Verbwhores' Top 1000 Singles

[Ciarán2]

We've had albums - twice in fact.

Plus...Books

And "comedy things"

So perhaps if we try we can come up with a Top 1000 singles list which isn't completely tedious.

Really, I just wanted an excuse to talk with other 'whores about great singles. I'm going to start with a possibly contentious one for some of you.

1000.


Girls Aloud "Biology"

Written by: Giselle Sommerville/ Lisa Cowling/ Miranda Cooper/ Tim Powell
Produced by: Xenomania
Released: November 2005
Highest UK Chart Position: 4

This was the last single I heard, where I thought "what the hell IS this!?" On second hearing, this had changed to "this is brilliant" and that remains my opinion now. The first reason I believe it to be brilliant, is because of its structure. There's a rather jarring, hammering, piano chord at the start - like a parody of old rock'n'roll intros. Production team Xenomania had tried this before on Jimmy Ray's 1997 single "Are You Jimmy Ray?". But it works so much better here. It's reminiscent of the rock and roll parodies on Serge Gainsbourg's "Rock Around The Bunker". And it's the chorus, the most instantaneously recognisable motif through the song. So then we're into the verse. That's successful too. Lots of girl-about-town references ("So I got my cappuccino to go and I'm heading for the hills again..."), and then we're into the chorus. The second chorus that is ("Before all the heavy stuff comes back to bite your behind..."). Phew! Where now? Heck, to another chorus! Chorus number 3 ("You can't escape my biology! ...The way that we walk, the way that we talk..."). So it's chorus 1-verse-chorus 2-chorus 3-chorus 1. That's the structure. No instrumental breakdown. No "bridges". Choruses. Lots of the bastards.

Other reasons to love it. The funny toying with pop lyric cliches: ("Come on and hold me, hug me/ Say you love me, and not my dirty brain"). The way it flirts with rock and roll, but ultimately gives it the brush off. That it's a terrific electro pop single - listen to the sweeping synths at 1'32". That it's full of harmonies and counter melodies. That it rushes past, makes it edgy and exciting - it's a Pop record with a capital P. And it has a dance routine to go with it. It's 3'36" long. Perfect pop song length. It's funny, atmospheric, modern, catchy, ridiculous, camp, sexy and glorious.

999.



Rush "Spirit Of Radio"

Written by: Neil Peart, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson
Produced by: Rush and Terry Brown
Released: January 1980
Highest UK Chart Position: 13

Another single with a funny structure. You don't have to be a Rush fan to be won over by "Spirit Of Radio". You don't even have to be a rock fan to be won over by "Spirit Of Radio". It's a bit like "Ace of Spades" or "More Than A Feeling" in that sense, I tend to think. It's bigger than rock music. It's even got reggae bits (towards the end). And it's "pretend live", again just for a section. It has tempo changes, so it's a bit prog. High pitched singing. Air-guitarist heaven. It's full of surprises. The most pleasing bit is its iddly guitar intro ("iddly" doesn't do it justice - it's more "iddliddoodle-aarrrdle-wooodle-idddle...). Ends as rock groups are wont to when they play live, "uurnk!....uurnk!....uuuuuuuuurrrrrrnk! Urnk!"  Yes, difficult to put into words. "One likes to believe in the freedom of music". Completely wondrous and unforgettable from the first listen.

Edit: chart positions. Best place for these is Guinness British Hit Singles (19th Edition) or  www.everyhit.com

[TOCMFIC]

So we're going to have to provide a review of any single we choose?

[lazyhour]

Yes, that must strike terror into the heart of the man who started the What are you listening too right now? (As in right this second) thread!

[Jemble Fred]

No detailed review, but the only time I've ever literally just grabbed my keys and set off for Woolies to buy a single the second I heard it was:


The Bluetones: Marblehead Johnson (1996)

When I saw the video on The Chart Show (seem to recall it was the band in fat suits playing football). The main song is on of my favourites of the nineties (and not an album track either, if I recall rightly, Beatles-style). But more to the point, the whole single made for great listening, more of an EP than anything really, and every song is completely different in style from the last.

[Toad in the Hole]

You're correct in saying it wasn't an album track, Jem.  All the early Bluetones singles are excellent - this is probably the last one that I'd really include.

Will provide a response later when I've got more time to consider...

[Why I Hate Tables]

Favourite singles,eh?
Being a singles person,I think this is a good thread.

997
BOSTON-More Than A Feeling
CHART POSITION-24

Sounding both like Ziggy Stardust in it's chord changes, and also Smells Like Teen Spirit. It's just an amazing song, with one of the greatest riffs ever. The way it switches from jangle to screeching guitar is amazing.

