20 best British songs

thecolourbox · September 2023

Sporky said:

thecolourbox said:Having reread my list and just seen Sporky's list where i only really recognised one song, it has made me think how I should have included Prodigy's Firestarter in my 90s list!
Breathe?

I wasn't deliberately going obscure, I was dredging my musical youth for the stuff that most grabbed me - and things that are good songs in themselves.

Sorry I wasn't very clear with what I meant, Breathe by Prodigy was the only one I knew, but it made me think of Firestarter which is my favourite.

No problem with being obscure as it's only obscure to me, I'm sure many people will know more than me

ewal · September 2023

Sporky said:

ewal said:

I loved Moose!

Might try and do a list later, but likely to be another "songs of your youth" because that's mainly when I predominantly listened to UK music.

I know a lot of bands get described as "different live", but Moose were almost unrecognisable on record. Suzanne and Untitled Love Song were my favourites.

I think I saw them live. Memory is extremely hazy though. Suzanne and Jack, the singles basically, were my standouts. Had a listen today, Suzanne really is a classic.

Sporky · September 2023

thecolourbox said:

Sorry I wasn't very clear with what I meant, Breathe by Prodigy was the only one I knew, but it made me think of Firestarter which is my favourite.

No problem with being obscure as it's only obscure to me, I'm sure many people will know more than me

All good - I might have sounded more defensive than intended.

AK99 · September 2023

stickyfiddle said:

Also U2 because Edge was born in Essex to Welsh parents and Adam Clayton was born in Oxfordshire ..

Damnit that's really disappointing to hear. We'd gladly trade you those pair for that d1ck of ours Bono all day, every day

Cols · September 2023

Ah, go on then.

Something - The Beatles
Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin
Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
White Room - Cream
War Pigs - Black Sabbath
Teenage Kicks - The Undertones
All Right Now - Free
Baggy Trousers - Madness
Live Forever - Oasis
Gimme Shelter - The Rolling Stones
Badge - Cream
Since I’ve Been Loving You - Led Zeppelin
Pinball Wizard - The Who
We Are The Champions - Queen
Shine On You Crazy Diamond - Pink Floyd
Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks
Nowhere Man - The Beatles
This is a Low - Blur
Common People - Pulp
Green Manalishi - Fleetwood Mac

ronnyb · September 2023

There are dozens I could nominate in my top twenty but the top two would be Golden Brown and Smooth Operator.

idiotwindow · September 2023

MagicPigDetective said:

Slightly controversial to state this in a thread started by a Australian!

AC/DC - Back in Black.

Well, the Young brothers were from Glasgow originally, Bon Scott also from Scotland, Cliff Williams and Brian Johnson are English, Dave Evans the original singer was born in Wales.

I don't think it is a controversial viewpoint, just wrong. AC/DC (especially the Bon Scott era band) are the quintessential Australian band. That most of the band members were born outside Australia just makes them similar to many other Australians of their generation. The band is Australian through and through. Nor do I think the addition of Brian Johnson changed that because he had minimal creative impact on the band (and being dropped from the band a few years ago demonstrated how important he was to the Young brothers).

munckee · September 2023

There's loads here I hadn't thought of which should be on the list. Ripping off the plaster and just listing them without too much thought I get:

Beatles - Day In the life
Stones - Wild Horses
Kinks - Waterloo Sunset
Procul Harum - whiter shade of pale
Dusty Springfield - Son of a preacher man
The Hollies - He Ain't Heavy
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
Dire Straits - Tunnel of Love
Elvis Costello - Olivers Army
The Jam - Strange Town
Police - So Lonely
Smiths - This Charming Man
Kate Bush Running up that hill
Stone Roses - Made of Stone
Inspiral Carpets - She comes in the fall
Manic Street Preachers - Motorcycle Emptiness
Suede - Animal Nitrate
Pulp - Disco 2000
Radiohead - Paranoid Android
Prodigy - No Good Start the Dance

I've run out of places!

