THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

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

2016-Number 2 single.

Best Bit-At 1.00. You may not be familiar with this songs co-writer Max Martin, but after Paul McCartney, he has written the most American Billboard Number 1 singles.

Justin Randall Timberlake was born on January 31st, 1981, in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, he is one of the worlds best selling artists, with record sales in excess of 117 million. As a child he was a regular in the American television show ‘The All-New Micky Mouse Club,’ where his cast-mates included Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, (see also best songs 373) and future ‘NSYNC’ band-mate JC Chasez. He then went 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. Justin Timberlake has also had an acting career running alongside his music career, and has appeared in 24 films between 2000-2024. The discography of Justin Timberlake includes six studio Albums released between 2002-2024, and 52 singles released within the same time period, there are also three extended plays, (EP’s) two soundtrack Albums, and two official compilation Albums available. In America on the Billboard Hot 100, as the lead artist, 22 of his singles have reached the top 40, with four of them including ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling!’ making the Number 1 position, he has also had a further eight top 40 hits as a featured artist, with ‘Give It to Me,’ by Timbaland, featuring Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake, making the Number 1 spot in 2007. In the UK, Justin Timberlake has had 18 top 40 hits as the lead artist, with ‘SexyBack,’ (2006) and ‘Mirrors,’ (2013) both reaching Number 1, while as a featured artist he has had a further nine top 40 entries, with ‘Give It to Me,’ by Timbaland, featuring Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake, (2007) and ‘4 Minutes,’ by Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, (2008) both making the Number 1 spot.

‘Can’t Stop the Feeling!’ which was co-written and co-produced by Justin Timberlake, Max Martin, and Shellback, was the only single released from the ‘Trolls: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack’ Album, from September 2016. The song was written for the ‘DreamWorks’ Animation film ‘Trolls,’ for which Justin Timberlake was the executive producer of the soundtrack, and also voiced the character ‘Branch’. There are 13 tracks on the soundtrack Album, including a cover version of the classic Earth, Wind & Fire song ‘September,’ (see also best songs 916) which Justin Timberlake sings vocals on. Justin Timberlake has spoken about his inspiration for writing the song, ‘Listening to (producer) Gina Shay, and (directors) Mike Mitchell and Walt Dohrn talk about the movie and how it was really inspired by the ’70’s, I started bringing up the soundtrack from ‘Saturday Night Fever,’ movies, (see also best songs 211-184 and 35) where the soundtrack was released before the movie and got people equally excited, The movie seems like an unabashed pop song to me, so I was like, ‘Let’s just write an unabashed pop song.”

Max Martin (see also best songs 870 and 824) was born Karl Martin Sandberg, on February 26th, 1971, in Stockholm, Sweden, unsurprisingly he credits fellow Stockholm band ‘ABBA’ (see also best songs 44) as a major influence. After failing as a singer to make the big breakthrough in the 1980’s, he was employed as a songwriter, and music producer by the Swedish music producer 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 27 American Billboard Hot 100 Number 1 singles, 25 of which he has produced or co-produced. He has written the second most number 1 singles on that chart, behind only Paul McCartney (see also best songs 646 and 107) with 32, having surpassed John Lennon’s 26, (1940-1980) (see also best songs 927-473-456-168 and 20) with his 27th Number 1 in March 2024 with ‘We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love’) by Ariana Grande.

‘Can’t Stop the Feeling!’ was also co-written by Shellback, who was born Karl Johan Schuster, on February 1st, 1985, in Karlshams, Blekinge, Sweden, on 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 the genre of ‘Death Metal,’ with the Swedish music magazine ‘Stim-magasinet’ describing Shellback’s taste in music as ‘Too cool for school,’ but Max 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, (see also best songs 373) which is currently the best selling single ever in the UK to have not reached Number 1.

‘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 worldwide, 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 Brixton, 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 an associate of Steve Bronski, 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. Bronski Beat would remain active between 1983-1995, with Jimmy Somerville leaving after the recording of their debut Album in 1985, and being replaced on vocals by John Foster, who was then replaced by Jonathan Hellyer as vocalist in 1989. In 2016 Steve Bronski revived Bronski Beat as the only original member, reworking their debut studio Album ‘Age of Consent,’ entitled ‘Age of Reason.’ In total there were eight official different member come and go.