It's great too because the lyrics are unimportant. They're just easy, rock lyrics. But it doesn't matter,because it's got monster guitars and handclaps. Handclaps improve any song. And this song is amazing enough already. The clapping elevates it to the heights of the pop rock gods.

996
MISSY ELLIOT-Get Ur Freak On
CHART POSITION-4
Like More Than A Feeling, the best singles are always the height of simplicity. This one shares a lot with More Than A Feeling.
1)The lyrics make no sense
2)It's catchier than a cold.

What is it really? It's just that little "Ning ning ning ninga ning" electro riff and some drums, and then Missy comes in. It's irresistible though. Most people love it. If you don't love it, then fine. It is incredible though.

995
PULP-This Is Hardcore
CHART POSITION-12
Another amazing song.
It has everything. From those drums leading in and the horns,then the piano.
When Jarvis finally comes in, it's possibly his sleaziest and most desparate soundign performance.
His voice when he sings "I want it bad,I want it now" then "Can't you see I'm ready now" is the best it's ever sounded before or after. I could write paragraphs just on the subtle changes in his voice.

The song piles on everything, strings,horns,massive drums and one of the most amazing vocal performances I've ever heard. Then when it ends again with the horns from the beginning it actually sounds like the climax he's sung about.
This is hardcore.

[The Plunger]

No detailed review, but the only time I've ever literally just grabbed my keys and set off for Woolies to buy a single the second I heard it was:

The Bluetones: Marblehead Johnson (1996)

When I saw the video on The Chart Show (seem to recall it was the band in fat suits playing football). The main song is on of my favourites of the nineties (and not an album track either, if I recall rightly, Beatles-style). But more to the point, the whole single made for great listening, more of an EP than anything really, and every song is completely different in style from the last.

Definitely - 'Nifkin's Bridge' in particular is stunning. Did this e.p. not also have  Are You Blue or Are You Blind as a 'secret' track on it ? The Bluetones have some great b-sides.

[Ciarán2]

So we're going to have to provide a review of any single we choose?

Yep, I want reviews, writing and production credits, sleeve art, chart positions and links to the track in question. Failing those requirements, just the title/year of release and review. It's all been good so far. All entries should be justified. (But not necessarily ancient). If I'm able to, I'll re-touch the links to the tracks from time to time, so they can be listened to by those who are unfamiliar.

So, we're to 994...

[Derek Trucks]

I want reviews, writing and production credits, sleeve art, chart positions and links to the track in question.

Can we have petty pedantry as well?  Biology definately wasn't a Number 1, think it made about 4.

[Ciarán2]

Argh! (Looks for Guinness British Hit Singles). You're right! Editing to do. Yes, pedantry is welcome, this better be factually accurate. thanks!

[Ray Le Otter]

994.



NEW ORDER "Fine Time"

Factory FAC 223-7
Chart pos #11

New Order go to Ibiza and come back with this.

My first reaction to hearing this single on the radio for the first time was "What the fuck....?". It sounded absolutely mad. Now I'm talking about the 7" version here. Not the album version, which is longer, rearranged with time to breathe. No, the seven inch, which compacts everything into a three-minute package of dance mentalness (which is odd really as you can't dance to it).

This wasn't, and still isn't typical New Order. The track screams in all guns blazing, with Barney's semi-angry vocal "You're much toooooo youuuuuuuuung.." over a busy squelchy acid backing (apparently the genre called Balearic, m'lud). There's no chorus to speak of. A pastiche of a Barry White lurrrrrve monologue ("Oooooohhhhhhh. Sophisticated laydehhhhhhhhh"). A dead stop in the middle of the track. Weird synthesized voices. No trademark Peter Hook bass until the end. And sheep noises. Add a beautiful Peter Saville sleeve (as ever) and Barney doing Bez-type dancing on prime-time TOTP and you've got a winner.    

We thought that the "Technique" album would be more of the same. It wasn't, and I'm glad, because this track stands on it's own as a gem to be cherished. It hasn't dated because it sounds like nothing around at that time or since. As innovative as "Blue Monday" but it'll never get the praise. Except here.

edited 16:06 16.08.06

[Paul Dee]

Nothing to add yet (will do later when I have more time to post properly) but just wanted to say that this is a great thread. My heart sank before I clicked on it, thinking ''oh god, another list thread?" but the fact that you have to include  a review and the chart position makes for interesting reading and sets it apart from other similar threads.

