# 40. Katy Perry & Snoop Dogg - California Girls (2 weeks # 1 - 2010)

 

http://www.top100lists.ca/images/katy_perry_california_girls.jpg

 

 

"California Girls" is a song by American recording artist and songwriter Katy Perry from her third studio album, Teenage Dream (2010). American hip hop artist Snoop Dogg also has a writing credit, and is featured as a guest vocalist on the song. According to Perry, the song is an answer song to "Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys. "California Girls" is a midtempo disco, funk-pop, and electronic song with influences of New Wave and electropop, while its lyrics are an ode to the west coast, the state in which Perry was born and raised.

 

"California Gurls" garnered positive reviews from music critics, with the majority of them labeling it a "summer anthem", as well as complimenting its production and chorus. Originally intended to be sent to mainstream and rhythmic airplay on May 25, 2010, the song was rush released to radio on May 7, 2010, after clips from Perry's new album were leaked online. It was subsequently released to iTunes on May 11, 2010. The song was a worldwide success, peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for six consecutive weeks, giving Perry her second US number-one single and Snoop Dogg his third. The song reached number one in over 10 countries, including Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and United Kingdom.

 

"California Girls" entered the UK Singles Chart on June 27, 2010, at number one, becoming her second chart topper in the country. The single sold 123,607 copies in the UK in its first week (the second highest number in 2010 after the Helping Haiti charity single "Everybody Hurts"). After two weeks, the song sold 216,000 copies in the UK. On October 29, 2010, the British Phonographic Industry classified the single as a "platinum record" (meaning it has sold over 600,000 units). As of March 2012, the single had sold 741,001 copies in the United Kingdom becoming her second best-selling single there behind "Firework".

 

A music video for the song was released on June 15, 2010, and features Perry and her dancers as pieces of a board game, set in the fictional "Candyfornia". Perry has said that the inspiration behind the video was artist Will Cotton, who was also the artistic director of the video. It has been noted that the video is influenced by several other works, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland, and the board game Candyland. On December 2, 2010, the song received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.

Edited February 6, 201411 yr by AlexRange

Very good write-ups, Alex.

 

# 39. Geri Halliwell - Bag It Up (1 week # 1 - 2000)

 

http://cdn.blogs.sheknows.com/celebrityphotos.sheknows.com/2011/01/geri-halliwell5.jpg

 

 

"Bag It Up" is a dance-pop song recorded by Geri Halliwell. It was released on 13 March 2000 as the fourth and final single from Halliwell's debut solo album Schizophonic (1999). It became Halliwell's third solo number one single in the United Kingdom selling 255,516 copies in total being certified Silver.

 

Directed by Dawn Shadforth, the humorous and raunchy video for "Bag It Up" presents an advert promoting the male-behaviour-altering "Girl Powder". Girl Powder, administered in small doses, transforms any male into an obedient domestic servant and also a sex slave. The video starts with a domestic scene. Geri and her shirtless 'boyfriend' (played by Aiden Turner) are sitting down in a living room watching television when an advert comes on for Girl Powder, which declares that it is "Heaven in a box".

 

Geri is seen doing all the housework and cooking for her 'boyfriend'. She then goes to the kitchen to make him coffee, when really she is preparing the Girl Powder drink. Once her boyfriend drinks it, his hair becomes pink and he has been transformed into a subservient male.

 

The action then moves to the "Girl Powder" factory, where Geri has been transformed into a catsuit-clad superheroine boss, controlling (along with other females in white lab coats) a factory operated by many pink-haired men. The next time Geri and her boyfriend are seen, the roles have been reversed. Geri is now the one in control, with the semi-clad sex slave pandering to her every whim, even acting as a human table. We then return to the factory, where Geri eventually strips the oiled-up dancers down to hot pants, bunny ears and high-heeled ankle boots. Eventually they end up pole-dancing, acting as bunny boys and parodying Playboy Bunnygirls, this time with the male as the sex object. We then see Geri parading the bunny boys on a leash at the end of the video, exhorting female listeners to "Treat him like a lady" and declaring "Who's wearing the trousers now?".

