THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

964-Tom Jones-Green, Green Grass of Home.

1965-Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 2.35. Like many others, I spent several years not knowing this songs true meaning, I used to think it was just another soppy love song. When I did find out it’s true meaning, I became an instant fan.

‘Green, Green Grass of Home’ actually started out life as a ‘Country’ music song, having been written by Claude ‘Curly’ Putman Jr. (1930-2016) in 1964. Claude Putman Jr. was born on November 20th, 1930, in Princeton, Alabama, United States, he died of congestive heart failure, and kidney failure at his home in Lebanon, Tennessee, at age 85. Putman was a prolific song writer, with his other most successful composition being ‘D-I-V-O-R-C-E,’ which gave Tammy Wynette (1942-1998) a 1968 ‘Billboard Hot Country Songs’ Number 1 hit, in 1974 the song also reached Number 12 on the UK top 40. The 1974 Paul McCartney and Wings song ‘Junior’s Farm’ (UK Number 16 & Billboard Number 3) was written by Paul and Linda McCartney during their short stay at Putman’s farm in rural Wilson County, Tennessee in 1974 (see also best songs 646.) Putman has stated that he took his inspiration for ‘Green, Green Grass of Home’ from the 1950 American crime film ‘The Asphalt Jungle.’

‘Green, Green Grass of Home’ has been recorded by many different artists over the years, with the first recording by the American Country Music singer Johnny Darrell (1940-1997) in 1965, incidentally Darrell was also the first singer to record ‘Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town,’ in 1965 (see also best songs 582.) The first hit version of the song was recorded by the American Country Music singer Porter Wagoner (1927-2007) who took his recording to Number 4 on the American Billboard Country Music chart in 1965.

The best known version of the ‘Green, Green Grass of Home’ was recorded by the Welsh singer Tom Jones (see also best songs 129) in 1966. Jones who had always been a massive fan of the American ‘Rock N’ Roll’/’Country’ singer Jerry Lee Lewis, (1935-2022) (see also best songs 678-362 and 99) had heard Lewis’ version on his newly released 1965 Album ‘Country Songs For City Folks,’ and decided to record the song himself. Tom Jones has said,’I used to collect anything Jerry Lee Lewis recorded, and still do. I got on well with Jerry Lee. I did have a bit of a dust-up with him one night in Vegas, but most of the time, we got on great. He came over to do a British tour in 1966 and I had just recorded the song. He told me he’d love to hear it, so I played it to him in his hotel room. He was knocked out with it and said, ‘You’ve done something different here, the arrangement is great. It sounds like a Number 1 to me.’ I said: ‘I hope you’re right.’ He was.”

‘Green, Green Grass of Home’ was the first of three singles released from Tom Jones’ fifth studio Album of the same name, which was issued in March 1967. The song was produced by Peter Sullivan, (1933-2020) who had also produced other hits for Jones including ‘It’s Not Unusual,’ and ‘Delilah,’ Sullivan also produced the 1967 UK Number 1 single ‘The Last Waltz,’ for Engelbert Humperdinck. ‘Green, Green Grass of Home’ is Tom Jones’ biggest hit in the UK, with sales in excess of 1.25 million copies sold, it also became the first single on the ‘Decca’ record label by a UK artist to sell more than a million copies in the UK.

When discussing the ‘Green, Green Grass of Home,’ Tom Jones has said,’I think the lyrical content is important here. The guy in the song is really in a jail cell, but you don’t know until the end. That got to me. Good God, it paints a picture and yet a lot of people who love Green Green Grass Of Home don’t even realise that. This is about a man who is going to be hanged, and he’s just reminiscing on the precious parts of his life. It made me think of Wales when I recorded it – ‘The old home town looks the same.’ When I went back to Pontypridd in those days, getting off the train from London, those words would ring true. It seems like a lot of people relate the sentiment to their home too.’

