THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

316-Roxy Music-Street Life.

1973-Number 9 single.

Best Bit-At 0.24. The bands name was partly an homage to the titles of old cinemas, and dance halls, and partly a pun on the word rock. Bryan Ferry had named the band ‘Roxy’ originally, but after learning of an American group with the same name he changed it to Roxy Music (see also best songs 721 and 57.)

Bryan Ferry CBE was born on September 26th, 1945, in Washington, County Durham, England, like his contemporary David Bowie he influenced a generation with both his music, and his appearance. In November 1970 Ferry formed Roxy Music along with the bass player Graham Simpson, (1943-2012) whom he knew from Newcastle Art College. Ferry then advertised for other potential band members, leading to Andy Mackay, (saxophone) and on Mackay’s recommendation, Brian Eno, (synthesizer) joining the group. The classic line up was completed by Paul Thompson (drums) in 1971, and Phil Manzanera (lead guitar) in 1972, Brian Eno left the group in 1973, and was replaced by Eddie Jobson (keyboards, synthesizers, and electric violin.) Roxy Music were active until 1976 when they went on hiatus, they reformed in 1978, and stayed together until 1983. The band reformed without Brian Eno to tour on and off between 2000-2011, their final appearance together was on March 29th, 2019, when they performed six songs at their induction to the ‘Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’ at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

‘Street Life’ was the opening track, and the only single released from Roxy Music’s third studio Album ‘Stranded’ from 1973, it was the bands first Album without Brian Eno, and their first with new member Eddie Jobson, the song was written by Bryan Ferry, and produced by Chris Thomas who also played bass on the track. Thomas who was born on January 13th, 1947, in Perivale, Middlesex, United Kingdom, is one of Pop Music’s most influential producers. Prior to working with Roxy Music he had produced (without credit) the Beatles songs ‘Happiness Is a Warm Gun,’ and ‘Birthday,’ he also produced Bryan Ferry’s ‘Let’s Stick Together’ (see also best songs 721.) The other songs he produced that appear in this countdown are by the Sex Pistols, (see also best songs 576-92 and 27) and Pulp (see also best songs 285.)

By 1973 Bryan Ferry had become a prolific songwriter, ‘Stranded’ was Roxy Music’s third studio Album in 18 months, and on top of that Ferry had also just released his first solo Album ‘These Foolish Things.’ ‘Street Life’ is about the pressures success can bring, it is about being hounded by ‘fans’ and the gutter press.

‘Wish everybody would leave me alone, yeah, they’re always calling on my telephone. When I pick it up there’s no one there, so I walk outside just to take the air.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

317-Justin Timberlake-Can’t Stop the Feeling!

2016-Number 2 single.

Best Bit-At 0.59. You may not be familiar with this songs co-writer Max Martin, but after Lennon and McCartney he has written the most Billboard Number 1 singles.

‘Can’t Stop the Feeling!’ was co-written by Max Martin, Shellback, and this songs vocalist Justin Timberlake especially for the DreamWorks Animation film ‘Trolls,’ for which Timberlake was the executive producer of the soundtrack, and also voiced the character ‘Branch’.

Justin Randall Timberlake was born on January 31st, 1981, in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, he is one of the worlds best selling artists, with sales in excess of 88 million. As a child he was a regular in the American television show ‘The All-New Micky Mouse Club,’ before going on to be one of the two lead singers, and youngest member in the 1990’s boy band ‘NSYNC,’ where he first worked with this songs co-writer Max Martin. Timberlake started his solo career in 2002, and has to date released five studio Albums between 2002-2018, and 40 singles, of which 27 have made the Billboard top 40, and five have reached Number 1. In the UK, 25 of his singles have reached the top 40, with four making the Number 1 spot. Justin Timberlake is also an actor, and has to date appeared in 22 films since his debut in ‘Model Behavior’ in 2000.

