Barry Philips Discos

Published by Barry Philips · March 20 at 1:00 PM · 

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
5-David Bowie-Life on Mars.
1971-It wasn’t released as a single until 1973 when reaching Number 3.
Best Bit-At 3.28. Bowie had struggled for many years to make that big breakthrough, but success finally occurred in 1969 with ‘Space Oddity,’ so it is no big surprise that other of his songs have celestial themed titles such as ‘Starman’ and ‘Life on Mars.’ this song is well named because it is truly ‘out of this world.’
Bowie (see also best songs 807-440-334-302-209-186-118-47 and 31) has stated that he found writing this song easy, ‘Being young was easy, a really beautiful day in the park. I took a walk to Beckenham High Street to catch a bus but couldn’t get the riff out of my head, I started working it out on the piano and had the whole lyric and melody finished by late afternoon. Rick Wakeman came over a couple of weeks later and embellished the piano part and Mick Ronson created one of his first, and best string parts .’
The songs mysterious lyrics will always be open to interpretation.The opening verse probably tells of a young girl wanting to escape her everyday mundane existence, so for escapism she visits the cinema, but soon realises she has done this before and the film is only reflecting what she already knows about her own reality.The second verse expands the situation,dealing with people as a whole and how we can get sucked in by commercialism, and into thinking the grass is always greener on the other side. When Bowie sings ‘Is there life on Mars,’ he is saying, is there a better life I can make for myself.
‘It’s on America’s tortured brow that Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow.’
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This is the highest placed David Bowie song on this countdown.YOUTUBE.COMDavid Bowie – Life On Mars? (Official Video)Official video for Life On Mars? by David Bowie. Stream David Bowie’s greatest hits here � https://RhinoUK.lnk.to/ThisIsDavidBowieAY…

Barry Philips Discos

Published by Barry Philips · 7 hrs · 

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
6-Beatles-Hey Jude.
1968-Number 1 single.
Best Bit-At 3.09.The ‘outro’ that stays longer than the mother-in-law.
By 1968 tensions were rising high in the Beatles camp, with all four band members in confrontation with each other.To add to the tension John Lennon had just split from his wife Cynthia who was also a close friend of McCartney’s, and Lennon’s new partner Yoko Ono appeared in the eyes of McCartney to be taking his place in the creative department.
McCartney (see also best songs 646-599-456-319-238-218-141-107-80-51 and 10) didn’t think it was right to cut ties with Cynthia, and decided to visit her and her five year old son Julian at their family home. Cynthia recalled McCartney’s surprise visit, ‘I was touched by his obvious concern for our welfare, on the journey down he composed ‘Hey Jude’ in the car.’
The songs original title was ‘Hey Jules’ and it was intended to comfort Julian from the stress of his parents separation, McCartney changed the title to ‘Hey Jude’ as it fit the song better.
Reading through the lyrics it appears that the song is not just about a five year old boy, it appears to encompass all the turbulent relationships surrounding McCartney at that time including his own failing relationship with Jane Asher, and his recent meeting with Linda Eastman in June 1968.
Two other UK Number 1 singles with long ‘outro’s’ were inspired by this song,’Heart of Glass’ by Blondie and ‘Hot Love’ by T.Rex.
‘For well you know that it’s a fool who plays it cool by making his world a little colder.’
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The countdown continues tomorrow at 1.0.pm.
This is the highest placed Beatles song on this countdown.YOUTUBE.COMHey Jude (Remastered 2009)Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group Hey Jude (Remastered 2009) · The Beatles The Beatles 1967 – 1970 ℗ 2009 Calderstone…

