THE 100 SINGLES YOU MUST OWN

14. FREDA PAYNE: Band Of Gold/ The Easiest Way To Fall (1970)
 "We kissed after taking vows/ But that night on our honeymoon/ We stayed in separate rooms," Freda Payne, Invictus' answer to Diana Ross, confessed on this Ronald Dunbar and Edith Wayne-penned wedding night melodrama. While we'll never know the reason for the split--"I think it was about a situation where the woman was scared," reckons Payne, "but it's funny because most people have the opposite opinion, that it's about the guy"-- we can still thrill to Freda's poignant yet silky voiced plea for her husband's return and the sumptuous galloping Motown-esque background. Payne, who had first traded on her sultry torch singing tones with the big bands of Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Quincy Jones respectively, had never wanted to voice a song centered around such an innocent character, but it;s a good job she did. It sold more than all her previous releases put together, reaching number 1 in the UK and number 3 Stateside, and also spawned a hit album of the same name.
Availability: Unhooked Generation Invictus CD

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THE 100 SINGLES YOU MUST OWN

16. THE KINKS: You Really Got Me/ It's Alright (1964)
Thanks to Dave Davies' guitar distortion, You Really Got Me is credited with inventing heavy metal. It's equally a paradigm of visceral '60s beat economy. Its primeval riff, clipped verses and stomping chorus cut a swathe through the docile jangle of 1964 pop. Of course, distortion had been around since Link Wray's Rumble and three-chord pop nirvana since The Champs' Tequila, but nobody had  put the two together before. Whatever the historic nuances, any public airing of You Really Got Me will dare you not to bawl along.
Availability: The Ultimate Collection Sanctuary CD
15. THE EVERLY BROTHERS: Walk Right Back/ Ebony Eyes (1961)
Walk Right Back should never have been a hit. Intended as the flip to Ebony Eyes, it ended up higher in the charts than the original A-side, probably because it was a lot more fun, Penned by Sonny Curtis of The Crickets, and given to the Everlys shortly before Curtis entered the armed forces, it was really a work in progress, half-finished and lacking a second verse. But Don and Phil recorded what they had and, thiygh the song was basically about being lonesome, it had an upbeat, feel-good energy,making it an instantly infectious hit.
Availability: Walk Right Back WARNER BROS CD  

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THE 100 SINGLES YOU MUST OWN

18. THE SMITHS: How Soon Is Now/ Well I Wonder (1985)
Sire boss Seymour Stein called it, "the Stairway To Heaven of the '80s" which may well be on the money. Certainly, it's expansive, ambitious--and, importantly, formed the musical backdrop to many a teenage night out. In that sense, it's a great Saturday night record-- but only if you've endured the kind of minor nightmare that was Morrissey's meat and drink:" There's a club if you'd like to go/ You could meet somebody who really loves you/ So you go and you stand on your own/ And you leave on your own/ And you go home, and you cry and you want to die." Lyrics apart, its most remarkable aspect is the musical backdrop created by Marr, Rourke and Joyce; the former's Bo Diddley-gone-sci-fi guitar part in particular. It was recorded under light bulbs by minds taken to the next level by heavy weed intake-- an unlikely example of Moz-assisted stoner rock The B-side is a falsetto-strewn ballad, bolstered by one illustration of Marr's grasp of jukebox aesthetics: the grafted-on sound of a downpour, inspired by The Ronettes' Walking In The Rain.
Availability: Hatful Of Hollow WEA CD
17. BETTY WRIGHT:Clean Up Woman/I'll Love You Forever Heart And Soul (1971)
Miami-born Wright was only 17 when she cut this delectable slice of sun-kissed Florida soul for Henry Stone's Atlantic-distributed Alston imprint. Co-written by the eminent southern soul man and TK Records' in-house tunesmith, Clarence " Blowfly" Reid, the song's distinctive rhythm guitar reflected the influence of cheery Caribbean music on the Miami soul sound. Wright, who evinces an astonishing maturity, claimed to have disliked the song on first hearing. Ironically, it proved her biggest US hit.
Availability: The Best Of Betty Wright Rhino CD