Max Martin was born Karl Martin Sandberg on February 26th, 1971, in Stockholm, Sweden, unsurprisingly he credits fellow Stockholm band ‘ABBA’ as a major influence (see also best songs 44.) After failing as a singer to make the big breakthrough in the 1980’s, he was employed as a songwriter, and music producer by Denniz PoP (1963-1998) for his record label ‘Cheiron Records,’ it was PoP who gave Max Martin his working name. Max Martin has written, or co-written 25 Billboard Number 1 songs between 1998-2021, with the first being Britney Spears breakthrough hit ‘Baby One More Time,’ (see also best songs 870 and 824.)

The songs other co-writer is Karl Johan Schuster who was born on February 1st, 1985, in Karishamn, Sweden, he is better known by his working name ‘Shellback.’ Having first being introduced to Max Martin at the age of 16, he has become his regular collaborator. Initially ‘Shellback’ had no interest in ‘Pop Music,’ preferring ‘Death Metal,’ the Swedish music magazine ‘Stim-magasinet’ described Shellback’s taste in music as ‘Too cool for school,’ but Martin saw potential in him. Shellback has either written or produced 10 Billboard Number 1 singles to date including ‘Moves Like Jagger’ the 2011 song from Maroon 5, which is currently the best selling song ever in the UK to have not reached Number 1 (see also best songs 373.)

‘Can’t Stop the Feeling!’ was written as a modern day ‘Disco’ song. The narrator tells of the enjoyment he gets while dancing with his partner, whom he obviously finds very attractive. The song was the best selling song of 2016, and has to date sold around 3.5 million copies in America. In the UK, although the song only peaked at Number 2, with sales in excess of one million, it is Justin Timberlake’s best selling song.

‘I got this feelin’ inside my bones, it goes electric wavy when I turn it on. All through my city, all through my home, we’re flyin’ up, no ceilin,’ when we in our zone.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

318-Bronski Beat-Smalltown Boy.

1984-Number 3 single.

Best Bit-At 0.28. In these slightly more enlightened times this songs message thankfully doesn’t quite resonate the way it did back in 1984, when it was genuinely ground breaking and very brave.

Bronski Beat were formed in London, England, in 1983 by Jimmy Somerville, (vocals) Steve Bronski, (1960-2021) (keyboards and percussion) and Larry Steinbachek (1961-2017) (keyboards and percussion.) All three were openly gay, and used their music to promote gay issues, in an era where other Pop Stars were trying to keeping their homosexuality out of the public domain.

It was Larry Steinbachek who was born in Southend, Essex, England, who was an associate of Steve Bronski, whose real name was Steven Forrest, who after hearing Jimmy Somerville singing during the making of the 1983 documentary film ‘Framed Youth: The Revenge of the Teenage Perverts,’ alerted Bronski about Somerville’s vocal talents, leading to the three of them joining forces, and signing a recording contract with ‘London Records’ after just nine live gigs. Jimmy Somerville who was born on June 22nd, 1961, in Glasgow, Scotland, would stay a member of Bronski Beat until 1985, before leaving to form The Communards, and gaining his greatest success with the song ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way,’ which spent four weeks at Number 1 in the UK in 1986, and was also that years best selling single (see also best songs 725.) After The Communards Somerville also had a very successful solo career, releasing six studio Albums between 1989-2014, and achieving seven top 40 singles. After Somerville left the Bronski Beat, John Foster was recruited as the new lead singer, in total there were seven band members between 1983 until the split in 1995, Steve Bronski resurrected the band again with two others in 2016, and they were active until 2018. The Bronski Beat recorded three studio Albums between 1984-1995, and 15 singles of which eight reached the UK top 40.

‘Smalltown Boy’ was the debut single released by the Bronski Beat, with Bronski, Somerville, and Steinbachek all receiving the songwriting credits, the song was later added to their debut Album ‘The Age of Consent.’ By 1984 many European countries had reduced the age of consent for homosexual acts to 16, but it remained 21 in the UK, the inner sleeve of the Album contained the different international ages of consent for males to engage in gay sex. ‘Smalltown Boy’ addresses what it was like to be gay in the early 1980’s, telling of homophobia, loneliness, and family misunderstanding. In the song the narrator feels he has to leave his family home as his parents, and the people where he lives will never accept or understand the person he is. He has to move a long way away in order to start a new life.

‘You leave in the morning with everything you own in a little black case, alone on a platform, the wind and the rain on a sad and lonely face.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

319-Beatles-Yesterday.

