visiting 21 theatres for two shows a night – plus a Ready Steady Go! TV special called ‘The Sound of Motown’ (introduced by Dusty Springfield and RSG producer Vicki Wickham) featuring Martha & The Vandellas, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Little (14 years old) Stevie Wonder and The Supremes, all backed by the Earl Van Dyke Six, crack members of the Funk Brothers. |
| Nah pop no style | Going To A Go-Go | Smokey Robinson & The Miracles | 1965 | "Going to a Go-Go" by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, a song about the sixties (go-go) disco clubs. The Miracles were formed by members of The Matadors and Claudette Rogers from The Matadorettes. "Going to a Go-Go" was covered by The Rolling Stones on their 1982 live album Still Life. |
| Nah pop no style | Fingertips, Pt. 2 | Little Stevie Wonder | 1963 | The big revelation in the US at Motown’s ‘Motortown Revue’ was the twelve year old ‘Little Stevie Wonder’. It was from a live Motortown Revue performance that Little Stevie Wonder got his first big hit, the 1963 No. 1 hit "Fingertips (Pt. 2)". The Motortown Revue was the name given to the package concert tours of Motown artists in the 1960s. Recorded in 1963 during a Motortown Revue performance at the Regal Theater in Chicago, featured drumming by Marvin Gaye, member of the Motown houseband The Funk Brothers. |
| Nah pop no style | My Girl | The Temptations | 1965 | The Temptations, another band that came out of "Hitsville U.S.A." with "My Girl" written by Smokey Robinson for his wife, Miracles member Claudette Rogers Robinson, and all the women in the world in mind. The year before, Robinson had written “My Guy” for Mary Wells. |
| Nah pop no style | My Guy | Mary Wells | 1964 | Mary Wells' smash hit "My Guy", written by Smokey Robinson was her last solo recording for Motown and Motown's first British hit. Before leaving Motown, Wells recorded in the ‘Hitsville U.S.A.’ studio the album ‘Together’ with rising star Marvin Gaye. But it takes two to tango, so when Wells left Motown, Gaye teamed up with Kim Weston from Detroit. |
| Nah pop no style | It Takes Two | Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston | 1966 | When Mary Wells left Motown, Gaye teamed up with Kim Weston from Detroit. 'It Takes Two’ was written by William "Mickey" Stevenson and Sylvia Moy and released in 1966. Sylvia Moy, born in Detroit, was the first woman to write and produce for Motown artists, in particular for Stevie Wonder. Marvin Gaye was a session drummer and backup singer with the Motown in-house band and drummer for the Miracles. |
| Nah pop no style | Your Precious Love | Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell | 1967 | This recording embraces all elements of Marvin Gaye’s entourage at the time with the talented Tammi Terrell, backing vocals and producer Harvey Fuqua and instrumentals by The Funk Brothers. "Your Precious Love" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell in 1967 was the duo’s biggest hit written by the Motown husband-and-wife writers Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson. The same year, Tammi collapsed in Marvin’s arms during a performance in Virginia. Diagnosed with brain tumor, she died three years later at age 24. Her demise traumatized Marvin. He refused to perform live and grew reclusive. |
| Nah pop no style | I Heard It Through The Grapevine | Marvin Gaye | 1968 | Motown was a family operation in which Berry Gordy’s older sisters played prominent roles. Marvin Gaye had married in 1963 one of Gordy’s sisters, Anna, a woman seventeen years older. In 1968 Motown released “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” a mystical re-rendering of Gladys Knight & the Pips’ hit in 1967 with the voodoo rhythms of the Funk Brothers. Reflecting the turbulence in his marriage to Anna, the song became on of the biggest sellers in Motown history and turned Marvin Gaye into a superstar. |
| Nah pop no style | The Flick (ft. Earl Van Dyke) | The Funk Brothers | 1965 | 'The Flick’ was co-written by Earl Van Dyke and released by the ‘Earl Van Dyke & The Soul Brothers’ in 1965. The typical Motown sound was not only due to the recording rooms, like the unique ‘Snakepit’ and the ‘echo chambers’, and the equipment and instruments used at the "Hitsville U.S.A." studios but also because of the talented house band musicians: the "Earl Van Dyke & the Soul Brothers" or later called The Funk Brothers. Standing in the Shadows of Motown is a 2002 American documentary film that tells the story of The Funk Brothers. |
| Nah pop no style | Pops, We Love You | Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder | 1978 | When Berry Gordy, the father of Motown passed away in 1978, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder, payed tribute to him with the song "Pops, We Love You (A Tribute to Father)" The song is written by Marilyn McLeod, Pam Sawyer and recorded at the Motown Studios in Los Angeles. In 1972, Berry Gordy had relocated the Motown Records headquarters and established Hitsville West studio in Los Angeles. |
| RadiOn | Driver's seat | Sniff 'N' The Tears | 1978 | "Driver's Seat" is a 1978 song by the British one-hit wonder Sniff 'n' the Tears. According to Paul Roberts, "Driver's Seat" isn't about driving, but rather "fragmented, conflicting thoughts and emotions that might follow the break-up of a relationship". Several car related commercials have been using the song ever since. |
| RadiOn | Do You Remember Rock'n'Roll Radio? | The Ramones | 1980 | American rock band The Ramones looking for commercial success with producer Phil Spector in "Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?", released in 1980 from their album “End of the Century” (“When The Wall Of Sound Met The New York Underground”). Joey Ramone’s love letter to the past. Pure nostalgia: “Do you remember lying in bed / With your covers pulled up over your head / Radio playing so no one can see?” |
| RadiOn | Refugee | Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers | 1980 | Also in 1980, Tom Petty was at his best in “Refugee” with The Heartbreakers . The song written by Petty and composed by band member Mike Campbell was a reaction to the pressures of the music business. The band shot a music video to promote the song without showing up at TV shows which was picked up by MTV. |
| RadiOn | Thriller | Michael Jackson | 1983 | Here is another title where the video had to sell the song. Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” helped MTV and Jackson gain in popularity. The video was a cultural milestone, introducing elaborate choreography, costumes and dialogue into the format. The music video is considered the most famous music video of all time. Jackson didn't have to pay for the video out of pocket because they made deals with Showtime and MTV to cover the costs. Vincent Price, an actor known for his work on horror films, did the narration at the end of the song, including the evil laugh. With its famous graveyard dance, the video popularized group dance scenes in pop videos, a trend Pat Benatar pushed forward earlier in 1983 with her "Love Is A Battlefield" video. |
| RadiOn | Love Is A Battlefield | Pat Benatar | 1983 | “Love Is A Battlefield” is a ballad written by Mike Chapman and Holly Knight with the uptempo added by Pat Benatar’s husband, guitarist and producer Neil Giraldo. The music video got a great deal of airplay on MTV. It was one of the first videos to incorporate dialogue into the song to progress the storyline and contained a group dance sequence that was also used in Michael Jackson’s music video “Thriller”. |
| RadiOn | Super Freak | Rick James | 1981 | Rick James, was one of the first black artists from Motown to fight for the right to shoot videos and to get black artists on MTV. "Super Freak" is a 1981 single produced and performed by American singer Rick James written by Rick James and Alonzo Miller with backing vocals by The Temptations. |
| RadiOn | Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone | The Temptations | 1972 | In 1972 the third Temptations lineup with Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Dennis Edwards, Damon Harris and Richard Street released “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone”, written by Motown’s duo Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield. At that time, Whitfield had taken over Smokey Robinson's role as the main producer for the Temptations and moved them into the psychedelic soul music genre. It was one of the last big hits recorded at Motown's ‘Hitsville U.S.A.’ in Detroit. Both sides of the single won Grammy awards: the A-side for Best R&B Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus, and the B-side for Best R&B Instrumental Performance. The Temptations have been awarded more than 50 Gold, Platinum and Multi-Platinum Awards all combined. |
| RadiOn | Let’s Dance | David Bowie | 1983 | David Bowie was one of the first white artists to appear on ABC TV's Soul Train in early November 1975. In 1983 in an interview with MTV whilst promoting his album Let's Dance, David Bowie had some questions and criticisms about MTV’s lack of videos featuring black artists (https://youtu.be/XZGiVzIr8Qg). “Let’s Dance”, written and performed by David Bowie with Nile Rodgers, Stevie Ray Vaughan and drummer Omar Hakim. |
| RadiOn | The Horse | Cliff Nobles and Company | 1968 | "The Horse" was the b side of Cliff Noble’s single "Love Is All Right". It featured many musicians that would join later famous in-house bands like the MFSB for Philadelphia Sound and the Funk Brothers for Motown. It was also well known as the theme music of "The Now Explosion" a unique marathon TV show featuring locally produced music videos for hours on end just like top forty radio – a decade before MTV. Founded by Bob Whitney and financed by Joe Field, “The Now Explosion” went on the air in Atlanta, GA, on March 14, 1970. |
| RadiOn | Video Killed the Radio Star | The Buggles | 1979 | “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles is written by the initial three band members Geoff Downes, Trevor Horn and Bruce Woolley in 1979. The video clip was first aired on the BBC's Top of the Pops for promotion of the single. MTV launched its broadcasting at one minute after midnight on August 1st, 1981 with the video clip ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ by The Buggles. |
| RadiOn | Money For Nothing | Dire Straits | 1985 | Frontman Mark Knopfler of the Dire Straits had observed very well how to get on MTV and MTV Europe used his video clip for their launch on the 1st of August 1987. Knopfler modeled his guitar sound on ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons' trademark guitar tone, as ZZ Top's music videos were already a staple of early MTV. This song is about rock star excess and the easy life it brings compared with real work. Mark Knopfler wrote it after overhearing delivery men in a New York department store complain about their jobs while watching MTV. He wrote the song in the store sitting at a kitchen display they had set up. Many of the lyrics were things they actually said. The songwriting credits for “Money For Nothing” are shared between Mark Knopfler and Sting. Sting contributed and sang "I want my MTV." |
| RadiOn | Sharp Dressed Man | ZZ Top | 1983 | ZZ Top’s 1983’s "Sharp Dressed Man" music video continues the story of the "Gimme All Your Lovin'" video, and forms a loose trilogy (ending with the video for "Legs"). In the video, a male parking valet is remade as a star by a trio of women driving up in the Eliminator car; the band grants him the keys to the car. The “Eliminator” is Billy Gibbons' 1933 Ford Hot Rod and the Album title where the three songs appeared. ZZ Top’s music videos provided everything MTV's target audience craved: girls, rock and roll, and a really sweet ride. |
| RadiOn | Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll | Ian Dury and The Blockheads | 1977 | “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll” by ‘Ian Dury and The Blockheads’ is written by Ian Dury and keyboard/guitarist Chaz Jankel in Dury's flat in Oval Mansions, London (nicknamed "Catshit mansions" by Dury) that overlooked The Oval cricket ground. |
| RadiOn | Glad to Know You | Chaz Jankel | 1981 | In 1981 Ian Dury returned a favour to Chaz Jankel with his vintage storytelling for the dance hit "Glad to Know You" the biggest selling 12-inch single of 1982. |
| RadiOn | Ai No Corrida (ft. Ibrahim Ferrer & Quincy Jones) | Vania Borges | 2006 | “Ai No Corrida” is written in 1980 by Chaz Jankel and Kenny Young. Kenny Young’s mission was to to help people affected by climate change and producing albums to raise money for environmental causes with leading artists, such as the Rhythms del mundo – cuba album in 2006. Quicy Jones recorded a Spanish-language version with vocals by Vania Borges. |
| RadiOn | Under the Boardwalk | The Drifters | 1964 | “Under the Boardwalk" is a pop song written by Kenny Young and Arthur Resnick and recorded by the Drifters in 1964 with Rudy Lewis as lead vocals. George Treadwell, the Drifters' manager owed the group’s name from 1955 and as a result, the Drifters recycled many band members. In 1958, Treadwell replaced the entire group with another ensemble, the Five Crowns, led by Benjamin Earl Nelson. In 1960, Nelson left, after Treadwell rebuffed his salary increase and fairer share of the group's royalties request and embarked on a solo career as Ben E. King. |
| RadiOn | Save the Last Dance for Me | The Drifters | 1960 | “Save the Last Dance for Me” by The Drifters was written by the songwriting team of Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman in 1960. Initially released as the ‘B’ side of the single ‘Nobody But Me’. Doc Pomus (born Jerry Felder son of British-born Jewish immigrants) wrote it when thinking back about his wedding, watching his brother Raoul (a famous divorce lawyer) dance with his bride, Willi Burke, a gorgeous gentile aspiring actress. While he was, polio-disabled, unable to dance, he knew that at the end of the evening, she would come home with him. |
| RadiOn | Stand By Me | Ben E. King | 1961 | Benjamin Earl King’s "Stand by Me", was a huge success both in 1961 and later in 1986 (when it was used as the theme to the film of the same name). The song is written by Benjamin King, Jerome Leiber and Michael Stoller and a heartfelt ode to friendship and devotion. The ‘Stand by Me Foundation’, is a charity dedicated to children's education. |
| RadiOn | Young Blood | The Coasters | 1957 | In 1957 Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller together with Doc Pomus wrote “"Young Blood" for The Coasters introducing the ground-breaking crossover hits with humorous ‘street saga’ songs of the white teenager sung by a black group. |
| RadiOn | Hound Dog | Big Mama Thornton | 1953 | In 1953 Big Mama Thornton released her hit ‘Hound Dog’, written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Freddie Bell of the Freddie Bell and the Bellboys, changed the lyrics in 1955 and turned the racy song about a disappointing lover into a song that was literally about a dog. As a white singer from Memphis with some black attitudes Elvis Presley stamped the song with his own identity and released it in July 1956 on the b side of his single "Don't Be Cruel". |
| RadiOn | That's All Right | Elvis Presley | 1954 | Elvis Presley's version of Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup’s 1949 song “That's All Right, Mama” was recorded in July 1954 at the Sun Studio, Memphis, Tennessee, known as “The Birthplace of Rock’n’roll” Rufus Thomas, who recorded "Bear Cat" for Sun Records, an "answer record" to Big Mama Thornton's R&B hit "Hound Dog", was at the time a deejay on the Memphis’ WDIA radio station and introduced Elvis Presley to the black radio audience. The rest is history … |
| RadiOn | 'Cause I Love You | Carla & Rufus Thomas | 1960 | Thomas and his daughter Carla would become the first stars for the Stax label with their duet in 1959, “‘Cause I Love You” supported by the house band The Mar-Keys to turn Satellite into a rhythm and blues label. Originally known as Satellite, the Memphis company Stax was founded in 1957 by Jim Stewart and co-owned with his sister, Estelle Axton, and took its new name in 1961 from the first two letters of their last names. |
| RadiOn | Last Night | The Mar-Keys | 1961 | Formed in 1958, The Mar-Keys was the first house band for the legendary Stax label and included drummer Terry Johnson, pianist Jerry Lee “Smoochie” Smith, saxophonists Don Nix and Charles Axton, and trumpeter Wayne Jackson in addition to guitarists Steve Cropper and Donald "Duck" Dunn. In 1960 the group joined the staff at Charles Axton’s mother Estelle’s Satellite label, backing artists that included Rufus Thomas and his daughter Carla. |
| RadiOn | Green Onions | Booker T. & the Mgs | 1962 | Booker T. & the MGs, an interracial instrumental quartet, served as the Stax Records rhythm section and house band. The track “Green Onions” came about by accident during a jamming session. Hence it is credited to all band members Booker T. Jones (organ, piano), Steve Cropper (guitar), Lewie Steinberg (bass), and Al Jackson Jr. (drums). In 1962, jamming in the studio while fruitlessly waiting for Billy Lee Riley to show up for a session, they came up with a classic minor-key, bluesy soul instrumental, distinguished by its nervous organ bounce and ferocious bursts of guitar. |
| RadiOn | These Arms Of Mine | Otis Redding | 1962 | In August 1962 the young Otis Redding drove guitarist and Pinetoppers bandleader Johnny Jenkins for a recording session at Stax Records. At the end of the session, Stax co-owner Jim Stewart allowed Otis to cut a couple of songs with the remaining studio time. The result was “These Arms Of Mine”, released in 1962. |
| RadiOn | (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay | Otis Redding | 1967 | "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" is a song co-written by soul singer Otis Redding and guitarist Steve Cropper. This was Otis’ final recording before the plane crash that took his life in December 1967, while touring with his backing band “The Bar-Kays”. |
| RadiOn | Soul finger | The Bar-Kays | 1967 | The song “Soul finger” is written by the Bar-Kays while they were rehearsing with Norman West to perform a cover of J. J. Jackson's "But It's Alright". The track was used as the opening theme tune to BBC Radio 1 DJ Stuart Henry's shows from 1969 to 1974. The Sugar Hill Gang's 1979 single "Rapper's Delight" contains multiple references to the Bar-Kays. |
| RadiOn | Hyperbolicsesquedalymistic | Isaac Hayes | 1969 | Surviving Bar-Kays members, trumpeter Ben Cauley and bassist James Alexander rebuilt the group after the plane crash and played on “Hot Buttered Soul” the timeless album in soul music history that launched the career of Isaac Hayes at Stax Records. “Hyperbolicsesquedalymistic” is one of the four tracks on the album, pronounced HY-PER-BO-LIC-SYL-LA-BIC-SES-QUA-DA-LY-MIS-TIC. |
| RadiOn | Soul Man | Sam & Dave | 1966 | Sam & Dave's iconic soul anthem "Soul Man" is written by Stax legends Isaac Hayes and David Porter. The duo Sam & Dave consisted of Samuel Moore and David Prater. Isaac Hayes with David Porter became the éminence grises behind Sam & Dave, much as Holland-Dozier-Holland pulled the strings behind the Supremes. They wrote, they produced— and the result was a string of hits, including “Soul Man,” “Hold On! I’m Comin’,” and “I Thank You,” songs that survive as the very epitome of Southern soul. When Stax’s distribution deal with Atlantic ended they no longer had access to the production team of Hayes and Porter or the house band of Booker T. & the MG’s, and their recorded work took a slight dip in quality. |
| Places | Down Under | Men At Work | 1981 | “Men At Work” celebrate Australia's origins in their song “Down Under”, where beer flows, and men chunder - "Chunder" is Aussie slang meaning to vomit. Vegemite sandwich - Vegemite is a fermented yeast spread that is pretty much a national institution in Australia - Some people love it and can't start the day without a piece of toast spread with Vegemite, and some go so far as to carry a small jar of it with them when they travel overseas. |
| Places | Born to Run | Bruce Springsteen | 1975 | Bruce Springsteen in “Born to Run” dreams to get out of this town while he is young. A few more years in this town, he believes that he will be stuck here forever along with his dreams. “Born to Run” had a universal appeal among like-minded teens who were struggling to get out of their situations. Everybody wants to ‘move’ as opposed to staying stagnant and rotting in one place. Bruce encouraged all of us to ‘run.’ |
| Places | Town Called Malice | The Jam | 1981 | Paul Weller, The Jam’s frontman, has said that “Town Called Malice” was written about his hometown Woking as a result of his teenage experiences there. “Town Called Malice" has been featured in many movies and recently in the British crime thriller television series with the same title. |
| Places | Echo Beach | Martha & The Muffins | 1980 | The inspiration for “Martha & The Muffins” “Echo Beach” was Sunnyside Beach on the shoreline of Lake Ontario in Toronto. Echo beach was a symbol of a place everyone wants to escape to when they're not where they want to be. |
| Places | Rock This Town | Stray Cats | 1981 | "Rock This Town" is written by rockabilly “Stray Cats” band leader Brian Setzer. |
| Places | Itchycoo Park | Small Faces | 1967 | Written by band members Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane, “Itchycoo Park” is said to be about a place where some of the band members grew up, when the Small Faces still had small faces, maybe? Anyway, a place with stinging nettles growing there. |
| Places | MacArthur Park | Richard Harris | 1968 | “MacArthur Park" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb that was recorded first by Irish actor and singer Richard Harris in 1968. The inspiration for the song was his relationship and breakup with Susie Horton. MacArthur Park, in Los Angeles, was where the couple would occasionally meet for lunch and spent their most enjoyable times together. You may hear some resemblance with “music” the song by John Miles. |
| Places | Somewhere Only We Know | Keane | 2004 | “Somewhere Only We Know” is written by ‘Keane’ band members Tim Rice-Oxley, Tom Chaplin and Richard Hughes. The song's lyrics refer to Manser's Shaw, a place in Battle that Keane members used to visit in their childhood days and the site of the Battle of Hastings, fought on 14 October 1066. |
| Places | Tom's Diner | Suzanne Vega | 1987 | Their exist no doubt where "Tom's Diner" is in New York (Tom's Restaurant is a diner located at 2880 Broadway (on the corner of West 112th Street). Suzanne Vega wrote the song in 1982, while she was a regular at the restaurant. The song was released in 1987 and is known for its use in testing various digital compression schemes during the development of the MP3, earning Vega the title of "Mother of the MP3" |
| Places | A Place with No Name | Michael Jackson | 2014 | The track is based on "A Horse with No Name", the hit 1972 song by rock band America. The song featured on Xscape Michael Jackson’s second album of all new music released after his death in 2009. |
| Places | Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) | Marvin Gaye | 1971 | Written by Marvin Gaye and James Nyx Jr., the song depicts the ghettos and bleak economic situations of lower-income residential districts (inner-city) in America, and the emotional effects these have on inhabitants. This song deals with the poverty and hopelessness people living in the ghettos of urban America often felt. How the government would send guys to the moon, but not help folks in the ghetto. Gaye grew up in Washington, DC before moving to Detroit in 1960. |
| Places | Wind Of Change | Scorpions | 1991 | Written by Scorpions band leader Klaus Meine and released in 1991. The lyrics celebrate glasnost in the Soviet Union, the end of the Cold War, and speak of hope at a time when tense conditions had arisen due to the fall of Communist-run governments among Eastern Bloc nations beginning in 1989. The opening lines are changed to "Now listen to my heart / It says Ukraine, waiting for the wind to change." Meine stated, "It's not the time with this terrible war in Ukraine raging on, it's not the time to romanticize Russia." |
| Places | Miss Sarajevo | Passengers | 1995 | Written by Brian Eno, Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge and Larry Mullen Jr. "Miss Sarajevo" is a song by Irish rock band U2 and British musician Brian Eno, credited to the pseudonym "Passengers". It was released on 20 November 1995 as the only single from their album Original Soundtracks 1. Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti makes a vocal appearance, singing the opera solo. The song was written about a group of women who held a beauty pageant during the Siege of Sarajevo as an act of defiance. Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti makes a vocal appearance, singing the opera solo. |
| Places | We Were All Wounded at Wounded Knee | Redbone | 1973 | In 1973 Redbone released the politically oriented "We Were All Wounded At Wounded Knee", recalling the massacre of a band of Sioux Indians by the Seventh Cavalry in 1890. Pat Vegas quotes: "CBS/Epic wouldn't record it, so I paid for it myself. They did me a favour and pressed up 500 copies, and I put it under my arm and carried it to Europe. I distributed it to the radio stations in Holland and before you know it it was number one across Europe. |
| Places | 537 C.U.B.A. | Orishas | 1999 | The song “537 C.U.B.A.” by Orishas released in 1999 is a reference to the telephone country code for Cuba and the city code for Havana and uses a sampling of the famous Compay Segundo & El Cuarteto Patria’s song “Chan Chan”. The song pays a tribute to Compay Segundo & El Cuarteto Patria, a great Cuban “tres” player, by taking the melody of the traditional Cuban son “Chan Chan” or also classified as “sampling”. “Chan Chan” was made famous internationally by Compay Segundo with the release of the album “Buena Vista Social Club” in 1997. The title “537 C.U.B.A.” is a reference to the telephone country code for Cuba and the city code for Havana. This song embodies a nostalgic sound “that besets those in the Cuban diaspora as well as those weary of the dehumanizing aspects of capitalism in developed countries”. Overall, Orishas' song is their anthem of the emigrant’s lament, expressing the sorrow and loneliness that result from being separated from the homeland. The song also is a representation of Orishas being away from Cuba for more than a year and it is their cry to Cuba expressed in a nostalgic and sorrowful sound. (The name "Orishas" refers to the set of deities worshipped in African-based religions in the Americas, like Santería in Cuba and Candomblé in Brazil, resulting from the relocation of Yoruba slaves. These orishas each represent a natural element (such as the ocean or leaves) and exhibit a human characteristic (such as motherhood or love)) Los Orishas began as Cuban rap group "Amenaza" in the early 1990s. The song “537 C.U.B.A.” is on the album “A Lo Cubano” by Orishas released in 1999. |
| Places | Goin' Up the Country | Canned Heat | 1968 | Written by Alan Wilson & Henry Thomas, this song is essentially the essence of traveling around the country carelessly and with a group of friends. Nothing more than just a catchy tune about a road trip. |
| Places | Le Sud | Nino Ferrer | 1975 | "Le Sud" is a song written, composed and performed by Nino Ferrer. Nino Ferrer was inspired by the American folk and country music he heard while living in Italy. The song was released in February 1975 as a single. This song is about a place like Louisiana in Italy, and how nice it is there. The song was originally written in English, but was translated into French for the release of the single. |
| Places | I Know a Place | Petula Clark | 1965 | Written by Tony Hatch for Petula Clark in 1965, “I know a Place” refers to "a cellar full of noise", a deliberate reference to the title of Brian Epstein's 1964 autobiography (A Cellarful of Noise), describing the below-ground Cavern Club in Liverpool where he first discovered the Beatles. The song is featuring in many movies and TV series and translated in many languages. |
| Places | An Englishman In New York | Godley & Creme | 1979 | Former 10cc members Kevin Godley and Lol Creme wrote the impressions of their first visit to America in their song “An Englishman In New York”. Kevin Godley and Lol Creme are from England, but they have always been fascinated by America. This song was inspired by their first trip to New York City, when they were members of the band 10cc. |
| Places | So Far Away From L.A | Nicolas Peyrac | 1975 | Nicolas Peyrac (born 6 October 1949 as Jean-Jacques Tazartez) is a French musician, writer and photographer. In 1975 he wrote and performed ‘So Far Away From L.A.’ La chanson évoque des lieux (le Golden Gate, le pénitencier d'Alcatraz, le Queen Mary transformé en hôtel flottant, Beverly Hills, les collines d'Hollywood) et des personnages (Caryl Chessman, Greta Garbo, Humphrey Bogart dit « Bogie », Sharon Tate) emblématiques de San Francisco et de Los Angeles. |
| Places | Big Yellow Taxi | Joni Mitchell | 1970 | Joni Mitchell penned her environmental concerns down in “Big Yellow Taxi” in 1970. Joni Mitchell lived in Laurel Canyon, which is a section of Los Angeles, when she wrote this song (that's the reference in the album title). At the time, big news in California was the battle to save the redwood forests, which were threatened by developers eager to cut down the trees to build shopping centers and other amenities. As Mitchell implies in this song, this could lead to trees someday becoming something you could only see in a museum. Mitchell (from a 1996 interview with the Los Angeles Times): "I wrote 'Big Yellow Taxi' on my first trip to Hawaii. I took a taxi to the hotel and when I woke up the next morning, I threw back the curtains and saw these beautiful green mountains in the distance. Then, I looked down and there was a parking lot as far as the eye could see, and it broke my heart... this blight on paradise. That's when I sat down and wrote the song." The line, "They paved paradise and put up the parking lot" refers to the destruction of The Garden of Allah, a Hollywood hotel renowned for its rowdy celebration parties. |
| Places | Hotel California | Eagles | 1977 | The legendary hit “Hotel California” is written by ‘Eagles’ band members Don Felder, Don Henley and Glenn Frey while staying at the The Beverly Hills Hotel in 1976. Released in February 1977 it is about "a journey from innocence to experience ... that's all". |
| Places | Our House | Madness | 1982 | “Our House” by Madness, written by guitarist Chrissy Boy (Chris Foreman) and secondary vocalist, trumpeter and dancer Chas Smash (Cathal Smyth). "Our House" was Madness’ biggest hit in the US. There is also a musical called Our House, featuring Madness songs. |
| Places | Tobacco Road | Jefferson Airplane | 1966 | "Tobacco Road" was a semi-autobiographical tale of growing up in Durham, North Carolina, written and first recorded by John D. Loudermilk in December 1959 and released in 1960. This song became a hit for The Nashville Teens in 1964. Jefferson Airplane recorded a version of Tobacco Road on their first album, Jefferson Airplane Takes Off, in 1966 with their original lead singer Signe Anderson. Just as Jefferson Airplane was ascending, Anderson gave birth to her first child. Realizing that life on the road with a newborn was unfeasible, Anderson opted to part ways with Jefferson Airplane in 1966. |
| Places | Old Town | Philip Lynott | 1982 | "Old Town" is a song released by Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott from his 1982 self-titled solo album, The Philip Lynott Album; its autobiographical lyrics detail the end of a romance. The setting of the old town is Dublin, Ireland, were Lynott grew up. Phil Lynott co-wrote this song with Thin Lizzy bass player Jimmy Bain. |
| State of Mind | Dizzy | Tommy Roe | 1968 | This snappy bubblegum song "Dizzy" is written and recorded by Tommy Roe and was an international hit in 1969. Instrumental backing was provided by the Los Angeles session musicians known as the Wrecking Crew. In this song, Tommy Roe gets a touch of vertigo every time he is near a girl who captivates him. At first, he's not sure what to do because other guys are always after her, but when he gets his chance and tells her how he feels, she kisses him and melts his heart. At this point, he's so dizzy he might need medical help. |
| State of Mind | Paranoid | Black Sabbath | 1970 | "Paranoid" is a song by English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in 1970. Frontman Ozzy Osbourne’s narrative "I tell you to enjoy life" was sometimes misheard as "I tell you to end your life" and caused some controversy for apparently encouraging suicide. |
| State of Mind | Boulevard Of Broken Dreams | Green Day | 2004 | “Boulevard of Broken Dreams" is a 2004 song by American rock band Green Day written by lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong. Armstrong stated that the title of the song was "nicked" from the picture of James Dean walking alone in New York and underneath it says 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams.' There’s also a 1995 biography by Paul Alexander titled “James Dean: Boulevard of Broken Dreams" |
| State of Mind | My Ever Changing Moods | The Style Council | 1984 | “My Ever Changing Moods” was released in 1984 by The Style Council. Composed by lead singer Paul Weller, this song is a homage to Curtis Mayfield with overtones of nuclear threat. Paul Weller quoted: “I think it's probably like a lot of songs I've done... they start of being about myself and then I get bored with it and I make it into something else." |
| State of Mind | Move On Up | Curtis Mayfield | 1971 | "Move On Up" is a song by Curtis Mayfield released in 1971. Mr. Superfly Curtis Mayfield’s "Move On Up" was covered by Paul Weller’s band The Jam in 1982. |
| State of Mind | Crazy | Gnarls Barkley | 2006 | “Gnarls Barkley” is composed of producer Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) and vocalist Cee-Lo Green (Thomas Callaway). Their 2006 song “Crazy” is about insisting upon doing things your way, and the thin line between being crazy and being convinced that you're right. |
| State of Mind | Happy Man | Jungle | 2018 | "Happy Man" from the band Jungle in 2018 is a "wake-up" call for their generation. They stated: "'Happy Man essentially engages with the idea that our generation isn't coping with the expectations that have been placed upon them by society. People are waking up to what the system is now, and how we feel trapped within it and often very isolated from each other in our quest for 'The Dream.' I guess the song is really a wake-up call, to yourself, mostly to stop chasing this mythical 'end-goal' to life, and enjoy the ride a little more." |
| State of Mind | Fly Too High | Janis Ian | 1979 | “Fly Too High” from 1979 is one of Janis Ian's more sultry songs, not typical of her other work. The lyrics are about a young teenage girl who is growing up quickly, perhaps too quickly. There are also suggestions of trying to fulfill ambitions as soon as possible, which Ian herself did shortly after leaving home at a young age. |
| State of Mind | Crunchy Granola Suite | Neil Diamond | 1971 | Crunchy Granola Suite" is a pop rock song written and recorded in 1971 by Neil Diamond. The opening song of Diamond's live album Hot August Night, is one of the coolest song ever written about breakfast food and exposes his adherence to the stereotypical California, macrobiotic, granola, health food lifestyle. |
| State of Mind | Never Alone / Always Together | The Black Box Revelation | 2008 | The Black Box Revelation is a Brussels rock duo including the pounding drums of Dries Van Dijck and the roaring guitars and screaming voice of Jan Paternoster. “Never Alone / Always Together” was released in 2008. |
| State of Mind | Locomotive Breath | Jethro Tull | 1971 | “Locomotive Breath” by Jethro Tull was released on March 30, 1971. Band leader and writer Ian Anderson expressed his concern regarding overpopulation and its impact on prosperity, happiness, food and spread of wealth. His frequent use of public transport made the link with trains. |
| State of Mind | The Beast in Me | Nick Lowe | 1994 | The song “The Beast in Me” by Nick Lowe, released in 1994, features slow, mournful music and lyrics describing the narrator's struggle with destructive habits and personality traits: "The beast in me / Is caged by frail and fragile bars" The recording debut for "The Beast In Me" was by American singer Johnny Cash from his American Recordings album released in April 1994. Cash was Lowe's father-in-law from 1979 to 1990, during Lowe's marriage to singer Carlene Carter. |
| State of Mind | Behind Blue Eyes | The Who | 1971 | “Behind Blue Eyes” was released by The Who in 1971. Band members Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey both have blue eyes, however writer Townshend expressed his own feeling of angst for the temptation by a groupie. |
| State of Mind | Reflections Of My Life | Marmalade | 1969 | "Reflections of My Life" was a hit single for the Scottish band, Marmalade released on 14 November 1969. This dramatic ballad from the Age of Aquarius finds the singer describing a very bleak outlook on life and the times. The song was sort of a hippie version of the blues. |
| State of Mind | Simple Man | Lynyrd Skynyrd | 1973 | Lynyrd Skynyrd these days dedicates the 1973 song “Simple Man” to their late frontman and song co-writer Ronnie Van Zant. The mother/son relation song says a lot about a young man’s life and his disposition |
| State of Mind | Suddenly (ft. Weyes Blood) | Drugdealer | 2016 | Drugdealer started in 2016 as a solo project by Michael Collins with vintage style often working with guest vocals such as Weyes Blood (pronounced: Wize Blood), with her gorgeous lower register (as Karen Carpenter said, "it is not in the high notes. the money is in the basement"), born Natalie Mering an American singer and songwriter (born 11 June 1988 in Santa Monica, California, USA) living now in New York. |
| State of Mind | Thinking of a Place | The War on Drugs | 2017 | “Thinking of a Place” a song by the band “The War on Drugs”, written by frontman Adam Granduciel who attaches an aura of hazy nostalgia to the song. He’s thinking of a place, and, in his hypnotic way, he makes it real. |
| State of Mind | Nights In White Satin | The Moody Blues | 1967 | Receiving a set of white satin sheets gave Moody Blue’s band member Justin Hayward the inspiration for “Nights in White Satin” in 1967 when he was 19. It was a series of random thoughts and was quite autobiographical. |
| State of Mind | A Whiter Shade of Pale | Annie Lennox | 1995 | Keith Reid, very taken with surrealism, Magritte and Dali, wrote the lyrics to "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" Although not a band member he founded Procol Harum with Gary Brooker in 1967, named after a vanished cat called ‘Procul Harum’. Annie Lennox covered the song in 1995. Keith Reid recently died in a London hospital aged 76, after receiving cancer treatment for two years. |
| State of Mind | Have You Never Been Mellow | Olivia Newton-John | 1975 | "Have You Never Been Mellow" is a song recorded by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John Olivia is addressing someone who is stressed out and she even wonders if there was ever a time when he was not so uptight. “mellow” was Olivia’s bands’ favourite word at the time. Olivia is also known by the nickname Lovely Livvy |
| State of Mind | Mellow Yellow | Donovan | 1966 | “Mellow Yellow”, a song by Donovan in 1966, about being cool, laid-back, and also the electrical bananas that were appearing on the scene - which were ladies vibrators. I used to have a mellow yellow mini. Anyway, the song came at the time when meditation became more serious for him and the members of The Beatles … |
| State of Mind | Mind Games | John Lennon & The Plastic U.F.Ono Band | 1973 | “Mind Games” written by John Lennon, released in 1973 by the ‘John Lennon & The Plastic U.F.Ono Band’ is about making yourself a better person. John Lennon was inspired by the book ‘Mind Games: The Guide to Inner Space.’ written by Robert Masters and Jean Houston, which explains how we can improve ourselves on various levels by playing tricks on our minds. In 1973 John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono had a period of separation (called "the Lost Weekend") and he moved to Los Angeles with his assistant and new lover May Pang. The line-up of the ‘Plastic U.F.Ono Band’ included John Lennon (vocals, rhythm guitar, slide guitar, percussion), Jim Keltner (drums), David Spinozza (lead guitar), Kenneth Ascher (piano, organ), Gordon Edwards (bass), Arthur Jenkins (percussion), Michael Brecker (saxophone), Sneaky Pete Kleinow (pedal steel guitar), Rick Marotta (drums) and Something Different (chorus). |
| boomer | Smoking My Ganja | Capital Letters | 1978 | 'Capital Letters’ was formed in 1972 in Wolverhampton, England and members of the seventies British roots reggae scene. ‘Smoking My Ganja’ was released in 1978. |
| boomer | Over My Shoulder | Mike + the Mechanics | 1995 | Mike Rutherford (former Genesis) and ‘Golden Voice’ Paul Carrack wrote “Over my Shoulder” in 1995 for their band Mike and the Mechanics. |
| boomer | Harvest For The World | The Christians | 1988 | The Christians released a 1988 the hit cover of the "Harvest for the World" a 1976 single released by American musical group The Isley Brothers. |
| boomer | We are the World | USA for Africa | 1985 | “We are the World” is written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones as a benefit single for victims of famine in Africa. It raised over $60 Million, which was distributed to Ethiopia, Sudan, and other impoverished countries. The single was modelled on Band Aid, the British group Bob Geldof put together the year before to record "Do They Know It's Christmas?." This was recorded at A&M Studios in Los Angeles on January 28, 1985, the night of the American Music Awards and included, in order, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Kenny Rogers, James Ingram, Billy Joel, Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Willie Nelson, Al Jarreau, Bruce Springsteen, Kenny Loggins, Steve Perry, Daryl Hall, Michael Jackson (again), Huey Lewis, Cyndi Lauper, and Kim Carnes. Bob Dylan and Ray Charles were also featured on the song as well as Harry Belafonte, who had the original idea for the project, joining Bette Midler, Smokey Robinson, The Pointer Sisters, LaToya Jackson, Bob Geldof, Sheila E., and Waylon Jennings as backing singers. |
| boomer | The Message | Grandmaster Flash | 1982 | In 1982, "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five told with hip-hop's rhythmic and vocal force, the truth about modern inner-city life in America. |
| boomer | Breakout | Swing Out Sister | 1986 | “Breakout” by the British band “Swing Out Sister” was released in 1986. Swing Out Sister was formed in 1985 in Manchester, England by keyboardist Andy Connell and drummer Martin Jackson joined by singer Corinne Drewery, who was previously a fashion designer. The official music video was inspired by Corinne Drewery's previous career. It features her as a fashion designer, designing and making her own dress, then modeling it. |
| boomer | Follow Me | Amanda Lear | 1978 | "Follow Me" is a song by French singer, actress and former model, Amanda Lear released in 1978. According her official website, Amanda Tap(p) was born in Vietnam in 1950 from an English marine officer and an Asian mother. In 1965 she married Scottish Paul Morgan Lear, from whom she kept the surname. Ariola had launched a controversial publicity campaign presenting Amanda as an enigma: Was she born in Transylvania ? Was she a boy ? She finally posed in the nude in Playboy, Lui magazine and Penthouse to answer the question: was she a boy? |
| boomer | I've Seen That Face Before [Libertango] | Grace Jones | 1981 | "I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango)" is a single by Jamaican born singer Grace Jones, released in 1981. The song is a reworking of Astor Piazzolla's "Libertango". Lyrically, it describes the darker side of Parisian nightlife. Grace Beverly Jones OJ (born 19 May 1948) is an American model, singer and actress, known for her distinctive androgynous appearance and bold features, working for fashion houses such as Yves St. Laurent and Kenzo, and appearing on the covers of Elle and Vogue. |
| boomer | Lola | The Kinks | 1970 | 'Lola' written by Ray Davies of The Kinks, is based on a story about their manager. It is about a guy who meets a girl (Lola) in a club who takes him home and rocks his world. The twist comes when we find out that Lola is a man. |
| boomer | Brass in Pocket | The Pretenders | 1979 | “Brass in Pocket” was The Pretenders' first and biggest hit and the first flowering of 'girl power'. Hynde got the idea for the song's title when, during an after-show dinner, she overheard someone enquiring if anyone had, "Picked up dry cleaning? Any brass in pocket?" |
| boomer | One Way Or Another | Blondie | 1979 | Blondie lead singer Debbie Harry wrote this song about a stalker, inspired by real events is. Blondie was one of the first ‘punk’ (female empowerment was punk) bands to have Pop success. |
| boomer | Message In A Bottle | The Police | 1979 | “Message In A Bottle” written by “The Police” frontman Sting in 1979. The lyrics can be seen as a metaphor for being lonely and realizing there are lots of people just like you. |
| boomer | The Passenger | Iggy Pop | 1977 | Iggy Pop wrote the lyrics for “The Passenger" and guitarist Ricky Gardiner composed the riff. This “simple celebration of life” was recorded in 1977 during his ‘exile’ in West-Berlin and while sharing an apartment with David Bowie and friends. |
| boomer | 99 Luftballons | Nena | 1983 | 99 balloons from German band Nena released in 1983 - is a song inspired by a Rolling Stones concert in West Berlin, so prior to the fall of the wall during the time of the Cold War. The story goes, letting 99 red balloons go in the air for fun. These balloons show up on the radar as unidentified objects (UFO's) and both sides scramble planes and go to full alert to counteract a perceived nuclear attack, when in fact it is the most childlike of things, a bunch of balloons. A reference to the paranoia/hysteria surrounding a nuclear of war. At a 1982 Rolling Stones concert in Berlin, Nena's guitarist Carlo Karges watched a mass of balloons released. The balloons came together into various odd shapes, some of the seeming to form spacecrafts. Karges wondered aloud later what the reaction to seeing the balloons floating over the wall would be. Would the communists think they were under attack and unleash war? |
| boomer | Start Me Up | The Rolling Stones | 1981 | The 1981 single “Start Me Up” was the last great Jagger–Richard song by the Rolling Stones. Bill Gates hired the song for the launch video of Microsoft Windows 95, its 32bit operating system for PCs. |
| boomer | Crazy | Seal | 1991 | Seal wrote the lyrics to "Crazy," and Guy Sigsworth, who co-produced the song with Trevor Horn, arranged the music. This song was inspired by the crazy events of 1989-1990, in particular the fall of the Berlin Wall. The lyrics, "And through a fractal on a breaking wall, I see you my friend, and touch your face again" appear to be a reference to the Berlin Wall coming down. |
| boomer | The Times They Are A-changin' | Bryan Ferry | 2007 | Bryan Ferry released in 2007 the album “Dylanesque” with his ode to Bob Dylan including this call to action, "The Times They Are A-Changin'" an anthem for frustrated youth. It summed up the anti-establishment feelings of people who would later be known as hippies. Many of the lyrics are based on the Civil Rights movement in the US. |
| boomer | In The Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus) | Zager & Evans | 1969 | “In The Year 2525” is a one-hit wonder song by the American, Nebraska band “Zager & Evans” from 1969. You may find on YouTube a matching vintage film footage from Fritz Lang’s movie “Metropolis” (https://youtu.be/zKQfxi8V5FA) |
| boomer | When I'm Sixty-Four | The Beatles | 1967 | Sir Paul McCartney wrote "When I'm Sixty-Four" when he was fourteen (in 1956). How little did he know how his life would be reaching that age ... The song was released on the 1967 Beatles album “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band”. |
| boomer | River Deep, Mountain High | Ike & Tina Turner | 1966 | "River Deep – Mountain High" is a song by Ike & Tina Turner released as the title track to their 1966 studio album on Philles Records. Produced by Phil Spector and written by Spector, Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich. In Rolling Stone magazine's Top 500 Songs, Tina Turner is quoted as saying of the recording of this, "I must have sung that 500,000 times. I was drenched with sweat. I had to take my shirt off and stand there in my bra to sing." R.I.P. Anna Mae Bullock. |
| boomer | Proud Mary | Creedence Clearwater Revival | 1969 | “Proud Mary" is a song by American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival written by John Fogerty. Fogerty stated that the song about a washerwoman named Mary, was the result of high spirits on gaining his discharge from the Army Reserve. Ike & Tina Turner released in 1971 most likely the best cover ever made of CCR’s hit ‘Proud Mary’, |
| boomer | Wannabe | Spice Girls | 1996 | One of the most recognisable pop song of the last 60 years and a symbol of female empowerment. “Wannabe” is the debut single from the ‘Spice Girls’. This 1996 hit is their most emblematic song of the British group's Girl Power philosophy. |
| boomer | Holiday | Madonna | 1983 | “Holiday” was Madonna's first hit released in 1983. The was written by Curtis Hudson and Lisa Stevens and first offered to Mary Wilson of The Supremes who turned it down. Madonna is credited for playing "cowbelle" on this track. |
| boomer | Love Generation | Love Generation | 2005 | “Love Generation”, featuring Jamaican singer Gary "Nesta" Pine, is credited to Bob Sinclar, and was released in September 2005. |
| Tides | Quiero | Julio Iglesias | 1975 | “Quiero” by Julio Iglesias. A song from 1975 written by Cecilia and Narciso Yepes. About a special place by the sea, where the wind and the breeze embrace you. Cecilia is Evangelina Sobredo Galanes, Singer-songwriter, who took her stage name from the song by Simon and Garfunkel. |
| Tides | Good Times | Chic | 1979 | Chic’s “Good Times” is a block party favourite composed by Nile Rodgers with Bernard Edwards' distinctive bassline, making it one of the most copied and sampled records ever. |
| Tides | Another One Bites The Dust | Queen | 1980 | Queen bass player John Deacon wrote “Another One Bites The Dust” song. Deacon was influenced by the Chic song Good Times. All four members of Queen wrote songs, and each wrote at least one hit. |
| Tides | Rappers Delight | Sugarhill Gang | 1979 | "Rapper's Delight," released on September 16, 1979, got rap into the mainstream helped by Sylvia Robinson at Sugar Hill Records. "Rapper's Delight" used real musicians to re-create the "Good Times" rhythm because the technology didn't exist to make it into a sample loop. |