The discography of the Bronski Beat includes four studio Albums released between 1984-2017, and 21 singles released between 1984-2018, there are also two remix Albums, eight official compilation Albums, and one live Album available. In the UK, Bronski Beat have had eight top 40 chart entries, including two as the featured artist, with Eartha Kitt (1927-2008) on ‘Cha Cha Heels,’ (1989-Number 32) and with Jimmy Somerville on the remix of ‘Smalltown Boy (1991-Number 32.) As the lead artist three of their singles have all peaked at Number 3, ‘Smalltown Boy,’ (1984) ‘I Feel Love (Medley) with Marc Almond, (1985) and ‘Hit That Perfect Beat’ (1985.) In America on the ‘Billboard Hot 100,’ their only chart entry is ‘Smalltown Boy,’ which stalled at Number 48, although it did make Number 1 on the ‘Billboard Hot Dance Club Play’ chart, being one of their four top 40 entries on that chart.

Steve Bronski was born Steven William Forrest, on February 7th, 1960, in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2018 he had a stroke which limited his mobility. He died from smoke inhalation in a fire at his home in Soho, London, on 7 December 2021, at the age of 61. He was an ‘LGBTQ’ activist, and was openly gay from an early age. Larry Steinbachek was born on May 6th, 1960, in London, England, he died after a short battle with cancer on December 7th, 2016, five years to the day earlier than Steve Bronski, at the age of 56. After leaving Bronski Beat he worked as a composer and theatre director until his death.

Jimmy Somerville was born James William Somerville, on June 22nd, 1961, in Glasgow, Scotland, he is best remembered as the lead singer of the British synth-pop duo ‘The Communards,’ whom he formed with Richard Coles (who had also been a member of Bronski Beat) in 1985. As The Communards they released two studio Albums in 1986, and 1987, and nine singles between 1985-1988. All nine of The Communards singles reached the UK top 40, with their cover version of ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way (see also best songs 725) with Sarah Jane Morris, reaching Number 1, and becoming the best selling single in the UK in 1986. After The Communards, Jimmy Somerville pursued a solo career, and has released nine studio Albums, and 39 singles as a solo artist between 1989-2022. His most successful solo single is his 1989 UK Number 5 cover version of ‘You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real’) (see also best songs 162.)

‘Smalltown Boy’ was the first of four singles released from ‘The Age of Consent,’ which was the debut studio Album from the Bronski Beat, from October 1984, the song was co-written by Steve Bronski, Jimmy Somerville, and Larry Steinbachek, with the production being by Mike Thorne (see also best songs 848.) 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, and was accompanied by the telephone number of a service giving gay legal advice. The songs memorable promotional video shows the dangers of being gay in the mid 1980’s. Jimmy Somerville, Larry Steinbachek, and Steve Bronski are at a public swimming pool and changing room, where they are attacked and beaten up by a gang of homophobes. Somerville is returned to his family by the police, then later he leaves home alone, and has a reunion with his friends Steinbachek and Bronski, who travel to a new life on a train.

‘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 1.00. 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 (see also best songs 646 and 147) 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, Paul 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 Paul 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 (1940-1980) (see also best songs 927-473-456-168 and 20) or Paul McCartney, but because of contractual reasons the songs would always be credited to ‘Lennon/McCartney,’ an informal agreement made between McCartney and Lennon in 1962. 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. When ‘The Beatles Anthology’ Album Project of a three volume set of double Albums was released in 1996, Paul McCartney asked for the writing credit on ‘Yesterday’ to read ‘McCartney/Lennon,’ since he was the sole author of the song. John Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono refused, and it remained ‘Lennon/McCartney.’

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 on the UK chart.