Barry Philips Discos

Published by Barry Philips · Yesterday at 1:00 PM · 

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
7-Bob Dylan-Like a Rolling Stone.
1965-Number 4 single.
Best Bit-At 4.26. For radio DJ’s on a long shift this song was a God send. It was unheard of for a track of more than three minutes to be played on air until this came along. It meant that presenters had time to go and powder their nose without having to rush back.
The lyrics to ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ were not originally written as a song but as a approximately ten page short story which Dylan would eventually edit when the idea for a song came to mind.
Dylan (see also best songs 792-358-103 and 36) was already a world renowned ‘Folk’, Pop star, but was not satisfied with the path his career was taking, and if it wasn’t for this song, and the adding of Electric Guitar to his sound he may well have retired from making music.
There are many rumours about whom the song is written about, but in all probability it was written about quite a few characters and acquaintances Dylan knew and knew of.
The songs title is taken from the proverb, ‘A rolling stone gathers no moss,’ Dylan got the idea from the 1949 Hank Williams song ‘Lost Highway’ which contains the line ‘I’m a rolling stone, all alone and lost.’
Paul McCartney remembered going around to John Lennon’s house to hear the song, he has said, ‘It seemed to go on and on forever. It was just beautiful, he showed all of us that it was possible to go a little further.’
‘You’ve gone to the finest schools, alright Miss Lonely, but you know you only used to get juiced in it.’
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The countdown continues tomorrow at 1.0.pm.
This is the highest placed Bob Dylan song on this countdown.YOUTUBE.COMBob Dylan – Like a Rolling Stone (Audio)Music video by Bob Dylan performing Like a Rolling Stone (Audio). (C) 2017 Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment…

Barry Philips Discos

Published by Barry Philips · 1 hr · 

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
8-Guns N’ Roses-Paradise City.
1987-It was not released as a single until 1989 when reaching Number 6.
Best Bit-At 4.49.’Take me down to the paradise city where the grass is green and the girls are pretty.’ Most heterosexual males couldn’t care less if the grass was purple with pink polka dots, as long as the girls are pretty.
Guns N’ Roses (see also best songs 463) were formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985 by Axl Rose (vocalist,) Slash (lead guitar,) Izzy Stradlin (rhythm guitar,) Duff McKagan (bass,) and Steven Adler (drums.) Their debut Album ‘Appetite for Destruction’ from where this song was taken is the biggest selling debut Album in the States ever with sales of over 18 million.
Slash has stated that the song was written in the back of a rental van as the band were travelling back from a gig in San Francisco. He also has stated it is his favourite Guns N’ Roses song. Axl Rose who wrote many of the songs lyrics has always cited the Finnish band ‘Hanoi Rocks’ as his major influence, their song ‘Lost in the City’ is a possible inspiration for some of this songs lyrics, although the song is about Rose’s life when he lived on the streets as a teenager. ‘Paradise City’ is anywhere in the world where a better life can be found.
As I have stated many times before in this countdown nothing in Pop Music is totally original, so if you want to know where this songs ‘guitar riff’ came from take a listen to ‘Zero the Hero’ by Black Sabbath.
‘Just a urchin livin’ under the street, I’m a hard case that’s tough to beat.’
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The countdown continues tomorrow at 1.0.pm.
This is the highest placed Heavy Metal song on this countdown.YOUTUBE.COMGuns N’ Roses – Paradise City#AppetiteForDestruction: The Debut Album, Remastered and Expanded. Available now as Box Set, Super Deluxe, Double LP, and Double CD…

Barry Philips Discos

Published by Barry Philips · Yesterday at 1:00 PM · 

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
9-Nirvana-Smells Like Teen Spirit.
1991-Number 7 single.
Best Bit-At 0.07.It may look like teenage revolution, it may sound like teenage revolution, it may smell like teenage revolution, but it’s not.
It is said that Kurt Cobain (1967-1994) grew to hate this song and did not wish to play it live. ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ is seen as a teenage song of rebellion, but Cobain always stated that he was no voice of the people.
Kathleen Hanna, the lead singer of a band called ‘Bikini Kill’ spray painted ‘Kurt Smells Like Teen Spirit’ on Cobain’s bedroom wall after they had both been out drinking. ‘Teen Spirit’ was a deodorant often worn by Cobain’s then girlfriend Tobi Vail. Cobain thought those words would make a great song title.
The songs lyrics were not printed when first released on the bands second studio Album ‘Nevermind’ (see also best songs 788,) and because of the difficulty of trying to hear what Cobain was singing, this only added to the speculation of what the song is really about.
Even with the lyrics in front of you, ten different people could come up with ten different meanings. I personally think the core element of the song is about Cobain’s Heroin addiction, he knows he is harming himself, and his band but he can’t help himself.
‘With the lights out it’s less dangerous, here we are now entertain us.’
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The countdown continues tomorrow at 1.0.pm.
This is the highest placed song on this countdown from the 1990’s.YOUTUBE.COMNirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit (Official Music Video)REMASTERED IN HD! Read the story behind ‘Nevermind’ here:…

