Written as a sardonic riposte to former band-mates who wanted to get in on the songwriting royalties, Harley hit on a pop formula that was as potent as it was unorthodox. Melodic, immediate and made pleasingly annoying by Harley's vocal affectations, there's an undertone of acerbic regret that's timeless. The PRS names it as one of the most played records in the UK. "It's quite vicious, lyrically," Harley says, "but you still want to sing and dance to it."
Availability: The Cream Of Steve Harley And Cockney Rebel EMI GOLD CD
25. BOB DYLAN: Subterranean Homesick Blues/ She Belongs To Me (1965)
For the multitudes who never heard his flop 1962 single Mixed Up Confusion, this was the first sign that the poet of protest had rock'n'roll pumping through his veins. Part tribute to Chuck Berry's Too Much Monkey Business, part identikit instruction for the post-beat generation, this was a rapper's delight. US urban terrorists The Weathermen stole their name from this song, but they weren't alone in liking it: every hung-up outsider recognized it as an anthem.
Availability: Bringing It All Back Home Columbia CD
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