THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

206-Rod Stewart-You’re in My Heart (The Final Acclaim.)

1977-Number 3 single,

Best Bit-At 1.35. I have tried to locate which league Celtic United play in, but to no avail.

‘You’re in My Heart (The Final Acclaim’) was the first single of four released from from Rod Stewart’s eighth solo studio Album ‘Foot Loose & Fancy Free’ from November 1977. It is the third Album after ‘Atlantic Crossing,’ (1975) and ‘A Night On the Town,’ (1976) to be critically recognised as Rod Stewart’s career highlights. ‘You’re In my Heart (The Final Acclaim’) was written by Rod Stewart, and produced by Tom Dowd. (1925-2002) While at ‘Atlantic Records’ in the 1960’s, Tom Dowd popularised the eight-track recording system for commercial music, and popularised the use of stereophonic sound. He also pioneered the use of linear channel faders as opposed to rotary controls on audio mixers. He devised various methods for altering sound after the initial recording, which would have a major influence on recording in the late 20th Century. Dowd who was the producer of all three of the above mentioned critically acclaimed Rod Stewart Albums also worked with many of the worlds top artists as a producer or engineer (see also best songs 475.)

‘You’re in My Heart (The Final Acclaim’) was written by Rod Stewart, (see also best songs 965-565-179-70 and 34) as were other songs on the Album ‘Foot Loose & Fancy Free,’ about his relationship with the actress and singer Brit Ekland which had started in March 1975, and ended in October 1977. On hearing this song and others on the Album Ekland filed a $12.5 million lawsuit against Stewart, in which her lawyers pointed out how she inspired some of Stewart’s most successful music. Stewart denied this, and eventually won the court case, but in a later interview for the BBC, Rod agreed with the interviewer after being told that he wrote a lovely song about Britt, and his response was “Yes I did,” but then he quickly adds, ‘Moving on…’

The songs lyrics give mention to ‘Beardsley Prints,’ which is a reference to the English illustrator and author Aubrey Vincent Beardsley. (1872-1898) Rod Stewart considers anyone who owns a Beardsley drawing to be a person of great taste. He has stated that Ekland taught him a great deal about art and visual presentation. The line ‘You’re Celtic United, but baby I’ve decided you’re the best team I’ve ever seen,’ is Stewart comparing his love for football to his love for Ekland. Stewart is a big Glasgow Celtic fan, and I guess he had ‘united’ Celtic and Ekland together.

‘You’re an essay in glamour, please pardon the grammar but you’re every schoolboy’s dream. You’re Celtic, United, but baby I’ve decided you’re the best team I’ve ever seen.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

207-Faithless-God Is a DJ.

1998-Number 6 single.

Best Bit-At 6.24. One of the groups founding members is Maxi Jazz who is a devout Buddist, which is a bit ironic considering the bands name.

Faithless (see also best songs 890) were formed in London, England, in 1995 by Maxwell Frazer, who goes by the stage name of Maxi Jazz, Ayalah Bentovim, who is better known by her stage name Sister Bliss, and Rowland Armstrong, who is know as Rollo. The other two official members who both joined soon after, and also in 1995, are Jamie Catto, who stayed a member until 1999, and Aubrey Nunn, who remained with the group until 2006. They took their name ‘Faithless’ from what could be taken as the song meaning of their debut single ‘Salva Mea,’ first released in 1995. Faithless remained active until 2011. Maxi Jazz, Sister Bliss, and Rollo, joined forces to perform together again in 2015, but since then only Sister Bliss and Rollo are the current band members.

Away from Faithless, Maxi Jazz has released music with others bands including ‘Soul Food Cafe,’ and ‘1 Giant Leap,’ and he is currently an associate director with Crystal Palace Football Club. Rolo has written, produced, and remixed for many artists since 1992, including co-writing ‘Don’t You Want Me,’ the UK Number 6 hit for Felix in 1992, he also has a close working relationship with his sister Dido (see also best songs 936.) Sister Bliss also works closely as a production team with Rollo, and she has released two solo Albums in 2001, and 2008, and seven singles, of which four have reached the UK top 40.

