Released by the British-American rock band, Fleetwood Mac, from their 14th studio album 'Tango in the Night', it was written, and the lead vocals sung, by Christine McVie, an English rock singer, keyboardist and songwriter who besides being a member of Fleetwood Mac also released three solo albums of her own.
The song was released in the UK on February 24th 1988, reaching number 4. In the United States it was released slightly earlier on November 28th 1987, where it reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and went to number 1 on the U.S adult contemporary chart and remained there for three weeks.
The song also reached number forty five in the Australian Top 50.
Two weeks ago, after featuring in an advert for the UK mobile phone provider 3, where a Shetland pony dances to the song, it re-entered the UK Singles Chart and reached number 15 on March 10th 2013. The result of this new found success meant the song was then featured on the compilation disc 'Now That's What I Call Music! 84' in March 2013.
A 12-inch single was initially released, featuring an extended dance version and dub version. It was also the first CD-single release by the band in most territories. On the B-side there was the song “When I See You Again”, another track taken from the 'Tango in the Night' album.
The video of the song was a visual depiction of the poem, 'The Highwayman' by the English poet, Alfred Noyes, which was first published in 1906 and in 1995 was voted 15th in the BBC's poll for 'The Nation's Favourite Poems'. Set in 18th century England it tells the story of an unnamed highwayman who is in love with Bess, an innkeeper's daughter.
A stableman, Tim, betrays the highwayman to the authorities and he only escapes because Bess sacrifices her life to warn him. Once he learns of her death, he dies himself in a futile attempt at revenge when he is shot down on the highway. The finale of the poem is the ghosts of the lovers meeting again on winter nights.
In Fleetwood Mac's video, in one version the story features the band members throughout; in the other version the band don't appear at all.
The song has been covered by numerous artistes since the year 2000, with dance, indie and pop versions all being released by groups from various countries.
Can you hear me calling
Out your name
You know that I'm falling
And I don't know what to say
I'll speak a little louder
I'll even shout
You know that I'm proud
And I can't get the words out
Oh I...
I want to be with you everywhere
Oh I...
I want to be with you everywhere
(Wanna be with you everywhere)
Something's happening
Happening to me
My friends say I'm acting peculiarly
C'mon baby
We better make a start
You better make it soon
Before you break my heart
Oh I...
I want to be with you everywhere
Oh I...
I want to be with you everywhere
(Wanna be with you everywhere)
Can you hear me calling
Out your name
You know that I'm falling
And I don't know what to say
Come along baby
We better make a start
You better make it soon
Before you break my heart
Oh I...
I want to be with you everywhere
Oh I...
I want to be with you everywhere
Oh I...
I want to be with you everywhere
Oh I...
I want to be with you everywhere
(Wanna be with you everywhere)
A song by the American gospel and soul singer, Al Green, “Let’s Stay Together” was on his 1972 album of the same name and was produced and recorded by the American soul, R & B, rock and roll, pop and funk record producer, Willie Mitchell, who ran Royal Studios in Memphis, Tennessee and mixed by Willie and the music producer, songwriter, photographer and recording engineer, Terry Manning.
It was released as a single in 1971 and reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, remaining in the chart for 16 weeks.
It also topped Billboard’s R&B chart for nine weeks. On Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time it was ranked at position 60 and in 2010 it was selected by the Library Congress as an addition to the National Recording Registry which chooses recordings annually that are “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. “ Following its success in 1971, the song went on to reach the number one spot on the Billboard Year-End chart as an R&B song for 1972.
Reaching number 7 in the UK charts, Tina Turner’s version of the song which became her comeback single in late 1983 and reached number 26 on the US Hot 100, came in at number 6 in the UK charts, one position above Al Green’s version. Turner’s version also hit number 1 on the US Dance Chart. At the time, the song was the most successful solo single that she had released and was included on her multi-platinum selling album ‘Private Dancer’, which was released a few months later in the spring of 1984.
I'm... I'm so in love with you
Whatever you want to do
Is all right with me...
'Cause you... make me feel so brand new...
And I... want to spend my life with you...
Let me say that since, baby
Since we've been together
Ooo...
Loving you forever
Is what I... need...
Let me... be the one you come running to...
I'll... never be untrue...
Ooo baby...
Let's, let's stay together...
Loving you whether, whether
Times are good or bad, happy or sad
Ooooo... Oooo...
Yeah...
Whether times are good or bad, happy or sad
Why, somebody, why people break-up
Ohhh, turn around and make-up
I just can't deceive
You'd... never do that to me... (would you, baby?)