Then I awake and look around me, at four grey wall surround me, and I realise that I was only dreaming. For there’s a guard and there’s a sad old padre. Arm in arm we’ll walk at daybreak, again I touch the green, green grass of home.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

965-Rod Stewart-Farewell.

1974-Number 7 single.

Best Bit-At 3.42. The Album ‘Smiler’ from where this song is taken was Rod Stewart’s fifth solo, and his first to be critically panned. If those same critics had to endure all five volumes of ‘The Great American Songbook,’ they would have been calling ‘Smiler’ a classic.

Sir Roderick David Stewart (see also best songs 565-206-179-70 and 34) was born on January 10th, 1945, in Highgate, London, England, in 2007 he was appointed ‘Commander of the Order of the British Empire,’ (CBE) for services to music, and then in 2016 he was knighted for ‘services to music and charity.’ As a solo artist Rod Stewart has released 32 studio Albums between 1969-2021, he has also appeared as a member of ‘The Jeff Beck Group’ on two studio Albums in 1968 and 1969, and also on all four of the ‘Faces’ Albums that were released between 1970-1973. During his career Rod Stewart has been an official member of seven different bands, and at the time of writing he is still a member of the ‘Faces.’ For a fuller discography of Rod Stewart see also best songs 70 and 34.

‘Farewell’ was the first of two singles released from Rod Stewart’s fifth studio Album ‘Smiler’ from October 1974, the second track released as a single was the Paul and Linda McCartney written song’Mine for Me,’ which was only released in America. ‘Farewell was issued as a double ‘A’ side, along with Stewart’s cover of a Sam Cooke (1931-1964) (see also best songs 156) medley, ‘Bring It On Home to Me/You Send Me,’ which was track 5 on ‘Smiler,’

‘Farewell’ was co-written by Rod Stewart, and Martin Quittenton, (1945-2015) with the production of ‘Farewell,’ and it’s parent Album ‘Smiler’ by Stewart. Martin Quittenton had already tasted great success with Stewart as the co-writer of ‘Maggie May,’ (1971-UK Number 1, and Billboard Number 1) and ‘You Wear It Well,’ (1972-UK Number 1, and Billboard Number 13.) Stewart held Quittenton in high esteem and had invited him to join the ‘Faces,’ but Quittenton declined stating that he didn’t like their wild off stage antics. He left the music business in the mid 1970’s, suffering from mental; health problems.

‘Farewell’ is fondly remembered for the distinctive Mandolin that can be heard throughout the song, the Mandolin was a prominent instrument on many of the early Rod Stewart solo Albums. The Mandolin on ‘Farewell’ was played by Ray Jackson, who is best remembered as one of the co-founders of the English Folk/Rock group ‘Lindisfarne’ in 1968, Jackson retired from the music business in 2015. Another notable musician who played the violin on the track was Ric Grech, (1945-1990) who by the time of recording ‘Farewell’ had already been a member of the English Rock bands ‘Family,’ ‘Blind Faith,’ Ginger Baker’s Air Force,’ and ‘Traffic.’

‘Farewell’ is a song about someone feeling that they have to move away from home in order to search for the fame and fortune that they think they can achieve. He tells his family, and his girlfriend to try not to worry, but he also tells them that things might not work out as he hopes.

In 2018 Rod Stewart took the very unusual decision to record a completely different song with the same title ‘Farewell.’ This new song was written about a friend of his called Ewan Dawson. Speaking in 2018 Rod Stewart said,’It’s about a mate of mine who passed on about three years ago. We grew up through the sixties, we lost contact for a little bit, he was a public school boy – very well spoken, very humorous. I’ll go as far as to say I idolised him. We were more or less the same age. But I think it’s a very moving song. I think it’s going to be played at so many bloody funerals.’

‘Fare thee well my brother please don’t stand in my way. I’m going down to that dirty town no matter what you say. You fooled me and you ruled me, and you played in every part. I gotta go, it’s no use me stayin’ home.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

966-Panjabi MC-Mundian To Bach Ke.

1998-It reached Number 5 in the UK, when issued in 2002. In 2003 the song was remixed, with added vocals from Jay-Z, making Number 25.