Faithless are critically acclaimed for pushing the barriers in Electronic Music, including the genres of Trip Hop, House Music, and Trance. They have released seven studio Albums to date between 1996-2020, as well as three compilation Albums, and six Remix Albums. They have also issued 30 singles between 1995-2021, of which 17 have made the UK top 40, with ‘Insomnia,’ from 1995, and ‘We Come 1,’ from 2001, both reaching Number 3. Although they have never had a hit single on the Billboard Hot 100 in America, four of their tracks have made Number 1 on the United States Dance Chart.

‘God Is a DJ’ was the first single released from Faithless’ second studio Album ‘Sunday 8PM’ from 1998, and was co-written by Rollo, Maxi Jazz, Sister Bliss, and Jamie Catto, it was produced by Rollo and Sister Bliss. ‘God Is a DJ’ is about people with a shared interest coming together and celebrating. It makes the comparison between faith, and the similar effect music can have on your well being.

‘This is my church, this is where I heal my hurts. It’s in natural grace, or watching young life shape, it’s in minor keys, solutions and remedies. Enemies becoming friends, when bitterness ends, this is my church.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

208-Queen-We Are the Champions.

1977-Number 2 single.

Best Bit-At 0.29. This song is also note worthy for being able to boast having the ‘best ‘B’ side in the world ever.
In 1977 Punk Rock was beginning to peak, and most notably the Sex Pistols (see also best songs 576-92 and 27) were very outspoken against ‘Progressive Rock’ acts such as Queen, to which the band responded by changing their style to a more simplistic ‘Hard Rock’ style, although Freddie Mercury has claimed that the old Queen sound had run it’s course, and they were going to make that change anyway.

‘We Are the Champions’ was released as the first single from Queen’s sixth studio Album ‘News of the World’ in October 1977, with the equally anthemic ‘We Will Rock You’ (see also best songs 126) as the ‘B’ side. The opening two tracks on ‘News of the World’ are ‘We Will Rock You,’ (track 1) then ‘We Are the Champions,’ (track 2) and were segued together, with many radio stations playing both songs consecutively as one track. The two songs were also often played by Queen live in concert as the final two songs of their set.

‘We Are the Champions’ was written by Freddy Mercury,(1946-1991) with unaccredited guitar parts written by Brian May, with the other band members of Queen being (see also best songs 918-615-126-47 and 3) Roger Taylor on drums, and John Deacon playing bass. This track and it’s parent Album ‘News of the World,’ was co-produced by Queen, and Mike ‘Clay’ Stone, (1951-2002) who had also worked with the band on all of their five previous studio Albums.

Queen began recording ‘News of the World in July 1977, at which point Freddy Mercury said,’I feel the Queen style of well-produced, or production sort of albums is over. We’ve done to death multi-tracked harmonies and, for our own sakes, and for the public’s, we want to go on to a different sort of project, and the next album will be that.’ Freddie Mercury had written the majority of ‘We Are the Champions’ as far back as 1975 after Queen had seen the audiences response following a concert at Bingley Hall, Stafford, England, where they had ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ (see also best songs 60) sang to them by the crowd. Freddy Mercury has said,’I was thinking about football when I wrote it. I wanted a participation song, something the fans could latch on to. Of course I’ve given it more theatrical subtlety than a ordinary football chant. You know me, I suppose it could also be constructed as my version of I did it ‘My Way.” (see also best songs 120.) Freddy Mercury wrote the song as personal celebration for anyone who sings it, but mainly as a way of telling the world that despite all the obstacles Queen had faced as a band, and were still to face, they had come this far successfully.

I would imagine that not even Freddie Mercury could have envisaged the impact that ‘We Are the Champions’ has had, particularly on sporting occasions, where it is often played all over the world for fans to sing along to in celebration, after an individual or team have just won a match or a trophy.

‘But it’s been no bed of roses, no pleasure cruise. I consider it a challenge before the whole human race, and I ain’t gonna lose.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

209-David Bowie-Young Americans

1975-Number 18 single.

