My Top 500 Songs (complete!!) (2 Viewers)

323 Destiny's Child - Survivor (2001)

Hi Suno A.I., I'd like I Will Survive, but make it turn of the century commercial RnB.

By this stage they were superstars and were churning out huge hits. Moving from growing confidence in the Writings era, onto authoritative, era defining anthems straight onto every radio station, dancefloor and Napster download list. Every release confidently declared "you will buy this album" and we did without question.

 
322 Carola - Framling (1983)

We inevitably circle back to Eurovision, and here stretching back to the early 80s. A fresh faced and still not fully evil Carola, is on fine form on the Munich stage.

Fresh cute europop, seasoned with a dusting of schlager, this is by far my favourite Carola Eurovision entry. I find Stormvind hideously cringey, and while Invincible brings the goods, it's too easy to overdose on the faux sincerity on offer.

 
321 Kylie Minogue - Locomotion (1988)

I'm not quite sure how this snuck in to be honest. Maybe I miscounted. Anyway, presenting Mel B's favourite Kylie song (derogatory).

 
320 Crystal Waters - Gypsy Woman (1991)

Somehow, this insanely infectious, relentless, sonically crisp early 90s smash, is weighted with jarring lyrics. When I discovered it, it took repeated listens to get my head round the subject matter. Then I realised I wasn't going to solve the housing problem, and just enjoyed it for what it was - HOT HOUSE.

Crystal Waters absolutely deserves her flowers.

 
Love Crystal getting a double mention on this ESTEEMED list

Destiny’s Child have not aged well at all, have they? I did quite like them at the time but they were never quite in my veins the way the girl groups of the early 90s were and still are. In fact those girl groups of the late 90s, while offering a few good bops, were a pale imitation for me, but I suppose music has to evolve.

By the late 90s the UK were doing girl bands much better anyway.
 
319 Urban Cookie Collective - The Key, The Secret (1993)

Sunshine rave meets europop head on. Compare it to Gypsy Woman and early 90s dance music sounds very different. The surprise joy from the vocals of the late Diane Charlemange, brings to life the GCSE poetry lyrics and the bubbly nay tinny piano rift and elevates it to a euphoric high.

 
318 Tori Amos - Cornflake Girl (1994)

This blew my mind age 13. I had no idea music could sound like this, and actually appeal to me. It felt like permission to like something different, intelligent, abstract. Lyrically, Tori had barely moved on from the grunge era themes of conformity and difference. Musically it was like Kate Bush had provided a prodigy for Gen X.

Still one of the oddest top 5 hits, and yet absolutely fucking brilliant pop all at the same time.

 
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I’ve never really been the biggest Tori fan although I like a few. But there’s been a glut of Tori descendants emerging in recent years in the likes of Sharon Van Etten and Caroline Polacheck who I love so I thank her for that
 
317 Celine Dion - I Drove All Night (2003)

Celine finally went four-to-the-floor, with this bussling dance cover of the Cyndi Lauper/ Roy Orbison classic. I must admit, it did little for me until it was used on as Drag Race lip sync track. Least we not forget the quite astonishing live performance.

Keep well Celine. We need you.

 
316 Alison Moyet - Whispering Your Name (1994)

After a career of bluesy numbers aimed at wet mums soaked with Babycham and tears, Alf moved to pack a dance pop punch, with this Pet Shop Boys esque cover. Who knew it was a cover, by someone called Ignatius Jones, an Australian "shock rocker"?

Anyway, she belts this out as only she knows how, the remix we know, only exists after the previous single flopped and we were saved from acoustic hell.

Speaking of being saved, as far as I can tell she came within a toenail of falling into a Terf rabbit hole, but withdrew before getting too comfortable, amongst the warmth of a group finger bang.

 
Agneeta said:
324 Kylie Minogue - Got To Be Certain (1988)

although I conceed this could have worked given to Bananarama, Sonia, or Jason,
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It actually was recorded first by Mandy Smith so you’re not far off the mark. Her version go cut from her album but did show up on the Cherry Red re-release.
 
BoysForSeles said:
It actually was recorded first by Mandy Smith so you’re not far off the mark. Her version go cut from her album but did show up on the Cherry Red re-release.
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I feel like I knew that and I've heard it. It was terrible.
 
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Now of course, it could just be weaker production or my own bias, but Kylie really was a better pop star than her peers right from the beginning.

Although Mandy Smith is a very low bassline.
 
Feels Like Heaven is their pinnacle for me.

Also love Sail Away and it's unfortunate lyric that sounds like "I'm gonna take a shit, I'm gonna sail away".

The Key, The Secret. I can't find the original (I may need to message Eileen about this), but they had to settle after they lifted a riff from this track:

 
straightorbroken said:
Feels Like Heaven is their pinnacle for me.