Best Bit-At 0.36. The song conjures up exotic thoughts of the Punjab, and all of those wonderful things that are tinged in mystery, that you can discover there. It’s not until you find out that the Panjabi MC was born in Coventry, and that he recorded the song in Birmingham, that you come back down to earth with a hefty bump.

The Panjabi MC, was born Rajinder Singh Rai, on February 14th, 1973, in Coventry, England, he adopted his stage name from the Punjabi language. He has found success with his fusing of ‘Bhangra,’ and ‘Hip-Hop’ music, with this song being a prime example. The discography of the Panjabi MC includes 16 studio Albums released between 1993-2019, and 10 singles issued between 1995-2010. In the UK, three of his singles have reached the top 40, apart from the two versions of ‘Mundian To Bach Ke,’ his 2003 song ‘Jogi,’ made Number 25. In America on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, only the Jay-Z (see also best songs 636-477 and 23) remix of ‘Mundian To Bach Ke’ has charted, when peaking at Number 33, in 2003.

Bhangra music is a type of non traditional music that originated in the Majah area of Punjab, which is in the Northern part of the Indian subcontinent, in South Asia. The genre of Bhangra has it’s origins in the Folk Music of Punjab, as well as in Western Pop Music of the 1970’s, and 1980’s. One the most famous Bhangra instruments is the ‘dhol,’ which is a double-sided barrel drum that creates the beat to which Bhangra is danced, the person who plays the instrument, the ‘dholi,’ plays various beats to create the different Bhangra segments. In the UK in the 1970’s ‘Bhangra’ became popular with young British Asians who were searching for their own identity, they fused Bhangra with ‘Rock Music’ creating a new genre of Bhangra. By the 1980’s the British Asian band ‘Alaap’ were considered the first and original superstar Bhangra band to be formed in the UK. Channi Singh who was one of the bands co-founders, was awarded the OBE by the Queen in 2012 for his services to Bhangra music, and also for services to charity for the British Asian community.

‘Mundian To Bach Ke’ has four songwriting credits, the Panjabi MC, Labh Janjua, (1957-2015) Glen Larson, (1937-2014) and Stu Philips, with the production being by the Punjabi MC. Labh Janjua who also provided the vocals on the track, would go on to achieve further success singing in ‘Bollywood’ films, he was found dead at his residence in Bangur Nagar, Goregaon, Mumbai, on 22 October 2015. The Panjabi MC sampled the bass-line for ‘Mundian To Bach Ke’ from the 1998 UK Number 2 single ”Turn It Up (Remix)/Fire It Up,’ by Busta Rhymes, (see also best songs 675 and 210) which in turn had itself sampled the theme to the 1980’s television series ‘Knight Rider,’ which is acknowledged by that songs writers Stu Philips, and Glen Larson also receiving the song writing credits.

‘Mundian To Bach Ke’ was the only single released from the Panjabi MC’s sixth studio Album ”Legalised/Beware,’ from 1998. The song warns a very attractive young girl to not have her head turned by all the boys who will chase after her, she is reminded that she only has one life, so don’t mess things up. In 2003 after hearing the song, the American Rapper Jay-Z sent a couple of verses he had recorded to the Panjabi MC, who remixed it into the original mix, which was then released to great success worldwide, under the title of ‘Beware of the Boys (Mundian To Bach Ke.’) With an estimated 10 million copies sold ‘Mundian To Bach Ke’ is at the time of writing the 38th best selling single of all time. In the UK, it was also acknowledged as the very first ‘Bhangra’ song to reach the top 10 singles chart.

‘Nimya tu kuch der pa ke rakh le, pale vitch mukhra luiska ke rai.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

967-Public Image Ltd-Rise.

1986-Number 11 single.

Best Bit-At 2.22. ‘May the road rise with you,’ is a traditional Irish blessing, both of John Lydon’s parents were Irish.