Best Bit-At 4.15. Bowie reminds us of the price President Nixon paid for his misdemeanours. When performing the song live in future years Bowie would change the name to the then current American President, such as Reagan or Bush.

By 1975 David Bowie (see also best songs 807-440-334-302-186-118-47-31 and 5) was ready to explore new ventures, and it was Soul music that had captured his imagination, and had become his new passion. Although he was well known in America, he had still not made a significant commercial breakthrough, as his Glam/Rock recordings hadn’t captured the American music buying public’s attention enough for him to achieve a top 10 single in the States, his one chart hit up until then was the re-release of ‘Space Oddity,’ which had made Number 15 in 1973. Bowie would record the ‘Young Americans’ Album at the ‘Sigma Sound Studios’ in Philadelphia, which was owned by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, (see also best songs 1001-896-725-648-604-571-338 and 322) who were the founders of ‘Philadelphia International Records,’ and he had wanted to use that labels in house band ‘M.F.S.B.’ for his backing, but they were unavailable, so he recruited a team of mainly new musicians he hadn’t worked with before including Carlos Alomar, (guitarist) who would become a long term collaborator in to the 2000’s. Another addition was a then unknown Luther Vandross, (1951-2005) (see also best songs 974) who sang backing vocals, and is credited with the Albums vocal arrangements. When released as a single ‘Young Americans’ gave Bowie his second Billboard top 40 hit in America when reaching Number 28, while the follow up single ‘Fame,’ the other single release from the Album, co-written with John Lennon, went all the way to Number 1.

‘Young Americans’ begins by introducing a typical American teenage couple growing up in America, who are striving to achieve ‘The American Dream,’ but eventually finding out it is impossible, as they come to terms with real life, and realising that there will be no Hollywood style fairytale ending. The song is Bowie pointing out how tough life is for some, and and how tough some have to be, growing up in America. The song is also a social commentary of American events from around that era, including the politics of the day, and the ‘Civil Rights Movement.’

‘They pulled in just behind the bridge, he lays her down, he frowns, “Gee my life’s a funny thing, am I still too young?’ He kissed her then, and there she took his ring, took his babies. It took him minutes, took her nowhere, heaven knows, she’d have taken anything.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

210-Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes-Look at Me Now.

2011-Number 44 single.

Best Bit-At 1.15. If Rapping was an Olympic sport then Busta Rhymes would be Usain Bolt.

Christopher Maurice Brown (see also best songs 785) was born on May 5th, 1989, in Tappahannock, Virginia, United States, along with his contemporaries R Kelly, (see also best songs 993 and 800) Usher (see also best songs 982) he is considered by many to be the ‘King of R&B.’ and with record sales in excess of 140 million he is one of the worlds best ever selling artists. At the time of writing Chris Brown has issued 10 studio Albums between 2005-2022, and 58 singles in the same time period. He has also appeared as the guest artist on an amazing 129 singles between 2006-2021, with 21 of those reaching the Billboard top 40, with ‘Freaky Friday’ with Lil Dicky charting the highest at Number 8 in 2017. In the UK he has charted 10 times as the guest artist, with ‘Freaky Friday’ making Number 1. Chris Brown has achieved a further 29 hit single as lead artist on Billboard, hitting Number 1 twice with ‘Run It,’ in 2007, and ‘Kiss Kiss,’ also in 2007. In the UK he has had 26 top 40 singles as the lead artist, with ‘Turn Up the Music’ from 2011 reaching the top spot.

‘Look at Me Now’ was the second of six singles released from Chris Brown’s fourth studio Album ‘F.A.M.E.’ from 2011, with Brown, Lil Wayne, Busta Rhymes, Diplo, (see also best songs 915) Jean Baptiste, Ryan Buendia, and Afrojack (see also best songs 531) all receiving the song writing credits. ‘F.A.M.E.’ is a backronym of ‘Forgiving All My Enemies,’ Chris Brown has also said it stands for ‘Fans Are My Everything.’ In the early part of the 21st Century collaborations between two or more established artists were becoming more and more the norm, and this track brought together three of the most successful artists of the period. Lil Wayne, and Busta Rhymes (see also best songs 675) who are both critically acclaimed rappers, and Chris Brown who is better known as a singer, rapped the first verse, Busta Rhymes raps the second verse, and Lil Wayne does the third verse.

