THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

929-Rick Springfield-Jessie’s Girl.

1981-It was not released in the UK until 1984, when it reached Number 43.Best Bit-At 2.18.As far as I am aware this is the only song in the world ever to have the word ‘moot’ in the lyrics, if that’s not a moot point to make.

Rick Springfield was born, Richard Springthorpe on 23rd August, 1949, in South Wentworthville, New South Wales, Australia. He is an actor as well as a musician, with both professions running concurrently.As an actor he is best known for portraying Dr Noah Drake in the ‘ABC’ network daytime Soap Opera, ‘General Hospital.’ As a musician he is a far bigger star in America and Australia, than he is in the UK, where this song topped the chart in both countries.His only UK hit to date is with ‘Human Touch,’ which reached Number 23 in 1993.

In the mid 1970’s Springfield attended a course on ‘Stained Glass,’ with a friend of his called Gary. Springfield had a major crush on Gary’s girlfriend, but she showed no interest in him. A few weeks later Springfield left the course, and never saw either of them again.The thoughts of his unrequited love stayed with him, and when writing for his 1981 Album, ‘Working Class Dog,’ he finally got around to writing the song. He changed the name of ‘Gary’ to Jessie (named after American footballer, Ron Jessie,) but admits he doesn’t remember the girls name.

Springfield has said that as far as he knows, the woman who inspired the song has no idea that she is ‘Jessie’s Girl.’ He told Oprah Winfrey, ‘I was never really introduced to her, it was always just, panting from afar.

‘The ‘Oprah Winfrey Show’ tried to find her, and they got as far back as finding out that the teacher of the class had died , and that his class records had been thrown out one year after his death.

‘I wanna tell her that I love her, but the point is probably moot.’