The Beatles - the ballad of john and yoko, 1969

"The Ballad of John and Yoko" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as a non-album single in May 1969, with "Old Brown Shoe" as its B-side. It was written by John Lennon and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership, and chronicles the events surrounding the wedding of Lennon and Yoko Ono. The song was the Beatles' 17th UK number-one single and their last for 54 years until "Now and Then" in 2023. In the United States, it was banned by some radio stations due to the lyrics' reference to Christ and crucifixion. The single peaked at number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song, along with its B-side, has subsequently appeared on compilation albums such as Hey Jude, 1967–1970, and Past Masters. It was also included on the compilation 1."

Micheál And Eilish - dublin in the rare old times, 1990

Pet Shop Boys - this must be the place i waited years to leave, 1990

"Johnny Marr, formerly of The Smiths plays guitar on this track. Russian samples abound on the track, including an excerpt from the 1936 Moscow trials, and Shostakovitch's second symphony."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - we love you twelve version, 1988

"Timing is everything and, unfortunately, the release of this 45 was singularly mistimed. Its predecessor, the hit "(Forever) Live and Die," was just falling out of the U.K. chart when OMD sent "We Love You" spinning toward it in November 1986. Meanwhile, the band's The Pacific Age album, from which both singles were culled, was clambering into the Top 15. But even in the go-go '80s, pop fans had to occasionally count their pennies, and two singles and an album were just too much to splash out on in a matter of weeks. There was no other reason for "We Love You" not to hit big, for it had all the makings of a smash. Its complex dance-friendly rhythm was fired by live drums, percussion, and a pulsing bassline, while lashings of riffy guitar, swooping synths, and bubbly keyboards supported a splendidly anthemic chorus that cried out the band's affection for both their pop and club fans. Add barely veiled lyrics with anti-militaristic intent to impress the anoraks, and this single should have been among the band's biggest sellers. But timing is everything."

The Jesus And Mary Chain - everything's alright when you're down, 1987

"Reid is the lead singer and founding member of the alternative rock band The Jesus and Mary Chain. He formed the band with his brother William. They are recognized as key figures in the development of the shoegaze and noise pop subgenres. They released six studio albums before they split up in 1999. They reformed in March 2007 and are still active as of 2024, and Reid and his brother are the only constant members of the group."

Monstro Brilhante - serenidade, 2022

"O grupo, que nasceu da vontade de dois primos, Nuno Guimarães, a viver em Zurique, e Rui Guimarães, de Lisboa, acaba de lançar um álbum com 15 faixas de descoberta de "várias realidades, quer sonoras, quer no estado de espírito".

Club 8 - the girl with the northern soul collection, 2002

"a sense of post-punk style urgency in the melody and tempering Komstedt’s ethereal vocals with lyrics that move from domestic bliss to existential angst in a heartbeat"

The Moody Blues - eyes of a child edit version no intro this is the moody blues, 1974

"When you look at life through the eyes of a child there is a wonderment, isn't it? Children see the world differently. There are wonders every day: When you see a butterfly flying or when you see a bird flying or when you see anything, it's just a wonderful world for children to see. I thought, as we become older, we become prejudiced and if you can rid of whatever your prejudice is, you just see the world in naivety, without any restriction. It's wonderful for everyone to be able to see everything in life without any prejudice."

Marillion - that time of the night the short straw, 1987

"There's sort of a dual meaning I think; it also seems to allude to "drawing the short straw," which would indicate bad luck, losing, or being otherwise ill-fated. As in the practice of choosing straws among a group to determine who has to undertake an unpleasant, dangerous, or otherwise undesirable task. The person who draws the short straw generally loses."

The Radio Dept - never swallow fruit dub by pistol disco, 2010

"Capping off a fruitful year that included the release of their BNM'd third full-length, Clinging to a Scheme, Swedish indie pop stalwarts the Radio Dept. have a new EP, Never Follow Suit, out today via Labrador. The band's giving away the EP's first track, "The One", which you can grab below. In our news story today about the Radio Dept.'s forthcoming singles collection, Passive Aggressive: Singles 2002 - 2010, we also posted another track from that EP, a remix of its title track from Swedish production collective Pistol Disco. You can grab that rework, cleverly titled "Never Swallow Fruit", below as well."

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - a teenager in love, 2009

"What makes this band so difficult to shake from its influences? Well, its members don’t seem interested in being separated from them. Where most bands use their favorite sounds as a jumping-off point, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart live in the sounds they love. What makes them successful, in spite of this, is how they combine all these found sounds. The band marries well the harshness of a Superchunk or a My Bloody Valentine with the soft melodies of twee pop."