‘Look at Me Now’ was produced by Diplo, and according to Afrojack it developed from a ‘beat’ that he had given to Diplo, Afrojack has said,’Diplo called me and he was like, ‘We are in the studio right now, and we are gonna do a track on the beat.’ and I was like, ‘OK, whatever. have fun.’ Afrojack went on to say,’Busta’s verse on it is really sick, it’s like I can’t even hear what he said, but I love the part where he goes [mimics Busta’s rapid flow], and then pauses, and goes rapping really quickly, and I don’t know how to do it, I don’t even try. But it was really, really cool.’

‘I don’t see how you can hate from outside of the club,you can’t even get in, ha ha ha, Leggo. Yellow model chick, yellow bottle sipping,yellow Lamborghini, yellow top missing, yeah, yeah.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

211-Bee Gees-Stayin’ Alive.

1978-Number 4 single.

Best Bit-At 0.01. Until John Travolta (see also best songs 768) made Disco dancing appear glamorous, I think it is safe to safe that the majority of the male population didn’t think it was a very masculine thing to do. In fact I vaguely remember in my early days of being a DJ the dance floor being completely dominated by the ladies, but after ‘Saturday Night Fever,’ there was a little more levelling up.

‘Stayin’ Alive’ was written by Barry, Robin, (1949-2012) and Maurice Gibb. (1949-2003) who also produced the song, along with two of their long time collaborators Albhy Galuten, and Karl Richardson. The song is one of eight songs that the Bee Gees (see also best songs 459 and 35) contributed to the 17 tracks that make up the ‘Saturday Night Fever’ soundtrack Album, which is at the time of writing the eighth best selling Album worldwide of all time, with sales in excess of 40 million copies. Up until ‘The Bodyguard’ soundtrack (see also best songs 704) in 1992, (45 million sales) it was the best selling soundtrack Album of all time.

‘Stayin’ Alive’ was the third of six singles released from the ‘Saturday Night Fever’ soundtrack, and went on to spend four weeks at Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in America. ‘Stayin’ Alive’ was the second of six consecutive Number 1 singles on Billboard by the Bee Gees, tying the record with the Beatles for most consecutive chart toppers, the record would be broken in 1987 when Whitney Houston made it seven consecutive Number 1’s with ‘Where Do Broken Heart Go.’

‘Saturday Night Fever’ (see also best songs 184 and 35) is a 1977 American dance drama film starring John Travolta as Tony Manero a young Italian-American man who spends his weekends dancing and drinking, in order to relieve the social tensions, and the disillusionment with his life that appears to be going nowhere in his working class ethnic neighbourhood, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. The films script was based upon a mainly fictionalised article written by the British Rock journalist Nik Cohn, that first appeared in 1976 in the American biweekly publication ‘New York Magazine.’ Robert Stigwood (1934-2016) who was the executive producer of the film and also the Bee Gees manager asked the band to write a few songs for the soundtrack, which they did over the course of a few days at the ‘Chateau d’Herouville’ studio near Paris, the recordings were made in France for tax reasons.

Robin Gibb has explained the songs meaning,’It’s about survival on the streets of New York, and the lyrics actually say that. Barry Gibb recalled,’It’s about people crying out for help. Desperate songs, those are the ones that become giants. The minute you capture that on record it’s gold,’Stayin’ Alive’ is the epitome of that.’

‘Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk I’m a woman’s man, no time to talk. Music loud and women warm, I’ve been kicked around since I was born, and now it’s all right, it’s okay, and you may look the other way. We can try to understand, ‘The New York Times’ effect on man.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

212-Supremes-Baby Love.

1964-Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 0.06. Tamla Motown has become a legendary name in popular music because of their 1960’s output, but you will be probably surprised to learn that only three of their singles released in the 1960’s got to Number 1 in the UK in that decade. Can you name the other two? The answer is at the end of this piece.

