THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

292-Foo Fighters-Everlong.

1997-Number 18 single.

Best Bit-At 1.29. David Grohl is down on record as saying that one of his musical influences was the Scottish boy band The Bay City Rollers. I honestly don’t know if he is pulling our legs or not.

David Eric Grohl was born on January 14th, 1969, in Warren, Ohio, United States. At the age of 13 he attended his first concert, where he was totally converted to ‘Punk Rock’ music, after seeing the American Punk band ‘Naked Raygun’ play live. While in high school he played guitar in several local bands, but switched to percussion, after teaching himself to play the drums. Grohl has said that he learned to play the drums by listening to the Canadian Rock band ‘Rush,’ of whom he names ‘Rush’ drummer Neil Pearl (1952-2020) an early influence. He has also stated that Led Zeppelin (see also best songs 135 and 66) drummer John Bonham (1948-1980) as his greatest influence, and has Bonham’s ‘three-rings symbol’ tattooed on his right shoulder.

After the demise of Nirvana (see also best songs 788 and 9) Grohl went into the studio and recorded a 15 track demo, on which he played every instrument, with the exception of a single guitar part on the song ‘X-Static,’ which was played by Greg Dulli of the American Rock band ‘Afghan Whigs.’ After passing the demo around a bidding war began, with Grohl signing to ‘Capitol Records’. Grohl did not wish to be known as a solo artist so recruited three band members, but the debut studio Album called ‘Foo Fighters’ from 1995, only featured the playing on it of Grohl. David Grohl chose the bands name from the UFO’s, and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War 2. To date the Foo Fighters have released 10 studio Albums between 1995-2021, and 57 singles, of which 21 have reached the UK top 40, with ‘Best of You’ from 2005 being the highest charting when reaching Number 4. While in America on Billboard only three of their singles have charted, with ‘Best of You’ also being the highest charting. when making Number 18.

‘Everlong’ was the second single released from the Foo Fighters second studio Album ‘The Colour and the Shape’ (see also best songs 999) from 1997, and was written by Dave Grohl, and produced by Gil Norton (see also best songs 904 and 490.) ‘Everlong’ was written soon after the breakup of Grohl’s first marriage to Jennifer Youngblood. He wrote the lyrics after falling for Louise Post of the American Alternative Rock band Veruca Salt, she can be heard singing backing vocals on this track.

On the songs meaning Grohl has said,’It’s about a girl that I’d fallen in love with, and it was basically about being connected to someone so much, that not only do you love them physically and spiritually, but when you sing along with them you harmonise perfectly.’

‘And I wonder when I sing along with you, if everything could ever feel this real forever. If anything could ever be this good again. The only thing I’ll ever ask of you, you’ve got to promise not to stop when I say when.’