THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

132-Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto and Astrud Gilberto-The Girl from Ipanema.

1963-The original Album version has never been issued as a single in the UK, but an edited version removing the Portuguese sung lyrics by Joao Gilberto, and just featuring the vocals of Astrud Gilberto reached Number 29 in 1964.

Best Bit-At 2.35. The songs writers got their inspiration for the song from watching bikini clad girls walking along Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil…..they must have had very understanding wives.

It is believed that after the Beatles song ‘Yesterday’ (see also best songs 319) that the worlds most covered song by other artists is this one, with the very first recording being by the Brazilian singer Pery Ribeiro (1937-2012) for his 1963 Album ‘Pery e toda bossa.’ ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ (‘Garota de Ipanema’) was written in 1962 by Antonio Carlos Jobim, (1927-1994) who wrote the music, and Vinicius de Moraes (1913-1980) who wrote the lyrics. The lyrics were translated into English shortly after by Norman Gimbel, (1927-2018) who was a prolific lyricist. Among his other highlights are writing the English lyrics to the Mexican song ‘Sway,’ which found great success in 1954 when covered by Dean Martin, (UK Number 6, and Billboard Number 15.)

Antonio Carlos Jobim who wrote the music for ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ is credited with being the primary force behind the creation of the style of music that is known as ‘Bossa nova,’ earning him the honorific title of the ‘Father of Bossa nova,’ and it was this song that brought the genre to the attention of an international audience. It was the collaboration between Joao Gilberto, (1931-2019) and the American Jazz Saxophonist Stan Getz (1927-1991) that brought about the recording of the critically acclaimed landmark groundbreaking ‘Bossa nova/Jazz Album’ ‘Getz/Gilberto,’ from where the original version of ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ can be found. It was during a recording session in New York that it was decided to record a version of ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ in English, and it was suggested that Joao’s wife Astrud Gilberto who was fluent in English should have a go at the vocals, which proved to be a perfect fit. Astrud Gilberto would go on to record 16 studio Albums between 1964-2002, she has also released 16 singles between 1963-2010, recording in a variety of different languages.

Ipanema is a fashionable neighbourhood located in the southern region of the city of Rio de Janeiro, it was there that this song was inspired by Heloisa Pinto who was at the time a 17 year old girl, who would walk daily past the Velosa cafe bar, someday’s stopping to buy cigarettes for her mother, and leaving to the sound of wolf whistles, it was in the winter of 1962 that the songs composers saw the girl pass by the bar. Pinto has claimed to be the first person on the beach to wear a two piece bathing suit, in later life she opened a boutique in Sao Paulo, calling it ‘Garota de Ipanema’ (‘Girl from Ipanema.’)

The legacy of ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ was acknowledged at the ‘2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics’ held in Rio de Janeiro, when the Olympics mascots were named ‘Vinicius and Tom,’ after the songs two writers. Also during the Olympics opening ceremony Jobim’s grandson Daniel performed ‘The Girl from Ipanema,’ which also featured an appearance by the Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen walking across the stadium, portraying ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ in a gold sequin gown and 5 inch stilettos.

‘Tall and tan and young and lovely the girl from Ipanema goes walking, and when she passes, each one she passes goes-ah. When she walks, she’s like a samba that swings so cool and sways so gentle, that when she passes, each one she passes goes-ah.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

133-Doors-Riders on the Storm.

1971-Number 22 single.

Best Bit-At 2.47. I am a great believer that the vast majority of artists have done their best work by the age of 30, unfortunately we will never know what Jim Morrison would have recorded in those three precious years he never had.

James Douglas Morrison (see also best songs 235) was born on December 8th,, 1943, in Melbourne, Florida, United States, he died on July 3rd, 1971, in Paris, France, at the age of 27 (see also best songs 806.) He was found dead in the bath in his rented apartment by his long term girlfriend Pamela Courson, (1946-1974) the official cause of death was listed as heart failure although no autopsy was performed, as it was not required by French law, Morrison had struggled with alcohol and drug addiction for many years.