The Supremes (see also best songs 1001-411 and 148) were formed in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in 1959 as ‘The Primettes,’ they became ‘Diana Ross & the Supremes’ in 1967, and when Diana Ross (see also best songs 900-519-183 and 28) left the band for a solo career in 1970, they reverted once again to ‘Supremes,’ through until the groups disbandment in 1977. When most people think of the Supremes they think of three female singers, but over the course of the 18 years there were 10 different vocalists.

‘Baby Love’ is one of the 12 tracks all recorded between 1963-1964 that made up the Supremes second studio Album ‘Where Did Our Love Go’ first issued in 1964. The song was written by the legendary song writing team of Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland, (see also best songs 969-823-650-553-411 and 148) and produced Brian Holland, and Lamont Dozier. The song spent four weeks at Number 1 on Billboard giving the Supremes their second chart topper, after ‘Where Did Our Love Go,’ they would eventually achieve 12 Billboard Number 1 singles, the most by any American group, and only second to the Beatles who had 20. ‘Baby Love’ also topped the chart in the UK, giving them their only Number 1 in that country.

‘Baby Love’ was performed by Diana Ross, Florence Ballard (1943-1976) and Mary Wilson, (1944-2021) who are the three who are considered to be the Supremes classic line up, the instrumentation was performed by the ‘Funk Brothers (see also best songs 948-650-569-414-382-148 and 28.) Mary Wilson has said,’Once ‘H-D-H’ found that formula for us, we had five consecutive [U.S.] number ones. Baby Love was our second hit, and our first UK Number one. Again, we initially felt that the song was a bit cute, but the upbeat feeling of the music is counterbalanced by the lyrics, someone pleading with a lover not to leave them. It’s the Motown way, the music is beautiful but the words are stories about life and hurt, which reflect the way life is.The combination of the two made the music last.’ Lamont Dozier has said that the song is about ‘My first love who I never really got over.’ Dozier has said that many of the songs he wrote while at Motown were inspired by her.

So what is baby love? It is the love that you feel for the first person you love, usually when you’re a teen, they can do no wrong, so you love them regardless of how they treat you. It’s an immature way of loving someone and it isn’t really love, it’s infatuation, that’s what the term “baby love” mean….probably.

The other two UK Motown Number 1 singles in the 1960’s are, ‘Reach Out I’ll Be There,’ for the Four Tops in 1966, (see also best songs 650) and ‘I Heard It Through the Grapevine,’ for Marvin Gaye in 1969.

‘All of my whole life through, I never love no one but you. Why you do me like you do, I guess it’s me, Ooh, need to hold you once again my love, feel your warm embrace my love.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

213-Tony Joe White-Rainy Night in Georgia.

1969-It has never been released as a single in the UK.

Best Bit-At 0.35.On October 15, 2014, Tommy Joe White appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman alongside the Foo Fighters (see also best songs 999 and 292) to perform “Polk Salad Annie,” pointing to White, Letterman told his TV audience, “Holy cow! … If I was this guy, you could all kiss my ass, and I mean that.’

Tommy Joe White was born on July 23rd, 1943, in Louisiana, United States, he died of a heart attack on October 24th, 2018, at the age of 75. His son Jody White said, ‘He just had a heart attack…there was no pain or suffering,’ Tommy Joe White was nicknamed ‘Swamp Fox,’ as the genre of music he played was ‘Swamp Rock,’ which is a genre that derives from 1960’s Rock, other artists who epitomised the genre include Creedence Clearwater Revival, (see also best songs 502) and Little Feat.

Tommy Joe White has had 16 studio Albums released between 1968-2021, and 29 singles between 1967-1983. None of his Albums, or singles have ever charted in the UK, but in America on the Billboard Hot 100, ‘Polk Salad Annie’ reached Number 8 in 1968. ‘Polk Salad Annie’ was a favourite of Elvis Presley, (1935-1977) and he would often sing it in his live shows, and had planned on recording a studio version for release, but he died before that came about. Other significant songs written by White include writing four tracks for Tina Turner’s 1989 ‘Foreign Affair’ Album, including ‘Steamy Windows,’ and the Album’s title track.