| Tides | We Are Family | Sister Sledge | 1979 | (The four) Sister(s) Sledge’ biggest hit “We Are Family” released in 1979. This was written and produced by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers who got the idea for the song's title when they first met the sisters. The sisters’ grandmother was an opera singer who taught the girls how to harmonize and invited them to sing at her church. As a result, in their early days of performing around Philadelphia, they were known as Mrs. Williams' Granddaughters. |
| Tides | Happiness | The Pointer Sisters | 1979 | "Happiness" is a song by The Pointer Sisters, written by Allen Toussaint, which was released in early 1979. |
| Tides | Respect Yourself (ft. The Pointer Sisters) | Bruce Willis | 1986 | In 1986, American actor Bruce Willis (as his fictitious alter-ego Bruno Radolini) began a short-lived singing career. Willis covered the Staple Singers’ seventies hit "Respect Yourself" for his 1987 album ‘The Return of Bruno’, featuring backing vocals by the Pointer Sisters; June Pointer also sings a verse. |
| Tides | If You're Ready (Come Go With Me) | The Staple Singers | 1973 | "If You're Ready (Come Go with Me)" is a song by the Staple Singers. The Staple Singers were an American gospel, soul, and R&B singing family band, composed of patriarch Roebuck "Pops" Staples, Cleotha, Pervis, Mavis and Yvonne who replaced her brother when he was drafted into the U.S. Army, and again in 1970. |
| Tides | I Can See Clearly Now | Johnny Nash | 1972 | Houston, Texas’ born Johnny Nash wrote and performed “I Can See Clearly Now”, a song of hope and courage for individuals who have experienced adversity in their lives but have overcome it. |
| Tides | The Tide Is High | Blondie | 1980 | “The Tide Is High” is 1967 song originally recorded by the Jamaican group The Paragons, written by John Holt. Australian producer Mike Chapman helped American band Blondie to record their number hit version in 1980. |
| Tides | Formidable | Charles Aznavour | 1993 | "Formidable" is a French love song, composed by Charles Aznavour, and written by Jacques Plante, based on the theme of a "humorous declaration of love by Charles Aznavour in Franglais." The singer loves the woman he is singing for. He sang in French because it is a more romantic language than English, and he wants her to understand how much he loves her. Even though she doesn't seem to be interested in him. He’s actually wondering why he loves her at all since she mocks him and everything else. |
| Tides | Sympathique | Pink Martini | 1997 | Thomas Lauderdale founded the “little orchestra” Pink Martini in 1994 to provide more beautiful and inclusive musical soundtracks for political fundraisers for causes such as civil rights, affordable housing, cleaning up the Willamette River, funding for libraries, public broadcasting, education and parks. China Forbes and Lauderdale co-wrote many of the band originals. Their first song – “Sympathique” (Je ne veus pas travailler) - became an overnight sensation in France, was nominated for “Song of the Year” at France’s Victoires de la Musique Awards, and to this day remains a mantra (“Je ne veux pas travailler” or “I don’t want to work”) for striking French workers. |
| Tides | Que Sera, Sera | Doris Day | 1956 | Doris Day's signature song "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) is a song written by the team of Jay Livingston and Ray Evans that was first published in 1955. Doris Day introduced it in the Alfred Hitchcock film The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956). |
| Tides | At Seventeen | Janis Ian | 1975 | “At Seventeen” It is one of Janis Ian's most commercially successful songs, considered by critics her signature song. "At Seventeen", written by Janis Ian at the age of 23 and released in 1975, is a ballad about being a social outcast in high school, particularly with respect to adolescent cruelty and rejection. Some commentators viewed "At Seventeen" as a gay anthem by the line "I learned the truth at seventeen" as discovering one's homosexuality. |
| Tides | Time in a Bottle | Time in a Bottle | 1973 | "Time in a Bottle" is a song by singer-songwriter Jim Croce. He wrote the lyrics after his wife Ingrid told him she was pregnant in December 1970. Two years later, as Jim Croce's songs were topping the music charts, his plane crashed in Natchitoches, Louisiana, on September 20, 1973, a week before his son’s second birthday. |
| Tides | Wonderful Life | Black | 1987 | “Wonderful Life” by Black, aka Colin Vearncombe (1962-2016), The irony of this song is that it took Colin’s miserable situations that made him write the song (a couple of car crashes, mother’s serious illness, dropped by a record company, marriage breakup and being homeless). Moreover, he died from a car accident on his way to the airport to start writing sessions after the release of his new album “Blind Faith” in 2016. |
| Tides | Cherish the Day | Sade | 1993 | “Cherish the Day" is a song by English band Sade, released in 1993. Sade’s minimalist lyrics... say all that needs to be said: a joyous soulful song embracing one to cherish each and every day. Helen Folasade Adu was born in Ibadan, Nigeria (1959) and best known as Sade Adu. Sade grew up listening to American soul music, particularly the wave led in the 1970’s by artists such as Curtis Mayfield, Donny Hathaway, and Bill Withers. |
| Tides | Lovely Day | Bill Withers | 1977 | "Lovely Day" is a song by American soul and R&B singer Bill Withers, released in December 1977 and re-released multiple times since it was used in several adverts over the years. Toward the end of the song Withers holds a note for 18 seconds, |
| Tides | Don't Get Me Wrong | The Pretenders | 1986 | Written by Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde, “Don't Get Me Wrong” describes the complexities of love from a female perspective: "If you say hello and I take a ride Upon a sea where the mystic moon Is playing havoc with the tide". |
| Tides | Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps | CAKE | 1996 | Cuban songwriter Osvaldo Farrés wrote the original Spanish song ("Quizas Quizas Quizas") which became a hit for Bobby Capó in 1947. A year later it got translated in English by Joe Davis. US Californian band CAKE released their version in 1996. The song is a plea for clarity and to finally know if their efforts are appreciated and reciprocated. |
| Tides | These Boots Are Made for Walkin' | Nancy Sinatra | 1966 | "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" is a hit song written by Lee Hazlewood and recorded by American singer Nancy Sinatra. It charted on January 22, 1966, and reached No. 1 in the United States Billboard Hot 100 and in the UK Singles Chart. |
| Tides | Under My Thumb | The Rolling Stones | 1966 | "Under My Thumb" by the English rock band the Rolling Stones is written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Brian Jones (their original lead guitarist) made it a musical gem thanks to the variety of instruments he played. |
| Tides | Wild World | Cat Stevens | 1970 | "Wild World" is a song written and recorded by English singer-songwriter Cat Stevens and released in 1970. Stevens was inspired by the end of his romance with model and actress Patti (lady) D'Arbanville. Patricia D'Arbanville is an American actress, known as the title character in the David Hamilton film Bilitis (1977). |
| Tides | Every Breath You Take | The Police | 1983 | The Police frontman Sting (Gordon Sumner) wrote “Every Breath You Take”. Sting wrote the song in 1982 in the aftermath of his separation from Northern Irish actress Frances Tomelty and the beginning of his relationship with Trudie Styler. Sting declared it is about the obsession with a lost lover, and the jealousy and surveillance that follow. |
| Tides | In The Air | Phil Collins | 1980 | The grim track "In The Air" as well as all songs on his Phil Collins’ album “Face Value” are referring to negative feelings surrounding his first divorce in 1980 from his wife, Andrea Bertorelli, a Candian-born former actress. |
| Tides | The Winner Takes It All | ABBA | 1980 | "The Winner Takes It All" by ABBA was released in 1980. The sad experience of ABBA band members’ Bjorn and Agnetha's divorce (the previous year) left its mark on the lyrics of "The Winner Takes It All". This song was once voted "Britain's Favourite Break-Up Song." |
| Tides | Go Your Own Way | Fleetwood Mac | 1977 | “Go Your Own Way” by Fleetwood Mac released in 1977, the first single from the Rumours album, which became one of the best-selling of all time. Lindsey Buckingham wrote this as a message to Stevie Nicks. Stevie Nicks got equal time on the album with "Dreams," her message to Lindsey Buckingham. While the Rumours album was being recorded, the marriage of John and Christine McVie (both of them Mac members) was also coming to an end. |
| libido | Addicted To Love | Robert Palmer | 1986 | "Addicted to Love" is a song by English rock singer Robert Palmer released in 1986 with members of the Power Station. Andy Taylor of Duran Duran (and a bandmate of Palmer's from the Power Station) provides lead guitar. The other guitar part on the song is played by Eddie Martinez, while keyboards were played by Wally Badarou. As well as producing the song, Bernard Edwards also played the bass. The song is also notable for its opening drum solo by Tony Thompson, another Power Station alumnus. |
| libido | Whole Lotta Rosie | AC/DC | 1977 | “Whole Lotta Rosie” by AC/DC, released in 1977 is about a woman called "Big Bertha", a very large woman lead singer Bon Scott had relations with early in the band's career. Bertha kept a black book where she recorded her conquests. When Scott did the deed with Bertha, she called to her friend, "that's the 37th this month," Scott turned the incident into a song, this time naming the woman "Rosie." |
| libido | Sledgehammer | Peter Gabriel | 1986 | “Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel is about sex, and the lyrics are loaded with phallic symbols. In addition to the word "sledgehammer," other references to the male member include the train, bumper cars, and the big dipper. The innuendo was typical of the blues music Gabriel drew from. Gabriel said regarding the theme of this song: "Sometimes sex can break through barriers when other forms of communication are not working too well." Some of the lyrics were inspired by a quote from German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who said a good book breaks through like "an ax in a frozen sea." |
| libido | The Seed (featuring Cody Chestnutt) | The Roots | 2002 | “The Seed 2.0” is a reworking of the original recording, "The Seed," by Cody Chestnutt, who is a featured vocalist on this track. It's one of those songs that becomes more convoluted the more you try to put together a precise linear narrative. Either way, the general spirit is that the guy wants to get as many women pregnant as possible. |
| libido | Wild Thing | Tone-Lōc | 1988 | Wild Thing by Tone-Lōc, released in 1988. Loc, whose writer credit appears as his real name, Anthony Smith, got the idea for the song after watching the 1986 Spike Lee movie She's Gotta Have It, where hip-hop scenester Fab 5 Freddy tells a woman, "Let's do the wild thing!" "The Wild Thing" is slang for sex. It was a popular and benign euphemism that worked well in the late '80s when people like Arsenio Hall needed to talk about sex without arousing censors (the phrase "making whoopie" was hopelessly outdated). |
| libido | Push it | Salt-N-Pepa | 1987 | This follows the tradition of edgy-but-ambiguous songs about "it," which can mean just about anything. The big hook is the "Oooh, baby, baby" section, which complements the percussive production. Another memorable section is the vocal interlude, where Hurby implores us to get on the dance floor, but "only the sexy people." |
| libido | Walk This Way | Aerosmith | 1975 | "Walk This Way" is a song by the American rock band Aerosmith, released in 1975. The lyrics, which tell the story of a high school boy losing his virginity. The "walk this way" line is the experienced girl showing the young man where to put his finger - showing him how to walk. |
| libido | Steamy Windows | Tony Joe White | 1991 | Tony Joe White released in 1991 his album “Closer to the Truth”, recorded in the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Alabama, and produced by Dan Hartman. The album featured "Steamy Windows" and "Undercover Agent for the Blues" songs Tony Joe White originally wrote for Tina Turner. |
| libido | Private Dancer | Tina Turner | 1984 | This song is about either a prostitute or stripper who prefers to consider herself a "private dancer," describing how empty she feels inside. Mark Knopfler wrote this song for his band Dire Straits, but realized that it didn't work with a guy singing it, so he pitched it to Turner, who was beginning her comeback. |
| libido | Physical | Olivia Newton-John | 1981 | "Physical" is a song recorded by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John released in 1981. The song had also been offered to Tina Turner by her manager Roger Davies, but when Turner declined, Davies gave the song to Newton-John, another of his clients. Physical" (originally "Let's Get Physical") was written by Terry Shaddick and Newton-John's longtime friend Steve Kipner, and initially was intended for a "macho male rock figure like Rod Stewart", according to Kipner. |
| libido | The Sweetest Taboo | Sade | 1985 | The "Sweetest Taboo" is the height of sexual pleasure. In this song, Sade sings lovingly about a man who gets her there. With him, every day is Christmas, every night is New Year's Eve. The line, "There's a quiet storm," is a reference to the Quiet Storm radio format, which is filled with baby-making music like this song. The Quiet Storm indicates a sensual sexual experience. |
| libido | Afternoon Delight | Starland Vocal Band | 1976 | This is a double-entendre song named after the late-afternoon appetizer menu at the restaurant Clyde's Of Georgetown in Washington, DC, where they have a Gold record from the song hanging in the bar. That's the official explanation at least - the other meaning is daytime sex. The inspirational menu heading read: "Afternoon Delights." The Starland vocal band delivered four-part harmonies with the married couple Bill and Taffy Danoff (Taffy Nivert after they split up), and another couple: Margot Chapman and Jon Carroll (the baby of the bunch, he was just 19 when the song was released). Taffy spiced up the stage banter when they performed this song, explaining that the title came from the menu, but adding some version of "...then Bill came home and we had our own Afternoon Delight. We wrote the song instead of having a cigarette." |
| libido | Do That To Me One More Time | Jheena Lodwick | 2009 | "Do That to Me One More Time" was written by Toni Tennille and a hit for the duo Captain & Tennille, here covered by the Asian jazz singer Jheena Lodwick. This song is clearly about foreplay, although ambiguously enough to keep the censors at bay. |
| libido | The Bad Touch | Bloodhound Gang | 1999 | "Bad Touch" by the ‘Bloodhound Gang’, released in 1999, refers to what children are told to shout to avoid being sexually molested. The title is not part of the lyrics, and the song is often referred to as "Discovery Channel" or "Mammals." |
| libido | Cream | Prince & The New Power Generation | 1991 | A playfully sexual song, this was Prince's last #1 hit. The lyrics are very suggestive, but tame compared to Prince's previous single "Gett Off," which had more trouble getting pop airplay. He probably didn't put too much effort into the words ("You got the horn so why don't you blow it... You're filthy cute and baby you know it"), as it is the distinctive track that made this song stand out. |
| libido | Beep | Pussycat Dolls | 2005 | "Beep" is a song recorded by American girl group the Pussycat Dolls for their debut studio album PCD (2005). "Beep" is a hip hop song written by William Adams, Kara DioGuardi, and Jeff Lynne, |
| libido | Freak Like Me | Adina Howard | 1995 | "Freak Like Me" is a song by American R&B singer Adina Howard, released on January 25, 1995 The song's drum beat is sampled from Sly & the Family Stone's "Sing a Simple Song". The song also interpolates "I'd Rather Be with You" by Bootsy's Rubber Band. |
| libido | Candy Shop | 50 Cent | 2005 | The lyrics are about oral sex ("Lick the lollipop"). The sexual imagery is pretty blatant, and many radio stations played a heavily edited version. The line "I melt in your mouth girl, not in your hand" is another metaphor for oral sex. It is a reference to advertising slogan for M&M chocolate candy. |
| libido | Relax (Come Fighting) | Frankie Goes To Hollywood | 1983 | "Relax" was the debut-single for the British band Frankie Goes to Hollywood, released in 1983. BBC Radio initially banned the record because of its record sleeve and lyrics. |
| libido | I'm On Fire | Bruce Springsteen | 1984 | The song was recorded in May 1982 and released in 1984. The song is about a man who wakes up with night sweats lusting for a woman - he feels like he's on fire when he suddenly awakes. |
| libido | Slow Hand | The Pointer Sisters | 1981 | In the early '80s, Karen Carpenter wanted her lover to Touch Me When We're Dancing and Olivia Newton-John wanted to get "Physical," but The Pointer Sisters made it clear that slow, sensual love was their priority. The songs were all written by men - this one by John Bettis and Michael Clark. |
| libido | Let's Get It On | Marvin Gaye | 1973 | Originally written by 1950s one-hit-wonder Ed Townsend ("For Your Love" in 1958), the song originally addressed the author's desire to get on with life after beating alcoholism. Marvin Gaye completely changed the lyrics (and meaning) to the song after meeting Janis Hunter, the woman who would become his second wife. The song helped cement Gaye's reputation as one of the greatest singers of baby-making music. Song writing credits on the song went to both Gaye and Townsend. |
| libido | Ring My Bell | Blood Sisters | 1979 | The invitation to relax, "Ring My Bell" was a disco hit for Anita Ward in 1979 written by Frederick Knight. Blood Sisters covered the legendary song in reggae dub style. |
| libido | Honky Tonk Women | The Rolling Stones | 1969 | Like many Rolling Stones songs, it has highly suggestive lyrics, but they are just subtle enough to keep it from getting banned by radio stations. British rock bands often wrote lyrics that were ambiguously offensive, falling just in line with BBC guidelines for airplay. A good example in this song is, "She blew my nose and then she blew my mind," which implies both cocaine and sex, but didn't give the BBC any specific reason to ban it. |
| libido | December '63 (Oh What A Night) | The Four Seasons | 1975 | Franki Valli and The Four Seasons with drummer, Gerry Polci, as lead vocals in 1975 with “December ‘63”, "about losing your cherry" (a guy having sex for the first time). |
| bbc | Dave Allen at Large [Irish Gnome] | Alan Hawkshaw | 1993 | Theme song of “Dave Allen at Large”, an Irish comedian who always had his glass of whiskey on stage (https://youtu.be/BqbEMmI78HY?t=269) … |
| bbc | Handbags and Gladrags | Rod Stewart | 2001 | Big George’s version of “Handbags and Gladrags”, written in 1967 by Mike d'Abo is the theme song of the BBC Two series The Office. |
| bbc | Where Everybody Knows Your Name | Gary Portnoy | 1982 | "Where Everybody Knows Your Name", also credited as "Theme from Cheers (Where Everybody Knows Your Name)", is the theme song from the television sitcom Cheers, about a Boston bar, as well as the debut single for Gary Portnoy. |
| bbc | Chef un p'tit verre on a soif | Grand Jojo | 1989 | The honorary citizen of Brussels: “Lange Jojo” or “Grand Jojo” (born Jules Jean Vanobbergen (6 July 1936 – 1 December 2021)) is the Belgian singer-songwriter of "Chef, un p'tit verre, on a soif" (Bartender, a little drink, we are thirsty). |
| bbc | Drunken Sailor | Ferre Grignard | 1966 | Ferre Grignard, (13 March 1939 – 8 August 1982) a Belgian skiffle-singer from Antwerp, Belgium, singing “what shall we do with the drunken sailor”, a 19th Century sea shanty. |
| bbc | Zeven Dagen Lang | Bots | 1976 | “Zeven dagen lang” or ‘Seven days long’ is based on a Briton ‘cider song’ from the late ninteeen twenties and reworked by the Dutch band Bots, released in 1976. It is made into a kind of protest song … one of the lines translate into “what shall we drink seven days long, there is enough for everyone hence we drink together ...” |
| bbc | People Everyday | Arrested Development | 1992 | “People Everyday” uses the chorus and basic structure of Sly & the Family Stone's 1969 hit "Everyday People", with new verses written by lead singer Todd Thomas ("Speech"). One of the lines state “Drinking the 40 oz”. |
| bbc | Long Tall Glasses | Leo Sayer | 1974 | This is certainly the most famous song about a hungry hobo who has to dance for his dinner. He insists he can't dance, but the hosts have a hard-and-fast rule: before you can eat, you gotta dance like Fred Astaire. |
| bbc | Beer For My Horses (ft. Willie Nelson) | Toby Keith | 2002 | When Toby Keith worked as a kid for a rodeo company, he saw men raise their glass and say: 'Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses, bartender.' Willie Nelson joined in singing the Texas verse. |
| bbc | Whisky In The Jar | Thin Lizzy | 1972 | Traditionally an Irish folk song, this was covered by The Dubliners in 1967 before Thin Lizzy rocked it up in 1972 for their breakthrough hit. The song tells the story of a bandit in southwest Ireland who robs an English Army Officer to keep his girlfriend Molly happy after she promises to love him forever. She then betrays him and the young man is taken to jail. |
| bbc | Have A Drink On Me | AC/DC | 1980 | This song is about a guy trying to buy his buddy a drink, which might seem like poor taste considering their lead singer, Bon Scott, drank himself to death just months before the album was released. His replacement, Brian Johnson, stayed true to Scott's form by writing about topics consistent with AC/DC's ethos, and that includes drinking. Many bands would have released a heartfelt ballad to honour a fallen member, but that's not the AC/DC way - Bon would have wanted them to rock out, and that's exactly what they kept doing. |
| bbc | Picasso's Last Words (Drink to Me) | Paul McCartney & Wings | 1973 | The famed Spanish artist Pablo Picasso died at the age of 91 on April 8, 1973. News of the legendary Spaniard's passing reached Paul McCartney, when he was in Jamaica. While having dinner there with Paul McCartney, Dustin Hoffman told the story of the death of Pablo Picasso and his famous last words, "Drink to me, drink to my health. You know I can't drink anymore." Paul had a guitar with him and immediately played an impromptu chord progression while singing the quote. Thus, "Picasso's Last Words" was born, later recorded and added to the album Band On The Run. |
| bbc | Cracklin' Rose | Neil Diamond | 1970 | The stories about how Diamond was inspired to write the song are apocryphal. "Crackling Rosé" is the name of an inexpensive sparkling wine once produced by Andres Wines of British Columbia, Canada, which was popular among the Indigenous population. One story suggests that Diamond heard a story about a native Canadian tribe while doing an interview in Toronto, Canada—the tribe had more men than women, so the lonely men of the tribe would sit around the fire and drink their wine together—which inspired him to write the song. |
| bbc | The Bottle (ft. Brian Jackson) | Gil Scott-Heron | 1974 | "The Bottle" is Gil Scott-Heron's social commentary on alcohol abuse. He discusses the destructive power of addiction and how it can ruin people's lives. Scott-Heron took inspiration from observing and talking to alcoholics outside a liquor store called the Log Cabin in Northern Virginia, near Washington DC. Every day, they lined up to exchange their empty bottles for a discount on their next purchase. |
| bbc | I'll Never Drink Again | Alexander Curly | 1972 | Dutch singer Alexander Curly wrote "I'll Never Drink Again" after having a hangover while staying in Bangkok at the time he was steward for KLM airways. |
| bbc | Rehab | Amy Winehouse | 2006 | “Rehab” by Amy Winehouse is about Winehouse's refusal to attend an alcohol rehabilitation centre after her management team encouraged her to go. |
| bbc | Closing Time | Leonard Cohen | 1992 | "Closing Time" by Leonard Cohen, released in 1992, starts off as an euphoric track about a wild party. As the song goes on, the scene evolves from the closing of the bar, to the concluding of a relationship, to the end of life. |
| The Happening | Handsfree (If You Hold My Hand) | Sonny J | 2008 | Sonnington James III or Sonny J, released Handsfree in 2008 featuring a sample of "If You Hold My Hand" by Donna Hightower. |
| The Happening | Long Train Runnin' | The Doobie Brothers | 1973 | It took Doobie Brothers band member Tom Johnston a long time to convince him to write lyrics and release this good rhythm track. Doobie Brothers guitarist and lead singer Tom Johnston might have found his inspiration for the song ‘Long Train runnin’ of the many trains he had been on and off throughout his life. |
| The Happening | Son of My Father | Chicory Tip | 1971 | “Chicory Tip”’s band name was taken from a coffee bottle. “Son of My Father” was written and initially recorded by Giorgio Moroder, the Godfather of the Euro Disco and synthesizer music. |
| The Happening | From Here To Eternity | Giorgio Moroder | 1977 | “From Here To Eternity” from Giorgio Moroder in 1977 with its metallic beats, high-energy impact, and futuristic effects prove that Moroder was ahead of his time like few artists of the 1970s. |
| The Happening | Take My Breath Away | Berlin | 1986 | Moroder has said that of all the songs he has produced in his career, he is most proud of this song. "Take My Breath Away" is a song written by Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock for the 1986 film Top Gun, performed by American new wave band Berlin. |
| The Happening | Sweet Dreams | Eurythmics | 1982 | Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart came up with the beat and Annie Lennox improvised the synthesizer riff. Lennox stated once "Sweet Dreams" should rather be regarded as a mantra. |
| The Happening | Don't You Want Me | The Human League | 1981 | Nothing but electronic sounds for The Human League who considered guitars "archaic and antique." Lead singer Phil Oakey claims “Don’t You Want Me” is not a love song but about power politics between two people. |
| The Happening | Just Can't Get Enough | Depeche Mode | 1981 | More Synth-pop from the same year 1981 … “Just Can’t Get Enough” with Depeche Mode. I recommend you the “Depeche Mode Baar” in Tallinn, Estonia if you can’t get enough of their music. |
| The Happening | The Happening | The Supremes | 1967 | “The Happening” was the last hit released under the name "The Supremes." Later in 1967, they became "Diana Ross & the Supremes." The Motown hit is written by Holland–Dozier–Holland and Frank De Vol (The Happening's musical director) Tittle song of the 1967 movie The Happening, which starred Anthony Quinn, George Maharis, Michael Parks, Robert Walker Jr., and Faye Dunaway. |
| The Happening | You Can't Hurry Love | Phil Collins | 1982 | Phil Collins’ version of the 1966 Supremes hit was used as the main theme for the 1988 film of the same name. Phil Collins did a re-make of the song but altered parts of the lyrics . |
| The Happening | The Way to Your Heart | Soulsister | 1988 | "The Way to Your Heart" is a 1988 hit single by Belgian band Soulsister, written by Jan Leyers and Paul Michiels (a.k.a. Polle Pap). A mixture of pop and rock with a very Motown-sounding tune, the song is about a boy dreaming of a girl that he‘s in love with, but she doesn't answer his love. |
| The Happening | Save Tonight | Eagle-Eye Cherry | 1998 | This is a simple song by the Swedish-born singer Eagle-Eye Cherry expressing the values of the night, relationships and ultimately life. The singer is going to go away the next day and he wants to cherish this one last night spent with his love. He explains that you can't fight changes, all you can do is accept them. |
| The Happening | Cherry, Cherry | Neil Diamond | 1966 | “Cherry, Cherry” is a song by Neil Diamond helped by producers Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich doing also backing vocals. “Cherry, Cherry” was originally "Money, Money," but the Bang records owner Bert Berns convinced Diamond to make it lighter and more teen-friendly. Diamond has stated that the song was inspired by an early relationship with a significantly older woman. |
| The Happening | Little Sister | Ry Cooder | 1979 | “Little Sister” was written by Mort Shuman and Doc Pomus for Ry Cooder and first recorded and released by Elvis Presley in 1961. |
| The Happening | Should I stay or should I go | The Clash | 1982 | “Should I stay or should I go” is sung bilingual: in English and Spanish. The Clash frontman Joe Strummer knew Castilian Spanish, because he grew up in Spain in his early life. Eddie Garcia, the sound engineer, called his mother who is Ecuadorian and got her to translate some of the lyrics over the phone. So Joe Strummer and Joe Ely ended up singing in Ecuadorian Spanish. Rumour has it that Mick Jones wrote this song about his girlfriend Ellen Foley |
| The Happening | Dejame | Los Secretos | 1978 | Los Secretos are a Spanish rock band founded in Madrid in 1978 made up of the three Urquijo brothers. Enrique Urquijo wrote “Dejame” in 1978. The band ‘Tos’ recorded the first version of Déjame in September 1979, at the DoubleWtronics Studios in Madrid. “Dejame” or ‘Let me’ was considered as a hymn of “la movida madrileña” is one of the greatest Spanish pop hits. Ry Cooder is one of the artists that inspired the band. |
| The Happening | Send Me a Postcard | Shocking Blue | 1969 | Shocking Blue’s guitarist Robbie Van Leeuwen wrote this song. The group is from The Netherlands, which led to an interesting translation problem when Shocking Blue lead singer Mariska Veres sang the English lyrics. Van Leeuwen wrote the first line down incorrectly: what was supposed to be "A goddess on the mountain top" he wrote as "A goddness on the mountain top," and that's exactly how Veres sang it. Most listeners didn't notice, and the many cover versions corrected the error, but the result was a #1 hit with a misspoken first line thanks to a typo. |
| The Happening | The Letter | The Box Tops | 1967 | "The Letter" is a song written by Wayne Carson that was first recorded by the American Memphis, Tennessee local band the DeVilles, renamed as the Box Tops in 1967. |
| The Happening | Brown Eyed Girl | Van Morrison | 1967 | "Brown Eyed Girl" was Van Morrison's first release as a solo artist. This was originally called "Brown Skinned Girl," and was about an interracial relationship. Morrison changed it to "Brown Eyed Girl" to make it more palatable for radio stations. Some stations banned it anyway for the line, "Making love in the green grass." Morrison was signed to Bert Berns' label, Bang Records, in a deal that included management, production and publishing. Morrison stated that he has never received any royalties for writing or recording "Brown Eyed Girl" from Bang Records. The female backing vocals were performed by The Sweet Inspirations, a gospel-influenced group. |
| The Happening | Love Is In The Air | John Paul Young | 1977 | "Love Is in the Air" is a 1977 disco song by Australian singer John Paul Young. It was written by George Young (no relation) and Harry Vanda, and released as the lead single from Young's fourth studio album, Love Is in the Air (1978). The song was played at the closing Ceremony of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney and the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy. |
| The Happening | Viva la Vida | Coldplay | 2008 | Frontman Chris Martin told he was inspired by the phrase on a painting by Mexican artist Frida Kahlo called Sandías con leyenda: Viva la vida. He explained: "She went through a lot of s--t, of course, and then she started a big painting in her house that said 'Viva la Vida.' I just loved the boldness of it." |
| The Happening | Cézanne peint | France Gall | 1985 | “Cézanne peint” by France Gall, written by her husband Michel Berger in a summer house in Aix-en-Provence, facing ‘La Montagne Sainte-Victoire’, and next to Cézanne’s studio. The claps of thunder at the end of the song remind us that Paul Cézanne, while painting in the Aix countryside in October 1906, fell victim to illness following a violent storm and a very heavy downpour. which fell on him. He died a few days later from pneumonia. |
| The Happening | Vincent | Don McLean | 1972 | "Vincent" is a song by Don McLean, written as a tribute to Vincent van Gogh. McLean wrote the lyrics in 1971 after reading a book about the life of Van Gogh. |
| The Happening | Rosas | La oreja de Van Gogh | 2003 | "Rosas" (English: "Roses") is a song performed by the Spanish pop group La Oreja de Van Gogh, written by keyboard player Xabi San Martín. The song tells the story of the protagonist who sees her first love with another woman and remembers the moments they lived together for six months. At the same time, she narrates how she waits for him to arrive with roses every Friday in a place they frequented so they can continue with their relationship. |
| The Happening | Un Ramito De Violetas | Cecilia | 1974 | The song “Un Ramito De Violetas” emerges as a short story in the style of James Joyce, one of Cecilia’s favourite authors. A husband incapable of expressing his feelings, writes anonymous poems, aware of the illusions and happiness that knowing that she is loved by an anonymous admirer awakens in her. Evangelina Sobredo Galanes, known as Cecilia, (11 October 1948 – 2 August 1976) was a Spanish singer-songwriter. She took her stage name from the song "Cecilia" by Simon and Garfunkel. |
| The Happening | Cecilia | Simon & Garfunkel | 1970 | “Cecilia” by Simon & Garfunkel in 1970, written by Paul Simon. In the Catholic church, Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians. In this context, the song can be interpreted as the singer asking for musical guidance, possibly to help writing a song. Paul Simon says he can't remember the specific inspiration when he was writing the song, but he knew Cecilia is the goddess of music. |
| seaborn | In the Navy | Village People | 1979 | "In the Navy" is a song by American disco group Village People. |
| seaborn | Super Strut | US Navy Port Authority | 1974 | 'US Navy Band Port Authority Soul Band’ or 'The U.S. Navy Soul Band’ is a soul/jazz-rock group comprised of United States Navy personnel, active from 1971-85. “Super Strut”, written by Eumir Deodato, appeared on their album “Together”, released In 1974. |
| seaborn | French Navy | Camera Obscura | 2009 | Camera Obscura are a Scottish indie pop band from Glasgow. “French Navy” by ‘Camera Obscura’ with Tracyanne Campbell's gloominess was released in 2009. |
| seaborn | Captain of Your Ship | Reparata & The Delrons | 1968 | The song is unusual in its atmospheric use of sound effects (foghorn, ship's bell, Morse code) and features psychedelic instrumentation and treatments including electric sitar, backwards piano, filtered vocals and phasing. In 1969, the group provided backing vocals for The Rolling Stones' single "Honky Tonk Women", The Delrons started out as a five-piece group in 1962 at St. Brendan's Catholic School in Brooklyn, New York, led by lead singer Mary Aiese (born 31 December 1945). Reparata was Aiese's confirmation name, which she had taken from one of her favorite teachers at Good Shepherd Catholic grammar school, and which Aiese says sounded more marketable than either of her given names, Mary and Katherine. The other original members included Nanette Licari, Regina Gallagher, and Anne Fitzgerald, but they were soon replaced by Sheila Reilly, Carol Drobnicki, and Cathy Romeo. When Romeo was allegedly forced out of the group, she was replaced by Marge McGuire. |
| seaborn | Sloop John B | The Beach Boys | 1966 | The Beach Boys released in 1966 "Sloop John B", Brian Wilson’s adaptation of a Bahamian folk song from Nassau, originally published as "The John B. Sails" in 1966. It was the first single my dad offered me when he bought me my first record player. |
| seaborn | Rock The Boat | Hues Corporation | 1974 | The Hues Corporation was a Los Angeles band formed in 1969. ‘Rock The Boat’ was written by the band's manager, Wally Holmes. |
| seaborn | Love Will Keep Us Together | Captain & Tennille | 1975 | "Love Will Keep Us Together" is a song written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield in 1973. Dragon and Tennille acknowledged Sedaka's authorship—as well as his mid-1970s comeback—by working the phrase "Sedaka is back" into the song's fadeout, where the applause from the studio musicians can be heard. In 1976, Captain & Tennille released a Spanish version called “Por Amor Viviremos” |
| seaborn | Swimming Into Deep Water | Don Rosenbaum | 1972 | Donald Paul Rosenbaum (born in Amsterdam, April 1947) is a singer-songwriter and guitarist. “Swimming into Deep Water” was produced by Boudewijn de Groot at Phonogram. |
| seaborn | Too Many Fish in the Sea | The Marvelettes | 1964 | "Too Many Fish in the Sea" is a 1964 hit song recorded by Motown singing group The Marvelettes written by Norman Whitfield. |
| seaborn | El Rey Tiburón | Maná | 2006 | "The Shark King" is a song performed by the Mexican rock group Maná, |
| seaborn | Burbujas de amor (ft. 440) | Juan Luis Guerra | 1990 | Juan Luis Guerra wishing he was a fish to swim inside his lover’s… fish bowl. |
| seaborn | Octopus's Garden | the Beatles | 1969 | “Octopus's Garden”, is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written and sung by Ringo Starr. The idea for the song came about when Starr was on a boat belonging to comedian Peter Sellers in Sardinia in 1968. He ordered fish and chips for lunch, but instead of fish he got squid (it was the first time he'd eaten squid, and he said, "It was OK. A bit rubbery. Tasted like chicken.") The boat's captain then told Starr about how octopuses travel along the sea bed picking up stones and shiny objects with which to build gardens. |
| seaborn | All Time High (From Octopussy) | Rita Coolidge | 1983 | All Time High is the theme song for the 1983 James Bond film Octopussy (Octopussy played by Maud Adams). "All Time High" is written by John Barry and Tim Rice and produced by Stephen Short and Phil Ramone, the song was released through A&M Records in 1983. |
| seaborn | Tommy and the Whale | Dorléac | 2010 | Dorleac owes its existence to the film Adem by Flemish director Hans van Nuffel. In 2010 Arnaert was brought together with Spinvis to work on the soundtrack of Breath (original title: Adem), a Belgian film about young people who suffer from mucovisidosis. Having written more material than needed for the film, they released a record, calling themselves Dorleac for the project. . The collaboration went so well that Arnaert and Spinvis improvised an entire album together. Given its cinematic roots, the end result was named after the French actress (1942-1967). Her life came to an abrupt end when she was tragically killed at the age of 25. Dorleac's music is not particularly cheerful, not to say: very heavy on hand. The low tempos make the simple yet effective listening landscapes as idyllic as they are viscous. Arnaert's whispering voice cuts right through the production of minimalist electronics, creating a dreamy effect. With this debut in the background, your own life will also turn into a movie. That is a plus, although there is also the danger that the listener will regard the collaboration as musical wallpaper. |
| seaborn | Zoutelande (feat. Geike Arnaert) | BLØF | 2017 | “Zoutelande” by the Dutch band BLØF with the Belgian Geike Arnaert is an adaptation of the German song “Frankfurt Oder” by Axel Bosse with Anna Loos. Zoutelande is a tourist resort for beach recreation in the southwestern Netherlands and part of the "Zeeland's Rivièra". “Zoutelande” is about a couple in love who have no money for an expensive holiday, so they spend the holiday in their parents' old beach house. |
| seaborn | The Sea | Morcheeba | 1998 | The Sea by Morcheeba was released in 1998 and published on their album Big Calm. The sea represents a place of calmness and freedom for the protagonist. Despite the temptation to stay, they know they have to go back to the city. |
| seaborn | Mediterráneo | Lolita | 2002 | 'Mediterráneo’ was written in 1971 by Joan Manuel Serrat. Lolita Flores recorded her version for the soundtrack of the 2002 movie Rencor in which she played Chelo, a female singer. |
| seaborn | La Mer | Charles Trénet | 1946 | La Mer" ("The Sea") is a song by the French composer, lyricist, singer and showman Charles Trenet, based on a poem he wrote at the age of 16. |
| seaborn | Gente Di Mare (ft. Raf) | Umberto Tozzi | 1987 | "Gente di mare" ("People of the sea") was the Italian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1987, performed in Italian by Umberto Tozzi & Raf. |
| seaborn | Les Filles Du Bord De Mer | Adamo | 1964 | “Les Filles Du Bord De Mer” is a song written and performed by Adamo. The song is about swimming young girls at the seaside. Salvatore Adamo, first of seven brothers, emigrated to Belgium from Comiso, Sicily, Italy at age three in 1947. Since 2019 he has the dual nationality Italian and Belgian. |
| seaborn | Vista Do Mar | Rosalia De Souza | 2002 | Rosalia de Souza featured on the album of the London-based Les Hommes with her song ‘Vista Do Mar’. Rosalia de Souza is a Brazilian bossa nova singer. After travelling to Italy at the age of 21, she began to study music theory, Cuban percussion, and jazz at the Scuola Popolare di Testaccio (Popular school of Testaccio) in Rome |
| seaborn | Aquí no hay playa | The Refrescos | 1989 | «Aquí no hay playa» by the Spanish band “The Refrescos”. Written by band member Bernardo Vázquez, the song complains that despite all its benefits (leisure, museums, parks), the city of Madrid lacks a beach. |
| seaborn | Islands In The Stream (ft. Kenny Rogers) | Dolly Parton | 1983 | The song was written by the Bee Gees for Marvin Gaye, however it was recorded instead as a duet by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. The title came from an Ernest Hemingway story that was published in 1970. |
| seaborn | Harborlight | Windjammer | 1977 | Harborlight by Windjammer is written by band members Peter van Asten and Richard de Bois. |
| seaborn | Shipbuilding | Elvis Costello & The Attractions | 1983 | "Shipbuilding", written by Elvis Costello was first recorded by Robert Wyatt. Costello asked Chet Baker to come in and play on the recording to make it distinct from Robert Wyatt's original 1982 single. Written from the perspective of workers in British shipbuilding seaports during the buildup to England's war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands in 1982, before the Belgrano conflict (Argentinean Navy cruiser sunk by British forces during the 1982 Falklands conflict in controversial circumstances). |
| peripatetics | Vertigo | U2 | 2004 | This song is instantly identifiable by its intro, where Bono says "Uno, dos, tres, catorce," which is "1, 2, 3, 14" in Spanish. One theory is that Bono was directing listeners to The Bible: 1st Testament, 2nd Book, 3rd Chapter, 14th verse - "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." Another theory is that he did it because How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb was U2's 14th album. U2, a band you experience best live, here with their energetic song ‘Vertigo’, used in the Apple Ipod commercials. |
| peripatetics | Walls Come Tumbing Down | The Style Council | 1985 | “Walls Come Tumbing Down” was Paul Weller’s call to revolt against Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government in the mid eighties. The Old Testament Book of Joshua Chapter six recounts how the Israelite army led by Joshua marched around the Canaanite city of Jericho, whose fortified walls were up to 25 feet high and 20 feet thick. After the seven priests blew their trumpets, Joshua ordered the Israelites to shout, and the walls collapsed. Then, in the same way that Joshua fought the Battle of Jericho, the walls of the Conservative party will come a-tumbling down. |
| peripatetics | Business Casual (ft. Coco O.) | Vulfpeck | 2017 | Vulfpeck (German for wolfpack), an American funk band, released in 2017 “Business Casual” featuring the Danish singer Coco O., claiming something haimish for the peripatetic. |
| peripatetics | Road to Nowhere | Talking Heads | 2009 | Talking Heads on the Road to Nowhere in 1985 … |
| peripatetics | Every Kinda People | Robert Palmer | 1992 | Robert Palmer remixed his 1978 song “Every Kinda People”, replacing the bass-heavy guitar hook by an acoustic guitar figure, giving it an "unplugged" feel as was the fashion at the time by well-established artists remaking past hits as acoustic numbers. The song was written by Andy Fraser, bass player and founder of the band Free. |
| peripatetics | All Right Now | Free | 1970 | Andy Fraser, bass player and founder of the band Free co-wrote the "funky beer blues swinger" ‘All Right Now’ in 1970. |
| peripatetics | Baboom/Mama Said | Vaughan Brothers album | 1990 | The Vaughan Brothers together on their only studio album ‘Family Style’, released a month after Jimmie’s younger brother Stevie’s death in September 1990. The liner notes end with "Thanks Mama V. for letting us play." |
| peripatetics | Dani California | Red Hot Chili Peppers | 2006 | “Dani California” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, is about the early death of Dani, a poor, young Southern girl who eventually lived in California, became a mother and lived a hard, fast, unsettled life. The official music video is showing 40 years of rock and roll history during the 4-minute song. |
| peripatetics | Beds Are Burning | Midnight Oil | 1987 | “Beds Are Burning” by Australian rock band ‘Midnight Oil’ "Beds Are Burning" criticizes how Aboriginal communities were often forcibly removed from their lands. Australian rock band ‘Midnight Oil’ are more than just a rock ‘n’ roll band. From the northern beaches of Sydney to the streets of Manhattan, they have stopped traffic, inflamed passions, inspired fans, challenged the concepts of “business as usual” and broken new ground. |
| peripatetics | Cannonball | The Breeders | 1993 | 'Cannonball’ by The Breeders, is written by front woman Kim Deal, while she still was bass player of the Pixies. The song was originally titled "Grunggae," a combination of "grunge" and "reggae." The name came from Kim Deal thinking the accented riff resembled the accent in reggae. |
| peripatetics | Here Comes Your Man | Meaghan Smith | 2009 | Meaghan Smith is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, and visual artist. In 2009 she featured on the (500) Days of Summer movie soundtrack with a cover of the Pixies song "Here Comes Your Man". The recording featured Smith playing an Omnichord. |
| peripatetics | Constant Craving | k.d. lang | 1982 | Kathryn Dawn Lang or k.d. Lang, is a Canadian singer-songwriter and Juno Awards winner. In “Constant Craving”, of 1982, Lang sings about desperation and waiting pictured in a Parisian setting of the decadent twenties. |
| peripatetics | This house is not for sale | Ryan Adams | 2004 | Not to be mistaken with Canadian singer Bryan Adams, Ryan Adams is an American singer, who released “This house is not for sale” in 2004. This song is a ghost story told from the perspective of the ghost although he is apparently unaware that he is one. A ghost couple are trying to interfere with the sale of the house that represents all the happiness they shared on their brief lives and they are not quite willing to give up on it yet. It is reminiscent of the Tim Burton movie Beetlejuice, minus the comic aspect. Ryan Adams shares a birthday with his namesake Bryan Adams. Both artists were born on November 5th (Bryan is 15 years Ryan's senior). |
| peripatetics | House For Sale | Lucifer | 1975 | Dutch band ‘Lucifer’ had a big hit with 'House for sale' in 1975. Lead singer Margriet Eshuijs was married to the band’s co-founder and bass player for a few years and died on December 29th, 2022 at age 70. |
| peripatetics | I Lie And I Cheat | Won Ton Ton | 1987 | Belgian band 'Won Ton Ton’ had a big hit with ‘I Lie And I Cheat’ in 1987 with lead singer Bea Van der Maat. Bea Van der Maat was married to the band’s bass player and passed away on 27 July 2023 at age 62, R.I.P. Béatrice Marguerite Van der Maat. |
| peripatetics | Delta Lady | Joe Cocker | 1969 | Joe Cocker and "Delta Lady" known to be Rita Coolidge, doing backing vocals. While Leon Russell was dating Coolidge, he wrote this song about her in 1969. |
| peripatetics | Rita Coolidge | We're All Alone | 1977 | Rita Coolidge covered Boz Scaggs 1976 song ‘We're All Alone’, while she was married to Kris Kristofferson |
| peripatetics | Me and Bobby McGee | Janis Joplin | 1971 | 'Me and Bobby McGee’ was written by Kris Kristofferson and first recorded in 1969 by a country singer named Roger Miller. Janis Joplin’s version was released in 1971 after she died of a heroin overdose on October 4, 1970. The lyrics tell the story of two young lovers who travel together, but break up so they can discover the world on their own. The characters in the song were a lot like Joplin, who was known as a free spirit. |
| peripatetics | Wishing on A Star | Paul Weller | 2004 | Wishing on A Star was written by Billie Rae Calvin, a female singer/songwriter who was formerly a member of Undisputed Truth. She wrote it with Barbra Streisand in mind but it was first recorded in 1977 by Rose Royce. Paul Weller covered the song in 2004. In this melancholy song the narrator regrets splitting up with her lover who has departed to somewhere wishing she can follow them so they can reconcile their relationship. |
| peripatetics | Guilty (with Barry Gibb) | Barbra Streisand | 1980 | “Guilty”, a beautifully crafted piece of ear candy by the Gibb brothers for Barbara Streisand in 1980, After their successful “Saturday Night Fever” project, they recorded a full album with Streisand. |
| peripatetics | I Started A Joke | Bee Gees | 1968 | “I Started A Joke” by the Bee Gees, with lead vocals by Robin Gibb in 1968 on their album “Idea” for which they recorded a TV Special in Brussels, Belgium (Idea - TV Special 1968). Their two weeks stay at The Metropole hotel in September 1968 coincided with a fashion show held there by French pop star Johnny Hallyday's wife Sylvie Vartan. |
| peripatetics | This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us | Sparks | 1974 | The Mael brothers, better known as “Sparks” became famous after their appearance on TV with the Western movie cliché line 'This town ain't big enough for the both of us'. Sparks is an American pop and rock duo formed by brothers Ron (keyboard player and principal songwriter ) and Russell Mael (vocals) in Los Angeles. |
| peripatetics | My Life | Billy Joel | 1978 | “My Life” by ‘Piano Man’ Billy Joel in 1978. |
| peripatetics | Friday I'm In Love | The Cure | 1992 | The Cure’s frontman Robert Smith wrote “Friday I’m In Love”, which he declared a a dumb pop song for people who "aren't actually fans of The Cure." The opening line, "I don't care if Monday's blue," is a reference to the New Order hit "Blue Monday." |