‘Riders on the Storm’ was the second and final single released from the Doors sixth studio Album ‘L.A. Woman’ from 1971, with all four band members, John Densmore, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek, (1939-2013) and Jim Morrison all receiving the song writing credits. The Album was produced by Bruce Botnick who had engineered on all of the five previous Doors Albums, and had been promoted due to Paul A. Rothchild, (1935-1995) who had produced all five of the Doors Albums previously, not being happy with the direction the band were going in with their music, calling ‘Love Her Madly’ (a track on L.A. Woman) ‘cocktail music.’

‘Riders on the Storm’ is about many facets of Morrison’s life. In 1962 when Morrison was attending University in Tallahassee, Florida, he would often hitchhike to ‘Clearwater’, which was some 280 miles away in order to see his then girlfriend Mary Werbelow, this was often risky as he never knew what car or truck he was getting into. Morrison had also been inspired to write the brooding lyrics after reading about the mass murderer Billy Cook (1928-1952) who had murdered six people, including a family of five after he had posed as a hitchhiker in 1950. The lyrics ‘Girl you gotta love your man,’ are a plea from Morrison to his then girlfriend Pamela Courson to stand by him.

Prior to writing the lyrics for ‘Riders on the Storm,’ Morrison had written a screenplay called ‘HWY: An American Pastoral,’ which was heavily influenced by the story of Billy Cook. In 1969 Morrison made a short experimental road movie with filmmakers which he appeared in, in the movie Morrison played the hitchhiker who kills a man who stops to give him a ride, an event directly referenced in ‘Riders on the Storm.’

The song also evolved out of a jam session when the band were playing the 1948 Stan Jones (1914-1963) Country and Western song ‘(Ghost) Riders in the Sky: A Cowboy Legend,’ which gave Morrison the idea for the title ‘Riders on the Storm.’ The song was the very last one that Jim Morrison worked on before leaving for France where he died around six months later. His final contribution to the song has been explained by fellow band member Ray Manzarek,’There’s a whisper voice on ‘Riders on the Storm,’ if you listen closely, a whispered overdub that Jim adds beneath his vocal. That’s the last thing he ever did. An ephemeral, whispered overdub.’ Manzarek has also said,’He (Morrison) didn’t want the song to be just about a killer hitchhiker. The last verse, ‘The world on you depends, our life will never end/You gotta love your man’ – it becomes a very spiritual song. You won’t still occupy this body, but the essential life will never end, and love is the answer to all things. It gives the song a different perspective.’

‘Take him by the hand, make him understand. The world on you depends, our life will never end. Gotta love your man, yeah, riders on the storm.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

134-Depeche Mode-Blasphemous Rumours.

1984-Number 16 single.

Best Bit-At 1.44. Those with faith will have to accept any situation that occurs, and still believe.

Depeche Mode (see also best songs 968 and 261) were formed in Basildon, Essex, England, in 1980, they are still active with only Martin Gore, and Dave Gahan being the current members, after the death of Andy Fletcher (1961-2022.) Depeche Mode who have sold in excess of 100 million records worldwide have released 14 studio Albums between 1981-2017, and 55 singles in the same time period. Their most successful Album is 1990’s ‘Violator’ which was Number 1 in both the UK and the United States, and has sold in excess of 7.5 million copies to date. In the UK, Depeche Mode have achieved 43 top 40 singles, with ‘People Are People,’ (1984) ‘Barrell of a Gun,’ (1997) and ‘Precious,’ (2005) all peaking at Number 4. In America on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart they have charted on six occasions, with ‘Enjoy the Silence’ (1990) peaking the highest at Number 8.

‘Blasphemous Rumours’ was the 12th UK single release from Depeche Mode, and was the third single released from their fourth studio Album ‘Some Great Reward’ from 1984. ‘Blasphemous Rumours’ was written by Martin Gore, with the vocals provided by Dave Gahan, the production is credited to Depeche Mode, along with Daniel Miller, and Gareth Jones. Miller and Jones have both worked with Depeche Mode on many of their other Albums, and it was Miller who as the owner of ‘Mute Records’ who signed Depeche Mode to the label in 1980.

