428. Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol (2006)

 

 

If I lay here

If I just lay here

Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

 

This has spent 166 weeks in the singles chart. I think only 'Mr Brightside' by The Killers has exceeded that total. So what kept it in the chart for so long? I suppose lots of radio airplay and being used on TV programmes has helped its longevity. I like the way it gradually builds up as it goes along. It has the distinction of being the last song to be performed in the studio on Top Of The Pops before it was cancelled in 2006.

 

 

427. I Pity Inanimate Objects - Godley & Crème (1979)

 

 

Is a tree as a rocking horse

An ambition fulfilled

And is the sawdust jealous?

I worry about these things

 

This is an extraordinary song,whether it's the sound or the lyrics. They used a harmoniser which was an early version of an auto tuner. Kevin Godley sang it in one note and his vocal was then put through the harmoniser to create the strange vocal effects. Added to this you've got the same three notes on an acoustic guitar throughout the song and the amazing electric guitar work by Phil Manzanera from Roxy Music.

 

 

426. Atomic - Blondie (1979)

 

 

Oh,your hair is beautiful

Oh,tonight

Atomic

 

This is basically a jam session with meaningless lyrics added as they played the music but somehow it works. It's a combination of new wave and disco. There is a two minute instrumental break which is quite unusual for a number 1 single but I think part of it was cut out for 7" version. Blondie were huge for a couple of years with five number 1s in 1979 and 1980. This is my favourite song from them.

 

425. If You Don't Love Me - Prefab Sprout (1992)

 

 

Shame the truth with lies

Say the sun won't rise

Only realize

 

This has much more of a pop sound to it compared to most of Prefab Sprout's music. It was produced by Stephen Lipson and was one of the two new songs on 'A Life Of Surprises : The Best Of Prefab Sprout'.

 

Edited July 16, 20187 yr by King Rollo

424. Undertow - Genesis (1978)

 

 

So the days they turn into years

And still no tomorrow appears

 

From '...And Then There Were Three...' the first Genesis album released after the departure of Steve Hackett. Mike Rutherford added the lead guitar to his bass guitar but there's barely any guitar on this track,it's mainly keyboards and drums. Written by Tony Banks,it's a fairly short song with a soaring chorus sung very well by Phil Collins.

 

423. An Innocent Man - Billy Joel (1983)

 

 

Some people see through the eyes of the old

Before they ever get a look at the young

 

The second and final song on my chart by Billy Joel. It was the third top 10 hit from the album of the same name in which all the songs were influenced by the music of the late 50s and early 60s that he grew up with.

 

422. Grace Under Pressure - Elbow (2003)

 

 

This is basically the same melody repeated all the way through the song but what makes it standout is the gradual addition of drums,piano and the London Community Gospel Choir. It's a great feel-good anthem. Part of it was recorded at the previous year's Glastonbury Festival with the crown joining in. Anyone in the audience who then registered their names on Elbow's website were given a credit on the album sleeve,which is why the album is called 'Cast Of Thousands'.

 

421. It Began In Afrika - The Chemical Brothers (2001)

 

 

A top 10 single from the 'Come With Us' album. I like the combination of bongo drums with all the electronic sounds. The vocal is sampled from 'Drumbeat' by Jim Ingram.

 

 

Chasing Cars is stunning, I think I kind of went off it for a while because it was of course absolutely everywhere but its a stellar example of it genre that builds so well!

Yes,it was played to death for a long time.

420. A Call To Arms - Mike + the Mechanics (1985)

 

 

In other words,I hope and pray

That time and tide wash the hate away

A simple man with simple thoughts

Who turned to force as a last resort

 

From Mike + the Mechanics' debut album,this is an unfinshed Genesis song that Phil Collins and Tony Banks weren't happy with but Mike Rutherford liked,so he finished it off with his other group. Paul Carrack sings lead vocal on this one. I like the anthemic chorus.

 

 

419. Only One Word - Propaganda (1990)

 

 

As I close my eyes

I think of the past

My fate awaits me

The die has been cast

 

Another song from Propaganda's second album '1234' with Betsi Miller on lead vocals and David Gilmour from Pink Floyd on guitar. It was released as a single but only got to number 71.

 

 

418. Telephone Line - Electric Light Orchestra (1976)

 

 

Hello,how are you?

Have you been alright,through all those lonely nights

That's what I'd say,I'd tell you everything

If you'd pick up that telephone

 

One of ELO's best known songs,I love the strings on this. The re-issued CD has an instrumental version which works just as well as the one with vocals. The ringtone at the start is American and the single became ELO's biggest hit in the US up to that point,reaching number 7.

 

Listening to 'I Pity Inanimate Objects' for the first time. It really puts the 'lol' in Lol Creme :lol: Very unique sounding.

 

Telephone Line stands out on 'The Best of ELO', by being sadder/more reflective than most of their other hit singles.

Edited July 18, 20187 yr by Pus

Great new forum name,Pus. I'm glad you found the G&C song interesting. :)

417. Run - New Order (1989)

 

 

So what's the use in complaining

When you've got everything you need

 

I prefer the album version but this is the single version which has a video and it's not much different. I like the guitar break but that wasn't the case for John Denver's publishing company when they heard it. They thought it resembled his song 'Leaving On A Jet Plane'. New Order settled out of court and John Denver is now down as co-writer of 'Run'.

 

416. If Only You Knew - Yes (1999)

 

 

If only you knew

You caught me when I was falling

 

Another track from 'The Ladder'. This is a love song that Jon Anderson wrote for his second wife Jane.

 

415. Tarantula - Faithless (2001)

 

 

Down in the shadows of your deepest secrets

I sleep next to the precepts you hold most dear

 

From the 'Outrospective' album,a shorter version got to number 29 as a single but Sister Bliss' keyboard parts are best appreciated on the full version.

 

414. Oxygene Part II - Jean Michel Jarre (1977)

 

 

Part IV is the one that everybody knows and it was further down my chart but this is my favourite track from the 'Oxygene' album. It has a really spacey sound to it.

 

Edited July 19, 20187 yr by King Rollo

413. Barber's Adagio For Strings - William Orbit (1999)

 

 

And you can hear the influence of Jean Michel Jarre on this classic trance track which was a top 5 hit for William Orbit. American Samuel Barber wrote his Adagio For Strings way back in 1936 as part of his String Quartet in B minor,opus 11.