[fudgemonkey]

993-Associates-Party Fears Two
Chart Position-9

One of THE perfect songs,never mind singles.
For a start,anything with Billy Mackenzie singing on has got to be worth a listen.
That and it has some of the most meaningless lyrics in any song I've heard.

"An innocent remark is misinterpreted and turns to shark". What exactly does "Part Fears Two" mean anyway? More importantly,does it matter. The piano intro is almost as beautiful as Mackenzie's voice. That and the melody gets under your skin,and dies there. It sticks in your head,although not in an irritating Kylie way.

[Custard]

992- Beyonce - Crazy In Love
Chart position: #1.



Like Ciarán's reaction to Girls Aloud's "Biology", I remember my first hearing of Beyonce's debut-single clearly and I recall thinking "What the fuck is THIS?". It completely blew me away and kept me pinned to the seat for it's full duration.

From the opening looped brass sample, to the "Oh o oh o oh o oh o, na na na" hook, to the sheer spirit & energy Beyonce invests into it, it's a mesmerising piece of work. And one of the, if not the, most catchy and instantly-enjoyable singles of modern times. When I think of "pop music" I think of this, not the dead-eyed, sulky likes of Dido & James Blunt. It makes you wanna get up and do something.

Some people don't like the Jay-Z cameo towards the end of the track, I do, and feel it compliments the track beautifully. Beyonce added lyrics and melody therefore the track is credited to her, yet it was the production of Rich Harrison that lifted it to another level. The brass-sample was his idea, as was the live-drums heard throughout. Another great track he recently worked on was "1 Thing" by Amerie, which is basically "Crazy In Love"'s slightly less-attractive sister, but you still would anyway.

I highly doubt Beyonce will ever top it or even come close. It's truly inspired from chaotic start to shuddering finish, and that's why I believe it deserves a place in this excellent thread.

[Cack Hen]

991.



[PRIMAL SCREAM] - Velocity Girl

Released: May 1986
Label: Creation
Format: 7" & 12" double A side with Crystal Crescent

-{Download}-

Here we find 80s Primal Scream taking us all on a masterclass of how to write a perfect pop song. The first lesson being, leave the listener wanting more. This clocks in at a very brief 01.23 and it doesn't need to be a second longer. Nine out of ten bands would take the verse, chorus and riff in this song and milked them all for a good 4 minutes and upwards, Primal Scream abandon the chance to cash in and they cut straight through the bullshit and deliver a timeless melody with enough speed an accuracy to make it seem utterly effortless.

I can't say I have encountered many fans of this, but I suspect that's because it seems to have been a bit swept under the carpet. The fact that it's barely a minute long doesn't help it stand the test of time, but it's so utterly joyous in its majestic major shifts and Byrds inspired guitar work that I hope it does have an unspoken fan base. It deserves one.

However, one famous musician who I have heard praise this song is Nicky Wire. This is where it gets a bit vague because it was a few years ago when I saw Nicky talking about this on MTV2's Gonzo but to paraphrase -

I just think it's a perfect blast of pop music and they've never reached that height again

And of course this quote is backed up by a cover of Velocity Girl being on CD2 of Lipstick Traces.

The trick with this song is to limit your plays of it. It would be all too easy to listen to it five or six times in a row, but it's just a bit too special to be worn out like that.

ps. re: country girl. This forgives you.

[Custard]

By the way, "Biology" nicks the riff from The Streets' "Fit But You Know It", doesn't it? Or am I imagining that?

Truly great tune though.

[Paaaaul]

I remember my first hearing of Beyonce's debut-single clearly and I recall thinking "What the fuck is THIS?".

I'm not a Beyoncé nerd, but didn't she release a song from one of the Austin Powers soundtracks as a single before this?

[Custard]

I remember my first hearing of Beyonce's debut-single clearly and I recall thinking "What the fuck is THIS?".

I'm not a Beyoncé nerd, but didn't she release a song from one of the Austin Powers soundtracks as a single before this?

You could well be right there. "Work It Out", wasn't it?

[Garfield And Friends]

Beyonce - Crazy In Love

Just two things wrong with this song:

From the opening looped brass sample
...
it was the procuction of Rich Harrison that lifted it to another level. The brass-sample was his idea

1. It would be an otherwise forgetable song but the brass sample [over]carries it (and "Are You My Woman" [the track the sample was ripped from] doesn't loop to the thing to death, and AYMW the better song for it).

Some people don't like the Jay-Z cameo towards the end of the track

2. This. Another pop/RnB effort ruined by some idiot with his grating amelodic 'flow'. Twunt off jigga man.

[Custard]

In your opinion, granted. I think it sounds amazing to mine ear!