Dave Gahan was born David Callcott on May 9th, 1962, in Epping, Essex, England, he first met Martin Gore, Andy Fletcher, and Vince Clarke (see also best songs 700 and 451) in 1980 when they were called ‘Composition of Sound,’ it was Gahan who suggested the change of name to Depeche Mode. Away from Depeche Mode Gahan has released two solo studio Albums in 2003, and 2007, and also has worked on three Albums with the English ‘Alternative Rock/Electronica’ duo ‘Soulsavers’ on three of their studio Albums.

On the news that Depeche Mode were going to issue ‘Blasphemous Rumours’ as a single there was somewhat of an uproar, with some thinking it was over stepping the line, so in order to compromise the band agreed to also issue ‘Somebody,’ which is another track from ‘Some Great Reward,’ as their first ‘double ‘A’ side’ release. In the UK ‘Blasphemous Rumours’ was considered too anti-religious to be broadcast during the daytime by the ‘BBC,’ and other organisations as well. The song tells of a 16 year old girl who attempts suicide but fails, over the course of the next two years she turns to God, but is hit by a car, and ends up on a life support machine, and eventually dies. Of the song Dave Gahan has said,’I’m by the way not anti- religious at all. I only oppose a certain kind of religion that was forced upon me when I was young. The song only wants to say that no one should let someone force anything upon him. Whether it’s politics or something else, that doesn’t matter. You have to choose yourself what you wanna do with your life, and dare to take risks. That’s what Depeche Mode did too, and everything turned out quite good for us, didn’t it?’

‘Girl of sixteen, whole life ahead of her, slashed her wrists bored with life. Didn’t succeed, thank the Lord for small mercies.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

135-Led Zeppelin-Whole Lotta Love.

1969-It was never originally released as a single in the UK until 1997 when a 4:50 edit was issued to celebrate the band’s 30th anniversary, and then it reached Number 21.

Best Bit At-0.01. A cover version by the Rock group ‘C.C.S.’ was used by the BBC’s flagship music programme ‘Top of the Pops’ between 1970-1977, and again from 1998-2003. The song would play over the opening titles as that weeks current top 40 chart singles rundown was shown, which is ironic because Led Zeppelin refused to release singles in the UK.

Led Zeppelin (see also best songs 66) were formed in London, England, in 1968 by Robert Plant, (lead vocals) Jimmy Page, (guitars) John Paul Jones, (bass and keyboards) and John Bonham, (1948-1980) (drums) with records sold said to be anywhere between 200 to 300 million, Led Zeppelin are one of the very best selling acts of all time. The band split after the death of John Bonham in 1980 after releasing eight studio Albums between 1969-1979. In America where their singles were issued, six of their 19 releases made the Billboard Hot 100 top 40, with this song being the highest charting when reaching Number 4.

‘Whole Lotta Love’ is the opening track from Led Zeppelin’s second studio Album ‘Led Zeppelin 2’ from 1969, the song is the Albums opening track, and was the only single released from the Album. ‘Whole Lotta Love’ along with the Album was produced by Jimmy Page, with the songwriting credits for ‘Whole Lotta Love’ attributed to all four band members. The songs lyrics were provided by Robert Plant, but in 1985 the American Blues artist Willie Dixon (1915-1992) took Led Zeppelin to court claiming that Plant had used some of his lyrics from his song ‘You Need Love’ without permission. ‘You need Love’ was recorded in 1962 by Muddy Waters, (see also best songs 596) and covered by the Small Faces (see also best songs 1048 and 872) as ‘You Need Loving’ in 1966. Plant knew of the Small Faces recording, and in court Dixon won the case receiving back dated royalties, and having his name added to the song writing credits. ‘Whole Lotta Love’ had started out life as a guitar riff written by Jimmy Page, the riff is considered by music critics to be amongst the best of all time, Robert Plant has said,’Page’s riff was Page’s riff. It was there before anything else. I just thought, ‘well, what am I going to sing?’ That was it, a nick, now happily paid for. At the time, there was a lot of conversation about what to do. It was decided that it was so far away in time and influence that … well, you only get caught when you’re successful. That’s the game.

