THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

918-Queen-Brighton Rock.

1974-Has never been released as a single.

Best Bit-At 4.27.This was a very important song at Queen concerts, as it often went on for 12 minutes, giving Freddie Mercury enough time to make his costume change.

‘Brighton Rock’ is the opening track from Queen’s third studio Album ‘Sheer Heart Attack.’ As the song starts, if you listen carefully, you can hear someone whistling the 1907 Music Hall Song, ‘I Do Like To be Beside the Seaside.’ On their previous Album ‘Queen 2,’ the final track,’Seven Seas of Rhye, closes with the same song.’Brighton Rock’ was written by Brian May, and many consider it his finest.The song developed over many years, and was borne out of many hours of studio experimentation, making use of extensive ‘Delay,’ and an ‘Echoplex’ unit.

The song tells of two young lovers sneaking away to Brighton for a day out, on a public holiday. The girl (Jenny,) can’t relax because she is frightened her mother will find out. She writes to the boy (Jimmy) everyday, but he appears to have lost interest, as Jenny’s mother keeps interfering.

It is possible that the ‘The Who’s, Quadrophenia’ could have been an inspiration, as Mods travelled to Brighton on Bank Holidays, and Quadrophenia’s lead character was Jimmy.

‘O lady moon, shine down a little people magic if you will.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

919-Dean Martin-Gentle on My Mind.

1969-Number 2 single.

Best Bit-At 1.58.Some of the most poetic words ever expressed in a Pop song, and what does ‘The King of Cool’ do? He starts humming.

‘Gentle on My Mind’ was written in 1967 by American Folk/Country singer John Hartford (1937-2001,) he recorded the original version, which appears on his 1968 Album,’Gentle on My Mind and Other Originals.’ The best known version of the song in America is by Glen Campbell, from 1968, which has received over five million plays on the radio, while in the UK, it was the Dean Martin recording that found success.

John Hartford has said that he was inspired to write the song after seeing the film ‘Doctor Zhivago,’ although the songs subject has nothing to do with the films subject, Hartford said it still gave him the inspiration.

The lyrics of ‘Gentle on My Mind’ can be interpreted in many different ways. My own personal view is that the narrator needs to be free, he is possibly a hobo, he doesn’t want any commitment, but knows that if he did want to settle down, she will be waiting for him. It is also possible that this situation is just a fantasy he enjoys playing out in his own mind.

‘It’s knowing that your door is always open, and your path is free to walk.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

920-Stevie Wonder-Do I Do.

1982-Number 10 single.

Best Bit-At 7.47.Stevie Wonder’s attempt at Rapping, was more prankster, than gangster.

‘Do I Do’ was taken from Stevie Wonder’s Album ‘Stevie Wonder’s Original Musiquarium 1,’The Album consisted of 11 previously released tracks, and four new songs, including this one. It was released in 1982, and filled the gap between 1980’s, ‘Hotter Than July,’ and 1984’s ‘The Woman in Red.’

The song is notable for the guest appearance of Dizzy Gillespie (1917-1993,) one of Stevie’s hero’s, who plays a trumpet solo. The bass guitar playing of Nathan Watts, has been critically acclaimed, Watts has been collaborating with Stevie Wonder since 1974, and can be heard prominently providing the bass lines on songs such as ‘I Wish,’ and ‘I Ain’t Gonna Stand For It.’

Towards the end of the song Stevie (see also best songs 843-834-682-570-503-366-205-152 and 65) lightheartedly starts Rapping. Back in 1982 Rap was still young, and somewhat of a novelty, and Stevie is obviously enjoying experimenting with this new musical genre.

‘Do you want some candy? Do you want some honey suckle? Do you want some chocolate dripping kisses, full of love for you?

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

921-Drake-Started From the Bottom.

2013-Number 25 single.

Best Bit-At 1.37. He wears every single chain, even when he’s in the house. Now that is dedication to the lifestyle.

Aubrey Drake Graham (see also best songs 858 and 1043) was born October 24, 1986 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.His father who is an African American is a practising Catholic, who worked as a drummer for Jerry Lee Lewis, and his mother is a Jewish white Canadian. He has two very famous uncle’s, Larry Graham, of Sly and the Family Stone, and Teenie Hodges (1945-2014) who worked with Al Green, and Ann Peebles. In his youth Drake attended a Jewish day school, and had a Bar Mitzvah when reaching the age of 13. Since releasing his first music in 2006, Drake has gone on to be the best selling Rap artist, and also one of the best selling artists of all time, with sales in excess of 170 million.

