There has been another million seller (from 2016) overtake the list from here so all drop a place, corrected from here upwards (a resume to follow at 601-800 to make it current...

 

637. BRIGHT LIGHTS BIGGER CITY - CeeLo featuring Wiz Khalifa (2011) 1,043,550

 

 

Not CeeLo's biggest solo hit (Forget You) in the list, instead it's this swirlingly brilliant James-Bond-ian coulda-been-a-movie-theme track*, by far my favourite single of his after departing Gnarls Barkley - of which more sometime later. A great singer, and occasional movie star, it all seemed to be going so right for CeeLo prior to a faux pas (to say the least), and his singles were welcomingly varied. This is just fab, though, the strings arrangement and CeeLo's vocal lie at the heart of the appeal, throw in a great melody and I'm hooked.

 

(* that's cos it's a sample of You Only Live Twice - this will appear again in a different song, though the brilliant original Nancy Sinatra version just misses the rundown (Boo!) although Nancy has already appeared and will again)

636. UNDER ATTACK - Abba (1982) 1,044,800

 

 

And so my favourite perfect pop group's singles chart career ended with a whimper, with this final single as an active band, a bonus hits album track that under-performed in the charts. I didn't realise it was all over at the time (or I would have been mortified and shocked with the loss of my heroes), but that didn't stop me loving this understated low-key melodic ditty anyway. In fact a bit of the melody hook was lifted (to my ears) from an old Glen Campbell track I was fond of, The Straight Life, a Bobby Goldsboro song. Happily for Abba only I knew the song and shhh I'm not gonna tell. As always, Abba a bit flattered in my charts, though I do still like it a lot. OK, 4th of 28 on the countdown for Abba. Told you I was a fan.... :P

635. JE T'AIME..MOI NON PLUS - Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg (1969) 1,044,950

 

 

Infamous and notorious in the early 70's this UK chart-topper from 1969 was unknown to me at the time, being as it was banned by radio for being rather naughty by morals of the time. Pretty tame these days of course, largely lots of heavy breathing and whispering and a haunting organ refrain throughout, plus the French lyrics (ooh saucy but classy!) and a strings section, as so many pop hits had in those days. So how did I chart it? Winter 1974 and this was reissued, a hit all over again for British actress Jane and the multi-talented French Serge, who dabbled in many art forms. This time I got to hear it on radio Luxembourg, realised I knew the tune from cover versions, and as I firmly didn't like being told what to listen to by goody-two-shoes media as a teenager, I went out and bought it. It's still great, and still a bit naughty.

634. OUR LIPS ARE SEALED - Fun Boy Three (1983) 1,045,750

 

 

Terry Hall, Neville Staples and Lynville Golding left the Specials after Ghost Town and formed this breakaway trio who followed the pattern of The Specials - going out on a classic then breaking up. Doh! Fun Boy Three had a good run of singles, stuff like Summertime (the old Gershwin classic), The Tunnel Of Love and It Ain't What You Do a duet which gave Bananarama a long career off the back of it. Sadly the girls never managed a million seller, despite fantastic singles like I Heard A Rumour, Venus, and Preacher Man, but the boys did on this terrific song, co-written between Terry and Gogo's Jane Wiedlin (she of Rush Hour solo hit). The Gogos had the first upbeat single version, and good it was too, but this haunting, hypnotic, tribal version was the gloomy definitive. It has a great melody and Terry's deadpan presentation of his vocal style tends to hide what a great singer he is - bittersweet, but with understated emotion. Ably supported here on backing vocals by The Mo-Dettes June Miles-Kingston, also later to have a hit with Jimmy Somerville of Bronski Beat and Communards fame. That's quite a cast list of name-dropping for one song, and I haven't even mentioned Belinda Carlisle yet... (more later)

 

 

 

 

633. TROUBLE - Lindsey Buckingham (1981) 1,045,850

 

 

A solo project after the marathon Fleetwood Mac Tusk album for Lindsey, this single slipped out and never became a huge hit, sadly, cos it's just gorgeous. It's very Fleetwood Mac, as you would expect, and still my fave Lindsey track outside of Mac, love that acoustic melody, the shuffling beat, and the oh-soooo-sweet vocal and song. It could happily have sat on any of the band's 80's albums and become better known, but anyways, he has one up on his ex Stevie Nicks who has had loads of fabulous, gorgeous solo singles, like Rooms On Fire, Edge Of Seventeen, Leather And Lace, Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You and many others, but never done the million outside of Mac. More from them to come though, happily.