‘Whole Lotta Love’ is also credited for it’s ground breaking production techniques that would influence future generations. John Paul Jones has said the Jimmy Page began coming into his own as a producer around the time of the making this song, Jones has said,’The backwards echo stuff. A lot of the microphone techniques were just inspired. Using distance-miking… and small amplifiers. Everybody thinks we go in the studio with huge walls of amplifiers, but he doesn’t. He uses a really small amplifier and he just mikes it up really well, so that it fits into a sonic picture.’

‘You need cooling, baby I’m not fooling. I’m gonna send ya back to schooling. Way down inside a-honey you need it. I’m gonna give you my love, I’m gonna give you my love, yeah.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

136-Lonnie Donegan-Cumberland Gap.

1957-Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 1.04. Previous versions of the song probably didn’t include the lyrics ‘Two old ladies sitting in the sand, each one wishing the other was a man.’

Lonnie Donegan MBE (see also best songs 484) was born Anthony James Donegan on April 29th, 1931, in Bridgeton, Glasgow, Scotland, he died on November 3rd, 2002, after a heart attack at the age of 71. Although born in Scotland, he moved with his family to East Ham, in East London, England, at the age of two in 1933, Donegan took his stage name ‘Lonnie’ in tribute of the American Jazz and Blues artist Lonnie Johnson. (1899-1970)

Lonnie Donegan is perhaps Britain’s most underrated artist, and generally goes under the radar when ‘the best and most influential’ are discussed by the general public, but there is no doubting the influence he has had on some of the all time greats. Paul McCartney has said,’He was the first person we had heard of from Britain to get to the coveted No. 1 in the charts, and we studied his records avidly. We all bought guitars to be in a skiffle group. He was the man.’ Brian May said,’He really was at the very cornerstone of English Blues and Rock. Roger Daltrey has been quoted as saying,’I wanted to be Elvis Presley when I grew up, I knew that. But the man who really made me feel like I could actually go out and do it was a chap by the name of Lonnie Donegan. At the ‘Brit’ awards when giving his speech, Jack White of the ‘White Stripes’ (see also best songs 324) said.’Remember, Lonnie Donegan started it for you.’

‘Cumberland Gap’ is a traditional Folk song which originated from the Eastern United States, and dates back to the latter half of the 19th Century. The songs title refers to the Cumberland Gap, which is a mountain pass in the Appalachian Mountains at the juncture of the States of Tennessee, Virginia and Kentucky. The gap was used in the latter half of the 18th Century by westward-bound migrants travelling from the original 13 American colonies to the Trans-Appalachian frontier. During the U.S. Civil War (1861–1865), Union and Confederate armies engaged in a year-long back-and-forth struggle for control of the gap.

The earliest known recording of ‘Cumberland Gap’ is the 1924 instrumental version by the American fiddler Ambrose G. ‘Uncle Am’ Stuart. (1853-1926) Other notable recordings include Woody Guthrie (1912-1967) who covered the song in the mid 1940’s, and a live version performed by Earl Scruggs (1924-2012) at the 1959 Newport Folk Festival. Lonnie Donegan took his ‘Skiffle’ version to Number 1 for five weeks in the UK in 1957, but in America the song failed to make the Billboard chart. For his version Donegan made the song ‘Rock’ orientated, and wrote many new lyrics, some in a ‘Music Hall’ style, such as ‘Well, I got a girl six feet tall, sleeps in the kitchen with her feet in the hall.’ This type of ‘humour’ would prove to be a precursor for some of Donegan’s most successful songs including ‘Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It’s Flavour (On the Bedpost Overnight?’) (1959 UK Number 3) and ‘My Old Man’s a Dustman’ (1960 UK Number 1.) In my opinion songs such as those are novelty songs, and that is why I think Lonnie Donegan is not thought of as one of the great innovators of Pop Music with the general public.

