#23 Nilsson - Everybody's Talkin' (1969)

 

 

It is one of those ironies of music that US singer/songwriter Harry Nilsson two most well known hit singles were covers of this Fred Neil track & the Badfinger penned Without You.

 

Other famous #23's

 

Chuck Berry - You Never Can Tell (1964)

Dixie Cups - Iko Iko (1965)

Eagles - Lyin' Eyes (1975)

Paul Simon - 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (1976)

Suzanne Vega - Luka (1987)

#22 Doors - Riders On The Storm (1971)

 

 

This epic atmospheric track was a UK & US hit single in the aftermath of lead singer Jim Morrison's untimely death.

 

Other famous (or in the words of Thomas Dolby's #22 hit of 1992 - Close But No Cigar) #22's

 

Boston - More Than A Feeling (1977)

Clash - I Fought The Law (1979)

Alanis Morissette - You Oughta Know (1995)

Ramones Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (1977)

Scott Walker - Jackie (1967)

 

#21 Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love (1997)

 

 

Of course Page, Plant, Jones & Bonham were famous for never releasing singles in the UK while they ruled the album charts & broke box office records for tours during the 1970s. So this became their debut UK single 17 years after they disbanded due to the death of their drummer John Bonham & 28 years after it was recorded for Led Zeppelin II when it became a US Top 5 hit single.

 

Other famous #21's:

 

The Band - The Weight (1968)

Foo Fighters - Learn To Fly (1999)

Michael Jackson - Man In The Mirror (1988)

The Jam - That's Entertainment (1981)

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama (1982)

 

i like this thread, think ill move it to rescources when its done... excellant work richard.

LOVE the Led Zep track, - and 'Man In The Mirror' (MJ) only got to #21 as well? Jeez!..

#20 Adventures - Broken Land (1988)

 

 

If ever you needed proof how dreadful the late 1980s were for popular music, then the fact this celtic classic about the troubles in Ireland only reached UK#20 is the perfect proof, as the Great British Public were too busy buying Bros, Brother Beyond, and Stock Aitken & Waterman produced sh1t to notice.

 

Other famous #20's:

 

Ace - How Long (1974)

Kate Bush - Cloudbusting (1985)

Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees (1995)

Bruce Springsteen - Brilliant Disguise (1987)

Paul Weller - Broken Stones (1995)

#19 REM - Losing My Religion (1991)

 

 

The song...., no anthem that virtually overnight turned Michael Stipe & co from being America's 1980s college rock/indie/alternative answer to the Smiths into the big league, taking on U2 for the crown of best band in the World.

 

Other famous #19's:

 

Aerosmith - Livin' On The Edge (1993)

Beatles - Back In The USSR (1976)

Julian Cope - World Shut Your Mouth (1986)

Billy Joel - Just The Way You Are (1978)

Sade - Smooth Operator (1984)

 

 

 

 

 

#18 Eddie Cochran - Summertime Blues (1958)

 

 

One of the first teenage anthems, that has been covered by the likes of T-Rex & Simple Minds amongst many others, originally performed by a singer/songwriter who never lived to see his 22nd birthday.

 

 

Other famous #18's:

 

P.P. Arnold - The First Cut Is The Deepest (1967)

Cream - Badge (1969)

REM - Man On The Moon (1992)

Stereo MCs - Connected (1992)

The Who - Who Are You (1978)

 

#17 Manic Street Preachers - Motorcycle Emptiness (1992)

 

 

This was the 6th & final single from the best selling Welsh act of the 1990s debut album Generation Terrorists. Ironically this indie anthem is probably a superior emotional song than every single song that belongs to the most ghastly, musically bankrupt genre of music (emo) since 1980s Hair Metal.

 

Other famous #17's:

 

Aerosmith - Cryin' (1993)

Neil Diamond - Love On The Rocks (1980)

Police - King Of Pain (1984)

Pretenders - Back On The Chain Gang (1982)

Steely Dan - Haitian Divorce (1976)

#16 Madonna - Oh Father (1996)

 

 

Incredibly, this is the lowest a Madonna single has peaked in the UK singles chart. So how ironic, that the single in question is my all time favourite Madonna song a very emotional power ballad taken from her best studio album to date Like A Prayer (1989). But finally released as a single 7 years later as a tie in to her excellent ballad compiliation album Something To Remember.

