Many's the fan who fantasizes about a whole Small Faces album the calibre of this two-headed monster. Their masterpiece compresses everything they excelled at into a fiery three minutes, 20 seconds. From Steve Marriott's count-in to Kenny Jones' conclusive tumble of tom-toms, it's a feral rock'n'soul hybrid that presaged The Rolling Stones' Exile sound, beautifully captured by engineer Glyn Johns, Ian McLAgan's broody Wurlitzer and Hammond introduction summons a squall of guitar and drums, which becalms for the tensile verse sung by Steve--"I am a little tin soldier who wants to jump into your fire," invoking Hans Christian Anderson's fairy tale-- before he goes off like a volcano on a river-deep, mountain-high chorus with guest female vocalist PP Arnold, Ronnie Lane and Mac all singing. If this performance doesn't stir you, you're made of ice. On the flip, they turn a throwaway ditty into a psychedelic tour-de-force complete with speeded-up vocals, fake fade and a roaring coda which anticipates Led Zeppelin by a couple of years.
Availability: Small Faces Castle CD
47. QUEEN: Bohemian Rhapsody/ I'm In Love With My Car (1975)
Recorded on the same piano as the Fabs' Hey Jude, Bo Rap is one of the most complex and beguiling singles ever made. Overrated by those who love it and underrated by those who don't, the public voted it the most popular UK number 1. No one can deny the copper-bottomed durability of this the very embodiment of utter pop nonsense. It's the ultimate 3-in-1 offer-- ballad, heavy rock and high camp on a scale unseen since Kenneth Williams screamed "Infamy, infamy! They've all got it in for me!" 11 years previously.
Availability: The Platinum Collection: Queen Greatest Hits I, II, III EMI CD
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