1965-The song was not released as a single in the UK until 1976 when it reached Number 8.

Best Bit-At 0.59. The Beatles appeared several times on the Ed Sullivan Show, but this time Paul McCartney had to perform ‘Yesterday’ solo. Just before the curtain opened a stagehand asked him, ‘Are you nervous? ‘No,’ Paul lied, to which the stagehand replied,’You should be, there’s 73 million watching.’

According to legend Paul McCartney composed the entire melody of ‘Yesterday’ in a dream one night while staying at the family home of his then girlfriend Jane Asher. Upon waking he rushed to a piano and played the tune to avoid forgetting it. Initially McCartney was concerned that he had subconsciously plagiarised someone else’s work, McCartney has said,’For about a month I went round to people in the music business and asked them whether they had ever heard it before. Eventually it became like handing something in to the police. I thought if no one claimed it after a few weeks then I could have it.’Although McCartney had the melody, he hadn’t yet written any lyrics, so from the onset he chose the working title ‘Scrambled Eggs.’ He first began to compose the songs lyrics during a five hour car trip from Lisbon to Albufeira in southern Portugal in May 1965, when on holiday with Jane Asher. The villa where McCartney and Asher were staying was owned by The Shadows guitarist Bruce Welch, McCartney asked Welch if he could borrow his guitar, and then proceeded to play ‘Yesterday’ for the very first time.

‘Yesterday’ was a watershed moment for the Beatles (see also best songs 599-238-218-157-141-80-51-10 and 6) with this being the first time that a song was made in the Beatles name, but only had any real input from one band member. Following this many Beatles classics would be significantly written by just John Lennon (see also best songs 927-473-456-168 and 20) or Paul McCartney, (see also best songs 646 and 147) but because of contractual reasons the songs would always be credited to Lennon/McCartney. In future years having Lennon’s name appear before his in the writing credits would anger McCartney, who felt his name should often be first, especially on songs such as ‘Yesterday’ where he was the sole writer.

As ‘Yesterday’ was so different to anything else released under the Beatles name at that time, the band decided not to release it as a single in the UK, but in America they were signed to ‘Capitol’ records, where they didn’t have the same influence, and they were overruled by the label who chose to release the song as a double ‘A’ sided single with ‘Act Naturally,’ the single went on to spend four weeks at Number 1 on Billboard in September and October 1965. In the UK the song was first issued in August 1965 on the ‘Help’ Album, and then in March 1966 on the ‘EP Yesterday,’ but it was finally released as a stand alone single 10 years later. In 1976 when the Beatles contract with ‘EMI’ records expired the ‘Parlophone’ label reissued all 22 original UK Beatles singles plus ‘Yesterday’ for the first time, with ‘I Should Have Known Better’ on the ‘B’ side, with the single reaching Number 8 in the UK chart.

‘Yesterday’ was recorded by Paul McCartney playing an acoustic guitar, and being backed by a string quartet which included the British violinist Sidney Sax, (1913-2005) Sax also played on ‘Eleanor Rigby’ (see also best songs 599) and ‘All You Need Is Love’ (see also best songs 141) According to the Guinness World Records ‘Yesterday’ is the most covered song of all time with over 3000 different recordings, it is also the second most played song on radio of all time behind ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin” by The Righteous Brothers (see also best songs 782.)

‘Why she had to go I don’t know she wouldn’t say. I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

320-U2-One.

1992-Number 7 single.

Best Bit-At 4.08. These are some of the many accolades. ‘Today FM’ voted the song the best Irish song ever. In a survey by the music channel ‘VH1′ to find the UK’s favourite song lyric,’One life, with each other, sisters, brothers,’ was voted the top, and in 2005 in their list of the ‘1001 Best Songs Ever,’ ‘Q’ magazine had this song as their Number 1.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that if it hadn’t have been for this song then U2 would have split before the release of their seventh studio Album ‘Achtung Baby’ in 1991. The band were exhausted after completing the ‘Lovetown Tour’ in 1989-1990, following the release of their sixth Album ‘Rattle and Hum’ which had been critically slated by some music critics, leading to the bands members arguing about which musical direction to take next.

