THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

146-Glenn Miller and His Orchestra-In the Mood.

1939-It has never charted in the UK. There was no UK chart until 1952.

Best Bit-At 3.07. The false ending would catch out (I won’t call them DJ’s since it was 1939) music presenters, as it was very rare if ever up until then that a song would conclude in such a manner.

Alton Glenn Miller (see also best songs 808 and 321) was born on March 1st, 1904, in Clarinda, Iowa, United States, he died on December 15th, 1944, when the aircraft he was travelling on disappeared in bad weather over the English Channel. The actual cause of the crash has never been confirmed , but the general consensus is that the plane probably crashed as it’s carburettor froze in the cold weather, Glenn Miller was 40 years old. The discography of Glenn Miller consists of 266 singles which were issued on 10 inch shellac 78 rpm format, with 69 of his recordings reaching the top 10 on the music charts in America. On the very first national Billboard chart on July 27th, 1940, Glenn Miller had three of the countdowns first ever top 10 singles.

I suppose you could say that ‘In the Mood’ is a very early example of ‘sampling.’ The song is ‘based’ on the composition ‘Tar Paper Stomp’ which was written and performed in 1930 by the American Jazz trumpeter Wingy Manone, (1900-1982) hence his name being added to ‘In the Mood’s’ song writing credits. It was the American Jazz saxophonist Joe Garland (1903-1977) who is credited as the composer of ‘In the Mood’ which has many similarities to ‘Tar Paper Stomp.’ Under copyright laws at that time, a tune that had not been written down and registered with the copyright office could be appropriated by any musician with a good ear.

The first recording of ‘In the Mood’ was made in 1938 by Edgar Hayes and his Orchestra, and released as the ‘B’ side to his rendition of ‘Stardust.’ The song was then sold to Artie Shaw (1910-2004) (see also best songs 295) who after experimenting with it decided not to record it as his arrangement lasted six minutes, and when played live received a lacklustre response. Then in 1939 ‘In the Mood’ was sold to Glenn Miller, who with others rearranged the song, and it would go on to become the most successful ‘Swing’ instrumental of all time. In 1941 Miller performed ‘In the Mood’ in the movie ‘Sun Valley Serenade’ (see also best songs 321.)

There are some versions of ‘In the Mood’ that include lyrics. These lyrics were written by Andy Razaf (1893-1973) (see also best songs 412) who co-wrote 215 published compositions including ‘Honeysuckle Rose,’ (1929) and ‘Ain’t Misbehavin” (also 1929.) ‘In the Mood’ has been recorded numerous times by artists of many different genres including Ernie Fields (1904-1997) who took his recording to Number 4 on Billboard in 1959, but perhaps the most famous cover is by the British novelty Pop act ‘Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers,’ who prominently featured ‘In the Mood’ as part of their hit medley ‘Swing the Mood’ which reached Number 1 in the UK, and Number 11 on Billboard in 1989.

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

147-Charles Aznavour-She.

1974-Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 1.45. The most poignant lyrics ever written about natures greatest creation.

Charles Aznavour was born Shahnour Vaghinag Aznavourian on May 22nd, 1924, in Paris, French Third Republic, he died on October 1st, 2018 of cardio respiratory arrest complicated by an acute pulmonary edema, at the age of 94. Aznavour wrote or co-wrote over 1000 songs, and recorded more than 1,200 songs, and was one of the worlds best ever selling artists with sales estimated between 180 to 200 million records sold. He released 91 studio Albums between 1953-2015, and 225 singles between 1948-2014, there are also 193 official compilation Albums available. One of the reasons for such a large discography is that he recorded many of his songs in French, English, Spanish, Italian, and German, and when performing live he would sing in many different languages. In the UK, his only other top 40 single was ‘The Old Fashioned Way,’ which reached Number 38 in 1973, while he has never had a single chart on the Billboard Hot 100 in America. Charles Aznavour also had a long career as an actor appearing in 60 feature films between 1936-2009, and there are at least three documentary films made about him. In 2017 Aznavour and his sister Aida were awarded the ‘Raoul Wallenberg Award’ for there rescue activities during World War 2. The Aznavour’s were closely linked to the ‘Missak Manouchian Resistance Group’, and in this context they offered shelter to Armenians, Jews, and others at their own Paris flat, risking their own lives.