John Joseph Lydon (see also best songs 576-323-92 and 27) was born on January 31st, 1956, in Holloway, London. He was the lead singer of the Sex Pistols from 1975, until January 1978, when he then left to pursue other musical ventures, and forming the ‘Experimental Rock’ group ‘Public Image Ltd,’ often abbreviated as ‘PiL.’ John Lydon has explained the origin of his stage name ‘Johnny Rotten,’ for which he was best known during his time with the Sex Pistols, saying that he was given the name in the mid 1970’s,when his lack of oral hygiene led to his teeth turning green. One version says the name came from the ‘Sex Pistols’ guitarist Steve Jones, who saw Lydon’s teeth and exclaimed, ‘You’re rotten, you are!’ In 2008 Lydon spent $22,000 on extensive dental work saying,’It was not done out of vanity, it was necessity. All those rotten teeth were seriously beginning to corrupt my system.’

As a member of the Sex Pistols John Lydon appeared on the bands one studio Album ‘Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols,’ from 1977, he also sang lead vocals on eight of their singles issued or re-issued between 1976-2002. As the one constant with ‘Public Image Ltd,’ he has released 10 studio Albums between 1978-2015, and 24 singles between 1978-2023, of which seven have made the UK top 40, with ‘This Is Not a Love Song’ charting the highest at Number 5 in 1983. Although ‘PiL’ have never charted on the Billboard Hot 100 in America, they have had great success on the ‘Alternative Airplay,’ and ‘Dance Club Songs’ charts. John Lydon has also released one solo studio Album ‘Psycho’s Path,’ in 1997, and one solo single ‘Sun,’ also in 1997 (UK Number 42.) He also reached the UK top 40 in 1993, when teaming up with the British Electronic duo ‘Leftfield’ on ‘Open Up’ (UK Number 23) (see also best songs 323.)

John Lydon (vocals) formed ‘Public Image Ltd in London, England in 1978 with Keith Levene, (1957-2022) (guitar) Jah Wobble, (bass) and Jim Walker, (drums) Lydon named the band after the 1968 novel ‘The Public Image,’ by Muriel Spark (1918-2006.) In total there have been 17 different members come and go, with Lydon being the bands one constant.

‘Rise’ was the first of two singles released from the fifth studio Album from Public Image Ltd, which was called ‘Album,’ in recent years the album, depending on the format, has also become known as ‘Compact Disc,’ ‘Cassette,’ and ‘mp3.’ By the time of the recording of ‘Rise’ only John Lydon remained from the original line up of Public Image Ltd, and so for the making of the ‘Album’ he teamed up with some of the worlds top musicians, including Ginger Baker, (1939-2019) (drums) (see also best songs 726) Steve Vai, (guitar) and Bill Laswell, (bass) who also co-wrote and produced ‘Rise’ with John Lydon.

Prior to it’s release ‘Rise’ had the working title of ‘South African Song,’ as it was written about the oppression of blacks in South Africa during the apartheid era. Lydon has said,’I read this manual on South African interrogation techniques, and ‘Rise’ is quotes from some of the victims. I put them together because I thought it fitted in aptly with my own feelings about daily existence.’ Lydon has also said,’I think it’s one of my best Pop songs. The content of what it was about got me into hot water. It was that time when everyone was talking about how great Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) was, but my history lessons went back further… people died. My message is there’s no political cause worthy enough that people should die for it. Once you start murdering your fellow human beings it’s over. ‘Rise’ is about the stop of that. I related it to my own background. I’ve got Protestant and Catholic relatives in the north of Ireland, why were they killing each other.’

‘They put a hot wire to my head, ’cause of the things I did and said,. They made these feelings go away, model citizen in every way. May the road rise with you.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

968-Depeche Mode-Useless.

1997-Number 28 single.

Best Bit-At 3.03. I do not condone the use of recreational drugs at all, but there is no doubt that all the way through Pop Music history the use of drugs has aided some of the greatest songs ever to be written. This song is called ‘Useless,’ but it could so easily have been called ‘Use Less.’