632. OPPORTUNITIES (LET'S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) - Pet Shop Boys (1986) 1,046,200

 

 

The Petties second chart-topper for me, coming after the under-rated gorgeous follow-up to West End Girls, Love Comes Quickly, it sounded pretty much like a mission statement for Chris and Neil on face value, but was more of a sly dig at opportunism in the Thatcherite yuppee 80's (the speakers of the song are doomed to failure as they are just spouting empty bragging). The original version flopped but this banging tune and glossy video did pretty well in both the UK and USA, peaking at 11 and 10 - it works ironically or on face value, I guess! Great pop single and it was obvious the band had legs to last from here on.

631. DOMINO DANCING - Pet Shop Boys (1988) 1,050,900

 

 

2 years on and it's another Pet Shop Boys classic, latin-rhythms this time, recorded in Florida with Lewis Martinee, producer behind the big US girl band Expose, who I liked but never caught on in the UK. I love latin music, so it was a winner for me, along with the great video, and a big UK hit leading off album Introspective, a total dance-groove album and just as successful as Actually and Please. The video had a bit of a laddie romp which pretty much ended their hit American singles and albums career, just crossing the line a bit too far towards homo-eroticism (despite the girlfriend in the video) and started the ball rolling towards a less-pop-star career for Chris and Neil who no longer felt the need to always appear in promos themselves. The single failed to challenge the number one slot in the singles chart - they had been on a roll prior to this. 8th PSB track in the list, romping ahead of everyone else so far....

There's been another entry to the chart at 699 thanks to a version i'd not heard before following the death of David Bowie. The rundown will continue after this brief interlude...

 

699. ALL THE YOUNG DUDES - Mott The Hoople (1972) 1,008,350

 

 

The band who's faltering career was rescued by this generous donation of one of Bowie's best ziggy-period songs. Cooler than cool at the time All The Young Dudes was clearly Bowie but Mott's version with Ian Hunter's vocal and that fab guitar and soaring chorus is the definitive, still better than the Bowie/Mott version. Cool slacker with attitude. Mott immediately proved they didn't need the maestro by having a short run of great singles like Honaloochi Boogie, All The Way From Memphis and especially the Thunderthighs-tastic Roll Away The Stone before Ian Hunter left for a solo career.

630. MARRY YOU - Bruno Mars (2011) 1,051,050

 

 

Bruno's biggest hit here was one of his lesser UK hits late off his debut album. What sold it for me? Glee. They did a great version and made me spotlight the then-album track. It's just so joyously melodic and positively uplifting, love those chimes adding to the whole matrimonial vibe. Bruno since then has been more interestingly retro and varied of genre but has only managed one more biggie. That'll be the Mark Ronson guest vocalist spot monster Uptown Funk, then, which just fell short of the list.

629. JUST DANCE - Lady Gaga featuring Colby O'donis (2009) 1,054,250

 

 

From my point of view Gaga came out of nowhere to huge with this track - I'd stopped watching pop videos due to lack of free time and with no TV spots didn't have a clue who she was, what she looked like and that she was a full artistic dance popstar in the tradition of Madonna. It soon became obvious though. She really was heading for Monster Fame and a huge album chock full of singles and great non-single tracks. This track in retrospect isn't my fave Gaga these days but it was a great debut, dance with pout. First of 4 for m'lady.

628. MONKEY - George Michael (1988) 1,054,750

 

 

George's 4th USA chart-topper from the Faith album was as big in my charts too. In the UK it now officially rates a Pointless answer in naming tracks off Faith! Ridiculous! The album version is good but the Jam & Lewis single remix is the magic version. Jam & Lewis were the hot dance producers of the late 80s and George had released his debut classic and genre-varied album, deliberately showcasing he was a teen fave pop star no more, he was all adult with the best of them. Tracks like Faith, Father Figure, Hand To Mouth, Kissing A Fool and One More Try were pure class. Monkey was the only real out and out dance track, but it was a great one in single version. Cool with pop attitude, it is long overdue a critical bit of love. The stylish ballads and gospel tracks are easy to see as classy, pop dance less so, and it's a real Monkey on my back, better watch out! 4th on the list for George.

627. DON'T WANT TO FALL IN LOVE - Jane Child (1990) 1,054,950

 

A minor UK hit, a bigger US hit, this is here purely cos it was getting radio play on my first-ever trip to Orlando, Florida with my neice, nephew and my parents, so it was instant nostalgia back in the UK and I bought the vinyl single - yes still making them in 1990! Canadian Jane was a one-hit-wonder sadly, she was a bit late to the 80s popsynth dance party just as the music scene was morphing into rave and madchester and grunge, but it's still a minor gem of a pop record all catchy hooks and stomping rhythm, and she had a quirky image to boot.