‘She’ was co-written by Charles Aznavour (music) and Herbert Kretzmer, (1925-2020) who provided the lyrics, for the UK ‘ITV’ television series ‘Seven Faces of Women.’ Kretzmer who is perhaps best remembered for being the lyricist for the English language adaption of ‘Les Miserables,’ and also had a long time collaboration with Aznavour has said,’What they needed was a song to link the seven plays, and the producer thought I might write something for Marlene Dietrich as she represented the ageless woman. I didn’t like that idea much as if you’re going to write about a woman’s mystique, it would be better if it were not sung by a woman. If she sung about her own mystery the song would be too calculated and knowing. I said, ‘It should be a song about a woman as seen by a man, and what better man than Charles Aznavour, who sings about love and romance?’ I brought him into the project and it turned out terribly well.’

‘She’ spent four weeks at Number 1 in the UK in 1974, fulfilling a life time ambition of Aznavour’s to have an English sung Number 1 hit, he also recorded the song in several other languages. The song was revived in 1999 when Elvis Costello’s (see also best songs 836) version was featured over the closing credits of the film ‘Notting Hill,’ except in America, where the Boyzone song ‘No Matter What’ was played instead. The Elvis Costello version reached Number 19 on the UK top 40, giving Costello his first top 20 hit in the UK in 16 years.

‘She may be the beauty or the beast, may be the famine or the feast, may turn each day into a heaven or a hell.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

148-The Supremes-You Can’t Hurry Love.

1966-Number 3 single.

Best Bit-At 0.01. The group were originally known as ‘The Primettes,’ but Motown owner Berry Gordy refused to sign them unless they changed their name. He gave Florence Ballard (1943-1976) a choice between ‘The Darleens,’ The Sweet P’s,’ ‘The Melodees,’ ‘The Royaltones,’ ‘The Jewelettes,’ or ‘The Supremes.’ On Ballard choosing ‘The Supremes’ (see also best songs 1001-411 and 212) Diana Ross expressed her disappointment saying ‘It felt too masculine.’

The core of the group who would become known as The Supremes were formed in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in 1959, they remained active until 1977 when the final founding member Mary Wilson (1944-2021) left to pursue a solo career, and Motown decided to disband the group as there were no original members left. The discography of The Supremes consists of 29 studio Albums release between 1962-1976, and 66 singles issued between 1960-1979. In America on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart they achieved 33 top 40 singles, with 12 of those making Number 1, while in the UK they have charted on 29 occasions, with ‘Baby Love’ being their only chart topper.

‘You Can’t Hurry Love’ was written by the legendary song writing team of ‘Holland-Dozier-Holland,’ (see also best songs 969-823-650-553-411 and 212) and was released as the second single from The Supremes ninth studio Album ‘The Supremes A’ Go-Go,’ from August 1966. Diana Ross (see also best songs 900-519-183 and 28) sang lead vocals on 11 of the 12 tracks, including ‘You Can’t Hurry Love,’ with all the instrumentation being played by The Funk Brothers (see also best songs 948-650-569-414-382-212 and 28.) The songs lyrics were written by Eddie Holland who was inspired by a 1950’s Gospel song called (‘You Can’t Hurry God) He’s Right on Time,’ written by Dorothy Love Coates, (1928-2002) the lyrics include the lines ‘You can’t hurry God, you just have to wait.Trust and give him time, no matter how long it takes.’ On the making of the song Lamont Dozier has said,’We were trying to reconstruct ‘Come See About Me,’ and somehow it turned into ‘You Can’t Hurry Love.’ It was basically a gospel feel we were after.’ The song went on to give The Supremes their seventh Billboard Number 1 single.

In 1982 the song was even more successful in the UK when a cover version by Phil Collins (see also best songs 741) reached Number 1, in America it made Number 10. Collins had always been a big fan of Motown and wanted to replicate the Motown sound with 1980’s studio technology. In the songs video there are three Phil Collins singing and dancing at the same time, this was done to replicate and honour the three Supremes. Phil Collins version was also the very first track on the very first ‘Now That’s What I Call Music’ compilation CD, first issued in 1983.