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MY TOP 10

BY NICK HORNBY
1. THE PREMIERS
Farmer John Warner
2. THE CONTOURS
Do You Love Me? Oriole
3. FATS DOMINO
Let The Four Winds Blow London
4. SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON
Help Me Pye International
5. CAPTAIN BEEFHEART
Diddy Wah Diddy A&M
6. LOU CHRISTIE
I'm Gonna Make You Mine Buddah
7. ROD STEWART AND THE FACES
You Can Make Me Dance, Sing or Anything Warner Bros
8. AL GREEN
Love and Happiness London
9. THE JACKSON 5
I Want You Back Tamla Motown
10. IAN DURY AND THE BLOCKHEADS
Reasons To Be Cheerful(Part 3) Stiff                   

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THE 100 SINGLES YOU MUST OWN

20. CHUCK HIGGINS: Broke/ I'll Be There (1954)
Usually at home on low-budget LA labels, the summer of '54 saw honking Hollywood sax man Chuck Higgins in the relative splendour of Specialty, working with pianist HB Barnum and future James Brown guitarist Jimmy Nolen. A  carefree tale of high times and squandered riches, Broke is a brazen celebration of skintness--"Now I'm a low down dirty bum/ Right back where I started from!/ Broke! Broke! Broke!" Backed with I'll Be There's rocking doo wop, it's the perfect single for the end of the night, when the money's all gone but no one's going home.
Availability: Pachuko Hop Specialty/ Ace CD 
19. SAM THE SHAM AND THE PHARAOHS: Wooly Bully/ Lil' Red Riding Hood (1965)
"Uno, dos, one, two, tres, quatro!" It takes only this daft polyglot count-in to cheer up anyone familiar with the great Wooly Bully. The work of Domingo Samudio and his Memphis-based ensemble, it's one of the most remarkable Nuggets-era 45s for two reasons: firstly, it doesn't just ape a British Invasion sound but has its own Tex-Mex flavour; and second, it's not about long hair, groovy chicks or acid. In fact, it's not about anything the rest of us can fathom, making it the best bit of nonsense in all of rock'n'roll.
Availability: Nuggets Rhino 4-CD Box Set 

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THE 100 SINGLES YOU MUST OWN

22. THE CLASH: (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais/ The Prisoner (1978)
Between their first two albums, The Clash were deeply into reggae, at one point recording with Lee Perry when he was staying in London. This rough-skanking tune came about at a reggae gig,where Joe Strummer entered into a searing meditation on the point of it all-- cultural exchange, political purpose, punk in the face of their contemporaries who were, as Joe put it, "turning rebellion into money"-- all with the awesomely humane bottom-line that he was, "only looking for fun." The finest legacy of a brilliant, searching mind.
Availability: The Clash On Broadway EPIC/LEGACY BOX SET
21. ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA: Mr Blue Sky/ One Summer Dream (1978)
Before Jeff Lynne produced the real Beatles on Free As A Bird, he had to content himself with his own Fab soundalikes, the Electric Light Orchestra. Cloned from the middle section of A Day In The Life, Mr Blue Sky's joy de vivre sparkles through the passages-- the breathless intro, the heavy harmonies on the chorus, the operatic vocals and the orchestral coda. There's also a Vocoder in there to remind you that ELO live in a flying saucer. The flip is a more pastoral take on life. 
Availability:Out Of The Blue SONY CD 

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THE 100 SINGLES YOU MUST OWN

24. THE PREMIERS: Farmer John/ Duffy's Blues (1964)
 In two short years, The Premiers made it from the barrios of East LA to Hollywood, where they cut this furious party number. Despite those high-pitched screams, Farmer John was recorded in a studio, rather than, " live at the Rhythm Room" as the label proclaims. The girls were brought in from the Chevelles' car club to spice up the atmosphere and The Premiers' simple 1-4-5 chord progression and sing-a-long lyrics make this a popular number at the booziest of late night joints even today.
Availability: Nuggets Rhino 4-CD Box set
23. STEVIE WONDER: Superstition/ You've Got It Bad Girl (1973)
It's almost impossible to imagine today, but 30 years ago, Superstition almost signalled the death knell of Stevie Wonder's career. On its first airing in front of the Harlem Apollo crowd, the song was booed. Originally written for Jeff Beck, Superstition's insistent down-tempo shuffle, spiky clavinet and southern-style horn flourishes, surrounding Stevie's paranoid vocal, soon caught on with the US public, who bought enough to take it to number 1. It still sounds startling-- a record this far ahead of its time will never go out of fashion.
Availability: Talking Book Motown CD

