THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

786-Anthony Newley-Why.

1960-Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 0.09.Anthony Newley was an early influence on the singing style of a young David Bowie, which can clearly be heard on Bowie’s mid 1960’s songs,so now you know who is to blame for ‘The Laughing Gnome.’

Anthony Newley was born in London, England, on September 24th, 1931, and died from renal cancer on April 14th, 1999, during his long and successful career he was a singer, and songwriter, and a stage, and screen actor.As a recording artist Newley achieved 12 UK top 40 singles, including two Number 1 records, this song being one of them, and the other also from 1960, was ‘Do You Mind.’Newley had even greater success as a songwriter, with his writing partner Leslie Bricusse he wrote ‘Feeling Good’ for the musical ‘The Roar of the Greasepaint-The Smell of the Crowd,’a song made famous originally by Nina Simone, and later by Michael Buble, and Muse.He also co-wrote the theme song of the 1964 James Bond film ‘Goldfinger,’ with John Barry, and with Leslie Bricusse received an Academy Award nomination for the film score to the film ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’ in 1971.

‘Why’ is a cover version of a 1959 Billboard Number 1 single, originally recorded by Frankie Avalon, in the UK his version had stalled at Number 20. The song was co-written by Peter De Angelis, and Bob Marcucci, who had signed Avalon to his ‘Chancellor’ record label, his other notable signing was Fabian.

In 1972 the song became a hit again, when Donny Osmond took his version to Number 3 in the UK.

‘No broken hearts for us,’cause we love each other, and with our faith and trust, there could be no other.’