| about the bass | This Girl (Kungs vs. Cookin' On 3 Burners) | Kungs & Cookin' On 3 Burners | 2016 | The Kungs remix of "This Girl" from Australian funk trio Cookin' on 3 Burners, featuring vocals by Kylie Auldist (initially released on 22 June 2009) released in Europe in 2016. |
| about the bass | Prayer in C (Robin Schulz remix) | Lilly Wood & The Prick & Robin Schulz | 2014 | The original creators of the track is the Paris duo Nili Hadida (born in Tel Aviv) and Benjamin Cotto, alias Lilly Wood & The Prick. The track is driven by the absolutely captivating, goose-bump-inducing voice of Nili Hadida, who with her sexy-smoky timbre, the haunting lyrics as well as Benjamin Cotto's wistful acoustic guitar melody create the organic vibe.The Robin Schulz remix underlays the track with a tight straight-on beat that transforms the original folk-pop track into an energic. melody-house club hymn. |
| about the bass | Fade Out Lines (The Avener Rework) | The Avener & Phoebe Killdeer | 2013 | "Fade Out Lines" is a song by French producer The Avener. It is a deep house rework of "The Fade Out Line" (written and composed by Phoebe Killdeer & Craig Walker), an original song by Australian band Phoebe Killdeer & the Short Straws. The Avener is the stage name of Tristan Casara (born 23 January 1987). Phoebe Killdeer was born in Antibes, South of France in 1977 to Australian parents. Killdeer worked as a live sound engineer for about 7 years, she developed quite a skill for it but ends up giving it up to follow a singing career first with 'Nouvelle Vague', with whom she toured from 2005 to 2007 and then went on to form her solo project with ‘The Short Straws’ |
| about the bass | One Day (ft. Helena Josefsson) | Arash | 2014 | One Day is written by Arash and Robert Uhlmann. Arash Labbaf (born 23 April 1977) is an Iranian-Swedish singer, entertainer, and producer. Helena Marianne Josefsson (born 23 March 1978) is a Swedish singer and songwriter. |
| about the bass | Freedom | Pharrell Williams | 2015 | “Freedom” is a song by Pharrell Williams and written by Pharrell Williams & American hip-hop trio Naughty by Nature. |
| about the bass | Feel It Still | Portugal. The Man | 2017 | Portugal. The Man is an American rock band from Wasilla, Alaska. In this song, Portugal. The Man lead singer John Gourley is a "rebel just for kicks" because he's now a family man, with a daughter, Francis, born in 2011. The song draws on the melody from the Marvelettes' 1961 hit "Please Mr. Postman";[4][5] written by the band along with producers John Hill and Asa Taccone, "Feel It Still" also includes a credit for Motown songwriter Brian Holland. |
| about the bass | Dance Wiv Me (Calvin Harris ft. Chrome) | Dizzee Rascal | 2008 | "Dance wiv Me" is a single by British rapper Dizzee Rascal,released on 30 June 2008, and features guest vocals from Scottish DJ Calvin Harris and British R&B singer Chrome. |
| about the bass | Dance Monkey | Tones and I | 2019 | "Dance Monkey" is a song by Australian singer Tones and I (Toni Watson), released on 10 May 2019. Dance Monkey's lyrics are about the relationship she had with her audience when she was busking (street performing) on the streets of Australia. |
| about the bass | Dance the Way I Feel | Où est le Swimming Pool | 2009 | Ou Est le Swimming Pool are an English synth pop band founded in 2008 in Camden, London. The band was a trio comprised of Joe Hutchinson and Caan Capan, in addition to Charles Haddon. They made their commercial recording debut in 2009 with the single "Dance the Way I Feel" and toured as the supporting act of La Roux, another English synth pop act with a French name. Tragedy struck on the night of August 20, 2010, when Haddon killed himself after the band's performance at the Pukkelpop festival in Hasselt, Belgium. |
| about the bass | Rather Be (ft. Jess Glynne) | Clean Bandit | 2013 | “Rather Be" is a song by English electronic music group Clean Bandit, featuring vocals by English singer Jess Glynne. Clean Bandit are an English electronic music group, formed in Cambridge in 2008. |
| about the bass | Be the One | Dua Lipa | 2015 | "Be the One" is a song recorded by English-Albanian singer Dua Lipa. "Be the One" was written by Lucy Taylor, Digital Farm Animals (i.e. Nick Gale) and Jack Tarrant. They wrote it about the miscommunication in a relationship Taylor was in at the time. |
| about the bass | Shape of You | Ed Sheeran | 2017 | "Shape of You" is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran released in 2017. Sheeran revealed that "Shape of You" was written with Rihanna in mind. The song's lyrical rhythm drew some comparisons to the 1999 TLC hit "No Scrubs", particularly in the pre-chorus line, "Boy, let's not talk too much/ Grab on my waist and put that body on me". Hence, the composers of "No Scrubs", Kandi Burruss, Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, and Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs, received co-writing credits on "Shape of You". |
| about the bass | CAN'T STOP THE FEELING! | Justin Timberlake | 2016 | "Can't Stop the Feeling!" is a song recorded by American singer Justin Timberlake. It was released on May 6, 2016, as the lead single of the soundtrack to the film Trolls (2016). Timberlake commented the song was inspired by Bill Withers' "Lovely Day". |
| about the bass | Troublemaker (ft. Flo Rida) | Olly Murs | 2012 | "Troublemaker" is a song by English recording artist Olly Murs, featuring American rapper Flo Rida. Lyrically Murs has said that the song is about "that special girl that you can't shake off, even if you know you should because, let's face it, she's got a bit of a wild side." |
| about the bass | Ziet Em Duun (Regi & Lester Williams Remix) | Van Echelpoel | 2016 | Jef & Yves Van Echelpoel or Tijs Vanneste and Yves Gaillard sing about a local guy hanging around in pubs and dancings. The song is in the ‘Kempens’ dialect (east of Antwerp). |
| about the bass | All About That Bass | Meghan Trainor | 2014 | "All About That Bass" is the debut single of American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, released on June 30, 2014, co-written by Kevin Kadish. Trainor was inspired by her teenage problems with self-acceptance and body image. The lyrics of "All About That Bass" are a call to embrace inner beauty, and to promote positive body image and self-acceptance. In her song, Trainor criticizes the fashion industry for creating unreachable beauty standards. |
| about the bass | Holidays | Starwalker | 2016 | Starwalker is a project that started in 2014 and hinges on French electro-pop trailblazer Jean-Benoit Dunckel and acclaimed Icelandic composer and musical visionary Bardi Johannsson (Barði Jóhannsson). “Holidays” features a blissful, Icelandic choir. |
| about the bass | Ready For The Weekend | Calvin Harris | 2009 | "Ready for the Weekend" is a song by Scottish recording artist Calvin Harris. It features uncredited vocals from British singer Mary Pearce. Written and produced by Harris himself, the song was released on 9 August 2009. |
| about the bass | Astounded | Bran Van 3000 | 2001 | "Astounded" is a song by Canadian musical collective Bran Van 3000 featuring vocals from American artist Curtis Mayfield. The song contains interpolations from Mayfield's song "Move On Up" and also contains a sample and an interpolated melody of The Doobie Brothers' "Rockin' Down the Highway". Bran Van 3000 member James Di Salvio approached Curtis Mayfield with the idea of collaborating months before his death in 1999. Mayfield was too ill to contribute a vocal, but weeks before his death, he gave Di Salvio permission to pull through his archives, which is where he discovered an unused vocal Mayfield recorded in the 1980s. With Mayfield's permission, that vocal was incorporated into "Astounded." Bran Van 3000 (also known as BV3) is a Canadian alternative rock and hip hop collective from Montreal, Quebec, founded by James Di Salvio and Eric-Pierre (E.P.) Bergen. |
| about the bass | Dancehall Queen (ft. Chevelle Franklyn) | Beenie Man | 1997 | “Dancehall Queen” by Beenie Man with Chevelle Frankly celebrating the talent and beauty of a dancehall queen. Beenie Man (Anthony Moses Davis) Jamaican dancehall rapper born August 22, 1973 in Craig Town, Kingston, Jamaica. Reggae and Gospel singer from Jamaica. Born March 4, 1974. Dancehall is a form of Jamaican popular music that emerged from that country’s fertile and diverse music industry in the late 1970s. Dancehall music borrowed the sinuous rhythms of reggae music but replaced its spirited live musicians with prerecorded or digitally composed tracks built on pure, driving grooves. |
| about the bass | Entre Tu Y Yo (ft. Linda) | Papa AP | 2006 | Papa A.P. and Muñequita Linda are both Salvadoran singers. |
| about the bass | L'hiver indien (Radio Edit) | Baloji | 2017 | ‘L’hiver Indien’ (Indian Winter) is sung from the perspective of a refugee living in Europe and uses the weather and change in surroundings as a metaphor for the culture shock and struggles to adapt to their adopted home. Baloji (AKA: Baloji Tshiani) is an artist with a unique take on the world. Fusing funk and ragga with the urban sounds of his Congo homeland, Baloji has been labeled as one of the most innovative rappers ever to emerge from Africa. Born in Lubumbashi in 1978, he moved to Ostend, Belgium with his father at the age of three, |
| about the bass | Guitare De Plage | El Gato Negro | 2019 | “Guitare De Plage” or Beach Guitar by French artist ‘El Gato Negro’ was released in 2019. EL GATO NEGRO Cat prince crowned with feathers. El Gato Negro is a French artist and an eternal adventurer. |
| about the bass | Iko Iko | The Dixie Cups | 1965 | "Iko Iko" tells the story of a parade collision between the "tribes" of Mardi Gras Indians and the traditional confrontation. The Dixie Cups learned the song from their grandmother singing it. The song, under the original title "Jock-A-Mo", was written and released in 1953 as a single by James "Sugar Boy" Crawford and his Cane Cutters but it failed to make the charts. Listen to Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71A and you may find similarities. |
| about the bass | Jingo (Todd Terry Remix) | Candido | 1993 | Candido’s cover of Babatunde Olatunji's classic "Jingo" was released in 1993. "Jin-go-lo-ba" (or "Jingo") is a song by Nigerian percussionist Babatunde Olatunji, featured on his first album Drums of Passion (1959). In Yoruba (Olatunji's native language) it means, "Do not worry." Candido Camero (born April 22, 1921 in Regla (Havana), Cuba and died November, 7, 2020 in New York, USA) is a Cuban-born percussionist (mainly conga and bongo) who backed many Afro-Cuban and straight-ahead jazz acts starting in the 1950s. Todd (Norton) Terry is born 18th April 1967 in Brooklyn, New York, pioneering American house producer & DJ, Todd Terry is one of the producers who helped to define New York's house music during the 1980's. |
| about the bass | Udakwa Njalo (Urban Mix) | Mafikizolo | 2005 | Mafikizolo is an Afro-pop group/band from South Africa. Their music is also influenced by kwaito and they have been credited with a genre called Kwela after their style of music. It has been described as kwaito-cum-marabi house music. "Udakwa Njalo" is a vibrant, upbeat track that speaks of the timeless nature of love and devotion. The celebratory tone and positive message make it the perfect party anthem, and its Zulu lyrics add an extra layer of cultural significance. A song about how the "drunk partner" makes them feel, complaining that they would go anywhere with their partner, but problem is that they drink too much and end up embarrassing them in public. The lyrics of Mafikizolo's song "Udakwa Njalo" speak of infatuation and devotion in love. The repetition of "Awe o awe ma" throughout the song serves as a chant-like call-and-response, adding to the upbeat and celebratory feeling of the tune. The verses are spoken in Zulu, with the refrain "Ngithi wena udakwa njalo" translating to "I say to you, you are taken forever." The speaker declares their love for their partner, stating that they will follow them anywhere and that they are "taken forever." The background vocals add to the joyful feeling of the song, which easily gets listeners up and dancing. |
| no loop | Black Horse and the Cherry Tree | KT Tunstall | 2005 | "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" is a song by Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall; KT sporting a black dress and cherry-red lips in the music video considers it a metaphor for good and evil, being inspired by an incident while traveling in Greece on a little moped when a massive black horse had broken free in an olive grove and was going nuts. |
| no loop | How Long Will It Take | Geoffrey Oryema | 2010 | Geoffrey Oryema was forced into Exile in the 1970’s when his father was murdered by the Amin Regime. He found refuge in France which became his home from where he was passionately fighting for human rights.Geoffrey took up the challenge of dealing with the child soldier problem and he also worked hard to bring peace to Northern Uganda. |
| no loop | Delay | Intergalactic Lovers | 2011 | Belgian indie rock Intergalactic Lovers, founded in 2008, is: Lara Chedraoui - Brendan Corbey - Maarten Huygens - Raf De Mey "Delay" by Intergalactic Lovers portrays a message of resilience, hope, and the passage of time. Overall, "Delay" emphasizes the belief that with patience and perseverance, things will eventually make sense and improve. |
| no loop | Count Your Blessings | Mattiel | 2017 | Mattiel Brown, born the only child in a rural Georgian household, Mattiel Brown spent her younger years immersed in the colourful music of the 1960s. Catchy, spirited and full of a vivid, bright spark of life, Mattiel’s “Count Your Blessings” is an engaging fire that glows with passion, character and resolve. It’s a daring escapade through vibrant metaphors and punctured warnings that remind us to keep alert, remember our roots, and always look forward. |
| no loop | Do It Again | Steely Dan | 1972 | 'Do It Again’ was Steely Dan’s first single, the band around Donald Fagen & Walter Becker, in 1972. This song is all about the three things that motivate men: Violence, Women, and Money. Each verse deals with a different topic, from a different point of view, with the point being that they all corrupt and destroy. |
| no loop | Big Bubbles, No Troubles | Ellis, Beggs & Howard | 1988 | Ellis, Beggs & Howard (EBH), an English pop music band formed in London, in 1987, had a big hit with "Big Bubbles, No Troubles". |
| no loop | Nantes | Beirut | 2007 | Beirut, led by American multi-instrumentalist Zach Condon, fascinated with cities, is a band enraptured with the sound of the vagabond and homages to travels abroad.“Nantes” a city in France, where Condon spent significant time. |
| no loop | Howling at the Moon | Milow | 2016 | “Howling at the Moon” by Milow was released in 2016 on the album ‘Modern Heart’ Jonathan Vandenbroeck (born 14 July 1981 in Borgerhout), better known by his stage name Milow, is a Belgian singer-songwriter and one of the most successful DIY musicians in Europe. |
| no loop | Man on the moon | R.E.M. | 1992 | 'Man on the moon’ by R.E.M. is inspired by comedian Andy Kaufman. Michael Stipe once stated this would be the song he would most miss performing, |
| no loop | Cartoons and Forever Plans (ft. Michael Stipe) | Maria Taylor | 2009 | "Cartoons and Forever Plans," from Maria Taylor is co-written by and including guest vocals from R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe, Taylor’s longtime friend from Athens, Georgia. Maria Taylor first came to prominence as a member of Azure Ray. Her luminous and ethereal yet strong and warm vocals and skill in multiple instruments helped to make that band stand out and resulted in Taylor being invited to collaborate with a broad array of artists like Moby, Crooked Fingers and Bright Eyes. Taylor still plays guitar without the high E string because she does not like high, treble-y noises. |
| no loop | 7 Days, 7 Weeks | dEUS | 2005 | “7 Days, 7 Weeks”, the first single taken from the 2005 dEUS album Pocket Revolution. Belgians not only make the best waffles & chocolate, they also make great music. Deus (styled as dEUS) is a rock band based in Antwerp, Belgium, whose only continuous members up to the present day are Tom Barman (vocals, guitars) and Klaas Janzoons (keyboards, violin). The rest of the band's line-up currently consists of drummer Stéphane Misseghers, bassist Alan Gevaert and guitarist/backing vocalist Mauro Pawlowski. |
| no loop | Pokito a Poko | Chambao | 2005 | The Latin pop group Chambao around La Mari (María del Mar Rodríguez Carnero), released ‘Pokito a Poko’ The three original members of Chambao, formed in 2001, La Mari, El Edi, and Dani, made waves in the world music scene with their new brand of flamenco, called flamenco chill, which combined the passion and vocal style of traditional Andalusian flamenco with elements of electronica, specifically chillout. |
| no loop | Paradise | Coldplay | 2011 | "Paradise" is a song by the British rock band Coldplay, released on 12 September 2011. The song became the anthem for the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London. |
| no loop | 81 | Joanna Newsom | 2010 | '81 (A.D.1) is full of images of nature. Joanna Newsom was inspired by the California-countryside home that she bought in 2007, with descriptions of gardens and soil. |
| no loop | The 3 R's | Jack Johnson | 2006 | The 3 R's by Jack Johnson was released in 2006 and resampled from Bob Dorough’s 1973 song “Three Is a Magic Number“ and De La Soul’s 1989 song “The Magic Number”. "Three is a magic number: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.' The song may be highly offensive to an anti-environmentalist. |
| no loop | Virtual Insanity | Jamiroquai | 1996 | "Virtual Insanity" is a song by British funk band Jamiroquai, released on 19 August 1996, inspired by a walk in an underground city in Sendai, Japan. Written by vocalist Jay Kay and keyboard player Toby Smith. |
| no loop | Too Hot (ft. Anais) | Beat Assailant | 2010 | Adam Lamb Turner (born 1977 in Miami), known by his stage name Beat Assailant, is an American musical artist known for fusing hip hop with jazz, funk, and other musical genres. The Miami-born rapper lived in Atlanta, GA, before he traveled to Paris in 2001, where he explored the hip-hop scene across the Atlantic and met fellow musician Danny Wild, who produced Hard Twelve. French comedian Anaïs Croze was born in Grenoble on August 20 1976. |
| no loop | Street Life (ft. Randy Crawford) | The Crusaders | 1979 | "Street Life" is a song by American jazz band The Crusaders, released in 1979, with lead vocals by Randy Crawford. It is written by Joe Sample and Will Jennings and inspired by the beginner's ski slope at Mammoth Mountain in California. In a Reuters interview, Sample said, "I saw people falling, running into each other... it was absolute chaos. It looked like a boulevard of madness. And I said, 'That's what street life is."' |
| no loop | Popsicle Toes | Michael Franks | 1976 | Michael Franks (born September 18, 1944) is an American singer and songwriter, considered a leader of the quiet storm movement. His album ‘The Art of Tea’ featured Joe Sample, Larry Carlton, and Wilton Felder of the Crusaders and included the hit song "Popsicle Toes". This song with very suggestive lyrics was also covered by Diana Krall. |
| no loop | Sweet Caroline | Neil Diamond | 1969 | "Sweet Caroline" is a song written and performed by American singer Neil Diamond and released in May 1969 as a single with the title "Sweet Caroline (Good Times Never Seemed So Good)". Diamond once claimed this song was about his second wife, Marcia Murphey, whom he married in 1969 and divorced in 1995. However, later in 2007 he stated the inspiration for the song was John F. Kennedy's daughter, Caroline, who was 11 years old at the time it was released. |
| no loop | Only You (feat. Tame Impala) | Theophilus London | 2018 | NYC rapper Theophilus London and Tame Impala main man Kevin Parker teamed-up, informally known as Theo Impala to record 'Only You', which is actually a cover of a 1984 synth-disco single by Nigerian artist Steve Monite, |
| no loop | Overnight | Parcels | 2020 | Parcels, the Aussie fivesome known for their disco-pop bangers, recently released Live Vol.1 as a follow up to their 2018 self-titled debut album. Among the classic studio recordings made in Hansa, Berlin is “Overnight," famously cowritten with Daft Punk and carrying the same funky vibes off of the iconic French duo’s Random Access Memories. ”Overnight” is a reminder of late nights spent out with friends, in your best outfits, dancing at halogen lit bars, skin sticky with the humidity, and the pulse of too many people packed into too small of a room. |
| no loop | Get Lucky (feat. Pharrell Williams) | Daft Punk | 2013 | 'Get Lucky’ is the first single from Daft Punk's fourth studio album Random Access Memories features American rapper and record producer Pharrell Williams on vocals and studio legend Nile Rodgers of disco pioneers Chic on guitar. Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter met at school in 1987 and have been working under the Daft Punk moniker since 1993 and took the name from a review by Melody Maker that described their song "Cindy, So Loud" as "daft punky thrash." |
| Celebrate | Celebrate | Coely | 2017 | Antwerp born Coely released “Celebrate” in 2017. Coely Mbueno was born in Antwerp in 1994 to Congolese parents. I second what’s stated on her website: “In person, Coely blows everyone away with her energy, enthusiasm and exceptional voice. Whether you are a Baby Boomer, a member of Generation X, Y or Z, or something else completely, if you’ve seen Coely perform live, you’ll know that you've witnessed a world-class performance.” She played as an opening act for Kanye West, De La Soul and Kendrick Lamar, and performed at all major Belgian festivals, and international festivals like Glastonbury. |
| Celebrate | Girl On Fire | Alicia Keys | 2012 | "Girl on Fire" was inspired by Keys' giving birth to her son Egypt and marriage to her husband Swizz Beatz. The song contains an interpolation of the drums from the 1980 song "The Big Beat" by American rock guitarist Billy Squier, who received a writing credit on "Girl on Fire". The video portrays Keys as a working mother caring for her kids and an elderly mother, has received wide acclaim from critics. |
| Celebrate | Bicycle Race | Queen | 1978 | The song was written by Freddie Mercury and was inspired by watching the 18th stage of the 1978 Tour de France passing Montreux, where the band were recording Jazz in the Mountain Studios. The song is notable for its video featuring a bicycle race with nude women at Wimbledon Stadium. The controversial video was edited or even banned in several countries. The song itself has appeared in various media with a bicycle theme. |
| Celebrate | The Best | Tina Turner | 1989 | Also known as "Simply The Best," by Tina Turner, was originally recorded by Bonnie Tyler in 1988 and written by Mike Chapman and Holly Knight. |
| Celebrate | Let’s Have a Party | Wanda Jackson | 1957 | With the uptempo rocker “Let’s Have a Party”, Wanda Jackson ("The Queen of Rockabilly") helped to open the door for women who were tired of letting the guys have all the fun. It made Jessie Mae Robinson recognized as a serious professional black female songwriter |
| Celebrate | Cool for Cats | Squeeze | 1979 | 'Cool For Cats' was the first rock 'n' roll television show in England during 1959. British band Squeeze with the cockney-accented released in 1979 their hit song with the same title ‘Cool for Cats’ written by band members Difford and Tilbrook. Jools Holland, on keyboards, was founding member of Squeeze. |
| Celebrate | Waka Waka (Esto Es Africa) (ft. Freshlyground) | Shakira | 2010 | Colombian singer Shakira, featuring the South African band Freshlyground performing the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which was held in South Africa. The song samples the original Cameroonian song "Zamina mina (Zangaléwa)" by Golden Sounds. The lyrics compare football (soccer) players to soldiers on a battlefield and encourage them to fight for their goals. The Spanish version of the song does not contain a war metaphor and instead "talks about walls coming down." Shakira met Spanish footballer Gerard Piqué during the filming of the video, with whom she pursued a romantic relationship and has two sons |
| Celebrate | We Are the Champions | Holly Wilson | 2006 | Holly Wilson covered many hits in bossa nova style: Pink Floyd (2006), Genesis (2007) and Abba (2011). In 2006 she released the album “Queen En Bossa Nova”, featuring ‘We Are the Champions’. |
| Celebrate | Mr. le Président | Vive la Fête | 2003 | “Mr. le Président” by ‘Vive la Fête’ (English: Long live the party) is performed and written by Els Pynoo and Danny Mommens. Since 1997, the Belgian band of Danny Mommens (ex-bass player of dEUS) and Els Pynoo has been bringing danceable electro-rock, with a touch of kitsch and some new wave and French chanson lurking in the background. In 2002, the king of fashion Karl Lagerfeld meets the couple and is charmed by their music and their looks. This gives green light to the international adventure of Vive la Fête: fashion shows of Chanel in Tokyo, New York, Las Vegas, Berlin, Milan and Paris, the posh Bal de la Rose in Monaco and the face of Chilli Beans in Brazil. During the Corona era they were at home at their farm in the south-west of Belgium. |
| Celebrate | Good Kisser | Usher | 2014 | American R&B singer Usher giving praise to who is a ‘Good Kisser’ Real instrumentation with pure bass guitar and drums as opposed to electronic, synthesized music. |
| Celebrate | El Beso | Pablo Alborán | 2012 | "El Beso" (English: "The Kiss") is a song recorded by the Spanish singer-songwriter Pablo Alborán, nicknamed El Blanco Moreno (The White Moreno). |
| Celebrate | Gold | Spandau Ballet, | 1983 | "Gold" is a song by English new wave band Spandau Ballet, released on 5 August 1983. The band's classic line-up features brothers Gary and Martin Kemp on guitars, vocalist Tony Hadley, saxophonist Steve Norman and drummer John Keeble. Gary Kemp wanting to write a movie theme in the same vein as John Barry because of his work on the James Bond films and being inspired to the title by Shirley Bassey's 1964 hit Bond theme "Goldfinger". |
| Celebrate | Eye of the Tiger | Survivor | 1982 | "Eye of the Tiger" is a song by American rock band Survivor. It was written as the theme song for the 1982 film Rocky III, which was released a day before the single, and released as a single from their third album of the same name. Written by Survivor guitarist Frankie Sullivan and keyboardist Jim Peterik, it was recorded at the request of Rocky III star, writer, and director Sylvester Stallone, after Queen denied him permission to use "Another One Bites the Dust", the song Stallone intended as the Rocky III theme. |
| Celebrate | Ladies Don't Play Guitar | Tennis | 2017 | Tennis is an Indie pop band from Denver, Colorado, made up of husband and wife duo Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley. The ocean is to Tennis what the spinach is to Popeye: the source from which they derive their impressive power. Prior to forming the band, the husband-and-wife duo embarked on an eight-month sailing expedition that inspired the first songs they ever wrote together. Right from the outset, Alaina Moore’s on the offence “Ladies don’t play guitar/ Ladies don’t get down, down to the sound of it/ Maybe we can play pretend,” she sings with what you imagine is a damning glint in her eye, before turning her attack from the sexist perception to the sexists themselves: “Ladies just need your love/ Don’t you know we are all caught up in it.” Yet even through her sardonic sneer, Moore’s voice is as melodious as ever, and the song itself has that classic Tennis pep in its step. It’s perfect for catching sun on the high seas, but is also much needed social commentary on the expectations placed on female musicians. |
| Celebrate | First Day of My Life | Melanie C | 2006 | Melanie Jayne Chisholm (born 12 January 1974), professionally known as Melanie C or Mel C, is an English singer-songwriter, DJ, businesswoman and media personality. As one of the five members of the Spice Girls, she was nicknamed Sporty Spice. In 2005 her track ‘First Day Of My Life’ was to become one of her biggest hits to date, selling over 400,000 copies in Germany alone. It also went on to chart at Number 1 in Spain, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, and Portugal where it helped to propel the album ‘Beautiful Intentions’ to double-platinum status and kept it at Number 1 for 9 weeks. As a Spice Girls member Chisholm was called "Sporty Spice" because she usually wore a tracksuit paired with athletic shoes, wore her long dark hair in a high ponytail, and sported a tough girl attitude as well as tattoos on both of her arms. She has a tattoo on her left arm of a black Christian cross. On her upper-right arm she has tattoos of two Chinese characters: "女" meaning "female" and "力" meaning "force" which together represent the phrase "girl power". She also possessed true athletic abilities, including being able to perform back handsprings. |
| Celebrate | Beautiful Days | Venus | 2003 | Venus was a band created in 1997 by five artists hailing from Brussels, Belgium. The original goal of the band was to create an original sound that expressed different emotions through several instruments including guitar, violin, double bass, organ, percussion, synth, and a host of others. Also using the scenography talents of former member Patric Carpentier to create visual emotion through their live performances. Although not well known in the United States they have had success with releases Beautiful Days and Wanda Wultz from their Capitol record label release in 2003, Vertigone. The single Beautiful Days was also a track featured in the film Immortel, which is based on the popular futuristic and Ancient Egyptian styled Enki Bilal comic series. The band’s name is in reference and |
| Celebrate | These Are The Days | 10,000 Maniacs | 1992 | Founding member and co-writer Natalie Merchant is a vegetarian and an environmentalist and referred to Madonna as her "ideological enemy." Mechant went for deep social commentary and played down any hint of sexuality. |
| Celebrate | Beautiful Days | Venus | 2003 | Venus was a band created in 1997 by five artists hailing from Brussels, Belgium. The single Beautiful Days was a track featured in the film Immortel, which is based on the popular futuristic and Ancient Egyptian styled Enki Bilal comic series. The band's name is in reference to and inspired by the Velvet Underground track, Venus in furs. |
| Celebrate | Seven Nation Army | Ben l'Oncle Soul | 2010 | Benjamin Duterde (born in Tours, France on 10 November 1984), better known by his stage name Ben l'Oncle Soul is a French soul singer and songwriter. His friends called him "l'Oncle Ben" because he was often wearing a bow tie like Uncle Ben from Uncle Ben's Rice. Jack White wrote the song and it was released it in 2003 by the husband and wife rock band ‘The White Stripes’. Belgium's Club Brugge football fans began singing the riff in a game against Italy's A.C. Milan 2003, which turned the song in the team's "unofficial sports anthem". |
| Celebrate | Als je wint (feat. Doe Maar) | Brood en Vrienten | 1984 | “Als je wint” (when your a winner) was written by Henny Vrienten from Dutch band ‘Doe Maar’ and performed with Dutch rocker Herman Brood. Brood was the Dutch personification of "sex, drugs and rock 'n roll". Belgian producer and musician Jean Blaute plays the Accordion. The lyrics baseline idea is that when you are successful, you have many friends. |
| Celebrate | The Winner Takes It All | ABBA | 1980 | ABBA member Björn Ulvaeus wrote it after the breakdown of his marriage with Agnetha Fältskog who calls it "her biggest favourite" from ABBA's catalogue and regrets they never got to play it live, The Winner Takes It All is also the title to a 1999 documentary about the band. |
| Celebrate | You'll Never Walk Alone | Gerry & The Pacemakers | 1963 | "You'll Never Walk Alone" is a show tune from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel. The Liverpudlian Merseybeat group Gerry and the Pacemakers’ successful cover was released in 1963. The song quickly became the football anthem of Liverpool F.C., which adopted "You'll Never Walk Alone" as its official motto on its coat of arms. |
| Celebrate | Survival | Muse | 2012 | The rock anthem ‘Survival’ was selected as the official song of London's 2012 Summer Olympic Games. Muse’s frontman Matt Bellamy stated he wrote it with the Games in mind as it expresses a sense of conviction and determination to win. |
| Celebrate | Celebrate The World | Womack & Womack | 1988 | Womack & Womack was the singing and songwriting partnership of married American musicians Linda Womack and Cecil Womack. American singer and songwriter Linda Womack, born "Linda Marie Campbell" April 25, 1953 in Chicago (USA), is daughter of Sam Cooke. The Womacks, now using their adopted African name Zekkariyas, began recording as a family. The song is about celebrating love and unity in the world through music, that has the power to bring people together and create a universal feeling of love and peace. |
| lazy summer | Wake Up Boo! | Boo Radleys | 1995 | “Wake Up Boo!” is the Boo Radleys' biggest hit in the UK. Its release in March 1995 coincided with the emergence of Britpop as a driving force in mid-1990s British music. This track is an upbeat guitar-pop song in which vocalist Martin Carr contrasts his own optimism ("Twenty-five I don't recall a time I felt this alive") with his lover's pessimism ("You have to put the death in everything"). I once got this song as my alarm ringtone. The Boo Radleys originally formed in Wallasey, England in 1988 and disbanded in early 1999. Their name is taken from the character Boo Radley in Harper Lee's 1960 novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. |
| lazy summer | Mockingbird (ft. James Taylor) | Carly Simon | 1974 | "Mockingbird" is based on a traditional American folk song sometimes known as "Hush Little Baby." Inez and Charlie Foxx were brother and sister who recorded the song in 1963. Carly Simon released her version in 1974 as a duet with her then-husband James Taylor. The song captures the essence of love, loss, and resilience. |
| lazy summer | Summer Breeze | Seals & Crofts | 1972 | Jim Seals and Dash Crofts are from Texas and started as a duo in 1965. Writers Darrell Crofts and Jimmy Seals, stated that “Summer Breeze” was very simple song about a man coming home from work and hearing the dog barking and things like that, and to a lot of people the song's about looking for security. |
| lazy summer | Daydream | The Lovin' Spoonful | 1984 | “Daydream” by The Lovin' Spoonful is John Sebastian's lazy, laid back celebration of love on a summer's day. This song was a major influence on Paul McCartney's Beatles composition "Good Day Sunshine." |
| lazy summer | Good Day Sunshine | The Beatles | 1965 | “Good Day Sunshine" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1966 album Revolver. It was written mainly by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. McCartney intended it as a song in the style of the Lovin' Spoonful's contemporaneous hit single "Daydream". The recording includes multiple pianos played in the barrelhouse style and evokes a vaudevillian mood. Author Steve Turner writes that the Kinks' "Sunny Afternoon" could have been another source of inspiration for McCartney. |
| lazy summer | Sunny Afternoon | The Kinks | 1966 | "Sunny Afternoon" is a song by the Kinks, written by chief songwriter Ray Davies. Like its contemporary "Taxman" by the Beatles, the song references the high levels of progressive tax taken by the British Labour government of Harold Wilson. |
| lazy summer | Long Hot Summer | The Style Council | 1983 | On 13 August 1983, Paul Weller’s new band ‘The Style Council’ entered the UK chart with ‘Long Hot Summer,’ which became the biggest of their seven top ten (and 15 top 40) hits. The title even reflected the weather: Britain had just enjoyed, or endured, what remained the hottest July on record until that was beaten in 2006. The lyrics describe the longing for a love that is passionate, real, and long-lasting, the desire to escape the mundane life of the city and find peace in a more simplistic environment where he can be truly happy and contented. The song speaks to the idea that life is about living in the moment and letting go of past regrets to find true happiness. |
| lazy summer | De Zji | Ertebrekers | 2016 | De Belgian band ‘Ertebrekers’ (Heartbreakers) sing in their Flemish dialect about spending time at the sea (‘De Zji’). |
| lazy summer | Face A La Mer (Massive Attack Remix) | Les Négresses Vertes | 1993 | Written by vocalist and guitarist Stéfane Michel Mellino, describe a cemetery by the sea, where cypresses act as the silent guardians. There are iron beds planted in the sand, facing the sea. The protagonist suggests going to the cemetery to see their own name engraved on a stone and to greet the dead who rest there, intoxicated by life in the sunlight and warmth, as the cypresses sway in the silence. The band "Les Négresses Vertes" (Green Black Girls) is a French band from Paris that started in 1987. The original line-up included: Helno (Singer) (born Noël Rota in Paris, December 25, 1963 - ✝ January 22, 1993; also known as Helno Rota De Lourcqua), Jo Roz (also known as L'Ami Ro; real name Joe Ruffier des Aimes) (Piano), Stéfane Mellino (Guitar), Jean-Marie Paulus (Bass), [Laurent Gabriel=Gaby] (Drums), Matias Canavese (Accordion), Michel Ochowiak (Trumpet), Abraham Sirinix (also known as Abraham Braham) (Trombone) and Iza Mellino (Backing Vocals). |
| lazy summer | Cruel Summer | Bananarama | 1983 | Bananarama are a British and Irish pop group, formed as a trio in 1980 by friends Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, and Keren Woodward. “Cruel Summer” played on the darker side of summer songs: it looked at the oppressive heat, the misery of wanting to be with someone as the summer ticked by. We've all been there! |
| lazy summer | 5 Years Time | Noah and the Whale | 2008 | “5 Years Time", also known as "5 Years Time (Sun Sun Sun)", is the debut single by English folk rock band Noah and the Whale, featuring backing vocals by Laura Marling. Written by vocalist and guitarist Charlie Fink, this glorious summer song is about having fun being in the sun and enduring love. |
| lazy summer | Jonah and the Whale | Louis Armstrong | 1961 | Louis Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana. Jonah and the Whale is a traditional gospel song with roots dating back to spirituals sung by African American communities. Released in 1961, this jazz classic tells the biblical tale of Jonah and his incredible encounter with a gigantic sea creature, referred to as a whale. This iconic song not only captivates listeners with its melodic charm but also carries a profound message of redemption, faith, and personal growth. |
| lazy summer | Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer | Nat King Cole | 1963 | Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer" is a popular song composed by Hans Carste. In 1963, it was recorded by Nat King Cole, with English lyrics written by Charles Tobias on a theme of nostalgia. Cole's version, arranged by Ralph Carmichael and produced by Lee Gillette, |
| lazy summer | Quando Calienta El Sol | Trini Lopez | 1964 | Trini Lopez was an American singer, guitarist and actor Born: May 15, 1937 (Dallas, TX, USA); died: August 11, 2020 (Palm Springs, CA, USA) from complications of Covid-19 “Quando Calienta El Sol” is written by Los Hermanos Rigual, Cuban brothers Carlos and Mario Rigual. |
| lazy summer | La Madrague | Brigitte Bardot | 1963 | "La Madrague" is a French song written by Jean-Max Rivière and composed by Gérard Bourgeois. It was made famous by Brigitte Bardot in 1963, and was reportedly inspired by Bardot's house in Saint-Tropez. Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot born 28 September 1934), often referred to by her initials B.B., is a French animal rights activist and former actress, singer, and model. |
| lazy summer | Het is weer voorbij die mooie zomer | Gerard Cox | 1973 | “'t Is weer voorbij die mooie zomer” (summer’s gone) by Dutch singer songwriter Gerard Cox from 1973 is based on the melody of ‘City of New Orleans’ from American folk and country singer songwriter Steve Goodman in 1971. Cox wrote the song while staying in Compiègne in France. Gerard Cox was born on March 6, 1940 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. |
| lazy summer | Seasons In The Sun | Terry Jacks | 1974 | Terrence Ross Jacks (born March 29, 1944) is a Canadian singer, songwriter and record producer, best known for his 1974 hit song "Seasons in the Sun". The song is based on Rod McKuen's 1965 re-write of "Le moribond", originally by Belgian singer Jacques Brel from 1962 and was originally intended for the Beach Boys, but they never released it. Jacks later released "If You Go Away", another McKuen adaptation of a Jacques Brel song, titled "Ne Me Quitte Pas". In the early 1960s, McKuen moved to France, where he first met the Belgian singer-songwriter and chanson singer Jacques Brel. |
| lazy summer | Where Have All The Flowers Gone | The Kingston Trio | 1961 | Where Have All The Flowers Gone by the Kingston Trio is an original from American folk singer and songwriter Pete Seeger in 1955. The Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music group, in original lineup of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds, that helped launch the folk revival of the late 1950s to the late 1960s. In 1961, the Trio was described as "the most envied, the most imitated, and the most successful singing group, folk or otherwise, in all show business". The name "Kingston Trio" was chosen because it evoked, through its association with Kingston, Jamaica, the calypso music popular at the time, and also on the uniform of three-quarter-length sleeved vertically striped shirts that the group hoped would help its target audience of college students to identify with them. |
| lazy summer | Kingston Town | UB40 | 1990 | "Kingston Town" is a 1970 song by Lord Creator (Kentrick Patrick (21 August 1935 – 30 June 2023)). English reggae band UB40 covered "Kingston Town" in 1989 and released it as a single in early 1990. |
| lazy summer | Don't Look Back (You've Gotta Walk) | Peter Tosh | 1978 | "Don't Look Back" is a song written by Smokey Robinson and Ronald White and recorded by The Temptations in 1965. Peter Tosh scored a hit in 1978 with a reggae version of the song, sharing vocals with Mick Jagger. |
| lazy summer | Wonderful World, Beautiful People | Jimmy Cliff | 1969 | Jimmy Cliff (born July 30, 1944 in Jamaica) is a GRAMMY® Award-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Fame® Inductee, musician, actor, singer, songwriter, producer, and humanitarian. His wife is Moroccan/French/Jamaican, and has a daughter Lilty Cliff and son Aken Cliff. |
| lazy summer | Melody Tempo Harmony - (ft. Jimmy Cliff) | Bernard Lavilliers | 1995 | Bernard Lavilliers is a French singer, born Bernard Ouillon on 7 October 1946. In 1970 he released his first single as ‘Edgar de Lyon’. In 1979 buys a boat and leaves for Jamaica, New York and Brazil. Upon his return to France in 1980 he released his most successful album ‘O gringo’. ‘Melody Tempo Harmony’, a reggae duo with Jimmy Cliff from 1995 is his biggest success. |
| lazy summer | International Rhumba (ft. Louis Mhlanga) | Musik Ye Afrika | 1997 | South African band 'Musik Ye Afrika’ released March 25, 1997 “International Rumba” which featured the percussion and drumming of the late Jethro Shasha and Louis Mhlanga the South Africa-based guitarist from Zimbabwe. The band members are Jimi Indi - Bass Guitar, Jethro Shasha – Drums/Percussion and Louis Mhlanga – Guitars. |
| lazy summer | Y'a d'la rumba dans l'air | Alain Souchon | 1977 | “Y'a d'la rumba dans l'air” is a song written and performed by Alain Souchon released in 1977 with music composed by Laurent Voulzy. The intro is in Italian with the voice of Marie Ruggeri and the reply (« je sais, je sais… ») taken from the single “Maintenant je sais” from 1974 by Jean Gabin. |
| lazy summer | Belle Île En Mer, Marie Galante | Laurent Voulzy | 1977 | Lucien Voulzy (born 18 December 1948), better known as Laurent Voulzy, is a French singer-songwriter, composer and musician. “Belle-Île-en-Mer, Marie-Galante”, released by Laurent Voulzy in 1986 was written by Alain Souchon and composed by Laurent Voulzy. The song title mentions two islands, “îles de Belle-Île-en-Mer” in Brittany where Voulzy was raised and ‘Marie-Galante’ in Guadeloupe, where his parents were born. |
| lazy summer | Sarandonga | Lolita | 2001 | Sarandonga is a song composed by the Cuban duo Los Compadres, made up of Lorenzo Hierrezuelo and Francisco Repilado 'Compay Segundo', at the end of the 1950’s. Antonio González 'El Pescaílla', husband of Lola Flores and father of Lolita performed it in 1966. Lolita included her version of this song on her 2001 album Lola, Lolita, Lola, |
| swing 'n sing | September | Earth, Wind & Fire | 1978 | “September" is a song by the American band Earth, Wind & Fire released as a single in 1978 Although several theories about the significance of the date have been suggested, the songwriter Maurice White claimed he simply chose the 21st due to how it sounded when sung. His wife, Marilyn White, however, claimed that September 21 was the due date of their son, Kahbran, according to lyricist Allee Willis. |
| swing 'n sing | This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You) | The Isley Brothers | 1966 | "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)" is a Holland–Dozier–Holland song that was a hit for American musical group the Isley Brothers in January 1966 during their brief tenure on Motown's Tamla label. Written by Motown's main songwriting team Holland–Dozier–Holland alongside Sylvia Moy, "This Old Heart of Mine", produced by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier, was originally intended for The Supremes (who later recorded their own version for their 1966 album The Supremes A' Go-Go). |
| swing 'n sing | You Keep Me Hangin' On (The Almighty Remix) | The Supremes | 1983 | You Keep Me Hangin' On" is a song written and composed by Holland–Dozier–Holland. It was first recorded in 1966 by American Motown group the Supremes, The song's signature guitar part is said to have originated from a Morse code-like radio sound effect, typically used before a news announcement, heard by Lamont Dozier. Dozier collaborated with Brian and Eddie Holland to integrate the idea into a single |
| swing 'n sing | You're My One Weakness Girl | Street People | 1976 | The Street People, led by Ray Dahrouge, active in the mid 70's, consisted of brothers Roy Daniels and Milton Daniels, Thomas "Toot" Williams, Joe Gardner and Rick Johnson. Their most successful hit single is "You're My One Weakness Girl" (1976). |
| swing 'n sing | Build Me Up Buttercup | The Foundations | 1968 | The Foundations were a British soul band and the first multiracial group to have a number one hit in the UK in the 1960s. The group had a diverse ethnic mix but also diversity in ages and musical backgrounds. 'Build Me Up Buttercup’ was written by Mike D'Abo and Tony Macaulay. D'Abo was lead singer of Manfred Mann. David Essex, who was unknown at the time but went on to success with "Rock On," was offered this song, but he turned it down as he didn't like the title. |
| swing 'n sing | I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) | Four Tops | 1965 | "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" is a 1965 hit song recorded by the Four Tops for the Motown label. Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, "I Can't Help Myself" is one of the most well-known Motown recordings of the 1960s and among the decade's biggest hits. |
| swing 'n sing | Hold Back The Night | The Trammps | 1976 | The songwriters behind Hold Back the Night are Ron Baker, Norman Harris, and Earl Young. Hold Back the Night encourages listeners to confront their fears and persevere, making it an anthem for triumph over obstacles. The Trammps began in Philadelphia in 1972 featuring vocalist, Jimmy Ellis, Harold Doc Wade, Stanley Wade and Earl Young and traveled with as many as 11 members, culled from the ranks of the busiest and best musicians, many of whom also played for Gamble and Huff's Philly International and later for Vince Montana's Salsoul Orchestra. |
| swing 'n sing | I Love The Nightlife (Disco 'round) | Alicia Bridges | 1978 | "I Love the Nightlife (Disco 'Round)" is a popular disco song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Bridges in 1978. The original title of the resultant song: "Disco 'Round", became the subtitle under the main title "I Love the Nightlife" as producer Steve Buckingham considered it an R&B number and did not want it labeled disco. |
| swing 'n sing | A Night To Remember | Shalamar | 1982 | “A Night to Remember" is a song by American R&B group Shalamar, released in 1982. The Shalamar recording is also famously associated with the introduction of the Moonwalk dance by Shalamar member Jeffrey Daniel on the UK music show Top of the Pops in June 1982, several months before Michael Jackson performed the move on the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever television special. |
| swing 'n sing | Billie Jean | Michael Jackson | 1983 | "Billie Jean" is a song performed, written and composed by American singer Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson's performance of "Billie Jean" popularized the moonwalk. "Billie Jean" was inspired by letters Jackson received in 1981 from a woman claiming he was the father of one of her twins. |
| swing 'n sing | I'll Be Around | The Spinners | 1972 | "I'll Be Around" is a song recorded by the American R&B vocal group The Spinners (known as "Detroit Spinners" in the UK). It was co-written by Thom Bell and Phil Hurtt and produced by Bell. Recorded at Philadelphia's Sigma Sound Studios, the house band MFSB provided the backing. They got their start in Detroit at Motown in 1961 but in the seventies created and came to define the smooth sound of Philadelphia Soul (Philly Soul). |
| swing 'n sing | I'm so glad that I am a woman | Love Unlimited | 1979 | “I'm so glad that I am a woman” performed by “Love Unlimited” was written by Frank Wilson, Paul Politi & Barry White. Love Unlimited was a trio formed by sisters Glodean James and Linda James with Diane Taylor. They were successful both as backing group for Barry White as well as a group in their own right, best known for their 1972-hit Walking In The Rain With The One I Love. Not to be confused with Love Unlimited Orchestra, a 40-piece string-laden group formed originally by Barry White, who served as a backing unit for his music project (Barry White, the artist) and Love Unlimited. |
