2004: THE 100 GREATEST TRACKS. #100-1. Conclusion.

Caffe´Latte´presents

2004

THE 100 GREATEST SONGS

MMIV

In 2004, the Summer Olympics took place in Athens, Greece.  200,000 perished in the wake of the tsunami that struck Asia on December 26. George W. Bush was re-elected US President against John Kerry.

Maria Sharapova and Roger Federer triumphed at Wimbledon. Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake sparked controversy at the Super Bowl with a “wardrobe malfunction”. Facebook was launched.

 ‘The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King’ collected the Best Picture Oscar. Other hit films included ‘Meet The Fockers’, ‘Shrek 2’ and ‘Spider-Man 2’.  TV series “The Apprentice” and “Lost” debuted. Among the significant deaths were Ray Charles, Marlon Brando, Yasser Arafat and Ronald Reagan.

    

This retrospective on the music of 2004 highlights the best of the music released during that year.

Listen to all the songs on the Spotify playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4sgWeOFefPbVguPWk3bBct?si=2d78bad77f4849be

 

1

 

DREAM-A-LOT’S THEME

(I WILL LIVE FOR LOVE)

Donna Summer

 

A new compilation album entitled ‘The Journey: The Very Best Of Donna Summer’ was issued in 2004. “Dream-A-Lot’s Theme” was a new track added to the collection. It proved Donna Summer had lost none of her vocal power for dance anthems. Giorgio Moroder, who had helmed her disco hits in the 1970s, produced the cut.

2

 

FALLEN

K.D. Lang

 

The Canadian singer/ songwriter's 2004 release ‘Hymns Of The 49^th Parallel’ was a covers album focusing on her compatriots. K.D. Lang re-interpreted “Fallen”, a song by Canadian performer Ron Sexsmith.

3

 

IF I THOUGHT YOU’D EVER CHANGE YOUR MIND

Agnetha Fältskog

 

The former member of ABBA released her first studio album since 1987. ‘My Colouring Book’ was a covers album. “If I Thought You’d Ever Change Your Mind” was a Top 20 UK hit for Cilla Black in 1969. Fältskog’s remake peaked at #11 in Britain.

 

4

 

SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW

Keane

 

The English group made one of the most impressive debuts with the single “Somewhere Only We Know”, lifted off its album ‘Hopes And Fears’. In the UK, the song peaked at #3.

 

5

 

HALLELUJAH

K.D. Lang

 

Numerous performers have tackled Leonard Cohen’s iconic composition. Few delivered a definitive version, among those that have succeeded are Jeff Buckley, Alexandra Burke and K.D. Lang. The latter's moving rendition, exactly a decade after Buckley’s remake, was included on her covers album ‘Hymns Of The 49^th Parallel’.

6

 

GOD GIVE ME STRENGTH

Alison Moyet

 

In 1998, Burt Bacharach collaborated with Elvis Costello for the ‘Painted From Memory’ album. The project contained many quality tracks, including “God Give Me Strength”. Alison Moyet applied her ample vocal skill on her interpretation which was included on her 2004 album ‘Voice’.

7

 

DRAGOSTEA DIN TEI

Haiducii

 

In 2003, O-Zone’s original version of “Dragostea Din Tei” became a major hit across Europe. The song was covered by Romanian singer Haiducii and also made a big impact on charts in various parts of Europe. Rapper T.I.’s 2008 hit “Live Your Life” featuring Rihanna samples the song.

8

 

LOLA’S THEME

Shapeshifters

 

“Lola’s Theme’ was one of the best dance tracks of the year. It was built around a sample of Johnnie Taylor’s R&B recording “What About My Love”. Vocals were performed by Cookie. The disc topped the UK Chart.  

9

 

BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS

Green Day

 

Green Day issued ‘American Idiot’ in 2004, an engaging and provocative release which featured the track “Boulevard Of Broken Dreams”. Released as a single, the song peaked at #5 and #2 in Britain and America respectively. With its powerful message, it is one of the finest tracks in the group’s catalogue.

 

10

 

WHAT NOW MY LOVE

Agnetha Fältskog

 

“What Now My Love” is a standard that has been covered by a myriad of different artists, including Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand and Shirley Bassey. Agnetha Fältskog approached the song with nostalgia but set it in a modern context. It is one of the strongest remakes on her ‘My Colouring Book’ album.

