THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

618-Bob Marley & The Wailers-Exodus.

1977-Number 14 single.

Best Bit-At 5.01. In no other musical genre is one single artist so well known. When you think of Reggae, the first name that springs to mind is Bob Marley.

Bob Marley was born Robert Nesta Marley on February 6th, 1945, in Nine Mile, Saint Parish, Colony of Jamaica, he died from skin cancer on My 11th, 1981. The earliest incarnation of ‘The Wailers’ was formed in 1963 by Marley, Bunny Wailer (1947-2021,) Peter Tosh (1944-1987,) Junior Braithwaite (1949-1999,) Cherry Smith (1943-2008,) and Beverley Kelso. They originally called themselves the ‘Teenagers,’ before becoming the ‘Wailing Wailers,’ and eventually ‘The Wailers.’ By 1974 all the original Wailers had gone their own way, and Marley formed a new incarnation of the band including his wife Rita, supplying backing vocals.In 1976 Marley, his wife, and some of the other band members survived an assassination attempt, forcing Marley to move to England.

‘Exodus’ may have been partly inspired by that event, as the song ties in with the Biblical story of Moses leading the Isrealites out of Egypt, in the hope that one day the Rastafarians will also be led to freedom. Although the song is probably not about any certain race or religion, as that would contradict the message Marley is sending us, the song is probably about man’s struggle with trying to find God.

‘Exodus’ is the title track from Bob Marley and The Wailers third studio Album, and Marley’s ninth overall, and is his most critically acclaimed (see also best songs 56.) Five of the Album’s songs appear on ‘Legend,’ the 1984 posthumously released Album, which is the best selling Reggae Album of all time, with sales in excess of 25 million copies.

‘We know where we’re going, we know where we’re from.We’re leaving Babylon, y’all, we’re going to our fathers land.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER

619-Joy Division-Love Will Tear Us Apart.

1980-Number 13 single.It was re-released in 1983, and reached Number 19, and again in 1995, it once again made Number 19.

Best Bit-At 0.07.Ian Curtis knew of the song ‘Love Will Keep Us Together’ by the Captain & Tennille, and with that in mind, wrote about his own experiences of love.

Joy Division were formed in Salford, England, in 1976, with the classic line up being Ian Curtis (1956-1980,) (vocals,) Bernard Sumner (guitar,) Peter Hook (bass,) and Stephen Morris (drums.) They initially called the band ‘Warsaw,’ named after the David Bowie song ‘Warszawa,’ from his 1977 Album ‘Low,’ but renamed themselves Joy Division in early 1978, taking the name from the ‘sexual slavery’ wing of a Nazi concentration camp,as mentioned in the 1955 novel ‘House of Dolls,’ by the author ‘Ka-tzethik 135633’.When first forming they were heavily influenced by early Punk Music, but over time developed their own sound. After Curtis committed suicide in 1980, the three remaining members dropped the name Joy Division, and reformed as New Order (see also best songs 885.)

The writing of ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ is credited to all four band members, but the lyrics were written by Ian Curtis, based on his own personnel experiences. Curtis had recently ended his marriage, and had been diagnosed with epilepsy, causing him to have fits when performing on stage. The stress of holding down a day job, and being on the verge of Pop stardom, tipped him over the edge, and he committed suicide by hanging on May 18th, 1980.

‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ was posthumously released in June 1980, and followed the following month by the bands second and final Album ‘Closer.’ A further 12 compilations, and four live Albums have been released in subsequent years.

‘When routine bites hard, and ambitions are low, and resentment rides high, but emotions won’t grow, and we’re changing our ways, taking different roads.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER

620-The Vaccines-If You Wanna.

2012-Number 35 single.

Best Bit-At 0.47.When they originally chose their name, they could not possibly have known it would become one of the most important words in the English language.

The Vaccines are an Indie Rock band formed in West London, England, in 2010 by Justin Hayward-Young (lead vocals, and guitar,) Freddie Cowan (lead guitar, and vocals,) Arni Amason (bass, and vocals,) and Pete Robertson (drums, and vocals.) In 2016 Robertson left the band, and the touring musicians Timothy Lanham (keyboards,) and Yoann Intonti (drums,) both became full time members.To date they have released four studio Albums, including their second release ‘Come of Age’ in 2012,’ which went to Number 1 in the UK, they have sold in excess of 2 million records worldwide to date.