Barry Philips Discos

Published by Barry Philips · 1 hr · 

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
10-Beatles-A Day in the Life.
1967-Has never been released as a single in the UK.
Best Bit-At 2.16. As I have stated previously, regardless of whether a song was written by either Lennon (Strawberry Fields Forever,) or McCartney (Yesterday,) they would both share writing credits, but on this song they both really did have input.
The initial inspiration for the song came after John Lennon (see also best songs 927-473-456-168 and 20) had been reading two separate articles in the ‘Daily Mail’ newspaper.’ Guinness’ heir Tara Brown an acquaintance of the Beatles (see also best songs 599-456-319-238-218-141-80 and 51) had just died after recklessly driving his Lotus car into a parked van, this is the subject of the first verse.The final verse also written by Lennon told of how the ‘Blackburn Roads Surveyor’ had counted 4000 holes in the roads of Blackburn, Lancashire,Lennon sarcastically tells us they now know how many holes it takes to fill the ‘Albert Hall,’ both these stories appeared in the January 17th,1967 edition of the newspaper.
Lennon also wrote the second verse, ‘I saw a film today, ‘this is about the movie ‘How I Won the War’ that Lennon had been filming for in September and October 1966.
The songs other verse was written by Paul McCartney (see also best songs 646 and 107,) Lennon had nothing for the middle part of the song, and McCartney had lyrics written (‘Woke up, fell out of bed,’) but no complete song to put them to.
The idea of using a 41 piece orchestra was the idea of McCartney.The musicians were told to attend the session dressed formally, when they got there they were presented with party novelties such as false noses and party hats, which explains their odd look in the video which you can view here.
‘I read the news today,oh boy, about a lucky man who made the grade.’
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The countdown continues tomorrow at 1.0.pm.
This is the 2nd highest placed Beatles song on this countdown.YOUTUBE.COMThe Beatles – A Day In The LifeSgt. Peppers 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe boxset, Vinyl & merch available now: https://thebeatles.lnk.to/sgtpepperanniversary Sgt.…

Barry Philips Discos

Published by Barry Philips · 22 hrs · 

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

COMING NEXT THE TOP 10.

I would just like to say thank you to everyone who has taken time to read, like, share or comment on any of the songs I have written about over the past 1000 days. I can’t believe how quickly the time has gone, it doesn’t seem like two minutes since I set out on this labour of love back on June 29th, 2017 and to think in just ten days time on March 24th the list will be complete.
There have been many lists of ‘best songs’ submitted by many organisations over the years, but I think where mine differs is in its diversity. I have striven to include every genre of music from the 1920’s onward, and include all genres of music from the ‘Crooners’ of the pre Rock ‘N’ Roll era, all the way through to the ‘Grime’ artists of the early 21st Century.
The one thing that becomes evident when studying popular music is that the majority of artists have written their best material by the age of 30, it appears that even the greatest musicians struggle to keep the standard up as they head towards middle age.
Pop Music certainly took off with the advent of Rock ‘N’ Roll, there is no comparison between listening to a song from 1957 and then hearing what was being recorded in just ten short years later, but it appears that Pop Music’s most productive period according to my countdown is the years from 1967-1969 with more songs appearing in this list from that time than any other. I would also suggest that the years of the late 1970’s and early 1980’s were also a boom period.
We are so lucky to have such wonderful music in abundance, any of the top 10 are worthy of being the best song ever. I hope you take time to listen to my choices over the next ten days and please feel free to comment.

Music was my first love and it will be my last
Music of the future and music of the past
To live without my music would be impossible to do
In this world of troubles
My music pulls me through.

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For a list of all the best 1000 songs so far click on the blog at www.barryphilipsdiscos.
The countdown continues tomorrow at 1.0.pm.