 

 

There's been some oldies and newies hitting a million since the last update, knocking everything down a few spots, so here's the current 800. The figures after the position relate to End Of The Century positions (I did a top 500 for the 20th century in 2000, which has now had a neat extra 300 in 16 years - not entirely because of all-new tracks, as a lot of them are oldies getting reactivated boosts)

 

So I can start the rundown again from here.. :cheer:

 

 

631 406 I DON'T WANT TO FALL IN LOVE Jane Child 1990 1054950

632 407 MONKEY George Michael 1988 1054750

633 NEW JUST DANCE Lady Gaga 2009 1054250

634 NEW MARRY YOU Bruno Mars 2011 1051050

635 NEW DOMINO DANCING Pet Shop Boys 1988 1050900

636 408 OPPORTUNITIES (LET'S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) Pet Shop Boys 1986 1046200

637 409 TROUBLE Lindsey Buckingham 1981 1045850

638 410 OUR LIPS ARE SEALED Fun Boy Three 1983 1045750

639 411 JE T'AIME...MOI NON PLUS Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg 1969 1044950

640 412 UNDER ATTACK Abba 1982 1044800

 

641 NEW BRIGHT LIGHTS BIGGER CITY Cee-Lo Green/ Wiz Khalifa 2011 1043550

642 485 THRILLER Michael Jackson 1983 1043150

643 NEW THE JOURNEY CONTINUES Mark Brown/ Sarah Cracknell 2008 1042900

644 413 GENO Dexy's Midnight Runners 1980 1042600

645 460 TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART Bonnie Tyler 1983 1042450

646 NEW GRENADE Bruno Mars 2011 1042400

647 NEW COOL Gwen Stefani 2005 1041500

648 415 (YOUR LOVE KEEPS LIFTING ME) HIGHER AND HIGHER Jackie Wilson 1967 1039750

649 418 THE LOCOMOTION Little Eva 1962 1039200

650 NEW TAKE ON ME a-ha 1985 1038750

 

651 NEW HEY YA Outkast 2003 1037950

652 419 GOODBYE SAM HELLO SAMANTHA Cliff Richard 1970 1037300

653 424 TUSK Fleetwood Mac 1979 1037100

654 420 SCREAM Michael/Janet Jackson 1995 1037050

655 NEW HUNG UP Madonna 2005 1036850

656 NEW SHOOT THE DOG George Michael/ Human League 2002 1035250

657 421 NOW THOSE DAYS ARE GONE Bucks Fizz 1982 1033850

658 422 HUMAN BEINGS Seal 1998 1033250

659 NEW MY GIRL Temptations 1965 1032600

660 425 JUST LIKE JESSE JAMES Cher 1989 1030250

 

661 426 THE REFLEX Duran Duran 1984 1030200

662 NEW I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR U2 1987 1029850

663 NEW LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS Mud 1974 1029270

664 NEW GET OUTTA MY WAY Kylie Minogue 2010 1029200

665 NEW I WALK ALONE Cher 2014 1029200

666 427 UNINVITED Alanis Morissette 1998 1028850

667 NEW A THING CALLED LOVE Johnny Cash 1972 1027950

668 428 BABY NOW THAT I'VE FOUND YOU Foundations 1967 1027400

669 NEW SUBURBIA Pet Shop Boys 1986 1026150

670 NEW SUPERSTAR Jamelia 2003 1026100

 

671 429 TELEGRAM SAM T.Rex 1972 1025008

672 NEW DARE Gorillaz/ Shaun Ryder 2005 1024850

673 430 THE EYES OF TRUTH Enigma 1994 1024450

674 431 COME UNDONE Duran Duran 1993 1024300

675 NEW ANNIE YOU SAVE ME Graffiti6 2010 1023950

676 NEW SLOOP JOHN B The Beach Boys 1966 1023450

677 NEW SOUND AND VISION David Bowie 1977 1023365

678 433 THE LEBANON Human League 1984 1022400

679 434 PERFECT DAY Lou Reed & friends 1997 1022100

680 NEW PAINT IT BLACK The Rolling Stones 1966 1022000

 