[Ciarán2]

Brilliant to hear "Velocity Girl" mastered from the vinyl. I've got it on a vinyl release of the C86 comp, so I've never heard it without crackles. I think I'd like to keep it that way now. Has it ever been released on CD? I'm sure it must have done.

Great singles so far, each and every one.

[Cack Hen]

Don't speak too soon, I think I'm going to slip in a potential "argh, what?!" nice and early now.

990.



[MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE] - Helena

Released: March 2005
Label: Reprise
Format: CD
Chart Position: #22
-{Video}-

Say what you like about the vapid, generic emo scene (if you can even establish what the fuck that is) but this is a tune. The sheer level of melodrama is hilarious and admirable in equal measure. They've taken a power ballad and rinsed it of every drop of emo(tion) they possibly could and along with this beautifully coreographed video, they've done a damn fine job.

[Paul Dee]

989.




Rachel Stevens - Sweet Dreams My LA Ex

Released: September 15, 2003
Written by: Cathy Dennis, C. Karlsson, P. Winnberg, H. Jonback
Producer: Bloodshy & Avant
Highest chart position: #2


The first time I heard this I was amazed at how great a single it was to launch a solo career. It has a certain confidence about it which, to be fair, I don't think she's replicated in any of her singles since (and I like pretty much all the other singles she's released, bar that awful cover of More, More, More). It's also just a brilliant pop song and is exactly what a single should be. From the acoustic guitar intro which carries on throughout the entire song to the insanely catchy chorus to the little things like the fantasticly high vocals during the bridge it's just tremendous. I really don't understand why all pop music can't be like this.

[Ciarán2]

What number have we got to then...?

988.



In Aura "This Month's Epic"

Wrtten by: In Aura
Produced and mixed by: Steve Osbourne
Released: November 1995
Highest UK Chart Position: did not chart!

Bit of an obscurity now, this one. In Aura were a swaggering glam indie band who kind of got lumped into the Romo category. Well, they liked Roxy, Bowie, Iggy and The Human League. They toured with The Human League actually. And they had something of Duran Duran about them. Their keyboard player was Dave Formula, once of Magazine. That's a great name for a keyboard player isn't it? Sounds like something Joe Meek would come up with. They made a video in Singapore (exotic location!) on a speedboat (very Duran) called "Soap Opera" (whaddatitle!) and it was brilliant.

"This Month's Epic" did garner some praise in the music press. Most notably so from Raw, which had been re-launched as a kind of cross between Smash Hits (as was) and the NME (as was). This 8'20" corker of a single failed to chart, unsurprisingly perhaps. But it's like the best bits of Suede, Primal Scream and - dare I say it - U2. It's terrifically over-the-top and grandiose. What I love about it is that ambition - where Britpop bands were beginning to settle into their dreary role as Kinks/Small Faces tribute bands, the likes of In Aura (and Orlando, of whom more later) at least seemed to care about how their records sounded. They weren't bothered, it seems to me, about recreating a live sound. They wanted to use the studio. Just like somebody like ABC did with Trevor Horn in the early 80s. So it was tremendously refreshing, not to say exciting that at the tail end of 1995, the possibilities of indie pop opened up again. Just for a moment, like the sun breaking through a gap in the clouds. It looked like pop might take an extravagant turn. Blur had just put out "The Universal", Pulp had released "Different Class" and Bjork was more popular than Madonna.

But the brave fight failed. The Lads took over. Romo died on its arse. But I still love this record.

987.



Saint Etienne "Avenue"

Written by: Bob Stanley, Pete Wiggs, Sarah Cracknell and Ian Catt
Produced by: Saint Etienne and Ian Catt
Released: October 1992
Highest UK Chart Position: 40

When push comes to shove, this is my all-time favourite single. A life-changer.

I was 15 when I heard this for the first time. Sitting on a bench in Connolly Station in Dublin, the sounds of the station intermingling with the sounds bouncing around my headphones. Those voices, are they part of the record? The bird song? It was hard to tell where the record began and reality ended (or vice versa). I'd bought the single on the strength of another Saint Etienne single ("Join Our Club", I think). I certainly wasn't expecting the swirling acid monster that is "Avenue". All 7'44" of it. It was psychedelic synthpop. And I couldn't make out the words. She can't be singing "And ohh ah the clown's no good!", surely. Not on the most heart-breaking and heart-warming record of the 1990s. I still can't believe it to this day.

