100 Pop Songs (21 to 30)

As usual in no particular order ...

(21) Kate Bush – The Man With The Child In His Eyes

This is a breathtakingly beautiful song, in which Kate really shows her vocal talent. There is no high pitched singing (as in “Wuthering Heights”), no mad dancing, just a piano and orchestra escorting the listener slowly through an exquisite melody. I love it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzbw-53g2CU

(22) Manfred Mann’s Earth Band – Davy’s On The Road Again

This is a great feelgood song of the seventies that was so firmly etched into my brain that I used to embarrass myself singing it in public, when walking to school etc. Even hearing it now, I can still remember all the words. Great tune.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIkAX2bIzGI

(23) The Stranglers – Five Minutes

Punk rock largely passed me by; it wasn’t that I was offended by it, nor did I dislike the style particularly. Most songs sounded the same to me and at the time I wasn’t feeling especially rebellious. However, one song did tempt me to jump up and down like a manic pogo stick – “Five Minutes” by the excellent Stranglers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEui2pouQWk

(24) Electric Light Orchestra – Don’t Bring Me Down

As I moved into the eighties and drifted into heavy metal, I began to lose interest in ELO. However, they always somehow managed to surprise me, with hidden gems that reminded me why I liked them in the first place. This is my favourite song by the band – a true rocking classic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTjy_LW8DGM

(25) Supertramp – Child Of Vision

Hidden away on the album “Breakfast In America” is a true diamond of a song. I was indifferent to the record until this song appeared. Supertramp at their very best.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmIBL5JKPLk

(26) Blondie – Atomic

Like every adolescent teenager, I was totally in lust with Debbie Harry and preferred to watch her music videos with the sound down so that I could look without having to listen to the music. However, I was delighted to find a song that floated my boat. “Atomic” is a masterpiece of pop music. At least I now had an excuse to watch the videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW6OrdLkCLU


(27) David Bowie – Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)

“Scary Monsters”, the album, is a work of genius and by far my favourite album by David Bowie. This is the last true Bowie album in my opinion, the ones that followed being relatively poor in my humble opinion. And what better song is there on the album than the superb title track?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHywdqH3F6Y

(28) Adam And The Ants – Ant Music

Two sets of drums and a wicked beat made “Ant Music” a firm favourite. As I began gingerly to explore the world of alcohol as an eighteen year old, “Adam and the Ants” were reaching their peak and where ubiquitous. Rather than “unplugging the jukebox” we avidly fed our coins into pub jukeboxes to play this gem repeatedly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPjfD8ulnpw

(29) Madness – Baggy Trousers

By sheer coincidence I was close to leaving school at the time Madness released “Baggy Trousers” and the relief of no longer having to face teachers and sit their pandering to the requirements of power-crazed teachers was so tangible it almost became my best friend. The song is a typical and great effort by the nutty boys.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJOLwy7un3U

(30) Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Messages

I never thought I would hear a song full of synthesizers and keyboards that would have the effect “Messages” has. Although it is a pop song, it has a haunting quality to it that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up and is their best song in my humble opinion. As a rock fan I was at the time ashamed to admit that I loved the band. I’m not ashamed now. This is a pure classic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88VKpfBTtxU

31 to 40 to follow