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THE 100 SINGLES YOU MUST OWN

26. STEVE HARLEY AND COCKNEY REBEL: Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)/ Another Journey (1975)
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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THE 100 SINGLES YOU MUST OWN

28. THE WHO: Won't Get Fooled Again/ I Don't Even Know Myself (1971)
It doesn't sound like the greatest idea: hauling Pete Townshend's eight-minute treatise on the contradictions of revolution off Who's Next; crudely hacking down its synth parts and ensemble passages; and squeezing it on to a 7-inch single. In fairness, though, enough of the song's elemental force remains to allow Won't Get Fooled Again to boom forth with a righteous fury-- and besides, there's the added pleasure of a flipside that deals with the all-too-familiar subject of inner emotional turmoil, and points squarely in the direction of 1973's Quadrophenia.
Availability: Who's Next Polydor CD
27. ARETHA FRANKLIN: Respect/ Save Me (1967)
Respect seems to speak to everyone, which is why it became an anthem for all the social movements of the late '60s. It wasn't just civil rights campaigners who adopted the song; so did feminists, despite the fact it was written by no less a man than Otis Redding. Franklin's most-requested song was given a rattling, bouncing arrangement, over which Aretha's vocals soar without inhibition, showing that Lady Soul had found her spiritual home in the musical embrace of the Muscle Shoals rhythm machine. And in Save Me it boasts one of the greatest B-sides ever.
Availability: Respect- The Very Best Of Warner Bros CD 

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THE 100 SINGLES YOU MUST OWN

30. DAVID BOWIE: Changes/ Andy Warhol (1972)
He'd had three UK flop singles since Space Oddity, and this fared little better in the charts. His debut single on RCA-- and the opening track on the Hunky Dory LP -- represented a sea change for both Bowie and pop music. A charged, accusatory lyric, a colourful volley of piano and sax and then you're into that irresistible chorus. Guaranteed to stop any pub dead in its tracks, the ch-ch-changes stutter is a real masterstroke. The B-side, Andy Warhol, reflected Bowie's fascination with the avant garde and enhanced his sense of mystery and danger all the more.
Availability: The Best Of Bowie EMI CD
29. JAMES BROWN: It's A Man's Man's World/ Is It Yes Or Is It No?
 From Prisoner Of Love to the epic I Cried, the Godfather of Funk never hid his concurrent ambition of being America's baddest balladeer. Ignore the gimmicky title, a pastiche of the movie, It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World: this passionate howl from the heart softened its raw( and undeniably sexist) emotion with a lavish Sammy Lowe orchestration. Brown was inspired to write the song when his girlfriend commented sarcastically on his habit of lauding himself to the skies. His performance mixed arrogance and anguish in equal measure, to create a masterpiece of self-pity which doubled as a statement of pride.
Availability: The 40th Anniversary Collection Polydor CD  

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THE 100 SINGLES YOU MUST OWN

