801. Turn Of The Century - Yes (1977)

 

 

As autumn calls we'll both remember

All those many years ago

 

From their no.1 album 'Going For The One',Yes were at the peak of their popularity and this is a timeless classic starting with Steve Howe's acoustic guitar,then Rick Wakeman's piano and finally electric guitars and keyboards while all the way thorough you have Jon Anderson's wonderful vocals.

 

Turn Of The Century is a beautiful song!

I'm glad you like it. :)

800. Moonlight Shadow - Mike Oldfield (1983)

 

 

He was shot six times by a man on the run

And she couldn't find how to push through

 

Featuring some great vocals from Maggie Reilly,this got to no.1 in many European countries but only no.4 in the UK.

 

799. Walk Out To Winter - Aztec Camera (1983)

 

 

Walk out to winter,swear I'll be there

Chill will wake you,high and dry

You'll wonder why

 

This was out at the same time as Moonlight Shadow. Both songs remind me of the summer of 1983 which was a hot one. Despite being played on Radio 1 a lot,this only reached no.64. It should have been a much bigger hit.

 

798. Something - The Move (1968)

 

 

Suddenly it's there in your eyes

Suddenly you can recognise

That something,that certain something

 

I took an interest in the music of The Move in the early 80s,after I discovered that they were the group that transformed into ELO. I bought their best of album which included this song. It was the B side of their no.1 single 'Blackberry Way' and was written by Dave Morgan who has already appeared in my chart at no.911 as part of Tandy & Morgan. He wasn't in The Move but wrote a couple of their songs. Lead vocals on this one are by Carl Wayne. For a B side,this is quite a big production with all the orchestral instruments.

 

797. Killer's Lullaby - Faithless (1998)

 

 

And so I make all the movement I can to no avail

Scream and yell,sinkin' deeper into my personal hell

 

This is not on youtube or anywhere else I've looked. It's from their album 'Sunday 8PM' which is my favourite album by them. It consists of a rap by Maxi Jazz and a great backing track which develops as the song goes on.

Edited February 21, 20187 yr by King Rollo

I'm glad you like it. :)

 

I know it as my dad played it on a CD a while back.

 

obviously for Aztec Camera (whose band name irritates me a bit and I don't like at all) the main well known track of theirs is Somewhere In My Heart which I would say will probably be appearing quite a bit higher on this list!

796. I Don't Remember - Peter Gabriel (1980)

 

 

Stop staring at me like a bird of prey

I'm all mixed up,I got nothing to say

 

This is from Peter Gabriel's excellent third album. None of his first four albums had titles so this one is often referred to as 'Melt' as the cover had a picture of Peter's face melting.

 

795. Halo - Depeche Mode (1990)

 

 

And when our worlds they fall apart

When the walls come tumbling in

Though we may deserve it

It will be worth it

 

From the 'Violator' album,I like the production all the way through this. I haven't seen the video before,it wasn't a single.

 

794. Made In Heaven - Freddie Mercury (1985)

 

 

I'm playing my role in history,looking to find my goal

Taking in all this misery,but giving it all my soul

 

From Freddie's solo album 'Mr Bad Guy',this only got to number 57 as a single even though it was out at the same time as the Live Aid concert in which he performed so memorably with Queen. His vocals on this song are fantastic. It was re-recorded by Queen ten years later using the same vocal track for the posthumous 'Made In Heaven' album when they didn't have enough original songs to fill the album.

 

793. I Want You - Sophie B Hawkins (1992)

 

 

Well,I return to the Queen of Spades

And talk with my chambermaid

She knows that I'm not afraid

To look at her

 

Another single to just miss the top 40,this got to number 49. It was only recently I discovered it's a cover version of a Bob Dylan song from 1966 which reached number 16. She certainly makes it her own as Louis Walsh might say.

 

792. Electricity - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (1979)

 

 

All we need to live today

A gift for man to throw away

 

OMD's debut single. Although this was never a hit single,it can now be regarded as one of the pioneering synthpop songs. It's noteworthy that the synth break is where the chorus would normally be.

 

791. Looking For The Perfect Beat - Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force (1983)

 

 

On your radio,you hear perfect beats playing

If it makes you satisfied,just get a pony and ride

 

Back in the 80s,hip hop was new and exciting instead of the tired and boring genre it has become in the last twenty years. Like their previous single.'Planet Rock',this track was hugely influential and years ahead of its time. It was produced by Arthur Baker who also produced New Order's 'Confusion' which was at number 895 in my chart.

 

790. Something In The Air - Thunderclap Newman (1969)

 

 

We've got to get together sooner or later

Because the revolution's here,and you know it's right

 

This was no.1 for three weeks but the group had no other top 40 hits. The highlight is the instrumental break from 1.57 to 3.05. The song was produced by Pete Townsend who also played bass.

 

 

789. Wouldn't It Be Good - Nik Kershaw (1984)

 

 

Wouldn't it be good to be on your side

The grass is always greener over there

Wouldn't it be good if we could live without a care

 

Having failed with the first release of 'I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me',this was Nik's first hit single,reaching no.4. It's probably his best known song.

 

788. Walk In Fire - Doves (2005)

 

 

Is there nothing you'd not do

With a drink inside you

 

From their no.1 album 'Some Cities',I like the multi layered guitars and drums on this one. It sounds a bit like their biggest hit 'There Goes The Fear' but it's still a great song.

 

I don't know that Move B side (speaking as a Roy Wood fan, oops!), but like Aztec Camera, a sweet one that, Nik Kershaw's best record, OMD recently charted for me for the first time (though I knew it at the time), and Sophie B Hawkins can do no wrong.

 

Thunderclap Newman is a perfect creation and will be appearing in my rundown - it's also the 3rd single I ever bought with my pocket money... :lol:

 

Ditto Moonlight Shadow, a great pop single...

787. Shadows Of Love - Wax (1986)

 

 

She said the night's full of shadows

And shadows aren't real

 

Wax were Graham Gouldman from 10cc and Andrew Gold who had three solo top 20 singles in the late 70s. This is from their first album 'Magnetic Heaven'. It's a straightforward pop song with a catchy chorus.

 

786. Whole New World - It Bites (1986)

 

 

A sudden lonely desperate feeling loomed around my head

She told me of her new friend and how they planned to wed

 

It Bites are best known for their top 10 hit 'Calling All The Heroes' which,as good as it is,failed to make my chart. Instead I prefer the follow up single which only got to no.54. I like the brass section on this one. It Bites are still going and are now more of a prog rock band. As I like a bit of prog,I should really get round to listening to their most recent album some time.