‘Rainy Night in Georgia’ was written by Tommy Joe White in 1967, but wasn’t released until 1969 on his second studio Album ‘Continued,’ which was produced by Billy Swan, who is probably best remembered for his 1974 American Number 1, and UK Number 6 single ‘I Can Help.’ Shortly after the Album’s release a cover version was released by Brook Benton, (1931-1988) which reached Number 4 in America, giving Benton his first hit in almost six years. The song has also been a hit in the UK, reaching Number 18, when covered by Randy Crawford (see also best songs 588) for her 1981 Album ‘Secret Combination,’

Tommy Joe White has stated his inspiration for becoming a songwriter, he has said,’I heard “Ode to Billie Joe” (see also best songs 18) on the radio and I thought, man, how real, because I am Billie Joe, I know that life. I’ve been in the cotton fields. So I thought if I ever tried to write, I’m going to write about something I know about. At that time I was doing a lot of Elvis and John Lee Hooker onstage with my drummer. No original songs, and I hadn’t really thought about it, but after I heard Bobbie Gentry I sat down and thought … well I know about Polk because I had ate a bunch of it, and I knew about rainy nights, because I spent a lot of rainy nights in Marietta, Georgia. So I was real lucky with my first tries to write something that was not only real and hit pretty close to the bone, but lasted that long. So it was kind of a guide for me then on through life to always try to write what I know about.’

‘How many times I wondered, it still comes out the same. No matter how you look at it or think of it, it’s life and you just got to play the game.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

214-Gladys Knight & the Pips-The Way We Were/ Try to Remember.

1975-Number 4 single.

Best Bit-At 1.38. A ‘Brucie’ bonus today, two songs for the price of one.

Gladys Maria Knight (see also best songs 667) was born on May 28th, 1944, in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, she was a member of the ‘Pips’ from their inception in 1952, through until 1962, then rejoined the band in 1964, through until their breaking up in 1989, when she then continued as a solo artist. Gladys Knight and the Pips released 24 studio Albums between 1962-1987, and 76 singles between 1958-1988. there are also two Albums recorded in 1977 and 1978 by the ‘Pips’ without Gladys Knight. In America on the Billboard Hot 100 Gladys Knight and the Pips achieved 25 top 40 singles, with ‘Midnight Train to Georgia’ making Number 1, while in the UK, 18 of their singles have made the top 40, with this song and ‘Baby Don’t Change Your Mind,’ both charting the highest at Number 4. As a solo artist Gladys Knight has issued 10 studio Albums between 1978-2014, and 18 singles, reaching Number 1 on Billboard with her collaborations on ‘That’s What Friends Are For’ in 1985, and also reaching Number 25 in 1996, when featuring on the song ‘Missing You,’ but she has never had an American hit single with only her name given as the sole performer, while in the UK she did reach Number 6 in 1989 with ‘Licence to Kill,’ the theme from the 16th James Bond film.

‘The Way We Were’ was originally recorded by Barbra Streisand, (see also best songs 699 and 145) and was written by Alan Bergman, and his wife Marilyn Bergman, (1928-2022) (see also best songs 229) with music by Marvin Hamlisch, (1944-2012) for the 1973 film ‘The Way We Were’ starring Barbra Streisand. In 1974 Gladys Knight and the Pips recorded a live version of the song as part of a medley with a spoken intro taken from the 1960 composition ‘Try to Remember,’ which had originally been written for the musical comedy ‘The Fantasticks.”Try to Remember was co-written by Tom Jones, (not the Welsh one you are thinking of) who provided the lyrics, and Harvey Schmidt, (1929-2018) who wrote the music. The pair teamed up on many occasions during their illustrious careers, with ‘The Fantasticks’ becoming the longest running musical in history, which ran off-Broadway for 42 years, from 1960 to 2002. Prior to the Gladys Knight and the Pips recording, the most successful version of ‘Try to Remember’ was by the Australian band ‘New World,’ who took their recording to Number 11 on Billboard in 1968.