Depeche Mode (see also best songs 261 and 134) were formed in Basildon, England, in 1980, by Dave Gahan, (lead vocals) Martin Gore, (keyboards, and guitar) Vince Clarke, (keyboards and guitars) and Andy Fletcher (1961-2022) (keyboards, and bass guitar.) Vince Clarke (see also best songs 700 and 451) would leave the group in 1981 after the release of their debut Album ‘Speak & Spell,’ on which he had written 10 of the 11 songs. He was replaced by Alan Wilder, (keyboards, piano, and drums) who would be a band member until leaving in 1997, before the release of the ‘Ultra’ Album. Following the death of Andy Fletcher in 2022, the band remain active, with the only official members now being Dave Gahan, and Martin Gore, for the discography of Depeche Mode see best songs 134. Depeche Mode’s longevity is very unusual in the ever changing fads of Pop Music, to remain relevant, and to survive this long you obviously need natural talent, but you also have to have the ability to not be a one trick pony. The Depeche Mode of 1980 sounds very different to the sound of Depeche Mode in 2023.

‘Useless’ was the fourth and final single released from Depeche Mode’s ninth studio Album ‘Ultra,’ from April 1997, it was written by Martin Gore, with the production being by Tim Simenon, although Alan Moulder was brought in to produce the tracks single release, which was shortened, and slightly sped up, with a different beat. In America and Canada, ‘Useless’ was released as a double ‘A’ side, with the song, ‘Home,’ which was also taken from the ‘Ultra’ Album. In America and Canada ‘Useless’ failed to make any impact on the chart, but in Europe it made Number 17 in Finland, and coincidentally Number 16 in Germany, Italy, and Sweden.

‘Useless’ and it’s parent Album ‘Ultra’ were produced by Tim Simenon, who had previously worked on one of the remixes of Depeche Mode’s 1983 song ‘Everything Counts,’ and had stated that he had always been a big fan of the band dating back to 1981. Depeche Mode were looking for a new producer in order to freshen up their sound, as they took their music in a different direction, exploring ‘Alternative Rock, and ‘Trip-Hop.’ Tim Simenon was born on June 21st, 1968, in London, England, and had his greatest success in the late 1980’s, and early 1990’s working under the alias ‘Bomb the Bass,’ experimenting with Electronic Music, and ‘Hip-Hop,’ and using many ‘samples’ in his music. It is said that his 1988 debut single ‘Beat Dis” contains 72 different samples, including ‘Hip-Hop,’ ‘Funk,’ and dialogue clips from television shows such as ‘Dragnet,’ and ‘Thunderbirds.’ As ‘Bomb the Bass’ Simenon released six studio Albums between 1988-2013, and 14 singles between 1988-2008. In the UK, six of those singles reached the top 40, with ‘Beat Dis” charting the highest at Number 2 in 1988. Simenon was also the co-producer of ‘Buffalo Stance,’ (see also best songs 839) in 1988, which made Number 3, in both the American Billboard Hot 100, and UK singles chart.

‘Ultra’ was the first Depeche Mode Album following the departure of Alan Wilder who had become disillusioned with life as a member of Depeche Mode, mainly due to the drug problems that his fellow band members were going through.’Useless’ is a song of self loathing, the songs writer Martin Gore, and singer Dave Gahan both have suffered personal drug addiction throughout much of their adult lives.

‘Here I stand the accused, with your fist in my face feeling tired and bruised, with the bitterest taste. All my useless advice, all my hanging around, all your cutting down to size, all my bringing you down.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

969-R. Dean Taylor-There’s a Ghost in My House.

1967. It did not chart in the UK until 1974, when it reached Number 3.

Best Bit-At 1.29. The term ‘Northern Soul’ was invented by the record store owner, and musical journalist Dave Godin, (1936-2004) who had noticed British Northern football fans who were in London to follow their team, coming in to his store to buy records, but they weren’t interested in the latest ‘Soul’ music, it was the obscure American ‘Soul’ of the mid 1960’s they were after. Godin said,’I devised the name as a shorthand sales term. It was just to say ‘If you’ve got customers from the north, don’t waste time playing them records currently in the US black chart, just play them what they like – ‘Northern Soul.’ Other songs in this countdown that can be considered as ‘Northern Soul’ include (see also best songs 509-446-346-338-243 and 97.)