In October 1990 U2 arrived in Berlin to work on ideas for what would become their seventh studio Album ‘Achtung Baby.’ On the making of ‘One’ The Edge has said,’At the instant we were recording it, I got a very strong sense of it’s power. We were all playing together in the big room, a huge eerie ballroom full of ghosts of the war, and everything fell in to place’.It was a reassuring moment, when everyone finally went ‘Oh great,’ this album has started.’

The lyrics to ‘One’ were written by Bono, with the music being credited to all four band members (see also best songs 766-190 and 84.) On the songs meaning Bono has said,’It’s a father and son story. I tried to write about someone I knew who was coming out and was afraid to tell his father. It’s a religious father and son, I have lots of gay friends, and I’ve seen them screwed up from unloving family situations, which just are completely anti-Christian. If we know anything about God, it’s that God is love, that’s part of the song, and then it’s also about people struggling to be together, and how difficult it is to stay together in this world, whether your in a band or a relationship.’

‘One’ was released as the third single from ‘Achtung Baby’ and was essentially a charity single as proceeds were donated to AIDS research, with each country it sold in receiving the royalties earned there, for example it reached Number 2 in Italy, Number 3 in New Zealand, and Number 10 in America. In 2005 Bono was the co-founder of the ‘One’ campaign, which is an organisation that was set up to put pressure on the United States government to give an additional 1% of it’s budget to help poor regions in Africa. In 2006 the American singer Mary J. Blige (see also best songs 359) covered ‘One’ for her seventh studio Album ‘The Breakthrough.’ Bono provided additional vocals to the track while The Edge, (guitar) Adam Clayton, (bass) and Larry Mullen Jr., (drums) also performed on the song, which reached Number 2 in the UK.

‘You say love is a temple, love is a higher law. You ask of me to enter, but then you make me crawl, and I can’t keep holding on to what you got, ’cause all you got is hurt.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

321-Glenn Miller and His Orchestra with Tex Beneke and The Four Modernaires-Chattanooga Choo Choo.

1941-Has never charted in the UK. There was no UK chart until 1952.

Best Bit-At 2.51. This was the first song ever to be presented with a Gold Disc for sales in excess of 1 million copies.

‘Chattanooga Choo Choo’ was co-written by the legendary song writing duo of Mack Gordon (1904-1959) (see also best songs 877 and 775) who wrote the lyrics, and Harry Warren (1893-1981) (see also best songs 877-775 and 396) who composed the music. Gordon and Warren were commissioned to write some of the music for the 1941 musical film ‘Sun Valley Serenade,’ which was in some part made to showcase the talents of the Glenn Miller Orchestra (see also best songs 808 and 146.) The near eight minute scene (I have posted the video) of the Glenn Miller Orchestra, along with the vocals provided by Paula Kelly, (1919-1992) Tex Beneke, (1914-2000) and also the singing and dancing by Dorothy Dandridge, (1922-1965) and ‘The Nicholas Brothers,’ Fayard (1914-2006) and Harold, (1921-2000) is the films most celebrated and memorable scene. The studio recording of ‘Chatanooga Choo Choo’ at 3 minutes and 26 seconds was also recorded by the Glenn Miller Orchestra with Ted Beneke and The Four Modernaires, with their female singer Paula Kelly providing the female vocals. The studio version was recorded on May 7th, 1941, and originally released as the ‘B’ side to ‘I Know Why (And So Do You’) It went on to reach Number 1 in America on December 7th, 1941, and would stay at the top for nine consecutive weeks.

Mack Gordon was born Moses Gittler on June 21st, 1904, in Grodno, Congress Poland, which was then part of the Russian Empire, he died in 1959 at the age of 54. He emigrated with his mother and older brother to New York City in 1907, to join up with his father who had settled in America earlier. During Gordon’s career as a lyricist he worked with several other composers, but notably with Harry Warren with whom he wrote this song. Gordon’s songs have been used in over 100 films, with him specifically writing for over half of those, in total he wrote over 120 songs. Other notable songs he wrote the lyrics for include ‘At Last,’ which became the signature song for Etta James (1938-2012,) and ‘You Make Me Feel So Young’ which was recorded by Frank Sinatra in 1956.