Count the different melodies goin on in "Avenue". There seem to be about 500 of them, all at once. They could easily have made an album out of it. Bursting with ideas. Rob Newman wrote the review in Smash Hits ("You can tell St Etienne care about the record they've made. And when you can tell people care about their work it makes you care too..."). Saint Etienne themselves had talked of it as their "Good Vibrations" in Select. And in all honesty, it stands up to the comparison. You can spot the Brian Wilson influence, but also an A.R. Kane influence (and they did do a remix of the track). It's as enchanting and haunting as anything by The Cocteau Twins or The Cranes, as scuzzed and dirty as anything by My Bloody Valentine or Jesus and Mary Chain. But crucially, it's as pretty and tuneful as anything by ABBA, Burt Bacharach or The Bee Gees.

My favourite bits? I'm going to end up here all night. The harpsichord in a wind-tunnel (at 4'33"), the multi-layered rhtyhm track throughout, the layers of sounds (presumably all synths), Sarah Cracknell's only truly great vocal perfomance. And it has a false ending. "And then I shall go back to Maurice". What? Who?? What a mysterious, spooked and spooky record. A work of staggering genius. I've never listened to music with the same expectations since.

[Cack Hen]

I don't like that Rachel Stevens song. It gets on my nerves, and I can't get over the fact the guitar sounds like The Passenger.

[The Mumbler]

Just to say 'aye' to Ciaran's Avenue review.  (And what beautiful b-sides in Some Place Else and Paper.)  I even liked that CD single of remixes they rushed out by World of Twist and AR Kane.

I've been intrigued by spotting on more recent Etienne compilations that the version of Avenue's an edit.  What happens there? - I don't remember there being a radio edit at the time, indeed the fact it was seven minutes forty seconds was part of the thrill.  

I was about to mention Hobart Paving/Who Do You Think You Are? as the great Saint Etienne single, but I suspect Avenue's the winner.

[Ciarán2]

Yes, the b-sides to "Avenue" were incredible too. "Paper" being Velvets-y and a collaboration with Maurice Deebank of Felt (my introduction to Felt and Denim coming about as a result of this single), "Some Place Else" is a fine song too. And "Johnny In The Echo Cafe"...I can honestly say I was flummoxed by that one. An eerie soundscape lasting 3 or 4 minutes.

I haven't bought any of those comps with edits on. I wonder if it's the same as the video edit from "Smash The System" DVD? I'd imagine so.

Many more Saint Etienne singles deserve to feature in this thread, by the way. And you can bet they will do.

[The Mumbler]

986.

Sister Sledge "Thinking Of You"

Written by: Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers
Produced by: Bernard Edwards and NIle Rodgers
Released: 1979
Released as a single: May 1984
Highest UK Chart Position: 11

Ah, a Chic record in all but name, which announces itself with Rodgers' agile guitar lick, Edwards' rumbling bass and Tony Thompson's percussion which I'll call 'crisp' for the time being, even though that simply doesn't do it justice.  
Add in some strings which are a million miles from cloying, and that's before Kathy Sledge even starts singing.  Which is not to say it isn't also a great vocal performance - even the rambling coda where she's ultimately spouting isolated words in between whoops is compelling.  You just don't want it to end.

Why on earth this was never a single when the We Are Family LP came out, God knows.  In fact, I'm not even sure why it became a single five years later.  (It led to the album being reissued and Lost in Music remixed with Duran Duran stinking up the backing vocals.  Fortunately, Atlantic left this one alone.)
I first fell in love with it on Now That's What I Call Music! 3, issued before I could afford to buy loads of singles every week.  To the point where I accidentally scratched my copy (the guitar intro! Ruined!) and then had to go out and buy the single after all.  While writing these paragraphs, I've played it three times on the trot.

It's been covered twice: in a mediocre way by Maureen Walsh in 1990, and in a horrendous, stumbling, punchable way by the increasingly annoying and irrelevant Paul Weller in 2004.  

As for the original, it's so peerless, I'm able to forget they did Frankie.  Ah shit.

[Ciarán2]

Brilliant choice, deserves to be heard so here it is.

Sister Sledge "Thinking Of You"

I enjoyed the My Chemical Romance too despite hating that type of thing. This is great, it's a bit like having a really cool soirée were people play their favourite records and shoot the breeze. :-)

[Ray Le Otter]

I haven't bought any of those comps with edits on. I wonder if it's the same as the video edit from "Smash The System" DVD? I'd imagine so.

Many more Saint Etienne singles deserve to feature in this thread, by the way. And you can bet they will do.

Splendid choice. You beat me to it!

The edit IS the same as the video version (included on the Smash The System CD because it was previously unavailable on CD).

Good Gordon King remix as well - the samples never fail to make me laugh.