| swing 'n sing | Love's Theme | The Love Unlimited Orchestra | 1973 | In 1973, White created The Love Unlimited Orchestra, a 40-piece orchestral group to be used originally as a backing band for the girl-group Love Unlimited. It lacks his basso profundo growl, of course, but in every other way, the luscious "Love's Theme" is the quintessential Barry White track. No other song comes close to its seamless blending of soul and easy listening pop. Who but Barry White could take the funkiest wah-wah guitar track this side of "Theme from Shaft" and not only place it next to the sort of creamy full orchestral arrangement that Ray Conniff spent a career on, but have the whole thing sound so natural and right? Barry White, born Barry Eugene Carter on September 12, 1944, married Love Unlimited singer Glodean James and dedicated "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" to her. |
| swing 'n sing | Can't Get Enough Of Your Love Babe | Barry White | 1974 | "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" was written, recorded, and produced by Barry White. Barry White fell in love in 1973 with Glodean James, who was one of the members of his Love Unlimited backing trio of singers. He wrote this song for her one night when he couldn't get off to sleep. Barry and Glodean married in October 1974 and for a time were one of the best known couples in showbiz. The pair separated in 1988 but never divorced and remained good friends for the remainder of White's life. |
| swing 'n sing | A Woman Needs Love (just like you do) (ft. Ray Parker Jr.) | Raydio | 1981 | A Woman Needs Love (just like you do) is written by Ray Parker Jr. as an antithetical answer to the earlier Raydio hit, "Jack and Jill,". Raydio scored their first big hit in 1977 with "Jack and Jill", written by Ray Parker Jr. from "Jack's" perspective of being neglected, just as "A Woman Needs Love" is written from "Jill's" perspective, as indicated by the lyrics, "by the time poor Jack returned up the hill, somebody else had been loving Jill." In 1973, Ray Parker Jr. became a session musician in Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra. In 1977, Parker created the R&B group Raydio with Vincent Bonham, Jerry Knight, and Arnell Carmichael |
| swing 'n sing | Man! I Feel Like a Woman! | Man! I Feel Like a Woman! | 1999 | "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Shania Twain with lyrics about female empowerment and remains one of Twain's biggest hits worldwide. Shania Twain wrote this song with her then-husband Robert John Lange, who 14 years later cheated on her with her best friend and eventually they swapped husbands and wife … |
| swing 'n sing | Girls Just Want To Have Fun | Cindy Lauper | 1983 | 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun' is a girl power song written by Philadelphia singer/songwriter Robert Hazard Cindy Lauper wanted 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun' to be an anthem for all women around the world and a sustaining message that they are powerful human beings. It became an anthem for female attitude and set fashion trends as the video showed Lauper wearing bright, outrageous clothes that looked like they came from a thrift store (they often did). It set the stage for artists like Madonna: independent women wearing cheap, yet fashionable clothes with a taste for garish accessories. Cindy Lauper is an unwavering advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality. |
| swing 'n sing | Come on Eileen | Dexy's Midnight Runners | 1982 | This song is based on a true story. Eileen was a girl that Kevin Rowland grew up with. Their relationship became romantic when the pair were 13, and according to Rowland, it turned sexual a year or two later. Rowland was raised Catholic and served as an altar boy in church. Sex was a taboo subject, and considered "dirty" - something that fascinated him. The band's name was inspired by the amphetamine drug Dexedrine, which is commonly known as "Dexys" Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" borrowed from the rhythm of this song. |
| swing 'n sing | Whispering/Cherchez La Femme/Se Si Bon | Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band | 1976 | "Cherchez La Femme" (French for Seek the woman) is a song that was written and performed by Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band with lead vocals by Cory Daye in 1976. August Darnell, stage named Kid Creole, is an American musician, singer and songwriter who co-founded Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band and subsequently formed and led Kid Creole and the Coconuts. |
| swing 'n sing | I'm a Wonderful Thing, Baby | Kid Creole & The Coconuts | 1992 | "I'm a Wonderful Thing, Baby" is a 1982 song by Kid Creole and the Coconuts from their album Tropical Gangsters. It was the first single released from Tropical Gangsters and their first major hit. When he appeared on the BBC Breakfast news program on September 14, 2011, Kid Creole/August Darnell said he always liked to be the center of attention, which might make him sound extremely vain, but when he performed this song dressed in a yellow suit looking like the comic book character The Mask and boasting of his conquests, it was impossible to take him seriously, which was obviously the point. Darnel was nicknamed “Creole Kid” at high school and they called “Coconuts” caucasians with blond hair. Percussionist "Sugar Coated" Andy Hernandez helped create Kid Creole & The Coconuts and later worked with Hall and Oats, amongst many other artists. |
| swing 'n sing | Your Kiss Is On My List | Hall And Oats | 1980 | "Kiss on My List" is a song by American duo Hall & Oates, written by Daryl Hall and Janna Allen. The song was written with the intention of Janna Allen, sister of Hall's longtime girlfriend Sara Allen, singing it, as she was interested in starting a music career. Daryl Hall once stated he had no problem that Eddie Van Halen copied the synth part from 'Kiss On My List' and used it in 'Jump.'. |
| swing 'n sing | Jump | Van Halen | 1983 | “Jump" is a song written and performed by American rock band Van Halen in 1983. It is Van Halen's most successful single, although it differs from other Van Halen songs in that it is driven by a keyboard line. |
| delicate 1 | ‘A Trick Of The Light’ | Villagers | 2018 | Villagers are an Irish indie folk band from Dublin, formed in 2008 by songwriter and vocalist/guitarist Conor O'Brien. ‘A Trick Of The Light’ has a steady pulse and a groove in the bass that has slight hints of R&B, which O'Brien certainly emphasises with his vocal delivery. The track is later veered more towards the classic folk roots we know Villagers for, with delicate string arrangements and whistling theremin guiding us down an overgrown garden path, as we chase ‘A Trick Of The Light’. |
| delicate 1 | People Help the People | Birdy | 2011 | English musician Birdy released a cover version of Cherry Ghost’s song, which was released on 28 October 2011 "People Help the People" is the second single taken from Cherry Ghost's début album, written in Simon Aldred's childhood box room bedroom in Bolton in the run up to Xmas 2005. |
| delicate 1 | Someone You Loved | Lewis Capaldi | 2018 | Lewis Marc Capaldi (born 7 October 1996) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and musician. Capaldi revealed he wrote “Someone You Loved” about his grandmother who had died and it took him six months to finish. |
| delicate 1 | I'll Take Care of You (Radio Edit) | Joe Bonamassa & Beth Hart | 2011 | "I'll Take Care of You" is a song written by Brook Benton and originally recorded by Bobby Bland in 1959 who developed a sound that mixed gospel with the blues and R&B. In 2011, Joe Bonamassa and Beth Hart covered the song. |
| delicate 1 | Imagining My Man | Aldous Harding | 2017 | Hannah Sian Topp (born 1990), known professionally as Aldous Harding, is a New Zealand indie folk singer-songwriter. She was an only child, took her stepfather’s surname and lives in Cardiff, Wales since 2020. |
| delicate 1 | Come Away With Me | Norah Jones | 2002 | "Come Away with Me" is a song written, produced, and performed by American recording artist Norah Jones. Norah Jones is legendary Indian sitar master Ravi Shankar’s daughter who took at 16 her mother’s name and moved to Manhattan, New York in 1999:. Jones was born Geethali Norah Jones Shankar on March 30, 1979, in Manhattan, New York City, to American concert producer Sue Jones and Indian Bengali musician Ravi Shankar. |
| delicate 1 | Everybody Here Wants You | Jeff Buckley | 1998 | “Everybody Here Wants You” was written as a love song for Joan Wasser (Joan As Police Woman), Jeff Buckley’s girlfriend at the time. As a child, Buckley was known as Scott "Scottie" Moorhead, based on his middle name and his stepfather's surname. After his biological father, American singer Jeff Buckley, died of a drug overdose in 1975, he chose to go by Buckley and his real first name, which he found on his birth certificate. |
| delicate 1 | We Don’t Own It | Joan as Police Woman | 2006 | ‘We Don’t Own It’, written by Joan Wasser is about and dedicated to friend (American musician and singer-songwriter) Elliott Smith. Joan Wasser (born July 26, 1970) is an American musician, singer-songwriter and producer who releases music as Joan As Police Woman. She began her career playing violin with the Dambuilders and played with Black Beetle, Antony and the Johnsons 1999 on their Mercury Prize-winning album, I Am a Bird Now. The band name was a reference to the TV series Police Woman featuring Angie Dickinson. Wasser found the actress inspirational as "she was really powerful but sexy at the same time" in the role. She also preferred "the name to be funny because, although my music is serious, I like to laugh at tragedy" |
| delicate 1 | You Are My Sister | Antony And The Johnsons | 2005 | You Are My Sister by Antony and the Johnsons, was written by Antony Hegarty (a.k.a. Anohni) and released in 2005. It features co-lead vocals by Boy George. |
| delicate 1 | How to Save a Life | The Fray | 2006 | The Fray was an American rock band from Denver, Colorado, formed in 2002 by schoolmates Isaac Slade and Joe King. According to lead singer Isaac Slade, the song ‘How to Save a Life’ was composed and influenced by his experience while working as a mentor at a camp for troubled teenagers in Denver called Shelterwood. The American medical drama television series Grey's Anatomy brought popularity to the song. |
| delicate 1 | To Build a Home (ft. Patrick Watson) | The Cinematic Orchestra | 2006 | "To Build a Home" is a song by English electronic music group the Cinematic Orchestra, with vocals and piano performed by Canadian singer-songwriter Patrick Watson. The song has been used in several different TV shows, movies, and adverts, including Grey's Anatomy |
| delicate 1 | Without You | Tobias Jesso Jr. | 2015 | Canadian-born songwriter and producer Tobias Jesso Jr. (born Tobias MacDonald Jesso Jr. on July 11, 1985) is known for his songwriting alongside Adele and Harry Styles. Danielle Haim plays drums on the track "Without You". Tobias Jesso Jr. drew inspiration from personal experiences of heartbreak and loss when writing Without You. His intention was to create a song that reflected the rawness and depth of emotions felt during the aftermath of a broken relationship. The authenticity and honesty in the lyrics can be attributed to Jesso’s own journey through heartache. |
| delicate 1 | Oceans | Morning Runner | 2006 | “Oceans" is a song written and performed by rock band Morning Runner and was featured on their debut album, Wilderness Is Paradise Now. Morning Runner were an English alternative rock band, formed in 2003 in Reading, England. |
| delicate 1 | The Book of Love | Gavin James | 2015 | “The Book of Love” is a 1999 song written by Stephin Merritt from The Magnetic Fields, who’s lyrics are often about love and feature atypical or neutral gender roles, and are by turns ironic, tongue-in-cheek, bitter, and humorous. Gavin James (born Gavin Wigglesworth in Dublin on 5 July 1991) grew up in a household surrounded by music. Gavins' dad would play Cat Stevens, Sam Cooke and Bob Dylan whilst his sister Emma sang and toured with a musical in Ireland. James' great-grandparents were opera singers and his grandfather was a stand-up comedian and whistler. |
| delicate 1 | Mia | Gorki | 1992 | “Mia” by Belgian band Gorki, was initially the b-side of another single “Soms Vraagt Een Mens Zich Af” released in 1992 but eventually became one of the most popular Flemish hits. Band leader Luc De Vos stated that Mia is about a kind of mythical woman, between a "madonna and a whore at the same time", inspired by people who demotivated him and “tried to hinder his search for happiness”. |
| delicate 1 | Need Your Love | Jasper Steverlinck | 2017 | “Need Your Love” is written, composed and performed by Jasper Steverlinck (born 30 April 1976), a Belgian Flemish singer and guitarist for Ghent-based Arid. In 2002 Steverlinck also started a solo career. |
| delicate 1 | Amor particular | Lluís Llach | 1984 | luís Llach i Grande (born 7 May 1948) is a Catalan singer-songwriter, novelist and politician from Spain. The song “Amor Particular” is a beautiful tribute to a special person whom the singer has loved for a very long time. Through this song, the singer expresses his love and gratitude to this person for all the moments they have shared together, both happy and sad. |
| delicate 1 | By this river | Brian Eno | 1977 | Brian Eno is one of the most influential/important/prolific musicians in the history of popular music. “By this river” is the maturity of love according to Brian Eno, released in 1977. After the third verse, Eno gives up on lyrics and starts humming. Brian Eno (Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno) composed the classic start-up sound for Windows 95 |
| delicate 1 | Words Are Dead | Agnes Obel | 2013 | Agnes Caroline Thaarup Obel (born 28 October 1980) is a Danish singer, songwriter, and musician based in Berlin. When Agnes Obel came home from touring with Philharmonics she got a new piano and a new computer and wanted to try them out so she wrote this song, quite quickly. She stated that with ‘Words Are Dead’ she really wanted to make a song that was bittersweet. It is about not being sad that you don’t have words for things. Just because you have lost your words, or can’t explain yourself doesn’t mean that you are unable to. There are other ways. “don’t cry for me” was supposed to be “don’t cry for them”. |
| delicate 1 | When Love Is Gone | David Ackles | 1968 | David Ackles, is a cerebral, emotionally resonant, doomy singer-songwriter from Rock Island, Illinois. Born in Rock Island, Illinois, on 20 February 1937, into a show-business family, David Thomas Ackles became involved in performance at an early age. “When Love is Gone” with lovely bass line from Jerry Penrod and a beautiful melody and the desolate voice carrying a lyric of realisation and realism. The theme is breakup, appreciating that there is no point to a relationship once the love has gone from it. |
| delicate 1 | Don't Know How to Keep Loving You | Julia Jacklin | 2019 | The Australian indy-folk singer-songwriter weaves powerfully personal lyrics with a soft, sensual voice. The smooth drums and softly strummed guitar serve to push her voice front and center, where it shines. The inspiration behind “Don’t Know How to Keep Loving You” stems from Julia Jacklin’s own personal experiences with love and relationships. She stated: “I wrote this basically staring out the window one day in the tour van. I have always loved Fiona Apple’s ‘Not About Love’ and this is in that vein thematically I think.” |
| 2 delicate | Dreamsome | Shelby Lynne | 1999 | "Dreamsome" by Shelby Lynne was released on her breakthrough album ‘I Am Shelby Lynne’ of 1999 and also appeared on the soundtrack of the film Bridget Jones's Diary. Shelby Lynne and Willie Nelson have been friends a long time. |
| 2 delicate | Always On My Mind | Willie Nelson | 1982 | “Always on My Mind" is a ballad written by Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher, and Mark James, first recorded by Brenda Lee, and first released by Gwen McCrae (as "You Were Always on My Mind") in March 1972. Popular versions of the song were recorded by Willie Nelson, Brenda Lee, Elvis Presley and Pet Shop Boys. Willie Nelson's 1982 recording became the definitive version and the first to make the Hot 100 (#5; it was also a #1 Country hit). When songwriter-guitarist Wayne Carson called his wife to apologize for the delay to stay longer away from home, her reply helped him to complete this song. The same kind of inspiration came to Albert Hammond for writing “When I need you” … |
| 2 delicate | When I Need You | Leo Sayer | 1977 | "When I Need You" is a popular song written by Albert Hammond and Carole Bayer Sager and title track of Hammond's 1976 album ‘When I Need You’. The song deals with Hammond's personal experiences being away from home and his loved one. Leonard Cohen song "Famous Blue Raincoat" lyrics and melody "Jane came by with a lock of your hair, she said that you gave it to her that night, that you planned to go clear" matches the lyrics "(When I) need you, I just close my eyes and I'm with you, and all that I so want to give you, is only a heart beat away". |
| 2 delicate | Famous Blue Raincoat | Leonard Cohen | 1971 | Leonard Cohen wrote “Famous Blue Raincoat” in the form of a letter, signed “L. Cohen”. The lyrics contain references to the German love song "Lili Marlene," to Scientology, and to Clinton Street. Cohen lived on Clinton Street in Manhattan in the 1970s when it was a lively Latino area. |
| 2 delicate | Help Me Make It Through The Night | Gladys Knight & the Pips | 1971 | "Help Me Make It Through The Night" is a country music ballad written and composed by Kris Kristofferson and released on his 1970 album Kristofferson. It has been covered by Willie Nelson and Gladys Knight & the Pips. In late 1971, they released a soulful version of Kris Kristofferson's "Help Me Make It Through the Night", which became an international hit. |
| 2 delicate | How Can You Mend A Broken Heart? | Al Green | 1972 | Al Green recorded this in 1972 for his album Let's Stay Together. Barry and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees wrote this in the style of Andy Williams, who was a popular recording artist and television presenter at the time. It became the first #1 US hit for the group, topping the chart for four weeks. |
| 2 delicate | The Way We Were | Barbra Streisand | 1973 | "The Way We Were", title song of the romantic drama The Way We Were (1973) was a commercial success and Barbra Streisand’s first number-one single in the United States. Streisand attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn in 1956, where she became an honor student in modern history, English, and Spanish. She also joined the Freshman Chorus and Choral Club, where she sang with another choir member and classmate, Neil Diamond. |
| 2 delicate | I Am... I Said | Neil Diamond | 1971 | "I Am... I Said" is a song written and recorded by Neil Diamond. Released as a single on March 15, 1971. The 1971 release "I Am...I Said" was a Top 5 hit in both the US and UK and was his most intensely personal effort to date, taking over four months to complete. |
| 2 delicate | You Don't Bring Me Flowers (ft. Barbra Streisand) | Neil Diamond | 1978 | "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" is a song written by Neil Diamond with Alan and Marilyn Bergman for the daily TV sitcom All That Glitters. n 1977, Diamond released the album I'm Glad You're Here with Me Tonight, which included the track "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" as a solo performance. Early in 1978, Barbra Streisand covered the song on her album Songbird. Neil Diamond recorded his song "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" in 1977 which Barbara Streisand covered on her album Songbird. Radio station program director Gary Guthrie broadcasted a spliced-together duet version in May1978. Eventually, Columbia Records released this official studio version in October. WAKY (AM) Louisville, KY program director, Gary Guthrie, who spliced the two solo tracks together as a going-away present to his wife, Becky, whom he was in the process of divorcing. Guthrie's spliced-together duet version first aired on WAKY on May 24, 1978. Guthrie sent CBS his version of the duet on July 27, and by August 3, both Streisand and Diamond had agreed to the release of a duet version. However, rather than issue any of the spliced-together versions, Columbia Records had Streisand and Diamond record a brand-new "official" studio version, which was released on October 17, 1978. |
| 2 delicate | The Rose | Bette Midler | 1979 | "The Rose" is a pop song written by Amanda McBroom. Bette Midler made the song famous when she recorded it for her 1979 film The Rose, in which it plays during the closing credits. The Rose, as a drug-addicted rock star modelled after Janis Joplin. Bette Midler was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, where her family was one of the few Jewish families in a mostly Asian neighbourhood. |
| 2 delicate | A Woman Left Lonely | Janis Joplin | 1971 | 'A Woman Left Lonely’ is written by Dan Penn, Spooner Oldham and recorded at Sunset Sound Studios (Los Angeles, CA) on 5 September 1970 and first released on the vinyl album "Pearl" (side 1 track 3) Columbia KC-3022. I am a big Janis Joplin fan and if you are interested in this wonderful artist that died too young, I suggest to visit https://www.janisjoplin.net/ |
| 2 delicate | Stand By My Woman | Lenny Kravitz | 1991 | "Stand by My Woman" is a song recorded by American singer Lenny Kravitz and released on September 2, 1991, as the fourth single from his second studio album In 1974, at the age of 10, Kravitz relocated to Los Angeles with his parents when his mother landed her role on The Jeffersons. Kravitz attended Beverly Hills High School, where he was classmates with Maria McKee, Nicolas Cage, and Slash. |
| 2 delicate | Show Me Heaven | Maria McKee | 1990 | Maria Luisa McKee (born August 17, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter. She is best known for her work with Lone Justice and her 1990 song "Show Me Heaven", for which she (re-)wrote the lyrics and which appeared on the soundtrack to the film Days of Thunder. |
| 2 delicate | So Far Away | Carole King | 1971 | “So Far Away” is a song written by Carole King, which appeared on her 1971 album Tapestry. The recording features James Taylor on acoustic guitar released in March 1971. The Troubadour in West Hollywood was the first venue that King and Taylor played together in November 1970. |
| 2 delicate | Amoureuse | Véronique Sanson | 1972 | Véronique Sanson became one of the first French female singer-songwriters to break into stardom with her debut album "Amoureuse" in 1972, produced by Michel Berger. She became one of the most successful and most prominent members of the Seventies "Nouvelle chanson française" ("New French chanson"). Françoise Hardy declared that the release of Amoureuse marked the end of the Yé-yé era, as she confessed "When I first heard Amoureuse, I had the impression that every female singer, including myself, was left far behind". Sanson was romantically involved with French singer-songwriter Michel Berger from 1967 to 1972. Their love story has become a part of French music legend, especially through songs they wrote to each other long after they broke up. From 1973 to 1979 she was married to American rock musician Stephen Stills. |
| 2 delicate | Message Personnel | Françoise Hardy | 1973 | “Message personnel" is a song by Françoise Hardy from 1973. Around 1972, Hardy contacted songwriter and producer Michel Berger with the intention of working with him, after being impressed by his work with Véronique Sanson. Berger agreed to produce and arrange her following album, but was unable to write all of its music owing to other obligations. He wrote two of the record's twelve songs of which "Message personnel" with Françoise Hardy: Title of the song and words of the spoken part and Michel Berger: Lyrics and music of the sung part. |
| 2 delicate | Evidemment | France Gall | 1988 | “Evidemment” written by France Gall's husband Michel Berger, is a tribute to Daniel Balavoine who was a close friend of the couple and who died about two years earlier. It was released in March 1988. Daniel Balavoine died in a helicopter crash on 14 January 1986 in Mali together with Thierry Sabine, founder and main organizer of the Dakar Rally. |
| 2 delicate | One day I'll Fly Away | Randy Crawford | 1980 | "One Day I'll Fly Away" is a song performed by American R&B and jazz singer Randy Crawford, released in 1980. "One Day I'll Fly Away" was written by Joe Sample and Will Jennings, and produced by Sample, Wilton Felder and Stix Hooper. The main hook (in which the singer sings the title of the song) is itself an interpolation of Tchaikovsky's Waltz of the Flowers from his ballet, The Nutcracker. |
| 2 delicate | Old and Wise | The Alan Parsons Project | 1982 | "Old and Wise" is a 1982 song by the Alan Parsons Project with the lead vocal performed by ‘Wonderful’ Colin Blunstone. This melancholic song about reconciliation and forgiveness can be interpreted in many ways. Alan Parsons wrote this song with his partner in the group, Eric Woolfson. The song is about a man approaching death, addressing those he knew with fond remembrance, as he now has no time for bitter memories. Zombies lead singer Colin Blunstone sings lead. Writer Eric Woolfson presented "Old and Wise" to Colin Blunstone in the Abbey Road Studio Three, where The Zombies recorded "Time of the Season." |
| 2 delicate | Time Of The Season | The Zombies | 1968 | Iconic British psychedelic pop legends The Zombies ironically broke-up just prior to achieving their greatest success – the worldwide chart-topping single “Time of the Season,” from their swan-song album Odessey & Oracle. The Zombies keyboard player Rod Argent wrote this song. The lyric "Who's your daddy?" in "Time of the Season" is a little nod to "Summertime" ("Your daddy's rich and your mama's good looking."). |
| 2 delicate | Wonderful | Colin Blunstone | 1974 | “Wonderful” is written by The Zombies members Chris White and Rod Argent. After “The Zombies” disbanded in 1968, lead singer Colin Blunstone had taken a job in insurance and launched a solo career. |
| 2 delicate | How Can I Tell You | Cat Stevens | 1971 | “How Can I Tell You” is one of the best love songs ever written and sung by Cat Stevens on his 1971 album ‘Teaser and the Firecat’. Stevens actually did not play guitar on the album recording. According to his producer Paul Samwell-Smith, the studio session was set up with “two stereo acoustic guitars put down first, Andy Roberts on one, Alun Davies on the other, [Cat] singing as an overdub later.” Cat Stevens, who later in life changed his name to Yusuf Islam (21 July 1948) is a singer songwriter from England. Tea For The Tillerman’s 1971 follow-up Teaser And The Firecat surpassed its predecessor’s sales at the time. |
| delicate3 | Listen to the radio | Tom Robinson Band | 1983 | Tom Robinson’s autobiographical "Listen To The Radio" was co-written with Peter Gabriel. |
| delicate3 | Wish You Were Here | Pink Floyd | 1975 | "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd was written by songwriters Roger Waters and David Gilmour, inspired by founding member Syd Barrett’s ordeal with schizophrenia. The sound coming from an AM radio somewhere in the distance represents the distance between the listener and the music. "Wish You Were Here" is the title track to Pink Floyd's ninth album, their follow-up to The Dark Side Of The Moon. |
| delicate3 | Don't give up (ft. Kate Bush) | Peter Gabriel | 1985 | A newspaper article about a woman killing her child and herself, depression and a nervous breakdown inspired Peter Gabriel to write this song, released in 1986. |
| delicate3 | Fix You | Coldplay | 2005 | This song deals with true love, helping someone in your time of need, and learning from your mistakes. According to Gwyneth Paltrow, she was the one Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin was trying to help fix. Paltrow met Martin in 2002 just a few weeks after her father, the actor Bruce Paltrow, passed away. When he appeared on The Howard Stern Show in 2015, she explained: "'Fix You' was about him trying to put me back together after my dad died. I think it's pretty nice." Martin and Paltrow got married in 2003 and had two children together before breaking up in 2014. |
| delicate3 | Have a Little Faith in Me | John Hiatt | 1987 | "Have a Little Faith in Me" is a song written and performed by John Hiatt that appears on his 1987 album Bring the Family. The song was the first song written by Hiatt following his sobriety from drugs and alcohol, which had contributed to his marriage breakdown and his being released by former record labels. Hiatt's original attempt at recording the song took place at a friend's studio and included a larger instrument accompaniment. However, the recording was plagued by technical issues. The morning after, Hiatt was informed that his estranged wife had committed suicide. Hiatt attributes the technical problems with the original recording as a sign that the song was not meant to be heard that way, and he eventually released the song with a much simpler piano accompaniment. |
| delicate3 | Eres mi religión | Maná | 2002 | “Eres Mi Religion” is a timeless love anthem about finding your soul mate and being devoted to them. |
| delicate3 | Lean On Me | Bill Withers | 1972 | "Lean on Me" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Bill Withers. It was released in April 1972. Bill Withers' childhood in the coal mining town of Slab Fork, West Virginia, was the inspiration for "Lean on Me", which he wrote after he had moved to Los Angeles and found himself missing the strong community ethic of his hometown. He had lived in a decrepit house in the poor section of his town. |
| delicate3 | All By Myself | Eric Carmen | 1975 | "All By Myself" written and performed by Eric Carmen is among the most-played songs in U.S. pop history. Eric Carmen was inspired by by Leonard Bernstein’s "West Side Story" and The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night" to kick-off his career. |
| delicate3 | Hello | ADELE | 2015 | “Hello" was written by Adele and Greg Kurstin and produced by Kurstin, who also played bass, guitar, drums, piano and keyboards, while Adele played drums. |
| delicate3 | Holding Back The Years | Simply Red | 1985 | Simply Red is fronted by singer-songwriter Mick Hucknall ("Red" was his nickname because of his red hair). Hucknall didn't realize what the song was about until he'd finished it. "It's about that moment where you know you have to leave home and make your mark, but the outside world is scary," he explained. "So you're holding back the years." |
| delicate3 | Lazarus | David Bowie | 2015 | The title song from David Bowies musical Lazarus taken from the album Blackstar. The show opened in New York in December 2015, and was a sequel to his cult classic movie The Man Who Fell to Earth where he played the lead Thomas Jerome Newton. Speaking to the New York Times, the musical's director Ivo van Hove said: "Lazarus focuses on Newton as he remains on Earth, a man unable to die, his head soaked in cheap gin, and haunted by a past love.". The song took on new meaning after Bowie passed away on January 10, 2016, two days after the Blackstar album was released. |
| delicate3 | Chère amie (Toutes mes excuses) | Marc Lavoine en duo avec Françoise Hardy | 2007 | Marc Lavoine wrote and released “Chère amie (Toutes mes excuses)” first in 1990 and recorded a duet with Fançoise Hardy in 2007. |
| delicate3 | When a Blind Man Cries | Deep Purple | 1972 | “When a Blind Man Cries” by Deep Purple was initially recorded during the Machine Head sessions in December 1971 in Montreux, Switzerland during a short break from touring. |
| delicate3 | U-Turn (Lili) | AaRON | 2007 | AaRON (acronym for Artificial Animals Riding on Neverland) is a French musical duo made up of Olivier Coursier and lead vocalist Simon Buret. “U-Turn (Lili)”, which was released in 2007, is their debut single and in a way most-successful one. This song also made its way onto the soundtrack of Je Vais Bien, Ne T’en Fais Pas (aka “Don’t Worry, I’m Fine”), the 2006 French movie starring Mélanie Laurent. |
| delicate3 | You do something to me | Paul Weller | 1995 | Paul Weller commented on this song “This definitely strikes a chord in people’s hearts, a song for lovers. I’m told by some many people they had it played at their wedding, the first dance…Ironically, it’s really about unattainable love. But you can interpret it whichever way you want.” |
| delicate3 | The Blower's Daughter | Damien Rice | 2001 | The ballad “The Blower's Daughter” is written and performed by Irish musician Damien Rice, most likely inspired by Irish singer Lisa Hannigan, who features in the song and was in a relationship with Rice until 2007. |
| delicate3 | Here's to Love | Jasper Steverlinck | 2017 | “Here's to Love” is written, composed and performed by Jasper Steverlinck in 2017. Jasper Steverlinck (born 30 April 1976) is a Belgian Flemish singer and guitarist for Ghent-based Arid. |
| delicate3 | Che vuole questa musica stasera | Peppino Gagliardi | 1967 | Gaetano Amendola, Neapolitan lyricist, who often wrote with Peppino Gagliardi with whom he wrote many successes, like “Che vuole questa musica stasera”. Giuseppe Gagliardi was born in Naples on May 25, 1940 and died August 9, 2023. "Che vuole questa musica stasera" (Who wants this music tonight) is part of the original soundtrack of Scent of a Woman (Italian: Profumo di donna) in 1974 and the 2015 movie "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." |
| delicate3 | La Solitudine | Laura Pausini | 1993 | "La solitudine" ("The Loneliness") is an Italian ballad recorded by pop singer Laura Pausini released as her debut single in February 1993. The lyrics to the Italian version of the song where are about a boy named Marco, who is separated from his girlfriend at the urging of his family and sent to live far away from her. The now former girlfriend makes an emotional and heartfelt plea, singing to him about the loneliness and pain they would feel without each other. In 1994 Pausini released a Spanish-language version of the song, titled "La soledad" and an English-language version, adapted by Tim Rice, titled "La solitudine (Loneliness)" in 1995. |
| delicate3 | Perfidia | María Dolores Pradera | 2006 | "Perfidia" (Spanish for "perfidy", meaning faithlessness, treachery or betrayal) is a 1939 Spanish-language song written by Mexican composer and arranger Alberto Domínguez (1906–1975) from the perspective of a man whose lover has left him. The song has also been recorded in English (with lyrics by Milton Leeds) and as an instrumental. Dame María Dolores Fernández Pradera (29 August 1924 – 28 May 2018) was a Spanish melodic singer and actress, and one of the most famous voices in Spain and Latin America. Pradera recorded the song in 2006 with Los Sabandeños Spanish folk band from Tenerife, Canary Islands, founded in the sixties by a group of friends at the university of La Laguna. |
| delicate3 | Delicate (Feat. Des'ree) | Terence Trent D'Arby | 1993 | "Delicate" is a song by American singer-songwriter Terence Trent D'Arby (born Terence Trent Howard; March 15, 1962) featuring English singer Des'ree, released on June 7, 1993 |
| libido II | Don't Stop Me Now | Queen | 1979 | “Don’t Stop Me Now” is written by lead singer Freddie Mercury, it was recorded in August 1978 at Super Bear Studios in Berre-les-Alpes (Alpes-Maritimes), France. The band felt they were "getting better at having a good time" and the lyrics reflect this. |
| libido II | I'm So Excited | The Pointer Sisters | 1982 | I'm So Excited was written and recorded by The Pointer Sisters with lead vocals by Anita Pointer. Anita Pointer died from cancer at her home in Beverly Hills, California, on December 31, 2022, aged 74 |
| libido II | Paradise By the Dashboard Light | Meat Loaf | 1977 | "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" is a song written by Jim Steinman. It was released in 1977 on the album Bat Out of Hell, with vocals by the American musician Meat Loaf alongside Ellen Foley. The baseball play-by-play section, written specifically for New York Yankees announcer Phil Rizzuto. According to Meat Loaf on VH1 Storytellers, the original length of the track was to be 27 minutes. |
| libido II | Half a Boy, Half a Man | Nick Lowe | 1984 | "Half a Boy, Half a Man." was written and performed by British rocker Nick Lowe with nods to Tex-Mex music and released in 1984. |
| libido II | You Shook Me All Night Long | AC/DC | 1980 | "You Shook Me All Night Long" is a song by Australian hard rock band AC/DC,written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson and likely also by Bon Scott. |
| libido II | Sexy M.F. | Prince & The New Power Generation | 1992 | "Sexy MF" is a song by American musician Prince and the New Power Generation, released as a single from their 1992 album Love Symbol. The music and most of the lyrics were composed by Prince, while Levi Seacer Jr. came up with the chorus and the song's title. Tony M. also delivers a rap, which he wrote. |
| libido II | Sexy Cinderella (C&J Remix) | Lynden David Hall | 1997 | “Sexy Cinderella” is written and performed by Lynden David Hall and released in 1997. Hall appeared in the film Love Actually in 2003 as the lead singer of the surprise band that plays the Beatles' "All You Need Is Love" at the wedding of the characters played by Keira Knightley and Chiwetel Ejiofor. |
| libido II | Redbone | Childish Gambino | 2016 | Donald McKinley Glover Jr, also known by his stage name Childish Gambino, is an American actor, comedian, singer, rapper, writer, director, and producer. The song is based on "I'd Rather Be with You" by Bootsy's Rubber Band, composed by George Clinton, Bootsy Collins and Gary "Mudbone" Cooper. Swedish producer Ludwig Göransson recorded all the instruments starting out from a drum beat that Donald Glover was playing. Glover stated that there was no vocal pitching on the song, he just sang differently. |
| libido II | King Kunta | Kendrick Lamar | 2015 | "King Kunta" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kendrick Lamar co-written with Thundercat. "King Kunta" is a reference to Kunta Kinte a young man taken from The Gambia when he was seventeen and sold as a slave. |
| libido II | I Want Your Sex | George Michael | 1987 | Part 1 of "I Want Your Sex" was recorded and written entirely in the studio by George Michael playing all the instruments: a LinnDrum, a Roland Juno-106 and a Yamaha DX7. |
| libido II | Justify my love | Madonna | 1990 | "Justify My Love" was written by singer and songwriter Ingrid Chavez as a love letter dedicated to Kravitz, who was having an affair with her at the time. It features spoken word vocals by Madonna and Kravitz's "moans" on background vocals. |
| libido II | Love To Love You Baby | Donna Summer | 1975 | Donna Summer suggested the lyric "Love to Love You Baby" to Giorgio Moroder who turned it into a full disco song. The album version is 16:49 (album version) |
| libido II | Sexual Healing | Marvin Gaye | 1982 | Marvin Gaye wrote his comeback song, "Sexual Healing", while residing in Oostende, Belgium in 1981 together with two of of his musicians, Gordon Banks and Odell Brown, |
| libido II | Sex Bomb | Tom Jones | 1999 | "Sex Bomb" is a song by Welsh singer Tom Jones. Performed in collaboration with German DJ and record producer Mousse T. |
| libido II | Sex Machine | James Brown | 1970 | “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine (Part 1)” centres on the insistent riff played by brothers Bootsy and Catfish Collins on bass and guitar and Jabo Starks on drums, along with the call and response interplay between Brown and Bobby Byrd's vocals. During the song's final vocal passages Brown and Byrd started to sing the main hook of Elmore James' blues classic "Shake Your Moneymaker." |
| libido II | Hot Stuff | The Rolling Stones | 1976 | The Rolling Stones’ "Hot Stuff" written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, features Ollie E. Brown on percussion and guest guitarist Harvey Mandel (providing the lead guitar solo throughout), formerly of Canned Heat. Lead Electric Guitar: Harvey Mandel, Electric Guitar Riffs: Keith Richards, Bass: Bill Wyman, Drums: Charlie Watts and Piano: Billy Preston |
| libido II | You Sexy Thing | Hot Chocolate | 1975 | "You Sexy Thing" is a song by British band Hot Chocolate, written by lead singer Errol Brown and bass guitarist Tony Wilson. Initially the b-side of their single "Blue Night", it was re-released as a-side a few months later. It featured in the 1997 British film The Full Monty, as well as Tom Jones’ cover of "You Can Leave Your Hat On" |
| libido II | You Can Leave Your Hat On | Joe Cocker | 1986 | "You Can Leave Your Hat On" is a song written by Randy Newman. Joe Cocker recorded "You Can Leave Your Hat On" in 1986. It featured in the 1986 American movie 9½ Weeks. |
| libido II | A Far L'amore Comincia Tu | Raffaella Carrà | 1976 | ¡Señoras y señores! La hora de… Raffaella Carrà "A far l'amore comincia tu" ("You start making love first") is a song by Italian singer Raffaella Carrà, written by Franco Bracardi and Daniele Pace. |
| libido II | Je t'aime… moi non plus | Serge Gainsbourg | 1967 | "Je t'aime… moi non plus" (French for "I love you… me neither") is a 1967 song written by Serge Gainsbourg for and with his girlfriend, Brigitte Bardot released in 1986. The title was inspired by a Salvador Dalí comment: "Picasso is Spanish, me too. Picasso is a genius, me too. Picasso is a communist, me neither". The best known version with Jane Birkin was released in 1969, labeled "Interdit aux moins de 21 ans" (forbidden to those under 21) and could not be aired before 11 pm in France. It was banned from radio in Spain, Sweden, Brazil, the UK, Italy. |
| eclectic one | Malamente | Rosalía | 2018 | "Malamente" or "Badly" was written and recorded at the CasArte on the island of El Hierro, Canary Islands, Spain and talks about a toxic relationship and how the woman knew that something wrong was going to happen in her life. |
| eclectic one | The Fear | Lily Allen | 2008 | Allen wrote and recorded the song with Greg Kurstin in a cottage located in Moreton-in-Marsh (within the Cotswolds district and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Gloucestershire, England.) in 2007. |
| eclectic one | La Loi de Murphy | Angèle | 2017 | "La Loi de Murphy" was written by Angèle with Belgian rapper Veence Hanao and Matthew Irons, the singer and guitarist of Belgian group Puggy. Angèle van Laeken was born on 3 December 1995, in Uccle, Brussels-Capital Region. Angèle is the daughter of the singer Marka and of the actress Laurence Bibot. Her brother is the rapper Roméo Elvis. |
| eclectic one | One More Night | Michael Kiwanuka | 2016 | Michael Kiwanuka is a singer-songwriter from Muswell Hill, London. Kiwanuka stated “I’ve been marketed as a Black soul singer, which is perhaps what I am. But I don’t feel like that. In my head, where I grew up, I was more used to middle-class white England. That’s what I’ve been around all my life. Also, the fact no Black people were coming to my gigs made me realize we’re more segregated than we think. Even in the kinds of music we listen to.” |
| eclectic one | Hey Brother (Do Unto Others) | The Family Daptone | 2019 | Hey Brother (Do Unto Others) features Antibalas, The Frightnrs, Charles Bradley, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, The James Hunter Six, Lee Fields & Saun & Starr. This track is Daptone’s 100th 45rpm release and a tribute to the tragic loss of singer DAN KLEIN from ‘The FRIGHTNRS’ to ALS. ‘Hey Brother’ is a song written and originally performed by The FRIGHTNRS. |
| eclectic one | Next to Me | Emeli Sandé | 2012 | Whether her morally righteous right-hand man and mysterious entity is a lover, her faith or the music itself is never clarified. Scottish singer songwriter Emeli Sandé got married with marine biologist Adam Gouraguine in his home nation of Montenegro on 15 September 2012. Ten years later, in September 2022, Emeli Sandé announced her engagement to female classical pianist Yoana Karemova. |
| eclectic one | Stop This Flame | Celeste | 2020 | “Stop This Flame” was written by Celeste and Jamie Hartman, former lead of Ben’s Brother. The song samples Nina Simone's version of "Sinnerman" and Nina Simone is credited as a co-author. |
| eclectic one | Sinnerman (Felix Da Housecat's Heavenly House Mix) | Nina Simone | 2003 | "Sinnerman" is an African American traditional spiritual song. Nina Simone recorded an extended 10-minute-plus version in 1965 which was credited as "Arranged by Nina Simone". American DJ Felix da Housecat sampled it for Verve Record's in 2003 and in 2020 Celeste track "Stop This Flame" also sample the song. |
| eclectic one | Feeling Alright | Joe Cocker | 1969 | "Feeling Alright", written by Dave Mason of the English rock band Traffic in 1968. Joe Cocker released his version as a single in 1969. |
| eclectic one | Save room | John Legend | 2006 | John Legend released"Save Room" in 2006, which he co-wrote with will.i.am. |
| eclectic one | Out Of Reach | Gabrielle | 2001 | "Out of Reach" is written and performed by English singer Gabrielle for the 2001 romantic comedy film Bridget Jones's Diary. The London Session Orchestra provides the string instruments on the track. |
| eclectic one | All Around The World | Lisa Stansfield | 1989 | Lisa Stansfield co-wrote the lyrics of "All Around the World" with her former bandmates Ian Devaney and Andy Morris from Blue Zone. The song is largely influenced by American singer-songwriter Barry White. As a tribute to him, they made a spoken intro on "All Around the World" like the one on the album version of White's "Let the Music Play", only shorter. |
| eclectic one | Let The Music Play | Barry White | 1975 | "Let the Music Play" written and performed by Barry White, which was actually an outtake from his previous album Just Another Way to Say I Love You and became the title song of his 1976 album. |
| eclectic one | I Can Hear Music | The Beach Boys | 1969 | "I Can Hear Music" was written and composed by the trio Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector for the Ronettes (credited as The Ronettes Featuring Veronica) in 1966. It was covered by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released on their 1969 album 20/20 with Carl Wilson on lead vocals. Brian Wilson, a Ronettes fan, wrote the 1964 hit "Don't Worry Baby" as a response to the Ronettes 1964 hit "Be My Baby". |
| eclectic one | Be My Baby | The Ronettes | 1964 | Another song written and composed by the trio Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich and Phil Spector. The Ronettes' lead singer Veronica Bennett (later known as Ronnie Spector) is the only Ronette on "Be My Baby", their biggest hit. Phil Spector produced "Be My Baby" at Gold Star Studios with his de facto house band, later known as "the Wrecking Crew". Sonny Bono and Cher were among the backing vocalists. |
| eclectic one | I Got You Babe | Sonny & Cher | 1965 | "I Got You Babe" became Sonny and Cher’s biggest single, their signature song, and a defining recording of the early hippie countercultural movement Sonny Bono, a songwriter and record producer for Phil Spector, wrote the lyrics and composed the music of the song for himself and his then-wife, Cher, late at night in their basement. The session musicians The Wrecking Crew performed the instrumental track. Recalling Dylan's bitter 1964 song "It Ain't Me Babe" (soon to be a folk-rock hit for the Turtles), Bono wrote his own opposite sentiment: "I Got You Babe." |
| eclectic one | It Ain't Me, Babe (ft. June Carter Cash) | Johnny Cash | 1965 | Country artist Johnny Cash covered Bob Dylan’s song ‘It Ain't Me, Babe’ as a duet with his (future) wife June Carter. Dylan owes its inspiration to his former girlfriend Suze Rotolo. The refrain "no, no, no, it ain't me babe" is a call-back to the Beatles' "she loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah," as heard on their song "She Loves You." This was one of the songs given an electric arrangement by Dylan when he started the electric guitar concerts in 1965. |
| eclectic one | She Loves You | The Beatles | 1963 | Lennon and McCartney started composing "She Loves You" on 26 June 1963 after a concert at the Majestic Ballroom in Newcastle upon Tyne during their tour with Roy Orbison and Gerry and the Pacemakers. Lennon, being mindful of Elvis Presley's "All Shook Up", wanted something equally stirring: "I don't know where the 'yeah yeah yeah' came from [but] I remember when Elvis did 'All Shook Up' it was the first time in my life that I had heard 'uh huh', 'oh yeah', and 'yeah yeah' all sung in the same song" |
| eclectic one | All Shook Up | Elvis Presley | 1957 | “All Shook Up” by Elvis Presley from 1957 is credited to Otis Blackwell and Elvis Presley. The duet vocal on the record is by The Jordanaires first tenor Gordon Stoker. |
| eclectic one | Crying | Don Mclean | 1978 | "Crying" is a song written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson and covered in 1978 by Don McLean, with backing vocals from The Jordanaires. |
| eclectic one | You Got It | Roy Orbison | 1989 | "You Got It" was written by Orbison and his Traveling Wilburys bandmates Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty. Orbison gave his only public rendition of the hit at the Diamond Awards Festival in Antwerp, Belgium, on November 19, 1988, just 17 days before his death and before the single was released. |
| eclectic one | She's My Baby | Traveling Wilburys | 1990 | The Traveling Wilburys were a British-American supergroup consisting of Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty. Following Orbison's death in December 1988, the Wilburys continued as a quartet and released a second album, titled Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3, in 1990. The opening song “She's My Baby” was written by all four members of the band – George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan and Tom Petty – and each of them sing a portion of the track. |
| eclectic one | Rock 'N Roll Is King | Electric Light Orchestra | 1983 | "Rock 'n' Roll Is King" is a song written by Jeff Lynne and performed by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) released as a single from the 1983 album Secret Messages. With this song the band returned to their rock roots. It features a violin solo by Mik Kaminski. |
| disco | Celebration | Kool & The Gang | 1980 | Kool & the Gang's co-founder and sax player Ronald Bell, also known as Khalis Bayyan, was inspired by his religious study, reading the Q'uran passage where God was creating Adam, and the angels were celebrating and singing praises: “'Everyone around the world, come on, celebration"” |
| disco | Boogie Wonderland (ft. The Emotions) | Earth, Wind & Fire | 1978 | Earth, Wind & Fire’s song “Boogie Wonderland” teamed up with the talented vocal group the Emotions puts every wannabe disco queen or king in the spotlight at parties or discos. Co-writer Allee Willis was known for hosting spectacular parties at her home just outside Hollywood. |
| disco | Alexandrie Alexandra | Claude François | 1978 | In “Alexandrie Alexandra”, French musician Claude François refers to Egypt where he was born in 1939. While the initial song version had appeared on his album ‘Magnolias for Ever’ in 1977, the single version was released on the day of his funeral in March 1978. Claude François had met Tamla Motown artist Lamont Dozier, who had played the intro of “Going Back to My Roots”, which inspired him to write the melody for “Alexandrie Alexandra”. |
