Marc Banyard
marcbanyard.bsky.social
Marc Banyard
@marcbanyard.bsky.social
Lady Grinning Soul
Letter to Hermione
Absolute Beginners
Art Decade
Everyone Says Hi
Joe the Lion
This Is Not America
Ashes to Ashes
1984
The Secret Life lf Arabia

As many others have said, it'll change tomorrow...
Can't Help Thinking About Me
The London Boys
Silly Boy Blue
Holy Holy
Bombers
Modern Love
Absolute Beginners
Shopping For Girls
Jump They Say
Outside
Fantastic Voyage
The London Boys
Wild is the Wind
Be My Wife
Absolute Beginners
London Bye Ta-Ta
Diamond Dogs
Ashes to Ashes
God Knows I'm Good
Life on Mars?
January 11, 2026 at 11:28 PM
A film you've seen more than seven times with a gif
November 2, 2025 at 12:25 PM
#Bowie #TinMachine Been thinking about Tin Machine today (God knows why). The really infuriating thing is that it wasn't a fundamentally bad idea. David's poppier sound for most of the rest of the 80s had led him into a creative cul-de-sac 1/?
April 20, 2025 at 7:40 PM
#LetsDoIt25

50. Young Tiger - I Was There (At The Coronation) (1953)

This is so much fun and Young Tiger is so likeable on this charming piece of calypso.

youtu.be/E_uArb9fwwA?...
Young Tiger - I Was There (At the Coronation)
YouTube video by aproragadozo2
youtu.be
January 25, 2025 at 11:48 AM
#LetsDoIt25

49. Gilbert Becaud - Mes Mains (1953)

A final piece of chanson. One of the earliest singles from 'Monsieur 100,000 Volts' and he knocks it out of the ballpark from the off.

youtu.be/Km9k2W3TRs8?...
Gilbert Bécaud - Mes mains
YouTube video by Chansons, Folklore et Variété
youtu.be
January 25, 2025 at 11:47 AM
#LetsDoIt25

48. Jo Stafford - You Belong To Me (1952)

The UKs second ever Number One single and it is a thing of beauty.

youtu.be/zQfF84ackMM?...
Jo Stafford - You Belong To Me
YouTube video by mr40sfan
youtu.be
January 24, 2025 at 10:17 AM
#LetsDoIt25

47. Lloyd Price - Lawdy Miss Clawdy (1952)

Proto rock and roll. This goes hard.

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Lloyd Price - Lawdy Miss Clawdy
YouTube video by NM Catalogue
youtu.be
January 24, 2025 at 10:16 AM
#LetsDoIt25

46. Nat King Cole - Unforgettable

Was there ever a more beautiful voice in pop than Nat King Cole?

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1951 HITS ARCHIVE: Unforgettable - Nat King Cole (his original version)
YouTube video by The78Prof
youtu.be
January 23, 2025 at 10:40 AM
#LetsDoIt25

45. Yves Montand - Les Feuilles Mortes

Perhaps the very best example of mid-century chanson. Melancholy, wistful and poetic (as you'd expect given that it was written by a poet). Perfect.

youtu.be/wRe1U17n5OY?...
Yves Montand: "Les feuilles mortes" (Autumn Leaves)
YouTube video by Edmund StAustell
youtu.be
January 23, 2025 at 10:39 AM
#LetsDoIt25

44. Bull Moose Jackson and his Buffalo Bearcats - I Can't Go On Without You (1949)

11 Points

This would easily make my all-time top 50. Full of sadness and yearning. Bull's sax is gorgeous. Deserves to be much better remembered than it is.

youtu.be/ani9P_gkSeU?...
1948 Bull Moose Jackson - I Can’t Go On Without You (#1 R&B hit)
YouTube video by The78Prof
youtu.be
January 22, 2025 at 10:09 AM
#LetsDoIt25

43. Eliane Embrun - Si J'etais Une Cigarette (1949)

The late 40s and early 50s were a fantastic era for chanson. This is particularly lovely example although I fear Embrun is all but unknown to an anglophone audience.

youtu.be/m_R6kic-IcA?...
Eliane Embrun - Si J'etais Une Cigarette
YouTube video by serge1232
youtu.be
January 22, 2025 at 10:09 AM
#LetsDoIt25

42. Vaughan Monroe and his Orchestra - Riders In The Sky (1949)

Billboard's top song of 1949 and it isn't hard to hear why. A stone cold classic.

youtu.be/YAPCxfuBzyo?...
1949 HITS ARCHIVE: Riders In The Sky - Vaughn Monroe (a #1 record)
YouTube video by The78Prof
youtu.be
January 21, 2025 at 10:11 AM
#LetsDoIt25

41. Russ Morgan and his Orchestra - So Tired (1949)

Another late-40s slowie that I probably love more than most. The chattering trombone is a great hook.