 

 

Other famous #16's:

 

Killing Joke - Love Like Blood (1985)

Lightning Seeds - Pure (1989)

Pearl Jam - Alive (1992)

Primal Scream - Loaded (1990)

Sting - Fields Of Gold (1993)

 

 

 

 

#15 The Jam - Down In A Tube Station At Midnight (1978)

 

 

Taken from the post punk trio's 3rd album All Mods Cons, this song with a brilliant narrative tail of gritty reality confirmed that Paul Weller was going to be one of Britain's greatest singer songwriters for the next 30 years.

 

Other famous #15's:

 

Cult - She Sells Sanctuary (1985)

Dream Academy - Life In A Northern Town (1985)

Dubstar - Stars (Re-issue) (1996)

Genesis - Invisible Touch (1986)

Icicle Works - Love Is A Wonderful Colour (1984)

Prince - Cream (1991)

Cliff Richard - Miss You Nights (1976)

Slade - How Does It Feel? (1975)

Sly & The Family Stone - Family Affair (1972)

Stevie Wonder - Living For The City (1974)

 

#14 Patsy Cline - Crazy (1990)

 

 

This country classic penned by Willie Nelson never reached the UK charts when it was first released in 1962 and hit USA#9 (a year before her death in a plane crash), but became a hit nearly 30 years later by the first lady of country.

 

Other famous #14's:

 

Jeff Beck - Hi Ho Silver Lining (1967)

Bon Jovi - You Give Love A Bad Name (1986)

Cranberries - Linger (1994)

Roberta Flack - The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (1972)

Sophie B Hawkins - Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover (1992)

Billy Joel - It's Still Rock And Roll To Me (1980)

Elton John - Can You Feel The Love Tonight (1994)

Shannon - Let The Music Play (1983)

Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime (1981)

Stevie Wonder - Uptight (Everything's Alright) (1966)

#13 Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart (1980)

 

 

This haunting, stunning track released on the Factory label became a posthumous hit single for the late, great Ian Curtis and the rest of the Mancunian act who became New Order. These lyrics, music and vocal performance cuts through your soul like a hot knife through butter. One can only dare dream what music Joy Division would have made had Ian been able to resolve his personal issues.

 

Other famous #13's:

 

Blondie - Union City Blue (1979)

Del Amitri - Always The Last To Know (1992)

Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus (1989)

Aretha Franklin - Don't Play That Song (1970)

Peter Gabriel - Solsbury Hill (1977)

La's - There She Goes (1990)

Leftfield & Lydon - Open Up (1993)

Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy (1991)

Portishead - Glory Box (1995)

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under The Bridge (Re) (1994)

 

 

 

#12 Kinks - Days (1968)

 

 

#12 Kirsty MacColl - Days (1989)

 

 

This Ray Davies penned track turned out to be the Kinks last UK Top20 hit of the 1960s. Two decades later, the criminally underrated Kirsty MacColl (thanks to the assistance of former Smiths' guitarist Johnny Marr) managed to achieve the same chart position as the original, with a cover that Ray Davies rates as the best cover of one of his own songs. Well I'm certainly not arguing with that...

 

 

Other famous #12's:

 

A Guy Called Gerald - Voodoo Ray (1988)

B-52's - Rock Lobster (Re) (1986)

Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love (1978)

Duran Duran - Planet Earth (1981)

Electronic - Getting Away With It (1990)

Don Henley - The Boys Of Summer (1985)

Grace Jones - Slave To The Rhythm (1985)

Police - Roxanne (1979)

Weezer - Buddy Holly (1995)

Zombies - She's Not There (1964)

#11 The Clash - London's Calling (1980)

 

 

The title track from this articulate punk act musical masterpiece penned by the late great Joe Strummer & future Libertines producer Mick Jones. Thanks to the unoriginality of acts like Green Day, this song sounds as relevent now, as it did back at the dawn of the 1980s.

