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...
The London Boys
Silly Boy Blue
Holy Holy
Bombers
Modern Love
Absolute Beginners
Shopping For Girls
Jump They Say
Outside
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?
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...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
47. Lloyd Price - Lawdy Miss Clawdy (1952)
Proto rock and roll. This goes hard.
youtu.be/eqycY37sr_w?...
47. Lloyd Price - Lawdy Miss Clawdy (1952)
Proto rock and roll. This goes hard.
youtu.be/eqycY37sr_w?...
46. Nat King Cole - Unforgettable
Was there ever a more beautiful voice in pop than Nat King Cole?
youtu.be/_6OtPA9Sxkw?...
46. Nat King Cole - Unforgettable
Was there ever a more beautiful voice in pop than Nat King Cole?
youtu.be/_6OtPA9Sxkw?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
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?...
29. Glenn Miller and his Orchestra - Moonlight Serenade (1939)
It's hard to imagine anybody hearing this and not being moved.
youtu.be/rjq1aTLjrOE?...
29. Glenn Miller and his Orchestra - Moonlight Serenade (1939)
It's hard to imagine anybody hearing this and not being moved.
youtu.be/rjq1aTLjrOE?...