Well this is it then, my 100th post and as promised here are the 100 songs currently in my top 10 (ok I know that sounds stupid, but regular readers will understand!) If I were to do this again say for the 200th post there would be quite a few differences. This list is in no particular order, although Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry” probably still remains my most favourite song ever! I would love to see your comments on the list; is there anything you really like or really don’t like on here, is there anything really embarrassing perhaps. What is your top 10 or top 100? Incidentally I can already think of many more that didn’t make the cut!
As usual you will find the usual trivia content or comment along with the songs
No Woman No Cry Bob Marley – Obviously I love this song but it has to be the live version and then preferably the one from the 1975 London Lyceum concerts. That album was called simply ‘Live’ and I wore out my vinyl copy completely
Police And Thieves Junior Murvin – A classic reggae song, well covered by the Clash. Sadly the song is still all too pertinent today
Licking Stick Desmond Dekker – Fun reggae at it’s best from the late great Mr Dacres
Cottage In Negril Tyrone Taylor – Don’t ask me why but this is probably one of my favourite reggae songs ever. It makes me want to go to Negril
Rebel, Rebel David Bowie – The first single from the wonderful Diamond Dogs album. A glorious Rolling Stones pastiche on which, unusually, Mr Bowie plays lead guitar
Heroes David Bowie – Inspirational and also a song that I will have played at my funeral in 50 years. You should check out the versions he recorded in both French and German
Strawberry Letter 23 Brothers Johnson – Regular readers will know just how much I love this song. ‘Nuff said
I Want You Back Jackson 5 – That opening piano run still sends shivers down my spine and frankly how can you not want to dance to this
Superstition Stevie Wonder – Stevie rocks out more than many on this one which was originally written for Jeff Beck. More than enough to forgive Mr Wonder for “I Just Called To Say I Love You”
White Man In The Hammersmith Palais Clash – In my humble opinion the finest song by the finest band ever!
London Calling Clash – If my memory serves me well this is the only Clash song ever to feature in a Bond movie
Complete Control Clash – A venomous attack on CBS, far more venomous than the Sex Pistols “EMI” in my view
Don’t Let Me Down Beatles – My favourite Fab Four song which in fact was only a B Side! Also a song that I sing very badly at full volume when I’m drunk
Revolution Beatles – Another moptops classic that I also sing very badly whilst under the influence of alcohol
Instant Karma John Lennon – Karma is a powerful thing and Instant Karma is a powerful song!
Do Anything You Wanna Do Eddie And The Hot Rods – In my teens this was probably one of the most meaningful and uplifting songs I knew. Even at the old age of 50 it still does it for me
Gary Gilmore’s Eyes Adverts – For subject matter alone this would be in the top 100. Mr Gilmore was executed in the US in the mid 70s and he donated his eyes to an anonymous someone. That someone is the subject of the song!
Theme From A Summer Place Percy Faith Orchestra – You might say that this is one of my guilty pleasures, well maybe, but it is a beautiful piece of music. It was also used to great effect in the TV adaptation of Stephen King’s Rose Red
Wild Is The Wind David Bowie – Not a Bowie original but one written for a 50s movie, perhaps more of a torch song and one of Bowie’s best ever cover versions. It certainly makes up for his bloody awful cover of the Beach Boys “God Only Knows” in the 80s
What’s Going On? Marvin Gaye – Great song from a great album, such a shame that it still rings true after nearly 40 years
September Earth, Wind And Fire – E, W & F at their best, probably my favourite Saturday night song
God Save The Queen Sex Pistols – Fear and conspiracy kept this from the number one spot in the Queens Silver Jubilee week in 1977. For me this is a major contender for the UK’s new national anthem!
Public Image Public Image Limited – So many people thought that Lydon would do nothing after the Pistols, how very wrong they were.
Suspicious Minds Elvis Presley – Elvis gets his mojo back after all those years of shit movie songs
She’s Gone Hall & Oates – Taken from the Abandoned Luncheonette album, one of the saddest songs I know. I always play this when I’m in a melancholy mood. I also believe that Daryl Hall has the finest white soul voice in history. And what the bloody hell is a luncheonette?
Mack The Knife Bobby Darin – I love story songs and this is easily one of the best. You have to tap your feet and click your fingers to this don’t you?
Karma Police Radiohead – Probably the best band in the world today
Bernadette Four Tops – Levi Stubbs RIP, I believe Mr Stubbs was the finest soul singer there ever was and ever will be. is this the only song about a Bernadette too?