 

 

Very good write-ups, Alex.

They are actually copy-and-paste jobs from wikipedia

Oh wow, Geri Halliwell looks fitter than I thought she did. :kink:

 

And yeah, that's basically all I have to contribute to this thread.

They are actually copy-and-paste jobs from wikipedia

Yes, it's Wikipedia

 

# 38. Brotherhood Of Man - Save Your Kisses for Me (6 weeks # 1 - 1976)

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/49/Save_your_kisses_me_me_-_BOM.jpg

 

 

"Save Your Kisses for Me" was originally written by member Lee Sheriden in August 1974. On bringing the song in to the next songwriting session, others thought that the title was clumsy and reworked it into "Oceans of Love". Sheriden was unhappy with the changes and the song was shelved. A year later when it came to coming up with songs for the next album, they discovered that they needed one more song and Sheriden again put forth "Save Your Kisses for Me". This time it was accepted, as he later recalled:

 

"I'd had a year to think about it, I knew exactly what I wanted to do on the arrangement, the glockenspiel on the beginning and the big 12-string acoustic guitar and the strings, and then came the day to record the song...It was about midnight and I sang it and it went well. I could see everyone behind the glass panel getting excited and I thought great, they all really like the song, and as I finished I was waiting for them to press the button so they could speak to me and say 'great, we've got a hit' or whatever, and the person pressing it said: 'Lee, we think Martin should sing this song'. But I didn't mind because Martin came in and sung it to perfection."

 

Soon after, manager Tony Hiller was keen for the group to try for Eurovision, now that the qualifying rounds had changed in the UK. Up till now, a singer was nominated to perform, but for 1976 it was opened up to different singers to enter their own songs. Brotherhood of Man put forward "Save Your Kisses for Me" and it was accepted as one of the 12 finalists. It won A Song for Europe on 25 February 1976, beating second-placed Co-Co by just two points. The song was released as a single and reached number one in the UK Charts two weeks before the Eurovision final, due to be held on 3 April.

 

After winning the contest, the song was a hit in many countries worldwide. In the UK, it stayed at No. 1 for six weeks and was certified platinum by the BPI in May 1976, becoming the biggest selling single of the year.

 

 

# 37. ABBA - Dancing Queen (6 weeks # 1 - 1976)

 

http://zlatmusic.narod.ru/picture/abba_.jpg

 

 

"Dancing Queen" is a pop song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released in August 1976, and is commonly regarded as one of the most successful singles of the 1970s and greatest songs of all time.

 

"Dancing Queen" was written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Stig Anderson and features the shared lead vocal performance of Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. It is considered by many to be ABBA's signature song, as it reached the number 1 position on popular music charts in many countries. Recorded in 1975, it was released on the group's album Arrival the following year. The song was re-released as a single in 1992 to promote the compilation ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits.

 

"Dancing Queen" was a massive hit. It became ABBA's only No. 1 in the United States in April 1977. It also hit No. 1 in at least 13 other countries worldwide: Australia, Belgium, West Germany, United Kingdom, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Sweden and Rhodesia. "Dancing Queen" also reached the Top 5 in Austria, Canada, Finland, France and Switzerland. The track peaked at No. 14 in Italy, where ABBA never achieved the same degree of popularity as elsewhere. "Dancing Queen" was also extremely successful in Norway, where it charted for 32 weeks on the Norwegian charts (VG-lista Top 10), making it the 11th best-performing single of all time in that country. The song sold over three million copies. "Dancing Queen" was the last of three consecutive #1s the band had in the UK in 1976, following "Mamma Mia" and "Fernando" earlier in the year.