‘Started From the Bottom’ was the lead single from Drake’s third studio Album,’Nothing Was the Same,’ In the song Drake is telling us, that to have got to this point in his life wasn’t easy, and there had been many obstacles to overcome. He wrote the song in response to other Rappers who have claimed that Drake’s upbringing was a lot easier than their own, Drake counters that by saying that he also had problems to overcome in his youth, just different ones.

‘Boys tell stories about the man, say I never struggled, wasn’t hungry, yeah,I doubt it.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

922-Lil Louis-French Kiss.

1989-Number 2 single.

Best Bit-At 7.03.The poor girl sounds like she is completely exhausted from dancing to this song, she could do with a lie down.

‘French Kiss’ amazingly wasn’t banned by Radio 1, and many other stations, upon it’s release, but in later years many radio stations, have had their knuckles wrapped for playing it.

Lil Louis was born Marvin Burns in Chicago, United States, he is a producer of ‘House Music.’He has also released music under the name,’Lil Louis & the World,’ and ‘Lil Louis & the Party.’

There are several well known remixes of French Kiss, this ,the original version was written by Lil Louis, and Karlana Johnson, she provides the ‘moaning,’ and is given song writing credits.There are also unreleased versions of the song, that were very popular in clubs, that featured vocals.In America the female singer Shawn Christopher’s version reached Number 1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Chart, while in Europe, the vocals were performed by a female artist known as Pasquale.

Lil Louis has charted in the UK on two further occasions, in 1990 his song ‘I Called You (But You Weren’t There,’) reached Number 16, and in 2000 a remix of French Kiss by Lil Louis, and Josh Wink, called ‘How’s Your Evening So Far’ got to Number 23.

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

923-The Bellamy Brothers-Let Your Love Flow.

1976-Number 7 single. When reissued in 2009, it reached Number 21.

Best Bit-At 0.43.Unlike the Walker’s, and the Righteous,’ and the Beyond’s, these two are actually real brothers.

The Bellamy Brothers are Homer Howard Bellamy, born 1946, and his brother, David, born 1950, in Pasco County, Florida.In 1975 David was working as a session musician, having just co-written, with Jim Stafford, the hit single ‘Spiders and Snakes,’ and his brother Howard, was Stafford’s manager, when the duo were offered this song.’Let Your Love Flow’ was written by Larry E. Williams, who was a roadie for Neil Diamond’s live shows. Williams offered the song to Diamond, who turned it down, it was then offered to American Rockabilly, and Blue Eyed Soul singer, Johnny Rivers, but he turned it down as well.The Bellamy Brothers recorded the song with members of Neil Diamonds live band, and in 1976 it went to Number 1 on Billboard.There is actually an earlier release of the song from 1975 by American Pop/Folk singer Gene Cotton, which failed to chart.

In 2008 the song was used in a Television advert to promote ‘Barclaycard,’ this brought the song to the attention of a whole new generation, and put it back in the UK chart again.In the UK The Bellamy Brothers are also known for their 1979 Number three song, If I Said You Had A Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me,’ but in The States they have achieved 26 top 10 Country Music hits.

‘Just let your love flow like a mountain stream, and let your love grow, with the smallest of dreams.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

924-The Special A.K.A. featuring Rico-Too Much Too Young.

1980- Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 1.56.Dr Hall’s family planning classes.

The Specials (see also best songs 372) were formed in Coventry, England in 1977, they were one of the bands who led the way in the ‘Ska Music’ revival of the late 1970’s, and early 1980’s.This version of Too Much Too Young’ was written, and produced by The Specials founding member, and keyboard player, Jerry Dammers, who also formed the record label ‘2 Tone,’ in 1979.The song borrows the melody, (speeding it up,) and subject of the 1969 Reggae song,’Birth Control,’ by Lloyd Charmers (1938-2012.) Dammers has said,’I nearly had a thing with a married woman, and it didn’t happen in the end, obviously because she was married, so there was all sort of rage and frustration in a young man.

‘Too Much Too Young’ pulls no punches, it says that getting pregnant at a very young age is stupid, and you have wasted a lot of opportunities, you can no longer pursue. It also tells that when having sex, you must use protection.The song in it’s original form of six minutes, and six seconds is on The Specials self titled debut Album, from 1979, which was produced by Elvis Costello.This live recording from ‘Tiffany’s’ in Coventry in 1979, is at two minutes, and four seconds, the shortest song in length to be a UK Number 1 single in the 1980’s.

‘Ain’t he cute, no he ain’t, he’s just another burden on the welfare state.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

925-Prodigy-No Good (Start the Dance.)