Simon And Garfunkel - keep the customer satisfied, 1970

"Keep the Customer Satisfied" is a song by American music duo Simon & Garfunkel from the group's fifth studio album, Bridge over Troubled Water (1970). It was included as the B side of their signature hit, "Bridge over Troubled Water". "Keep the Customer Satisfied" recounts the exhausting tours that Simon grew tired of, a similar theme to that of their earlier song, "Homeward Bound".

Bee Gees - in the morning reprise richard hewson orchestra, 1971

"Hewson began in the late 1960s as an arranger, and worked with musicians such as the Beatles ("I Me Mine" and "The Long and Winding Road"), the Bee Gees (Melody), James Taylor ("Carolina in My Mind"), Herbie Hancock, Clifford T. Ward, Supertramp, Pilot (Pilot), Diana Ross, Carly Simon, Art Garfunkel, Leo Sayer, Paul McCartney (Thrillington), Mary Hopkin ("Those Were The Days"), Al Stewart, Chris de Burgh, Fleetwood Mac and Chris Rea. He also arranged strings on several Cliff Richard albums, I'm Nearly Famous (1976), Every Face Tells a Story (1977) and Green Light (1978). Hewson also worked with the British band Jigsaw, including arrangements for their hit single, "Sky High"."

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - sunday morning cover, 1993

"'Sunday Morning' is a cover of the Velvet Underground song that first featured on their 1967 album The Velvet Underground & Nico."

The Beatles - sgt pepper's lonely hearts club band, 1967

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by Paul McCartney, credited to Lennon–McCartney, and released in 1967 on the album of the same name. The song appears twice on the album: as the opening track (segueing into "With a Little Help from My Friends"), and as "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)", the penultimate track (segueing into "A Day in the Life"). As the title song, the lyrics introduce the fictional band that performs on the album."

Belle And Sebastian - waiting for the moon to rise, 2000

"Waiting for the Moon to Rise" by Belle and Sebastian depicts a longing for something out of reach and the anticipation of a new beginning. The song opens with the narrator acknowledging the passing of time and the start of a new day, represented by the sun rising behind them. They find themselves on an unfamiliar path, symbolizing a new journey or experience."

The Moody Blues - ride my see-saw, 1968

"Ride My See-Saw" is a 1968 single by the English progressive rock band the Moody Blues. It was written by the band's bassist John Lodge, and was first released on the Moody Blues' 1968 album In Search of the Lost Chord. It was the second of two singles from that album, the other being "Voices in the Sky". On the album, the song is preceded by a spoken word introduction called "Departure" that was written by Graeme Edge. Billboard described the single as a "blockbuster rocker" that "comes on strong with all the ingredients to spiral [the Moody Blues] to the top in short order" and a "mover from start to finish." Cash Box called it a "dance track with powerful teen attraction" and "polished vocals."

The Beatles - we can work it out live, 1965

"The song is an example of Lennon-McCartney collaboration at a depth that happened only rarely after they wrote the hit singles of 1963. This song, "A Day in the Life", "Baby, You're a Rich Man" and "I've Got a Feeling", are among the notable exceptions."

David Bowie - velvet goldmine, 1975

"Musically, "Velvet Goldmine" is a glam rock number that contains a bouncy piano part and backing vocals similar to Hunky Dory (1971), while also anticipating the cabaret feel Bowie soon experimented with on Aladdin Sane. Author Peter Doggett described it as a combination of Gene Vincent's 1950s rock'n'roll and the "electric thrust" of Marc Bolan."

Pedro Abrunhosa - eu não sei quem te perdeu, 2002

"Portuguese singer, songwriter, musician and composer. Trained in jazz music, Abrunhosa started his career in the 1980s playing in jazz bands and teaching in music and art schools in Porto. He is a co-founder of the Jazz School of Porto."

The Legends - everything you say, 2003

"The group is the brainchild of Johan Angergård, Labrador Records founder and member of Swedish bands Club 8 and Acid House Kings."

Traveling Wilburys - runaway cover, 2007

"The supergroup Traveling Wilburys recorded a version of the song, with Jeff Lynne singing lead vocals; it was released on a 2007 CD reissue of Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3."

The Strokes - heart in a cage, 2006

"Heart in a Cage" is a song by American rock band the Strokes. Written by lead singer Julian Casablancas, the song was released as the second single from the band's third studio album, First Impressions of Earth (2006)."

Belle And Sebastian - take your carriage clock and shove it, 2005

"Isobel Campbell certainly seems to think that this song was written about her. Interesting that it is followed by 'I'm waking up to us' on the Barman compilation album, which is even harsher. Her 'Monologue for an old true love' on her solo record, Amorino, could be taken as a response."