Mack Gordon and Harry Warren had got their inspiration for writing the song while travelling on the ‘Southern Railway’s Birmingham Special’ train, this was one of three trains operating from New York City via Chattanooga. ‘The Birmingham Choo Choo’ didn’t sit well with Gordon’s lyrics so he chose the name of another train,’The Chattanooga,’ which was a wood burning steam locomotive owned by the ‘Cincinnati Southern Railway,’ that travelled from Cincinnati to Chattanooga, it was a newspaper reporter who first dubbed it the ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo.’

‘Chattanooga Choo Choo’ tells of the delights of travelling on that train, and because it is such an enjoyable journey, the day flies by as he spends time in the diner. The narrator also tells us that the purpose for his train ride is so he can meet up with his sweetheart who he hasn’t seen for a while, where he will promise her that he will never leave her side again.

‘There’s gonna be a certain party at the station, satin and lace I used to call funny face. She’s gonna cry until I tell her that I’ll never roam, so Chattanooga Choo Choo won’t you choo choo me home.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

322-Lou Rawls-You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine.

1976-Number 10 single.

Best Bit-At 2.13. Lou Rawls released around 60 Albums, he also had a substantial acting career, performing in 15 films, he was also a voice over in cartoons, and appeared in commercials endorsing products.In 1955 he enlisted in the United States Army as a paratrooper, where he made 26 jumps, he left the army three years later as a Sergeant. In 1980 he started the charity the ‘Lou Rawls Parade of Stars Telephon,’ an annual event which has raised to date over US$200 million.I don’t know what he did in his spare time though!

Louis Allen Rawls was born on December 1st, 1933, in Chicago, Illinois, United States, he died of cancer on January 6th, 2005, at the age of 72. He started singing Gospel at the age of seven, and after graduating from high school he briefly sang with Sam Cooke (see also best songs 156) in the ‘Teenage Kings of Harmony’ Gospel group, before moving to Los Angeles, where he joined another Gospel group, the ‘Pilgrim Travelers.’ Rawls would later sing again with Sam Cooke, as backing vocalist on Cooke’s 1962 single ‘Bring It On Home to Me,’ (Billboard Number 13 hit) and ‘That’s Where It’s At,’ in 1964.

In 1980 Rawls began the ‘Lou Rawls Parade of Stars Telephon’ which benefits the ‘United Negro College Fund’. It became an annual event, and in 1998 it became known as ‘An Evening of Stars: A Celebration of Educational Excellence.’ The event raised over $200 million in 27 shows for the charity, through until 2006.

‘You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine’ was co-written by the legendary songwriting team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff (see also best songs 1001-896-648-604-571 and 448.) In an attempt to lure Rawls to their record label ‘Philadelphia International,’ Gamble and Huff pacifically wrote this song for him. By 1976 Philadelphia International Records had taken over from Tamla Motown as the worlds number one producers of quality Soul music, and they were also now leading the way in the production of Disco music, with many of the labels artists, including this song, being backed by the labels in house studio band ‘M.F.S.B,’ In total ‘M.F.S.B.’ had 32 different members come and go between them forming in 1971, through until their disbanding in 1985. Due to a disagreement with Gamble and Huff shortly before the recording of this song over finances, several of the group members moved on to ‘Salsoul Records,’ where they became known as the ‘Salsoul Orchestra,’ other members began performing as ‘The Ritchie Family Orchestra.’ As for what ‘M.F.S.B.’ stood for, there are two explanations. The clean one is ‘Mother, Father, Sister, Brother,’ and the rude one is ‘Mother-F…in’, Son of-a-Bitch,’ an expression which was used among the musicians to compliment a person’s musical prowess.

‘You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine’ was taken from the Album ‘All Things in Time,’ and provided Lou Rawls with his first Billboard hit in seven years. In total Rawls had five Billboard top 40 hits with this being the most successful when making Number 2, while in the UK this song was his only top 40 single. The song is a warning to the girl that if she let’s the guy go, she will spend the rest of her life looking for someone just like him. The song was written around the time that Kenny Gamble was going through a divorce from the singer Dee Dee Sharp (see also best songs 1001.)