‘No, I can’t bear to live my life alone, I grow impatient for a love to call my own, but when I feel that I, I can’t go on, these precious words keeps me hanging on. I remember mama said.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

149-Andrea True Connection-More, More, More.

1976-Number 5 single.

Best Bit-At 0.25. In 2002 Andrea True said,’I want to be remembered as a person who gave people pleasure,’- then emphasised the words – ‘with my music.’

Andrea Marie Truden was born on July 26th, 1943, in Nashville, Tennessee, United States, she died on November 7th, 2011, of heart failure at the age of 68. As a child she studied classical piano, and by the age of 15 she was hosting her own television programme called ‘Teen Beat’ for the Nashville station ‘WLAC.’ Andrea was married at 19, and relocated to New York City in the early 1960’s.

By the mid 1960’s Andrea began working in the adult film industry, initially in Scandinavia, but then moving back to America where she performed in more than 50 hardcore porn films throughout the 1970’s, and into the mid 1980’s. It was in 1975 in her heyday that she was hired by a real estate business in Jamaica to appear in their commercials, but while she was there the Jamaican Government brought in a new law that any foreigner working in the country couldn’t take their earnings back abroad with them, and the money must remain in Jamaica. Rather than leave the money in that country, Andrea decided to spend it on recording her own music. She had been thinking of going in to the music industry for a while, and got in touch with the record producer Gregg Diamond (1949-1999) and together they recorded a demo of ‘More, More, More’ which eventually would be sent to the legendary recording engineer Tom Moulton (see also best songs 604 and 184) for remixing.

‘More, More, More’ was also the title track for he debut Album working under the name ‘Andrea True Connection,’ released in 1976, four of the five tracks on the Album which were all written by Gregg Diamond were issued as singles. In total Andrea released three studio Albums between 1976-1980, and eight singles, two of which made the Billboard Hot 100 in America, with ‘More, More, More’ being the most successful in making Number 4. In the UK she has also charted twice, with ‘What’s Your Name, What’s Your Number’ being the other hit, when reaching Number 34 in 1977.

After recording her third Album the more Rock/New Wave ‘War Machine’ in 1980, Andrea developed a medical problem on her vocal chords that required surgery, and eventually led to her having to give up singing professionally. At the onset of her singing career Andrea had said that she was burned out and tired of doing porn, saying,’I’d rather be a waitress, or a typist than make another adult film, and also, don’t think of me as a porn star any more, think of me as a recording star. I just want to record and perform.’

In 1993 ‘More, More, More’ was covered by the English group ‘Bananarama,’ who took their version to Number 24 in the UK, but the highest charting version of the song came about in 2004 when ex ‘S Club 7’ singer Rachel Stevens took her remake to Number 3 in the UK. Also in 1999 the Canadian Rock duo ‘Len’ sampled the song for their track ‘Steal My Sunshine,’ which reached Number 3 in Canada, Number 8 in the UK, and Number 9 in America.

‘But if you want to know how I really feel, get the cameras rolling get the action going. Baby you know my love for you is real, take me where you want to, me and my heart you steal.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

150-Ian Dury and the Blockheads-Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick.

1979-Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 1.41. It’s the music loving masochists favourite beat.

Ian Robins Dury was born on May 12th, 1942, in Harrow, Middlesex, England, he died of metastatic colorectal cancer on March 27th, 2000, at the age of 57. At the age of seven Dury contracted polio, most likely he believed, from a swimming pool at Southend-on-Sea during the 1949 polio epidemic, this illness resulted in the paralysis and withering of his left leg, shoulders and arm.

Ian Dury formed the band ‘Kilburn and the High Roads’ in 1970, releasing two studio Albums, and two singles, and opening for ‘The Who’ in 1973, but despite this they never rose above cult status and split in 1975. In 1977 Dury set up a new band which included this songs co-writer Chas Jankel, which were named the ‘Blockheads,’ after an Ian Dury song of the same name. In total there have been 18 different members come and go over the years, and they remain active at the time of writing. They have released six studio Albums, and 10 singles, with five of those singles making the UK top 40, of which three have made the top 10.