| disco | Going Back to My Roots | Odyssey | 1981 | "Going Back to My Roots" is a 1977 song by Lamont Dozier. Dozier, after moving to Los Angeles, found himself taking trips to Detroit, where he had his ‘roots’, to see his family and so on.” New York City disco group Odyssey released a cover version of this song in 1981. |
| disco | Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You | Boys Town Gang | 1982 | "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" is a 1967 song written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio, and first recorded and released as a single by Gaudio's Four Seasons bandmate Frankie Valli. In 1982, San Francisco-based post-disco band Boys Town Gang released a dance version of the song. |
| disco | Do You Wanna Funk (ft. Patrick Cowley) | Sylvester | 1982 | "Do Ya Wanna Funk" is a 1982 dance song recorded by American recording artists Sylvester and Patrick Cowley. It was produced by Cowley, who incidentally died the same year. The song was inspired by "I'm Your Jeanie", a single by Jeanie Tracy, who was a background vocalist for Sylvester. |
| disco | Disco Samba | Two Man Sound | 1977 | Two Man Sound was a Belgian pop trio of the 1970s with Lou Deprijck, Sylvain Vanholme (formerly of Wallace Collection) and Yvan Lacomblez. Their style combined the disco music typical of the era with samba and bossa nova. The medley of Brazilian pop songs "Disco Samba" is one of their signature hits released in 1977. Band members Lacomblez and Deprijck were also record producers and songwriters. |
| disco | Dance Classics -The Mix- | Ben Liebrand | 1989 | Ben Liebrand was a pioneer of mixing and remixing for the dance floor and experimented with all forms of signal processing including pitch-transpose to match the song key back in 1983, filtered tracks and reed relay triggered samples. In 1986 Ben started to make remixes in a tempo other than the original songs tempo. |
| disco | Disco Inferno | The Trammps | 1976 | The song was originally recorded by the Trammps in 1976 and released as a single. It was supposedly inspired by a scene in the 1974 blockbuster film The Towering Inferno. The nearly 11 minute album version was included on the soundtrack to the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever. |
| disco | You Should Be Dancing | Bee Gees | 1976 | “You Should Be Dancing”, written and performed by the brothers Gib in 1976, is also one of six songs performed by the Bee Gees included in the Saturday Night Fever movie soundtrack which came out a year later. |
| disco | You're The First, The Last, My Everything | Barry White | 1974 | Barry White recorded and produced the song. Peter Radcliffe originally wrote the track as a country song with the title "You're My First, You're My Last, My In-Between", which went unrecorded for 21 years. |
| disco | Its Raining Men | The Weather Girls | 1982 | The Weather Girls are an American female duo whose best-known line-up comprised Martha Wash and Izora Armstead. Formed in 1976 in San Francisco, California, Wash and Armstead began their musical careers as Two Tons O' Fun, the female backup duo for disco singer Sylvester. Paul Jabara and Paul Shaffer wrote the song over the course of one afternoon in 1979, intending it for Donna Summer, who had scored a hit with "Last Dance" (1978). However, as Shaffer later recalled, Summer had recently become a born-again Christian and rejected the song as "blasphemous". The song was then offered to Diana Ross, Cher, and Barbra Streisand, all of whom declined it. |
| disco | You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) | Sylvester | 1978 | The song was originally recorded as a mid-tempo piano-driven gospel song; however, after producer Patrick Cowley saw a rehearsal of the song at San Francisco's City Club, he offered to remix the song, following closely on "I Feel Love" by Donna Summer which heavily used electronic instrumentation ahead of its time. |
| disco | Born To Be Alive | Patrick Hernandez | 1978 | Belgian producer Jean Vanloo recycled “Born to be alive”, originally a song of ‘Paris Palace Hôtel’, engaged French singer Patrick Hernandez and suggested to match it to the tempo of Sylvester’s ‘You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)’. |
| disco | Cuba | Gibson Brothers | 1978 | "Cuba" is a 1978 song by French musical group Gibson Brothers. It was written and produced by Daniel Vangarde, and the Belgian producer Jean Kluger. Vangarde is the father of Thomas Bangalter, who is best known as a member of the electronic music duo Daft Punk. He is credited with aiding the duo in their early musical career |
| disco | Singing In The Rain | Sheila & The Black Devotion | 1977 | The French Yé-yé artist Sheila (born Annie Chancel in Créteil, France on August 16, 1945) changed her image when she formed Sheila and B. Devotion (also credited as "Sheila B. Devotion", "Sheila and the Black Devotion" or "S.B. Devotion") in 1977. |
| disco | We Are Family | Sister Sledge | 1979 | "We Are Family" was the first song that Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards wrote for any act other than their own band Chic. The chorus (and therefore the title) makes reference to the fact that the group are the four sisters of a family. The lead vocals were recorded in a single take by then-19-year-old Kathy Sledge |
| disco | Le Freak | Chic | 1978 | This song commemorates Studio 54 in New York City for its notoriously long customer waiting lines, exclusive clientele, and discourteous doormen. The refrain went from originally "Fuck off!" to "freak off" to eventually "Freak out!", referring to the doormen’s words when guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards' were refused entrance during New Year's Eve 1977. |
| disco | I Will Survive | Gloria Gaynor | 1978 | “I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor was initially released as the B-side to "Substitute". Co-writer Dino Fekaris,found inspiration in his experience getting fired by Motown Records in the mid-1970s after seven years working there as a staff writer. |
| disco | Dancing Queen | ABBA | 1976 | With ‘Dancing Queen’, ABBA made an Europop version of the dominating American disco music, replicating Phil Spector's Wall of Sound arrangements. Benny Andersson Björn Ulvaeus cited George McCrae's "Rock Your Baby" as a source of inspiration for the style of the song. |
| disco | Rock Your Baby | George McCrae | 1974 | "Rock Your Baby" is the debut single by George McCrae. Written and produced by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch of KC and the Sunshine Band, "Rock Your Baby" was one of the landmark recordings of early disco music, with Casey on keyboards and Finch on bass and drums. John Lennon admitted to using the song as an inspiration for the chord progression of "Whatever Gets You thru the Night", released a few months later. |
| disco | Queen of Clubs | KC And The Sunshine Band | 1974 | KC and the Sunshine Band’s hit "Queen of Clubs" features uncredited vocals by George McCrae and Jimmy "Bo" Horne The band took its name from lead vocalist Harry Wayne Casey's last name ('KC') and the 'Sunshine Band' from KC's home state of Florida, the Sunshine State. |
| disco | Dance Across The Floor | Jimmy "Bo" Horne | 1978 | Jimmy "Bo" Horne's (born Jimmie Horace Horne Jr. on September 28, 1949) biggest hit was "Dance Across the Floor", released in 1978, which was written and produced by Harry Wayne Casey of KC and the Sunshine Band. |
| disco | Funkytown | Lipps Inc. | 1980 | In 1980 Lipps Inc. put disco’s funeral on hold and proclaimed “Disco lives in Funkytown,” Lipps. Inc. merged the sounds of disco, new-wave pop and old rhythm and blues staples to create a crossover hit that knew no musical, racial or gender barriers. |
| fall | I Don't Like Mondays | Boom Town Rats | 1979 | "I Don't Like Mondays" is a song by Irish new wave group the Boomtown Rats about the Cleveland Elementary School shooting in San Diego. Geldof had been contacted by Steve Jobs to play a gig for Apple, inspiring the opening line about a "silicon chip". His paternal grandfather, Zenon Geldof, was a Belgian immigrant. |
| fall | Monday, Monday | The Mamas & The Papas | 1966 | "Monday, Monday" is a 1966 song written by John Phillips and recorded by the Mamas & the Papas with members of the Wrecking Crew (a loose collective of Los Angeles–based session musicians). |
| fall | For What It's Worth | Buffalo Springfield | 1966 | "For What It's Worth (Stop, Hey What's That Sound)" (often referred to as simply "For What It's Worth") by Buffalo Springfield is written by Stephen Stills and recorded on December 5, 1966. Stephen Stills was inspired to write the song because of the Sunset Strip curfew riots in Los Angeles in November 1966, a series of early counterculture-era clashes that took place between police and young people on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, California. Buffalo Springfield had become the house band at the Whisky a Go Go in 1966. |
| fall | Love Street | The Doors | 1968 | The song was originally a poem written by singer Jim Morrison about the street in the Laurel Canyon section of Los Angeles, California, where he lived with his girlfriend Pamela Courson and watched hippies pass by. Morrison died unexpectedly in a Paris apartment at the age of 27. They were the house band (starting from May 1966) of the Whisky a Go Go (informally nicknamed The Whisky) a historic nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States. |
| fall | Who'll Stop The Rain | Creedence Clearwater Revival | 1970 | "Who'll Stop the Rain" is a song written by John Fogerty and originally recorded by Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1970. It is inspired by the Woodstock Festival in August 1969. |
| fall | Have You Ever Seen The Rain | Rod Stewart | 2006 | 'Have You Ever Seen The Rain’ written in 1970 by John Cameron Fogerty is about rising tension within CCR and the imminent departure of his brother Tom from the band, when they were on the top of the charts, and had surpassed all of their wildest expectations of fame and fortune. They were rich and famous, but somehow all of the members of the band at the time were depressed and unhappy. |
| fall | It's Raining Again | Supertramp | 1982 | Written by founders and band members Rick Davies, Roger Hodgson, “It’s raining again’. Feeling sad about a lost friend on a rainy day inspired writer Roger Hodgson. |
| fall | Feels Like Rain (ft. Bonnie Raitt) | Buddy Guy | 1993 | Feels Like Rain is the title song of the 1993 album by Buddy Guy. The is written by John Hiatt and features Bonnie Raitt. |
| fall | Take Me To The River | Talking Heads | 1978 | Written by singer Al Green and guitarist Mabon "Teenie" Hodges in 1974 and covered in many ways by different artists.The American band Talking Heads covered it on their second album in 1978 with the rhythm section composed of bassist Tina Weymouth and drummer Chris Frantz. Byrne, Frantz and Weymouth met as freshman students at the Rhode Island School of Design, where they formed a band called the Artistics and later moved to New York where they formed Talking Heads. |
| fall | Genius of Love | Tom Tom Club | 1981 | “Genius of Love" is credited to songwriters Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, guitarist Adrian Belew, and producer Steven Stanley. Weymouth sings the primary lead on "Genius of Love." Frantz plays drums and sings the song's later male vocals. Weymouth's sisters Lani and Laura feature on backing vocals. Adrian Belew is credited with guitar, Tyrone Downie with synthesizers, and Uziah "Sticky" Thompson with percussion. Although Tina Weymouth was responsible for writing the bassline and intended to play it on record, she was forced to pass on the latter task to another musician. Tom Tom Club is named after the dancehall in the Bahamas where they rehearsed for the first time. |
| fall | Foot Stompin' Music | Hamilton Bohannon | 1975 | Hamilton Frederick Bohannon moved to Detroit in the early 1960s and worked as sideman for Stevie Wonder between 1965 and 1967 and became arranger for all of Motown’s top acts. He was recruited in 1964 as drummer in 13-year-old Stevie Wonder's touring band. |
| fall | I Cannot Believe It's True | Phil Collins | 1983 | "I Cannot Believe It's True" is a song written and performed by Phil Collins. The great ‘jazz’ artist Chester Thompson plays the drums at live performances. |
| fall | How Long (Has This Been Going On) | Paul Carrack | 1974 | Although widely interpreted as being about adultery, the song was in fact composed by English band Ace lead singer Paul Carrack upon discovering that bassist Terry ("Tex") Comer had been secretly working with the Sutherland Brothers and Quiver |
| fall | Arms of Mary | Sutherland Brothers & Quiver | 1976 | The Sutherland Brothers (Gavin and Iain Sutherland) were a Scottish folk and soft rock duo. From 1973 to 1978, they performed with rock band Quiver, Ian Sutherland wrote ‘Arms of Mary’ most likely the woman he first made love to. Their first single as the Sutherland Brothers Band was under this contract and was a minor hit, "The Pie", in January 1972. Their follow-up single was "Sailing", which had much radio play but was commercially unsuccessful (it was later covered by Rod Stewart). |
| fall | Moondance | George Fame | 1996 | Written and performed by Van Morrison in 1970. Georgie Fame covered the song, featuring Van the Man and Robben Ford on guitar in 1996. Georgie Fame was born Clive Powell on June 26, 1943, in Leigh, Lancashire (near Manchester, England). In 1989, Fame played organ on Van Morrison's Avalon Sunset album, which grew into a fruitful collaboration over the course of the '90s; Fame played on all of Morrison's albums through 1997's The Healing Game, received co-billing on Morrison's 1996 jazz album ‘How Long Has This Been Going On’, and even served a stint as Morrison's musical director. In 1998, Fame split with Morrison to record and tour with former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman's new group the Rhythm Kings, contributing organ and vocals to several albums. |
| fall | Harvest Moon | Neil Young | 1992 | The song was written for his wife, Pegi Young, whom he met in the early seventies. The “harvest moon” is a metaphor for the final crop of the year, expressing the final moments of a fruitful season. Neil Young's credits on the song "Harvest Moon" include guitar, banjo-guitar, piano, pump organ, vibes, and of course his unmistakable vocals. The backing vocals include Linda Ronstadt. |
| fall | You're No Good | Linda Ronstadt | 1974 | "You're No Good" is a song written by Clint Ballard Jr., first performed by Dee Dee Warwick in 1963. Linda Ronstadt began performing "You're No Good" to close her live shows in early 1973, after her band member Kenny Edwards suggested it to her. She first included it in her setlist while opening for Neil Young. |
| fall | American Pie | Don McLean | 1971 | American Pie is written and performed by Don McLean. The repeated phrase "the day the music died" refers to a plane crash in 1959 that killed early rock and roll stars Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens, ending the era of early rock and roll; this became the popular nickname for that crash. |
| fall | That'll Be The Day | Buddy Holly | 1957 | "That'll Be the Day" is a song written by Buddy Holly and Jerry Allison. It was first recorded by Buddy Holly and the Three Tunes in 1956 and was re-recorded in 1957 by Holly and his new band, The Crickets. In June 1956, Holly along with his older brother Larry as well as Allison and Sonny Curtis went to see the film The Searchers, starring John Wayne, in which Wayne repeatedly used the phrase "that'll be the day". This line of dialogue inspired the young musicians. |
| fall | The Great Gig In The Sky | Pink Floyd | 1973 | The song features music by keyboard player Richard Wright and improvised, haunting, wordless vocals by session singer Clare Torry, who later got credited co-authorship for the song. You also hear Abbey Road Studios doorman Gerry O'Driscoll talking in the beginning of the track. Studio engineer at Abbey Road, London, Alan Parsons suggested 25-year-old songwriter and session vocalist Clare Torry, who improvised the part. Check out her live performance in 1990. |
| fall | Eye In the Sky | The Alan Parsons Project | 1982 | The song has been recorded at the Abbey Road studio in London late 1981. In 2019, Alan Parsons recorded a version in Catalan, under the title "Seré els teus ulls al camí" ("I'll be your eyes on the road"), for the CD edited by La Marató de TV3, a telethon devoted to raising funds for the research of incurable diseases. Alan’s longtime hobby has been performing magic. |
| fall | Year of the Cat | Al Stewart | 1976 | The title song of Al Stewart’s album ‘The Year of the Cat” was recorded at the Abbey Road Studios, London, England, in January 1976 and produced by Alan Parsons. Scottish artist Al Stewart wrote and recorded the song in the Vietnamese Year of the Cat. The opening line “In a morning from a Bogart movie” comes from the movie Casablanca Stewart had seen on TV. Al Stewart played at the first ever Glastonbury Festival in 1970, worked with Yoko Ono pre-Lennon and shared a London apartment with a young Paul Simon. |
| play | Les play boys | Jacques Dutronc | 1966 | Words by Jacques Lanzmann and music by Jacques Dutronc. The lyrics reflected Lanzmann’s experience as the editor of the French adult-entertainment magazine Lui. |
| play | Girls & Boys | Blur | 1994 | Damon Albarn was inspired to write the song while on holiday in Magaluf, Spain, with then-girlfriend Justine Frischmann, lead singer of Elastica. According to Albarn, the city had "really tacky Essex nightclubs" and a rampant sexual scene among visitors, with "All these blokes and all these girls meeting at the watering hole and then just copulating. There's no morality involved, I'm not saying it should or shouldn't happen." The music has a convergence of various pop and dance styles, summed up by bassist Alex James as "Disco drums, nasty guitars and Duran Duran bass." Drummer Dave Rowntree admitted that he is not playing on the track, being replaced by a drum machine he programmed. Pet Shop Boys, who provided a remix of the track for the single release |
| play | West End Girls | Pet Shop Boys | 1984 | "West End Girls" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys. Written by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, "about rough boys getting a bit of posh." The song's lyrics are concerned with class and the pressures of inner-city life which were inspired partly by T. S. Eliot's poem The Waste Land. |
| play | Glamour Boys | Living Colour | 1988 | Written by founder and guitarist Vernon Reid and produced by Mick Jagger. Lyrically, "Glamour Boys" discusses young men obsessed with aspects of high society such as clothing and parties. The chorus shouts "I ain't no glamour boy - I'm fierce!" |
| play | Boys (Summertime Love) | Sabrina | 1987 | |
| play | Boys Don't Cry | The Cure | 1979 | Written by band members Michael Dempsey, Robert Smith and Lol Tolhurst, the lyrics tell the story of a man who has given up trying to regain the love that he has lost, and tries to disguise his true emotional state. The 1999 American biographical film directed by Kimberly Peirce took its title from the song. |
| play | Big girls don't cry | The Four Seasons | 1962 | The Four Seasons’ member and songwriter Bob Gaudio picked up the line “Big girls don't cry” from Slightly Scarlet, a 1956 film noir. |
| play | Girls & Boys | Prince & The Revolution | 1986 | “Girls & Boys” is written by Prince and performed by Prince and the Revolution. The lyrics speak of characters similar to Christopher and Mary from Under the Cherry Moon, although their actions are not seen in the film. The song includes a seduction spoken by Marie France in French, as well as an early attempt by Prince to deliver a short rap. Background vocals are Wendy & Lisa, and Susannah Melvoin. |
| play | Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon | Neil Diamond | 1966 | Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon" is a song written and performed by American musician Neil Diamond. The lyrics describe a narrator romantically interested in a young woman whose friends and family disprove of him ("They never get tired of putting me down") while he urges the woman to reach her own conclusions about him ("Don't let them make up your mind"). The song enjoyed a second life when it appeared on the 1994 Pulp Fiction soundtrack, performed by rock band Urge Overkill. |
| play | He Made a Woman Out of Me | Bobbie Gentry | 1970 | Written by Dan Hill & Fred Burch and first released in December 1969 by Betty LaVette. Bobbie Gentrie covered the song on her 1970 album Fancy. |
| play | (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman | Carole King | 1971 | This "natural woman" song for Aretha Franklin is written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King in 1967. Carole King herself recorded the song for her 1971 album Tapestry. |
| play | She's Always A Woman | Billy Joel | 1978 | “She's Always A Woman”, is a love song that Billy Joel wrote for his then-wife, Elizabeth Weber. Joel has said that he was influenced by Gordon Lightfoot and his mellow acoustic guitar ballads. |
| play | Just Like a Woman | Bob Dylan | 1966 | “Just Like a Woman” is written and performed by Bob Dylan. To be noted that the key "delimitation" in the song is not between man and woman, but between woman and girl, so the issue is one "of maturity rather than gender" |
| play | What's A Woman | Vaya Con Dios | 1990 | "What's a Woman?" is a 1990 pop-rock song recorded by Belgian band Vaya Con Dios, written by Dani Klein, Dirk Schoufs and Jean-Michel Gielen. In 2006, the band re-recorded the song as a duet with Aaron Neville |
| play | It's A Man's Man's World | James Brown | 1966 | This song, written by Burt Jones and James Brown, shows the constructed superiority of men over women, who have little power in societies. It also adds up the importance of women as the world won’t mean anything if women had no existence at all. |
| play | Woman | Neneh Cherry | 1996 | “Woman” is Swedish Neneh Cherry's take on American singer James Brown's 1966 hit "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" and a tribute to femininity and its loving, caring power written by Cherry, her husband Cameron McVey, and Jonathan Sharp. Born as Neneh Mariann Karlsson in Stockholm, Sweden, the daughter of Monika "Moki" Karlsson, a Swedish painter and textile artist, and the musician Ahmadu Jah, son of a tribal chief in Sierra Leone, she took her stepfather's surname, American jazz musician, Don Cherry. Cherry also has a half-brother, musician Eagle-Eye Cherry. |
| play | Woman Is The Nigger Of The World | John Lennon | 1972 | "Woman Is the Nigger of the World" is a song by John Lennon and Yoko Ono with Elephant's Memory. The song describes women's subservience to men and misogyny across all cultures. |
| play | I'm Every Woman | Chaka Khan | 1978 | “I'm Every Woman” is written by the successful songwriting team Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson. The B-side of the single was "A Woman in a Man's World". |
| play | More Than A Woman | Bee Gees | 1978 | "More Than a Woman" is a song written and performed by the Bee Gees (Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb) for the soundtrack to the film Saturday Night Fever released in 1978. |
| play | My Man, A Sweet Man | Millie Jackson | 1972 | Written by Raeford Gerald, it drew inspiration from personal experiences and observations of relationships. She wanted to convey the highs and lows, the pain and joy, and the complexity of love through her music. |
| play | Civilized Man | Joe Cocker | 1984 | “Civilized Man” by Joe Cocker, composed by Richard Feldman and Pat Robinson, is the title song of his 1984 album. Backing vocals include Cissy Houston, mother of Whitney Houston, and the aunt of Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick. |
| play | I'm Your Man | Leonard Cohen | 1988 | Written and performed by Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, the song is a response to: “What does a woman want?”. It started off as a song called "I Cried Enough for You". |
| play | I'm A Man | Smoove | 2018 | “I'm a Man" is a song written by Steve Winwood and record producer Jimmy Miller recorded in 1967 by the Spencer Davis Group "I'm A Man" by Smoove was released in 2007 in Italy under the "Record Kicks" label. Smoove also goes by Jonathan Watson (his real name) and Ultragroove. |
| play | Hold On | Alabama Shakes | 2012 | "Hold On", written by Alabama Shakes’ lead singer and guitarist Brittany Howard, for their debut album, Boys & Girls, is a mantra offering the encouragement needed to get through life's rough patches |
| mixed blessings | What I Like About You | The Romantics | 1979 | "What I Like About You" was written by ‘The Romantics’ band members Palmar, Marinos and Skill around a guitar part by Skill. The song's "Hey, uh-huh-huh" refrain was influenced by the Yardbirds' "Over Under Sideways Down" and Chuck Berry's "Back in the U.S.A." The song's riff is slightly similar to Neil Diamond's "Cherry, Cherry", the Standells' 1966 hit "Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White", and Joe Jackson's 1979 single "I'm the Man." |
| mixed blessings | Bohemian Like You | The Dandy Warhols | 2000 | “Bohemian Like You" was written by The Dandy Warhols’ frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor inspired by a woman he saw in a car stopped at the traffic light below his apartment window and fantasize about a relationship with her. |
| mixed blessings | Two Princes | Spin Doctors | 1992 | "Two Princes" is a song by American rock group Spin Doctors, released in 1992. Spin Doctors bandleader Chris Barron takes the voice of a poor prince (must be a pretty lame kingdom) trying to convince a girl that she should marry him instead of his wealthy counterpart.The line, "I know what a prince and lover ought to be" is often misheard, either as "Princeton lover" (plausible, since Barron lived in Princeton, New Jersey) or "prison lover." |
| mixed blessings | Tainted Love | Gloria Jones | 1965 | "Tainted Love" is a song composed by Ed Cobb, formerly of American group the Four Preps, which was originally recorded by Gloria Jones in 1964. Jones re-recorded "Tainted Love" in 1976 and British synthpop duo Soft Cell in covered it in 1981. |
| mixed blessings | What'cha Gonna Do About It | Small Faces | 1965 | "Whatcha Gonna Do About It" is the debut single of the English band Small Faces, released in 1965. The melody inspiration came from Solomon Burke's hit record "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love." |
| mixed blessings | Good Thing | Fine Young Cannibals | 1989 | “Good Thing" is a song by British band Fine Young Cannibals, written by band members Roland Gift and David Steele; Jools Holland played piano on the track, noting that it was "one of the biggest selling records I've ever played on" |
| mixed blessings | Lust For Life | Iggy Pop | 1977 | “Lust For Life” by Iggy Pop is co-written and produced by David Bowie (written on a ukulele). The song is known for its opening drumbeat derived from "You Can't Hurry Love", released in July 1966 by The Supremes, and "I'm Ready for Love", released in October 1966 by Martha and the Vandellas and rhythm based on the Armed Forces Network call signal. The drumbeat has since been imitated in numerous songs, including "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" by Jet and "Selfish Jean" by Travis. |
| mixed blessings | Selfish Jean | Travis | 2007 | Travis’ Scottish frontman and songwriter Francis Healy sampled the drum intro from the Iggy Pop song "Lust For Life" on his computer and looped it to create a basic rhythm. The title of the song is a reference to The Selfish Gene, a popular science book about evolution by Richard Dawkins. The band name Travis, is named after the main character in the Wim Wenders film Paris, Texas. |
| mixed blessings | Are You Gonna Be My Girl (alternative version) | Jet | 2003 | Australian band Jet’s "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" has similarities with 1960s Motown songs "I'm Ready for Love" by Martha and the Vandellas and "You Can't Hurry Love" by the Supremes. Jet’s frontman Nic Cester said he was influenced by the stop-start structure of "My Generation" by the Who. |
| mixed blessings | My Generation (Previously Unreleased) | The Who | 1965 | 'My Generation' by the British band ‘The Who’ is about trying to find a place in society. The song is written by Pete Townshend and includes one of the most quoted—and patently rewritten—lines in rock history is "I hope I die before I get old," Roger Daltrey's angry and frustrated stutter is inspired by John Lee Hooker's "Stuttering Blues". |
| mixed blessings | Rockin' In The Free World | Neil Young | 1989 | “Rockin' In The Free World” written and performed by Canadian artist Neil Young was inspired by a statement of his band member, Frank “Poncho” Sampedro guitarist from The Restless, after a planned concert tour to the Soviet Union was not going to happen: "we'll have to keep on rockin' in the free world". |
| mixed blessings | Supernatural Superserious | R.E.M. | 2008 | "Supernatural Superserious" by R.E.M. is written by Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe. Frontman Michael Stipe considers the song, about adolescent humiliation and the kinds of things that follow you through your life, to be "one of the best things we've ever wrote." The cryptic lyrics have been compared by some critics to "Imitation Of Life." |
| mixed blessings | Mama Weer All Crazee Now | Slade | 1972 | “Mama Weer All Crazee Now” by British band Slade is written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler. Holder got the idea for the lyrics at the band's concert at Wembley Arena in London, when, after the show, he looked at the remains of the auditorium's smashed seating and thought "Christ, everyone must have been crazy tonight." |
| mixed blessings | Paradise City (ft. Fergie and Cypress Hill) | Slash | 2010 | “Paradise City” only features on the deluxe versions of the “Slash” studio album and features Fergie (former Black Eyed Peas) and American hip hop group Cypress Hill. Saul "Slash" Hudson, best known as the lead guitarist of Guns N' Roses stated about Guns N' Roses' hard rock masterpiece "Paradise City." that the original line was 'Take me down to the Paradise City where the girls are fat and they got big titties.' "We all thought it was funny but it wasn't going to make it on the album…", hence the other guys changed it. Equipped with a one-string flamenco guitar given to him by his grandmother, he began taking classes with Wolin. He vividly recalls the feeling after learning "Come Dancing" from Wired by Jeff Beck, his greatest influence, which he described as "fucking awesome" |
| mixed blessings | Dark Necessities | Red Hot Chili Peppers | 2016 | "Dark Necessities" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers is a song that the band has written with Brian Burton aka Danger Mouse, which "speaks to the beauty of our dark sides and how much creativity and growth and light actually comes out of those difficult struggles that we have on the inside of our heads that no one else can see." Danger Mouse produced, performed on, and co-wrote songs for the eleventh studio album by the Red Hot Chili Peppers titled The Getaway. Brian Burton formed Gnarls Barkley with CeeLo Green. |
| mixed blessings | Feel Good Inc. | Gorillaz | 2005 | In 2005, De La Soul collaborated with Gorillaz on the hit single "Feel Good Inc.", the lead single from the band's second studio album, Demon Days. Danger Mouse produced the second Gorillaz album. |
| mixed blessings | Eye Know | De La Soul | 1989 | De La Soul’s stage names include Trugoy (reversed spelling for yogurt) and Posdnuos ("sound sop" spelled backwards) underpinning the "D.A.I.S.Y. Age" (an acronym standing for "da inner sound, y'all") concept. The song is filled with samples that the members had heard: Steely Dan’s “Peg” is heavily sampled throughout the song, providing the backing beat and some backup vocals for the chorus. The Mad Lads' “Make This Young Lady Mine” provides the sample for both the guitar and the horn heard throughout the track. The whistling heard throughout the track is an Otis Redding sample from his song “(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay” And drums from “Sing a Simple Song” by Sly & the Family Stone are also sampled in the track. |
| mixed blessings | The Sound of C | Confetti's | 1988 | "The Sound of C" stands for the Belgian club Confetti's in Brasschaat, near Antwerp. Barmen at Confetti's (Peter Renkens) became the frontman of the band. Dj Serge Ramaekers composed the song upon request by club owner Peter Vanderhallen making reference to his girlfriend Chrisje. |
| mixed blessings | Pump Up The Jam | Technotronic | 1989 | “Technotronic” is a music project of Belgian musician, songwriter, and record producer Jo Bogaert (born in 1956 in Aalst, Belgium). “Pump Up The Jam”, co-written by Congolese–Belgian singer Ya Kid K (born Manuela Barbara Kamosi Moaso Djogi, 26 January 1972) was released in 1989 with Congolese model Felly Kilingi as cover-girl for the promotion of the song. |
| mixed blessings | The Milky Way | 2 Fabiola | 1991 | 2 Fabiola is a project of Pat Krimson (born Patrick Claessen on April 17, 1965 in Hasselt), a Belgian musician/composer, former Leopold 3 (a Belgian band, performing only in Dutch, now defunct) with Zohra (born Zohra Bent Ali Aït-Fath on September 8, 1975 in Hasselt) is a Belgian artist of Moroccan descent. The first production by Pat Krimson under the name of 2 Fabiola was "The Milky Way" (a tribute to the Belgian royal family). |
| mixed blessings | Get Ready | 2 Unlimited | 1992 | 2 Unlimited is the brainchild of two Belgian producers Phil Wilde and Jean-Paul de Coster in the nineties with Dutch rapper Ray Slijngaard and vocalist Anita Doth. “Get Ready” has become one of the most frequently played songs at sporting events around the world. Jean-Paul De Coster and Phil Wilde met in their hometown of Antwerp, Belgium, and created 2 Unlimited in their studio, initially without any performers or vocalists. To release ‘Get Ready’ in 1992, they engaged Dutch rapper Ray Slijngaard and vocalist Anita Doth (born Anita Daniëlle Dels on 28 December 1971 in Amsterdam, Netherlands). |
| mixed blessings | Désenchantée | Kate Ryan | 2002 | Belgian Katrien Verbeeck (born on July 22, 1980 in Tessenderlo, Belgium), alias Kate Ryan, had massive success in France and around Europe with Mylène Farmer's "Désenchantée" in 2002. "Disenchanted" or "Disappointed" was initially released in 1991 during the student demonstrations in France and the Gulf war. |
| mixed blessings | I Fail (Radio Mix) (ft. Scala) | Regi | 2007 | Belgian Regi Penxten ‘milkes’ the music industry since his success with La Vache in 1996 in France. DJ / media phenomenon in Belgium, wine lover, dad of two kids and hitmaker, Regi (Reginald Paul Stefan) Penxten (born on March 4th, 1976 in Hasselt) is known as one of the founders, producer & frontman of Belgian act Milk Inc.Milk Inc. In 2007 he recorded ‘I Fail’ with SCALA, a Belgian all-girls choir that performs and records classical arrangements of popular rock, metal, dance, hiphop and pop songs, conducted by Stijn Kolacny and accompanied on piano by Steven Kolacny, who also arranges the songs. |
| epic | The Eve Of The War | Jeff Wayne & Justin Hayward | 1978 | Jeff Wayne's ‘The Eve of the War’ includes Richard Burton as narrator and Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues. Jeff Wayne's The Musical Version of War of the Worlds, inspired by the 1953 film adaption, is a rock opera telling the H.G. Wells War of the Worlds story. The album features guest artists David Essex, Justin Hayward, Phil Lynott, Chris Thompson, and Julie Covington. Richard Burton performs the voice of George Herbert, the Journalist, who also narrates the story. |
| epic | Child In Time (Remastered Album Version) | Deep Purple | 1970 | “Child in Time” performed and written by British band Deep Purple was released in June 1970. Band members Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord and Ian Paice used the Cold War as the theme |
| epic | Time | Pink Floyd | 1974 | “Time” performed and written by British band Pink Floyd was released as single in 1974 in the US. It is credited by all band members Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Richard Wright and Nick Mason. The lyrics deal with the passage of time. The clocks chiming and alarms ringing sounds were recorded in an antique store made as a quadrophonic test by engineer Alan Parsons, not specifically for the album |
| epic | Band On the Run | Paul McCartney & Wings | 1974 | “Band On the Run” by Paul McCartney & Wings was released in 1974. Written by Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney, the song-wide theme is one of freedom and escape, about the oppression of rock musicians by cannabis-crazed bureaucrats. Inspired by George Harrison’s quote during one of the Beatles' many business meetings saying that they were all prisoners in some way due to the ongoing problems with their company (Apple). |
| epic | Why Can't We Live Together? | Steve Winwood | 2003 | "Why Can't We Live Together" is a song written and recorded by Timmy Thomas in 1972, inspired by the radio reporting on the number of deaths in the Vietnam war. Steve Winwood made a 6 minutes cover of the song for his 2003 album ‘About Time’. |
| epic | Kashmir | Led Zeppelin | 1975 | "Kashmir" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin included on their sixth album Physical Graffiti (1975) It was written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant with contributions from John Bonham over a period of three years. The lyrics were written by Plant in 1973 inspired during a drive through a desolate desert area of southern Morocco. None of the group members had visited Kashmir. |
| epic | Aqualung | Jethro Tull | 1971 | “Aqualung” by Jethro Tull was the title song of their 1971 album. Because of its length it was never released as single. Jethro Tull vocalist and flute player Ian Anderson wrote the song inspired by pictures and notes taken by his wife Jennie and called it "a guilt-ridden song of confusion about how you deal with beggars and the homeless." This song deals with our reaction to the homeless population. An "Aqualung" is a portable breathing apparatus for divers. |
| epic | As | Stevie Wonder | 1976 | “As” written and performed by Stevie Wonder was released in 1976 and features on his album ‘Songs In The Key Of Life’. It's a statement of faith, knowing that love and nature are the works of God. Stevie Wonder and jazz great Herbie Hancock both play Fender Rhodes pianos. |
| mixed blessings | Music | John Miles | 1976 | "Music" is a 1976 single by John Miles, from his album Rebel, produced by Alan Parsons. From 1985, Miles participated almost every year in the Night of the Proms and "Music" is regarded as the anthem of the show. |
| mixed blessings | Worn Down Piano | The Mark & Clark Band | 1977 | "Worn Down Piano" is a song by the American brothers Clark and Mark Seymour, The Mark & Clark Band, about an acoustic piano that is being bid for at an auction. Just when you think the song is over, it resumes … |
| mixed blessings | Miracles | Anita Garbo | 1977 | "Miracles" was initially written by UK band Oppo and recorded as Miracles (A Mini Epic) for a Mini advert in 1975 (shot in Amsterdam without any lyrics). The song for the advert, Miracles (A Mini Epic) was written by Jeff Boult (The Tapes), James Patrick Bradley, Fred Gardner (The Tapes), Donald Supner and Geoffrey Clive Tricker. This track was arranged by Tom Parker and their string arrangements were done by Louis Clark. Tom Parker founded the band Apollo 100 that had a hit with "Joy" in 1971. Anita Garbo was born in Birmingham from a Italian father and British mother as Anita Ferrari. The 2023 mini advertisement is set to the iconic beats of “Pump Up The Jam” by Technotronic. |
| mixed blessings | Mr. Blue Sky | Electric Light Orchestra | 1978 | "Mr. Blue Sky" is a song by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), written and produced by frontman Jeff Lynne. The song's arrangement has been called "Beatlesque". |
| mixed blessings | A Day In The Life | The Beatles | 1967 | "A Day in the Life" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as the final track of their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Credited to Lennon–McCartney. Lennon's lyrics were mainly inspired by contemporary newspaper articles, including a report on the death of Guinness heir Tara Browne. A reputed drug reference in the line "I'd love to turn you on" resulted in the song initially being banned from broadcast by the BBC. |
| mixed blessings | African Reggae | Nina Hagen Band | 1979 | Released in 1979, "African Reggae" by the German Nina Hagen Band can be seen as a combination of social criticism, drug-related references, cultural appreciation, and a call for revolution. It raises questions about societal double standards, while also expressing a desire to embrace black culture and fight for change. |
| mixed blessings | Eloise | Barry Ryan | 1968 | "Eloise" is a song first released in 1968, sung by Barry Ryan, and written by his twin brother Paul Ryan influenced by Richard Harris's arrangement of "MacArthur Park". The song was then recorded at IBC Studios at the end of a recording session with their mother Marion and they had only two takes to do it due to the length of the song. The session musicians included Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, both of whom went on to form Led Zeppelin. The record influenced Freddie Mercury of Queen, who liked the song and used it as an argument to release 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. |
| mixed blessings | Bohemian Rhapsody | Queen | 1975 | The final six-minute iconic mini rock opera was released on October 31, 1975. While writer Freddie Mercury put a lot of himself into that song, he recommended that people should just listen to it, think about it, and then make up their own minds as to what it says to them. “Galileo” into the lyrics are in honour of Brian May, who had a passionate interest in astronomy and would later go on to earn a Ph.D. in astrophysics. Scaramouche was a buffoonish character in 16th-century commedia dell’arte shows; “Bismillah”, which is taken from the Quran, means “in the name of Allah”; Beelzebub is an archaic name for the devil. |
| epic | Private Investigation | Dire Straits | 1982 | Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler was inspired by Philip Marlowe a private detective created by the American novelist Raymond Chandler when he wrote “Private Investigations”, released in 1982. |
| epic | The Load-Out | Jackson Browne | 1977 | "The Load-Out" by Jackson Browne, released in 1977 describes the daily practices of a band and its road crew on a concert tour, and the emotions evoked throughout such an endeavour Eventually "The Load-Out" segues into an interpretation of Maurice Williams' 1960 hit "Stay" with Rosemary Butler and David Lindley singing the falsetto. |
| ms & mr | Mrs. Robinson | Simon & Garfunkel | 1972 | The infamous song “Mrs. Robinson” by Simon & Garfunkel is the unofficial anthem of an extramarital affair. It’s the unofficial anthem of the older woman. The song’s working title was “Mrs. Roosevelt.” before it was used for the movie soundtrack of ‘the Graduate’. It includes references to big names like New York Yankees baseball player Joe DiMaggio, and Jesus. Simon also sings a quick “coo-coo-ca-choo,” which is an homage to the Beatles and their song, “I Am the Walrus.” |
| ms & mr | Mrs. Vandebilt | Paul McCartney & Wings | 1974 | “Mrs. Vandebilt” by Paul McCartney & Wings was released in 1974, written by Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney. The opening lines of the song are taken from the catchphrase of English music hall performer Charlie Chester. Chester's catchphrase was "Down in the jungle living in a tent, better than a bungalow, no rent"; the lyrics subsequently changed to "Down in the jungle living in a tent, You don't use money you don't pay rent". |
| ms & mr | Lady Madonna | The Beatles | 1968 | Lady Madonna is written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. Paul McCartney used a 1905 Vertegrand piano on "Lady Madonna" and based his part for the song on Humphrey Lyttelton's trad jazz rendition of "Bad Penny Blues". |
| ms & mr | Vous Permettez Monsieur | Salvatore Adamo | 1964 | “Vous Permettez Monsieur” written and performed by Adamo is a song about a young man who asks permission to dance with a young woman, to her father who protects him. |
| ms & mr | Dear Mrs. Applebee | David Garrick | 1966 | "Dear Mrs. Applebee" is a song covered by David Garrick (born Philip Darrell Core in Liverpool on12 September 1945), written and first recorded by Flip Cartridge (born Billy Meshel). |
| ms & mr | Tell Laura I Love Her | Ricky Valance | 1960 | "Tell Laura I Love Her" written by Jeff Barry and Ben Raleigh, was a US top ten popular music hit for singer Ray Peterson in 1960 and later that year recorded and released by Ricky Valance in the United Kingdom. The lyrics of "Tell Laura I Love Her" originally concerned a rodeo, not an automobile race, as composer Jeff Barry was an aficionado of cowboy culture; Barry rewrote the song, in order to more closely resemble the No. 1 hit "Teen Angel". |
| ms & mr | Sylvia's Mother | Dr. Hook | 1972 | "Sylvia's Mother" is an autobiographical song with songwriter Shel Silverstein, desperate to continue the relationship with Sylvia Pandolfi, called her mother, Louisa (Mrs. Avery). Shel Silverstein wrote "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan", first recorded by Dr. Hook in 1975, and re-recorded by Marianne Faithfull in 1979. Silverstein also wrote Cash's biggest hit, "A Boy Named Sue" |
| ms & mr | A Boy Named Sue (Live) | Johnny Cash | 1969 | "A Boy Named Sue" is a song written by humorist, children's author, and poet Shel Silverstein and made famous by Johnny Cash. Cash recorded the song live in concert on February 24, 1969, at California's San Quentin State Prison for his At San Quentin album. |
| ms & mr | A Girl Called Johnny | The Waterboys | 1983 | The Waterboys are a British-Irish folk rock band formed in London in 1983 by Scottish musician and songwriter Mike Scott. "A Girl Called Johnny" was inspired by American singer-songwriter Patti Smith, who has a line about a girl called Johnny in one of her songs, called 'Redondo Beach'. Mike Scott noticed that Johnny is a hero or heroine on lots of her early songs. |
| ms & mr | Me & You and a dog named Boo | Lobo | 1971 | “Me & You and a dog named Boo” was written and performed by Roland Kent LaVoie (born July 31, 1943), better known by his stage name Lobo (which is a Spanish word for wolf), a song inspired by his big German Shepherd dog: Boo. |
| ms & mr | Elle Voulait Qu'on L'appelle Venise | Julien Clerc | 1975 | “Elle Voulait Qu'on L'appelle Venise” is composed by Julien Clerc and Étienne Roda-Gil. The song is about a woman's desire to be called Venice It's possible that she wants to be a romantic and mysterious figure like the city of Venice herself or that she wants to be seen as cultured and sophisticated or that she wants to escape her current reality by becoming someone else, and Venice is a symbol of that escape. Julien Clerc released the song after his breakup with France Gall after a relationship during five years. |
| ms & mr | Please Mr. Postman | The Marvelettes | 1961 | "Please Mr. Postman" is the debut single by the Marvelettes for the Tamla (Motown) label, written by Georgia Dobbins, William Garrett, Freddie Gorman, Brian Holland and Robert Bateman, on which Marvin Gaye plays the drums. |
| ms & mr | Mr. Tambourine Man | The Byrds | 1965 | American band The Byrds was formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964 when Roger (Jim) McGuinn, Gene Clark, and David Crosby came together as a trio. "Mr. Tambourine Man" was written and composed in early 1964 by Bob Dylan. On January 20, 1965, the band entered Columbia Recording Studios in Hollywood to record the then-unreleased Bob Dylan song "Mr. Tambourine Man" as their debut single. |
| ms & mr | Mr. Bojangles | The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band | 1970 | "Mr. Bojangles" is a song written and originally recorded by American country music artist Jerry Jeff Walker in 1968. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band was founded around 1966 in Long Beach, California, United States, by singer-guitarist Jeff Hanna and singer-songwriter-guitarist Bruce Kunkel and released in 1970 a version of Jerry Jeff Walker's "Mr. Bojangles". |
| ms & mr | Mr. Jones | Counting Crows | 1993 | Counting Crows lead vocals and writer, Adam Duritz explained that even though the song “Mr. Jones” is named for his friend Marty Jones, it is actually about Duritz himself. |
| ms & mr | Me And Mrs Jones | Billy Paul | 1972 | "Me and Mrs. Jones" is a 1972 soul song written by Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Cary Gilbert, and originally recorded by Billy Paul. |
| ms & mr | Mr. Sandman | Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt & Emmylou Harris | 2016 | “Mr. Sandman" (or "Mister Sandman") is a popular song written by Pat Ballard and published in 1954. It was first recorded in May of that year by Vaughn Monroe & his orchestra and later that year by The Chordettes and the Four Aces. The Chordettes' recording of the song was released on the Cadence Records label on both 78 RPM and 45 RPM formats. Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt & Emmylou Harris covered the song in 2016. |
| ms & mr | Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard | Paul Simon | 1972 | 'Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard’ is written and performed by Paul Simon in 1972 and produced by Phil Ramone. "Julio and I down by the schoolyard" would be correct. The line, "Rosie, the queen of Corona," references the Corona neighbourhood in Queens, New York. |
| ms & mr | Ivan Boris et moi | Marie Laforêt | 1967 | “Ivan Boris et moi” by Marie Laforet was written by Émile Stern and Eddy Marnay. The lyrics paint a nostalgic picture of a group of friends, Anton, Ivan, Boris, and the singer herself, along with Rebecca, Paula, and Johanna. Marie Laforêt, born Maïtena Marie Brigitte Douménach (5 October 1939 – 2 November 2019): Maïtena, which is of Basque origin, means "beloved" and Douménach, her last name, is Catalan in origin – Domènec in Catalan. |
| ms & mr | Jack and Diane | John Mellencamp | 1982 | "Jack & Diane" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter John Mellencamp (John Cougar) as a tribute to life in the rural working class. The song was originally about an interracial couple, where Jack was African American and not a football star, but the record company persuaded him to change it. |
| ms & mr | Johnny And Mary | Robert Palmer | 1980 | "Johnny and Mary" is a song written and performed by Robert Palmer, while living in Nassau, Bahamas with a large ex-pat community comprised of people who thought moving to the Bahamas would solve their problems, only to discover their issues travel with them. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s it was the signature tune in advertisements promoting Renault cars. |
