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TOP 1200 CHOICE TRACKS
#1087 SAY YOU'LL BE THERE Spice Girls
Formed in 1993, The Spice Girls had to wait 2 years for success, but, once it had arrived- they became a phenomena. Ushering in a new age of "girl power", their string of hit songs began with the single "Wannabe", issued mid- 1996. "Say You'll Be There" was its follow-up sand was unleashed later that same year. Written by the women with their songwriting collaborator Eliot Kennedy, the single became the group's second UK #1. Along with the mandatory pop hooks, producer Absolute added a little touch of R&B into the mix. Judd Lander can be heard contributing a harmonica solo.
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#1088 MY LOVE Paul McCartney
McCartney has been the target of much criticism for schmaltzy lyrics and music, but "My Love" is different. Sure, it did attract its share of detractors and its chorus is banal, but his understated vocals and the restrained (for this ex- Beatle) production make this one of his better ballads. It proved a major hit, reaching #1 in the US in 1973. It was written by Paul with his then wife Linda. She was the inspiration behind the song. The million-seller was featured on Wings' 'Red Rose Speedway' album, recorded the year before.
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#1089 ALL I DO Stevie Wonder
Wonder's 'Hotter Than July' album was a huge seller, containing some of the genius' best 80s output. "All I Do" is an under-rated track from the project. The song was written by Wonder with Morris Broadnax and Clarence Paul. The latter 2 had previously penned songs for Tammi Terrell and "All I Do" had in fact been earmarked for the Motown singer. Wonder's version is upbeat and a hidden gem from his 1980 LP.
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#1090 DEJA VU Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick had recorded some gorgeous songs in the 60s- most from the songbook of composers Burt Bacharach & Hal David. In the 70s, the 2 songwriters split and, as a result, Warwick had lost the source of her hit songs. Her career faltered, with the exception of a US #1 collaboration with The Spinners- "Then Came You". In 1979, Barry Manilow produced her 'Dionne' album (her second with that title). It proved a spectacular success, returning Warwick to the charts with some consistency. "Deja Vu" was penned by Adrienne Anderson and Isaac Hayes. The former had co-written with Manilow in the past, while the latter had played a key role in R&B as will be outlined further up this Top 1200.
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#1091 LOVELY HEAD Goldfrapp
This English duo was formed by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory in the 1990s. Drawing from alternative and electronica elements, they have forged a distinctive synth-disco style of their own. "Lovely Head" was written by the 2 members and appears on Goldfrapp's debut album 'Felt Mountain', which was issued in 2000. It's a haunting production made all the more dramatic by Alison's masterfully executed vocal.
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#1092 MR BLUE SKY Electric Light Orchestra
ELO was formed in 1970 and their musical mission was to take music forward using The Beatles and, more specifically, "I am the Walrus" as their point of reference. "Mr Blue Sky" is arguably the ELO song that most precisely delivers. Lead vocalist Jeff Lynne wrote the song and there are Beatlesque elements aplenty, but the group still managed to add enough fresh and creative surprises to make this more than just a tribute to the Fab Four. The track was featured on their 1977 album, 'Out of the Blue'.
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#1093 GEMINI DREAM Moody Blues
The Moody Blues had always offered listeners aurally bombastic productions, from the epic "Nights in White Satin" to other classics of the progressive rock genre, including "Question" and "For My Lady". Possibly influenced by the new direction ELO had taken in the late 70s, The Moody Blues delved further in their variation of this sound on their 'Long Distance Voyager' album. Released in 1981, it contained some stunnng singles, of which "Gemini Dream" was one. Written by group members Justin Hayward and John Lodge, it was a pop chart hit.
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#1094 LONGER Dan Fogelberg
With his soft rock / adult contemporary sound, Dan Fogelberg returned to the charts and enjoyed increased popularity and a string of 80s hit singles. "Longer" reached #2 in the US. The song was issued in 1979, just prior to his 1980 album, 'Phoenix'. Fogelberg wrote the mellow ballad which
features a flugelhorn solo performed by Jerry Hey. Sadly, Fogelberg
passed away in 2007 of prostrate cancer, aged just 56.
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#1095 BLUE ANGEL Gene Pitney
"Blue Angel" was a single released only in Australia and Europe. It cracked the Top 40 in the UK in 1974 and peaked at #2 in the former territory. British songwriter Roger Cook wrote this hit (and some others) for Gene Pitney. The composer later became a member of Blue Mink and wrote other hit songs for the likes of the New Seekers, Cilla Black, Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Don Williams and Andy Williams. In 1997, Cook was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame- the first Brit to achieve this honour.
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#1096 HEAL THE PAIN George Michael
Lifted off George's second solo album, 'Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1', "Heal the Pain" is a lushly delivered track from the singer's own pen. It features catchy harmonies that move along with the music. It was released as a single in 1991, a year after the album hit the shelves.
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