In 1981 Dury wrote the song ‘Spasticus Autistcus,’ to show his disdain for that years ‘International Year of Disabled Persons,’ which he saw as patronising and counter productive. The song was banned by the BBC at the time for it’s uncompromising lyrics, but in 2012 it was one of the songs chosen for the opening of the ‘London Paralympics.’ On his death Dury received many tributes including from Suggs the lead singer of Madness who said ‘Possibly the finest lyricist we’ve seen,’ and in 2021 Robbie Williams cited Dury as his biggest influence as a lyricist.

‘Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick’ was co-written by Ian Dury, (lyrics) and Chas Jankel, (music) but did not appear on their second studio Album from 1979 ‘Do It Yourself,’ as the policy was not to have singles as part of the Blockheads Albums,’Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick’ was eventually added to the 1996 re-issue. Although the song was riding high in the Xmas chart of 1978, it didn’t make Number 1 until January 1979, selling approximately 970,000 copies. In 2004 with the advent of downloads the song finally surpassed the 1 million mark, and is currently the 114th best selling song of all time in the UK.

Ian Dury had initially written the lyrics for ‘Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick around 1976, he has said,’I had Rhythm Stick for about three years on a bit of paper. I did a little demo with a drum machine and I gave it to Chaz. When the song was finished, Jankel phoned his mother and excitedly announced that he’d just written his first Number 1.’ Chas Jankel who was born on April 16th, 1952, in Stanmore, Middlesex, England, still tours with the Blockheads, and has released nine solo Albums between 1980-2010. As well as co-writing the Blockheads other UK top 3 single ‘Reasons to Be Cheerful, Part 3,’ he also wrote and recorded the original version of ‘Ai No Corrida,’ which when covered by Quincy Jones in 1981 reached Number 14 in the UK, and Number 28 on Billboard in America.

‘Hit me with your rhythm stick, hit me, hit me. Das ist gut! C’est fantastique! Hit me, hit me, hit me. Hit me with your rhythm stick, It’s nice to be a lunatic, hit me, hit me, hit me.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

151-Prodigy-Firestarter.

1996-Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 0.24. By a happy coincidence Flint is a material used to start fires.

The Prodigy were formed in 1990, in Braintree, Essex, England, (see also best songs 925) and remain active with Liam Howlett being the bands one constant. The discography of the Prodigy consists of seven studio Albums issued between 1992-2018, and 30 singles released between 1991-2018. In the UK, their debut Album ‘Experience’ made Number 12, but all of their other Albums have reached Number 1, while 18 of their singles have made the top 40, with two of them reaching Number 1. In America on Billboard ‘The Fat of the Land’ is their only charting Album, selling in excess of 2.6 million copies, and reaching Number 1 in 1996, with this song being their only chart hit single, making Number 30. In total the Prodigy have sold in excess of 25 million records worldwide to date.

‘Firestarter’ was the first single released from the Prodigy’s third studio Album ‘The Fat of the Land,’ ‘Firestarter’ was released 15 months before the Albums release in June 1997, the single and the Album were produced by Liam Howlett. ‘Firestarter’ started out life as an instrumental written by Howlett. It boasts many samples, the guitar riff was taken from ‘The Breeders’ song ‘S.O.S.’ from 1993, the ‘Hey, Hey, Hey,’ refrain was borrowed from ‘The Art of Noise’ ‘Close (to the Edit’) from 1984, and the drums are sampled from the song ‘Devotion’ by ‘Ten City’ from 1987, hence there being eight names appearing in the songwriting credits. The ‘Empirion Mix’ of ‘Firestarter’ features none of the samples, and is therefore just credited to Howlett, and Kieth Flint.

Keith Charles Flint was born on September 17th, 1969, in Redbridge, London, England, he died on March 4th, 2019, as a result of hanging, although there was insufficient evidence to conclude a suicide verdict, he was 49 years old. Flint had been a founding member of the Prodigy, and up until ‘The Fat of the Land’ his input had mainly been as a dancer for the group. ‘Firestarter’ was the first time Flint had provided lyrics for a Prodigy song, and also sung the lead vocals. Flint has said,’It was so ridiculous because my English isn’t my strong point, by any stretch of the imagination, so I end up singing in this weird accent (puts on a daft yokel voice), ‘Oi’m a muckspreaderrrrr, twisted muckspreaderrrr,’ but it ended up sounding quite… menacing.’ Flint has also said that the song was nothing to do with starting a fire, he has said that he wrote the lyrics about himself performing on stage and stirring up the crowd, ‘This is what I am, some of it is a bit deeper than it seems.’

