Please note that only songs which entered the UK singles chart are included.
| Abraham, Martin and JohnMarvin Gaye : 1970Refers to Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr, and John Kennedy. Lincoln and Kennedy were USA presidents and King was an American civil rights activist. All were assassinated at the height of their political powers in 1865, 1968, and 1963 respectively. Al CaponePrince Buster : 1967 Capone was an American-Italian gangster and racketeer in 1920s and 1930s Chicago. Rock Me AmadeausFalco : 1986Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791), was an Austrian classical composer. His output was prolific, writing over 600 pieces. As one of the major classical composers, his works are performed and broadcast regularly throughout the world. Aretha Rumer : 2011 Refers to Aretha Franklin (born 1942), American soul singer, prominent in the 1960s and 1970s. Golden Balls (Mr Beckham to you) Bell & Spurling : 2002 Roll Over BeetovenElectric Light Orchestra : 1973Refers to David Beckham, international football (soccer) player, who found fame whilst at Manchester United (1992-2003). He later played at Real Madrid (2003-2007), and LA Galaxy (2007-2012). He also played for the England team 115 times from 1996 to 2009. After a brief spell at Paris Saint-Germain (2012-13), Beckham announced his retirement from playing football in May 2013. He is known world-wide as an international celebrity. Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was a German classical composer. He is one of the most famous and influential of all composers, and his works are performed and broadcast regularly throughout the world. Bette Davis Eyes Kim Carnes : 1981 Bette Davis was an American film actress, prominent in the 1930s and 1940s. Biko Peter Gabriel : 1980 Refers to Steve Biko, a black South African anti-apartheid activist, who died in a Pretoria prison in 1977. The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde Georgie Fame : 1967 Bonnie and Clyde were a male and female pair of bank robbers and murderers in early 1930s America. They were shot dead by police in an ambush in 1934. Brian Wilson Barenaked Ladies : 1999 Brian Wilson (born 1942) was a member of and principle song writer for the popular American band The Beach Boys, prominent in the 1960s. Just Like Bruce LeeKill City : 2004 Buddy HollyBruce Lee (1940-1973) was an Asian-American film actor and martial arts expert, prominent in the early 1970s. Weezer : 1995 I Feel Like Buddy Holly Alvin Stardust : 1984 Buddy Holly was an American pioneering rock n roll artist who was killed in a plane crash, at age 22, in 1959. Buffalo Bill's Last Scratch Barron Knights : 1983 Buffalo Bill (real name William Cody), 1846-1917, was an American soldier, bison hunter and “wild west” showman. Oo ... Ar ... CantonaOo La La : 1992Ooh! Aah! Cantona1300 Drums : 1996 Refers to Eric Cantona (born 1966), a French former international footballer. He played for the French national team and several French clubs, but it was as a Manchester United player (1992-1997) that he became famous, scoring 64 league goals for the club. Following retirement from football he became an actor and has appeared in a couple of films and a stage play. In 2011 he became Director of Soccer at New York Cosmos. When I Kiss You (I Hear Charlie Parker Playing) Sparks : 1995 Charlie Parker (1920-1955) was an influential American jazz musician (saxophone) and composer. He died from alcohol and drug abuse, aged just 34. Clint Eastwood Gorillaz : 2001 Clint Eastwood is an American film and TV actor, prominent in the 1960s and 1970s, although still making some films to the present. Nice One CyrilCockerel Chorus : 1973Refers to Cyril Knowles (1944-1991), who played for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club between 1964 and 1976. He inspired this hit song, which was recorded by members of the supporters club for the 1973 League Cup Final. The final was won by Tottenham, beating Norwich City 1–0 at Wembley Stadium. The Ballad of Davy Crockett Bill Hayes : 1956 Sir DukeStevie Wonder : 1977Davy Crockett was an American adventurer and frontiersman during the early 1800s. This song was the theme to the 1950s American TV drama series about the adventures of Crockett. Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (1899–1974) was an American composer, pianist, and band leader. He wrote over 1,000 compositions, and is regarded as a major figure in the history of American jazz and big band music. Just Like Eddie Heinz : 1963 Refers to Eddie Cochran, American rock n roll singer, who was killed in a car crash in 1960. Calling Elvis Dire Straits : 1991 I Remember Elvis Presley (The King Is Dead) Danny Mirror : 1977 Elvis Presley was an American rock n roll pioneer who became an international singing sensation from the mid 1950s to his death in 1977. He was then known, and still is known, as "The King". Faron Young Prefab Sprout : 1985 Faron Young (1932-1996) was an American Country Music singer, popular 1950-1980s. His only hit in the UK was "Four In The Morning", No 3, 1972. Gary Gilmore's EyesAdverts : 1977 Gary Gilmore was an American convicted murderer who was executed by firing squad in the US state of Utah in 1977. Gilmore had requested that his eyes be used for transplant purposes, and within hours of his death, two people received his corneas. Dinner With Gershwin Donna Summer : 1987 Refers to George Gershwin (1898-1937), American composer of popular songs during the 1920s and 1930s. He also wrote stage musicals and modern opera. GinoDexys Midnight Runners : 1980 Refers to Gino Washington, American R&B singer, who initially found fame, along with his Ram Jam Band, in the UK in the late 1960s. Grace Kelly Mica : 2007 Grace Kelly was an American film actress, prominent in the 1950s. She retired from acting in 1956 to marry Prince Rainier of Monaco, becoming Princess Grace. She died in a car accident in 1982. Jack The Ripper LL Cool J : 1988 Jack The Ripper (different song to above) Nick Cave : 1992 Jack the Ripper is the nickname given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the areas in and around the Whitechapel district of east London in 1888. The victims were mostly prostitutes from the slums, whose throats were cut and their bodies mutilated. The murders were never solved and the identity of the perpetrator remains unknown. Jackie Wilson Said Dexy's Midnight Runners : 1982 Jacky Wilson (1934–1984) was an American R&B and soul singer. His solo career began in 1957, and he recorded over 50 hit singles. During a 1975 benefit concert, he collapsed on stage from a heart attack and subsequently fell into a coma for nearly nine years until his death in 1984. Moves Like Jagger Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera : 2011 Refers to Mick Jagger of the band The Rolling Stones, and his dance movements. James Dean (I Wanna Know) Daniel Beddingfield : 2002 Just Like Jesse James Cher : 1990James Dean was an American film actor and youth-culture icon of the 1950s. He died in a car crash, aged 24, in 1955. Jesse James was an American outlaw, robber and murderer, most active 1866 to 1876. He was shot dead in 1882 by a newly-recruited gang member who wanted the reward for James' capture, dead or alive. JezebelMarty Wilde : 1962 Joan of ArcOrchestral Maneuvers in the Dark : 1981 In the 9th century BC, Jezebel was the daughter of Ethbaal, King of the Phoenicians, and one of the wives of Ahab, King of North Israel. Her story appears in the Books of Kings in the Bible. She was regarded as evil and vain, and was murdered, having just put on her make up. In modern times the name "Jezebel" is often associated with wanton or evil women. Maid of Orléans (The Waltz of Joan of Arc) Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark : 1982 Joan of Arc (c.1412–1431), nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" is a folk heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. She was born a peasant girl in eastern France, and claiming divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War. She was captured by the Burgundians, transferred to the English in exchange for money, put on trial by the pro-English Bishop of Beauvais, and was burned at the stake for heresy when she was 19 years old. Joe LouisJohn Squire : 2002 Joe Louis (1914–1981), was an African-American professional boxer and the World Heavyweight Champion from 1937 to 1949. Nicknamed the Brown Bomber, he is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight champions of all time. The Ballad of John and Yoko Beatles : 1969 Refers to John Lennon (member of the Beatles) and his wife Yoko Ono. John Kettley (Is A Weather Man) Tribe of Toffs : 1988 John Kettley