‘Yesterday’ was written by Paul McCartney, with the production and string arrangement being by George Martin, (1926-2015) who had extensive involvement in each of the Beatles original Albums, and was commonly referred to as the ‘fifth Beatle.’ the song was recorded by Paul McCartney playing an acoustic guitar, and being backed by a string quartet which included Tony Gilbert, (1934-2023) (violin) Kenneth Essex, (1920-2021) (viola) Peter Halling, (cello) Francisco Gabarró, (1914-1990) (cello) and Sidney Sax, (1913-2005) (violin.) Sidney Sax also played on other Beatles classics including ‘Eleanor Rigby,’ (see also best songs 599) and ‘All You Need Is Love’ (see also best songs 141.) When George Martin first suggested adding a string quartet, Paul McCartney responded, ‘Oh no, George. We are a Rock N’ Roll band, and I don’t think it’s a good idea.’

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.) The first cover version of ‘Yesterday’ is considered to be the one by the English singer Matt Monro,’ (1930-1985) who took advantage of the Beatles refusal to release the song as a single in the UK, by taking his recording to Number 8 in 1965, the two other top 40 hit recordings of the song in the UK apart from the Beatles, are by Marianne Faithfull, (1946-2025) (1965-Number 36) and Wet Wet Wet (1997-Number 4.) In 2012, the BBC reported that ‘Yesterday’ remained the fourth most successful song of all time in terms of royalties paid, having amassed a total of £19.5 million in payments.

‘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 probably wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that if it hadn’t have been for this song then U2 (see also best songs 766-190 and 84) 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.’

‘One’ was the third of five singles released from ‘Achtung Baby,’ the seventh studio Album by U2, from November 1991, the songs writing is credited to all four band members, Bono, (vocals) The Edge, (guitar) Adam Clayton, (bass guitar) and Larry Mullen Jr., (drums) with the production being by Daniel Lanois, (see also best songs 766 and 190) who provided additional guitar, and Brian Eno, (see also best songs 766-302-190-118-109 and 57) who provided additional keyboards. The lyrics to ‘One’ were written by Bono, who has spoken about the songs meaning, ‘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.’ In the 2006 autobiography ‘U2 by U2,’ The Edge wrote, ‘The lyric was the first in a new, more intimate style. It’s two ideas, essentially. On one level it’s a bitter, twisted, vitriolic conversation between two people who’ve been through some nasty, heavy stuff: ‘We hurt each other, then we do it again.’ But on another level there’s the idea that ‘we get to carry each other.’ ‘Get to’ is the key. ‘Got to’ would be too obvious and platitudinous. ‘Get to’ suggests it is our privilege to carry one another. It puts everything in perspective and introduces the idea of grace.

Bono was born Paul David Hewson, on May 10th, 1960, in Dublin, Ireland, away from music he is an activist for social justice causes, both through U2, and as an individual. He is particularly active in campaigning to fight extreme poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa, for which he co-founded ‘DATA,’ ‘EDUN,’ the ‘ONE Campaign,’ and ‘Product Red.’ Bono has received numerous honours including being granted an ‘honorary knighthood’ by Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom in 2007, being made a ‘Commandeur of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres’ (Order of Arts and Letters) in 2013, and receiving the ‘Presidential Medal of Freedom’ in the United States’ in 2025. During his childhood Bono and his friends had a ritual of giving each other nicknames, one of which was ‘Bono Vox,’ which was shortened to ‘Bono.’ The name derives from the Latin phrase for ‘good voice,’ he has been known as ‘Bono’ by his friends and family since the age of 14.

‘One’ was co-produced by Daniel Lanois, (see also best songs 766 and 190) who was born Daniel Roland Lanois, on September 19th, 1951, in Hull, Quebec, Canada, he is music producer, musician, and songwriter, who specialises in the genres of ‘Rock,’ ‘Alternative Rock,’ and ‘Ambient’ music. Daniel Lanois who was inducted into ‘Canada’s Walk of Fame’ in June 2013, has worked on the production of six of U2’s studio Albums, he has also produced Albums for several other artists, including Bob Dylan, (Oh Mercy-1989, Time Out of Mind-1997) and Peter Gabriel, (Birdy-1985, So-1986, and Us-1992.) Lanois has released eight solo studio Albums between 1989-2022, and a further three collaborative Albums between 2010-2018.

‘One’ which was released as the third single from ‘Achtung Baby’ was essentially a charity single, as proceeds were donated to AIDS research, with each country it sold in, receiving the royalties earned from 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. A cover version of ‘One’ was also a hit for the British Soul singer Mica Paris, reaching Number 29 in the UK in 1995.