Liam Paul Paris Howlett was born on August 21st, 1971, in Braintree, England, he is the Prodigy’s main musical contributor, as well as playing synthesizers, keyboards, and drums. He has also produced for others, including the Australian ‘Drum and Bass’ band ‘Pendulum. In 1999 he released the Album ‘Prodigy Present: The Dirtchamber Sessions Volume One,’ which was a mix of 48 songs from many artists cut together, and is solely the work of Howlett, and I strongly recommend that you take a listen.

I’m the trouble starter, punkin’ instigator. I’m the fear addicted, a danger illustrated. I’m a firestarter, twisted firestarter, you’re a firestarter, twisted firestarter.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

152-Stevie Wonder-I Wish.

1976-Number 5 single.

Best Bit-At 3.01.The voice that says ‘You nasty boy’ is Stevie Wonder’s sister Renee Hardaway.

Although Stevie Wonder (see also best songs 920-843-834-682-570-503-366-205 and 65) was a superstar in the 1960’s with many critically acclaimed songs in his portfolio, it is for his work in the 1970’s that he is held in the highest regard, with many music critics citing his five studio Albums issued between ‘Music of My Mind’ from 1972, through to ‘Songs in the Key of Life’ in 1976, as his crowning achievements.

‘I Wish’ was one of two singles released from Stevie Wonder’s 18th studio Album ‘Songs in the Key of Life’ from 1976 that reached Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, the other was this songs follow up ‘Sir Duke.’ By the end of 1975 Stevie Wonder was seriously considering quitting the music industry and emigrating to Ghana to work with disabled children. Motown records talked him out of it by offering him a $37 million deal, (approximately $200 million in 2022) and full artistic control over his next seven Albums, which at that time was the biggest recording contract in history. The first release under the new deal was the double Album ‘Songs in the Key of Life,’ which came with a bonus four-song EP, which Wonder obsessed over, becoming a perfectionist, revisiting each track until he was satisfied, and taking around two years to record. The Album would go on to be Stevie Wonder’s best seller with sales in excess of 5 million copies.

‘I Wish’ is the first track on side 2 of ‘Songs in the Key of Life,’ and was written and produced by Stevie Wonder. In the song Stevie reminisces about his childhood growing up in the 1950’s, and early 1960’s. Despite living in poverty, he looks fondly back on those days, and wishes that they would come back once more. It was a time when his only worry was, ‘For Christmas what would be my toy.’ Because Stevie Wonder has been a recording artist since the age of 11, it is easy to be fooled in to thinking that he is a lot older than he actually is, he had his first Billboard Number 1 with ‘Fingertips-Part 1’ in 1963 at the age of 13.

Stevie Wonder has recollected on how the music for ‘I Wish’ came to him,’The day I wrote it was a Saturday, the day of a Motown picnic in the summer of ’76. God, I remember that because I was having this really bad toothache. It was ridiculous…I had such a good time at the picnic that I went to Crystal Recording Studio right afterwards and the vibe came right to my mind, running at the picnic, the contests, we all participated. It was a lot of fun, and from that came the ‘I Wish’ vibe.’ Stevie Wonder has said that lyrically he originally wanted to address broader topics by incorporating ‘A lot of cosmic type stuff, spiritual stuff, but I couldn’t do that ’cause the music was too much fun. The words didn’t have the fun of the track, and I couldn’t come up with anything stronger than the chorus, ‘I wish those days [claps] would [claps] come back once more.’ Thank goodness we didn’t change that.’

‘Brother says he’s tellin’ ’bout you playin’ doctor with that girl. Just don’t tell, I’ll give you anything you want in this whole wide world. Mama gives you money for Sunday school, you trade yours for candy after church is through. Smokin’ cigarettes and writing something nasty on the wall (you nasty boy.’)

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

153-Barry White-You’re the First, the Last, My Everything.

1974-Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 0.50. It is claimed the millions of people have made love to Barry White….no wonder he died so young.