Also love Sail Away and it's unfortunate lyric that sounds like "I'm gonna take a shit, I'm gonna sail away".

The Key, The Secret. I can't find the original (I may need to message Eileen about this), but they had to settle after they lifted a riff from this track:

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I really enjoyed the whole first flop album, (thank you Cash Converters ❤️). I recall really liking Sail Away and Dreaming In Colours.
 
Agneeta said:
325 Lana Del Rey - Young and Beautiful (2013)

Even more Lana. This one absolutely gets me right in the emotions. Featuring in Great Gatsby, it came out around the time, me and Mr Ag got together. Sorry to be sacchrine, but I know we will love each other when we're no longer young and beautiful. Some may say that ship has already sailed. Either a luxurious celebration of forever love.

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My fave Lana song
 
Agneeta said:
324 Kylie Minogue - Got To Be Certain (1988)

In the UK, the follow up to five week no.1 I Should Be So Lucky, this started a career of many no.2 hits. Long forgotten by most of the public in favour of almost everything else from her initial assent to super stardom. Not me though, although I conceed this could have worked given to Bananarama, Sonia, or Jason, it's still a bop.

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I have always loved that crop top
 
funky said:
Who in the blue hell is Mandy Smith?
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Bill Wyman's underage girlfriend, later wife.

Somehow the fact he was fucking a 13 year old seemed to avoid public disgust or legal problems.

His son later married her mother.
 
This was after British society knew that they had been fucking since she was a child.

Astonishing that paedophilia was roundly ignored until the 1990s.

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funky said:
Oh that’s actually quite good :D
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She also recorded the original Positive Reaction which has since turned up reworked a few times by other acts as a bit of a dance classic, but apologies @Agneeta I don’t mean to spam your fine thread. Nice Tori inclusion earlier.
 
BoysForSeles said:
She also recorded the original Positive Reaction which has since turned up reworked a few times by other acts as a bit of a dance classic, but apologies @Agneeta I don’t mean to spam your fine thread. Nice Tori inclusion earlier.
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Not a problem, more posts the better!
 
315 Tasmin Archer - Sleeping Satellite (1992)

I did not care for this at the time. I was 12, why would I? Time has been gentle on my taste, the extended version ended up on a playlist and I got hooked.

There must be a few songs about the moon landings (which of course never happened - why was Neil Armstrong seen eating a fresh Subway sandwich in the reflection of Buzz Aldrin's helmet???!!!) but this is one of the most melodic and charming.

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314 Garbage - Only Happy When It Rains (1995)

Is there anything lovelier than Dame Shirley Manson strutting around in an adorable electric dress in a decaying warehouse?

Not their first song, but perhaps the first that piqued my attention. Teen angst by a beautiful woman. I was absolutely obsessed.

 
312 Corona - Try Me Out (1995)

The first appearance of Europop icons Corona. I worked for a while as the vocalist for Corona, but they kept putting Olga Souza on stage miming to my vocals. It was quite upsetting, and I barely made a pretty penny.

I feel like the Spice Girls went on to use the same set for the Who Do You Think You Are video.

 
311 Bruce Springsteen - The Streets of Philadelphia (1994)

Gorgeous Bruce at his most emotional. I've never seen Philadelphia, but the lyrics of this song tell their own heartbreaking story about the disgraceful end stage journeys that AIDS victims had to take in the early years.

I was bruised and battered
I couldn't tell what I felt
I was unrecognizable to myself
Saw my reflection in a window
And didn't know my own face
Oh brother are you gonna leave me wastin' away
On the streets of Philadelphia?

I walked the avenue, 'til my legs felt like stone
I heard the voices of friends vanished and gone
At night I could hear the blood in my veins
Just as black and whispering as the rain
On the streets of Philadelphia

Ain't no angel gonna greet me
It's just you and I my friend
And my clothes don't fit me no more
A thousand miles just to slip this skin

The night has fallen, I'm lyin' awake
I can feel myself fading away
So receive me brother with your faithless kiss
Or will we leave each other alone like this
On the streets of Philadelphia?


 
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Agneeta said:
314 Garbage - Only Happy When It Rains (1995)

Is there anything lovelier than Dame Shirley Manson strutting around in an adorable electric dress in a decaying warehouse?

Not their first song, but perhaps the first that piqued my attention. Teen angst by a beautiful woman. I was absolutely obsessed.

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Love the first Garbage album of course, this was the first one I heard from them, very good if not as beloved by me as the incredible Queer.

Corona did 4 classics & a Megamix & that was that. It was all we ever needed before the formula got tired.

Objectively the Bruce song is emotional, important, a deserved success but I'd never choose to listen to it. It just gets me down too much :(
 
I saw Philadelphia in the cinema with my boyfriend at the time. It seemed good then but I wouldn't want to watch it again now. I was agog to read this week that combination therapy didn't come in until '95. What a time etc
 
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