| ms & mr | Frank & Ava | Suzanne Vega | 2007 | “Frank & Ava” written and performed by Suzanne Vega is a song about the relationship between Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner. Gardner’s quote about her relationship with Sinatra: "We were great in bed. It was usually on the way to the bidet when the trouble began." inspired Suzanne Vega. |
| ms & mr | The Ballad of John and Yoko | The Beatles | 1969 | John Lennon wrote the “The Ballad of John and Yoko” while he and Ono were on their honeymoon in Paris, and refers to their "Bed-In" at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel and their demonstration of "bagism" in March 1969. |
| ms & mr | Michelle | David & Jonathan | 1966 | David & Jonathan teamed with George Martin to do a cover of the Beatles' 1966 hit single "Michelle". "Michelle" was a tune that Paul McCartney had written in Chet Atkins' finger-picking style. |
| ms & mr | Michele | Gérard Lenorman | 1975 | Michèle was written by the talented French singer-songwriter Gérard Lenorman telling the story of a man reminiscing about a lost love named Michèle. The song makes a reference to The Beatles with the quote ‘Oh Yesterday’. Gérard Lenorman (born 9 February 1945) is a French singer born at the Château de Bénouville, Calvados (Normandy) as the son of Madeleine Lenormand and an unknown German soldier. |
| ms & mr | Valerie ('68 Version) | Amy Winehouse | 2011 | This is the original version of Winehouse’s cover of a single by the Liverpool group The Zutons in 2006. According to Mark Ronson, this version is the one Amy loved the most. It was penned in 20 minutes by their lead singer Dave McCabe about an American friend of his, Valerie Starr, who was having a hard time after getting caught drink driving. Valerie Star, celebrity makeup artist, was dating The Zutons' frontman Dave McCabe, but lived in Florida at the time and found herself in trouble with the law, which prevented them being together. |
| ms & mr | Valerie | Steve Winwood | 1982 | Steve Winwood wrote the music and Will Jennings wrote the lyrics of “Valerie” that was first released in 1982, in 1987 remixed by Tom Lord Alge with revised drum and vocal tracks for compilation album Chronicles. In 2004, the song was remixed once again, this time by the Swedish DJ Eric Prydz as "Call On Me." |
| Merry MixMas | Driving Home For Christmas | Chris Rea | 1986 | Chris Rea’s "Driving Home for Christmas" many years before its first recording, in 1978, refers to the time he needed to get home to Middlesbrough from Abbey Road Studios in London. His wife had come down to drive him home in her Austin Mini to save money because it was cheaper to drive than travel by train. |
| Merry MixMas | Last Christmas | Wham! | 1984 | "Last Christmas" had its beginnings in 1983, while George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley were visiting Michael's parents. It was written by Michael in his childhood bedroom. Written by George Michael and released in December 1984. Wham! donated all of their royalties to relief efforts for the Ethiopian famine. |
| Merry MixMas | Do They Know It's Christmas | Band Aid | 1984 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?" is a charity song written in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. It was first recorded by Band Aid, a supergroup assembled by Geldof and Ure consisting of popular British and Irish musical acts. It was recorded in a single day at Sarm West Studios in Notting Hill, London, in November 1984. |
| Merry MixMas | Merry Christmas Everyone | Shakin' Stevens | 1985 | "Merry Christmas Everyone" is a festive song recorded by Welsh singer Shakin' Stevens, written by Scottish Bob Heatlie and produced by Dave Edmunds. "Merry Christmas Everyone" was recorded in 1984. Its original planned release was put back by a year to avoid clashing with the runaway success of Band Aid's charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" |
| Merry MixMas | Feliz Navidad | José Feliciano | 1970 | "Feliz Navidad" "Merry Christmas") is a Christmas song written and first recorded in 1970 by Puerto Rican singer-songwriter José Feliciano. Feliciano says he recorded the song while feeling homesick at Christmas, missing his family in New York City and his extended family further afield as he sat in a studio in Los Angeles. |
| Merry MixMas | Wonderful Christmastime | Paul McCartney | 1979 | "Wonderful Christmastime" is a Christmas song by Sir Paul McCartney. |
| Merry MixMas | Merry Christmas Everyone | Slade | 1973 | “Merry Xmas Everybody" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released in 1973, written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and it was produced by Chas Chandler. Noddy Holder has referred to the song as his pension scheme. |
| Merry MixMas | Lonely This Christmas | Mud | 1974 | "Lonely This Christmas" is a Christmas song by the English glam rock band Mud, written and produced by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, released in 1974. |
| Merry MixMas | Fairytale Of New York (ft. Kirsty Maccoll) | The Pogues | 1987 | "Fairytale of New York" is recorded by the London-based Celtic punk band the Pogues, featuring English singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl on vocals. The Irish folk-style ballad is written by Jem Finer and Shane MacGowan About these old Irish-American Broadway stars who are sitting round at Christmas talking about whether things are going okay. The song titles is after J. P. Donleavy's 1973 novel A Fairy Tale of New York. |
| Merry MixMas | 2000 Miles | The Pretenders | 1983 | "2000 Miles" is a song by rock band Pretenders, written by lead vocalist Chrissie Hynde. The song is about two long-distance lovers who miss each other at Christmastime. |
| Merry MixMas | Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas | James Taylor | 2002 | "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is a song written in 1943 by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane and introduced by Judy Garland in the 1944 MGM musical Meet Me in St. Louis. The song brought comfort to many American soldiers who were fighting overseas during World War II. James Taylor recorded his version using the original, melancholy lyrics, shortly before September 11, 2001 and which he released on his 2002 album ‘October Road’. |
| Merry MixMas | White Christmas | Bing Crosby | 1942 | “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby, was written by American Irvin Berlin for the 1942 musical film Holiday Inn. |
| Merry MixMas | Little Drummer Boy | Pentatonix | 2013 | In 2013 the famed a capella group Pentatonix brought their own spin on “The Little Drummer Boy”. Katherine K. Davis composed ‘The carol of the drum’ in 1941, inspired by a 1720 French song ‘Patapan’, originally titled "Guillô, Pran Ton Tamborin" ("Willie, Take Your Little Drum"), written by Bernard de La Monnoye, and first recorded in 1951 by the Austrian Trapp Family. |
| Merry MixMas | All I Want for Christmas Is You | Mariah Carey | 1994 | "All I Want for Christmas Is You" is a Christmas standard song written and performed by American singer Mariah Carey, released in 1994. |
| Merry MixMas | Sleigh Ride | Amy Grant | 1983 | Amy Grant is an iconic Christian entertainer who released in 1983 her version of ‘Sleigh Ride’. Leroy Anderson wrote the music for this song during a heatwave in July of 1946, while staying at a cottage in Woodbury, Connecticut, with his wife and 18-month-old daughter. |
| Merry MixMas | Bakske Vol Met Stro | Urbanus | 1979 | “Bakske Vol Met Stro” (Bin Full Of Straw) is a parody of the birth of Jesus Christ in dialect by Flemish singer-songwriter and comedian Urbanus, released in 1979, which caused a lot of controversy at the time. |
| Merry MixMas | Baby, It's Cold Outside (ft. Cerys Matthews) | Tom Jones | 1999 | Cerys Matthews is a musician, author and broadcaster and was a founder member of multi-million selling band Catatonia. She sings on the perennial winter favourite Baby its Cold Outside with Sir Tom Jones. Cerys Matthews collaborated with Tom Jones to record a version of Frank Loesser's "Baby, It's Cold Outside" on Jones's 1999 album Reload. "Baby, It's Cold Outside" is a popular song written by Frank Loesser in 1944 to sing with his wife, Lynn Garland, at their housewarming party in New York City at the Navarro Hotel.They sang the song to indicate to guests that it was time to leave. |
| Merry MixMas | Santa baby | Eartha Kitt | 1953 | “Santa Baby" is a song performed by American singer Eartha Kitt with Henri René and His Orchestra and originally released in 1953, written by Joan Javits and Philip Springer. |
| Merry MixMas | Silent Night | Mahalia Jackson | 1962 | Silent Night is one of the most beloved and recognizable Christmas carols of all time. Mahalia Jackson, known as the “Queen of Gospel,” performed a soul-stirring rendition of this timeless song, adding her unique touch to its already powerful message. The song was originally written in German by Joseph Mohr in 1818 and later translated into English. |
| Merry MixMas | My December | Scala & Kolacny Brothers | 2012 | The Linkin Park cover 'My December' by the Belgian Scala & Kolacny Brothers is the title song of their 2012 album. Scala & Kolacny Brothers is a Belgian women's choir conducted by Stijn Kolacny, and arranged and accompanied by Steven Kolacny on the piano. |
| Merry MixMas | Let It Snow!, Let It Snow!, Let It Snow! | Ella Fitzgerald | 1960 | "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!", also known as simply "Let It Snow", is a song written by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne in July 1945 in Hollywood, California, during a heat wave as Cahn and Styne imagined cooler conditions. |
| Merry MixMas | Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town | Bruce Springsteen | 1975 | A rock version of "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" was recorded live by Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band on December 12, 1975, at C. W. Post College in Brookville, New York "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" is written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie and first recorded by Harry Reser and His Band in 1934. |
| Merry MixMas | Happy Xmas (War Is Over) | John Lennon & Yoko Ono and The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir | 1971 | "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" is a Christmas song released in 1971 as a single by John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir and was also a protest song against the Vietnam War. |
| family3 | Mama Loo | Les Humphries Singers | 1973 | The Les Humphries Singers was a pop vocal group formed in Hamburg, West Germany by English singer John Leslie Humphreys in 1969, inspired by the success of the Edwin Hawkins Singers gospel group. “Mama Loo“ was released on February 5th in 1973 and was one of the Les Humphries Singers' biggest hits. |
| family3 | Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag (ft. Pigbag) | Paul Hardcastle | 1985 | "Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag" is an instrumental written and performed by British dance-punk band Pigbag, first released in 1982. It was developed from an idea band members Chris Hamlin and James Johnson had had before the band was formed. The title is a play on the James Brown song "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag". Paul Hardcastle released his version with Pigbag in 1985. |
| family3 | Does Your Mother Know | ABBA | 1979 | “Does Your Mother Know” is ABBA's very few hits to feature a male lead vocal, written by Benny Andersson and Bjoern K Ulvaeus and released in 1979. |
| family3 | Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep | Middle Of The Road | 1971 | "Chirpy Chirpy, Cheep Cheep" is a song recorded in 1970 by its composer Lally Stott, and made popular in 1971 by Scottish band Middle of the Road for whom it was a UK #1 chart hit. |
| family3 | Mother And Child Reunion | Paul Simon | 1971 | Paul Simon got the title for "Mother and Child Reunion" from a chicken-and-egg dish on a Chinese restaurant's menu. The song was recorded at Dynamic Sounds Studios at Torrington Bridge in Kingston, Jamaica, with Jimmy Cliff's backing group and Cissy Houston on the recording. |
| family3 | Toutes les mamas | Maurane | 1998 | "Toutes Les Mamas" by Maurane celebrates the strength, beauty, and diverse cultures of mothers from various backgrounds. Maurane (born Claudine Luypaerts), was often referred to as a "golden voice of francophone song". |
| family3 | Running in the Family | Level 42 | 1987 | "Running in the Family" is a single released in 1987 by the British band Level 42, with frontman Mark Raymond King (born 20 October 1958) known for his slap style of playing the bass guitar. MusicRadar described him as "the guy who put the slap in pop during the 80s" |
| family3 | My Perfect Cousin | The Undertones | 1980 | "My Perfect Cousin" is a song by Northern Irish punk rock band the Undertones, inspired by an actual cousin of one of the band members |
| family3 | Brother Louie | Ian Lloyd & The Stories | 1973 | "Brother Louie" is a song by British soul band Hot Chocolate first released in 1973, featuring lyrics that touch on themes of interracial romance and the societal disapproval that often accompanies it. Ian Lloyd & The Stories covered the song the same year. Lloyd Buonconsiglio, known professionally as Ian Lloyd, is an American rock singer and songwriter best known as the lead singer and basist of the band Stories. |
| family3 | Papa Don't Preach | Madonna | 1986 | “Papa Don't Preach” by Madonna, released in 1986, is a song is about teenage love, written by Brian Elliot. |
| family3 | Ode To My Family | The Cranberries | 1994 | "Ode to My Family" is a song by Irish band the Cranberries, released in 1994. The song, written by singer Dolores O'Riordan and guitarist Noel Hogan, is about O'Riordan's yearning for her simple life as a child after having achieved success. |
| family3 | Ain't Your Mama | Jennifer Lopez | 2016 | “Ain't Your Mama” is J.Lo,’s anthem celebrating her independence and distaste in overly dependent partners, reminding about the Second-wave feminism. |
| family3 | Sisters | Natalie Prass | 2018 | Natalie Prass stated that “Sisters” was written from her feeling that people don’t want to listen to women, people don’t want women leaders, women cut each other down, men cut women down, there are so many deep stereotypes, and women are pitted against one another. |
| family3 | Madre | Orishas | 2000 | "Madre" by Orishas pays tribute to the selflessness, unconditional love, and resilience of mothers, acknowledging the sacrifices they make to provide for their children. Orishas is a Cuban hip-hop group from Havana, Cuba, founded in 1999. |
| family3 | Children Of The Ghetto | Waldeck | 1998 | “Children of the Ghetto” was first released in 1986 by Philip Bailey. “Children Of The Ghetto” by Waldeck, with British singer Joy Malcolm, was released in 1998. Klaus Waldeck was born on March 23, 1966 in Vienna. Known as just “Waldeck” or “Dr. Waldeck”, in the 1990ies Waldeck became a defining force for the type of dub/trip-hop-inspired downtempo “Vienna sound”. |
| family3 | Mama Leone | Bino | 1978 | “Mama Leone” by Bino (born in Italy as Vittorio Benedetto), written by Umberto Tozzi, reflects the hardships and struggles faced by individuals growing up in poverty. “Mama Leone” showcases the universal theme of maternal love and the enduring bond between a mother and her child. |
| family3 | Calling My Children Home (A Cappella, 1986) | Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt & Emmylou Harris | 1987 | The three longtime friends Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt released the original 'Trio' album in 1987. With its mournful harmonies and plaintive lyrics sung from the perspective of a mother missing her children and beckoning them to return home, the traditional tune “Calling My Children Home” is one of the most deeply moving a cappella songs of all time. |
| family3 | Song for My Father | Horace Silver | 1965 | Pianist Horace Silver's "Song for My Father" was released in 1965. His mother was of Irish and Negro descent, his father of Portuguese origin ( born John Tavares Silva on the Cape Verdean island of Maio). When he realized he had written a new song with a Brazilian rhythmic concept and a Cape Verdean melodic concept, he immediately thought about dedicating the song to his Dad and titled it 'Song for My Father'." The song has had a noticeable impact in pop music. The opening bass piano notes were borrowed by Steely Dan for their song "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", while the opening horn riff was borrowed by Stevie Wonder for his song "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing". Earth Wind & Fire also borrowed the opening bass notes for their song "Clover". In the booklet of their box set, Paul Weller noted that he 'nicked 'the chords for The Style Council's 1984 song 'Me Ship Came In!' |
| family3 | Les Yeux De Ma Mère (Piano Version/ Live) | Arno | 1995 | Arno (born Arnold Charles Ernest Hintjens), also known as the ‘Belgian Tom Waits’, released in 1995 “Les Yeux De Ma Mère” (my mother’s eyes), an intimate ode to his mother. |
| family3 | Mama Said | The Shirelles | 1961 | “Mama Said” by The Shirelles, released in 1961, was written by Luther Dixon and Willie Denson. All of the band members went to the same high school, Passaic High School New Jersey, which is where they met each other. This song was the inspiration for "Days Like This" by Van Morrison. |
| family3 | Family Affair | Sly & the Family Stone | 1971 | “Family Affair" is a 1971 hit by Sly & the Family Stone, written by Sly Stone, with the Bobby Womack on rhythm guitar and electric piano played by Billy Preston. |
| family3 | La Mamma | Charles Aznavour | 1963 | "La mamma", also known as "For Mama" in English, is a song written in 1962 by French lyricist Robert Gall and Armenian-French artist Charles Aznavour and first released in France by Les Compagnons de la chanson. Robert Gall is the father of singer France Gall. |
| family3 | Bébé comme la vie | France Gall | 1980 | “Bébé comme la vie” ("Bebe, How Life (passes quickly)") by France Gall, written by her husband Michel Berger. France Gall, born Isabelle Geneviève Marie Anne Gall, married Michel Berger in June 1976 and they had a daughter and a son. Her daughter Pauline Isabelle died at age 19 from a rare genetic disorder. |
| £￥€$ | The Wall Street Shuffle | 10cc | 1974 | The funky beats of 10cc's "The Wall Street Shuffle" dance through financial districts and stock market shuffles, setting the tone for our melodic exploration of wealth, written by Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman. |
| £￥€$ | Money, Money, Money | ABBA | 1976 | ABBA with "Money, Money, Money" is a dazzling disco fantasy that'll have you dreaming of dollar signs and dancing in financial bliss, written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. |
| £￥€$ | She Works Hard For The Money | Donna Summer | 1983 | Donna Summer's groove "She Works Hard For The Money" celebrates hard work, a soulful anthem appreciating the hustle, written by Donna Summer and Michael Omartian. Summer's inspiration comes from an after-party for Julio Iglesias when she went to the ladies' room and encountered a restroom attendant, named Onetta Johnson, who was exhausted from working long hours. Johnson agreed to be photographed for the album's rear cover, standing in a diner with Summer, the two wearing matching waitress outfits. |
| £￥€$ | Money | Pink Floyd | 1973 | Pink Floyd's "Money" is a psychedelic journey through the world of cash, bringing a rock-infused exploration of wealth and consumerism, written by Roger Waters. With Pink Floyd’s “Money”, Roger Waters converted from a socialist to a capitalist … |
| £￥€$ | Money Money | Joel Grey & Liza Minnelli | 1966 | Broadway meets finance with Joel Grey & Liza Minnelli's "Money Money" from the musical Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, a theatrical twist on the financial narrative written by John Kander and Fred Ebb |
| £￥€$ | Money, Money, Money | Kevin Ayers | 1980 | Singer-song writer Kevin Ayers brings an avant-garde touch with "Money, Money, Money" offering a unique and quirky perspective on the dynamics of wealth. |
| £￥€$ | Money (That's What I Want) | Barrett Strong | 1959 | Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)", written by Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford, is a timeless classic that hits the root of desire, the anthem of financial yearning. |
| £￥€$ | Shake Your Moneymaker | Elmore James | 1961 | Singer-songwriter and "King of the Slide Guitar" Elmore James shakes things up with "Shake Your Moneymaker", a bluesy vibe and the rhythm of financial freedom. |
| £￥€$ | I Need a Dollar | Aloe Blacc | 2010 | Aloe Blacc's "I Need a Dollar" is a modern twist with soulful vocals and catchy beats, exploring the struggles and aspirations tied to the almighty dollar, written by Aloe Blacc, Leon Michels, Nick Movshon, Jeff Dynamite. |
| £￥€$ | Money (ft. Tom Misch) | Michael Kiwanuka | 2019 | Michael Kiwanuka and Tom Misch's collaboration in "Money (ft. Tom Misch)" is a soulful blend of vocals and contemporary production, offering a modern take on the financial anthem. |
| £￥€$ | Cash (Cash Money) | Prince Charles and The City Beat Band | 1982 | Charles Alexander (born April 2, 1958), a.k.a. Prince Charles playing the unique wind synthesizer called the Lyricon and The City Beat Band released the funky "Cash (Cash Money)" in 1982 adding a royal groove to the sound of currency, written by Prince Charles Alexander and Roger Glover. |
| £￥€$ | For the Love of Money | The O'Jays | 1973 | The O'Jays with "For the Love of Money" add a social and political dimension by exploring the impact of wealth on society, written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff and Anthony Jackson. |
| £￥€$ | Money Don't Matter 2 Night | Prince & The New Power Generation | 1992 | Prince & The New Power Generation released "Money Don't Matter 2 Night" in 1992, offering a poignant reflection on the fleeting nature of wealth, written by Prince and Rosie Gaines. |
| £￥€$ | Money's Too Tight (To Mention) | Simply Red | 1985 | "Money's Too Tight (To Mention)" by Simply Red is a smooth and soulful track that captures the essence of financial constraints, written and first recorded by the brothers John and William Valentine in 1982. The lyrics make reference to Reaganomics, a set of economic policies implemented by U.S. president Ronald Reagan in order to encourage the growth of the American economy. |
| £￥€$ | If I Were A Rich Man | Roger Whittaker | 1971 | Broadway charm by Roger Whittaker with "If I Were A Rich Man" from the 1964 musical Fiddler on the Roof, written by Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock. |
| £￥€$ | Diamonds Are Forever | Shirley Bassey | 1971 | Dame Shirley Bassey performing the 1971 James Bond theme "Diamonds Are Forever", written by John Barry and Don Black. It was the second James Bond film title song to be performed by Shirley Bassey, after "Goldfinger" in 1964 and John Barry’s sixth composition for a Bond film. |
| £￥€$ | Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend | Marilyn Monroe | 1953 | This song was written by Jule Styne and Leo Robin for the Broadway production of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” and was first performed by Carol Channing in 1949. Marilyn Monroe, as playgirl Lorelei Lee, in the 1953 film version of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” is undoubtedly the most iconic performance. Her own sultry voice was used for most of the song, but some rough patches were dubbed over with Marni Nixon's vocals. Despite the film's title, Monroe was paid her usual contract salary of $500 a week, while Russell, the better-known actress at the time, earned $200,000. |
| £￥€$ | Matilda | Harry Belafonte | 1956 | Harry Belafonte’s tropical adventure with "Matilda" on Caribbean rhythms, was written and first recorded in 1939 by Norman Span (a.k.a. King Radio). Harry Belafonte released a version in May 1953 and re-recorded this version on August 17, 1955 for inclusion on his 1956 LP Belafonte. Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. in Harlem, NYC, on 1 March 1927; died 25 April 2023) was an American singer, activist, and actor. As arguably the most successful Caribbean-American pop star, he popularized Jamaican mento folk songs which was marketed as Trinbagonian Calypso musical style with an international audience in the 1950s. His breakthrough album Calypso, released in 1956, was the first million-selling LP by a single artist. |
| £￥€$ | Get the Money | Iggy Pop | 1993 | "Get the Money" performed by Iggy Pop for the “Arizona Dream” movie soundtrack is an English-language cover of the Yugoslav "Hajdemo u planine" ("Let's Go to the Mountains") by Goran Bregović (guitarist) Yugoslav rock band Bijelo Dugme (trans. White Button) from their 1986 album Pljuni i zapjevaj moja Jugoslavijo. |
| £￥€$ | Fools Gold | The Stone Roses | 1989 | “Fools Gold" is a song by British rock band the Stone Roses released in 1989. The lyrics reference Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” and Marquis de Sade. According to Brown, the song's verses were inspired by John Huston's 1948 film adaptation of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and tells about "three geezers who are skint and they put their money together to get equipment to go looking for gold, then they all betray each other...". |
| £￥€$ | Common People (ft. Joe Jackson) | William Shatner | 2004 | William Shatner (a.k.a. Star Trek’s captain Kirk) and Joe Jackson released a spoken-word twist on Pulp's classic "Common People" in 2004, creating a cosmic flair version of the song written by Jarvis Cocker, Nick Banks, Candida Doyle, Steve Mackey, Russell Senior and Mark Webber. |
| £￥€$ | Love Of The Common People | Paul Young | 1983 | "Love Of The Common People" by Paul Young, first sung in January 1967 by the Four Preps, is a soulful ballad celebrating the shared experiences that bind us all, written by John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins. Leonard Nimoy recorded a version on his second album Two Sides of Leonard Nimoy in 1968. |
| 24 | New Year's Day | U2 | 1983 | “New Year's Day” is U2's 1983 powerhouse anthem, written by the band, driven by Adam Clayton's distinctive bassline and the Edge's piano and guitar playing. With lyrics written about the movement, The lyrics refer to the Polish Solidarity movement lead by Lech Walesa. On New Year's Day, 1983, Poland announced they would abolish martial law. |
| 24 | Don’t Stop | Fleetwood Mac | 1977 | Don't Stop by Fleetwood Mac, a resilient anthem written by Christine McVie, released in 1977, remains a timeless testament to overcoming challenges. The song is generally seen as a positive anthem encouraging people to move forward despite challenges. It was written during a difficult period for the band members, including McVie's divorce from John McVie. |
| 24 | Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season) | The Byrds | 1965 | "Turn! Turn! Turn!", also known as or subtitled "To Everything There Is a Season", was adapted by the Byrds in a folk rock arrangement and released as a single by Columbia Records on October 1, 1965. The lyrics were taken from a passage from the book of Ecclesiastes (3:1-8) in The Bible. They were in 1959 rearranged and paired with Seeger's music to make the song, as a plea for world peace. Adapted from the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible, the lyrics emphasize the cyclical nature of life. |
| 24 | Turn the Tide | Sylver | 2000 | In 2000, the Belgian band “Sylver”, "Turned the Tide" of the Eurodance. The song, written by Regi Penxten, Wout Van Dessel and John Miles Jr., is a dance-pop track with uplifting lyrics that convey a message of hope and perseverance. "Turn the Tide" was initially released in 2000 by "Liquid feat. Silvy". The band continued in 2001 as “Sylver”, consisting of lead vocalist Silvy De Bie (born 4 January 1981) and keyboardist/songwriter Wout Van Dessel (born 19 October 1974). |
| 24 | Wake Me Up (ft. Aloe Blacc) | Avicii | 2013 | "Wake Me Up" was written by Tim ’Avicii’ Bergling, Mike Einziger, and American soul singer Aloe Blacc. Blacc also provides vocals for the track. The song fuses electronic dance music with folk influences. Aloe Blacc's lyrics explore themes of self-discovery and pursuing one's dreams. In loving memory of Tim Bergling (1989-2018). |
| 24 | Looking Back (ft. K'naan) | Keane | 2010 | In “Looking Back” Keane (Tim Rice-Oxley, Tom Chaplin, Richard Hughes) teams up with K'naan (additional vocals and writing) for a reflective piece, blending their distinctive styles into a soul-stirring composition. Keane's 2010 track navigates introspection, showcasing their ability to craft emotive, anthem melodies. The song reflects on the passage of time and memories, with K'naan's contribution adding a unique flavour. |
| 24 | Gonna Fly Now (Theme from 'Rocky') | Bill Conti | 1976 | Iconic theme from the movie "Rocky". Composed as the iconic theme for the movie "Rocky," the music is synonymous with triumph and overcoming challenges, capturing the spirit of the film. |
| 24 | High | Lighthouse Family | 1977 | “High” by the Lighthouse Family is from the album "Postcards from Heaven", written by Tunde Baiyewu and Paul Tucker. The lyrics convey a message of comfort and support during difficult times. The song is actually a description of a very uncomfortable situation. |
| 24 | Heaven's Wall (ft. Tom Morello) | Bruce Springsteen | 2014 | “Heaven's Wall" by written and performed by Bruce Springsteen is part of the album "High Hopes". The song features the co-founder of Rage Against the Machine, Tom Morello, and is known for its social and political themes, addressing issues such as immigration and inequality. |
| 24 | Sing Hallelujah! | Dr. Alban (Alban Uzoma Nwapa) | 1993 | “Sing Hallelujah!” written and performed by Dr. Alban, is a Eurodance track with uplifting lyrics, often associated with the joyous celebration of music. |
| 24 | Hope of Deliverance | Paul McCartney | 1993 | “Hope of Deliverance” written and performed by Paul McCartney, expresses optimism and hope for a better future, both personally and globally. |
| 24 | Year of Decision | The Three Degrees | 1974 | The song, written by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, reflects the social and political climate of the 1970s and addresses themes of change and progress. |
| 24 | My year is a day | Les Irresistibles | 1968 | "My year is a day" is the English version of Dalida's French song "Dans la ville endormie" written by William Sheller, released in 1968. Les Irrésistibles (The Irresistibles) were a boy band during the late 1960s and early 1970s, whose members were Americans living in France and teenage classmates at the American School of Paris. The lineup consisted of lead singer Jim McMains on keyboards and rhythm guitar, his identical twin brother Steve McMains on bass, Tom Arena on lead guitar, and Andy Cornelius on drums. |
| 24 | Who's Gonna Stand Up? (orchestral) | Neil Young | 2014 | This version of “Who's Gonna Stand Up?” recorded by Neil Young features a 92-piece orchestra and is a six-minute environmental call-to-arms crying foul of corporate greed and pleading to end the world's dependence of fossil fuels. |
| 24 | 1999 | Prince | 1982 | “1999” by Prince, was written in 1982 during the height of the Cold War. this party jam has a much deeper meaning, as Prince addresses fears of a nuclear Armageddon. Billboard said that "the Apocalypse never sounded this danceable before. Under the Reagan administration, the United States was stockpiling nuclear weapons and taking a hawkish stance against the Soviet Union, which he referred to as the "Evil Empire". The album version of the song starts with a slowed-down voice stating "Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I only want you to have some fun.". Prince shares lead vocals on the track with members of his band The Revolution, namely Dez Dickerson, Lisa Coleman and Jill Jones. |
| 24 | Sussudio | Phil Collins | 1985 | “Sussudio” written and performed by Phil Collins, is are about a schoolboy crush on a girl at school. |
| 24 | London Calling | The Clash | 1979 | “London Calling” by The Clash is an apocalyptic song, detailing with the many ways the world could end, including the coming of the ice age, starvation, and war. Singer Joe Strummer was a news junkie, and many of the images of doom in the lyrics came from news reports he read. |
| 24 | Back in the U.S.S.R. | The Beatles | 1968 | “Back in the U.S.S.R.” by the Beatles is written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The title was inspired by Chuck Berry's "Back In The U.S.A.". Since Ringo had walked out on The Beatles, Paul McCartney took over the drum part for this song. |
| 24 | Back In The U.S.A. | Linda Ronstadt | 1978 | "Back in the U.S.A." is a song written by Chuck Berry that was released in 1959 and was a top 40 hit. A cover version in 1978 by Linda Ronstadt was also a hit. The song's lyrics were supposedly written based upon Berry returning to the United States following a trip to Australia and witnessing the living standards of Australian Aborigines. Paul McCartney got the inspiration for The Beatles "Back In The U.S.S.R." from this. |
| 24 | Remember Russia | Fischer-Z | 1979 | Fischer-Z, "fisher zed" or ‘fish head’ as they like it to be said, are a British rock group and main creative project of singer, guitarist and poet John Watts. “Remember Russia” is on their debut album Word Salad (Track 5), released on 4 May 1979. |
| 24 | De Bom | Doe Maar | 1982 | De Bom’ (the bom) by the Dutch band Doe Maar is an eighties protest song against nuclear weapons as a response to the Cold War and the US government's proposal to deploy cruise missiles in The Netherlands. |
| 24 | Abattoir Blues | Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds | 2004 | “Abbatoir Blues” by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds is one of the songs in which Nick Cave draws on a sense of post-nuclear apocalypse. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds are an Australian rock band formed in 1983 by vocalist Nick Cave, multi-instrumentalist Mick Harvey and guitarist-vocalist Blixa Bargeld. |
| 24 | Eve Of Destruction | Barry McGuire | 1965 | “Eve Of Destruction” written by P.F. Sloan (a.k.a. Phil Sloan and born Phil Schlein to Jewish parents) is a protest song about political issues of the '60s originally recorded by The Turtles on their first album (It Ain't Me Babe) earlier in 1965 and which they decided to release as a single in 1970, after McGuire's version became an instant hit, in July 1965, shortly before they broke up. The song was first offered to the Byrds as a potential single but they rejected it. "Eve Of Destruction" became a hippie anthem as the Vietnam War escalated and many radio stations refused to play "Eve Of Destruction" because of its antigovernment lyrics. |
| 24 | The Final Countdown | Europe | 1986 | “The Final Countdown” by the Swedish rock band Europe is both apocalyptic and optimistic, describing a trip into Space (heading for Venus) and leaving Earth behind. The song lyrics and famous lick are written by Europe lead singer Joey Tempest. |
| music | Radio Ga Ga | Queen | 1984 | "Radio Ga Ga" is considered one of Queen's signature songs. The song was written by Queen's drummer, Roger Taylor. He was inspired by his concerns about the impact of television on radio, fearing that it would overshadow and replace the traditional medium. The title "Radio Ga Ga" is a play on words, representing the repetitive and nonsensical nature of radio chatter. |
| music | Radio Song (ft. KRS-One) | R.E.M. | 1991 | "Radio Song" features a guest appearance by rapper KRS-One (of Boogie Down Productions). The song "Radio Song" by R.E.M. was written by the band's lead vocalist, Michael Stipe, along with the other members of R.E.M., including Peter Buck (guitar), Mike Mills (bass), and Bill Berry (drums). The lyrics of "Radio Song" touch upon themes of commercialism and the impact of mass media on society. The chorus includes the lines "That's me in the corner / That's me in the spotlight / Losing my religion," referencing the band's previous hit, "Losing My Religion." |
| music | Radio | Radios | 1992 | The song "Radio" by The Radios is a pop-rock track with lyrics that reflect on the role of radio in people's lives. The Radios consisted of Bart Peeters, Marc Kruithof, Alain Louvier, and Ronnie Van Baelen. |
| music | (Life Is a Rock) But the Radio Rolled Me | Tracey Ullman | 1983 | “(Life Is a Rock) But the Radio Rolled Me” originally by Reunion in 1974 was covered by Tracey Ullman in 1983. The lyrics, essentially a stream of consciousness list of references to pop culture elements from the 1950s through the early 1970s, were written by Paul DiFranco, Norman Dolph, and Joey Levine. |
| music | Hail Hail Rock 'n' Roll | Garland Jeffreys | 1977 | “Hail Hail Rock 'n' Roll” written and performed by Garland Jeffreys celebrates the power and impact of rock and roll music. |
| music | Play That Funky Music | Wild Cherry | 1985 | “Play That Funky Music” by Wild Cherry was written by Rob Parissi, the lead vocalist and guitarist of Wild Cherry. The inspiration for the song reportedly came from an incident where a fan shouted, "Play some funky music, white boy" during one of the band's performances. Wild Cherry was formed in 1970 in Mingo Junction, Ohio. The original members included Rob Parissi (vocals and guitar), Ben Difabbio (drums), Allen Wentz (bass), Larry Brown (keyboards), and Bryan Bassett (guitar). |
| music | I Love Rock And Roll | Joan Jett and the Blackhearts | 1986 | "I Love Rock 'n Roll" was originally released by the Arrows, a British band, in 1975. However, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts' famous version was released in 1981. Joan Jett heard the song while touring in England with the Runaways and decided to record her own version. Joan Jett, an American rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter, formed the Blackhearts after the disbandment of her previous group, the Runaways. |
| music | Crocodile Rock | Elton John | 1972 | "Crocodile Rock" is a song by Elton John, with lyrics by Bernie Taupin released as a single on October 27, 1972. The song is a nostalgic homage to the early rock and roll era of the late 1950s and early 1960s. |
| music | Listen To The Music | The Doobie Brothers | 1972 | "Listen to the Music" was written by Tom Johnston, one of the founding members of The Doobie Brothers and released in 1972. The song reflects Johnston's positive outlook on life and his desire to bring people together through music. |
| music | Titles | Barclay James Harvest | 1975 | ''Titles’ by British band Barclay James Harvest is registered as a Traditional, arranged by band co-founder John Lees in 1975. The lyrics are made of Beatles song titles. Band members included Les Holroyd (bass, vocals), John Lees (guitar, vocals), Mel Pritchard (drums), Woolly Wolstenholme (keyboards, vocals, 1967-79). |
| music | Thank You For The Music | ABBA | 1978 | "Thank You for the Music" by ABBA was first released as the B-side to the single "Eagle" in 1978 written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus expressing gratitude for the gift of music and the joy it brings. The lead vocals on the track are performed by Agnetha Fältskog. |
| music | I Write the Songs | Barry Manilow | 1975 | "I Write the Songs" by Barry Manilow is written by Bruce Johnston and released in 1975. Bruce Johnston wrote "I Write the Songs" as a tribute to his mentor, Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys. The song was originally recorded by The Captain & Tennille for their 1975 album "Love Will Keep Us Together", however Barry Manilow's version became more widely known and successful. |
| music | Killing Me Softly With His Song | Pitingo | 2008 | "Killing Me Softly with His Song" is a classic song written by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel, covered in 2008 by the Spanish flamenco singer Pitingo. The best-known version of this song is the one performed by Roberta Flack in 1973, and later covered by The Fugees in 1996. |
| music | Don't Take Away The Music | Tavares | 1976 | "Don't Take Away the Music" by Tavares was written by Keni St. Lewis and Freddie Perren. Freddie Perren, who was a member of the Corporation (Motown's songwriting and producing team), also produced the song. Tavares, a family group consisting of five brothers. |
| music | Dance To The Music | Sly & The Family Stone | 1968 | "Dance to the Music" is a funk and soul song by Sly and the Family Stone, written and produced by Sly Stone, the frontman and leader of Sly and the Family Stone. |
| music | Funky street | Arthur Conley | 1968 | "Funky Street" is a soul and R&B song performed by Arthur Conley, written by Arthur Conley and Rose Marie McCoy and released in 1968. |
| music | Harlem Shuffle | Bob & Earl | 1963 | "Harlem Shuffle" was originally written and recorded by Bob & Earl, a Los Angeles-based R&B duo consisting of Bobby Byrd and Earl Nelson. The original version was released in 1963 and The Rolling Stones covered the song in 1986. |
| music | Dance Dance Dance (Yowsah Yowsah Yowsah) | Chic | 1977 | “Dance Dance Dance (Yowsah Yowsah Yowsah)” is a disco hit by Chic that was released in 1977, written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers. The word “yowsah” is a slang term that was popular in the 1920s and 30s, meaning “wow” or “amazing.” |
| music | Down On The Street | Shakatak | 1984 | "Down on the Street" is a 1984 song by British band Shakatak, written by Bill Sharpe and Roger Odell. The song is about the joy of nightlife. |
| music | Dancing In The Street | Martha Reeves & The Vandellas | 1964 | "Dancing in the Street" was released in 1964 as a single by Martha and the Vandellas, a Motown girl group consisting of Martha Reeves, Rosalind Ashford, and Betty Kelly. The song was written by Marvin Gaye, William "Mickey" Stevenson, and Ivy Jo Hunter and is known for its iconic opening line, "Calling out around the world, are you ready for a brand new beat?" David Bowie and Mick Jagger covered the song during the Live Aid concert in 1985. |
| music | Roof Garden | Al Jarreau | 1982 | "Roof Garden" by Al Jarreau, released in 1982 was written by Al Jarreau, Tom Canning, and Jay Graydon. |
| music | Murder On the Dancefloor | Sophie Ellis-Bextor | 2001 | "Murder on the Dancefloor" by by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, released in 2001,was written by Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Gregg Alexander. The lyrics tell a story of intrigue, betrayal, and romance set against the backdrop of a nightclub or dance floor. |
| music | I'm in the Mood for Dancing | The Nolans | 1979 | "I'm in the Mood for Dancing" by The Nolans, released in 1979, was written by Ben Findon, Mike Myers, and Robert Puzey. The Nolans, originally known as The Nolan Sisters, were a family group of Irish and British singers. |
| music | He's The Greatest Dancer | Sister Sledge | 1979 | "He's the Greatest Dancer" is a 1979 disco song by Sister Sledge, written and produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, members of the funk and disco band Chic, with backing vocals performed by Alfa Anderson and Luci Martin, also members of Chic. The distinctive guitar riff was sampled by Will Smith in his hit "Gettin' Jiggy wit It." |
| music | My Feet Keep Dancing | Chic | 1979 | "My Feet Keep Dancing" is a 1979 disco song, written and produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, the core members of Chic. |
| wicked ways | Crazy Little Thing Called Love | Queen | 1979 | “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” was Queen's first song to top the US charts. Mercury composed it while taking a bath in a hotel in Munich. |
| wicked ways | Ain't No Doubt | Jimmy Nail | 1992 | 'Ain't No Doubt’ is written by Jimmy Nail, Danny Schogger and Charlie Dore, featuring additional vocals from Sylvia Mason-James. |
| wicked ways | Listen to Your Heart (Swedish Single Edit) | Roxette | 1988 | “Listen to your heart” by Swedish duo Roxette is written by Per Gessle and Mats Persson. Seven different versions of the song were released such as the original album version; the "Swedish Single Edit" and a slightly edited version included on subsequent greatest hits compilations. The song lyrics are inspired by a close friend of Gessle's, who was in "emotional turmoil, stuck between an old relationship and a new love. |
| wicked ways | Baby I'm a Fool | Melody Gardot | 2009 | Melody Gardot is an acclaimed vocalist, known for her dusky mix of jazz, Brazilian traditions, folk, and artful pop. According to Gardot, the lyrics are about "two coquette people who won't admit they are in love with each other." |
| wicked ways | For You | Serena Ryder | 2012 | The Canadian singer-songwriter Serena Ryder wrote “For You” as part of her 2012 album Harmony, coming out of a depression as a vibrant, spiritual songwriter. |
| wicked ways | Just The Way It Is Baby | The Rembrandts | 1990 | “Just The Way It Is Baby” is about a woman named Leah who The Rembrandts, Danny Wilde and Phil Solem, double dated. |
| wicked ways | How 'bout Us | Champaign | 1981 | “How 'bout Us” written by vocalist and keyboard player Dana Walden, had originally appeared in1975 as the B side of the Water Brothers Band single "Have You Ever Been Lonely?". Champaign re-recorded and released it in 1981 and became their biggest hit single. |
| wicked ways | This Will Be (an Everlasting Love) | Natalie Cole | 1975 | "This Will Be" a 1975 classic soul hit by Natalie Cole, was written by Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy. |
| wicked ways | Your Love Still Brings Me To My Knees | Marcia Hines | 1977 | "Your Love Still Brings Me to My Knees" by Marcia Hines, released in 1977, was written by Jeff Barry and Tom Snow. Marcia Hines is an American-Australian singer, actress, and TV personality. |
| wicked ways | Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word | Elton John | 1976 | "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" is a song performed by Elton John, with lyrics by Bernie Taupin, released in 1976, featuring Stevie Wonder, who played the harmonica on the track. |
| wicked ways | Am I Forgiven? | Rumer | 2010 | "Am I Forgiven?" is a track from Rumer's (born Sarah Joyce) debut studio album, "Seasons of My Soul," which was released in 2010. |
| wicked ways | That Look You Give That Guy | Eels | 2009 | “That Look You Give That Guy" is a track from Eels' album "Hombre Lobo", written by Mark Oliver Everett (E) and released in 2009. Eels is an American rock band formed by singer-songwriter Mark Oliver Everett, often known simply as "E." |
| wicked ways | Wicked Game | Chris Isaak | 1989 | "Wicked Game" is a song written and performed by Chris Isaak, originally released on his 1989 album "Heart Shaped World." The song gained widespread recognition and popularity when it was featured in the David Lynch film "Wild at Heart" in 1990. |
| wicked ways | I Can't Make You Love Me (With Bruce Hornsby) | Bonnie Raitt | 1991 | "I Can't Make You Love Me" is a one of the greatest ballads in contemporary music that was released as part of Bonnie Raitt's 1991 Grammy Award winning album "Luck of the Draw". The songwriters, Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin, crafted a timeless ballad that explores the pain of unrequited love and the acceptance of a relationship's inevitable end. |
| wicked ways | When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman | Dr. Hook | 1978 | "When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman" by Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show was released in 1978 and written by Even Stevens and recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Alabama. |
| wicked ways | Escape (The Pina Colada Song) | Rupert Holmes | 1979 | "Escape" written and performed by Rupert Holmes on his album "Partners in Crime" released in 1979 earned two Grammy Awards in 1980 for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and Song of the Year. |
| wicked ways | 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover | Paul Simon | 1975 | “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover” written and performed by Paul Simon is of his Grammy Award winning album "Still Crazy After All These Years" in 1976. The song earned Paul Simon also the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in 1976. The drum part is played by one of the most influential drummers of all time, Steve Gadd , who recorded many other legendary drum tracks like "Aja" and "Nite Sprite". |
| wicked ways | Would I Lie To You | Charles & Eddie | 1992 | "Would I Lie to You?", released in 1992 and written by Mike Leeson and Peter Vale, is performed by the American R&B duo Charles & Eddie, consisting of Charles Pettigrew and Eddie Chacon. |
| wicked ways | Why | Carly Simon | 1982 | "Why" by Carly Simon is a song written and produced by the Chic hitmakers Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards wrote "Why" for the 1982 comedy film Soup For One, for which they did the soundtrack. |
| wicked ways | Would You...? | Touch and Go | 1998 | “Would You...?” by Touch & Go, written by David Lowe, was released in 1998. One-hit wonder Touch & Go is a British jazz-pop ensemble founded in 1998 by television composer David Lowe, veteran radio presenter and music journalist Charlie Gillett, and co-founder of Oval Music, Gordon Nelki. The other band members are vocalist Vanessa Lancaster and multi-instrumentalist James Lynch. |
| wicked ways | My Boy Lollipop | Millie | 1964 | “My Boy Lollipop”, originally a hit in late 1956 for Barbie Gaye (including a saxophone solo) was covered in 1964 by the Jamaican seventeen year old singer Millie Small, adding a ska style and featuring a harmonica solo. |
| wicked ways | Feel the Need in Me | The Detroit Emeralds | 1972 | "Feel the Need in Me" was originally released in 1972 by the Detroit Emeralds, written by band member Abrim Tilmon. The Detroit Emeralds was an American R&B vocal group originally composed of Abrim Tilmon, Ivory Tilmon, and James Mitchell. |
| wicked ways | No Milk Today | Herman's Hermits | 1966 | “No Milk Today” by Herman’s Hermits was released in 1966 and written by future 10cc member Graham Gouldman, who got the inspiration for the song by his father, telling about his visit to a friend of his and noticed the milk bottle on the doorstep with the note, 'no milk today'. |
| wicked ways | Colour My Life | M People | 1992 | "Colour My Life" is a song by British band M People, released in 1992, written specifically for lead vocalist, 25-year-old Heather Small and the first M People track she ever recorded. |
| wicked ways | You And Me | Spargo | 1980 | “You and Me” was Dutch band Spargo’s first hit, released in 1980, written by vocalist and keyboard player Ellert Driessen and featuring Lilian Day Jackson as lead vocals and percussion. |
| words by numbers | ABC | Jackson 5 | 1987 | “ABC” by the Jackson 5 was released in 1970 when Michael Jackson was just 11 years old and is written by the Motown writing team: "The Corporation", including Freddie Perren, Fonce Mizell and Deke Richards with Berry Gordy. |
| words by numbers | Alphabet St. | Prince | 1988 | “Alphabet St.” written and performed by Prince was released in 1988 where he encouraged listeners to follow him to a place where his spiritual and sexual sides could coexist in harmony. |