Barry White (see also best songs 560 and 476) was born Barry Eugene Carter on September 12th, 1944, in Galveston, Texas, United States. White was overweight for most of his adult life, and suffered from related health problems. While undergoing dialysis, and awaiting a kidney transplant in May 2003 he suffered a severe stroke. He died on July 4th, 2003, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles, at the age of 58. His parents who never married were his father Melvin White, and his mother Sadie Carter, and it wasn’t until he started recording that he took his fathers surname. In an obituary affectionately referring to Barry White by his familiar nickname,’The Walrus of Love,’ a BBC television documentary said,’If chocolate fudge cake could sing, it would sound like Barry White.

‘You’re the First, the Last, My Everything’ was the second single released from Barry White’s third studio Album ‘Can’t Get Enough’ from August 1974, and when issued as a single in October 1974 it gave White his only UK Number 1 single, while in America on the Billboard Hot 100 it peaked at Number 2. The song was co-written by White, Peter Sterling Radcliffe, (1930-2007) and Tony Sepe, who was a frequent collaborator with White, the track was also produced by Barry White.

‘You’re the First, the Last, My Everything’ had originally started out life as a ‘Country Music’ song written around 1953 by Peter Sterling Radcliffe, which he had called ‘You’re the First, the Last, My In-Between.’ Radcliffe who had become a personal friend of Barry White had never got around to recording the song, but on hearing it White felt that with a few radical changes he could make it in to a ‘Disco’ hit. It is said that when Tone Sepe first heard the Country song with the ‘clip-clop’ of horses hooves keeping the rhythm he was shocked by White’s positive reaction. Barry White has said,’ I said Sterling, that song is a smash. Tony’s face actually changed. I said Sterling I want you to stay out of my face for the next two or three weeks, when you come back, you’re going to be part of a smash.’

Barry White changed the songs genre from ‘Country’ to ‘Disco,’ he kept the chord changes and part of Radcliffe’s melody, but he also added his own melody, and nearly all new lyrics. White has said,’I went in to the studio and made up my own melody all the way through. Half of the words in it I changed right in front of the microphone.’ It is said that when Radcliffe first heard the final result, he cried.

‘In you, I’ve found so many things, a love so new only you could bring. Can’t you see if you, you make me feel this way, you’re like a first morning dew on a brand new day.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

154-10cc-I’m Not in Love.

1975-Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 5.17. Band member Kevin Godley said,’Forget instruments, forget guitars, forget drums. Just voices, like a heavenly choir, like a tsunami of voices.’

10cc (see also best songs 663) were formed in Stockport, England, in 1972 by Graham Gouldman, (lead vocals, and bass) Eric Stuart, (lead vocals, and guitars) Lol Creme, (keyboards) and Kevin Godley, (drums) this classic line up remained in place until 1975 when Godley and Creme left, stating musical differences as the cause for the split. As boys Godley and Creme had grown up together in the Manchester area, and Godley later attended secondary school with Gouldman. The three first met Eric Stewart when Graham Gouldman invested money into a recording studio that Stewart already partly owned and recorded at, this studio in Stockport would become known as ‘Strawberry Studios,’ taking it’s name from the Beatles song ‘Strawberry Fields Forever.’

‘I’m Not in Love’ was the second single released from 10cc’s third studio Album ‘The Original Soundtrack’ from March 1975. The song was co-written by Eric Stuart and Graham Gouldman, with all four band members receiving the production credits. The song originally started out life as a ‘Bossa Nova’ melody played on guitars, but after Godley and Creme both hated it, the song was discarded until the band members heard some of the studio staff humming the melody, and they then realised they could be on to a winner if the song was radically altered.

It was Kevin Godley who suggested the unique idea of recording the song with a large wordless choir, which in fact are the voices of all four band members. In the recording studio the song was painstakingly built up from chord loops, and multi tracks, some 256 vocal dubs were required to complete the lush harmonies behind Eric Stewart’s lead vocals.