The Radio Dept - the worst taste in music flow flux clan remix, 2006

"The title track may open with a computerised rattle, but that disappears in a gush of autumnal colour, muted enough to strip the lyrics of all bite. By the time you reach the helplessly gauche The Worst Taste in Music and the anaemic opening line of Tell ("Betrayal is always sad"), the desire to drench the Radio Dept in cold water becomes overwhelming. And yet, in the right mood, there is something shy and lovely about Pet Grief, ghosts of the C86 sound that make you want to grab a cardigan and sway."

The Beatles - help, 1965

"The whole Beatles thing was just beyond comprehension. I was subconsciously crying out for help".

Simon And Garfunkel - flowers never bend with the rainfall, 1966

"his mirror on the wall threw back an image dark and small, which to some degree depressed him."

Mark Knopfler - going home theme of the local hero, 1983

"Going Home: Theme of the Local Hero" is an instrumental rock track by Mark Knopfler, and the closing track from the 1983 film Local Hero soundtrack. It was the debut solo single by Knopfler, and charted at number 56 in the UK, at number 26 in the Netherlands and at number 18 in New Zealand. The soundtrack album also features a reprise called "Wild Theme", which consists of Knopfler's acoustic guitar interpretation of the song's melody."

Saturday Looks Good to Me - untitled all your summer songs, 2003

"Scuffed-up transistor radio with a blown speaker beaming time-travelled frequencies from 1957-1967. What The Beach Boys might have sounded like if they recorded in an underwater cove. A warped vinyl copy of your favorite pop record played on one of those tan Fisher Price record players we all owned as kids."

The Flaming Lips - yoshimi battles the pink robots part one, 2003

"The lyrics of Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots concern a diverse array of subject matter, mostly melancholy ponderings about love, mortality, artificial emotion, pacifism, and deception, while telling the story of Yoshimi's battle. The title character is inspired by Boredoms/OOIOO member Yoshimi P-We, following a comment in the Flaming Lips studio that her machine-sound abstract singing sounds like she is battling monsters—Coyne added 'pink'. P-We also performs on the album. Some listeners consider Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots to be a concept album; however, the story is debated, as it is only directly apparent in the first four tracks. Despite the story-type title and science fiction themes, Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne has made it clear that Yoshimi is not intended to be a concept album."

Saint Etienne - four thirty-five in the morning kid loco remix, 2009

"Sub Pop released Saint Etienne's 1998 album Good Humor in a limited version that included a bonus disc of extras. Entitled Fairfax High, the 40-minute disc of B-sides and assorted extras enabled the trio to ransack their sock drawer yet again. Most of these stray tracks come from the Sylvie and Bad Photographer singles. Like their other collections of studio fallout, this disc offers a few hidden gems and a clutch of decent-but-not-so-hot moments. Opening with the instrumental Mike Post homage, "Hill Street Connection" (originally named "Andrew McCarthy" after the Less Than Zero star) and ending with the easy listening instrumental "Cat Nap," it feels like more of a decent album than a hodgepodge, if slightly uneven."

Pet Shop Boys - absolutely fabulous rollo our tribe tongue-in-cheek mix disco two, 1994

"It is ostensibly a comedy record but few comedy records claim to possess as much dancefloor credibility as this one."

Belle And Sebastian - my wandering days are over, 1996

"Written after Murdoch met Isobel Campbell, the cello player who would complete the band’s lineup, “My Wandering Days” folds the B&S origin story into a larger narrative about a guy hanging up his dancing shoes and settling down. Whether he’s the melancholy “circus boy” who pops up later in the song is never really made clear. The ambiguity manifests itself gorgeously in the final minute, as trumpeter Mick Cooke cuts through the hazy fadeout with a sharp run of notes."

The Beatles - i feel fine live, 1965

"I Feel Fine" starts with a single, percussive feedback note produced by McCartney plucking the A string on his bass, and Lennon's guitar, which was leaning against McCartney's bass amp, picking up feedback. This was the first use of feedback on a rock record."

The Pipettes - judy, 2005

"Judy" is a limited edition 7" single by The Pipettes of which 1000 copies were pressed by Boston's Total Gaylord Records in August 2005. It was exclusively available via mailorder from the United States and featured a sleeve which folded out into a polka dot dress in homage to the singers' dress code. The B-side "KFC" features DJ Scotch Egg and members of The Go! Team. The first two tracks are the same recordings as the previous UK 7" releases. Rose sings the lead vocals on the song."

The Beautiful South - worthless lie, 1994

"The album's tracks reflect a depressing period in Heaton's life, and this continues with the follow-up album Blue is the Colour (1996). The songs also led the group's first female singer, Briana Corrigan, to leave the band; after Heaton sent her copies of the songs, including "Mini-correct" and "Worthless Lie", she swiftly made the decision to leave."