The Vaccines, especially on their earlier Albums, have a retro sound, dating back to the ‘Punk’ era of the mid to late 1970’s, and this song, particularly to my ear sounds like something The Ramones (see also best songs 707 and 102) would have been proud of, perhaps The Vaccines would have been even more successful had they been born 40 years earlier.

‘If You Wanna’ is the third single taken from The Vaccines debut Album ‘What Did You Expect from The Vaccines?’ from 2010, with songwriting credits given to all of the band members. The song is about a break up, with the narrator trying to come to terms with the fact that his girlfriend doesn’t want to be with him anymore. Justin Haywood-Young has said,’The lyrics are pretty defeatist, maybe even slightly pathetic, but we’ve all been there. I wanted us to have a song with really downbeat lyrics, juxtaposed with a poppy, and upbeat melody. Hayward-Young has also said that the song had a different chorus before he came up with a new one,’I thought it was like super cheesy, and I kind of got shivers down my spine like,’Eww, I feel dirty,’ and everyone in the room was like,’No’, that was really cool, that’s a much better chorus.’ I think that was a real turning point for the band, because I think it was like me accepting that I write really cheesy pop songs, and so I should embrace that as a writer.’

‘Well I don’t want to wake up in the morning, but I’ve got to face the day, that’s what all the friends I do not like as much as you say.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

621-The Byrds-All I Really Want to Do.

1965-Number 4 single.

Best Bit-At 0.20. Using the lyrics of Bob Dylan, and heavily influenced by the harmonies of the Beach Boys, and arranged in a ‘Beatlesque’ manner, ‘Folk Rock’ had just been invented.

The Byrds were formed in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1964, they were active until 1973, but reformed again in 1989-1991, and again in 2000, for the final time, after which the band name was retired. The groups only constant was Roger McGuinn (lead guitar and vocals,) who was known as Jim McGuinn until mid 1967.The other four original members were Gene Clark (1944-1991,) (rhythm guitar, and vocals,) David Crosby (see also best songs 417) (rhythm guitar, and vocals,) Michael Clarke (1946-1993,) (drums,) and Chris Hillman (bass guitar, and vocals.) There have been a further five subsequent members between 1968-1973, including Gram Parsons (1946-1973.)

‘All I Really Want to Do’ was written by Bob Dylan (see also best songs 792-358-103-36 and 7) for his forth studio Album ‘Another Side of Bob Dylan’ from 1964. The lyrical content was a departure for Dylan from his normal topical songwriting, to a more personal one. The song was inspired by Dylan’s recent separation from his girlfriend of three years, Suze Rotolo (1943-2011,) although some have speculated that the song is a message from Dylan to his fans, that regardless of any change in musical style, he will always be there for them.

This was The Byrds second Dylan cover, as in January 1965 they had recorded ‘Mr. Tambourine Man,’which went to Number 1 on Billboard, and also in the UK. The Byrds had not wanted to do another Dylan cover, but Columbia Records had insisted, thinking a follow up hit was a certainty, but the singer Cher (see also best songs 672) also released her version of ‘All I Want to Do’ at the same time, as her debut solo single, and a chart battle ensued. In the UK, The Byrds were the winners, with there version reaching Number 4, and Cher making Number 9, but in America Cher was the winner reaching Number 15, while The Byrds could only get to Number 40.

‘I don’t want to meet your kin, make you spin, or do you in, or select you, or dissect you, or inspect you, or reject you.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER

622-Fleetwood Mac-Everywhere.

1988-Number 4 single.It also re-entered the chart on downloads in 2013, this time reaching Number 4.

Best Bit-At 0.01. I don’t mean to be rude, but if you would rather ‘Jack’ than listen to Fleetwood Mac, then I feel sorry for you.

Fleetwood Mac have a long, and turbulent history. They were formed in London, England, in 1967 by Peter Green (1946-2020,) (guitar,) Mick Fleetwood (drums,) and Jeremy Spencer (guitar.) Before the release of their self titled debut Album in 1968 they were joined by John McVie (bass,) also Danny Kirwan (1950-2018.) joined as a third guitarist in the same year, and the first classic lineup was completed in 1970 with the addition of Christine McVie (keyboards.) This first edition of Fleetwood Mac was very different musically to the incarnation of the mid 1970’s onward, with this sextet playing a mixture of Blues Rock, and Folk Rock. The band chose their name from the surnames of Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, and have released a total of 17 studio Albums, the first in 1968, and the latest in 2003.