 

Other famous #11's:

 

Beastie Boys - (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party) (1987)

Blur - Coffee & TV (1999)

Dion - Runaround Sue (1961)

Mama Cass - Dream A Little Dream Of Me (1968)

Joni Mitchell - Big Yellow Taxi (1970)

Alanis Morissette - Ironic (1996)

Pilot - Magic (1974)

Elvis Presley - If I Can Dream (1969)

Proclaimers - I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) (1988)

Public Image Ltd - Rise (1986)

 

This Ray Davies penned track turned out to be the Kinks last UK Top20 hit of the 1960s. Two decades later, the criminally underrated Kirsty MacColl (thanks to the assistance of former Smiths' guitarist Johnny Marr) managed to achieve the same chart position as the original, with a cover that Ray Davies rates as the best cover of one of his own songs. Well I'm certainly not arguing with that...

 

i would! sorry but i dont like kirstys version one bit. im not bothered who says its good and who doesnt... i simply dont like it, it doesnt appeal to me.

i would! sorry but i dont like kirstys version one bit. im not bothered who says its good and who doesnt... i simply dont like it, it doesnt appeal to me.

 

Well obviously the music critics of Mojo magazine, Uncut magazine & The Word magazine and most importantly the songwriter himself Ray Davies all disagree with you seeing as it made at least the Top 50 in a Greatest Covers of All-Time lists in the three aforementioned magazines. Interestingly The Word magazine listed Overlanders - Michelle amongst the worst covers list :wink: Just as Siouxsie & The Banshees cover of Dear Prudence is universally regarded as the definitive cover of a Beatles song. (Even Yoko Ono & Paul McCartney agree on that!)

Well obviously the music critics of Mojo magazine, Uncut magazine & The Word magazine and most importantly the songwriter himself Ray Davies all disagree with you seeing as it made at least the Top 50 in a Greatest Covers of All-Time lists in the three aforementioned magazines. Interestingly The Word magazine listed Overlanders - Michelle amongst the worst covers list :wink: Just as Siouxsie & The Banshees cover of Dear Prudence is universally regarded as the definitive cover of a Beatles song. (Even Yoko Ono & Paul McCartney agree on that!)

 

m8.... i have my own brain, i will not be told what i should like and what i shouldnt! i dont care if all the intelligencia dont agree with me! im loyal and honest to my taste, simple facts... i HATE siouxsies 'dear prudence', i dont like kirtsy maccolls 'days', i LOVE the overlanders 'michelle', and no one can argue me out of those facts! :)

#10 Aretha Franklin - Respect (1967)

 

 

The Queen of Soul's definitive take on the Otis Redding song was a Top 10 hit on both sides of the Atlantic, becoming an anthem for both Black rights & females alike.

 

Other famous #10's:

 

Joan Armatrading - Love And Affection (1976)

Blur - Parklife (1994)

David Bowie - Starman (1972)

Dion - The Wanderer (1962)

Massive Attack - Teardrop (1998)

Prince - Sign O The Times (1987)

Travis - Why Does It Always Rain On Me? (1999)

The Who - I Can See For Miles (1967)

Neil Young - Heart Of Gold (1972)

 

 

 

 

#9 Cliff Richard - Devil Woman (1976)

 

 

Whatever one now thinks of the UK answer to Elvis Presley who has turned into a celibate Christian do-gooder who only seems to now release awful records at Christmas (although Westlife's annual massacre of a Karaoke Adult Contempory classic & Simon Cowell's strangehold at Xmas thanks to his mockery of a talent show is making me start to wish otherwise). The fact remains that Sir Cliff is the biggest selling singles artist in the UK ever. So it would be just plain rude to snub him from this countdown. As this was his biggest ever hit single in the USA (#6), and Led Zeppelin even soundchecked this song, then I think it is good to remind people what Cliff Richard was once capable of.

 

Other famous #9's:

 

Duran Duran - Rio (1982)

Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush - Don't Give Up (1986)

Moody Blues - Nights In White Satin (1972)

New Order - Blue Monday (1983)

Queen - Don't Stop Me Now (1979)

Small Faces - Tin Soldier (1967)

Specials AKA - Nelson Mandela (1984)

Dusty Springfield - Son Of A Preacher Man (1968)

Supertramp - Breakfast In America (1979)