Placidcasual79 · September 2023

1 - Tomorrow Never Knows - the Beatles
2 - Waterloo Sunset - the Kinks
3 - Loving Cup - Rolling Stones
4. - The Ocean - Led Zepplin
5 - Kinky Affro - happy Mondays
6 - Moonage Daydream - David Bowie
7 - True Faith - New Order
8 - Roads - Portishead
9. - Pick up the pieces - Average White Band
10 - Unfinished Sympathy - Massive Attack
11 - Live Forever - Oasis
12 - Higher than the Sun - Primal Scream
13 - Ghost Town - The specials
14 - She bangs the drums - Stone Roses
15 - Inspection - Leftfield
16 - Inner City Life - Goldie
17 - Guns of Brixton - the Clash
19 - Cool Waves - Spiritualized
20 - Juggle tings proppa - Roots Manuva

that was not easy.....

MagicPigDetective · September 2023

idiotwindow said:

MagicPigDetective said:

Slightly controversial to state this in a thread started by a Australian!

AC/DC - Back in Black.

Well, the Young brothers were from Glasgow originally, Bon Scott also from Scotland, Cliff Williams and Brian Johnson are English, Dave Evans the original singer was born in Wales.

I don't think it is a controversial viewpoint, just wrong. AC/DC (especially the Bon Scott era band) are the quintessential Australian band. That most of the band members were born outside Australia just makes them similar to many other Australians of their generation. The band is Australian through and through. Nor do I think the addition of Brian Johnson changed that because he had minimal creative impact on the band (and being dropped from the band a few years ago demonstrated how important he was to the Young brothers).

I was just being facetious after previous comments on tenuous British links.

Shrews · September 2023

1. Anarchy In The Uk - Sex Pistols
2. Hey Jude - The Beatles
3. Every Breath You Take - The Police
4. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
5. Don't Look Back In Anger - Oasis
6. Paranoid - Black Sabbath
7. Going Underground - The Jam
8. We Are The Champions - Queen
9. Motorcycle Emptiness - Manic Street Preachers
10. Salisbury Hill - Peter Gabriel
11. Don't You Want Me - Human League
12. Common People - Pulp
13. Dakota - Stereophonics
14. Wuthering Heights - Kate Bush
15. Atmosphere - Joy Division
16. A Forest - The Cure
17. Ace Of Spades - Motorhead
18. Too Much Too Young - The Specials
19. Pretty Vacant - Sex Pistols
20. My Sweet Lord - George Harrison

It's liked the piped music around my local Morrisons.

Nitefly · September 2023

Pffft.

No Pilot?

No Del Amitri?

I am disappoint.

Haych · September 2023

In no particular order, and my choice of songs/artists could change on any day:

10cc - Dreadlock Holiday
Adamski - Killer
Cat Stevens - Peace Train
Chris Rea - Bombollini
Del Amitri - Here and Now
Depeche Mode - Policy of Truth
Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
Elvis Costello - Chelsea
James - Sit Down
Marillion - Kayleigh
Peter Gabriel - Solsbury Hill
Queen - Now I'm Here
Robert Plant - 29 Palms
Tears for Fears - Head Over Heels
Pilot - January
The Who - Pinball Wizard
The Zutons - Why Won't You Give Me Your Love
XTC - Senses Working Overtime
The Clash - London Calling
Elton John - Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting

Sporky · September 2023

I was regretting not having something by James.

Also Jesus Jones. Hugely underrated.

stevebrum · September 2023

I tried to put my top 20 Radiohead songs together once. Laboured over it but a few years on it’d be different. I’m fucked if I’m even trying this! Far too many choons to choose.

rogd · September 2023

I always thought Dusty Springfield was an Aussie.

Offset · September 2023

ICBM said:

guitars4you said:

No Status Quo so far and nothing by Graham Gouldman be it 10CC or other - Are the BeeGees allowed in a British listing - And what about The Police

Much as I love Quo - I've got every album up to Never Too Late - I don't think they have one that quite qualifies as being in a best song list.

Police - good shout, I'd probably pick Can't Stand Losing You.

I don't think of the BeeGees as British, but maybe they are.

So Lonely or Can't Stand Losing You would be my Police shouts, but they do have a fab back catalogue to pick from. Oddly, I wasn't that keen on them at the height of their fame but I've come to really appreciate them. I've even managed to push my personal dislike of Sting to one side. He too has some great solo material - An Englishman In New York is superb, as is Fields Of Gold.

Quo - Caroline or Paper Plane for me.

BGs - the whole of SNF is a masterpiece, and again I was not a fan when it came out. New York Mining Disaster 1941 would probably be up there as well.

Philly_Q · September 2023

I'm incapable of coming up with a list of 20 best British songs, but I do think the Bee Gees were British.

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20 best British songs

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