Still Water (Love) Four Tops – Relaxing, powerful, beautiful, ethereal, there simply aren’t enough words to describe this gorgeous song
Into My Arms Nick Cave – As love songs go this might be quite strange but it is undoubtedly beautiful too
Talk Show Host Radiohead – My favourite song from the ‘Head by a long way. just a B Side and als on the soundtrack of Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Romeo And Juliet’ movie
Take Me Girl I’m Ready Junior Walker – My favourite ever juke box record. In the late 70s this was number 77A on the jukebox in the Windmill pub in Ruislip
Woman To Woman Shirley Brown – A real torch song, sets the hairs on the back of my neck on end
If Loving You Is Wrong Millie Jackson – and the classic soul torch diva has to be Ms Jackson. I saw her live at the Victoria Apollo in the 70s
Ms Jackson Outkast – Talking of Ms Jackson (although this is actually about Erykah Badu’s Mum) here is my favourite Outkast song. Don’t you think it sounds a little reminiscent of ‘Strawberry Letter 23’?
I Know What I like (In Your Wardrobe) Genesis – Personally I think Genesis went downhill after Peter Gabriel left, what do you think? But this Gabriel era song is just sublime and what a fantastic title too
Metal Guru T Rex – A song I used to mime to with my tennis racquet as a teenage wannabe rock star. So why did I go on to become a bloody accountant?
One Nation Under A Groove Funkadelic – The ultimate dance song. I saw them live with companion band Parliament in 1978 at the Hammersmith Odeon. Still one of the best concerts I have ever seen
I Can See Clearly Now Johnny Nash – This man has the voice of an angel, why are so few of his albums available on CD. Definitely one of my heroes, I reckon I would be lost for words if I met him
There Are More Questions Than Answers Johnny Nash – A Texan singer that sings reggae? it shouldn’t work should it? But it does doesn’t it?
Solsbury Hill Peter Gabriel – If I ever feel a bit down this is the song I play to pull myself back up. Written about his decision to leave Genesis just before they went towards mega stardom
I Was Watching You Rosanne Cash – Regular readers will know that I have mentioned this song before. I do cry most times I listen to it and although it was released after his death it makes me think of my Dad
Hurt Johnny Cash – Mr Cash covers a Trent Reznor off of the Nine Inch Nails song. You must be pretty hard if this doesn’t make you at least a tad emotional
The Man Who Sold The World Lulu – One of the better covers of a Bowie song. If their respective labels had sanctioned it Mr Bowie was ready to record a whole album with Lulu. Sadly that didn’t happen
All The Young Dudes Mott The Hoople – The greatest Bowie cover, in fact one of his greatest songs and he simply gave it to Mott!
Wishing Well Free – Forget all the stuff he’s done with Queen, this was one of Paul Rodgers finest vocal performances
You Get What You Give New Radicals – One of the most short-lived bands of the 90s, but what a legacy. Gregg Alexander also wrote (or co wrote) Ronan Keating’s ‘Life Is A Rollercoaster’ which I kind of like!
A Town Called Malice Jam – Paul Weller. probably the greatest English rock star of his generation. I saw him live at the MEN in Manchester last year and he is even better in concert. Indeed he played this Jam classic too
The Look Of Love ABC – For all my criticism of the 80s this song and the album it comes from (The Lexicon Of Love) is one of my favourites. Produced by the great Trevor Horn
Sheena Is A Punk Rocker Ramones – 1, 2, 3, 4 and off da bruvvers go. Hey Ho Let’s Go is there really anything else to say?
Wuthering Heights Kate Bush – Oh Kate my Lionheart, I love this woman and want to have her babies
The Man With The Child In His Eyes Kate Bush – OK maybe I wouldn’t really do the male pregnancy thing with Kate, but she is definitely my favourite female singer
5.15 Who – My favourite song from the Who from my favourite of their albums, the classic ‘Quadraphenia’
Sugar Sugar Archies – This was the first single I ever bought. I got it from Uxbridge market in 1969
Suedehead Morrissey – For me Stephen can be a bit hit or miss but this is definitely on the hit side
William It Was Really Nothing Smiths – How could I not include the Smiths in this list and yes I am being just a tad egotistical with this choice
New Years Day U2 – The piano refrain is haunting in a rock kind of way. Also more ego coming out here too, my birthday is on new years day!
Justified And Ancient KLF and Tammy Wynette – There will never be anyone like the KLF. Were they a band or just art terrorists? Who knows and frankly who cares when they left songs and collaborations like this behind!
You Got The Love The Source Featuring Candi Staton – Another uplifting song, although personally I tend to ignore the religious aspects! Recently Florence And The Machine have recorded a great cover of this song
Gimme Shelter Rolling Stones – For me this song, especially the riff, evokes the 60s
It’s Only Rock N Roll Rolling Stones – Now this is another I used to mime to as a teenager, well ok I still do! It might not be a pretty sight but I love doing it!