Richard Dean Taylor was born on May 11th, 1939, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, he died on January 7th, 2022, having contracted COVID-19 the previous year, he was 82 years old. R. Dean Taylor was one of only a select few white artists to have had a hit single on Tamla Motown records. He had originally been hired by Motown records subsidiary label ‘V.I.P.’ in 1964 as a songwriter, alongside this song, his other biggest successes for the label were co-writing the Billboard Number 1 single ‘Love Child,’ and ‘I’m Living in Shame,’ (see also best songs 411) (Billboard Number 10) for Diana Ross & the Supremes. R. Dean Taylor released two solo studio Albums, in 1970, and 1975, and there are also two official compilation Albums available. There have been 28 singles released, including re-recordings and re-releases, between 1960-2004, with five of those singles charting in Canada, with ‘Indiana Wants Me,’ from 1970 reaching Number 2. In America on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, only ‘Indiana Wants Me’ has reached the top 40, when making Number 5, while in the UK, Taylor has had five hits, with ‘Indiana Wants Me’ once again being the most successful, when making Number 2.

‘There’s a Ghost in My House’ was co-written in 1966 by R. Dean Taylor, and the legendary song writing team of Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, (1941-2022) and Eddie Holland, (see also best songs 823-650-553-411-212 and 148) with the production being by Brian Holland, and Lamont Dozier. When originally released on Motown’s subsidiary label ‘V.I.P.’ in 1966 the song went largely unnoticed due to a lack of promotion, and it would be a further eight years until it finally became a hit in the UK. By 1974 ‘Northern Soul’ was at it’s peak in the UK, and ‘There’s a Ghost in My House’ had become a popular dance song in ‘Northern Soul’ night clubs in England, such as the ‘Wigan Casino,’ and the ‘Blackpool Mecca.’ Fans of ‘Northern Soul’ would hear the song in the clubs, and then go out and buy a copy, leading to it becoming a major hit single, and one of many obscure ‘Northern Soul’ songs to make the chart several years after their initial release.

Speaking to the British music weekly magazine ‘Melody Maker’ in 1974, R. Dean Taylor said,’It was originally recorded on Tamla Motown several years previously, but the label never did anything to promote it. They weren’t really interested in me as an artist because they had a name for being a black label. I hope it will eventually be strong for white artists too, but I can’t wait for that. I can’t hang around. I could be 68 years old. R. Dean Taylor also went on to say that he was ‘staggered but delighted’ when ‘Ghost’ started leaping up the British charts, having been adopted by the ‘Northern Soul’ scene.

In 1987 the English Post/Punk group ‘The Fall’ took their version of the song to Number 30 in the UK, it was their first top 40 record, at their 19th attempt to have a hit single. ‘There’s a Ghost in My House’ sees the narrator trying to get over the fact that the one he loves has gone for good. It doesn’t make any difference where he goes or what he does, his ex is always there ‘haunting’ him all of the time.

‘Sittin’ in my easy chair I feel your fingers runnin’ through my hair. Lookin’ down in my coffee cup, I think I see your face lookin’ up. All alone in my gloom, your voice echoes through the room.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

970-Electric Light Orchestra-Ma-Ma-Ma-Belle.

1974-Number 22 single.

Best Bit-At 2.27. In the UK they are affectionately known as the ‘ELO,’ in the States they are called ‘The English guys with the big fiddles.’