 

 

 

# 36. Britney Spears - Baby One More Time (2 weeks # 1 - 1999)

 

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KG40-Vtd_QI/S3m_wFBVdcI/AAAAAAAAAbI/xrPgSAlwv7Q/s400/britney_spears_baby_one_more_time.jpg

 

 

"Baby One More Time" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears. It served as Spears's debut single and title track from her debut studio album, Baby One More Time (1999). Written by Max Martin and produced by Martin, Rami Yacoub and Denniz Pop, "Baby One More Time" was released on September 30, 1998, by Jive Records. After recording and sending a demo tape with an unused song from Toni Braxton, Spears signed a multi-album deal with Jive. "Baby One More Time" is a teen pop and dance-pop song that refers to a girl who regrets breaking up with her boyfriend. The song received generally favorable reviews from critics, who praised its composition.

 

"Baby One More Time" attained global success, reaching number one in every country it charted. It also received numerous certifications around the world, and is one of the best-selling singles of all time, with over 10 million copies sold. An accompanying music video, directed by Nigel Dick, portrays Spears as a student from a Catholic high school, who starts to daydream that she is singing and dancing around the school, while watching her love interest from afar. The music video was later referenced in the music video of "If U Seek Amy" (2008), where Spears's fictional daughter is dressed with a similar schoolgirl outfit while wearing pink ribbons in her hair. In 2010, the music video for "Baby One More Time" was voted the third most influential video in the history of pop music, in a poll held by Jam!.

 

In United Kingdom, according Jive Records, the single "Baby One More Time" has sold more than 250,000 copies in a mere three days. Spears broke a first-week sales record for a female act at the time when "Baby One More Time" sold a total of 460,000 copies in the United Kingdom. The single went on to sell over 1.5 million units, making it the highest-selling single of the year.

Edited February 16, 201312 yr by AlexRange

They are actually copy-and-paste jobs from wikipedia

 

 

I feel so naive now :lol:

 

# 35. Mary Hopkin - Those Were The Days (6 weeks # 1 - 1968)

 

http://kruufm.com/files/170/mary_hopkin.jpg

 

 

"Those Were the Days" is a song credited to Gene Raskin, who put English lyrics to the Russian romance song "Dorogoi dlinnoyu" ("By the long road"), composed by Boris Fomin with words by the poet Konstantin Podrevskii. It deals with reminiscence upon youth and romantic idealism.

 

Georgian singer Tamara Tsereteli and Russian singer Alexander Vertinsky made what were probably the earliest recordings of the song, in 1925 and in 1926 respectively.

 

The song is best remembered, however, in English-speaking countries, for Mary Hopkin's 1968 recording, which was a top-ten hit in both the U.S. and the U.K. On most recorded versions of the song, Raskin is credited as the writer, even though he wrote only the later English lyrics and not the melody.

 

Although the song was popularized in the early 1960s by Limeliters, Welsh singer Mary Hopkin made the best known recording, released on 30 August 1968, shortly after Hopkin had been signed to the Beatles' newly created Apple label. Hopkin's recording was produced by Paul McCartney and became a #1 hit in the UK singles chart. In the US, Hopkin's recording reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Billboard Easy Listening charts for six weeks. In Netherlands it topped the charts for 2 consecutive weeks. The Russian origin of the melody was accentuated by an instrumentation which was unusual for a top ten pop record, including Balalaika, clarinet, hammer dulcimer and children's chorus, giving a klezmer feel to the song.

Edited June 4, 201411 yr by AlexRange

 

# 34. Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman - Somethin'Stupid (3 weeks # 1 - 2001)

 

http://web.orange.co.uk/images/ice/music/robbie_williams_75ffdda64263aa0acfca342c17636695.jpg

 

 

British singer Robbie Williams recorded "Somethin' Stupid" as a duet in 2001 with Academy Award-winning actress Nicole Kidman. The song appeared on Williams' 2001 album, Swing When You're Winning, and it topped the UK Singles Chart at the end of the year. The song became Williams' first Christmas Number-One single in the United Kingdom, and fifth as a featured artist. The single sold 98,506 copies in its first week and 366,000 copies over all earning a Silver Certification by the BPI. The song was the 30th best selling single of 2001 in the UK. The song also became another number-one single for Williams in New Zealand, being certified Gold, and became, at the time, his best selling single in Europe charting inside the top ten in most countries. In Australia, it became Williams' fourth top ten single, earning a Gold certification for over 35,000 copies sold.