Their musical style changed radically in 1975 with the arrival of Lindsey Buckingham (guitar,) and Stevie Nicks (vocals,) and together with Fleetwood, and John, and Christine McVie would record ‘Rumours in 1977, the eighth biggest selling Album of all time, with sales in excess of 40 million.

‘Everywhere’ was taken from ‘Tango in the Night,’ which is the bands 14th studio Album recorded during 1985-1986. The song was written and sung by Christine McVie, who probably wrote the lyrics about her husband Eddy Quintela, whom she had married in 1986. Christine McVie was born Christine Anne Perfect on July 12th, 1943, in Bouth, Lancashire, England. Before joining Fleetwood Mac she had been a member of the Blues band Chicken Shack, and had sang lead vocals on their 1969 Number 14 hit ‘I’d Rather Go Blind.’

‘Can you hear me calling out your name? You know that I’m falling, and I don’t know what to say.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

623-Hole-Celebrity Skin.

1998-Number 19 single.

Best Bit-At 0.59. Ignore all that 1990’s media fake news you were force fed by the tabloid trash. The real ‘Girl Power’ wasn’t all that spice hype, it was ladies like this.

Courtney Michelle Love was born on July 9th, 1964, in San Francisco, California, United States. Love formed the Alternative Rock band ‘Hole’ in 1989 with Eric Erlandson, who had answered an advertisement placed in ‘Recycler’ magazine in the summer of 1989. Hole were active until 2002, but reformed in 2009, and disbanded in 2012. In total there have been 15 different band members, and Hole have recorded four studio Albums, the first three all being critically acclaimed.

‘Celebrity Skin’ was the title track, and the first single release from the Album in 1998. It represented a departure from the bands first two Albums, which were more aggressive in melody, and less lyrically restrained. The song was co-written by Love, and Erlandson, and Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins (see also best songs 374.) It is said that Love was in need of inspiration at the time, and brought in Corgan, who wrote the songs main guitar riff, as well as co-writing another four tracks on the Album. The lyrics were written by Love, as were all the lyrics on the Album.The song tells of the futility of celebrity, and fame, and is anti Hollywood.The lyrics contain literary references, the line ‘Oh look at my face/ my name is might have been,’ is directly lifted from the opening verse of Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s poem ‘A Superscription’, and the phrase ‘Pound of flesh,’ originates from William Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice.’A line from the song ‘Beautiful garbage,’ inspired the Rock group Garbage to call their third studio Album in 2001, ‘Beautiful Garbage.’

‘When I wake up in my makeup, it’s too early for that dress.Wilted and faded somewhere in Hollywood.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER

624-Billie Holiday-Strange Fruit.

1939-Has never charted in the UK. There was no UK chart until 1952.

Best Bit-At 1.06.’ The Lady Sings the Blues.

‘Billie Holiday was born Eleanora Fagan on April 7th, 1915, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, she died in 1959 at the age of 44, after a long battle with drugs, and alcohol. Billie Holiday had a turbulent upbringing, at the age of 11 she found a job running errands in a brothel, and at the age of 13 she became a victim of sexual trafficking.Holiday’s father Clarence (1898-1937) became her father at the age of 16, but didn’t stick around, and moved to Baltimore, to pursue a career in music. He became a well known musician, and when choosing her stage name, she kept his surname ‘Holiday.’ She chose the name ‘Billie’ in tribute to the actress Billie Dove (1903-1997.)

‘Strange Fruit’ was originally written as a poem in 1937 by a white, Jewish songwriter,school teacher, and union activist called Abel Meeropol (1903-1986.) Meeropol had been outraged after seeing a photograph of a horrific lynching in a civil rights magazine. The photo was a shot of two black men hanging from a tree, after they had been lynched in Marion, Indiana, United States, the two men are the ‘Strange Fruit.’

In 1939 while a performer at the first integrated venue in New York, the ‘Cafe Society Nightclub,’the song was brought to the attention of Billie Holiday.It was a very brave decision to record and perform the song, as it would be bound to cause controversy, putting Holiday’s own personal safety at risk, as well as potentially damaging her career as a black performer.