Stayin' around you is all I see
(Here's what I want us to do)
Let's, we oughta stay together
Loving you whether, whether
Times are good or bad, happy or sad...
Come on
Let's, let's stay together
Loving you whether, whether
Times are good or bad, happy or sad
And if you mess with me, you can't set me free
Woman let's, let's stay together
Loving you whether, whether
Times are good or bad, happy or sad
And if you mess with me, you can't set me free
Woman let's, let's stay together
Loving you whether, whether
Times are good or bad, happy or sad
And if you mess with me, oh woman, don't go away
Let's, let's stay together
Loving you whether, whether
Times are good or bad, happy or sad
And if you do me wrong,
I just might leave you alone
Written by the American musician, singer-songwriter, record producer, artist, poet and writer, Bob Dylan, “Lay Lady lay” was originally released in 1969 on his ‘Nashville Skyline’ album.
Like many of the tracks on this particular album, Dylan sings the song in a low croon rather than in the high nasal singing style that he was associated with on his earlier recordings.
The song has become one of established popularity and over the years it has been covered by numerous bands and artists such as The Byrds, The Everly Brothers, Duran Duran, Hoyt Aton and Ministry, amongst others.
The song itself was initially written for the soundtrack of the movie ‘Midnight Cowboy’ an 1969 American drama film starring Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman and based on the 1965 novel of the same name by James Leo Herlihy, winning three Academy Awards – Best Picture, best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay.
To date, it is the only –rated film ever to win Best Picture. Unfortunately, Dylan’s song was submitted too late to be included in the finished film so instead was released as a single in July 1969 and quickly became one of his top U.S. hits, reaching number seven on the Billboard Hot 100. In the UK, the single did even better, reaching number 5 in the UK Singles Chart.
Rumour has it that Dylan originally offered the song to The Everly Brothers after one of their appearances at the music venue, The Bottom Line, in New York when they asked Dylan if he had any new material they could record. Dylan played the song to them, but so quietly, that The Everly Brothers thought the lyrics to be “Lay lady lady, lay across my big breasts, babe “ and thinking the song to be about lesbians, Don Everly declined the song with a “thank you, but I don’t think we could get away with that”.
Dylan accepted this and went on to record the track himself – when The Everly Brothers eventually heard Dylan’s version on the radio they realised their mistake, and, kicking themselves at such a missed opportunity, went on to record the song themselves on their ‘E8 84’ album.
Lay, lady, lay, lay across my big brass bed
Lay, lady, lay, lay across my big brass bed
Whatever colors you have in your mind
I'll show them to you and you'll see them shine.
Lay, lady, lay, lay across my big brass bed
Stay, lady, stay, stay with your man awhile
Until the break of day, let me see you make him smile
His clothes are dirty but his hands are clean
And you're the best thing that he's ever seen.
Stay, lady, stay, stay with your man awhile
Why wait any longer for the world to begin
You can have your cake and eat it too
Why wait any longer for the one you love
When he's standing in front of you.
Lay, lady, lay, lay across my big brass bed
Stay, lady, stay, stay while the night is still ahead
I long to see you in the morning light
I long to reach for you in the night
Stay, lady, stay, stay while the night is still ahead.
A song by the American rock band, The Beach Boys, who were formed in Hawthorne in California in 1961 and consisted of brothers Carl, Dennis and Brian Wilson, their cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine, “God Only Knows” is the eighth track on the group’s 11th studio album called ‘Pet Sounds’ and released in 1966.
It is one of their most widely recognised songs and was composed by Brian Wilson, with lyrics by Tony Asher and the lead vocals taken by Brian’s brother Carl.
The song was ground-breaking in a number of ways. It was one of the first commercial songs to use the word “God” in its title, which Wilson and Asher agonised over fearing it would not be given airplay as a result. But it worked and as Tony Asher himself said “God Only Knows is, to me, one of the great songs of our time. I mean the great songs.
Not because I wrote the lyrics but because it is an amazing piece of music that we were able to write a very compelling lyric to. It’s the simplicity – the inference that ‘I am who I am because of you’ – that makes it very personal and tender.” There was also concern about putting the word ‘God’ in the title of the song but it was decided to go ahead eventually as ‘God’ is a spiritual word and also because the Beach Boys would be breaking new ground by doing so.
As the producer, Brian Wilson chose to use many unorthodox instruments in the song, including the French horns that are used in the song’s famous introduction.
The melody was inspired by a song by John Benson Sebastian, an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and auto harpist that Brian had been listening to. He intended to sing the lead vocals initially but in the end gave the position to his brother Carl and stripped all the voices back until there were only three parts – it is possibly the only well-known Beach Boys track that has just three voices on it.