681 435 STARS China Black 1994 1021300

682 436 PRAYING FOR TIME George Michael 1990 1021000

683 NEW DIRTY DIANA Michael Jackson 1988 1020250

684 NEW EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE The Police 1983 1019950

685 450 AMERICAN PIE Don McLean 1972 1019400

686 438 LISTEN TO YOUR HEART Roxette 1989 1018500

687 440 STOP LOVING ME STOP LOVING YOU Daryl Hall 1994 1018000

688 NEW I'M WITH STUPID Pet Shop Boys 2006 1017400

689 441 PAPA DON'T PREACH Madonna 1986 1016100

690 442 EYES WITHOUT A FACE Billy Idol 1984 1015000

 

691 NEW LOVE ETC Pet Shop Boys 2009 1014700

692 NEW SUMMERTIME SADNESS Lana Del Ray vs Cedric Gervais 2013 1013550

693 NEW IF I THOUGHT YOU'D EVER CHANGE YOUR MIND Agnetha Faltskog 2004 1013350

694 NEW (I CAN'T GET NO) SATISFACTION The Rolling Stones 1965 1013300

695 444 LUCKY MAN Verve 1997 1012900

696 NEW CARELESS WHISPER George Michael 1984 1012900

697 NEW MATHEMATICS Cherry Ghost 2007 1012650

698 446 BLACK AND WHITE Greyhound 1971 1011000

699 451 CARNAVAL DE PARIS Dario G 1998 1010900

700 NEW ONLY LOVE CAN HURT LIKE THIS Paloma Faith 2014 1009550

 

701 NEW BABY LOVE The Supremes 1964 1008850

702 447 I HEAR YOU NOW Jon & Vangelis 1980 1008450

703 NEW ALL THE YOUNG DUDES Mott The Hoople 1972 1008350

704 448 RADIO GA GA Queen 1984 1008300

705 NEW MY NAME IS JACK Manfred Mann 1968 1006650

706 NEW UNFINISHED SYMPATHY Massive Attack 1991 1006550

707 452 CRACKLIN' ROSIE Neil Diamond 1970 1005400

708 NEW CHASING PAVEMENTS Adele 2008 1005350

709 453 MISS YOU NIGHTS Cliff Richard 1976 1005300

710 465 LOVE ME DO Beatles 1962 1004100

 

711 NEW FAIRYTALE Alexander Rybak 2009 1003950

712 NEW I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT BUT I CAN'T GIVE IT ANYMORE Pet Shop Boys 1999 1003900

713 454 YOU DON'T KNOW ME Armand Van Helden/ Duane Harden 1999 1003800

714 NEW NO MILK TODAY Herman's Hermits 1967 1003800

715 NEW JUMP Madonna 2006 1003600

716 455 I WOULDN'T NORMALLY DO THIS KIND OF THING Pet Shop Boys 1993 1003450

717 NEW THE DARK IS RISING Mercury Rev 2001 1003100

718 456 DID YOU EVER Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood 1971 1002700

719 NEW THEME FROM A SUMMER PLACE Percy Faith 1960 1002500

720 457 LAST STOP: THIS TOWN Eels 1998 1002400

 

721 NEW DELILAH Tom Jones 1968 1002250

722 NEW I SAW HER AGAIN The Mamas & The Papas 1967 1001800

723 NEW RUN BOY RUN Woodkid 2012 1001600

724 NEW IN THE CROSSFIRE Starsailor 2005 1001500

725 NEW DREAMS Fleetwood Mac 1977 1001162

726 458 JOHN WAYNE IS BIG LEGGY Haysi Fantayzee 1982 1000400

727 459 BACK IN THE U.S.S.R. Beatles 1968 1000000

728 NEW SUNRISE Simply Red 2003 999300

729 461 FOUR LETTER WORD Kim Wilde 1989 999150

730 462 RESCUE ME Madonna 1991 999100

 

731 NEW SWEET CAROLINE (GOOD TIMES NEVER SEEMED SO GOOD) Neil Diamond 1969 998450

732 468 END OF THE ROAD Boyz II Men 1992 998250

733 463 I LOST MY HEART TO A STARSHIP TROOPER Hot Gossip/ Sarah Brightman 1978 997950

734 464 BLUE MONDAY New Order 1983 997850

735 466 OBSESSION Animotion 1985 997250

736 NEW OH PITY Cashier No 9 2011 995600

737 NEW DON'T TELL ME Madonna 2000 994450

738 467 HOLD ON TIGHT E.L.O. 1981 994000

739 469 HE AIN'T HEAVY... HE'S MY BROTHER Hollies 1969 992450

740 NEW TO SIR WITH LOVE Lulu 1967 991650

 

