THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

38-Stereophonics-Dakota.

2005-Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 2.11. The songs subject matter has nothing at all to do with the songs title, please let me explain.

‘Dakota’ was the first of four singles released from the Stereophonics (see also best songs 764) fifth studio Album ‘Language. Sex. Violence. Other?’ from March 2005. The Albums title is taken from the consumer advice offered by the ‘British Board of Film Classification.’ The previous two Stereophonics Albums had had a more mellow acoustic feel to them, and this Album signified a return to the more ‘Hard Rock’ sound of their earlier work.
‘Dakota’ was written by the Stereophonics founding member, lead singer, and guitarist Kelly Jones, who also produced the track, along with Jim Lowe.

The discography of the Stereophonics includes 12 studio Albums released between 1997-2022, of which eight have made the Number 1 spot in the UK. They have also issued 47 singles between 1996-2022, of which 26 have reached the UK top 40, with ‘Dakota’ giving them their only chart topper. In America apart from receiving airplay on the ‘Rock’ orientated radio stations, they remain a very well kept secret.

It was during the Stereophonics 2004 tour in America that Kelly Jones wrote the lyrics to ‘Dakota.’ He wrote the lyrics in the city of ‘Vermillion’ which is situated in the southern eastern corner of the American state of South Dakota. On completing the song Jones decided to call it ‘Vermillion,’ after where it was written, but coincidentally at around the same time the American ‘Heavy Metal’ band ‘Slipknot’ (see also best songs 379) also released a single with the same name, and then the American ‘Indie Rock’ band ‘Mercury Rev’ titled a track from their sixth Album ‘The Secret Migration,’ which they also called ‘Vermillion.’ In order to avoid confusion Kelly Jones changed his songs title to ‘Dakota,’ possibly with the famous ‘Dakota apartment building’ in mind.

‘The Dakota’ which is also known as the ‘Dakota Apartments’ is located on I West 72nd Street, Manhattan, New York, United States. It is most notable for being the residence of John Lennon (1940-1980) (see also best songs-solo 927-473-456-168 and 20) (see also best songs-with the Beatles 599-238-218-157-141-80-51-10 and 5) from 1973, until his murder in the archway of the building in 1980. Many other high profile celebrities have also resided at the hotel since it was opened in 1885, including from the world of music Richard Adler, (1921-2012) Leonard Bernstein, (1918-1990) Bob Crewe, (1930-2014) Roberta Flack, and Judy Garland (1922-1969.)

‘Dakota’ sees the songs narrator looking back on a love affair that has ended, he reminisces about the good times that they had together, and wishes that they were still a couple. Of the song Kelly Jones has said.’I was thinking about who had made me feel like ‘the one.’ It’s part biographical and part imagination. You know, teenage relationships, when things were brand new, the smell of grass and chewing gum, my first car and driving to the next town with a girl you’d met in college. The ‘Dakota’ lyric is a bit like The Bridges of Madison County, (1992 novel) where you have this amazing romance, then you don’t see each other ever again, and if you ever did, what would happen?’

‘Wake up call coffee and juice, remembering you, what happened to you? I wonder if we’ll meet again, talk about life since then, talk about why did it end.’