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Barry Philips Discos

Published by Barry Philips · Yesterday at 1:00 PM · 

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
11-Donna Summer-I Feel Love.
1977-Number 1 single.
Best Bit-At 0.10. Even at the age of 16 with a very limited knowledge of Pop Music, I knew on first listen, I was hearing something that had never been done before, and was ground breaking. It appears I was in good company as according to David Bowie who at that time was in West Germany recording his ‘Berlin Trilogy,’ his collaborator Brian Eno came running in and said, ‘I have heard the sound of the future,’ he puts on ‘I Feel Love.’He said, ‘This is it, look no further, this single is going to change the sound of club music for the next fifteen years.’
‘I Feel Love’ was written and produced by Giorgio Moroder and Peter Belotte (see also best songs 78,) it was first released on Donna Summer’s fifth studio Album, ‘I Remember Yesterday’ which was a concept Album. Each track was meant to evoke the sound of a different decade, for example a 60’s girl group (‘Loves Unkind,’) or the 1940’s feel of the title track. Moroder and Belotte wanted to create a track that would supposedly represent the future of Disco music to close the Album.
Before ‘I Feel Love’ most Disco music was played by orchestras, but Moroder who had been experimenting with Synthesizers for years borrowed a ‘Moog Modular 3P’ from the classical composer Eberhard Schoener, aided by Schoener’s assistant Robby Wedel they would create something unique for it’s time.
It is impossible to overstate the importance of this song as it went on to influence the genres of ‘New Wave,’ ‘House Music,”Techno,”Trance’ and ‘Electronic Dance Music.’
‘Ooh, it’s so good, it’s so good, it’s so good.’
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The countdown continues tomorrow at 1.0.pm.
This is the highest placed ‘Dance’ song on this countdown.YOUTUBE.COMDonna Summer I Feel Love Original 8 minute 12″ version 1977

Barry Philips Discos

Published by Barry Philips · March 13 at 1:00 PM · 

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
12-Lynyrd Skynyrd-Free Bird.
1973-In the UK the song charted at Number 43 in 1979, and again in 1982 peaking at Number 21.
Best Bit-At 4.43.Whenever Lynyrd Skynyrd performed this song live it would end up being a ‘jam’ that would go on forever and ever. It has become a humorous tradition for audience members at any type of concerts they are attending to shout ‘Play Free Bird,’ so the next time your at the latest ‘Westlife’ reunion and someone shouts out ‘Free Bird,’ you’ll know why.
‘Free Bird’ was co-written by Allen Collins (1952-1990) and Ronnie Van Zant (1948-1977.) Collins got the idea for the songs subject when his girlfriend Kathy whom he later married asked him, ‘If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me.’ Van Zant when asked what the song meant said, ‘it means to be free, in that a bird can fly wherever he wants to go, everyone wants to be free.’
Lynyrd Skynyrd (see also best songs 204) started out life in 1964 under the name ‘My Backyard,’ before becoming ‘The Nobel Five,’ then ‘The One Percent,’ before finally settling on ‘Lynyrd Skynyrd’ in 1970. The name is a mocking tribute to ‘Leonard Skinner’ a P.E. teacher at ‘Robert E.Lee High School’ where some of the bands members had attended, apparently Skinner was very strict and wouldn’t allow boys at the school to have long hair.
Tragedy struck in 1977 when an air plane crash killed three of the group, Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines a guitarist who had joined the group in 1976, and his sister Cassie Gaines who was the bands backing singer.
‘Cause I’m as free as a bird now, and this bird you cannot change.’
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The countdown continues tomorrow at 1.0.pm.YOUTUBE.COMFree Bird (Extended Music Version)Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group Free Bird (Extended Music Version) · Lynyrd Skynyrd Skynyrd’s Innyrds: Greatest Hits ℗ 1989 Geffen…

Barry Philips Discos

Published by Barry Philips · March 12 at 1:00 PM · 

THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
13-Neil Diamond-Sweet Caroline (Good Times Never Seemed so Good.)
1969-It did not chart in the UK until 1971, when reaching Number 8.
Best Bit-At 1.04.Forget ‘We will Rock You,’ ‘We are the Champions,’ ‘Three Lions’ or ‘Eye of the Tiger,’ when attending a sporting event around the world this is the anthem you are most likely to hear.
Neil Diamond (see also best songs 536 and 426) is well known for teasing interviewers as to what his songs are about. Reading between the lines Diamond appears to have taken initial inspiration for the songs title after seeing a magazine cover photo of President John F.Kennedy’s daughter Caroline as a young child on a horse, with her parents. However in 2014 Diamond said the song was about his then wife Marcia, but he needed a three syllable name to fit it’s melody.
Diamond has said that he was due in the recording studio for a three hour session but he only had two songs to record, so the night before in his motel room he wrote ‘Sweet Caroline,’ he said it was one of the fastest songs he ever wrote. Of all the cover versions of the song he has said that the ‘Big Band’ rendition by Frank Sinatra is the best by far.
‘How can I hurt when I’m holding you.’
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The countdown continues tomorrow at 1.0.pm.YOUTUBE.COMNeil Diamond – Sweet Caroline High Quality neildiamondNeil Diamond – Sweet Caroline High Quality to Live Audience in Neil…