‘You’ll never find, it’ll take the end of all time, someone to understand you like I do. You’ll never find the rhythm the rhyme, all the magic we shared just us two.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

323-Leftfield featuring John Lydon-Open Up.

1993-Number 13 single.

Best Bit-At 0.15. When two of Electronic Dance Music’s most innovative artists team up with a ‘National Treasure’ there is a fairly good chance of something special occurring.

Leftfield were formed in London, England, in 1989 by Neil Barnes, and Paul Daley, they are considered to be very influential in the evolution of Electronic Dance Music in the early 1990’s. In 1992 in a review in the ‘Mixmag’ music magazine the writer described their sound as ‘Progressive House,’ thus defining a new genre of music. The word ‘Progressive’ had previously appeared in music in the mid 1960’s, when used to describe artists who were creative with Rock Music.

Prior to forming Leftfield Neil Barnes had been playing percussion as a session musician, but after being inspired by the music of Afrika Bambaataa (see also best songs 716) he decided to have a go at producing Electronic Dance Music, resulting in the first two singles,’Not Forgotten,’ and ‘More Than I Know,’ being released under the ‘Leftfield’ name. For the remixes of the tracks Barnes brought in Paul Daley who was the percussion player with the Dance act ‘A Man Called Adam,’ on realising they had a lot in common they joined forces to become ‘Leftfield.’ The duo were active until 2002, but in 2010 Barnes revived Leftfield, with Daley declining to get involved. Since then Barnes has toured and recorded under the name Leftfield with other artists. Leftfield have recorded three studio Albums between 1995-2015, and 16 singles have been issued, six of which have reached the UK top 40.

‘Open Up’ was one of Leftfield’s earlier recordings added to the duo’s debut studio Album ‘Leftism’ released in 1995 to critical acclaim. Leftfield invited guest vocalists to perform on their songs, and had been waiting for something suitable for John Lydon to sing on (see also best songs 967-576-92 and 27.) Barnes said,’We had to do something that warranted getting John in. We were terrified that we’d do something second rate. We worked on the bass line until we got it right, spinning in records endlessly, trying different breaks to get the right feel for it. John Lydon has said,’They brought me over to the studio one night, and I more or less just free-formed it. I’ve been running the ideas for my mind almost constantly, so it was all just waiting for the pen to hit the page.’

‘Open Up’ included the line ‘burn Hollywood burn,’ Lydon has said that the song was partly about him not being given a part in a movie, but it was only ‘Some of it.’ ‘Open Up’ is probably a scathing attack on all the opulent excesses, and fake lifestyles of the people who attempt to live the Hollywood ‘dream.’

‘Lose myself inside your schemes, go for money honey, not the screen, be a movie star, blah blah blah, go the whole hog, be bigger than god.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

324-White Stripes-Seven Nation Army.

2003-Number 7 single.

Best Bit At 0.09. Jack and Meg White hated that journalists wanted to know all about their private life, so they told them that they were brother and sister, when they were really man and wife, (which could have left them with some right old explaining to do.)

The White Stripes were formed in 1997, in Detroit, Michigan, United States, by the husband and wife duo of Jack and Meg White who had married in 1996, although the couple divorced in 2000, they continued working together as White Stripes through until the band split in 2011. They took the bands name from Meg’s love of Peppermints, Jack explained,’We were going to call ourselves the Peppermints, but since our last name was White, we decided to call it the White Stripes.’Jack White was born John Anthony Gillis on July 9th, 1975, in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in a somewhat unusual move, when he married Meg, he took her surname. Jack White is one of the most celebrated musicians of the late 20th, and early 21st Century, particularly for his recording technique and guitar playing. He is credited with the revival of ‘Garage Rock’ music, which he blended with his ‘Blues’ influences. Aside from his work with the White Stripes, White has also released three solo studio Albums between 2012-2018, he is also a member of the American Rock group ‘The Dead Weather,’ releasing three studio Albums between 2009-2015, and also the American Rock band the ‘Raconteurs,’ who have also released three studio Albums between 2006-2019. The White Stripes released six studio Albums between 1999-2007, and 28 singles, of which ‘Icky Thump’ in 2007, when making Number 26 on Billboard, was their only charting single in America on the Hot 100 top 40 chart, while in the UK 13 of their singles have reached the top 40.

