THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

902-Sandie Shaw-(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me.

1964-Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 0.28. I am a great believer in that, the first version of a song you hear, will nearly always remain as your favourite version.

This is particularly prevalent with this song, as it has been recorded so many times, and in so many different styles. The original version by the Soul singer Lou Johnson (1941-2019,) reached Number 49 on Billboard in 1964. Other noteworthy versions are by R.B. Greaves (1943-2012,) who took his version to Number 27 on Billboard in 1970, and Dionne Warwick, who released it as a ‘B’ side in 1968. But the most successful American hit of the song was by British Synthpop duo Naked Eyes,who took their version to Number eight in 1984, although in the UK the song stalled at Number 59. In 1995 the Electronic duo Tin Tin Out recorded a dance version, which peaked at Number 14 in the UK.

The song was written by the legendary songwriting team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David (1921-2012,) (see also best songs 832-815-740-644 and 224 ) and recorded by Sandie Shaw as her second ever single release, and it became her first hit. Shaw would go on to become the first female artist to have three UK Number 1 singles, and her Eurovision song contest winning song,’Puppet on a String’ from 1967, is the biggest selling Eurovision song ever, with sales in excess of four million copies worldwide.

‘I walk along the city streets you used to walk along with me, and every step I take recalls how much in love we used to be.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER

903-Duran Duran-Planet Earth.

1981-Number 12 single.

Best Bit-At 2.52.What I think they are saying is, listen up world, we have something new, and original, and exciting, that we want to show you.

The ‘New Romantic’ scene had sprung up at the back end of the 1970’s, mainly in London,and Birmingham, and in 1981 bands such as Spandau Ballet, and Duran Duran, were just about to commercialise it, with their fashion, and ‘Radio Friendly’, Pop songs.

The ‘New Romantic’ movement was influenced by artists such as David Bowie, and Bryan Ferry, with the clothes they wore, and also by the ‘Romantic’ period of the late 18th Century, and early 19th Century, from where the movement took it’s name.

Duran Duran were formed in Birmingham, England, in 1978, and although other members have come and gone, the most recognisable are, Simon Le Bon (vocals,) Nick Rhodes (keyboards,) John Taylor (bass,) Roger Taylor (drummer,) and Andy Taylor (guitarist,) none of the Taylor’s are related.In the UK they have achieved two Number 1 singles, and one UK Number 1 Album. Their latest release to date, was the 2015 ‘Paper Gods’ Album, which was their 14th studio Album.

‘Like some New Romantic looking for the TV sound, you’ll see I’m right some other time.

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

904-Feeder-Buck Rogers.

2001-Number 5 single.

Best Bit-At 0.28. For the youngsters, a C.D. player was something that you could listen to music on, it was introduced many years after the Gramophone, but well before the computer.

Feeder are a Welsh Rock band, formed in Newport, in 1994 by Grant Nicholas, Jon Lee (1968-2002,) and Taka Hirose, the band are named after Nicholas’ pet goldfish.

‘Buck Rogers’ was written by Grant Nicholas, with the aim of having the American Rock Band ‘SR-71’ record it, as he thought it didn’t suit the style of music Feeder were trying to achieve, but their producer Gil Norton saw the potential, and convinced them to record it themselves.The song tells the story of a relationship ending,in which the girlfriend of the narrator leaves him for a character called Buck Rogers. The songs writer has said, ‘I was going through a break up, and it was inspired by that.’ The songs title was inspired by the television series ‘Buck Rogers in the 25th Century,’ Nicholas had been experimenting on a keyboard, and told his engineer, Matt Sime, that he thought what he was playing sounded futuristic, they both agreed a good title would be Buck Rogers.

Nicholas has stated that the lyrics are meant to be stupid and funny,he has said that people always ask him about the lyric ‘Drink Cider from a lemon,’ he has said that as a teenager he and his friends would go out drinking cider, but because of it’s taste, they would add lemonade.

‘He’s got a brand new car, looks like a Jaguar, it’s got leather seats, it’s got a CD player.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

905-Status Quo-Forty Five Hundred Times.

1973-Has never been released as a single.

Best Bit-At 4.42.’You say tomato, I say tomahto.’

Status Quo were formed in 1962 by Francis Rossi, and Alan Lancaster, and originally called The Spectres, Rick Parfitt joined in 1967.They have achieved 60 top 40 singles in the UK, which is more than any other Rock Band, and have sold more than 115 million Albums, and singles.Status Quo (see also best songs 108) had been touring America, and had picked up a few local colloquialisms. In the States they say 45 hundred times, in the UK, we say four thousand, five hundred times.The reason that particular number was chosen, was because it fit the song musically.

The song is about pleading with a girl to stay in a relationship, and was co-written by Francis Rossi, and Rick Parfitt (1948-2016.) They have both said it is one of their favourite songs by the band, and it was also voted the Number 1 song of all time, by the bands fans.The song is the closing track on their 1973 Album ‘Hello,’ but there are live versions of the song available, some stretching to in excess of 30 minutes.

‘Problems halved, are the problems that we can share, white lies in our eyes, together not really there.

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

906-Booker T. & the M.G.’s-Green Onions.

1962-It did not chart in the UK until 1980, when reaching Number 7.

Best Bit-At 1.52.I would be pleased to have this as part of my five a day, at anytime.

Booker T. & the M. G.’s were formed as the house band at Stax Records, their equivalent at Tamla Motown were the ‘Funk Brothers.’ The musicians who played on this song were Booker T. Jones (organ, and piano,) Steve Cropper (guitar,) Lewie Steinberg (bass,) (1933-2016,) and Al Jackson Jr. (drums) (1935-1975.) In 1965 Steinberg was replaced by Donald ‘Duck’ Dunn who remained with the band until his death in 2012. Apart from releasing their own music,they have also played on hundreds of other artists songs, some of which appear in this countdown, including Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and Isaac Hayes.’Green Onions’ developed in the recording studio from an original idea from Booker T. Jones, which was developed upon by the other group members, resulting in all four receiving song writing credits.The song was a major hit on Billboard in 1962 when it reached Number three, but it didn’t chart in the UK until featured in the 1979 film Quadrophenia, gaining the song new fans.

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

907-Puddle of Mudd-She Hates Me.

1993-It was not released until 2003 when reaching Number 14.

Best Bit-At 1.36.I don’t think this guy is under any illusion as to what she thinks of him.

Puddle of Mudd were formed in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.,in 1993 by Wes Scantlin (vocals,) Jimmy Allen (lead guitar,) Sean Salmmon (bass,) and Kenny Birkitt (drums,) they used to practice next to the ‘Missouri River Levee,’ which inspired the bands name, Scantlin is the groups one constant. It would be a further eight years before Scantlin would get his big break, after Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit heard a demo tape, and helped him put together a new band.

‘She Hates Me’ had been written back in 1993 by Scantlin, and the bands original lead guitarist Jimmy Allen, who had left the group in 1997.Allen was inspired to write the lyrics after splitting with his girlfriend, who parted from him, on not very good terms.The song is filed under the ‘Post Grunge’ genre, and is very much in the style of ‘Nirvana.’ There have been accusations made that the song is a rip off of the 1993 song from the band ‘Suicidal Tendencies” track ‘I Saw Your Mommy.’ The chords and the medley of the song are also very similar to ‘Summer Nights,’ from the film ‘Grease,’ and sometimes at gigs the band perform the two songs as a medley.

‘Met a girl, thought she was grand, fell in love, found out first hand.’