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TOP 1500 CHOICE TRACKS

#238 PLEASE DON'T ASK ME John Farnham
John Farnham had been absent from Australia's Top 40 since 1973. He had continued releasing albums, but it took 'Uncovered' in 1980 to change his fortunes. On that LP, Farnham transformed The Beatles' "Help" into a ballad (Tina Turner virtually replicated his interpretation on her 'Private Dancer' album years later). Farnham's remake returned him to the Top 10, peaking at #8. His next single was "She's Everywhere", another strong track from the album. Its follow-up was the big ballad "Please Don't Ask Me".
Graham Goble of The Little River Band wrote "Please...". He also took care of production. The song finds the protagonist struggling with the temptation of another woman. Its lyrics are vivid. Farnham's vocal is articulate as well as gentle, reflecting the character's predicament. The single peaked at #67.
Working on Farnham's album inspired Goble's decision to persuade the other members of LRB to switch lead singers. Glenn Shorrock was out. Farnham was in. He remained a member for 4 years, singing lead on 3 albums. The revamped group achieved some hits, but it created cracks among the line-up. In 1985, Farnham quit the band to concentrate once again on his solo career. He began working on 'Whispering Jack'. Meanwhile, LRB reunited with Shorrock.
Farnham's album sparked a renaissance for the Australian vocalist. He experienced his greatest success, including the #1 singles: "You're The Voice" in 1986 and "Age Of Reason" 2 years later. In 1991, a live re-recording of "Please Don't Ask Me" was issued and reached #21. The following year, Farnham joined the revival of 'Jesus Christ Superstar' in the title role. The cast album reached #1. The hits continued, including a collaboration with Human Nature {"Everytime You Cry") which made #3 in 1997. Other duets followed: with Queen, Tom Jones and Olivia Newton -John. 
 
This is a list made up of the songs I enjoy the most, ranked in order of preference: the higher we go, the more I cherish them. Some were released as singles, others as album tracks. Some are obscure; others were worldwide hits or have universal appeal. They aren't always the most famous or popular, but simply a personal choice. I have excluded songs from the last few years in order to get a better idea of a song's lasting impression. I hope you find some new tracks to love, or re-discover some past favourites.
A new song is added each day.