‘Seven Nation Army’ was the first single released from the White Stripe’s fourth studio Album ‘Elephant’ from 2003, and was written and produced by Jack White. ‘Seven Nation Army’ started out as a guitar riff written by Jack White at the ‘Corner Hotel’ in Melbourne, Australia when the White Stripes were on tour in 2002. White knew straight away he had something special, and initially he decided to save it thinking it would make a great James Bond theme, but in time he realised that there would be little chance of them coming to call. Ironically in 2008 White did receive the call when he composed, and co-sang ‘Another Way to Die’ with Alicia Keys, the theme to the James Bond film ‘Quantum of Solace.’ After writing the guitar riff White gave it a name, he called it ‘Seven Nation Army’ because as a child he had thought that the ‘Salvation Army’ were actually called ‘Seven Nation Army,’ something he had misheard. Jack and Meg felt that the press would often intrude on their privacy, and the songs lyrics are Jack saying that no matter how much you delve into our private lives, we will not be bullied by you.

‘I’m gonna fight ’em all, a seven nation army couldn’t hold me back. They’re gonna rip it off, taking their time right behind my back.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

325-Bon Jovi-Livin’ on a Prayer.

1986-Number 4 single.

Best Bit-At 0.21. Every mobile DJ, and every party DJ, probably plays this, religiously.

Jon Bon Jovi was born John Francis Bongiovi Jr. on March 2nd, 1962, in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, United States, he is one of the founding members of Bon Jovi, who were founded in 1983 in Sayreville, New Jersey, New York. The band remain active with Jon Bon Jovi, and David Bryan being the only two remaining members from the original line up (see also best songs 959.) With record sales well in excess of 100.0000 they are one of the worlds best selling artists. Music critics have credited them with bridging the gap between Heavy Metal and Pop.

Bon Jovi’s first two studio Albums, their self titled debut from 1984, and ‘7800 Fahrenheit’ from 1985, were a mixture of Hard Rock and Glam Metal, with both achieving moderate success. The band realised that if they were to take things to the next level they would need to create a more radio friendly sound. This led to the hiring of the songwriter and music producer Desmond Child, who already had a proven track record. Child who was born John Charles Barrett on October 28th, 1953, in Gainesville, Florida, United States, had previously worked with the American Rock band Kiss, co-writing their 1979 Billboard Number 11 hit ‘I Was Made for Lovin’ You.’ Child would go on to write for dozens of other artists including Alice Cooper, and Meatloaf. Child was also the co-writer of ‘Livin’ la Vida Loca,’ the U.S., and UK Number 1 hit in 1999 for Ricky Martin.

‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ was co-written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and Desmond Child, and was the second single released from Bon Jovi’s third studio Album ‘Slippery When Wet’ from 1986. The first single release ‘You Give Love a Bad Name’ which is also credited to all three, had given Bon Jovi their first American Number 1 single, a fete which Livin’ on a Prayer replicated.

‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ is the story of Tommy and Gina who are a working class couple struggling to make ends meet. Tommy loses his job as a dockworker because of a strike, while Gina works as a waitress in a diner. The characters Tommy and Gina were loosely based on a real life situation that Desmond Child had encountered in the 1970’s with his then girlfriend Maria Vidal, with whom he was living. At that time Child was a taxi driver, and Vidal was a singing waitress in a diner. Maria Vidal who would go on to have a 1984 UK Number 11 hit with ‘Body Rock’ was nicknamed ‘Gina’ due to her physical resemblance to the Italian actress and photographer Gina Lollobrigida. In 2000 Jon Bon Jovi reintroduced Tommy and Gina in the song ‘It’s My Life.’

‘Tommy’s got his six string in hock, now he’s holding in what he used to make talk, so tough, it’s tough. Gina dreams of running away, when she cries in the night, Tommy whispers, ‘Baby it’s okay, someday,’