THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

482-2Pac featuring Dr.Dre and Roger Troutman-California Love.

1996-Number 6 single.

Best Bit-At 2.18.Like so many other great Hip-Hop songs,this also uses many samples,but before some of you get on your musical high horses just remember that in Pop Music ‘NO’ song has ever been totally original,every new song is influenced by something that has gone before.

Tupac Amaru Shakur was born Lesane Parish Crooks on June 16th, 1971, in East Harlem, New York City, he died from internal bleeding after being shot four times, once in the arm, once in the thigh, and twice in the chest, in a drive by shooting on September 13th, 1996, in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, he was 25 years old.Both of Tupac’s parents were involved heavily in the ‘Black Panther Party,’ and he was renamed at the age of one year old in honour of Tupac Amaru (1738-1781) who led the ‘Andean uprising’ in 1780. He is considered to be one of the most influential rappers of all time, with record sales in excess of 70 million.He released four studio Albums during his life time, and there has been a further five posthumous Album releases between 1996-2006.

‘California Love’ was co-written by Dr. Dre, and Tupac Shakur, and produced by Dr. Dre (see also best songs 564-544-189-128 and 48.)The song was one of two tracks that Dre collaborated on with Tupac for his fourth studio Album ‘All Eyez on Me’ from 1996. The song samples the 1972 Joe Cocker song ‘Woman To Woman’ (a Number 1 song in Spain.) The chorus ‘California knows how to party,’ was performed by Roger Troutman (1951-1999) using his characteristic ‘Talk Box,’ and was taken from the 1982 song ‘West Coast Polock’ by Ronnie Hudson. In the song Troutman also sings ‘shake it, shake it baby,’ he first sang this line on his own 1982 song ‘Dance Floor,’ when performing with his band ‘Zapp.’Dr Dre performs the first verse, and Tupac, who it is said took 15 minutes to write his rap, performs the second verse, the song is a celebration of Californian life.

‘California Love’ was released as Tupac’s comeback single after his release from prison in 1995, and was also his first release on ‘Death Row Records.’ The labels owner Suge Knight had helped Tupac out of his worsening financial situation while in prison, in return for Tupac releasing music on his label. The gambol paid off as ‘California Love’ became a Billboard Number 1 single, and ‘All Eyez on Me’ sold in excess of 7 million copies worldwide.

‘Out on bail, fresh out of jail, California dreamin,’ Soon as I step on the scene, I’m hearin’ hoochies screamin.’ Flendin’ for money and alcohol, the life of a Westside player.’