| words by numbers | Word Up | Cameo | 1986 | "Word Up" by the funk band Cameo was released 1986. "Word Up" or “you bet” was a popular saying in New York. It features a reference to the opening notes of Ennio Morricone's theme to The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. |
| words by numbers | Prisencolinensinainciusol | Adriano Celentano | 1972 | "Prisencolinensinainciusol" is a song composed by the Italian singer Adriano Celentano, and performed by Celentano and his wife Claudia Mori in 1972. The song is intended to sound to its Italian audience as if it is sung in English spoken with an American accent, however the lyrics are deliberately unintelligible gibberish with the exception of the words "all right". Celentano is considered as the man who brought rock and roll to Italy. |
| words by numbers | Mah Na Mah Na | Mahna Mahna and The Two Snowths | 1968 | "Mah Na Mah Na" was written by composer Piero Umiliani for an Italian "mondo" film (exploitative pseudo-documentaries) about life (mostly sex-related) in Sweden, titled Svezia, Inferno e Paradiso (Sweden, Heaven and Hell). It is a nonsense song that achieved widespread fame as a classic Muppet sketch. |
| words by numbers | Sukiyaki | Kyu Sakamoto | 1963 | The Japanese star Kyu Sakamoto had a number one hit in his country with this song, initially known as "Ue O Muite Aruko", meaning “I look up when I walk” in 1961, written by lyricist Rokusuke Ei and composer Hachidai Nakamura. In 1962, Louis Benjamin, a British music executive, renamed it as "Sukiyaki" after a Japanese hot pot, meaning "Beef Stew". |
| words by numbers | I Close My Eyes and Count to Ten | Dusty Springfield | 1968 | I Close My Eyes and Count To Ten (Mono Version) is a song written by Clive Westlake and recorded by British singer Dusty Springfield. It was Springfield's final release on the Phillips label. |
| words by numbers | 1234 | Feist | 2007 | “1234” by Canadian artist Feist, is co-written by Feist and Sally Seltmann, an Australian singer-songwriter. On September 5, 2007, Apple started using the song’s video in ads for its iPod Nano. |
| words by numbers | Take Five | The Dave Brubeck Quartet | 1959 | “Take Five” released in 1959 by The Dave Brubeck Quartet is written by Brubeck's alto saxophonist Paul Desmond. The tune was written in an odd time signature, the 5/4 irregular meter, hence it’s title "Take Five". This version comes from the 2020 album “Time OutTakes”, including brilliant alternate takes from the original 1959 sessions with Joe Morello on drums. Even alto saxophonist, Paul Desmond, had not yet settled on a consistent melody. Brubeck was playing the famous piano vamp in order to hold the piece together along with the glue provided by Gene Wright on bass. It was supposed to simply be a tune that would feature the drums. This version from Time OutTakes explodes with one hell of a drum solo, longer than the original hit single, proving why Joe was considered one of the very best drummers in jazz. Joe Morello’s father was a French emigrant from Nice and his mother hailed from French Canada. |
| words by numbers | Mambo N°5 | Lou Bega | 1999 | German pop musician Lou Bega added lyrics to the Cuban-Mexican bandleader Perez Prado’s instrumental "King of the Mambo" or "Mambo No 5" one of a series of eight mambos. Rumor has it that all the girls he mentions are former girlfriends: Angela, Pamela, Sandra, Rita, Monica, Erica, Tina, Mary and Jessica. |
| words by numbers | 99 | TOTO | 1979 | “99” by Toto, released in 1979 was written by keyboard player David Paich and is inspired by the 1971 movie THX-1138, directed by George Lucas, where people are numbered drones. |
| words by numbers | 96 Tears | The Stranglers | 1990 | “96 Tears” by “? and the Mysterians”, released in 1966, is written by the band's frontman. The band's keyboard player Frank Rodriguez used a Vox Continental and would later become vintage to get a retro sound. “? and the Mysterians” are a garage band formed in 1962 in Michigan by three offspring of migrant farmers: Bobby Balderrama (lead guitar), Larry Borjas (rhythm guitar) and Robert Martinez (drums). Garland Jeffreys covered this in 1980 and The Stranglers released a version in 1990. |
| words by numbers | The Magnificent Seven | The Clash | 1980 | The title “The Magnificent Seven” comes from John Sturgess' 1960 Western movie of the same name. The Clash frontman Joe Strummer wrote the lyrics and Norman Watt-Roy (from Ian Dury and the Blockheads) ended up writing the bass line. |
| words by numbers | Song 2 | Blur | 1997 | "Song 2" by Blur, released in 1997 (originally just a working title) was written by the band to make fun of Grunge music, adding loud guitars and cryptic lyrics. This is the second track on the CD, the second single from the album, it hit #2 in the UK, and it is 2 minutes long. |
| words by numbers | Be My Number Two | Joe Jackson | 1984 | The love ballad "Be My Number Two" by British singer-songwriter Joe Jackson, released in 1984, expresses “once bitten, twice shy”. |
| words by numbers | Tea for Two (feat. Anita O'day) | Gene Krupa | 1999 | Gene Krupa (1909-1973), the best drummer of all time, recorded “Tea for Two” from the Broadway musical "No, No, Nanette" with vocals by Anita O'Day (1919-2006). |
| words by numbers | 2-4-6-8 Motorway | Tom Robinson Band | 1978 | "2-4-6-8 Motorway" by the Tom Robinson Band, released in 1978, was written by Tom Robinson, inspired by memories of driving back to London through the night after gigs with his band Café Society. |
| words by numbers | 002.345.709 (That's My Number) | Trinity | 1976 | “002.345.709 (That's My Number)” was the biggest hit for the Belgian band Trinity and was released in 1976. Written by band members Fred Bekky and Bob Baelemans with female vocals by Sofie Verbruggen. |
| words by numbers | Four Letter Word | Kim Wilde | 1988 | The soothing ballad “Four Letter Word” by Kim Wilde is written by father Marty and younger brother Ricky Wilde and released in 1988. |
| words by numbers | Four to the Floor | Starsailor | 2004 | “Four to the Floor” is a song by British band Starsailor, released in 2004. Four-on-the-floor (or four-to-the-floor) is a rhythm used primarily in dance genres such as disco and electronic dance music. It is a steady, uniformly accented beat in 4 4 time in which the bass drum is hit on every beat (1, 2, 3, 4). |
| words by numbers | Words | F.R. David | 1982 | The plaintive ballad “Words” written and performed by French singer F.R. David was released in 1982. F.R. David (birth name Elli Robert Fitoussi) is a Tunisian-born French singer. |
| words by numbers | Les mots bleus | Christophe | 1974 | “Les Mots bleus” by French singer Christophe was released in 1974. The lyrics are by Jean-Michel Jarre and music composed by Christophe, inspired by the sound of the Eminent 310 Unique, a home electronic organ and the first commercial polyphonic string synthesizer on the market at the time. Jean-Michel Jarre used the Eminent 310 Unique organ on his albums Oxygène (1977) and Équinoxe (1978). |
| words by numbers | Words | Arid | 2008 | “Words” by Arid was released in 2008. Arid is a Belgian rock band, formed in the mid-1990s, made up of four members: Jasper Steverlinck (vocals and guitar), David Du Pré (guitar), Filip Ros (bass) and Steven Van Havere (drums). |
| words by numbers | Paroles, paroles (ft. Alain Delon) | Dalida | 1973 | "Paroles, paroles" by French singer Dalida featuring French actor Alain Delon was released in 1973. It is a bosa nova remake by Chris Michaële (lyrics) and Gianni Ferrio (composition) of the 1972 original "Parole parole" (translated "Words words") duet performed by Italian singer Mina and actor Alberto Lupo as opening theme for the prime time Italian TV show Teatro 10. |
| words by numbers | If I Had Words | Scott Fitzgerald & Yvonne Keeley | 1977 | "If I Had Words" is a duet by Scottish singer Scott Fitzgerald and Dutch singer Yvonne Keeley with the backing of the St. Thomas More School Choir, released in 1977. The tune was taken from the main theme of the Maestoso from Saint-Saens Symphony No.3 in C minor ("Organ Symphony") with a reggae beat added. The lyrics and arrangement were by Jonathan Hodge, a prolific writer of television jingles and film themes. |
| all female | Come See About Me | Diana Ross & The Supremes | 1964 | "Come See About Me" by The Supremes was written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland. The track opens with a fade-in, marking one of the first times the technique had been used on a studio recording. The Supremes, led by Diana Ross, are considered one of the best girl groups. Their everlastingly stylish and smooth tunes captured the hearts of generations with a perfect fusion of pop, soul, and R&B. As one of Motown's most iconic acts, The Supremes not only broke racial barriers but also became trendsetters in fashion and style. Their trailblazing legacy has inspired countless artists and solidified their place in music history. |
| all female | Baby, I Love You | The Ronettes | 1963 | "Baby, I Love You" is a song originally recorded by the Ronettes in 1963, written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, and Phil Spector. Lead vocals by Ronnie Bennett, background vocals by Cher, Sonny Bono, and the Blossoms (Darlene Love, Fanita James, and Gracia Nitzsche), and instrumentation by the Wrecking Crew. The Ronettes, led by Veronica Yvette Greenfield (born Bennett, formerly Spector; August 10, 1943 – January 12, 2022), is known to many as one of the best female bands. Their iconic beehive hairstyles and dramatic eye makeup only scratch the surface of The Ronettes' influence on the music world. With their sultry harmonies and captivating stage presence, they became a defining force in the girl group era of the early 60s. As the embodiment of the "Wall of Sound" production, their impact can still be felt today in modern pop and rock music. |
| all female | Jimmy Mack | Martha Reeves & The Vandellas | 1967 | "Jimmy Mack" was originally recorded in 1964 when Annette Beard was still a part of the group Martha and the Vandellas. The song was shelved because the Motown Quality Control team felt the recording was not suitable for release because it sounded too much like a Supremes song. The Holland–Dozier–Holland song is written as a tribute to Ronnie Mack the writer. Martha and the Vandellas is one of Motown's finest girl groups and remain an essential part of music history. |
| all female | Leader Of The Pack | The Shangri-Las | 1964 | The tune of "Leader of the Pack" by the girl group the Shangri-Las is credited to pop impresario George "Shadow" Morton together with Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich. The Shangri-Las captured hearts with their dramatic storytelling and emotive performances. Known for their captivating stage presence and heart-wrenching ballads, they became a defining force in the era's music scene. As an influential part of music history, The Shangri-Las' impact can still be felt in the sound of modern pop music. |
| all female | He Was Really Saying Something | The Velvelettes | 1964 | "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin” by The Velvelettes is a soul song written by Motown songwriters Norman Whitfield, William "Mickey" Stevenson, and Edward Holland, Jr. in 1964. In 1982, the British girl group Bananarama recorded a cover version of the song As one of Motown's hidden gems, The Velvelettes brought a unique sound to the world of pop and soul music in the 1960s. Their impeccable harmonies and heartfelt lyrics resonated with fans, making them a beloved part of the era's musical landscape. With their enduring legacy and timeless appeal, The Velvelettes remain a cherished part of music history. |
| all female | Shy Boy | Bananarama | 1982 | "Shy Boy" is a 1982 song recorded by English girl group Bananarama which was written and produced by the production team of Steve Jolley and Tony Swain and marked the first in a long line of studio collaborations between them and Bananarama. Bananarama are a British-Irish girl group formed in London in 1980. The group, originally a trio, consisted of friends Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, and Keren Woodward |
| all female | Walk Like An Egyptian | The Bangles | 1986 | "Walk Like an Egyptian" is a song by American band the Bangles, released in 1986. Liam Sternberg said he was inspired to create the song while on a ferry crossing the English Channel. When the vessel hit choppy water, passengers stepped carefully and moved their arms awkwardly while struggling to maintain their balance, and that reminded Sternberg of the depiction of human figures in ancient Egyptian tomb paintings. Capturing the essence of the 80s with their infectious pop-rock tunes, The Bangles left an indelible mark on music history. |
| all female | Our Lips Are Sealed | The GoGo's | 1981 | "Our Lips Are Sealed", by the Go-Go’s, released in 1981 is a song co-written by Jane Wiedlin, guitarist of the Go-Go's, and Terry Hall, singer of the Specials and Fun Boy Three. The Go-Go's are pioneers of the punk and new wave scene and made their mark with their infectious tunes and rebellious spirit. As one of the first all-female bands to write and perform their own music, they broke down barriers and paved the way for future women in rock. Their energetic performances and timeless hits have established their legacy as one of the most influential girl groups of all time. |
| all female | It's The First Time | Lois Lane | 1989 | “It's The First Time” by Loïs Lane was released in 1989. Loïs Lane is a Dutch girl group consisting of the sisters Suzanne and Monique Klemann. Lois Lane is a fictional character appearing in American comic books reated by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster. Lois Lane's career spans more than eight decades and has worn many hats besides that of the world's most celebrated journalist. She's been a wife of Superman and mother of Superboy, a costumed vigilante, a ghostwriter and a political activist, making her a Superwoman in fact as well as name. |
| all female | Miss Q-In | Zap Mama | 2004 | “Miss Q-In” by ‘Zap Mama’ is written by Chris Forman and Damon Bennett and released in 2004. For over 25 years Miss M. Daulne a.k.a. ‘Zap Mama’, has made her mark in the music and entertainment industry thanks to her vocal creativity and appearances on the most prestigious stages. Marie Daulne, the daughter of a Belgian father and a Congolese mother, and was born in the East Zaire City of Isiro. Zap Mama specializes in polyphonic, harmonic music with a mixture of heavily infused African instruments, R&B, and Hip-hop and emphasizes voice in all their music. |
| all female | Yes We Can Can | The Pointer Sisters | 1973 | “Yes We Can Can" by The Pointer Sisters is a funk song written by Allen Toussaint and released in 1970. A perfect fusion of R&B, pop, and disco, The Pointer Sisters brought an irresistibly infectious energy to the music world. Their timeless tunes showcased their incredible vocal range and ability to captivate listeners. As pioneers in the industry, they broke barriers for future generations of artists and solidified their status as musical icons. |
| all female | Baby Hold On | Dixie Chicks | 2006 | Known for most of their career as Dixie Chicks, they were named after the song "Dixie Chicken" by Little Feat. That song is about a woman who charms guys into falling in love with her, then takes them for all they're worth. On June 25, 2020, they changed their name to "The Chicks," dropping the "dixie" because it refers to the American South during a time of slavery. |
| all female | Chapel of Love | The Dixie Cups | 1964 | "Chapel of Love" by The Dixie Cups in 1964 was written in 1963 by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, who had themselves recently married. Phil Spector, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich had originally written the song for The Ronettes. The Dixie Cups (formerly known as The Mel-Tones) are an American pop music girl group of the 1960s. |
| all female | Angels with dirty faces | Sugababes | 2002 | "Angels with Dirty Faces" was written by the Sugababes in collaboration with members of the British songwriting and production team Xenomania, including Brian Higgins, Bob Bradley, Tim Powell and Matthew Del Gray. Original member Siobhán Donaghy, was replaced by former Atomic Kitten member Heidi Range in September 2001. The ever-evolving lineup of the girl group Sugababes didn't stop them from leaving a lasting mark on the pop music landscape. |
| all female | All Night Long | Mary Jane Girls | 1983 | "All Night Long" by the Mary Jane Girls is a song written, arranged, and produced by American musician Rick James for the Mary Jane Girls. The name of the group referenced mary jane, slang for marijuana; a favored recreational drug of James. The group's image was styled as containing a street-wise girl (Joanne "Jojo" McDuffie), a supermodel (Candice "Candi" Ghant), a cheerleader/valley girl (Cheryl Bailey (Cheri Wells)), and a dominatrix (Kimberly "Maxi" Wuletich). |
| all female | Waterfalls | TLC | 2013 | "Waterfalls" is an R&B song, written by TLC band member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes with Marqueze Etheridge and Organized Noize, released in 1995. The song's lyrics refer to 1990s issues such as the HIV/AIDS epidemic and violence associated with the illegal drug trade. TLC is an American girl group formed in 1990 in Atlanta, Georgia. The group's best-known line-up was composed of Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas.TLC combined their smooth harmonies with a fierce attitude. With their bold messages of female empowerment, self-love, and social awareness, they cemented their status as a groundbreaking force in music. |
| all female | Waterfall | Wendy & Lisa | 1987 | "Waterfall" performed and written by Wendy and Lisa with co-writer, producer and former Revolution colleague Bobby Z., was released in 1995. Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman are an Emmy® Award winning musical composing duo based in Los Angeles. They both started their careers in one of the most successful rock bands of the 80s, Prince & the Revolution. |
| all female | Why (Am I Treated So Bad) | The Sweet Inspirations | 1967 | "Why? (Am I Treated So Bad)" was written by the Staple Singers patriarch Roebuck "Pops" Staples in reaction to the 1957 protests about the Little Rock Nine, the first black students to attend the segregated Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas. The Sweet Inspirations’ original line-up comprised of group leader Emily "Cissy" Houston, Sylvia Shemwell, Myrna Smith and Estelle Brown. They were backing vocalists for Elvis Presley (from 1968 up to his death in 1977), Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Herbie Mann, Nina Simone, Solomon Burke, and Chuck Jackson. |
| all female | Whatta Man | Salt-N-Pepa | 1993 | Linda Lyndell, a white singer who had been a supporting act with James Brown and Ike & Tina Turner and then recommended to Stax Records by Otis Redding, recorded "What a Man". In 1993, American hip hop trio Salt-N-Pepa recorded the song retitled "Whatta Man" with En Vogue an American vocal girl group consisting of singers Terry Ellis, Dawn Robinson, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones. Salt-N-Pepa (sometimes stylized as Salt 'N' Pepa) is an American hip hop group formed in New York City in 1985, that comprised Salt (Cheryl James), Pepa (Sandra Denton), and DJ Spinderella (Deidra Roper). |
| all female | I Love To Love | Las Seventies | 2007 | Las Seventies or Lola and Blanca covered in 2007 disco hits in rumba style, such as "I Love to Love (But My Baby Loves to Dance)" by British singer Tina Charles, released in 1976. |
| all female | Lost In Music | Sister Sledge | 1992 | "Lost in Music" is a song by American vocal group Sister Sledge, released in July 1979, written by Nile Rodgers Bernard Edwards. Natives of Philadelphia, the sisters: Debra Edwina "Debbie" Sledge (born 1954), Joan Elise "Joni" Sledge (1956–2017), Kim Sledge (born 1957), and Kathy Sledge (born 1959) are the daughters of Broadway tap dancer Edwin Sledge (1923–1996) and actress Florez Sledge (née Williams; 1928–2007). Following the tragic passing of Joni sledge in 2017, Sister Sledge’s beautiful legacy is now evolving as their extraordinary adult children take centre stage. |
| all female | Best Disco In Town | Ritchie Family | 1976 | "The Best Disco in Town" is a 1976 crossover disco single by Philadelphia-based group, The Ritchie Family. The song is a medley of recent disco songs linked together with an original chorus. The Ritchie Family originally consisted of three singers: Cassandra Ann Wooten and Gwendolyn Oliver of the girl group Honey & the Bees, and Cheryl Mason Jacks. |
| all female | Take Good Care of Yourself | The Three Degrees | 1975 | “Take Good Care Of Yourself” by The Three Degrees was written by Leon Huff and Kenneth Gamble. The Three Degrees is an American female vocal group formed in 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Elegance and sophistication defined The Three Degrees, a girl group that rose to prominence in the 1970s with their luscious harmonies and soulful ballads. The line-up from 1967 to 1976 was Fayette Pinkney, Valerie Holiday and Sheila Ferguson, who would go on to sing lead on most of the group's biggest hits. |
| all female | Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight | The McGuire Sisters | 1954 | "Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite" is a popular song that was a hit during the mid-1950s. It was written by Calvin Carter and James "Pookie" Hudson in 1951, and was first recorded by The Spaniels in 1953. The McGuire Sisters released it as "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight" in 1954. Heralding from the golden age of vocal harmony groups, The McGuire Sisters were a singing trio in American popular music of the fifties, composed of three sisters; Christine, Dorothy and Phyllis McGuire. |
| all female | Mister Sandman | The Chordettes | 1954 | "Mr. Sandman" (or "Mister Sandman") is a popular song written by Pat Ballard and published in 1954. It was first recorded in May of that year by Vaughn Monroe & his orchestra and later that year by The Chordettes and the Four Aces. The Chordettes' recording of the song was released on the Cadence Records label on both 78 RPM and 45 RPM formats. Formed in 1946, The Chordettes were a female popular singing quartet from Sheboygan, Wisconsin. They usually sung a cappella, and specialized in traditional popular music. Known for their close harmony singing and crisp vocals, The Chordettes became one of the most successful girl groups of the 1950s. |
| Diva | Respect | Aretha Franklin | 1967 | Otis Redding wrote “Respect” and originally recorded it in 1965. It was Aretha Franklin's idea to cover this song. She came up with the arrangement, added the "sock it to me" lines, and played piano on the track. Her sister Carolyn, also helped work up the song. The "ree, ree, ree, ree..." refrain is a nod to Franklin's nickname, Ree (as in A-Ree-tha). Both her younger sister Carolyn and elder sister Erma provided backing vocals. Dubbed the "Queen of Soul" for her awe-inspiring talent and unmatched soulful voice, she effortlessly moved through different genres, from gospel and R&B to pop and jazz. With 18 Grammy Awards and over 75 million records sold, there's no doubt that she was one of the most influential and celebrated female vocalists in history. |
| Diva | Piece Of My Heart | Erma Franklin | 1967 | "Piece of My Heart" is a romantic soul song written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns, originally recorded by Aretha Franklin's older sister Erma in 1967. Bert Berns asked Van Morrison, whom he was producing, to record the song, but Morrison declined, preferring to do his own material. The song came to mainstream attention when Big Brother and the Holding Company featuring Janis Joplin on lead vocals covered the song in 1968. |
| Diva | Little Girl Blue | Janis Joplin | 1969 | “Little Girl Blue” was originally written by Richard Rogers and Lorenz Hart to be used in the 1935 musical Jumbo. Since then it has been covered by many artists. Janis put her own touch on the song by changing up the lyrics. “Janis: Little Girl Blue” is a 2015 American documentary film directed by Amy J. Berg, Forever immortalized as one of the most iconic voices in rock history, her raw, gritty vocals and electrifying stage presence captured the spirit of the late 1960s counterculture. Her incredible talent shone through in unforgettable songs like "Piece of My Heart," "Me and Bobby McGee," and "Cry Baby," leaving an indelible mark on the music world despite her untimely death at 27. |
| Diva | My Baby Just Cares for Me | Nina Simone | 1957 | “My Baby Just Cares for Me” is a jazz standard written by Walter Donaldson (music) and Gus Kahn (lyrics) for the 1930 film adaptation of the musical comedy Whoopee!, where it was first performed by Eddie Cantor. Nina Simone recorded “My Baby Just Cares for Me” for her debut album “Little Girl Blue” in 1957. Nina Simone is a supremely talented singer, composer, and pianist, her unique, emotive voice was perfectly suited for conveying the raw truth and pain in her music. With unforgettable songs like "Feeling Good," "Sinnerman," and "I Put a Spell on You," she became a leading figure in the civil rights movement and left an indelible mark on the worlds of jazz, blues, and soul music. |
| Diva | A Tisket, A Tasket | Ella Fitzgerald | 1993 | "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" is a nursery rhyme first recorded in the US in the late 19th century and used as a basis by Ella Fitzgerald for her 1938 composition in conjunction with Al Feldman (later known as Van Alexander). Nicknamed the "First Lady of Song," she was an extraordinary singer whose flawless pitch and impeccable diction earned her a place among the pantheon of jazz greats. Throughout her illustrious career spanning over six decades, she amassed a total of 13 Grammy Awards and sold more than 40 million records, leaving behind an indelible imprint on the fabric of music. |
| Diva | Broken Hearted Melody | Sarah Vaughan | 1959 | Sarah Vaughan’s commercial success peaked in 1959 with "Broken Hearted Melody", written by Hal David and Sherman Edwards, a song she considered "corny" which nevertheless became her first gold record, and a regular part of her concert repertoire for years to come. Sarah Lois Vaughan (March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer. Nicknamed "Sassy" and "The Divine One", she won four Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award. She was given an NEA Jazz Masters Award in 1989. Critic Scott Yanow wrote that she had "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century". |
| Diva | La vie en rose | Édith Piaf | 2013 | "La Vie en rose" (French for 'Life in pink') is the signature song of French singer Édith Piaf, who wrote the lyrics in 1945 with music composed by Louiguy and released as a single in 1947. Édith Piaf (born Édith Giovanna Gassion, 19 December 1915 – 10 October 1963) was a French singer, songwriter, cabaret performer and film actress noted as France's national chanteuse and one of the country's most widely known international stars. |
| Diva | How Deep Is The Ocean (How High Is The Sky) | Diana Krall | 1997 | "How Deep Is the Ocean?" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin in 1932. The song was developed from an earlier Berlin song "To My Mammy" which was sung by Al Jolson in his film Mammy (1930). In the earlier song, the lyrics include the questions "How deep is the ocean? / How high is the sky?" and this was the genesis of "How Deep Is the Ocean?". Diana Jean Krall (born November 16, 1964) is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer known for her contralto vocals. |
| Diva | My Heart Will Go On (Love Theme from "Titanic") | Céline Dion | 1993 | Canadian singer Céline Dion held the world spellbound with a remarkable ability to hit the highest notes with ease with her epic ballad "My Heart Will Go On" as the theme for the 1997 film Titanic. Renowned for her awe-inspiring vocal range and powerful, emotive performances, she is one of the most successful and beloved artists in the history of pop music. Over her illustrious career, she's sold more than 250 million albums worldwide, earning numerous awards and accolades that firmly cement her status as a bonafide vocal powerhouse. |
| Diva | Greatest Love Off All | Whitney Houston | 1985 | This was written by songwriters Michael Masser and Linda Creed, recovering from breast cancer, in 1977 for the soundtrack of Muhammad Ali’s biography movie, The Greatest, recorded by George Benson. Whitney Houston's version was originally the B-side of "You Give Good Love" With over 200 million records sold worldwide, she was a beloved icon and one of the best-selling music artists of all time, using her incomparable vocal prowess to captivate audiences with unforgettable renditions of "I Will Always Love You," "Greatest Love of All," and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody." |
| Diva | Don't Know Why | Norah Jones | 2002 | "Don't Know Why" by Norah Jones, released in 2002, is a song originally written composed and performed by Jesse Harris in 1999. Norah Jones, born Geethali Norah Jones Shankar on March 30, 1979, is recognized internationally as a distinguished singer, songwriter, and pianist. Born in New York City and raised in Texas, her distinctive blend of jazz, pop, and soul music has earned her substantial acclaim across her career. She is the daughter of famed Indian sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar and concert producer Sue Jones, a lineage that undoubtedly contributed to her profound musical talent. Jones's stellar career began in earnest with the release of her debut album, Come Away with Me, in 2002. |
| Diva | Sodade | Cesária Évora | 1994 | "Sodade" is a Cape Verdean song written in the 1950s by Armando Zeferino Soares, and best popularized by Cesária Évora on her 1992 album Miss Perfumado. She released her debut album, La Diva Aux Pieds Nus, in 1988. Cesária Évora (27 August 1941 – 17 December 2011) was a Cape Verdean singer known for singing morna, a genre of music from Cape Verde, in her native Cape Verdean Creole. Sodade describes the nostalgia experienced by Cape Verdeans emigrants who have been seafarers and emigrants for centuries, repeating the question "Ken mostro-b es kaminhu longe?" ("Who showed you the faraway path?") |
| Diva | Anyone Who Had A Heart | Dionne Warwick | 1963 | "Anyone Who Had a Heart" is a song written by Burt Bacharach (music) and Hal David (lyrics) for Dionne Warwick in 1963. During her career, Warwick has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and she has won many awards, including six Grammy Awards. |
| Diva | Sweet Love | Anita Baker | 1986 | “Sweet Love” was written by Anita Baker, Louis A. Johnson, and Gary Bias, and Anita Baker’s first big hit in 1986. Anita Denise Baker (born January 26, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter. "Sweet Love" won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song at the 29th Annual Grammy Awards (1987). |
| Diva | What's Love Got To Do With It | Tina Turner | 1984 | “What's Love Got To Do With It” was Tina Turner's comeback song at age 44 in 1984. In 1993, the title was used for a movie about her life starring Angela Bassett as Turner. With a career spanning six decades, countless accolades, and over 200 million records sold, Tina Turner remains an enduring symbol of strength and resilience. |
| Diva | I Feel The Earth Move | Carole King | 1971 | I Feel the Earth Move" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Carole King, an iconic singer-songwriter whose incredible career has spanned over six decades, her emotive voice and timeless compositions have left a lasting impact on the world of music. With beloved hits like "You've Got a Friend," "It's Too Late," and "I Feel the Earth Move," she's penned some of the most enduring tunes in the pop and rock canon, earning multiple Grammy Awards and selling millions of records. |
| Diva | Jolene | Dolly Parton | 1973 | Dolly Parton is a true country music legend, her distinctive, angelic voice and unparalleled songwriting prowess have secured her place as one of the most successful and influential artists in the genre. With beloved hits like "Jolene," "9 to 5," and "I Will Always Love You" to her name, she's not only charmed listeners with her heartfelt storytelling but also inspired generations of female artists to follow in her footsteps. According to Parton, the song was inspired by a red-headed bank clerk who flirted with her husband, Carl Dean, at his local bank branch around the time they were newly married. In an interview, she also revealed that Jolene's name and appearance are based on that of a young fan who came on stage for her autograph. |
| Diva | You Don't Know My Name | Alicia Keys | 2003 | “You Don't Know My Name" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys, released in 2003. Best known for soulful anthems like "Fallin'," "No One," and "If I Ain't Got You," she's won countless awards and accolades, including 15 Grammy Awards and more than 40 million records sold. |
| Diva | People | Barbra Streisand | 1964 | "People" is a song composed by Jule Styne with lyrics by Bob Merrill for the 1964 Broadway musical Funny Girl starring Barbra Streisand, who introduced the song. From unforgettable ballads like "The Way We Were" and "Evergreen" to powerful showstoppers like "Don't Rain on My Parade" and "People," her incredible talent has earned her numerous awards, including ten Grammy Awards and an impressive record as the only artist to have number-one albums in six consecutive decades. |
| Diva | Lady Sings the Blues | Billie Holiday | 1956 | "Lady Sings the Blues" is a song written by jazz singer Billie Holiday and jazz pianist Herbie Nichols. She put this new signature sound on scores of stirring ballads such as her self-reflecting composition "Lady Sings The Blues". Holiday's complicated life and her genre-defining autobiography “Lady Sings the Blues” made her a cultural icon. Despite a relatively short career marred by tragedy and hardship, she left an enduring legacy in the music world, influencing countless artists and selling millions of records. |
| Diva | Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To) | Diana Ross | 1976 | "Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)" was initially recorded by American singer Thelma Houston in 1973, and then by Diana Ross as the theme to the 1975 Motown/Paramount film Mahogany that also starred Ross. Produced by Masser, the song is a ballad that portrays its protagonist (Ross) as a black woman who becomes a successful Rome fashion designer. A legendary diva with a voice as smooth as silk, she was the epitome of glamour and sophistication as the lead singer of one of the most successful female groups before launching a wildly successful solo career. |
| Diva | Hero | Mariah Carey | 1993 | "Hero" is one of American singer-songwriter, and record producer Mariah Carey’s most inspirational and personal ballads released on October 18, 1993. Blessed with a stunning five-octave vocal range, Mariah Carey is widely regarded as one of the most technically skilled singers in the industry. With more than 200 million records sold, 19 number-one singles, and countless awards under her belt, there's no question that she's a living legend and one of the best-selling female artists of all time. |
| Diva | Rolling In The Deep | ADELE | 2010 | Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” made her a legend, as far as the whole world was concerned. Reeling from the “rubbish relationship” that inspired her breakthrough 21, Adele poured all her pain into this smash. On this revenge song, Adele lays into a former boyfriend.. With more than 120 million records sold and a legion of devoted fans, this British powerhouse is undeniably one of the most influential female vocalists of her generation. |
| Diva | Back To Black | Amy Winehouse | 2006 | “Back to Black” was written by Amy Winehouse and Marc Ronson. Her ex went back to his girlfriend and Winehouse went back to drinking and dark times. This song is about Winehouse's breakup with her then-boyfriend Blake Fielder-Civil. They got back together and married in 2007. Despite her untimely death at just 27, she left behind a legacy of groundbreaking music, earning numerous posthumous awards and accolades, and selling over 33 million records worldwide. |
| Diva | This Is My Life | Shirley Bassey | 1968 | "This Is My Life (La vita)", written by (Bruno Canfora, Antonio Amurri and Norman Newell is Shirley Bassey’s statement. Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey, (born 8 January 1937) is a Welsh singer whose career began in the mid-1950s, best known both for her powerful voice and for recording the theme songs to the James Bond films Goldfinger (1964), Diamonds Are Forever (1971), and Moonraker (1979). In January 1959, Bassey became the first Welsh person to gain a No. 1 single.In 2000, Bassey was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for services to the performing arts. In 1977 she received the Brit Award for Best British Female Solo Artist in the previous 25 years. Bassey is considered one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the second half of the 20th century. |
| whereto | Far Far Away | Slade | 1974 | "Far Far Away" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released in 1974. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler. Holder has cited the song as his favourite Slade song, while drummer Don Powell has stated it to be one of his favourites. |
| whereto | So Far Away | Carole King | 1971 | “So Far Away” is a song written by Carole King, which appeared on her 1971 album Tapestry. The recording features James Taylor on acoustic guitar. Carole King Klein (born to Jewish parents as Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer-songwriter and musician who has been active since 1958. |
| whereto | The Other Side of the Sun | Janis Ian | 1979 | “The Other Side of the Sun” by Janis Ian was written by Albert Hammond and Janis Ian and released 1979. |
| whereto | She's Leaving Home | The Beatles | 2009 | Paul McCartney was inspired by a story on the front page of the Daily Mail, about a girl named Melanie Coe that had left at 17 her parents with her boyfriend. |
| whereto | I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For | U2 | 1987 | "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" is a song by Irish rock band U2, written by Bono, composed by U2 and produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. I believe the Belgian festivals have contributed a lot to the breakthrough of U2, like the Werchter festival on July 3, 1983 when Jim Kerr of Simple Minds joins U2 on stage during 11 O'Clock Tick Tock. Happy Birthday is sung for drum technician Tom Mullally. Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart of Eurythmics come on stage during the latter portion of 40. |
| whereto | Under The Milky Way | The Church | 1988 | "Under the Milky Way" is a single by Australian alternative rock band The Church, released in 1988. The song was written by bass guitarist and lead vocalist Steve Kilbey and his then-girlfriend, Swedish born, Karin Jansson of Curious (Yellow). |
| whereto | Breakout | Swing Out Sister | 1986 | "Breakout" is a song by British band Swing Out Sister. It was released in September 1986 as the second single from their debut album It's Better to Travel. Singer Corinne Drewery wrote the song while recovering from a fractured skull from an equestrian accident. |
| whereto | Living Next Door To Alice | Smokie | 1976 | “Living Next Door to Alice" is a song co-written by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman. Originally released by Australian pop band New World in 1972. In November 1976, the British band Smokie released their version of "Living Next Door to Alice". Chapman stated that his source of inspiration for "Living Next Door to Alice" was "Sylvia's Mother" by Dr. Hook. |
| whereto | Carrie | Cliff Richard | 1980 | "Carrie" is a song performed by Cliff Richard and released in December 1979. Carrie" was written by the songwriting partnership of Terry Britten and BA Robertson. Robertson stated that the song is very mysterious and musically falls in the same groove as 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine'. |
| whereto | When I`m Gone | Eminem | 2005 | "When I'm Gone" is a song by American rapper Eminem. The song's lyrics pertain to Eminem's life as a celebrity musician interfering with his family. |
| whereto | Love Long Distance | Gossip | 2009 | "Love Long Distance" is a song written and performed by American band Gossip and released in 2009. It quotes the refrain from the song "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye. |
| whereto | Clouds across the Moon | The Rah Band | 1985 | "Clouds Across the Moon" by The Rah Band is written by Richard Anthony Hewson and was released in 1985. The vocals were performed by Hewson's wife Liz. |
| whereto | Immigrant Song | Led Zeppelin | 1970 | "Immigrant Song" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, written by band members Jimmy Page and Robert Plant . It is built upon a repeating riff and features lyrical references to Norse mythology, with singer Robert Plant's howling vocals mentioning war-making and Valhalla. |
| whereto | Breakfast in America | Supertramp | 1979 | "Breakfast in America" is the title track from English rock band Supertramp's 1979 album of the same name. The song is credited to band members Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson, about a child dreaming about visiting the United States some day. |
| whereto | Sail Away | Randy Newman | 1972 | "Sail Away" is a song by Randy Newman, and the title track to his 1972 album, described as "the American dream of a promised land as it might have been presented to black Africa in slave running days." |
| whereto | Cargo de Nuit | Axel Bauer | 1984 | “Cargo” is a song by Axel Bauer released in 1984 Born in Paris on 7 April 1961, Axel Bauer grew up in a talented musical family, which included a classical concert pianist (his aunt) and a professional jazz musician (his father). Axel's father honed his musical skills playing drums with Django Reinhardt and went on to work with the crème de la crème of the jazz world. |
| whereto | African Tour | Francis Cabrel | 2013 | "African Tour" written and performed by Francis Cabrel, offers a frank and powerful depiction of the desperation and danger that African migrants face as they attempt to make their way into Europe for a better life. |
| whereto | Le Métèque | Georges Moustaki | 1969 | "Le métèque" is a French chanson by Georges Moustaki. Métèque is a pejorative word for a shifty-looking immigrant of Mediterranean origin. “Meteque” can be translated as “foreigner” or “outsider,” and Moustaki uses this term to embody the experiences of immigrants and those who feel like misfits in society. |
| whereto | Clandestino | Manu Chao | 1998 | All the feelings and emotions that a backpacker can feel are condensed in Candlestino. Manu gets into the skin of not only the globetrotter who has decided to escape the boredom of everyday life, but also the migrant forced to flee from the most vile and imaginable circumstances. |
| whereto | No Soy de Aquí, Ni Soy de Allá | Facundo Cabral | 1971 | “No Soy de Aquí, Ni Soy de Allá” (translated ‘I am not from here, even not from there’) is a song written and performed by Facundo Cabral in 1971. |
| whereto | Mi Tierra | Gloria Estefan | 1993 | "Mi Tierra" (translated "My Homeland") is a song by Cuban American singer Gloria Estefan, celebrating love and longing for your homeland. Estefan noted that the song could apply to any Hispanic immigrant, "the song wasn't just for a Cuban". |
| whereto | Trans Europe Express | Kraftwerk | 1977 | “Trans Europa Express” was the original German studio version written by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1977, translated into Trans Europe Express. The themes include celebrations of the titular European railway service and Europe as a whole, and meditations on the disparities between reality and appearance. The TEE train services operated from 1957 to 1991 in First class only between Brussels and Paris. |
| whereto | I'm A Train | Albert Hammond | 1974 | "I'm a Train" is a song written by Albert Hammond and Mike Hazlewood and performed by Hammond. “I’m a Train” was featured on Albert Hammond’s 1974 self-titled album. It was first recorded in French, in 1967, by Les Troubadours as "La chaîne". The first English version was recorded in 1968 by a UK group called Colors of Love, which included singer Elaine Paige. |
| whereto | No Cars Go | Arcade Fire | 2007 | "No Cars Go" is a song by Montreal-based band Arcade Fire released in 2007, written by band members and husband and wife Win Butler and Régine Chassagne. The song title is taken from the solo project of former Arcade Fire member Brendan Reed. No Cars Go by Arcade Fire is an anthemic and nostalgic song that captures the longing for a utopian place where modern constraints and limitations do not exist. This place where no cars go is not just an escape for the individual but a sanctuary for all, at the liminal space between reality and imagination. |
| secret agent | Mission Impossible | London Philharmonic Orchestra | 1966 | The theme of Mission Impossible is composed by the Argentine-American musician Lalo Schifrin (born Boris Claudio Schifrin). The 1966 TV series Mission Impossible is created by Bruce Geller who also wrote, produced, and directed the TV detective series Mannix (1967–1975) for which Lalo Schifrin also composed the theme. |
| secret agent | Mannix | Billy May | 1967 | The theme of Mannix is composed by the Argentine-American musician Lalo Schifrin (born Boris Claudio Schifrin) who also composed the theme of the 1966 TV series Mission Impossible. Both series were created by Bruce Geller. |
| secret agent | The Pink Panther Theme | Henry Mancini and His Orchestra | 1964 | "The Pink Panther Theme" is a jazz composition by Henry Mancini written as the theme for the 1963 film The Pink Panther and released as single in 1964. The movie features Peter Sellers as the French police detective Inspector Jacques Clouseau. The "Pink Panther", the Maharajah, is the largest diamond in the world. |
| secret agent | Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow (Baretta's Theme) | Sammy Davis Jr. | 1976 | "Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow", written by Morgan Ames and Dave Grusin, is the theme song for the TV show "Baretta," which ran from 1975 to 1978, performed by Sammy Davis Jr. The song reflects the mood and style of the detective-themed series. |
| secret agent | Cowboys & Gangsters (Single Version) | Gichy Dan | 2012 | “Cowboys & Gangsters” by Gichy Dan is written by Ronald Bruce Rogers. Silken-voiced Staten Island crooner Gichy Dan, aka Frank Passalacqua, was the precursor to Kid Creole and the Coconuts. |
| secret agent | Les Dalton | Joe Dassin | 1967 | "Les Dalton" ("The Daltons") is a 1967 song by Joe Dassin. The song is based on The Daltons, the characters from the comic strip series Lucky Luke. |
| secret agent | Stool Pigeon | Kid Creole & The Coconuts | 1982 | "Stool Pigeon" by Kid Creole & The Coconuts was originally released in 1982, telling the story of a character who acts as an informer or spy, often referred to as a "stool pigeon." |
| secret agent | Ma Baker | Boney M. | 1977 | "Ma Baker" by Boney M. was originally released in 1977 and tells the story of the legendary criminal Ma Barker and her gang, a life of crime and the inevitable downfall. Kate Barker, born Arizona Clark, who had four sons who became gangsters in the fashion of Bonny & Clyde and John Dillinger. |
| secret agent | Bonnie And Clyde (ft. Serge Gainsbourg) | Brigitte Bardot | 1968 | "Bonnie and Clyde" was released by Brigitte Bardot and Serge Gainsbourg in 1968, romanticising the infamous criminal couple Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, their life of crime and the inevitable tragic end. |
| secret agent | The Friends Of Mr. Cairo | Jon and Vangelis | 1981 | "The Friends of Mr. Cairo" is a track from the album of the same name by Vangelis. The song features vocals by Jon Anderson of Yes and is known for its cinematic and progressive sound. The song makes reference to Joel Cairo (Mr Cairo), a movie character of John Houston’s movie “The Maltese Falcon” in which a San Francisco private detective deals with three unscrupulous adventurers, all seeking a jewel-encrusted falcon statuette. The track also incorporates sound effects and voice impressions of Humphrey Bogart, Sydney Greenstreet, and Jimmy Stewart. |
| secret agent | Secret Agent Man (James Bond Is Back) | Bruce Willis | 1987 | "Secret Agent Man" is a cover of the classic song, performed by Bruce Willis in 1987, about the life of a secret agent. |
| secret agent | For Your Eyes Only (Title Song From The United Artists' James Bond Film) | Sheena Easton | 1981 | "For Your Eyes Only" is the title song from the 1981 James Bond film, performed by Sheena Easton, about love and loyalty, in the context of a James Bond film. |
| secret agent | Gangsters | The Specials | 1979 | "Gangsters" is the debut single by The Specials, released in 1979, "Gangsters", addressing the issue of youth violence and crime in the UK and highlights the challenges faced by young people in a troubled society. |
| secret agent | Watching The Detectives | Elvis Costello & The Attractions | 1978 | "Watching the Detectives" is a single by Elvis Costello & The Attractions, released in 1977, exploring themes of paranoia, surveillance, and the impact of violence on television and reflects on the media's influence on society. |
| secret agent | Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress | The Hollies | 1971 | "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" by The Hollies was released in 1972 and is a tale of a government agent and a femme fatale. The story of a mysterious woman against a backdrop of criminal activity. This is the only Hollies single without any backing vocals. The reason why Clarke is the only singer on this record is that he didn't intended the song to be released on a Hollies album, but as a record of his own. |
| secret agent | I Never Wear White | Suzanne Vega | 2014 | "I Never Wear White" by Suzanne Vega was released in 2014 and is about personal identity and the refusal to conform to societal expectations. It touches on themes of self-expression and individuality. |
| secret agent | Men In Black | Will Smith | 1997 | "Men in Black" is the theme song for the 1997 film of the same name, performed by Will Smith. Smith starred in the comedy thriller with Tommy Lee Jones. It references the secretive and often humorous nature of the Men in Black who monitor extraterrestrial activity on Earth. The song interpolates Patrice Rushen's 1982 hit "Forget Me Nots," with the chorus lyric changed from "To help you to remember" to "They won't let you remember" to go along with the theme of the movie, as the Men In Black erase memories of people who have witnessed extraterrestrial activity. |
| secret agent | All Along The Watchtower | Jimi Hendrix | 1968 | This was written and originally recorded by Bob Dylan in 1967, but it was the Jimi Hendrix cover that made the song famous. Jimi Hendrix's version was released in 1968. It often conveys a sense of foreboding and existential questioning. |