Edited February 17, 201312 yr by AlexRange

 

# 33. Madonna - Like A Prayer (3 weeks # 1 - 1989)

 

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_W8k_-zfUyVg/TBjoQFkalFI/AAAAAAAACR0/BCvsjdNiw3w/s1600/madonna-like-a-prayer.jpg

 

 

"Like a Prayer" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna for her 1989 studio album of the same name. Sire Records released it as the lead single from the album on March 3, 1989. Written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard, "Like a Prayer" denoted a more artistic and personal approach to songwriting for Madonna, who felt she needed to cater more to her adult audience.

 

"Like a Prayer" is a pop rock song with elements of gospel music. A choir provides background vocals that heighten the song's spiritual nature, and a rock guitar keeps the music dark and mysterious. Madonna introduced liturgical words in the lyrics-inspired by her Catholic upbringing-but changed the context in which they were used. They have dual meanings of sexual innuendo and religion. "Like a Prayer" was acclaimed by critics, and was a commercial success. It was Madonna's seventh number-one single on the United States' Billboard Hot 100, and topped the singles charts in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Sweden, the United Kingdom and other countries.

 

In United Kingdom, "Like a Prayer" entered the UK Singles Chart at number two, before moving to the top the next week, remaining there for three weeks. Madonna became the artist with the most number-one singles of the 1980s in the UK, with a total of six chart-toppers. "Like a Prayer" became the tenth best-selling song of 1989 in the UK, with the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) certifying it gold, for shipment of 400,000 copies of the single. According to The Official Charts Company, the song has sold 550,000 copies there. "Like a Prayer" also reached number one in Belgium, Ireland, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. It was Madonna's fifth number one song on the Eurochart Hot 100 Singles chart, reaching the top on March 25, 1989, and staying at number one for 12 weeks. After the Glee episode "The Power of Madonna" was broadcast, "Like a Prayer" again entered the chart at position 47, on May 15, 2010.

 

 

 

 

# 32. Mariah Carey & Westlife - Against All Odds (2 weeks # 1 - 2000)

 

http://a-static.musicload-shop.de/cov/m/230/155/c/5/jje75_l2wboapgnb5j3y7mkzqwxywjju/against-all-odds-mariah-carey-featuring-westlife.jpg

 

 

"Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" (also simply titled "Against All Odds") is a song by English singer Phil Collins recorded for the soundtrack to the 1984 film of the same name. It is a power ballad in which its protagonist implores an ex-lover to "take a look at me now", knowing that reconciliation is "against all odds" while considering it worth trying. The single, while it reached number two in the United Kingdom, peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, the first for Collins.

 

The song has been covered by several singers, some of which versions have been successful in both the US and UK markets. One of the most notable versions was the pairing of Mariah Carey and boyband Westlife, whose single peaked at number one in the United Kingdom in September 2000.

 

Mariah Carey later re-released "Against All Odds" as a duet with Irish boyband Westlife. This version was released as the first single from Westlife's second album Coast to Coast. The song was released in September 2000, a few months after Carey's solo version. Carey did not re-record her vocals for the duet; however, the instrumental track was reproduced with a more organic sound complete with violins.

 

The single was more successful than the original in the UK and Ireland where it peaked at number 1, giving Westlife their sixth consecutive number one. It also gave Carey her second number 1 single in the UK. The song has sold 375,000 copies in the total in the UK. The music video shows Carey and Westlife recording the song and exploring the island of Capri by boat. The UK version of the single includes a limited edition Enhanced CD with video, poster and Westlife-only version and CD with Westlife video interview and picture sleeves.