‘Well a dollar is a dollar, and a dime is a dime, and I love you baby most all the time, Cumberland gap, Cumberland gap, fifteen miles on the Cumberland gap.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

137-The Jackson 5-I Want You Back.

1969-Number 2 single.

Best Bit-At 0.02. For most artists to have recorded their best song (obviously a matter of opinion) by the age of 11, it should have been the career highlight, but Michael went onto even greater things…as I’m sure your aware.

The Jackson 5 were formed in Gary, Indiana, United States, in 1964, and would remain active until 1989. They reformed to tour in 2001, and again in 2012, and at the time of writing they remain active with the four band members being Jackie Jackson, Tito Jackson, Marlon Jackson, and Jermaine Jackson (see also best songs 570.) The discography of The Jackson 5 on Motown Records consists of 10 studio Albums issued between 1969-1975, and 22 singles released in the same time period, for the discography of The Jacksons after Motown (see best songs 249.) The Jackson 5 achieved 16 top 40 hit singles on Billboard in America, of which their first four Motown releases all made the Number 1 spot. In the UK they charted on 11 occasions, with this song being the most successful when peaking at Number 2 in 1970. Both Michael Jackson, (1958-2009) (see also best songs 812-511 and 191) and Jermaine Jackson had solo careers with Motown running concurrently at the same time that they were also performing with The Jackson 5.

‘I Want You Back’ was the debut single on Motown by The Jackson 5, but prior to signing with Motown they had recorded a single called ‘Big Boy,’ on ‘Steeltown Records,’ in their hometown of Gary, Indiana, that had been distributed only locally. The Jackson 5 signing with Motown coincided with Diana Ross (see also best songs 900-519-365 and 28) leaving the Supremes to start her solo career. In order to promote both acts Motown supremo Berry Gordy came up with the brilliant idea of telling the world that Diana Ross had discovered The Jacksons, and called The Jacksons debut Album ‘Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5,’ this misleading promotion was believed by many for decades. The truth was that it had been Bobby Taylor (1934-2017) who was employed at Motown at the time who informed Gladys Knight (see also best songs 667 and 214) of his discovery of the brothers, and it was Knight who told Gordy.

‘I Want You Back’ was produced by Bobby Taylor, and written by ‘The Corporation,’ a group of musicians and record producers assembled in 1969 by Berry Gordy to create hits, as the replacements for the recently departed ‘Holland-Dozier-Holland.’ The four writers of this song were Berry Gordy, Fonce Mizell, (1943-2011) Freddie Perren, (1943-2004) and Deke Richards (1944-2013.) Perren would go on to write the 1979 Disco classic ‘I Will Survive’ for Gloria Gaynor, while Richards had previously been a member of another Motown songwriting team called ‘The Clan’ (see also best songs 365.) ‘The Corporation’ were also responsible for writing two other of The Jackson 5’s Billboard Number 1 songs,’ ABC,’ and ‘The Love You Save,’ both in 1970.

‘When I had you to myself, I didn’t want you around, those pretty faces always make you stand out in a crowd, but someone picked you from the bunch, one glance is all it took, now it’s much too late for me to take a second look.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

138-Dizzee Rascal and Armand van Helden-Bonkers.

2009-Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 1.01. During the 2008 U.S. Presidential elections Dizzee Rascal gave a live interview to Jeremy Paxman on the BBC2 television programme Newsnight. At one point Paxman addressed his interviewee as ‘Mr Rascal’….now that’s ‘Bonkers!’