741 NEW OUTLINES Mike Mago and Dragonette 2015 991400

742 470 DO YOU REALLY WANT TO HURT ME Culture Club 1982 991300

743 471 CRAZY HORSES Osmonds 1972 990800

744 NEW (TO BE) YOUNG, GIFTED AND BLACK Bob & Marcia 1970 990750

745 472 DA YA THINK I'M SEXY Rod Stewart 1978 990600

746 NEW WALKING ON THIN ICE Yoko Ono 1981 990600

747 NEW LAST FRIDAY NIGHT (TGIF) Katy Perry 2011 988750

748 473 CONSTANT CRAVING k.d.Lang 1992 987900

749 474 FOX ON THE RUN Sweet 1975 987850

750 475 HAPPY NEW YEAR/THE WAY OLD FRIENDS DO Abba 1980 986900

 

751 NEW SHOULD I LAUGH OR CRY Abba 1982 986550

752 476 HI HO SILVER LINING Jeff Beck Group 1967 986350

753 477 THE SIGN Ace Of Base 1994 985800

754 478 I'M MANDY FLY ME 10CC 1976 984900

755 NEW BETTER Cat And The Menagerie 2013 984600

756 NEW 3 WORDS Cheryl Cole/ will.i.am 2009 983050

757 NEW GHOSTTOWN Madonna 2015 981800

758 NEW REPTILIA The Strokes 2004 980600

759 479 BEACH BABY First Class 1974 980258

760 480 MIRROR MAN Human League 1982 979850

 

761 NEW LOVE RUNS OUT OneRepublic 2014 978650

762 482 ON THE BIBLE Deuce 1995 978200

763 483 (KEEP FEELING) FASCINATION Human League 1983 975400

764 NEW STAND BY ME Ben E. King 1961 975150

765 NEW PRAY Take That 1993 975000

766 NEW RADIOACTIVE Imagine Dragons 2012 975000

767 484 NIGHT BOAT TO CAIRO Madness 1980 974600

768 490 UNPRETTY TLC 1999 974500

769 NEW GOOD LUCK Basement Jaxx/ Lisa Kekaula 2004 974400

770 NEW STOP THE CAVALRY Jona Lewie 1980 974050

 

771 487 MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE Police 1979 973200

772 488 TORCH Soft Cell 1982 972950

773 NEW STAY Shakespears Sister 1992 972250

774 489 THE WAR SONG Culture Club 1984 971150

775 NEW HOLLABACK GIRL Gwen Stefani 2005 970900

776 NEW TIME IN A BOTTLE Jim Croce 1974 969050

777 NEW MOVE YOUR FEET Junior Senior 2003 968250

778 NEW PERSONAL JESUS Depeche Mode 1989 968200

779 491 HOME LOVIN' MAN Andy Williams 1970 968000

780 NEW SWEET CHILD 'O MINE Guns 'N' Roses 1988 967350

 

781 NEW JOHNNY REGGAE The Piglets 1971 966750

782 492 SUNDAY GIRL Blondie 1979 966650

783 493 AGAIN Janet Jackson 1994 966600

784 NEW GOLDEN BROWN The Stranglers 1982 966600

785 NEW WAY DOWN Elvis Presley 1977 964907

786 495 OPEN YOUR HEART Human League 1981 963500

787 NEW OUR HOUSE Madness 1982 963350

788 496 SOFTLY WHISPERING I LOVE YOU Congregation 1971 963200

789 NEW IN A MOMENT LIKE THIS (Denmark) Chanee & N'evergreen 2010 963000

790 497 BRANDY Scott English 1971 962840

 

791 498 ALANE Wes 1998 962700

792 NEW EMPIRE STATE OF MIND/ PART 2 Jay-Z/ Alicia Keys 2009 962000

793 NEW THIS TIME I KNOW IT'S FOR REAL Donna Summer 1989 961450

794 NEW I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS Foreigner 1984 961150

795 NEW SOLDIERS Abba 1981 961050

796 499 MY OH MY Slade 1983 960700

797 NEW HEARTACHE AVENUE The Maisonettes 1982 959950

798 NEW HERE I GO AGAIN Archie Bell And The Drells 1969 959900

799 500 SINGLE BILINGUAL Pet Shop Boys 1996 959400

800 NEW BAD ROMANCE Lady Gaga 2009 959350

630. GET TOGETHER - Madonna (2006) 1,055,250

 

 

Madonna's 8th track on the list (already!) is one of her lesser-known gems, fresh off seeing her on the Confessions tour in Cardiff. Get Together is a fab tuneful psychedelic-EDM track, one of many great tracks on the album, but it works for me on it's own - not banging, more of a subtle groove for when you're running out of steam on the dancefloor and need to wind down for a bit. It deserves to be better known IMHO.