Edited February 18, 201312 yr by AlexRange

 

# 31. Baccara - Yes Sir, I Can Boogie (1 week # 1 - 1977)

 

http://img13.nnm.ru/2/0/0/0/0/b1ce3d10cfb8b5af6a411d2c775.jpg

 

 

"Yes Sir, I Can Boogie" is a 1977 hit single by Spanish vocal duo Baccara.

 

Written by Frank Dostal and Rolf Soja, and produced by Soja, this standard disco song was a major hit across Europe and became the duo's sole number one single in the UK, spending a single week at the top in October 1977. It did not chart in United States, despite receiving airplay in several markets.

 

Baccara were Spanish flamenco dancers Mayte Matee and Maria Mendilo, who were dancing flamenco and singing traditional songs for tourists on the island of Fuerteventura when RCA executive Leon Deane signed them up.

 

A successful follow-up single ("Sorry, I'm a Lady") and European tour led to a number of album releases, numerous television appearances and the duo's selection to represent Luxembourg in the Eurovision Song Contest 1978.

 

Despite a substantial following in Spain, Germany and Japan, by 1981 the duo's distinctive blend of disco, pop and Spanish folk music was no longer fashionable, and by 1983 Mayte Mateos and María Mendiola were both working on solo projects. Achieving little success as solo artists, the two formed duos of their own: separate incarnations of the original Baccara appeared during the middle of the decade, with Mendiola fronting New Baccara and Mateos keeping the duo's original name. During the 1990s New Baccara was renamed back to Baccara; as a consequence both Mateos and Mendiola now head different duos with the same name. Both principals have subsequently had prolonged but separate legacy careers based on nostalgia and their earlier fame.

 

Mendiola's Baccara has seen more international recognition, releasing a string of Hi-NRG club hits such as "Fantasy Boy" and "Touch Me" in the late 1980s and the later UK club hit "Wind Beneath My Wings". Mateos' Baccara has released few new recordings, but has remained in demand for television and live appearances in countries such as Spain and Germany where the original Baccara developed a loyal fan base, performing the duo's back-catalogue and modernised versions of traditional Spanish songs.

Edited June 4, 201411 yr by AlexRange

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Edited March 21, 201510 yr by Sword of Justice

 

# 30. Bucks Fizz - My Camera Never Lies (1 week # 1 - 1982)

 

http://musopedia.ru/uploads/1294940657_bucks-fizz.jpg

 

 

"My Camera Never Lies" is a 1982 single by pop group, Bucks Fizz. It became the group's second consecutive (and third overall) UK number-one in April 1982. The song was written by Andy Hill and Nichola Martin and was featured on Bucks Fizz's second album Are You Ready.

 

"My Camera Never Lies" was written by Andy Hill and Nichola Martin and produced by Andy Hill. Hill was the group's regular songwriter and producer, while Martin had been the woman who had put the group together and occasionally co-wrote some songs. This was her only No.1 hit, although she also co-penned the follow-up, "Now Those Days Are Gone", which was a top 10 hit. The lyrics concern a man who has become obsessed with a woman, who is clearly not interested, but he thinks differently and has convinced himself that she is lying to herself and so he pursues her. The 'camera' of the title denotes his view of the situation.

 

"My Camera Never Lies" was the third UK number one single for Bucks Fizz for a single week in April 1982 and saw the group reach the peak of their career, being the follow-up to "The Land of Make Believe", which had also reached No.1 a few months earlier. The single was one of the group's biggest hits and after a swift rise to the top, remained on the chart for 8 weeks. This was to be the group's final No.1, but gave Bucks Fizz their third chart topper in 12 months. It was one of the top 40 selling singles of the year.

 

The promotional video which accompanied the song depicted Bucks Fizz dressed as characters from a number of famous movies, such as The Wizard of Oz and Cleopatra.

