“Like a Rolling Stone” is a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released in July 1965, by Colimbia Records. Its confrontational lyrics originated in an extended piece of verse Dylan wrote in June 1965, when he returned exhausted from a grueling tour of England. Dylan distilled this draft into four verses and a chorus. “Like […]
Smells Like Teen Spirit (5)
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” is a song by American band Nirvana. It is the opening track and lead single from the band’s second album, Nevermind (1991), released on DGC Records. The unexpected success of the song propelled Nevermind to the top of several albums charts at the start of 1992, an event often marked as […]
What’s Goin’ On (6)
“What’s Going On” is a song by American singer-songwriter Marvin Gaye, released in 1971 on the Motown subsidiary Tamla. The song was composed by Renaldo “Obie” Benson, Al Cleveland, and Gaye and produced by Gaye himself. The song marked Gaye’s departure from the Motown Sound towards more personal material. Later topping the Hot Soul Singles […]
Strawberry Fields Forever (7)
“Strawberry Fields Forever” is a song by the Beatles, written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon-McCartney. It was released in February 1967 as a double A-side single with “Penny Lane”. It represented a departure from the group’s previous singles and a novel listening experience for the contemporary pop audience. While the song initially divided […]
Get Ur Freak On – 8
“Get Ur Freak On” is a song by American rapper Missy Elliot. It was written and produced by Elliott and Timbaland for her third studio album Miss E… So Addictive (2001). Based on heavy bhangra elements, a popular music and dance form from the Punjab state of India, the song features a six-note base that […]
Dreams (9)
“Dreams” is a song by British-American band Fleetwood Mac from their eleventh studio album, Rumours (1977). In the United States, “Dreams” was released as the second single from Rumours on 24 March 1977, while in the United Kingdom, the song was released as the third single in June 1977. A stage performance of “Dreams” was […]
Norma Waterson
I have set aside the series on the top songs on the 500 Best Songs of All Time for today to mark the passing of one of the seminal figures in English Folk Music. Waterson was born in Hull, and, after being orphaned at an early age, was brought up there, with her brother Mike […]
Hey Ya (10)
“Hey Ya!” is a song performed by American hip-hop duo Outkast, specifically group member Andre 3000, who wrote and produced the song. Along with “The Way You Move”, recorded by Outkast’s other member Big Boi, “Hey Ya!” was released by Arista Records as one of the two lead singless from the duo’s fifth album, Speakerboxxx/The […]
God Only Knows (11)
“God Only Knows” is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1966 album Pet Sounds. Written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher, it is a Baroque-style love song distinguished for its harmonic innovation and its subversion of typical pop music formula. It is often praised as one of the greatest songs […]
Superstition (12)
“Superstition” is a song by American singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder. It was released in October 1972, as the lead single from his fifteenth studio album, Talking Book (1972), by Tamla Motown. The lyrics describe popular superstitions and their negative effects. Jeff Beck was an admirer of Wonder’s music, and Wonder was informed of this prior to […]