THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
346-The Velvelettes-Needle In A Haystack.
1964-Has never charted in the UK.
Best Bit-At 1.15.Another song we can thank Northern Soul for.
It’s hard to believe that a song of this quality has never sold enough copy’s to reach the UK chart,although it did peak at Number 45 on Billboard giving the group their biggest success.
The song is very popular among the Northern Soul fraternity and can be found on numerous compilations.I personally have been playing the song for over 40 years and it is probably my most played and popular track that has never been a chart hit.
It wasn’t until I began compiling this list that i realised how many classic songs the late great Norman Whitfield(see also best songs 911-777-569- 533-480) has been involved with,he produced this and co-wrote it with another great Motown songwriter William Stevenson.
‘I’m tellin’ you girls,you’d better look before you leap still waters sometimes run very deep.’
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THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
347-Al Green-Lets Stay Together.
1971-Number 7 single.
Best Bit-At 1.26.Every wedding DJ must own a copy.In a survey of Bride and Grooms this song was voted the most popular 1st dance of all time.
Albert Greene was born in 1946 in Forrest City,Arkansas,he is the sixth of ten children.His father Robert Greene was a very religious man.In 1976 Al Green became an ordained pastor of the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Memphis.
‘Lets Stay Together’ was co-written by Willie Mitchell who owned the record label this song was released on(‘Hi Records’) and also by Al Jackson Jr. who was a well respected Drummer and producer,he was also a founding member of Booker T. and the M.G.’s.(see best songs 906,) Al Green wrote the lyrics.
In 1983 Tina Turner recorded her version of the song and it peaked at Number 6 in the UK,this was her comeback song and kick started her very successful solo career.
‘Lovin’ you whether times are good are bad happy or sad.’
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THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
348-Everything But The Girl-Missing.
1995-Number 3 single.
Best Bit-At 1.10.’Could you be dead,you always were two steps ahead.’
Everything But The Girl were husband and wife duo Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt,they met while both were studying at the University of Hull,both were also contracted to ‘Cherry Red Records’ and had just released solo Albums.They joined forces in 1982,taking their name from the slogan used by the Hull shop ‘Turner’s Furniture’ on Beverley Road.
‘Missing’ is taken from the band’s eighth studio Album ‘Amplified Heart,’ initially achieving little success.After the duo asked American producer Todd Terry(see also best songs 805) to remix it the song took off and became a worldwide hit,peaking at Number 2 in Australia and America while reaching Number 1 in Germany.
‘And I miss you like the deserts miss the rain.
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THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
349-James Brown-Body Heat.
1977-Number 36 single.
Best Bit-At 0.55.James Brown ‘The Godfather’ tells us that even in his tender adolescent years,he was already blessed with ‘THE FUNK.’
James Brown(see also best songs 880) is recognised as a major figure in both popular music and dance,he has influenced the development of several music genres.
Following his death there was several tributes,Robert Christgau of Rolling Stone magazine cited Brown as the ‘Greatest musician of the Rock era.’Public Enemy’s Chuck D remarked,’Absolutely the funkiest man on Earth’ and Jimmy Page said ‘He was almost a musical genre in his own right and he changed and moved forward the whole time so people were able to learn from him.’
When I was a little boy about age of one my mother told me that you’re a loving son of a gun.’
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THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
350-Journey-Don’t Stop Believin.’
1981-Number 62 single.Through digital downloads it reached Number 6 in 2009.
Best Bit-At 0.58.This song is the best selling digital track from the 20th Century with over 8 million sold worldwide.
Journey are an American Rock band formed in San Francisco in 1973.They have gone through many changes over the years having had 15 different personnel.
Their musical style has also drastically changed,they began as a Prog Rock group,but pressure from their record company to get them radio play meant them leaning more to Soft Rock which brought them their most commercially successful years between 1978-1987.
The songs title came from something keyboardist Jonathan Cain’s father frequently told him when he was a struggling musician,’Don’t stop believing or you’re done dude.’
‘Strangers waiting up and down the boulevard their shadows searching in the night.’
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THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

COMING NEXT THE BEST 350.

Once upon a time you dressed so fine
You threw the bums a dime in your prime,didn’t you.
People’d call say,beware doll,your bound to fall
You thought they were all kiddin’ you.
You used to laugh about everybody that was hangin’ out
Now you don’t talk so loud
Now you don’t seem so proud
About having to be scrounging around for your next meal.

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
351-OutKast-Ms. Jackson.
2000-Number 2 single.
Best Bit-At 2.38.The best song in the world ever about groveling to ‘The Mother-In-Law.’
OutKast are a critically acclaimed American Hip-Hop duo formed in 1991 in East Point,Georgia by Andre ‘Andre 3000’ Benjamin and Antwan ‘Big Boi’ Patton.They are known for experimenting with many different genres of music including Funk,Psychedelia,Jazz and Techno.
The lyrics are a message to the mother of singer Eryka Badu(see also best songs 408) with whom Andre Benjamin had a child with.He wanted Badu’s mother to hear his side of the story as he felt he was being portrayed as a bad father.
Ms.Jackson is a name OutKast made up,Badu’s mother is really named Kolleen Wright.It is reported that she really liked the song being written about her and said,’Where’s my publishing cheque.’
‘You can plan a pretty picnic,but you can’t predict the weather.’
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THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
352-Jacques Brel-Amsterdam.
1964-Has never charted in the UK.
Best Bit-At 2.30.Thank heavens for English subtitles or I wouldn’t have a clue what it’s all about.
Jacques Brel,(April 8, 1929-October 9, 1978) was a Belgium singer/songwriter,poet,actor and film director.Although he recorded most of his songs in French and occasionally Dutch,he became an influence on English speaking songwriters and performers.Artists who have recorded his songs include David Bowie,Scott Walker and Marc Almond.
It has been said that many of his songs have lost their true meaning in translation,a very good example of this would be ‘Le Moribond’ which when rewritten by American singer Rod McKuen became ‘Seasons In The Sun’ which went on to sell over 10 million copies in 1974 when recorded by Canadian Terry Jacks.The song was brought to the attention of a whole new generation when Irish boy band Westlife had the Christmas Number 1 of 1999.
‘In the port of Amsterdam where the sailors all meet there’s a sailor who eats only fish heads and tails.’
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THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
354-Frankie Laine-That Lucky Old Sun(Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day.)
1949.Has never charted.There was no UK chart until 1952.
Best Bit-At 0.18.Eat your heart out Adams,Whitney and Drake,this guy holds the record of 18 weeks at Number 1.
In total Frankie Laine achieved four UK Number 1’s all of which were in the 1950’s.The song in question that spent 18 weeks at Number 1 in 1953 is called ‘I Believe.’He also holds the record of spending 27 weeks at Number 1 in a calendar year,also in 1953.
That Lucky Old Sun was written in 1949 with music by Beasley Smith and lyrics by Haven Gillespie.Other notable songs co-written by Gillespie include ‘You Go To My Head’ and ‘Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.’
This song tells us of the very hard labour performed and the intense hardship suffered by the narrator while the natural world around him just goes about it’s everyday business.
‘Up in the mornin’ out on the job,work like the devil for my pay.’
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