 

"My Camera Never Lies" featured on the group's second album, Are You Ready, released two months later. An extended version of the song was released on 12" single. A slight reworking with some re-recorded vocals was released on The Lost Masters album in 2006.

 

 

 

Positions (# 31 - # 50) :

31. Baccara - Yes Sir, I Can Boogie (1977)

32. Mariah Carey & Westlife - Against All Odds (2000)

33. Madonna - Like A Prayer (1989)

34. Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman - Somethin'Stupid (2001)

35. Mary Hopkin - Those Were The Days (1968)

36. Britney Spears - Baby One More Time (1999)

37. ABBA - Dancing Queen (1976)

38. Brotherhood Of Man - Save Your Kisses for Me (1976)

39. Geri Halliwell - Bag It Up (2000)

40. Katy Perry & Snoop Dogg - California Girls (2010)

41. Kylie Minogue & Jason Donovan - Especially For You (1989)

42. Aqua - Doctor Jones (1998)

43. ABBA - The Name Of The Game (1977)

44. Corrs - Breathless (2000)

45. Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart (1983)

46. Madonna - La Isla Bonita (1987)

47. Nancy Sinatra - These Boots Are Made for Walkin' (1966)

48. Lita Roza - (How Much Is) That Doggie In The Window (1953)

49. Diana Vickers - Once (2010)

50. Beautiful South - A Little Time (1990)

 

Songs by every decade (# 31 - 100):

1950s : 7

1960s : 12

1970s : 8

1980s : 9

1990s : 14

2000s : 17

2010s : 3

 

12 out 20 classics, the rest I like with only 2 I'm not fussed about, that's pretty good going! :)

 

# 29. Blondie - Heart Of Glass (4 weeks # 1 - 1979)

 

http://991.com/newgallery/Blondie-Heart-Of-Glass---48347.jpg

 

 

"Heart of Glass" is a song by American New Wave band Blondie, written by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. Featured on the band's third studio album, Parallel Lines (1978), it was released as a single in January 1979 and topped the charts in several countries including United States and United Kingdom

 

An early version of "Heart of Glass" called "Once I Had Love" was written by Deborah Harry and Chris Stein in 1974-75. This earlier version was initially recorded as a demo in 1975. The song had a slower, funkier sound with a basic disco beat. For this reason it was known as "The Disco Song." The song was re-recorded in a second demo with the same title in 1978, when the song was made a bit more pop-oriented. The band then decided to record the song for the album Parallel Lines, which was produced by Mike Chapman.

 

The song was released in January 1979, and reached number one in both the US and the UK. The UK B-side was "Rifle Range", from Blondie's self-titled debut album, while the US single used the Parallel Lines track "11:59". The accompanying music video for "Heart of Glass" was filmed at Studio 54 in New York City.

 

 

 

# 28. No Doubt - Don't Speak (3 weeks # 1 - 1997)

 

http://www.englishlearner.ru/pub/articles_img/1358578921190005_v1.jpg

 

 

"Don't Speak" is a song by the American rock band No Doubt. It was released in 1996 as the third single from the band's third studio album, Tragic Kingdom (1995). Vocalist Gwen Stefani wrote the song about her bandmate and ex-boyfriend Tony Kanal shortly after he ended their seven-year relationship together.

 

Despite the song's popularity, "Don't Speak" did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100 (as rules of the times required commercial singles for charting and one was not issued for the song), but it did reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay for sixteen weeks. The single also reached number one in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and United Kingdom, being No Doubt's most successful international single. "Don't Speak" was nominated for Song of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 1998 Grammy Awards.

 

Internationally, the song was also very successful. In February 1997, it peaked at number one in both the United Kingdom and Ireland for three weeks. Elsewhere in Europe, "Don't Speak" reached the top position in Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland, resulting in a peak position of number one on the European Hot 100 Singles for nine weeks. Australia was another major music market where the song received widespread airplay, debuting at number one and maintaining the peak position for eight weeks.