‘Strange Fruit’ became Holiday’s signature tune, and was the song she would always finish on for the rest of her career. In 1999 ‘Time’ magazine voted it the ‘Song of the Century,’ When the song had first come out in 1939, the same magazine had denounced it as ‘A piece of musical propaganda.’

There are some notable cover versions of ‘Strange Fruit,’ notably from Nina Simone, and the Reggae band UB40, who recorded the song as a bonus track for their debut Album ‘Signing Off,’ in 1980. Diana Ross also recorded the song for her performance in the film about Billie Holiday,’Lady Sings the Blues,’ from 1972.

‘Southern trees bear a strange fruit, blood on the leaves, and blood at the root. Black bodies swingin’ in the Southern breeze, strange fruit hangin’ from the poplar trees.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

625-Raspberries-Overnight Sensation (Hit Record.)

1974-Has never charted in the UK.

Best Bit-At 4.18. It’s ironic that the main reason the song never became a hit was because radio stations didn’t like to play records which were more than three minutes long.

The Raspberries were formed in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, in 1970, from two local bands,’The Choir,’ and ‘Cyrus Erie.’ The classic lineup was Eric Carmen (vocal, guitar, bass, and piano,) Jim Bonfanti (drums,) Dave Smalley (bass,) and Wally Bryson (guitar.) They were active between 1970-1975, in 1999 Bryson reformed the band without Carmen, but with Smalley, and Michael McBride, they remained together until 2009.

The Raspberries recorded four studio Albums between 1972-1974, with most of the songwriting by Eric Carmen, it was resentment to the amount of input Carmen had, which led to the band splitting initially. Carmen went onto have a very successful solo career, achieving 11 top 40 hit singles on Billboard, including ‘Hungry Eyes,’ which was chosen for the soundtrack Album for the film ‘Dirty Dancing.’

The Raspberries were particularly influenced by the British Rock group The Who, with Carmen saying,’Pete Townshend (see also best songs 926-306 and 265) coined the phrase ‘Power Pop’ to define what The Who did. For some reason it didn’t stick to The Who, but it did stick to these groups that came out in the 70’s, that played that kind of melodic songs with crunchy guitars, and some wild drumming.”Overnight Sensation (Hit Record) was taken from the bands fourth studio Album ‘Starting Over’ from 1974. John Lennon (1940-1980) was a fan of the band, and was present at the recording of the Album, and although not credited is rumoured to have been involved in the mixing of ‘Overnight Sensation (Hit Record.’) Interestingly Lennon called a track on his final Album ‘Double Fantasy’ from 1980, (‘Just Like) Starting Over.’

‘I just want a hit record, yeah, wanna hear it on the radio.Want a big hit record,yeah, one that everybody’s got to know.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

626-Hamilton Bohannon-South African Man.

1974-Number 22 single.

Best Bit-At 4.31. If an alien came down to earth, and asked me what ‘FUNK’ is, I would tell them,’THIS IS.’

Hamilton Bohannon was born on March 7th, 1942, in Newnan, Georgia, United States, he died on April 24th, 2020, at the age of 78. Bohannon’s musical career began in 1964 when he was hired as a drummer in 13 year old Stevie Wonder’s touring band.In 1967 he moved to Detroit where he was employed by Motown as the leader, and arranger of ‘Bohannon & The Motown Sound,’ who were the touring backing band for Tamla Motown’s biggest names, including Diana Ross and the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, and The Temptations. When Motown moved from Detroit to Los Angeles in the early 1970’s Bohannon didn’t go with them, and embarked on a solo career, which started with the release of his first studio Album in 1973,’Stop & Go,’ in total between 1973-1989 Bohannon released 19 studio Albums. Unfortunately his music rarely crossed over in to the mainstream charts, and he never achieved a top 40 single on Billboard, although in the UK he did achieve three hits, with 1975’s ‘Disco Stomp’ the most successful, when peaking at Number 6.

Bohannon (see also best songs 48) was a devout Christian, and retired from the music business in 1989, but he did make a comeback, when touring, and making an appearance behind the drum kit in 2014, at the age of 72.’South African Man’ is taken from Bohannon’s second studio Album ‘Keep On Dancin’ from 1974, and is a call for peace, and the ending of apartheid.

‘South African man help me if you can.South African man, make it a better land.’