youtu.be/9scxtYHLSe8?...
1949 HITS ARCHIVE: So Tired - Russ Morgan
YouTube video by The78Prof
youtu.be
January 21, 2025 at 10:10 AM
#LetsDoIt25

40. Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra - Maybe You'll Be There (1948)

The late 40s has a vein of lachrymose miserablism. This is great if your tastes run in that direction.

youtu.be/kRUS8qn_YPM?...
1948 HITS ARCHIVE: Maybe You’ll Be There - Gordon Jenkins (Charles La Vere & chorus, vocal)
YouTube video by The78Prof
youtu.be
January 20, 2025 at 9:10 AM
#LetsDoIt25

39. Billie Holliday - You Better Go Now (1946)

Probably not one of Billie's that is likely to make the cut but my personal favourite.

youtu.be/wpB9nwhpv_0?...
Billie Holiday - You Better Go Now
YouTube video by Okmusix
youtu.be
January 20, 2025 at 9:09 AM
#LetsDoIt25

38. Vaughan Monroe and his Orchestra - There I've Said It Again (1945)

The late 40s has a seam of cloyingly sentimental tunes which, I am unashamed to say, I like enormously.

youtu.be/B5tGk5OTk94?...
1945 HITS ARCHIVE: There! I’ve Said It Again - Vaughn Monroe (his original #1 version)
YouTube video by The78Prof
youtu.be
January 19, 2025 at 12:02 PM
#LetsDoIt25

37. Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five - Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby (1944)

More widely known by those of my generation as 'does you does or does you don't take Access'.

youtu.be/g27XLCBQmYE?...
1944 HITS ARCHIVE: Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t (Ma’ Baby) - Louis Jordan & his Tympany Five
YouTube video by The78Prof
youtu.be
January 19, 2025 at 12:01 PM
#LetsDoIt25

36. Vera Lynn - It Can't Be Wrong (1943)

Lynn is another artist straightjacketed in the public perception by the fact that only two of her songs are generally remembered. In fact, she had a fine body of work including this.

youtu.be/SGz0wVN4cts?...
It Can't Be Wrong
YouTube video by Vera Lynn - Topic
youtu.be
January 18, 2025 at 10:15 AM
#LetsDoIt25

35. Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra -Take the A Train (1941)

I know too little about jazz to say anything profound about this but it's a the 40s equivalent of a banger.

youtu.be/aG4Tte6XGkA?...
1941 HITS ARCHIVE: Take The “A” Train - Duke Ellington
YouTube video by The78Prof
youtu.be
January 18, 2025 at 10:13 AM
#LetsDoIt25

34. Glenn Miller and his Orchestra - Elmers Tune (1941)

Always reminds me of Nigel Buxton sitting in his tent of an evening at the Phoenix Festival on the Adam and Joe Show.

youtu.be/QmAoLjFEAi8?...
1941 HITS ARCHIVE: Elmer’s Tune - Glenn Miller (Ray Eberle & The Modernaires, vocal) (a #1 record)
YouTube video by The78Prof
youtu.be
January 17, 2025 at 10:21 AM
#LetsDoIt25

33. Florence Desmond - The Deepest Shelter in Town (1941)

I swear this is the filthiest song I've ever heard. Extraordinarily rude.

youtu.be/IKwELrVhCTo?...
Florence Desmond - The Deepest Shelter in Town
YouTube video by Orange John
youtu.be
January 17, 2025 at 10:20 AM
#LetsDoIt25

32. Ambrose and his Orchestra - A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square (1940)

As romantic a song as it is possible to achieve. Even the most cynical listener would feel tender hearted.

youtu.be/BYRWEueWYKU?...
Ambrose Orchestra - A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square (25.06.1940)
YouTube video by THE HEHR ARCHIVE
youtu.be
January 16, 2025 at 12:03 PM
#LetsDoIt25

31. Edith Piaf - L'Accordeoniste (1940)

It's a shame that Piaf will likely only be remembered for one signature tune when there are songs like this in her back catalogue.

youtu.be/E1AZCevjnfk?...
Édith Piaf - L'accordéoniste
YouTube video by Edith Piaf
youtu.be
January 16, 2025 at 12:02 PM
#LetsDoIt25

30. Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra - I'll Never Smile Again (1940)

Heretical though it may be to say so, I think I might actually prefer Sinatra's early stuff with Tommy Dorsey to his 50s work.

youtu.be/pusdvcy-DLw?...
1940 HITS ARCHIVE: I’ll Never Smile Again - Tommy Dorsey (Frank Sinatra & Pied Pipers, vocal) (a #1)
YouTube video by The78Prof
youtu.be
January 15, 2025 at 10:31 AM
#LetsDoIt25

29. Glenn Miller and his Orchestra - Moonlight Serenade (1939)

It's hard to imagine anybody hearing this and not being moved.

youtu.be/rjq1aTLjrOE?...
"MOONLIGHT SERENADE" BY GLENN MILLER
YouTube video by WorldWar2Music
youtu.be
January 15, 2025 at 10:30 AM