Hurricane Bob Dylan – Dylan at his best, when riled or when he gets political he is untouchable. This song was about the plight of wrongly imprisoned boxer Reuben Carter
You Wear It Well Rod Stewart – Most people I know would opt for Maggie May from his early 70s hits, I always preferred this one. Possibly even worth forgiving him for the awful ‘Baby Jane’ for
Wish You Were Here Pink Floyd – One of the Floyd’s greatest and another song that gets me just a little emotional
You Can Make Me Dance Sing Or Anything Rod Stewart And The Faces – I bet you can’t not dance to this. It’s one of the last songs the Faces recorded before Ron Wood and Rod the Mod left. It shows them going in a direction which I think would have been so good
Itchycoo Park Small Faces – I actually remember hearing this on the radio as a kid. I didn’t have a clue what the lyrics were about then and I don’t think I’m much wiser now! Don’t go near the atrocious cover version by M People
Lowdown Boz Scaggs – Taken from the excellent Silk Degrees album from 1976 and the track I use to soundcheck any new hi-fi equipment even now
I’m Your Puppet James And Bobby Purify – This was actually a rerecording of their original 60s song. Guilty pleasure or great soul song? I’ll let you decide, but either way I love it!
Olympian Gene – probably the best of the ‘Britpop’ bands, well in my opinion anyway. Sadly the band are no longer around, but I did manage to see them three times while they were. Another song that I will have played at my funeral in the very distant future too
Born To Run Bruce Springsteen – I was always going to include something from the Boss and it was always going to be this song
Lose Yourself Eminem – In my opinion Mr Mathers is the greatest rapper, although Jay Z does push him close
Too Late To Turn Back Now Cornelius Brothers And Sister Rose – It took me more than 20 years to track down this song and now when I listen to it I reckon it is definitely a guilty pleasure
Stay Together Suede – The most Bowie influenced of the 90s British bands. The combination of Brett Anderson’s lyrics and vocals along with Bernard Butler’s guitar is truly awesome
Skin Trade Duran Duran – A Duran Duran song in my top 100? Yeah that surprised me too
1999 Prince – I love a lot of Prince’s stuff, but this remains a great party track
Susan’s House Eels – Mark Everett is a superb songwriter and this for me is one of his best. His autobiography is bloody good too
Take A Look Around Temptations – A terrific Norman Whitfield production and that intro still blows me away!
Let’s Get It On Marvin Gaye – This great song has recently been sullied by it’s use to advertise pizzas on UK TV (I think it might have been Dominoes) But it still remains a great song for seduction and lurve 😉
The Love I Saw In You Was Just A Mirage Smokey Robinson And The Miracles – Bob Dylan once described Smokey as the worlds greatest living poet. Listen to this song and you can see why!
Gimme A Little Sign Brenton Wood – A great example of 60s soul and the song I sing most in the shower (along with the Monkees ‘I’m A Believer’)
The Love You Save Jackson 5 – Another classic written for the boys by the Motown house writers billed as the Corporation
Staggerlee Lloyd Price – Another story song and I reckon the best version by far
Once In A Lifetime Talking Heads – The ‘Heads finest moment for me. This song has everything and makes me happy everytime I hear it
Pyjamarama Roxy Music – Roxy before they became bland and frankly shit!
Song 2 Blur – Funny isn’t how the songs with barely any lyrics often sound so good. Whoo Hoo indeed!
Double Barrel Dave And Ansel Collins – Another slice of superb reggae. For years I thought these guys were brothers, they’re not. Actually it’s Ansel Collins and Dave Barker.
Sorted For E’s And Whizz Pulp – Jarvis Cocker is a lyrical genius and this is Pulp’s best example of his way with words
Spinning Around Kylie Minogue – OK so there is a certain appeal to the gold hot pants, but as modern disco goes this is brilliant. Gotta love Kylie!
Love Rollercoaster Ohio Players – One of my favourite funk songs, expertly covered by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers but it wasn’t a patch on the original
Hey Hey My My Neil Young – A great song and one which found a degree of infamy as it was quoted in Kurt Cobain’s suicide note
Grace Jeff Buckley – How big a star would he have been had he lived? Probably one og=f the biggest I think
Satellite Of Love Lou Reed – Taken from the Transformer album which was produced by Bowie and Mick Ronson. Listen carefully and you’ll hear Bowie on backing vocals
Hey Ya Outkast – The ultimate party record of recent times, a great video too
Since I Left You Avalanches – Aussie DJs/ dance act, I can’t believe that this wasn’t a bigger hit
Seven Nation Army White Stripes – Jack White has recently been named man of the decade by some UK publications, perhaps with some justification. The riff alone on this is worth the top 100
White Horses Jacky – OK clearly this theme from a 60s TV show (strangely enough it was called White Horses) is very much a guilty pleasure but I really love it. I think Jacky’s only other hit was ‘Rupert The Bear’
D’Yer Make ‘Er Led Zeppelin – Taken from Houses Of The Holy and in many peoples opinion Zep’s worst song. But I like to be different and this piece of cod reggae is wonderfully irreverent
Wild Wood Paul Weller – England’s finest living rock star perhaps? Well after Mr Bowie anyway
Stay With Me Lorraine Ellison – How much emotion can you squeeze into a song, not much more than Lorraine Ellison does in fact. Ignore the David Essex cover of this song at all costs!
Young Americans David Bowie – What he himself described as plastic soul and one of the songs I can recite the whole lyric of
Claire Boucher
With Just A Hint Of Mayhem 