Dizzee Rascal MBE (see also best songs 652) was born Dylan Kwabena Mills on September 18th, 1984, in London, England, his father who was Nigerian died when he was very young leaving his Ghanaian mother Priscilla to bring him up in a single parent family. Mills had a troubled childhood, and was expelled from four schools, about which he has said,’I had issues as a kid. I was violent and disruptive. The way my mum helped was by finding me a different school every time I got kicked out, always fighting to keep me in the school system. He received part of his stage name from one of his teachers who would call him ‘Rascal,’ which stuck with him through school. In 2020 he was appointed ‘Member of the Order of the British Empire’ (MBE) in the’ Birthday Honours’ for services to music. The discography of Dizzee Rascal includes seven studio Albums released between 2003-2020, and 32 singles issued between 2003-2020, of which 26 have made the UK top 40, with six of those including him featuring on two charity singles, having reached the Number 1 spot.

Armand van Helden was born on February 16th, 1970, in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, he is one of ‘House Music’s’ leading figures, and has been remixing tracks for other artists since 1990, as well as writing and producing for himself and others. His major breakthrough occurred in 1996 when he remixed the song ‘Professional Widow,’ which went to Number 1 in the UK in January 1997 for the American singer Tori Amos. He would also top the UK chart again in 1999 with ‘You Don’t Know Me,’ which featured the vocals of Duane Harden. Armand van Helden has released nine studio Albums between 1996-2016, and 62 singles. He has released music under 12 different stage names including as one half of the duo ‘Duck Sauce,’ who had great success with their ‘Dance Music’ track called ‘Barbra Streisand’ in 2010.

‘Bonkers’ was co-written by Dizzee Rascal, (lyrics) and Armand van Helden who provided the music, and was the second single released from Dizzee Rascal’s fourth studio Album ‘Tongue n’ Cheek’ from 2009. Dizzee Rascal has explained how his collaboration with Armand van Helden came about,’Armand approached me and sent me an email saying he wanted to work together, as soon as I heard the name I was on to it. The song came with the ‘bonkers’ bit on it so it was almost a no-brainer for me, the song needed to be about being bonkers.’

‘I wake up everyday it’s a daydream, everythin’ in my life ain’t what it seems. I wake up just to go back to sleep, I act real shallow but I’m in too deep.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

139-Prince Buster-One Step Beyond.

1964-It has never charted in the UK.

Best Bit-At 0.02. ‘Hey you, don’t watch that, watch this! This is the heavy heavy monster sound.’

Prince Buster (see also best songs 734) was born on May 24th, 1938, in Kingston, Jamaica, he died on September 8th, 2016, after suffering heart problems at the age of 78, he had been in poor health for some time after a series of strokes, including one in 2009 that left him unable to walk. Prince Buster will be best remembered as being the main figure in the development of the musical genre ‘Ska,’ which would later develop into ‘Rocksteady,’ and ‘Reggae.’ I can find no complete comprehensive discography for Prince Buster, but it will run into dozens of Albums and single releases, starting with his first single release ‘Little Honey’ in 1961. He recorded prolifically during the 1960’s, but by the early 1970’s with musical tastes changing his output slowed down, and in 1973 he retired from the music business. Only two of his singles have charted in the UK top 40,’Al Capone,’ which made Number 13 in 1967, and ‘Whine and Grine,’ which reached Number 21 in 1998, which had captured the public’s imagination after being used in nationwide television advertising campaign.

In the UK Prince Buster will be best remembered for being a major influence on the UK Ska revival of the late 1970’s, which was to become known as ‘The Second Coming of Ska,’ with bands such as ‘The Specials,’ (see also best songs 924 and 372) ‘Madness,’ (see also best songs 801 and 69) and ‘The (British) Beat’ all incorporating the music of Prince Buster in to their own. The music that these bands and others played fused traditional Jamaican Ska music with elements of ‘Punk Rock’ and ‘New Wave’ music. It’s roots were in the English city of Coventry which is in the midlands, and it’s appeal was largely limited to the UK. The British musician, and one of the co-founders of ‘The Specials’ Jerry Dammers set up the record label ‘2 Tone Records’ in 1979, and the label was the major player in the promotion of the ‘Ska’ revival.