32. IKE AND TINA TURNER: River Deep Mountain High/ I'll Keep You Happy (1966)
Some records are cut so loud and dense that the needle can jump out of the grooves-- purpose-built for the heavy-weight arm of a jukebox. River Deep Mountain High isn't just dense; it's a black hole. Phil Spector's intention was to take R&B to a new dimension, sucking in and spitting out the folkniks, jug bands and longhairs who had stormed pop's citadel since his last major hit-- The Righteous Brothers' You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' in late '64. It was a last throw of the dice. Back came his favourite songwriters, the semi-retired Barry and Greenwich with a weirdly innocent/ intense lyric about rag dolls, puppy dogs, schoolboys and pie. In came the searing Tina. For the only time he used two drummers. It was do or die, and in the States it duly died at number 88. Still, in Britain ( where it made number 3), Spector's Waterloo pumped out of Wurlitzers across the land, destroying everything in its path.
Availability: River Deep Mountain High A&M CD
31. GENE VINCENT AND HIS BLUE CAPS: Be Bop A Lula/ Woman Love (1956)
Gene Vincent's debut 45 made immediate contact with teenagers the world over. Delivered with an intensity that's scarcely been matched since, Gene sounds like he's about to explode. It's more of a Marlon Brando film script than a song, with impending tragedy lurking at the end of every line and one million teens' sexual frustrations jam-packed into the strained yet restrained 45. Perhaps that explains why Elvis Presley's mum thought it was her own offspring singing the song.
Availability: Blue Jean Bop! Capitol CD

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THE 100 SINGLES YOU MUST OWN

34. CHIC: Good Times/ A W arm Summer Night (1979)
Strip away the mirror balls and you'll find that Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards were actually acute social observers. By the late '70's, the fruits on America's vine were withering; recession was taking hold and form its jet airliner take-off, Good Times was an ironic recreation of the Depression-era standard, Happy Days Are Here Again. With the "disco sucks" movement taking hold in the US, Chic's career effectively collapsed the very same moment Good Times hit number 1. For unlike other bands who "went disco", they had no pre-disco past to fall back on.
Availability: Risque Atlantic CD
33. BLUE OYSTER CULT: (Don't Fear) The Reaper/ R U Ready 2 Rock (1976)
That a hard rock supergroup could come up with such an exquisite evocation of such a timeless theme is one of life's mysteries. Disturbingly blissful in its exhortations to accept oncoming death as part of Nature's cycle, the song assures listeners that, "Forty thousand men and women everyday" succumb to said portent of doom, but no worry, it's no big deal. After all, there's that great, nagging guitar riff accompaniment to take your mind off it. Best keep off the gin, though-- and demand your money back if you get the short version, without the eerie middle section.
Availability: Don't Fear The Reaper: The Best Of The Blue Oyster Cult Sony CD

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THE 100 SINGLES YOU MUST OWN

36. JANE WIELDIN: Rush Hour/ The End Of Love (1988)
The first to bail from the Go-gos, in 1984, rhythm guitarist Jane Wieldin was widely considered "most likely to succeed" in the pop mainstream, on the strength of her self-titled debut album. But the affections of a fickle public eluded her until this 1988 single from her second album, Fur. The cutesy stylings of singer Belinda Carlisle may have hit pay dirt quicker, but Rush Hour was the perfect setting for Wieldin's helium vocals and ebullient new wave sassiness. It's also a master-class in the kind of rounded vowel sounds that made 17-year-old boys come over all "unnecessary".
Availability: Now That's What I Call Music 1988: The Millennium Series EMI
35. RAY CHARLES: What'd I Say (Part 1)/ What'd I Say (Part 2) (1959)
What began as an on-stage jam session when Brother Ray and his band ran out of material one night resulted in a defining moment in the evolution of R&B. Atlantic chopped the original six-and-a-half minute tune in two and spread it over both sides of a 45. Part 1 features a lengthy instrumental intro, dominated by Charles' bluesy electric piano, over a propulsive Latin-tinged groove. The flipside arguably contains the most exciting segment, when Charles and The Raeletts engage in a churchy call and response vocal interplay that leads to an incendiary climax.
Availability: The Definitive Ray Charles Warners CD

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THE 100 SINGLES YOU MUST OWN