Traveling Wilburys - not alone any more, 1988

"Not Alone Any More" is a song by the British–American supergroup the Traveling Wilburys from their 1988 album Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1. It was sung by Roy Orbison and serves as his main contribution to the album. The song was written mainly by Jeff Lynne, although all five members of the Wilburys are credited as songwriters. A longtime admirer of Orbison, Lynne wrote "Not Alone Any More" as a vehicle for the singer's operatic vocal style. The song's lyrical theme of loneliness similarly recalls Orbison's dark ballads of the early 1960s. On release, the song was much admired by music critics. With the commercial success of the Wilburys, and the recognition afforded Orbison following his death in December 1988, it marked his full return from the career downturn he had experienced since the mid-1960s."

The Legends - the kids just wanna have fun, 2003

"The Legends are one of several indie pop projects masterminded by Swedish producer/musician Johan Angergård, whose other bands include the Acid House Kings, Eternal Death, Djustin and Club 8. Initially conceived as a fuzzy, gutsy indie pop act (something like a rougher, fierier version of the Acid House Kings), the group made its live debut in 2003 as an opening act for the Radio Dept."

Sétima Legião - por tua imensa saudade, 1989

"Morreu um salva-vidas com duas paixões"

Pet Shop Boys - postscript i believe in ecstasy, 1993

"This brief “hidden” song appears at the end of Very after more than a minute of silence following “Go West.” Nowhere is it mentioned in the original album notes, and even the name “Postscript” was conjectural until it was confirmed by the 2001 reissue. (The first words, “I Believe in Ecstasy,” had also been suggested by fans as a possible title.) It’s a highly atypical number in which a chorus of Chris Lowe’s heavily multi-tracked vocals sing about the conflicting senses of joy and sadness at remembering a close friend or lover who is now lost."

The Beatles - eight days a week, 1964

"I usually drove myself there, but the chauffeur drove me out that day and I said, 'How've you been?' – 'Oh working hard,' he said, 'working eight days a week.'" In a 2016 interview alongside Starr and Ron Howard, in preparation for the release of the documentary The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years, McCartney reiterated that he had heard it from a chauffeur who was driving him to Lennon's house while he was banned from driving."

The Chameleons - view from a hill, 1983

"Script remains a high-water mark of what can generally be called post-punk music; an hour's worth of one amazing song after another", calling it "practically a greatest-hits record on its own".

Belle And Sebastian - the stars of track and field, 1996

"If You're Feeling Sinister is the second album by the Scottish indie pop band Belle and Sebastian. It was released in 1996 on Jeepster Records in the United Kingdom and in 1997 by Matador Records in the United States. It is often ranked among the best albums of the 1990s, including being ranked #14 in Pitchfork's list of Top 100 Albums of the 1990s. Band leader Stuart Murdoch said If You're Feeling Sinister is probably his best collection of songs."

A Weather - spiders snakes, 2008

"While I am religiously neutral, I definitely get the impression that the underlying theme of the song is God. I think it tells the story of - or rather it is a dialogue between - a man and his friend. It seems the singer is watching his friend lose (or perhaps has already lost) his faith in God and he's hoping that he can help him find his way back."

The Style Council - the whole point of no return, 1984

"the most beautiful protest song ever: “The Whole Point of No Return”.

Still Corners - the trip, 2013

"Strange Pleasures is the second studio album by London-based dream pop band Still Corners. It was released 7 May 2013 by US label Sub Pop. The album reached a peak of No. 28 in the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart. It also hit No. 1 in the FMQB national radio charts."

The Pipettes - pull shapes, 2006

"Pull Shapes" is a single from The Pipettes and was released on 3 July 2006. It was available on CD, double 7" vinyl, and digital download from Memphis Industries. The expression "pull shapes" is a British English colloquialism that refers to the act of dancing."

Brendan Benson - ain't no good, 2022

"Musicians have no idea how to talk about their own stuff. It doesn’t sound like hip hop or barbershop. It sounds like Brendan Benson music. Which is great."

The Beatles - i want to hold your hand live, 1964

"With advance orders exceeding one million copies in the UK, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" would have gone straight to the top of the British record charts on its day of release had it not been blocked by the group's first million-seller "She Loves You", their previous UK single, which was having a resurgence of popularity following intense media coverage of the group. Taking two weeks to dislodge its predecessor, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" stayed at number one for five weeks and remained in the UK top 50 for 21 weeks in total."

The Style Council - my ever changing moods extended version, 1984

"The album version features vocals by Weller only accompanied by acoustic piano. This version is 3:37 long. There are two versions of the song with full band accompaniment. The 7" single version is 4:02 minutes long, while the 12" single version is 5:44 minutes long. Weller released a new version of "My Ever Changing Moods" on his album An Orchestrated Songbook in 2021."

Tobasco Boy - sunbleach, 2023

"This is such a good song! Love it and just love the sound!"