It was the British band ‘Madness’ who brought ‘One Step Beyond’ to the attention of a whole new generation when recording the largely instrumental track as their second single, their first had been ‘The Prince’ which was a tribute to Prince Buster, written by band member Lee Thompson in 1979. ‘One Step Beyond’ which was also the title of the debut studio Album by Madness was produced by Clive Langer, and Alan Winstanley, and according to Winstanley the song in it’s original form only lasted 1 minute and 10 seconds, so they repeated the track, with the second half treated with an ‘Eventide Harmoniser’ to make it sound slightly different. The Madness version features a spoken intro by Chas Smith, who at the time of recording wasn’t an official member of the band, he joined as the seventh and final member in 1980. The spoken line, “Don’t watch that, watch this’ in the intro, is from another Prince Buster song called ‘Scorcher,’ and is also used at the start of the Dave and Ansell Collins’ ‘Funky Funky Reggae.’ Whilst the next line ‘This is the heavy heavy monster sound,’ is taken from another Dave and Ansell Collins song called ‘Monkey Spanner.”

‘So if you’ve come in off the street, and you’re beginning to feel the heat. Well listen buster, you better start to move your feet, to the rockinest, rock-steady beat.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

140-Daft Punk-Da Funk.

1996-Number 7 single.

Best Bit-At 1.00. Ever wondered how Daft Punk got their name? (probably not) well now you can find out.

Daft Punk were the French electronic House music duo of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, they formed in Paris, France, in 1993, and remained active until they went their separate ways in 2021. Bangalter, and Homem-Christo first met in 1987 while attending the Lycee-Carnot secondary school in Paris. In 1992 they formed a Rock band along with Laurent Brancowitz called ‘Darlin,’ taking the name from the 1967 Beach Boys song of the same name. ‘Darlin’ was to prove a short lived project with Brancowitz leaving after six months, and Bangalter and Homem-Christo changing musical direction and starting to experiment with drum machines and synthesizers. It was a negative review in ‘Melody Maker’ magazine by the journalist Dave Jennings who called the music of ‘Darlin,’ ‘A daft punky thrash,’ this amused Bangalter and Homem-Christo who decided it was a good name for their new project. The discography of Daft Punk consists of four studio Albums released between 1997-2013, and 23 singles issued between 1994-2016. In France 14 of those singles reached the top 40, with four of those songs making Number 1, while in the UK they have made the top 40 on 11 occasions, with ‘Get Lucky’ from 2013 reaching the top spot. In America on Billboard they have charted on three occasions, with their collaboration with ‘The Weeknd,’ Starboy,’ in 2016, being a Number 1 hit. Thomas Bangalter who was born on January 3rd, 1975, in Paris, France, is the son of Daniel Bangalter who works under the name of Daniel Vangarde. Vangarde is a songwriter and producer, and his best known compositions include co-writing Bananarama’s debut single ‘Aie a Mwana,’ ‘D.I.S.C.O.’ which made Number 2 in the UK in 1980 for Ottowan, and ‘Cuba’ for the Gibson Brothers, which made Number 12 also in 1980.

‘Da Funk’ is one of four singles released from Daft Punk’s critically acclaimed debut Album ‘Homework’ from 1997, this song and the Album are considered to be very important in the development of Dance Music, and particularly ‘French House Music.’ ‘Da Funk’ was initially released in 1995 to little success, but it did receive a boost when ‘The Chemical Brothers’ (see also best songs 300 and 53) incorporated the song into their live shows. This led to a bidding war amongst several record labels, with ‘Virgin’ signing them, and releasing their debut Album ‘Homework.’

‘Da Funk’ has a very memorable video which was directed by Spike Jonze, it focuses on the character Charles, played by Tony Maxwell, as a anthropomorphic dog in a leg cast with a crutch. Charles, who has lived in New York City for only one month, is shown walking around with a boombox blasting out “Da Funk” at a high volume. Many have tried to find a hidden meaning as to what the video’s story is about but Thomas Bangalter has stated,’There’s no story. It is just a man-dog walking with a ghetto blaster in New York. The rest is not meant to say anything. People are trying to explain it: Is it about human tolerance? Integration? Urbanism? There’s really no message. There will be a sequel someday.’