When first released it only reached number 39 on the US charts in 1966 but treated as an A-side across Europe it was a great success, reaching number 2 in the UK , number 3 in Ireland, number 4 in Holland and Belgium and number 2 in Australia. Paul McCartney has called it his favourite song of all time.
I may not always love you
But long as there are stars above you
You never need to doubt it
I’ll make you so sure about it
God only knows what I'd be without you
If you should ever leave me
Though life would still go on believe me
The world could show nothing to me
So what good would living do me
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows what I'd be without you
If you should ever leave me
Well life would still go on believe me
The world could show nothing to me
So what good would living do me
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows what I'd be without you
God only knows
God only knows what I'd be without you
A song by the musician Bobby McFerrin, an American Vocalist and conductor and a ten time Grammy Award winner, he is best known for his song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” which was released in 1988 and became the first a cappella song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
It then held that chart position for two weeks. The title of the song is taken from a famous quote by Meher Baba, an Indian mystic and spiritual master, who often used the expression “Don’t worry, be happy” when contacting his followers in the West. When interviewed by Bruce Fessier for the USA Weekend magazine in 1988, McFerrin said “Whenever you see a poste of Meher Baba, it usually says ‘Don’t worry, be happy’ which is a pretty neat philspohy in four words, I think.”
The original music video stars the actors and comedians Robin Williams and Bill Irwin.
The ‘instruments’ in the a cappella song are entirely overdubbed voice parts, with other sounds made by McFerrin and no actual instruments used at all.
The music video for the song is considerably shorter than the album version and is also regarded as one of the most frequently miscited songs in history, with many people thinking it was written by the Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician, Bob Marley.
The song was included in the soundtrack of the Tom Cruise movie, Cocktail. As a result, the song reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart during its fifth week in the chart in 1988.
It is ranked as number 31 on VH1’s 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s and also appears on Rolling Stone’s list of the 15 Best Whistling Songs of All Time. At the Grammy Awards in 1989, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” won the awards for Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
Here is a little song I wrote
You might want to sing it note for note
Don't worry be happy
In every life we have some trouble
When you worry you make it double
Don't worry, be happy......
Ain't got no place to lay your head
Somebody came and took your bed
Don't worry, be happy
The landlord say your rent is late
He may have to litigate
Don't worry, be happy
Look at me I am happy
Don't worry, be happy
Here I give you my phone number
When you worry call me
I make you happy
Don't worry, be happy
Ain't got no cash, ain't got no style
Ain't got not girl to make you smile
But don't worry be happy
Cause when you worry
Your face will frown
And that will bring everybody down
So don't worry, be happy (now).....
There is this little song I wrote
I hope you learn it note for note
Like good little children
Don't worry, be happy
Listen to what I say
In your life expect some trouble
But when you worry
You make it double
Don't worry, be happy......
Don't worry don't do it, be happy
Put a smile on your face
Don't bring everybody down like this
Don't worry, it will soon pasts
Whatever it is
Don't worry, be happy
Written and performed by one quarter of The Beatles, John Lennon, “Imagine” is the best-selling single of his solo career, with the song’s lyrics encouraging the listeners to imagine a world that is at peace; a world where there are no barriers of borders, nationalities and religions and to instead consider that humanity’s focus should be living lives that are unattached to material possessions.
Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono co-produced the song and album of the same name with Phil Spector, an American record producer and songwriter. Recording began in May 1971 and was ready for release in the September.
Reaching number three in the US on the Billboard Hot 100, the LP reached number one in the UK in the November and became the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed album of Lennon’s solo career. Although not originally released as a single in the UK, it was released in 11975 to promote a compilation LP and reached number six in the chart that year.
The song has since sold more than 1.6 million copies in the UK and reached number one following Lennon’s untimely death in December 1980.
Named as one of the 100 most-performed songs of the twentieth century by BMI , since 2005 event organisers have played it just before the New Year’s Times Square Ball drops in New York City. Numerous artists have recorded or performed versions of the song, such as Madonna, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Joan Baez and Diana Ross, amongst others. Most recently Emeli Sande recorded a cover of the song for the BBC to use during the end credits montage at the close of the 2012 Summer Olympics – as a result “Imagine” subsequently re-entered the charts, peaking at number 18 in the UK Top 40.
The lyrics themselves were inspired by several poems from Yoko Ono’s 1964 poetry book Grapefruit – in particular, one entitled “Cloud Pieces” which reads: “Imagine the clouds dripping, dig a hole in your garden to put them in.”
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