 

11 IT HURTS Lena Philipsson

12 THE SECOND YOU SLEEP Tess

13 THEY Jem

14 SIMPLE K.D. Lang

15 FLY ME TO THE MOON Agnetha Fältskog

16 WILD DANCES Ruslana

17 SWAY Michael Bublé

18 THE END OF THE WORLD Agnetha Fältskog

19 LOOK WHAT YOU’VE DONE Jet

20 I BELIEVE IN YOU Kylie Minogue

 

21 THIS IS THE WORLD WE LIVE IN Alcazar

22 THE PRAYER Anthony Callea

23 SEALED WITH A KISS Agnetha Fältskog

24 YEAH! Usher ftg. Lil’ Jon & Ludacris

25 LOVE IS EVERYTHING K.D. Lang

26 PUT ‘EM HIGH StoneBridge ftg. Therese

27 WHEN YOU WALK IN THE ROOM Agnetha Fältskog

28 SPIDER-MAN THEME {Junkie XL Remix} Michael Bublé

29 ITALIAN LOVE SONG Tina Arena

30 VERTIGO U2

 

31 SCAR Missy Higgins

32 FUNKY FEET Alcazar

33 JESUS WALKS Kanye West   

34 FOUR TO THE FLOOR Starsailor

35 AMERICAN IDIOT Green Day

36 BREATHE ME Sia

37 TAKE ME OUT Franz Ferdinand

38 WINDMILLS OF YOUR MIND Alison Moyet

39 DROP IT LIKE IT’S HOT Snoop Dogg ftg. Pharrell Williams

40 THESE WORDS Natasha Bedingfield

 

41 SHE WANTS TO MOVE N*E*R*D

42 TAKE YOUR MAMA Scissor Sistors

43 GOODIES Ciara ftg. Petey Pablo

44 PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE Agnetha Fältskog

45 CRY ME A RIVER Alison Moyet

46 HOLLABACK GIRL Gwen Stefani

47 SOMETIMES WHEN I’M DREAMING Agnetha Fältskog

48 TOO MANY TEARS Elton John

49 AMAZING George Michael

50 STRONGER EVERY MINUTE Lisa Andreas

 

51 LOVE ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART Agnetha Fältskog

52 SHAKE IT Sakis Rouvas  

53 CARWASH Christina Aguilera ftg. Missy Elliott

54 ON MY KNEES 411.

55 ALL THAT I’M ALLOWED Elton John

56 LANE MOJE Zeliko Joksimović

57 HELPLESS K.D. Lang   

58 NASTY GIRL Nitty

59 SHAME ON YOU Tomas Thordarson

    60 CALL ON ME Eric Prydz

 

61 CINNAMON GIRL Prince

    62 JUST LOSE IT Eminem

63 YOUR GAME Will Young

64 ANSWER IN THE SKY Elton John

65 LEFT OUTSIDE ALONE Anastacia

66 FLAWLESS (GO TO THE CITY) George Michael

    67 JERICHO K.D. Lang

68 A FOOL AM I Agnetha Fältskog

69 TURN THE LIGHTS OUT WHEN YOU LEAVE Elton John

70 OUT OF THE BLUE Delta Goodrem

 

71 I BELIEVE Fantasia

72 IT’S GETTING DARK IN HERE Elton John

73 BREAKAWAY Kelly Clarkson

74 MY COLOURING BOOK Agnetha Fältskog

75 DESTINATION UNKNOWN

                  Alex Gaudino ftg. Crystal Waters

   76 EVERYTIME Britney Spears

     77 SO BEAUTIFUL Pete Murray

    78 DING DONG SONG Gunther & The Sunshine Girls 

79 SOMETIMES YOU CAN’T MAKE IT ON YOUR OWN U2

80 I CAN’T REACH YOUR HEART Agnetha Fältskog

 

81 MY BAND D-12

     82 MY BOO Usher & Alicia Keys

83 LA CHANSON DES VIEUX AMANTS Alison Moyet

84 BLACK BETTY Spiderbait

    85 PORCH SWING IN TUPELO Elton John

86 FINALLY Fredrik Kempe

87 SINCE U BEEN GONE Kelly Clarkson

88 (REACH UP FOR THE) SUNRISE Duran Duran

89 THESE KIDS Joel Turner & The Modern-Day Poets

90 F.U.R.B. (F*CK YOU RIGHT BACK) Frankee

 

91 I STOP AND I BREATHE Elton John

92 REMEMBER ME Agnetha Fältskog

93 FIVE COLOURS IN HER HAIR McFly

94 MY ELUSIVE DRUG Elton John

95 JOHN AND ELVIS ARE DEAD George Michael

96 LOSE MY BREATH Destiny’s Child

 97 SOMEBODY TO LOVE Boogie Pimps

98 PLEASE SEND ME SOMEONE TO LOVE George Micheal

99 WEIGHT OF THE WORLD Elton John

100 TAKE ME TO THE CLOUDS ABOVE LMC v. U2

HONOURABLE MENTIONS:

Our retrospectives don’t usually include seasonal recordings, but this 1994 releases deserve a special tribute-

*** DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS Band Aid 20