is a Yorkshire-born meteorologist who was well-known as a weatherman on BBC TV from 1985 to 2000. John Wayne Is Big LeggyHaysi Fantayzee : 1982 John Wayne (1907-1979) was an iconic American film actor, mostly playing "tough-guy" characters in westerns and war films. His first film was made in 1930, and his last in 1976. Johnny Mathis' FeetAmerican Music Club : 1993 Johnny Mathis (born 1935) is a popular American ballad singer, prominent 1950s to 1970s. I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman Whistling Jack Smith : 1967 Kaiser Bill is the nickname given to Wilhelm II (1859-1941), the last Emperor (Kaiser) of Germany and King of Prussia. He abdicated from the throne in 1918, at the end of the First World War, and lived the rest of his life in Holland. He was a grandson of Queen Victoria. Kevin CarterManic Street Preachers : 1996 Kevin Carter (1960–1994) was an award-winning South African photo-journalist. He was the recipient of a Pulitzer Prize for his photographs depicting the 1993 famine in Sudan. Suffering from depression, he committed suicide at the age of 33. His story is depicted in the 2010 feature film, The Bang-Bang-Club in which he was played by Taylor Kitsch. Laurel and HardyThe Equals : 1968 Laurel and Hardy were one of the most popular comedy double acts of early American cinema. Composed of thin Englishman Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and large American Oliver Hardy (1892–1957), they became well known during the late 1920s to the mid-1940s for their slapstick comedy. They made over 100 films together. Levi Stubbs' Tears Billy Bragg : 1986 Levi Stubbs (1936-2008) was an American singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the Motown group, The Four Tops. Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs (Lowry's Song)Brian & Michael : 1978 L. S. Lowry (1887-1976) was an English artist born in Stretford, Lancashire. Lowry is famous for painting scenes of life in the industrial districts of North West England, especially Salford and nearby areas. He had a distinctive style of painting and is best known for his urban landscapes peopled with numerous human figures, often referred to as "matchstick men". Ma Baker Boney M : 1977 Refers to American Kate Barker who married in 1892 and had four sons who became gangsters. She was implicated in their crimes, and was killed with one of her sons in an FBI shootout in Florida in 1935. (Note that the surname was changed from Barker to Baker to suit the song lyrics). Do It With Madonna Androids : 2003 Refers to the American, internationally-famous singer and actress, popular from mid-1980s to present. Michael CaineMadness : 1984 Sir Michael Caine, CBE (born 1933) is an English film actor, well known for his distinctive Cockney accent. Caine's film career began in the 1960s and continues to the present. He has appeared in over one hundred films, and his face and voice are recognised by almost everyone. The recording is unusual in that it features the subject's own voice, recorded specifically for the song. Black Superman (Mohammad Ali) Johnny Wakelin : 1975 Mohammad Ali Faithless : 2001 American, Mohammad Ali (original name Cassius Clay) was a world heavy weight boxing champion, prominent in the 1960s. Ali was well known for his unorthodox fighting style, epitomized by his catchphrase "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee", and employing techniques such as the "Ali Shuffle". Nelson MandelaThe Specials : 1984 Ossie's DreamTottenham Hotspur FA Cup Final Squad : 1981Nelson Mandela (born 1918) is a South African politician and former anti-apartheid activist. As a member of the African National Congress (ANC) he was arrested in 1962 and sentenced to life imprisonment. He served 27 years in prison, but following his release in 1990, he joined the negotiations that led to the establishment of full racial democracy in 1994. Mandela went on to become president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and is now a respected statesman throughout the world. Refers to Ossie Ardiles, an Argentine footballer, who found fame playing for the Argentina team in the 1978 World Cup. Following that he transferred to Tottenham Hotspur, where he spent 10 seasons, returning for the 1993-4 season as manager of Spurs. He has managed football teams throughout the world , and in 2012 became