Eric Stuart got the idea for the song after his wife of then eight years said to him,’You don’t say I love you much anymore,’ to which Stewart replied,’If I said it all the time it would sound glib.’ Stewart then wondered how he could say ‘I love you’ without actually using those words, so ‘I’m Not in Love’ became a rhetorical conversation with himself, and then a song. Graham Gouldman has added,’Eric and I had always avoided a love song, but I was always convinced we could do a great one, and once again Eric came up with the title of that song, and it was the perfect title of an anti-love song. But of course, is it an anti-love song? Is it I’m not in love, or is it, I am in love?’

The whispered female vocals ‘Be quiet, big boys don’t cry’ were provided by the studio secretary Kathy Redfern. The band had been looking for a certain sound when Redfern entered the studio to quietly tell Stuart that he had a phone call. When he heard her voice he knew that it was right for the song. Those whispered lyrics became the inspiration for the English Pop band ‘Boys Don’t Cry,’ who reached Number 12 on Billboard, and Number 4 in Australia in 1985 with their only hit single ‘I Wanna Be a Cowboy.’

‘I keep your picture upon the wall, it hides a nasty stain that’s lying there. So don’t you ask me to give it back, I know you know it doesn’t mean that much to me.’

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

155-MC5-Kick Out the Jams.

1969-It has never charted in the UK.

Best Bit-At 0.18. What they are actually saying is, if a song is perfect at 2 minutes, then don’t ruin it by playing it for 10.

MC5 were formed in Lincoln Park, Detroit, Michigan, United States, in 1963, in total there have been 25 members come and go, with the band being currently still active. The classic line up comprised Wayne Kramer, (guitars and vocals) Fred ‘Sonic’ Smith, (1948-1994) (bass and vocals) Rob Tyner, (1944-1991) (bass) Michael Davis, (1943-2012) (bass) and Dennis Thompson (drums.) The ‘MC’ stands for motor city, and there were five original members. The MC5 have issued two studio Albums, in 1970, and 1971, and there have been six live Albums issued between 1969-2006, and 11 official compilations, they have also released seven singles between 1966-1970. Although never achieving chart success, both of the bands two studio Albums, and their first live recording ‘Kick Out the Jams’ are all considered important in the development of Rock Music. The MC5 were considered to be part of the American ‘counterculture Movement’ of the 1960’s, and together with their anti-establishment lyrics, and the music they were making from their mix of ‘Hard Rock,’ Garage Rock,’ and ‘Blues Rock,’ made them forerunners and innovators of ‘Punk Rock,’ which was still many yeas away in 1969.

The songwriting credits for ‘Kick Out the Jams’ are given to all five band members at that time, but most of the work on this song was done by lead singer Rob Tyner. ‘Kick Out the Jams’ appears as track 2 on MC5’s debut Album of the same name, and was recorded live on October 30th, and October 31st, in Detroit, at the ‘Grande Ballroom,’ although having achieved little commercial success, the band at that time had built up a large cult following.

Because of the groups political views many thought that ‘Kick Out the Jams’ was a slogan for 1960’s revolution and liberation, but in 1970 guitarist Wayne Kramer explained the real meaning.’We first used the phrase when we were the house band at a ballroom in Detroit, and we played there every week with another band from the area. We got in the habit, being the sort of punks we are, of screaming at them to get off the stage, to kick out the jams, meaning stop jamming. We were saying it all the time and it became a sort of esoteric phrase. Now, I think people can get what they like out of it; that’s one of the good things about rock and roll.’

Nowadays it seems that every other song you hear has swear words in it, but back in 1969 the line ‘Kick out the Jams motherf..fers’ was shocking to many, and led to some record shops, and other outlets refusing to sell the Album. This led to a standoff between the bands record label ‘Elektra,’ and the retailers, with the MC5 eventually being dropped by the label after the retailers threatened to not sell any of the labels other artists, which included The Doors, and Judy Collins. The MC5 refused to back down, and made matters worse by taking out a full page advertisement ridiculing ‘Hudson’s’ department store for refusing to sell the Album. MC5 were dropped by Elecktra and went on to sign with Atlantic Records where they released their two studio Albums. An uncensored version of Kick Out the Jams was issued with Rob Tyner now singing ‘Kick out the jams, brothers and sisters.’

‘The wailin’ guitars girl, the crash of the drums, make you want to keep-a-rockin’, till the morning comes. Let me be who I am, and let me kick out the jams, yes, kick out the jams, I done kicked em out.’