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

Best Bit-At 2.53. 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. Mack Gordon and Harry Warren were commissioned to write some of the music for the 1941 American 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.) In the film there is a near eight minutes scene of the Glenn Miller Orchestra, along with Paula Kelly, (1919-1992) and Tex Beneke, (1914-2000) who both provided vocals, along with The Four Modernaires, and also the singing and dancing of Dorothy Dandridge, (1922-1965) and ‘The Nicholas Brothers,’ Fayard, (1914-2006) and Harold, (1921-2000) which 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.

The lyrics for ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo’ were written by Mack Gordon, who was born Morris Gittler, on June 21st, 1904, in Grodno, which is now western Belarus, but was was then part of the Russian Empire, he died on February 28th, 1959, at the age of 54. Mack Gordon 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 being specifically commissioned to write for over half of them, in total he wrote in excess of 120 songs. Other notable songs he provided 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 (1915-1998) (see also best songs 877-567-469-120 and 73) in 1956.

The male solo vocal on ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo’ was provided by Tex Beneke, who was born Gordon Lee Beneke, on February 12th, 1914, in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, he died from respiratory failure on May 30th, 2000, at the age of 86. Tex Beneke was a saxophonist, singer, and bandleader, who first joined the Glenn Miller Orchestra in 1938 as a sax player, and almost immediately becoming the bands primary tenor sax soloist, playing on classic songs, including ‘In the Mood,’ (1939) and ‘A String of Pearls’ (1941.) Glenn Miller (1904-1944) went missing on December 15, 1944, while flying to France from England. After World War II, the United States Army Air Force decommissioned the ‘Glenn Miller led Army Air Force band,’ after which the Miller estate authorised an official Glenn Miller ‘ghost band’ in 1946, this band was led by Tex Beneke, who as time went on had more prominence in the band’s identity.

Mack Gordon and Harry Warren had got their inspiration for writing the ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo’ 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 Mack 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.’ The song cleverly references lyrics from well known songs of the previous two decades, such as, ‘Nothing could be finer than to have your ham and eggs in Carolina,’ (Carolina in the Morning-1922) ‘When you hear the whistle blowin,” (Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar-1940) and ‘Satin and lace, I used to call funny face’ (Funny Face-1927.)

‘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 53 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!

Lou Rawls was born Louis Allen Rawls 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 (1931-1964) (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.’ Lou 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 1958, while touring the American South with the ‘Pilgrim Travelers,’ and Sam Cooke, Lou Rawls was involved a car crash. He was pronounced dead before arriving at the hospital, where he stayed in a coma for five and a half days. He spent a year recuperating, and it was several months before his memory returned. He considered the crash a life changing event. In 1980 Lou 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. In 1982 he received a star on the ‘Hollywood Walk of Fame,’ and in 2021 he was posthumously inducted into the ‘Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.’

The discography of Lou Rawls who was known for his rich baritone voice, includes 53 Albums released between 1962-2006, and at least 36 singles released between 1959?-1987. In America on the Billboard Hot 100, six of his singles have reached the top 40, with ‘You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine,’ peaking the highest at Number 2, while 18 of his singles have made the Billboard ‘Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs’ top 40, with ‘Love Is a Hurtin’ Thing,’ (1966) and ‘You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine,’ (1976) both reaching the Number 1 position. In the UK, Lou Rawls only top 40 charting single is ‘You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine,’

‘You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine’ was co-written, and co-produced by the legendary songwriting team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, (see also best songs 1001-896-725-648-604-571-448 and 258) and was the first of two singles released from Lou Rawls’ 27th Album release, and his first of six Albums for ‘Philadelphia International Records,’ ‘All Things in Time,’ from June 1976. In an attempt to lure Lou Rawls to their record label ‘Philadelphia International,’ Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff pacifically wrote ‘You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine’ 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 now also 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 their 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-Fuc#in’, Son of-a-Bitch,’ an expression which was used among the musicians to compliment a person’s musical prowess. The discography of ‘M.F.S.B.’ who also recorded for ‘Philadelphia International Records’ in their own right, includes seven studio Albums released between 1973-1980, and 17 singles released between 1973-1994, there are also six official compilation Albums available. In America on the Billboard Hot 100, their only top 40 charting single was ‘TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia,’ featuring The Three Degrees,’ which reached Number 1 in 1974, the song had been written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff as the theme for the American musical television program ‘Soul Train.’ In the UK, ‘M.F.S.B.’ have had three top 40 hits, with ‘TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia,’ featuring The Three Degrees,’ peaking the highest at Number 22.