manager of a team in Japan. Prince HarrySoho Dolls : 2004 The Queen's Birthday SongSt John’s College School Choir and the Band of the Grenadier Guards : 1986Prince Harry (born 1984) is the second son of HRH Charles, the Prince of Wales (born 1948) and Diana, Princess of Wales (1961-1997). Prince Harry is fourth in line to the throne of the United Kingdom, behind his father, elder brother, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and the infant Prince George of Cambridge. Refers to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II (born 1926) who acceded to the throne of the United Kingdom in 1952, aged 26. The song was recorded for her 60th birthday. In 2012, at age 86 she celebrated her Diamond Jubilee (60 years) as Queen. RasputinBoney M : 1978 Snoopy vs the Red Baron Royal Guardsmen : 1967 Return of the Red Baron Royal Guardsmen : 1967 Snoopy vs the Red Baron Hotshots : 1973Grigori Rasputin (1869 –1916) was a peasant Russian Orthodox Christian and mystic who is perceived as having adversely influenced the latter days of the Russian Tzar Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, and their only son, Alexei. Some people called Rasputin the "Mad Monk" and a debauched religious charlatan, while others considered him to be a psychic and faith healer. He was murdered by a group of nobles who decided that Rasputin's influence over the Tsarina had made him a threat to the Russian empire. Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (1892–1918), also widely known as the Red Baron, was a German fighter pilot with the German Army Air Service during World War I. He is considered the top ace of that war, being officially credited with 80 air combat victories, more than any other pilot. By 1918, he was regarded as a national hero in Germany, and was well-known to British fighter pilots. Richthofen was shot down and killed over France on 21 April 1918. He remains one of the most famous fighter pilots of all time, and has been the subject of many books and films. Robert De Niro's WaitingBananarama : 1984 Robert De Niro (born 1943) is an American film actor, prominent from the 1970s to the 1990s. Let Robeson SingManic Street Preachers : 2001 Shakespeare's Way With WordsOne True Voice : 2003Paul Robeson (1898–1976) was an African-American singer and actor, and activist for the Civil Rights Movement. Robeson reached the pinnacle of his artistic success during the 1930s and 1940s, performing in films and musicals with his rich, bass voice. Blacklisted in the 1950s for his outspoken views, he lost popularity which he never fully regained. Refers to William Shakespeare (1564-1616), an English poet and playwright who is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. His surviving works consist of about 38 plays and 154 sonnets. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. When Smokey SingsABC : 1987 Refers to William "Smokey" Robinson (born 1940), an American R&B singer-songwriter and record producer. Robinson was the founder and front man of the popular Motown vocal group, The Miracles during the 1960s. From the mid-1970s he worked as a solo artist, racking up many more hits through the 1980s. Steve McQueenSheryl Crow : 2002 Steve McQueen (1930–1980) was an American film actor prominent in the 1960s and 1970s. He was nicknamed "The King of Cool", and his "anti-hero" persona, which he developed at the height of the Vietnam counter-culture, made him one of Hollywood’s top box-office draws. The Ballad of Tom Jones Space with Cerys of Catatonia : 1998 Tom Jones is a British internationally-famous singing star, with chart hits from the 1960s to the present. VincentDon McLean : 1972 Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) was a Dutch post-Impressionist painter whose work, notable for its rough beauty and bold colour, had a far-reaching influence on 20th-century art. Most of his productive years were spent in France. He suffered from bouts of depression and in 1888 he cut off part of his lower ear. He later documented the event in a painting titled "Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear". After years of painful anxiety and frequent bouts of mental illness, he died aged 37 from a gunshot wound, generally accepted to be self-inflicted. Today, Van Gogh is regarded as an artistic genius and his masterpieces sell for record-breaking prices. |