In 1970 Roy Wood (see also best songs 821-575 and 239) of the English Rock band ‘The Move’ wanted to create a band that incorporated violins, cellos, string basses, horns, and woodwind, in order to give his music a ‘Classical sound,’ taking Rock music in the direction to ‘Pick up where the Beatles left off.’ Together with Bev Bevan, and Jeff Lynne (see also best songs 769 and 25) who were also both members of ‘The Move,’ they created ‘The Electric Light Orchestra,’ dropping the ‘The’ on the release of their third studio Album in 1973. In 1972 following the release of their self titled debut Album, Roy Wood left the group in order to form ‘Wizzard,’ since then Jeff Lynne has been the driving force behind the Electric Light Orchestra, writing and producing nearly all of their output.

In total there has been 15 different members of the ‘ELO’ come and go, with Jeff Lynne being the groups one constant. The six official members who played on ‘Ma-Ma-Ma-Belle,’ and it’s parent Album ”On the Third Day’ were Jeff Lynne, (vocals, and guitars) Bev Bevan, (drums) Richard Tandy, (clavinet, and electric piano) Mike de Albuquerque, (bass) Mike Edwards, (1948-2010) (cello) and Mik Kaminski (violin.) Richard Tandy joined the ‘ELO’ in 1972, and along with Jeff Lynne they are the only two remaining band members. Bev Bevan who was a member between 1970-1983, and then again between 1985-1986, was born Beverley Bevan on November 25th, 1944, in Birmingham, England. He joined ‘The Move’ in 1966, then went on to form the ‘ELO’ in 1970, where he remained the groups drummer until 1983, when he then replaced Bill Ward in Black Sabbath (see also best songs 814) for their touring commitments. In 1988 while the ‘ELO’ were on ‘hiatus,’ Bevan approached Lynne about recording another Album, and when Lynne declined, Bevan formed ‘ELO Part 2,’ who would record two studio Albums in 1991, and 1994, then in 1999 Bevan left that project, and sold the rights to the ‘ELO’ name to Jeff Lynne, who once again formed the band and released their 12th studio Album ‘Zoom’ in 2001, but due to poor sales, and also poor ticket sales for a planned tour, Lynne once again put the band on hiatus. In 2014 Lynne and Tandy reunited for a charity ‘Children in Need’ performance, which led to a renewed interest in the band, and at the time of writing they remain active.

‘Ma-Ma-Ma-Belle’ was the second of two singles released from the Electric Light Orchestra’s third studio Album ‘On the Third Day,’ from November 1973, and was written and produced by Jeff Lynne. ‘Ma-Ma-Ma-Belle’ which only reached Number 87 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, was re-issued in the UK in 1978, as part of a four track extended play promotion, featuring three other songs, including the lead track ‘Can’t Get It Out of My Head,’ the ‘EP’ went on to make Number 34 in the UK. ‘Ma-Ma-Ma-Belle’ features Marc Bolan (1947-1977) (see also best songs 790-386 and 67) playing twin lead guitar on the track alongside Jeff Lynne, Bolan also appears on ‘Dreaming of 4000,’ and ‘Everyone’s Born to Die,’ also on the ‘On the Third Day’ Album. There is also more than a little controversy as to where Jeff Lynne got the idea for the guitar riff on ‘Ma-Ma-Ma-Belle from, as it bares an uncanny similarity to Mott the Hoople’s 1972, Ian Hunter (see also best songs 661 and 334) penned song ‘Jerkin’ Crocus.’ (well worth taking a listen to.)

So now to the difficult bit, what is ‘Ma-Ma-Ma-Belle’ really about? It has been suggested that the girls strange name ‘Ma-Ma-Ma-Belle’ could be Lynne paying homage to his biggest inspiration, the ‘Beatles,’ and their 1965 song ‘Michelle.’ I have read where it is also suggested that the song is about a pimp in prison reassuring a prostitute whom he has great affection for, that all will be well. In all probability it is just a simple love song hidden away under all those complicated lyrics. I suppose the only way to find the songs true meaning is to ask Jeff himself.

‘There’s one thing that’s on my mind, and that’s getting hold of you before I serve my time. I gotta keep on, with my heavy load, till I see you come a-strollin’ down that open road.’