1994-Number 4 single.

Best Bit-At 0.33.Well I suppose if you are one of the main innovators of new musical genres that are embraced by millions, then you are quite entitled to call yourselves, ‘Prodigy.’

The Prodigy were formed in Braintree, Essex, England in 1990, through a chance encounter the previous year, when Keith Flint (1969-2019) met Liam Howlett, at a ‘Rave’ that Howlett was DJing. Flint was so impressed with Howlett’s performance, and after requesting, and receiving a ‘mixtape’ from Howlett, on a cassette, they decided to get together and form the band along with Flint’s friend, the keyboardist, and dancer Leeroy Thornhill, and the vocalist Maxim Reality. The original first lineup was completed by the female dancer, and vocalist Sharky.

The Prodigy (see also best songs 151) have gone on to sell in excess of 25 million records worldwide, and along with the Chemical Brothers, and Fatboy Slim, are credited as pioneers of the ‘Breakbeat’ influenced genre ‘Big Beat,’ pushing forward the development of ‘Electronic Dance Music.’

‘No Good (Start the Dance’) was written and produced by Liam Howlett, and was taken from the bands second studio Album,’Music for the Jilted Generation.’ The songs lyrics are sampled from the dance track, ‘Your No Good To Me,’ by Kelly Charles.

‘You’re no good for me,I don’t need nobody, don’t need no one, that’s no good for me.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

926-The Who-My Generation.

1965-Number 2 single.

Best Bit-At 2.23.I always publish a songs chart position, but unfortunately it is no guide to a bands actual talent, as The Who never had a Number 1 single, but Westlife had 16, Boyzone had 6, and One Direction had 4. It’s a funny old world we live in.

‘My Generation’ was written by Pete Townsend (see also best songs 891- 306 and 265) at the age of 20, for the rebellious British youths known as ‘Mods,’ to express their feelings that the older generation just don’t understand today’s youth. He wrote the song while on a train ride from London to Southampton, on May 19th, 1965, the day of his birthday. Townsend has said,’My Generation was very much trying to find a place in society, I was very, very lost.’

The song contains one of the most famous lyrics in Rock N’ Roll history, ‘I hope I die before I get old.’ Townsend has said,’ Old”, meant, ‘Very rich.”Townsend has also credited Blues singer,’Mose Allison’s lyrics to his 1959 song,’ Young Man Blues,’ as inspiration, saying,’ Without Mose I wouldn’t have written My Generation.’Lead singer Roger Daltrey had always had a stutter, and it was The Who’s manager Kit Lambert who suggested that Daltrey should sing the song with a stutter to sound like a ‘Mod’ on speed. Daltrey has said,’I have got a stutter, I control it much better now. When we were in the studio Kit Lambert came up to me and said,’Stutter,’ I said, ‘What?’ He said stutter the words, it makes you sound like your pilled.’

‘Why don’t you all f-fade away,don’t try to dig what we all s-s-s-say.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

927-John Lennon-#9 Dream.

1975-Number 23 single.

Best Bit-At 2.09.Only a true genius could invent a new language, ‘Ah! Bowakawa, pousse pousse,’ and people would believe it.

‘#9 Dream’ is the opening song on John Lennon’s fifth solo studio Album, ‘Walls and Bridges,’ from 1974.Lennon has said that the song came to him in a dream, and was just ‘churned out,’ with ‘no inspiration.’ May Pang, who was Lennon’s lover at the time, has said that the repeated phrase,’Ah! Bowakawa, pousse, pousse,’ came to Lennon in the dream, and has no specific meaning.The string arrangement is very similar to Harry Nilsson’s rendition of ‘Many Rivers To Cross,’ from his 1974 Album,’Pussy Cats,’ produced by Lennon. Backing vocals on the song are provided by May Pang, who also provides the whispered ,’John,’ part.

Throughout his life John Lennon (see also best songs 6-10- 20-51-80-141-168-218-238-319-456-473 and 599) was always fascinated with the ‘Number 9,’ Two Beatles songs, have that number included in there title, ‘Revolution 9,’ and ‘One After 9.’ Lennon was born on October 9, as was his son Sean, The Beatles first gig at The Cavern Club, took place on February 9, 1961, and their manager Brian Epstein first saw them perform on May 9, in the same year. The Beatles first single,’Love Me Do,’ was released on Parlophone Records ‘R4949, and Lennon’s first home was 9 Newcastle Road, Wavertree, Liverpool, those three names each contain 9 letters, and incidentally, this song reached Number 9 on Billboard.

‘Somebody called out my name, (John,) as it started to rain.