629. LOVE SHACK - B52's (1989) 1,055,400

 

 

PARTAAAY CLASSIC! Love this, always gets me going. I first heard it on a holiday tour of North-East USA with 2 mates in late 89, driving the highways of New York State, Vermont and Massachussets. I liked it, but it was one of those tracks that took time to appreciate the brilliance, it was SO quirky. Quirky is the raison d'etre of the B52's, I went straight for their 60's-punkish-art-rock from Rock Lobster in 1979 through to the theme tune to the Flintstones movie as the BC52's. Hah! Fun and loveable, one of the funniest radio parodies ever was one back in the 90's where some DJ wag commissioned a series of short covers of big hit songs - done B52-style. Hil-ar-i-ous!

628. WALKING ON THE MOON - The Police (1979) 1,058,650

 

 

It's the 3rd of 4 from The Police, Walking On The Moon was the third in a hat-trick of chart-toppers for me in 1979, as they opted for a more gentle jazzy reggae rock sound, that topped the UK chart before the juggernaut of Another Brick In The Wall stole it's thunder. In retrospect it's a bit too laid back, but I liked the lyrics, and especially the video featuring the Saturn V rocket at Nasa, Florida, as it was when I first saw it - outside. These days it's indoors, and more impressive cos you can walk underneath it, and it's HUGE. My brother walked into my bedroom while I jiggling and singing along to this pre-Christmas '79 with his new cine-camera. Sadly (or thankfully) the footage is long gone.

627. LET ME ENTERTAIN YOU - Robbie Williams (1998) 1,059,350

 

 

Take That was already history as Robbie ramped up the energy like a man on a mission (which he was), and this was his mission-statement. Rockpop drama supreme, Robbie was one of the great showman in concert (I caught him at Net Aid, and he blew all the other acts away) and he and Guy Chambers were on fire as a songwriting team, winner after winner from here on for the next few years. The 5th track off Life Thru A Lens and featuring a fab Kiss homage video, that was far better than anything they had ever done. The first of 5 solo entries on the list for the Robster, plus 3 more with Take That.

626. MAKE IT EASY ON YOURSELF - The Walker Brothers (1966) 1,060,300

 

 

Scott Walker has one of the greatest male vocal voices in pop, just magnificent and cool and classy, and Burt Bacharach and Hal David wrote so many of the greatest, coolest, sophisticated love ballads of all-time, it was a combo that even out-did the ever-cool Dionne Warwick original version. From the opening sweeping strings to the first spine-tingling break into the chorus, it's genius. The Walker Brothers were an American unrelated vocal group who hit it big in the UK in the mid-60's before quickly splitting into solo careers, of which Scott's was and is the most successful, and artistically credible, influencing many future pop stars. The first of 2 for the band, and one more for Scott solo. Fab.

625. UP ON THE ROOF - The Drifters (1962) 1,060,550

 

 

The Drifters only track on the listing, though it's hard to pin down which line-up recorded what sometimes in their very long and line-up changing career! In this case the lead singer is Rudy Williams, taking over from departing Ben E. King. I admit I'd love Ben to have sung it, but regardless this is a classic Goffin & King song, eventually recorded by Carole King herself (and she plays piano on the track). Sophisticated urban pop/soul, a great sentiment (escaping the troubles of the world Up On The Roof) and a bonafide much-covered classic, this huge song missed out in the UK to a cover version by Kenny Lynch - so it has never made the UK charts! That's despite hit covers from the likes of James Taylor through the brilliant Laura Nyro to the tolerable karaoke version of Robson & Jerome who topped the UK charts in 1995. Just stick with The Drifters (or Carole King), though, all others are just bonuses.

224. FOREVER MORE - Moloko (2003) 1,061,400

 

 

A forgotten dance gem this one, better even than their more famous big hit Sing It Back and as good as The Time Is Now. Sadly, the original video isn't available, so the stomping club anthem that it is is kinda watered down by the versions available on Youtube. I love the way it builds on a basic line of new lyrics over a repeat melody, and the subtle hook changes almost 3 minutes in, and played loud it's a stormer. Roisin Murphy has done some good solo stuff in the years since Moloko, an under-rated singer and act, but I feel the Moloko brand needs revival now!