‘You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine’ which provided Lou Rawls with his first Billboard hit in seven years, had it’s instrumentation provided by ‘M.F.S.B. Due to the splintering of ‘M.F.S.B.’ the ‘house band’ at ‘Philadelphia International Records’ at around the time of recording, it is difficult to find information as to which musicians played on the track. It is safe to assume that ‘M.F.S.B.’ founding member Bobby Eli (1946-2023) provided instrumentation, as he was credited as the Albums arranger. The American guitarist Dennis Harris (see also best songs 258) played the guitar intro, while fellow American T. J. Tindall, (1950-2016) who played on over 30 hits produced by Gamble and Huff, was also a guitarist on the track.

‘You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine,’ 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 0.53. 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 British dance music and clubbing magazine ‘Mixmag,’ 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,’ (1990-UK-Number 120) and ‘More Than I Know,’ (1991-UK-Number 98) 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, and at the time of writing they remain active.

The discography of Leftfield includes four studio Albums released between 1995-2022, and 20 singles released between 1990-2023, there are also three official compilation Albums, and one live Album available. Leftfield have also remixed tracks since 1991 for several artists, including the David Bowie single ‘Jump They Say,’ (1993) and the David Arnold ‘Shaken and Stirred: The David Arnold James Bond Project’ (1997.) In the UK, all four of their studio Albums have made the top 20, with their second studio Album ‘Rhythm and Stealth,’ (1999) reaching Number 1, while six of their singles have made the UK top 40, with ‘Afrika Shox, featuring Afrika Bambaataa, peaking the highest at Number 7 in 1999. Leftfield have never charted on the American Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, but two of their tracks ‘Song of Life,’ (1992-Number 27) and ‘Afro-Left,’ featuring Djum Djum, (1995-Number 20) have both made the Billboard ‘Dance Club Songs’ chart.

‘Open Up’ was first released as a single by Leftfield in November 1993, and then appeared on the debut studio Album from Leftfield, called ‘Leftism,’ from January 1995. ‘Open Up’ which is the second of five singles released from the Album, was co-written by Neil Barnes, and Paul Daley of Leftfield, along with the songs vocalist John Lydon, (see also best songs 967-576-92 and 27) who wrote the lyrics. Leftfield made a point of using several different guest vocalists on their songs, all of whom had little to do with ‘Dance Music.’ On the ‘Leftfield’ Album for example, guest vocalists included the Jamaican Reggae singer, Earl Sixteen, Toni Halliday of the English Rock group ‘Curve,’ the Swedish Rapper Papa Dee, and of course the ‘Punk Rock’ artist John Lydon.

The story goes that one of Neil Barnes’ friends knew John Lydon, and he introduced him to Lydon when he was 19 years old. Once Barnes formed Leftfield with Paul Daley, Barnes was always on the lookout for a suitable song for Lydon to sing on. Barnes has 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 bassline until we got it right, spinning in records endlessly, trying different breaks to get the right feel for it, changing the hi-hat rhythm 100 times, different bass drums… We’d push things sonic-ally as far as we could.’ John Lydon has said, ‘They brought me over to the studio one night, and I more or less just free-formed it. I’d been running the ideas through my mind almost constantly, so it was all just waiting for the pen to hit the page. There’s so many different issues that run rampant in your mind when you put songs together. The best songs are when you draw conclusions from all those issues that are part of that same conglomerate that we’re presented with. In my book ‘Open Up’ is all flashing lights, that’s how I remembered it, writing it and thinking about it and being in the studio. I used the traffic lights scenario. Red is of course the warning, you could ruin this if you’re not careful.’

‘Open Up’ includes 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.