38. THE SKATALITES: Guns Of Navarone/ Marcus Garvey (1967)
One of the foremost pioneers of Jamaican music, The Skatalites were together for just over a year, but in that time they invented ska; a bold, boisterous mix of R&B, bebop, big band swing and Latin rhythms, courtesy of trombonist Don Drummond. They backed a who's who of reggae stars, including Jackie Opel, The Maytals and The Wailers; and recorded the biggest selling ska single of all time with this, their glorious take on Dimitri Tiomkin's theme to the 1961 film. Originally credited to the group's tenor saxist, Roland Alphonso in Jamaica in 1965, it gave them their first and only pop hit (number 36) in the UK two years later. By this time they'd already split, but with its rebel rousing horns, exuberant shouting and irresistible dance beat, Guns Of Navarone set alight the Soho clubs and provided a stark contrast to its B-side. Where's Marcus Garvey? was the group's ode to the political leader, featuring the spirited vocals of Rastafarian, Bongo Man Byfield. It all ended badly for Drummond, who committed suicide in 1969 after murdering his girlfriend.
Availability: Guns Of Navarone Trojan CD
37. PHIL PHILLIPS WITH THE TWILIGHTS: Sea Of Love/Juella (1959)
Swirling, mystery-filled and with a touch of the Bayou, as befitting a singer from Lake Charles, Louisiana, this gave the man John Phollip Baptiste one-hit-wonder status but remained ever-memorable, gaining a fresh audience when it lent its title to a 1989 Al Pacino thriller. A cover by The Honeydrippers, a band comprising Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Jeff Beck and Nile Rodgers also charted in the '80s.
Availability: Various Sea Of Love Spectrum CD

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THE 100 SINGLES YOU MUST OWN

40. LOU CHRISTIE: I'm Gonna Make You Mine/ I'm Gonna Get Married (1969)
Lou's bubblegum smash was the perfect accompaniment to days bunked off school in the corner cafe. The falsetto washed the tea down, the harpsichord and bicycle bell percussion sound-tracked the daydreams. The A-side was penned by Tony Romeo, then of The Trout, later to rackup hits with The Partridge Family. The flip was written by Christie and his gypsy queen sidekick, Twyla Herbert. At a gig in Birmingham two years later, Lou met Miss UK, Frances Winfield, and duly popped the question.
Availability: Gonna Make You Mine Camden CD
39. RAINBOW: Since You've Been Gone/ Bad Girls (1979)
Richie Blackmore's decision to take Rainbow on a poppier road after the 1978 departure of Ronnie James Dio was cemented by the addition of vocalist Graham Bonnett and Blackmore's old Deep Purple sparring partner, Roger Glover, on bass. Plus this choice of a Russ Ballard-written song, previously a minor US hit by Head East. With its high-Blackmore solo, its key change after Bonnett's incredible "uh" two minutes, 15 seconds in, and its sing-song finale, this gave the group their first UK Top Ten single, reaching Number 6  in September 1979.
Availability: Various: Music Of The Year 1979 Spectrum CD

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THE 100 SINGLES YOU MUST OWN

42. FRANKIE VALLI AND THE SEASONS:The Night/ When The Morning Comes (1972)
Recorded during a brief spell at Motown, The Night is an unusual blend of the group's early harmony pop and their Valli-less disco hits. It opens with a touch of menace: a creepy bass-line over a church organ, and the guys breathing: "Beware of his promise..." Suddenly, the voices explode: "Before! I go forever!" and Frankie takes the lead for a pounding, irresistible tune. A regular in Northern Soul clubs before it hit the Top 10 in 1975. Soft Cell covered it.
Availability: The Definitive Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons Warner CD
41. ABBA: SOS/ Man In The Middle (1975)
A Top 10 UK hit in late summer 1975, SOS cemented Abba's reputation as exotic Euro-pop prodigies, paving the way for the string of number 1 smashes we all know and love. Switching between forlorn verses and thumping glam choruses, the glory of this ode to a failing relationship lies in its keening, almost childlike evocation of the sadness and anger behind an unfathomable break-up. Just check out those simplistic, Swedish-into-English lyrics: "All this over baroque, quasi-classical keyboard flourishes and beefy power-chords that invite a rousing, air-guitar-enhanced pub sing-along.
Availability: Abba Gold: The Greatest Hits Polar/Universal CD 

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THE 100 SINGLES YOU MUST OWN