‘The Way We Were/Try to Remember’ was released as the fourth and final single from Gladys Knight and the Pips 13th studio Album ‘I Feel a Song’ from 1974. The Album was their third release on the ‘Buddah’ record label, after they had left ‘Motown’ records in 1973. The band had always thought they were second class citizens at Motown, with high profile acts such as the Supremes, and Marvin Gaye always being offered the best songs ahead of them. ‘The Way We Were/Try to Remember’ was recorded live at the ‘Pink Knob Music Theartre’ in Clarkson, Michigan, United States, and is one of three live recordings on this ‘1000 Best Songs’ list (see also best songs 924 and 56.)

‘Memories like the corners of my mind, memories, misty watercolour memories of the way we were. Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind, smiles we gave to one another for the way we were.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

215-Billy Joel-Piano Man.

1973-It has never charted in the UK.

Best Bit-At 0.08. The piano’s great, but what about the ‘Dylanesque’ harmonica…man.

William Martin Joel (see also best songs 810) was born on May 9th, 1949, in New York City, United States, he has sold in excess of 150 million records worldwide, making him one if the best selling artists of all time. In America he is the sixth best selling act, and the third best selling solo artist ever in that country. Billy Joel has released 13 studio Albums between 1971-2001, and 61 singles between 1971-2008, and although he doesn’t record any new material, he is still active touring. In America on the Billboard Hot 100, 33 of his singles have reached the top 40, with three making Number 1, while in the UK, 16 of his songs have reached the top 40, with the most successful being ‘Uptown Girl,’ which made Number 1 in 1983.

‘Piano Man’ was written by Billy Joel, and it is also the title track of his second studio Album which was first released in November 1973. It is now considered to be his signature song, and the one he nearly always closes his concerts with. The song and it’s parent Album were both produced by Michael Stewart (1945-2002) who had previously been a founding member of the American Folk/Rock group ‘We Five,’ who are best remembered for their 1965 American Number 3 hit ‘You Were on My Mind.’

Billy Joel’s debut Album ‘Cold Spring Harbor’ released in November 1971 had failed to capture the public’s imagination, and on top of that Joel was very disappointed with the Album’s production, as there had been an error in it’s mastering causing the songs to play slightly too fast, with Joel joking that he sounded more like ‘Alvin and the Chipmunks’ than himself. On top of that he found himself naively tied into a very unfair recording contract with his record label ‘Family Productions,’ and he was having to higher lawyers to get him out of it. So while he was contemplating his next move he relocated from New York to Los Angeles where he worked in a bar in L.A. called the ‘Executive Room’ as a piano player for six months between 1972-1973, in order to pay the bills.

Billy Joel wrote ‘Piano Man’ based on some of the people who frequented the bar, with some of their stories being fictionalised. For example ‘John at the bar’ was really the bartender, who worked shifts during Joel’s stints at the piano. The character ‘Paul is a real estate novelist,’ refers to a real estate agent called Paul who would sit in the bar each night instead of working on the book he would state he was going to write that would become the next great American novel. ‘The waitress who is practising politics’ is Billy Joel’s first wife Elizabeth Weber, who had travelled to Los Angeles with him, and worked in the bar also to help make ends meet, they would marry in 1973, and divorce in 1982. Billy Joel has spoken about his time at the Executive Room,’It was a gig I did for about six months just to pay rent. I was living in LA and trying to get out of a bad record contract I’d signed. I worked under an assumed name, ‘The Piano Stylings of Bill Martin’, and just bulls–ted my way through it. I have no idea why that song became so popular, it’s like a karaoke favourite. The melody is not very good, and very repetitious, while the lyrics are like limericks. I was shocked and embarrassed when it became a hit, but my songs are like my kids, and I look at that song and think, ‘My kid did pretty well.”

‘And the piano sounds like a carnival, and the microphone smells like a beer, and they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar, and say “Man what are you doing here?”