THE 200 MOST ESSENTIAL BRITISH ROCK SONGS. 
This post: #110-101. Continues tomorrow.

Caffé Latté celebrates…

THE 200 MOST ESSENTIAL

BRITISH

ROCK SONGS

Rock and roll’s roots may have been American, but the Brits have been putting their own stamp on its sound and attitude since the 1950s. Some significant rock legends hail from the United Kingdom, including The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Clash, Sex Pistols, Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, Elton John and David Bowie. This countdown focuses on 200 British tracks that have made the greatest impact on rock music.

*110

BAKER STREET

Gerry Rafferty

Gerry Rafferty summed up British perseverance on "Baker Street". He recounts the struggles experienced by the characters that populate his 1978 hit song. Written and co-produced by the Scottish musician, the disc made the Top 3 in both Britain and the U.S. The sax solo performed by Raphael Ravenscroft lifts the track to loftier heights.

*109

THE BOYS

The Shadows

As well as being Cliff Richard's backing band, The Shadows netted several UK chart hits in its own right. "The Boys" was an original instrumental issued by the band in 1962 which reached #1 as part of an E.P.

 

*108

I'M NOT IN LOVE

10CC

10CC raised the bar for British recording techniques with "I'm Not In Love". Written by the group's Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman, the clever lyrics and the multi-tracking ensure the 1975 track will continue to marvel listeners well into the future. The disc climbed to #1 in the UK and peaked at #2 in America.

*107

BROWN EYED GIRL

Van Morrison

After his time as part of the band Them, Van Morrison began to test the waters as a solo musician. "Brown Eyed Girl" kick-started an illustrious songbook that the Irish artist continues to add to. The track has lost none of its charm and merriment since its release in 1967.

 

*106

ROLL OVER LAY DOWN

Status Quo

Fitst heard on Status Quo's 'Hello' album in 1973, "Roll Over Lay Down" finally became a hit as a live recording 2 years later. Its sound was emulated on the band's subsequent releases, but it all started here.

*105

SHAKIN' ALL OVER

Johnny Kidd & The Pirates

"Shakin' All Over" helped propel British rock internationally in the pre- Beatles era. Released in 1960, the track featured session musician Joe Moretti performing the un

 

*104

BITTER SWEET SYMPHONY

The Verve

Built on a sample of an orchestral adaptation of The Rolling Stones song "The Last Time", The Verve's Richard Ashcroft crafted an awe-inspiring new track. In order to be able to use the sample, The Verve had to surrender all royalties from "Bitter Sweet Symphony" to the Stones' copywriters. In 1997, the Britpop / indie / alternative hybrid track reached #2 in the UK and expanded the band's fanbase.

*103

FOR YOUR LOVE

The Yardbirds

The 1965 single "For Your Love" marked the point where The Yardbirds moved away from its British blues roots to a more commercial pop/ rock style. Penned by Graham Gouldman, the track has an hypnotic allure which helped propel the single to #3.

*102

BAND ON THE RUN

Paul McCartney & Wings

By 1974, Paul McCartney had copped a fair bit of derision for his post-Beatles output. "Band On The Run" served to prove that he could still deliver respectable rock tracks. The title song from his 1973 album with Wings climbed to #3.

*101

JUMPIN' JACK FLASH

The Rolling Stones

Issued as a 1968 single, "Jumpin' Jack Flash" gave The Rolling Stones another British chart topping disc. Powered by a unforgettable guitar riff courtesy of Keith Richards, the track is classic Stones. 

Check out the playlist on spotify with new songs added for each update of the countdown.