THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

879-Beck-Where It’s At.

1996-Number 35 single.

Best Bit-At 3.53. He’s got two turntables, and a microphone, all he needs now is some flashing lights, and he can do mobile disco’s.

Beck was born Bek David Campbell, on July 8th, 1970, in Los Angeles, California, United States. His mother is Bibbe Hansen, who is a musician and actress, and performed in the Andy Warhol (1928-1987) movie ‘Prison’ (1965.) Beck’s father is the Canadian musical arranger, composer, and conductor David Campbell, who has worked on over 450 Gold and Platinum Albums, by artists of a wide range of genres since 1972, including Michael Jackson, Beyonce, and Harry Styles. Campbell has also contributed music to his extensive filmography since 1978. Beck is considered to be one of the most innovative artists since the start of the 1990’s, he has covered many different musical genres, including ‘Alternative Rock,’ ‘Anti-Folk,’ Hip-Hop,’ Psychedelia,’ Lo-Fi,’ and ‘Art Pop,’ with many of his 14 studio Albums vastly differing in musical genres. For the discography of Beck (see also best songs 230.)

‘Where It’s At’ was the first of five singles released from Beck’s fifth studio Album ‘Odelay,’ from June 1996. The Album is Beck’s most successful to date, having sold in excess of 2.3 million copies in America, and a further 750,000 worldwide to date. ‘Where It’s At’ was co-written by Beck, along with John King, and Michael Simpson, who are better known as ‘The Dust Brothers,’ all three are also credited as the songs producers. ‘Where It’s At’ which can boast many ‘samples,’ references ‘Old School Hip-Hop,’ when DJ’s would use two turntables and a microphone to create the right atmosphere. Beck also reminisces about his early days as a struggling musician, when he had to work menial odd jobs in order to make ends meet. Along with the many samples in the song, there is also audio included from a 1969 middle-school sex education Album called ‘Sex For Teens (Where It’s At,’) which is from where the song takes it’s title. Samples from that Album appear throughout the song, for example, “What about those who swing both ways AC-DC.’ The line ‘That was a good drum break,’ was taken from the 1989 song ‘I Don’t Care If U Disrespect Me (Just So You Love Me’) by the American Rock band ‘The Frogs,’ and the sample ‘Two turntables and a microphone,’ is lifted from the 1985 song ‘Needle to the Groove,’ by the Old School Hip-Hop group ‘Mantronix.’ Another sample is the track ‘Knock Him Out Sugar Ray,’ by the American ‘Funk’ band ‘Experience Unlimited (E.U.)’Where It’s At’ also makes reference to the American experimental musician Gary Wilson, who was an early influence on Beck. Speaking about ‘Where It’s At’ Beck has said,’I came up with that little riff on the Wurlitzer organ, and said I gotta remember this. The Dust Brothers were like-minded. We were drawn to the way drums had been recorded in the Sixties and early Seventies, sort of a heavy, dry, thick, soulful sound.’

The Dust Brothers are the duo of ‘E. Z. Mike,’ (Michael Simpson) and ‘King Gizmo,’ (John King) the pair started working together in Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The Dust Brothers first received critical acclaim for their production work on the ‘Beastie Boys’ second studio Album ‘Paul’s Boutique’ in 1989, the same year also saw them them write and produce tracks on Tone Lōc’s debut studio Album, ‘Lōc-ed After Dark,’ and Young MC’s debut Album ‘Stone Cold Rhymin.’ The Dust Brothers have also co-produced with the Rolling Stones, on their 1997 Album ‘Bridges to Babylon,’ as well as assembling the score for the 1999 film ‘Fight Club,’ The duo also co-produced the 1997 UK, and Billboard Number 1 single ‘MMMBop,’ by the American Pop/Rock band ‘Hanson. When the British duo ‘The Chemical Brothers’ (see also best songs 300 and 53) began their career around 1989, they also called themselves the ‘Dust Brothers,’ paying homage to the American duo, but because of trademark reasons they had to rename themselves ‘The Chemical Brothers. All worked out fine, and there were no hard feelings, as in 1997 the Dust Brothers remixed the Chemical Brothers track ‘Elektrobank.’ on their EP of the same name.

‘There’s a destination a little up the road, from the habitations and the towns we know. A place we saw the lights turn low, Jig-saw jazz and the get-fresh flow.’