| secret agent | Bakerman | Laid Back | 1989 | "Bakerman" by Laid Back, released in 1989, featuring Danish singer Hanne Boel, was inspired by writer John Guldberg’s dream about a baker who was secretly an executioner. The lyrics include the phrase "Sagabona kunjani", which Guldberg has described as a Swahili phrase meaning "Hello, how are you?". Laid Back is a Danish electronic music duo from Copenhagen, formed in 1979 consisting of John Guldberg (vocals, guitar, bass) and Tim Stahl (vocals, keyboards, drums, bass). |
| secret agent | Baker Street | Gerry Rafferty | 1978 | "Baker Street" by Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty, released in 1978, is about a man who dreams of owning a house and living away from his nearest town. Rafferty wrote it while staying in a friend's flat on Baker Street in London. The famous saxophone riff was performed by Raphael Ravenscroft. One of the most famous residents of Baker street is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. He lived at 221-B Baker Street. |
| secret agent | Something In The Air | Thunderclap Newman | 1970 | "Something in the Air" by Thunderclap Newman, released in 1969, captures the spirit of the late 1960s and the counterculture movement. It expresses a sense of optimism and change in the air. |
| secret agent | Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves | Cher | 1971 | "Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves" is one of Cher’s biggest solo hits released in 1971 and tells the story of a girl born into a family of marginalized individuals, exploring themes of judgment and prejudice. |
| secret agent | Police And Thieves | Junior Murvin | 1976 | "Police and Thieves" is a reggae song by Junior Murvin released in 1976, addressing social and political issues, specifically commenting on the conflict between law enforcement and the community. |
| secret agent | Give Up Your Guns | The Buoys | 1971 | "Give Up Your Guns" by American band The Buoys, released in 1971, advocates for peace and non-violence. It encourages individuals to let go of weapons and embrace a more harmonious approach to conflict. |
| for my lady | Ladies Night | Kool & The Gang | 1979 | In 1979, Kool & the Gang unveiled a smooth new sound with Ladies Night. It is a play on the popular use of "Ladies Nights" at bars and clubs that were meant to draw in more female patrons in order to draw in even more male clientele. |
| for my lady | Lady (Hear Me Tonight) | Modjo | 2000 | "Lady (Hear Me Tonight)" is a song by French house duo Modjo, written and performed by vocalist Yann Destagnol and features a guitar sample of the 1982 single "Soup for One" performed by Chic, as written by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. |
| for my lady | Sorry I'm A Lady | Baccara | 1977 | "Sorry, I'm a Lady" by Spanish duo Baccara, is a song co-written by Rolf Soja and Frank Dostal, released in 1977. Baccara was a Spanish group originally created by Mayte Mateos in partnership with María Mendiola. |
| for my lady | The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena) | Jan & Dean | 1964 | "The Little Old Lady (from Pasadena)" is a song written by Don Altfeld, Jan Berry and Roger Christian, and recorded by the American pop singers Jan and Dean in 1964 with the studio musicians known as The Wrecking Crew. "The Little Old Lady (from Pasadena)" refers to actress Kathryn Minner appearing in a commercial as a white-haired elderly lady speeding down the street driving ‘a brand-new shiny red super-stocked Dodge’. |
| for my lady | Lady Willpower | Gary Puckett & The Union Gap | 1968 | "Lady Willpower" is a song written by Jerry Fuller and recorded by Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, released in 1968. Morrissey recorded his version of the song and included it on his 2019 album, California Son. |
| for my lady | Lady In My Life | Michael Jackson | 1982 | "The Lady in My Life" is a song by Michael Jackson released in 1982 as the second track from the Thriller album. It is one of the only two non-single tracks on the album, written by Rodney Lynn Temperton. |
| for my lady | Foxey Lady | Jimi Hendrix | 1967 | “Foxey Lady” or “Foxy Lady” for the UK release by the Jimi Hendrix Experience is inspired by Lithofayne "Faye" Pridgon, Hendrix's girlfriend in the mid-1960s. In 1964 Hendrix moved into the Hotel Theresa in Harlem, where he befriended Lithofayne Pridgon, known as "Faye", who became his girlfriend. A Harlem native with connections throughout the area's music scene, Pridgon provided him with shelter, support, and encouragement. Their relationship helped inspire Hendrix’s hit song “Foxey Lady.” |
| for my lady | You Could Have Been a Lady | April Wine | 1972 | "You Could Have Been a Lady", written by Errol Brown and originally recorded by Hot Chocolate in 1971, was covered by April Wine, a young Canadian rock band, in 1972. |
| for my lady | Lady Laura | Roberto Carlos | 1979 | “Lady Laura” by Brazilian singer Roberto Carlos, written by Roberto Carlos and Erasmo Carlos, was released in 1978, initially in Portuguese. |
| for my lady | Dama, dama | Cecilia | 1975 | “Dama, dama” by Cecilia was released in 1975. Cecilia, (born Evangelina Sobredo Galanes in Madrid on October 11, 1948) was the daughter of Spanish diplomats, traveled through different countries during her childhood and was raised by an American nun. She took her stage name from the song "Cecilia" by Simon and Garfunkel. |
| for my lady | The Spanish Lady | Maighréad Ní Dhomhnaill, Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill & Dónal Lunny | 2000 | “The Spanish Lady" is a traditional Irish folk song. Sisters Tríona and Maighréad Ní Dhomhnaill from Kells, County Meath and Dónal Lunny are Irish traditional singers. |
| for my lady | Dame Uit Suriname | Cherry | 1983 | “Dame Uit Suriname” (Lady from Suriname) by husband-wife duo Cherry is a Dutch ironic protest song from 1983, written by Simon Been. Cherry Wijdenbosch and Simon Been are married and live in Utrecht. Cherry was born in Jakarta to an Indian mother and a Surinamese father. |
| for my lady | Three Times A Lady | Commodores | 1978 | "Three Times a Lady" by American soul group the Commodores, released in 1978, was written by Lionel Richie, dedicated to his wife Brenda, inspired by his father’s toast to his mother, Alberta, saying "She's a great lady, she's a great mother, and she's a great friend." |
| for my lady | Lady Love | Lou Rawls | 1978 | "Lady Love" by Lou Rawls, is written by Yvonne Gray (alias Vonghn Gray), playing keyboards on the track. |
| for my lady | Lady Lay | Pierre Groscolas | 1973 | “Lady Lay” by Pierre Groscolas was released in 1973. Pierre Robert Groscolas is a French singer born on October 29, 1946 in Algeria. The song was written by Groscolas and French songwriter Michel Jourdon. “Lady Lay” became the official theme of the Rio Carnival in 1975. |
| for my lady | Lay Lady Lay | Bob Dylan | 1969 | “Lay Lady Lay” by Bob Dylan might be a song about his dog (or cat). Dylan was born Robert Allen Zimmerman in Duluth, Minnesota, and grew up in the area's Jewish community. Dylan once stated that he wrote "Lay Lady Lay" as a tune for Barbara Streisand to sing, not necessarily as an homage to her. |
| for my lady | River Lady | Roger Whittaker | 1981 | John Joyce, wrote the lyrics for “River Lady” (A Little Goodbye) with the melody composed by Roger Whittaker. The riverboat serves as a powerful symbol of the journey of life. Just like a river, life keeps flowing, taking us to different destinations and stages. |
| for my lady | She's A Lady | Tom Jones | 1971 | "She's a Lady" released in 1971 by Welsh singer Tom Jones, is a song written by Paul Anka and originally released on his album Paul Anka '70s. The song was re-released in 2013 on Paul Anka's " Duets" CD with a new rendition featuring Tom Jones. |
| for my lady | Lady d'Arbanville | Cat Stevens | 1970 | “Lady d'Arbanville” written and performed by Cat Stevens in 1970 is about the actress Patti D'Arbanville, who he dated at the time. Cat Stevens recorded a black and white video featuring both him and the song's muse in a Gothic English mansion. |
| for my lady | Lady Eleanor | Lindisfarne | 1971 | "Lady Eleanor" by English folk rock band Lindisfarne is a song written by band co-founder Alan Hull, released in 1971, inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's 1839 short story "The Fall of the House of Usher". |
| for my lady | For My Lady | Toots Thielemans | 1991 | Baron Toots Thielemans wrote “For My Lady” and recorded it with The Shirley Horn Trio in 1991. Toots Thielemans, born in Brussels as Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor Thielemans (29 April 1922 – 22 August 2016), was an influential Belgian harmonica player, whistler and guitarist. Considered the pre-eminent jazz harmonica player, he performed and recorded with some of the greats like Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Bill Evans, Fred Hersch, Dizzy Gillespie, Pat Metheny and Jaco Pastorius. He made a last stage appearance in August 2014, at the Jazz Middelheim Festival in Antwerp, the festival with which he was closely associated for decades. Two Hohner harmonica types are named to him: Toots Mellow Tone and Toots Hard Bopper. |
| for my lady | The Lady Is a Tramp | Frank Sinatra | 1957 | "The Lady Is a Tramp" is a show tune from the 1937 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart musical “Babes in Arms”. The song was also used in the 1957 film version of Pal Joey starring Frank Sinatra and Rita Hayworth. It became Sinatra’s signature song in the sixties. The song is a spoof of New York high society and its strict etiquette (the first line of the verse is "I get too hungry for dinner at eight...") and phony social pretensions. |
| for my lady | You're a Lady | Peter Skellern | 1972 | "You're a Lady" by British singer-songwriter Peter Skellern, released in 1972, features the Congregation, a choral pop ensemble. |
| for my lady | Lady of the Dawn | Mike Batt | 1979 | “The Lady of the Dawn” by Mike Batt, released in 1979 as part of his album “Tarot Suite”, was inspired by the concept of the tarot cards and their symbolism. |
| for my lady | Goodnight Ladies | Lou Reed | 1972 | “Goodnight Ladies” is Lou Reed’s final track on his 1972 album Transformer, produced by Mick Ronson & David Bowie. It paints a solitary Saturday night following an unsuccessful bid to bring a lady home from a bar. |
| name game | The Name Game | Shirley Ellis | 1964 | "The Name Game" is written by Shirley Ellis and Lincoln Chase and is a novelty song that creates variations of names through playful rhyming. |
| name game | That's Not My Name | The Ting Tings | 2008 | "That's Not My Name" is a song by The Ting Tings. The song addresses the frustration of being repeatedly misidentified. |
| name game | My Name Is Prince | Prince & The New Power Generation | 1992 | "My Name Is Prince" is a song by American musician Prince and his backing band the New Power Generation, released in 1992. The song is about Prince himself and his musical prowess. The rap sequence is performed by NPG member Tony M. The intro to the song features vocal samples from Prince's earlier songs "I Wanna Be Your Lover", "Partyup", and "Controversy". Prince used the alter ego of "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince" during this period. |
| name game | What's My Name | Snoop Doggy Dogg | 1993 | "Who Am I? (What's My Name?)" (commonly titled "What's My Name?") is the debut solo single by American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg, released on 1993. Snoop Doggy Dogg was later known as Snoop Dogg. |
| name game | Say My Name | Cocoon | 2012 | “Say My Name", was first released by Destiny's Child in 1999 and covered by Cocoon on their 2011 album “Where the Oceans End”. It gained popularity for its inclusion in various TV shows and commercials. Cocoon is a French pop-folk band from Clermont-Ferrand (France) that sings in English, created in 2006 by Mark Daumail (lead vocals, acoustic guitar, ukulele, banjo; born December 6, 1984) and Morgane Imbeaud (harmony vocals, keyboards; April 14, 1987). |
| name game | Sign Your Name | Terence Trent D'Arby | 1987 | "Sign Your Name" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Terence Trent D'Arby (now known as Sananda Maitreya), released in 1987. |
| name game | Float On | The Floaters | 1977 | “Float On” by The Floaters was written by James Mitchell, Arnold Ingram and Marvin Willis. The lyrics spotlight each member of the band, who introduced themselves with their name, astrological sign, and ideal type of romantic partner. The track became a source of parody. |
| name game | You Can Call Me Al | Paul Simon | 1986 | "You Can Call Me Al" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon, released in 1986. The names in the song came from an incident at a party that Simon went to with his then-wife Peggy Harper. French composer and conductor Pierre Boulez, who was attending the same party, mistakenly referred to Paul as "Al" and to Peggy as "Betty", inspiring Simon to write a song. |
| name game | C'Est Moi | C Jerome | 1974 | “C’est moi” by C Jerome was written by Michel Jourdan, Lionel Florence and Serge Lebrail and released in 1974. C. Jérôme (born Claude Dhotel, 21 December 1946 in Paris, France; died 14 March 2000), was a French singer. |
| name game | Black Betty | Ram Jam | 1989 | “Black Betty” is a traditional song, initially recorded by folk singer Leadbelly in 1949 and covered in 1989 by one-hit wonder Ram Jam. Ram Jam were a short-lived band from New York City, and this was their only hit. |
| name game | Rosie | Joan Armatrading | 1979 | “Rosie” by Joan Armatrading, released in 1979 is about an attention-getting guy with lipstick, a red umbrella and his hair piled high. |
| name game | Arnold Layne | Pink Floyd | 1967 | “Arnold Layne” was Pink Floyd’s first single in 1967. Original member Syd Barrett wrote this about a cross-dresser named "Arnold Layne" who used to steal bras and panties from clotheslines in Cambridge, England. Barrett and Roger Waters’ mothers both lost underwear to Arnold Layne. Pink Floyd's name originated from Syd Barrett, whose favourite blues artists were Pink Anderson and Floyd Council. |
| name game | Sunny | Boney M. | 1976 | "Sunny" by Boney M. is a cover of the Bobby Hebb classic in 1966. "Sunny" is very ambiguous - it could apply to a man, woman, parent, child, lover, friend or even God. |
| name game | Pretty Belinda | Chris Andrews | 1972 | "Pretty Belinda" is a song written and recorded by Chris Andrews, which he released as a single in July 1969. |
| name game | Manuela | Julio Iglesias | 1974 | “Manuela” by Julio Iglesias is written by husband-wife writers duo Manuel Alejandro (born Manuel Alvarez Beigbeder Perez) and Ana Magdalena (born Purificación Casas Romero). Julio Iglesias (Born September 23, 1943 in Madrid, Spain.) is a Spanish singer, songwriter, former professional footballer and record producer. |
| name game | Rosanna | TOTO | 1982 | “Rosanna” by TOTO, released in 1982 is written by co-founder David Paich and based on Rosanna Arquette, who was dating ToTO keyboard player Steve Porcaro at the time. |
| name game | Geno | Dexy's Midnight Runners | 1988 | “Geno” by Dexy's Midnight Runners released The song pays homage to Geno Washington, an American soul singer. Dexy's Midnight Runners is an English pop rock group with soul influences founded in 1978. The song was written by band members Kevin Rowland and Kevin Archer. Archer was named "Al" by Kevin Rowland in their Dexys Midnight Runners times (1978-1981), supposedly because Rowland thought the band too small for two Kevins. |
| name game | Ben | Michael Jackson | 1972 | “Ben" (often referred to as "Ben's Song") by Michael Jackson, released in 1972, was written by Don Black and Walter Scharf for the 1972 film of the same name, performed by Lee Montgomery in the film and by Michael Jackson over the closing credits. |
| name game | Nikita | Elton John | 1985 | “Nikita” by Elton John, released in 1985 describes John’s crush on a a border guard during the Cold War era.Though the name Nikita can refer to women in other languages, it is a male name in Russian. |
| name game | Nathalie | Gilbert Bécaud | 1964 | “Nathalie” by Gilbert Bécaud, released in 1964, tell the story of a romantic encounter in Moscow with a beautiful Soviet tourist guide during the Cold War. |
| name game | Maria | Blondie | 1999 | “Maria” by Blondie, released in 1999, written by keyboard player Jimmy Destri, is about desire using the Ave Maria as a way of saying she's on a pedestal, she's almost holy. This was Blondie's comeback song, while Debbie Harry had reached the age of 53. |
| name game | Gloria | Them | 1964 | "Gloria" by Northern Irish rock band Them, released in 1964, is written by singer-songwriter Van Morrison. The song is about a girl who comes by for (presumably) sexual encounters. |
| name game | Gloria | Umberto Tozzi | 1979 | "Gloria" is a 1979 love song, written and composed in Italian by Umberto Tozzi and Giancarlo Bigazzi, dreaming about an imaginary woman named Gloria. Jonathan King translated it into English-language and recorded it in November 1979. |
| Venus | Venus | Shocking Blue | 1969 | The Dutch band Shocking Blue with Mariska Veres released “Venus” in 1969, inspired by the goddess of love and beauty in Roman mythology. Robbie van Leeuwen, Shocking Blue's guitarist, sitarist, and background vocalist wrote new lyrics set to music based on "The Banjo Song" by Tim Rose and the Big 3, which is in turn lyrically a modification of the 19th century song "Oh! Susanna" by Stephen Foster. Influences from other songs include the opening guitar riff that is similar to The Who's "Pinball Wizard" |
| Venus | Witch Queen Of New Orleans | Redbone | 1971 | "The Witch Queen of New Orleans" by Redbone, released in 1971, is about a 19th-century practitioner of voodoo from New Orleans named Marie Laveau, referred to in the song lyrics as "Marie la Voodoo veau". The song was written by the two Native American brothers of the group Redbone, Lolly Vegas and Pat Vegas. It shows influences from New Orleans R&B and swamp pop. |
| Venus | Witchy Woman | Eagles | 1972 | Eagles guitarist Bernie Leadon and Don Henley wrote this about a number of women they had met. Don Henley’s date’s roommate in the early '70s practiced "white witchcraft," dabbling in the paranormal with good intentions. A few years later, Henley dated perhaps the most famous white witch of the era: Stevie Nicks. |
| Venus | Gypsy | Fleetwood Mac | 1982 | Fleetwood Mac’s "Gypsy", released in 1982, is about the free and fearless side of one's personality. Stevie Nicks wrote it and dedicated it to her friend Robin Anderson who died of leukemia. |
| Venus | Evil Ways | Santana | 1969 | This was originally recorded by Willie Bobo in 1965 and written by Sonny Henry, Bobo's guitarist. Carlos Santana covered it in 1969, with lead vocals by Gregg Rolie. |
| Venus | Evil Woman | Electric Light Orchestra | 1975 | “Evil Woman” by Electric Light Orchestra, released in 1975, was recorded at Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany. Jeff Lynne wrote the song on a piano in the studio on the last days of recording, writing it very quickly. The line "There's a hole in my head where the rain comes in," was inspired by the Beatles song, "Fixing a Hole." |
| Venus | Hoodoo Voodoo | Billy Bragg and Wilco | 1998 | “Hoodoo Voodoo” from Wilco’s 1998 collaboration with Billy Bragg, Mermaid Avenue, consists of previously unreleased lyrics by legendary American folk singer Woody Guthrie. Woody Guthrie, who wrote it for his children, instructs the listener to ‘dance a goofy dance’ among other silly suggestions. |
| Venus | (You're The) Devil In Disguise | Elvis Presley | 1963 | "(You're the) Devil in Disguise" by Elvis Presley was released in 1963 and written by Bill Giant, Bernie Baum and Florence Kaye, recorded at RCA Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. |
| Venus | That Ole Devil Called Love | Alison Moyet | 1995 | "That Ole Devil Called Love", released in 1985 by Alison Moyet, is a song written in 1944 by Allan Roberts and Doris Fisher and first recorded by Billie Holiday in 1945. |
| Venus | Devil Woman | Cliff Richard | 1976 | "Devil Woman" by British singer Cliff Richard, written by Terry Britten and Christine Authors, was released in 1976 and his biggest hit single in the US. The chorus vocal line was mimicked on Black Sabbath's "Lady Evil". |
| Venus | Gudbuy T'Jane | Slade | 1972 | "Gudbuy T'Jane" was Slade's most successful single of the 1970s in the United States. Jane was the co-host of a TV chat show in San Francisco whom Slade met on their US tour. |
| Venus | Dyna-mite | Mud | 1973 | "Dyna-mite" is a 1973 single, written by the songwriting team of Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn. It was originally written for the Sweet, who rejected it, and later inherited by the English glam rock band Mud. Chapman and Chinn produced the song as well. |
| Venus | Hell Raiser | Sweet | 1973 | “Hell Raiser” by The Sweet is written by the songwriting team of Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn and produced by Philip Neil Wainman, released in 1973. From mid 1973 to early 1974, Sweet were growing increasingly tired of the management team of Chinn and Chapman, who had written the group's major hits and who had cultivated the band's glam rock image, with Sweet rejecting the song Dyna-mite, which instead went on to become a hit for Mud. The Sweet in 1974 recorded the album Sweet Fanny Adams without the assistance of Chinn and Chapman. |
| Venus | Killer Queen | Queen | 1974 | “Killer Queen” by Queen, released in 1974, is written by Freddie Mercury, who stated: "It's about a high class call girl. I'm trying to say that classy people can be whores as well. This was one of the first songs recorded at The Quadrangle, a studio opened at the Rockfield Studios complex in Wales in 1973. |
| Venus | Annie Get Your Gun | Squeeze | 1982 | "Annie Get Your Gun" by Squeeze, written by Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, released in 1982, borrows its title from a popular musical. |
| Venus | I Put a Spell On You | Jay Hawkins | 1956 | Screamin' Jay Hawkins wrote the ballad “I Put a Spell On You”, lamenting the loss of a girlfriend he wanted back in 1956. It was covered by The Animals in 1966, Creedence Clearwater revival in 1968 and Nina Simone, who’s 1991 autobiography is titled I Put A Spell On You. |
| Venus | The Wizard | Black Sabbath | 1970 | "The Wizard" by the English heavy metal rock band Black Sabbath, released in 1970, inspired by the wizard Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings. Rumor had it this was an ode to the band's drug dealer. It was their debut single in France but also the B-side to the 1970 single "Paranoid". Ozzy Osbourne played the harmonica part. |
| Venus | Gypsy | Uriah Heep | 1970 | "Gypsy" the debut single by British progressive rock/hard rock band Uriah Heep, released in 1970, is about a young man who falls in love with a 1970 gypsy woman. To differentiate themselves from other Rock bands at the time, Heep replaced the almost obligatory guitar solo with a wild organ solo in this song. David Byron can be heard playing percussion on teacups is this song. |
| Venus | Gypsy Rhythm | Jocelyn Brown | 1991 | "Gypsy Rhythm" by Raúl Orellana featuring vocals by Arthur Skeet and Jocelyn Brown, was released in 1991. Raúl Orellana is a Spanish DJ and producer from Barcelona. |
| Venus | Long Time Woman | Pam Grier | 1997 | Pam Grier as Jackie Brown, features on the Quentin Tarantino movie Soundtrack with a cover of “Long Time Woman”, written by Lee Hazlewood. The soulful ballad symbolizes liberation for women of all backgrounds. Grier said she is of black, Hispanic, Chinese, Italian, Filipino, and Cheyenne heritage. |
| Venus | Gypsy | Shakira | 2010 | "Gypsy" or “Gitana” in the Spanish version, is a song by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira. Written in a ballad-like form, the lyrics of the song describe life travelling on the road as a "gypsy". Musically, "Gypsy" is heavily influenced by Indian bhangra music, and features instrumentation from the mandolin, banjo, sitar and tabla. The music video showed the chemistry between Shakira and Nadal, however, in 2011 Shakira entered a relationship with the Spanish football player Gerard Piqué, who is exactly ten years her junior, and Shakira met in spring 2010 after he appeared in the music video for Shakira's song "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In GQ, and International Men’s magazine, Shakira directed a few words to Sarkozy, "We are all gypsies". |
| Venus | Bitch | Meredith Brooks | 1997 | “Bitch” was Meredith Brooks’ debut single at age 38, released in 1997, claiming how one label cannot define her: a bitch, lover, child, mother, sinner, saint. This song played a part in re-claiming the word "bitch" as a term of endearment for women. Brooks did all the guitar work including glass slide, some e-bow and wah-wah. |
| Venus | Leave the light on | Beth Hart | 2003 | Beth Hart’s “I leave the light on”, released in 2003, refers to the struggle with her bipolar disorder (Bipolar 1 Rapid Cycling) since childhood. Being a devout Christian, she admitted her belief in God has been instrumental in her recovery from alcoholism and mood disorder. |
| Venus | Because of you | Kelly Clarkson | 2005 | Clarkson originally wrote "Because of You" when she was 16 years old to cope with the emotional distress caused by her parents' divorce. "Because of You" explores the pain of Clarkson's deteriorating relationship with her father. |
| Venus | Cry Baby | Full Tilt Boogie Band | 1970 | Written in 1963 for Garnet Mimms and the Enchanters, Janis Joplin put her own blues rock spin on ‘Cry Baby’ when she covered it in 1970. It’s the ultimate song of forgiveness. When Joplin's management convinced her to discard Big Brother and the Holding Company as her backing band, her record label put together a new group: the Kozmic Blues Band, consisting of Canadian musician John Till and several other Full Tillt Boogie Band (the two "Ls" being a play on the spelling of Till's last name) members. Till soon convinced Joplin to hire his Full Tillt Boogie band in its entirety, and he agreed to drop one of the "L's" from its name, thus creating Joplin's Full Tilt Boogie backing band. |
| toilet grooves | Against the Wind | Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band | 1980 | "Against the Wind" is a song by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band, released in 1980. The song reflects on life's challenges and the resilience required to overcome them. It explores themes of perseverance, nostalgia, and the passage of time. Against the Wind" won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1981. |
| toilet grooves | Many Shades of Black (ft. The Raconteurs) | ADELE | 2008 | “Many Shades of Black” was released by the Raconteurs but gained additional attention when it was performed with Adele and featured on the deluxe version of 19 in November 2008. |
| toilet grooves | Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic | The Police | 1981 | "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" is a balad written by Sting and performed by The Police, released in 1981. |
| toilet grooves | Come As You Are | Nirvana | 1992 | "Come as You Are" is a song by American rock band Nirvana, written by frontman and guitarist Kurt Cobain, released in 1992. Similarities of the guitar riff can be found with Bauhaus "hollow hills" (1981), The Damned "life goes on" (1982), Garden Of Delight "22 faces" (1984) and Killing Joke "eighties" (1985). |
| toilet grooves | Everytime You Go Away | Paul Young | 1985 | "Everytime You Go Away" is a song written and composed by Daryl Hall, first recorded in 1980 by the American duo Hall & Oates. A cover version of the song by Paul Young became an international hit in 1985. |
| toilet grooves | Gone | China Forbes | 2008 | “”Gone” is written and performed by China Forbes (born April 29, 1970), an American singer and songwriter who has been the lead singer of the band Pink Martini since 1995. In 2022 she was the Ella Fitzgerald award winner at the Montreal International Jazz Festival. Infinitely Polar Bear is a Movie of Her Family, made by written and directed by her sister Maya Forbes. |
| toilet grooves | Big In Japan | Alphaville | 1984 | "Big in Japan" is the debut single of the German synth-pop band Alphaville released in 1984. The refrain "big in Japan", inspired by the short lived British band Big in Japan of the late 1970s and influenced by "The Safety Dance" by Canadian band Men Without Hats, symbolises the idea of being successful in another world, a fantasy about being drug-free. |
| toilet grooves | The Safety Dance | Men Without Hats | 1982 | Men Without Hats' breakout single “The Safety Dance” in 1982, written by Canadian founding member and lead singer Ivan Doroschuk was issued with a bewildering array of B-sides. Men Without Hats is a Canadian new wave group from Montréal, Québec, formed in 1980 and initially active until 1993. They reformed in 2010. In 1987 they released the title song of their album called “Pop Goes The World”. |
| toilet grooves | Pop Goes the World | Gossip | 2009 | 'Pop Goes The World' by Gossip was released in 2009. Beth Ditto once stated: "There is another song called 'Pop Goes The World' (by Men Without Hats) - I always feel like I need to acknowledge that so they won't be angry". The use of the word “pop” in the song title conveys a sense of explosion and disruption, symbolizing the desire for change and the breaking of boundaries. |
| toilet grooves | Waiting On The World To Change | John Mayer | 2006 | “Waiting On The World To Change” written and performed by John Mayer, released in 2006, describes how most people deal with problems in the world. Mayer won a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance with this song. |
| (I Just) Died In Your Arms | Cutting Crew | 1986 | Cutting Crew lead singer Nick Van Eede, was inspired by the one night back together after a year apart with the mother of his daughter. Mika used a great deal of this song on his 2007 track "Relax (Take It Easy). | |
| toilet grooves | Relax (Take It Easy) | Mika | 2007 | Mika wrote the song after being stuck in the London underground during the 7 July 2005 London bombings. It uses the melody from "(I Just) Died in Your Arms Tonight" by the Cutting Crew. It is in the same vein of hypnotic, danceable melancholy as the Scissor Sisters' reworking of 'Comfortably Numb'. |
| toilet grooves | Comfortably Numb | Scissor Sisters | 2004 | The music of “Comfortably Numb” was composed by the guitarist, David Gilmour, while the lyrics were written by the bassist, Roger Waters, who based them on his experience of being injected with tranquilisers before a performance in 1977. American pop rock band Scissor Sisters recorded a radically re-arranged disco-oriented version released in January 2004. |
| toilet grooves | The Architect | dEUS | 2008 | “The Architect” by Belgian band dEUS is about the architect and visionary Buckminster Fuller, more specifically about the experiment he embarked on after having tried to commit suicide: "An experiment, to find what a single individual can contribute to changing the world and benefiting all humanity." The quotes, "Ah, never mind that outer space stuff, let's get down to earth" and "I feel it's touch and go" are excerpts from Fuller's lectures. |
| toilet grooves | Fly Me To The Earth | Wallace Collection | 1969 | “Fly me to the earth” by Belgian band Wallace Collection was written by Belgian guitarist, flutist, singer, producer and songwriter Sylvain Vanholme and violin player Raymond Vincent. |
| toilet grooves | Waiting On The World To Change | John Mayer | 2006 | “Waiting On The World To Change” written and performed by John Mayer, released in 2006, describes how most people deal with problems in the world. Mayer won a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance with this song. |
| toilet grooves | What Goes Around Comes Around | Lenny Kravitz | 1991 | “What Goes Around Comes Around” by Lenny Kravitz was released in 1991 featuring Karl Denson, aka “Diesel”, on saxophone. |
| toilet grooves | Who Can It Be Now? | Men At Work | 1981 | "Who Can It Be Now?" was Australian band’s ‘Men at Work’ first single, prior to the recording of their debut album Business as Usual. The song opens with a saxophone hook by Greg Ham. |
| toilet grooves | I Hear You Knocking | Dave Edmunds | 1970 | “I Hear You Knocking” written by Dave Bartholomew and guitarist Earl King, was first recorded in 1955 by Smiley Lewis, a New Orleans singer. Dave Edmunds brought this song back to the charts with a rocking guitar version released in 1970. In his version, he name checks some of his musical contemporaries, including Smiley Lewis, who originally recorded the song, Chuck Berry, Huey Smith,and Fats Domino, who also covered it. |
| toilet grooves | Fais comme l’oiseau | Michel Fugain | 1972 | “Fais comme l’oiseau” (Do like the bird) by Michel Fugain & Le Big Bazar is an ode to liberty and the joy of life. It is a cover of the original “Você Abusou” written and performed in 1971 by Brazilian duo Antonio Carlos & Jocafi. |
| toilet grooves | Rat In Mi Kitchen (ft. Herb Alpert) | UB40 | 1987 | "Rat in Mi Kitchen" written and performed by British reggae group UB40, featuring Herb Alpert on trumpet, was released in 1987. |
| toilet grooves | Suspicious Minds | Elvis Presley | 1969 | “Suspicious Minds”, written by a Memphis singer Mark James, was Elvis’ big comeback song and his last #1 hit in his lifetime. |
| toilet grooves | Twist In My Sobriety | Tanita Tikaram | 1988 | “Twist In My Sobriety” by Tanita Tikaram was released in 1988. Tanita Tikaram, of Malaysian and Indo-Fijian ancenstry, was born in Münster, Germany, but since her early teens has lived in the UK. I remember listening to her debut CD album "Ancient Heart", she released when she was just 19, on my flights to the US in the late eighties. “sobriety” in America has a very specific meaning about recovery... and alcohol while for the Tikaram the meaning is "just to be very serious and sober in your behavior". |
| toilet grooves | Bad Day | Daniel Powter | 2005 | “Bad Day” by by Canadian (British Columbia) Daniel Powter was released in Europe, in 2005 and became a hit when Coca-Cola used it as the theme song for an advertising campaign on the continent. |
| moon | The Whole of the Moon | The Waterboys | 1985 | The song is about the awe-inspiring experience of witnessing someone who possesses great insight, vision, and understanding, symbolized by seeing the "whole of the moon." |
| moon | Bad Moon Rising | Creedence Clearwater Revival | 1969 | The song's lyrics suggest a sense of foreboding and impending doom, using the imagery of a "bad moon rising" to evoke a feeling of impending disaster or trouble. |
| moon | Dancing In The Moonlight | Toploader | 2000 | The song celebrates the joy and freedom of dancing outdoors under the moonlight, conveying a carefree and romantic atmosphere. The original is from the French-American band King Harvest in 1973. |
| moon | Moonage Daydream | David Bowie | 1972 | "Moonage Daydream" is a song by the English singer-songwriter David Bowie. Bowie wrote "Moonage Daydream" specifically for fashion designer Fred Burrett. It was originally recorded in February 1971 at Radio Luxembourg's studios in London and released as a single by his short-lived band Arnold Corns in May 1971 on B&C Records. Bowie subsequently re-recorded the song later that year with his backing band the Spiders from Mars (Mick Ronson, Trevor Bolder and Mick Woodmansey) for release on his 1972 album “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars”. The song explores themes of self-discovery, transformation, and the journey of personal reinvention, often interpreted as an allegory for Bowie's own artistic evolution. |
| moon | Marquee Moon | Television | 1977 | Marquee Moon, the title track of Television’s debut album was released in February 1977, renown for the inventive interplay between guitarists Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd. The song was years in the making. The band started playing it in 1974 as an acoustic ballad Verlaine put together when they were regulars at the club CBGB in New York City. Early performances of this song usually lasted about five minutes, but it got longer as the years went by. After the song was released, the live renditions would typically surpass the 10-minute running time, sometimes stretching for 20 minutes. The single release was split into two parts because one side of a 45 could not contain the entire song. Part I runs 3:13, Part II is 6:45. |
| moon | Goodnight Moon | Shivaree | 1999 | The song "Goodnight Moon", released in 1999, was featured in Seasons 3 and 6 of the television series Dawson's Creek, in the 2012 American film Silver Linings Playbook, in the closing credits of the Quentin Tarantino 2004 film Kill Bill: Volume 2, in the closing scenes and end credits of the French comedy-drama film Ni reprise ni échangée (English title: Monique), and in a commercial for the Norwegian clothing shop Cubus. Additionally, their song, "Little Black Mess", was featured in the Weeds tv series episode Only Judy Can Judge. Shivaree was an American alternative country band from United States founded in 1997, consisting of Ambrosia Parsley (vocals), Danny McGough (keyboard), and Duke McVinnie (guitar). Shivaree was a European and North American folk custom designed to shame a member of the community, in which the crowd aimed to make as much noise as possible by beating on pots and pans or anything that came to hand, hence the parades were often referred to as rough music. |
| moon | Spanish Moon | Little Feat | 2003 | "Spanish Moon" was written and sung with ‘vanilla grits’ by guitarist Lowell George, describing a night at a fictional place called the Spanish Moon. This recording is from the acclaimed album “Waiting For Columbus” one of the best live albums rock has ever heard, a live version recorded at The Rainbow in London, England, in 1977. It all began in 1969 when Frank Zappa was smart enough to fire Lowell George from the Mothers of Invention and tell him to go start a band of his own. The name was part of the legend: a member of the Mothers happened to mention Lowell’s small feet to him “with an expletive,” said Paul Barrere. “Lowell deleted the expletive, and the name was born with Feat instead of Feet, just like the Beatles. |
| moon | Killing Moon | Echo & The Bunnymen | 1984 | The song's enigmatic lyrics convey a sense of mystery and existential longing, capturing the haunting allure of the night and the power of fate or destiny. Echo lead singer Ian McCulloch stated once it is about “to be or not to be moments." |
| moon | Theme of Moonlighting | Al Jarreau | 1987 | The instrumental theme song for the TV show "Moonlighting" captures the playful and jazzy vibe of the series, reflecting its blend of comedy, romance, and detective drama. It's the theme song to the comedy/mystery series Moonlighting, the show that made Bruce Willis a household name and gave Cybill Shepherd a career resurgence. |
| moon | Blue Moon | The Marcels | 1961 | The song describes the rarity and uniqueness of finding true love, symbolized by the rare occurrence of a "blue moon." Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart began writing this for the 1933 movie musical Hollywood Party, but it was cut from the film. The following year, it was used in Manhattan Melodrama where it was performed by Shirley Ross in a nightclub scene. The song was originally called "The Bad in Every Man" The Marcels were a doo-wop group formed in 1959 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. |
| moon | Under The Moon Of Love | Showaddywaddy | 1976 | This song was originally recorded by Curtis Lee and was co-written by Tommy Boyce. The song celebrates the joy and excitement of young love, capturing the nostalgic innocence of romantic courtship under the moonlight. The song conveys a man's desire to express his love to a girl under the moonlight. Another UK rock and roll revival act, Mud, covered the song in 1975. |
| moon | Moonlight Shadow | Mike Oldfield | 1983 | “Moonlight Shadow” by Mike Oldfield, featuring Maggie Reilly, is inspired by the Tony Curtis movie Houdini and regarded to be a tribute to John Lennon, who was murdered prior to writing the song. The song's lyrics convey a sense of loss, grief, and longing, inspired by the tragic death of a close friend and the haunting memories that linger in the aftermath. |
| moon | Moonshadow | Cat Stevens | 1970 | Like me, Cat Stevens in the seventies went on holiday to Spain where, on a beautiful night with the moon glowing, looked down and saw his shadow in the water, which inspired him to pen this "optimist's anthem" about finding hope in any situation. |
| moon | Moonlighting | Leo Sayer | 1975 | “Moonlighting" is a song by Leo Sayer released in August 1975. It was inspired by a roadie with Sayer who fell in love with the daughter of a chief of police in the late 1960s. The chief of police was not pleased about this and would not agree for them to get married, so the couple decided to run off and elope to Gretna Green in Scotland, where this would be possible. However, they never made it to Gretna Green, as they were stopped by Carlisle police who had been made aware by Worthing police of the couple's intentions. For the song, Sayer wanted the story to end happily, represented with the lyrics "we're only ten miles to Gretna, they're three hundred behind". |
| moon | Everyone's Gone to the Moon | Jonathan King | 1965 | The song's surreal lyrics reflect on themes of conformity, alienation, and the search for individuality in a world where everyone seems to be following the same path. |
| moon | Moonlight Serenade | Glenn Miller | 1939 | The instrumental song evokes a sense of romance and nostalgia, capturing the mood of a moonlit evening and the timeless beauty of big band music. |
| moon | How High The Moon? | Ella Fitzgerald | 1947 | The song celebrates the boundless possibilities of love and the exhilarating feeling of being swept away by romance, conveyed through Ella Fitzgerald's legendary vocal performance. |
| moon | What a Little Moonlight Can Do | Billie Holiday | 1935 | “What a Little Moonlight Can Do,” a song recorded at the beginning of her career, was written by Harry M. Woods. In 1934, Woods moved to London for three years where he worked for the British film studio Gaumont British, contributing material to several films, one of which was Road House (1934). The song was sung in the film by Violet Lorraine and included an introductory verse, not heard in the version later recorded by Billie Holiday, accompanied by Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra, on July 2, 1935. |
| moon | Moonlight In Vermont | Sarah Vaughan | 1954 | The song describes the serene beauty of a moonlit night in Vermont, capturing the peaceful and romantic atmosphere of the countryside. |
| moon | Moon River | Audrey Hepburn | 1961 | The iconic song reflects on the journey of life and the passage of time, using the metaphor of a "moon river" to symbolize the endless flow of memories and experiences. |
| moon | Fly Me To The Moon | Frank Sinatra | 1964 | The song expresses the desire for adventure and exploration, as the protagonist longs to be whisked away to distant places and new experiences. Original Artist: Kaye Ballard |
| moon | Sister Moon | Sting | 1987 | The song personifies the moon as a spiritual companion and confidante, exploring themes of faith, redemption, and the search for inner peace. |
| moon | Eclipse | Pink Floyd | 1973 | The song serves as the climactic conclusion to Pink Floyd's album "The Dark Side of the Moon," symbolizing the resolution of existential themes explored throughout the album. |
| star | Another Star | Stevie Wonder | 1976 | “Another Star” is the closing track on Stevie Wonder's landmark double album Songs in the Key of Life, released in 1976. While Stevie Wonder plays most of the instruments himself, he is assisted by 10 different musicians, including Bobbi Humphrey, named Best Female Instrumentalist in 1976, playing the flute at the end, Dominican drummer and timbales player Hungría Carmelo Garcia, and George Benson, credited as guitar and background vocals, who takes over on the lead vocal scatting at about 6:37 for over a minute and half until the fade. |
| star | Shining Star | Earth, Wind & Fire | 1975 | “Shining Star” by Earth, Wind & Fire was written by band members "Reese" Maurice White and Philip Bailey and released in 1975. |
| star | Starz In Their Eyes | Just Jack | 2007 | “Starz In Their Eyes” by Just Jack (Jack Allsopp), was released in 2007. The song is about the celebrity machine. |
| star | Gonna Make You a Star | David Essex | 1974 | "Gonna Make You A Star" written and recorded by David Essex, was released in 1974 and produced by Jeff Wayne. Throughout his early teens David Essex was training at West Ham as a schoolboy player dreaming of becoming a footballer. |
| star | Emma (1993 Version) | Hot Chocolate | 1974 | “Emma” by British soul band Hot Chocolate, is a tear-jerker telling the story of an aspiring actress who commits suicide and tied to the death of frontman Errol Brown’s mother, aged 38. |
| star | Pearl's a Singer | Elkie Brooks | 1977 | Elkie Brooks also known as frontwoman of the group Vinegar Joe, covered “Pearl's a Singer”, written and initially recorded by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller as Dino & Sembello in 1974. |
| star | Candle In The Wind | Elton John | 1973 | This Sir Elton John’s tribute to Marilyn Monroe (Norma Jeane Mortenson), a famous actress and sex symbol who died of a drug overdose in 1962. The "candle in the wind" represents her short, but eventful life. In 1990 Elton John dedicated it to Ryan White, one of the first high-profile AIDS patients, who got the disease from a blood transfusion and died at age 18. Elton's lyricist, Bernie Taupin, rewrote the lyrics from "Goodbye Norma Jeane" to "Goodbye England's Rose," after the 36-year-old princess Diana, was killed in a car accident in1997. |
| star | You're Gorgeous | Babybird | 1996 | You're Gorgeous is Babybird's (aka Stephen Jones) biggest hit and the track that he is best known for. However the song, which many understood to be a besotted love song, is frequently misinterpreted. Jones told The Sheffield Telegraph November 5, 2009: "I can't tell people how to interpret the song, but the song's actually about male photographers who want to use women to sell things using sex." |
| star | Star Star | The Rolling Stones | 1973 | The highly controversial song “Star Star” by The Rolling Stones, released in 1973, could be directed at groupies (a word coined by ‘Stones basist Bill Wyman) in general but could also be about Carly Simon, whom at the time of this song Mick Jagger had a relationship with 9 months before and she moved to Hollywood, which is mentioned in a line from this song. |
| star | Sky and Sand | Paul & Fritz Kalkbrenner | 2009 | “Sky and Sand" is a song by German electronic music producers Paul Kalkbrenner and Fritz Kalkbrenner. The song was originally produced as the title song of the German movie Berlin Calling written and directed by Hannes Stöhr. It was first released on the Berlin Calling movie soundtrack album in October 2008 and in February 2009 as a single. |
| star | Castles in the Sky (feat. Marsha) | Ian Van Dahl | 2000 | Ian van Dahl is a music project of Christophe Chantzis and Erik Vanspauwen. ‘Castles in the Sky’, released in 2000, was co-written by Belgian singer-songwriter Martine D. J. Theeuwen, better known as Marsha. The name Ian van Dahl is derived from the names Jan Vandaal (Average Joe) and British author Roald Dahl. |
| star | Sky High | Jigsaw | 1975 | "Sky High" by British band Jigsaw, was composed by band members Clive Scott and Des Dyer. It was released as a single in 1975 and was the main title theme to the film The Man from Hong Kong (also known as The Dragon Flies), which is a martial arts espionage film that combined elements from James Bond and Bruce Lee movies. |
| star | Seven Horses in the Sky | The Pebbles | 1968 | “Seven Horses in the Sky” by The Pebbles was written by Fred Bekky and Bob Bobott, both the singers and guitarists of the band. The psychedelic lyrics describe seven purple horses racing in a green pouring sky. Originally called "The Fredstones", they changed their name on advice of Norman Petty. |
| star | Iron Sky | Paolo Nutini | 2014 | “Iron Sky” by Paolo Nutini,released in 2014, urges politicians to turn modern fears "into freedom." Nutini stated one of the inspirations came from movies by Fritz Lang, like Metropolis. The song features a sample from Charlie Chaplin's speech in his Hitler–lampooning 1940s film, The Great Dictator ("You are not machines! You are not cattle!"). An enthusiastic Adele once tweeted after seeing Nutini’s performance at Abbey Road Studios: "This is one of the best things I've ever seen in my life, hands down." (https://youtu.be/ELKbtFljucQ?feature=shared). |
| star | Skyfall | ADELE | 2012 | The track, recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London was the first Bond theme to win an Oscar. |
| star | Skybird | Neil Diamond | 1973 | “Skybird” by Neil Diamond features on the “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” Original Motion Picture Sound Track. It is a song that encapsulates the beauty of dreams, the courage to embark on a personal journey, and the power to inspire others. |
| star | star Wars' Title Theme | Meco | 1977 | Meco, the man who took movie music to the dance floor, released in 1977 a medley of "Star Wars Theme" & "Cantina Band" composed by John Williams. Domenico Monardo’s parents were of Italian descent and all of his family called him by the common Italian nickname for Domenico - which is – Meco. |
| star | Starlight Dancer | Kayak | 1977 | “Starlight Dancer” by Dutch band Kayak was released in 1977. The lyrics are very adventurous and fit with a fighting spirit to achieve exceptional result. |
| star | Counting Stars | One Republic | 2014 | OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder started writing “Counting Stars” in New York but finished it on the Greek island of Santorini. |
| star | Drops of Jupiter | Train | 2001 | Train lead singer Pat Monahan revealed that the song is about the death of his mother, not about reincarnation as such, but about the idea that no one ever really leaves us. |
| star | Les etoiles | Melody Gardot | 2009 | The soulful jazz composition “Les Etoiles” by Melody Gardot was released in 2009. Gardot found solace in the beauty of the night sky with the stars or Les Etoiles. At the age of 19, Gardot was hit by an SUV and sustained head, spinal, and pelvic injuries. Confined to a hospital bed for a year, she needed to relearn simple tasks and was left oversensitive to light and sound. Music played a critical role in her recovery. She became an advocate of music therapy, She speaks fluent French in addition to her native English and considers herself a "citizen of the world" |
| star | Blue Spanish Sky | Chris Isaak | 1989 | “Blue Spanish Sky” is a romantic ballad by Chris Isaak, reminding him about the “deep blue ocean” and the “warm summer breeze”. |
| star | England Skies | Shake Shake Go | 2015 | Shake Shake Go is an indie-pop band formed in London by singer Poppy Jones, guitarist Virgile Rozand and drummer Kilian Saubusse. |