44. BOSTON: More Than A Feeling/ Smokin' (1976)
Masterminded by Tom Scholz, the Brian Wilson of AOR, this delightful paean to the redemptive power of music and lost love is the definitive slice of hair metal for those who own no heavy rock; a joyous rapture of three-and-a-half minutes of pop beauty. With its repeated suggestion to, "hide in my music and forget the day," aching guitar and Brad Delp's soaring, operatic tones, it has rightfully become an anthem that unites stoner and superintendent alike. Kurt Cobain, of course, was later to rewrite it and call it Smells Like Teen Spirit.
Availability: More Than A Feeling Collectables CD
43. THE JACKSON 5 : I Want You Back/Who's Lovin' You (1970)
When The Jackson 5 made their US debut with this, on live TV in autumn '69. Michael Jackson was a dynamic nine-year-old who desperately wanted to be a star. The song, penned by The Corporation (Freddie Perren, Fonze Mizzel, and Deke Richards) for Diana Ross, was given to the Jackson family by Berry Gordy.With it they took the world by storm, zooming straight to the top of the US pop and R&B charts. Rappers Naughty By Nature sampled the bubblegum smash for their own hit single, 1991's OPP.
Availability: Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5/ABC Motown CD 

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THE 100 SINGLES YOU MUST OWN

46. CURTIS MAYFIELD: Move On Up/ Beautiful Brother Of Mine/ Give It Up (1971)
Lifted from the Gentle Genius' eponymous debut LP, this eloquent, uplifting anthem for black empowerment proved a big hit with the British public, rising to number 12 in the UK charts in 1971. Edited down to just under three minutes from its original eight-minute album length, Move On Up appeared on a 3-track maxi single with two equally soulful cuts on the flip. Mystifyingly-- given its infectious chorus, rich instrumentation and sleek dance pulse-- the song failed to dent the US charts.
Availability: Move On Up-- The Singles Anthology 1970-90 Sequel CD
45. FLEETWOOD MAC: Oh Well (Part 1)/ Oh Well (Part 2) (1969)
Following the timeless Albatross and Man Of The World, Peter Green made it three smashes in a row with an upbeat shuffle based on an acoustic guitar hook and a simple, yet quietly profound song. It breaks down into a totally unexpected Spanish guitar and recorder instrumental, as atmospheric as Albatross, which spills across the B-side and makes Oh Well an audacious little eight-minute symphony. Awesome.

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THE 100 SINGLES YOU MUST OWN

48. SMALL FACES: Tin Soldier/ I Feel Much Better (1967)
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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THE 100 SINGLES YOU MUST OWN

50. DUSTY SPRINGFIELD: Son Of A Preacher Man/ Just A Little Lovin'(Early In The Morning) (1968)
The greatest white soul singer? Dusty's performance here made her a contender. John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins' song was first offered to Aretha Franklin, who turned it down. Recorded by Dusty as part of her Dusty In Memphis sessions, it proved an unbeatable synthesis of a fragile vocal allied to the tough, brassy sound that stood for Memphis at its best. When Aretha eventually recorded the song, Dusty claimed that, "She did it the way I wish I'd done it." Yet Dusty's rendition remains definitive.
Availability: Dusty In Memphis Philips CD
49. THE RONETTES: Be My Baby/ Tedesco And Pitman (1963)
"BOOM-BA-BOOM-CHA". The symphonic hurricane starts simply enough. Then in come the bone-rattling castanets, swooping strings, crunching snare, boisterous tympani. Then the final thundercrack-- "whoa-oh-oh-oh." Suddenly, you're drenched in 15 orchestras and 43 voices. Brian Wilson calls it the most perfect pop record of all time. Not so much a record to dance to-- despite its air of violence-- as to dream to. After all, when The Ronettes toured with The Rolling Stones in 1964 the screams from the aggro boys for them matched the girls' hysteria for Jagger, Jones and co. The flip, however, is a contender for the least-played tune in jukebox history, Tedesco And Pitman is the action of a paranoid and eccentric Spector. He regularly placed dodgy instrumentals on B-sides to ensure no mistake could be made about which was the plug(he'd been outraged when DJs flipped The Crystals' Oh Yeah Maybe Baby to make There's No Other (Like My Baby) a hit in '61). It was also an excuse to vent in-jokes like the notorious Do The Screw Parts 1 and 2.
Availability: Best Of The Ronettes Uni/Abco CD

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