What are your top 10 singles of all time?

Yeeehhh.. I remember the first single I ever bought: Cher's "Dark Lady". Trouble is, I haven't bought a single since the mid 70's. Unless by single you mean tracks that were released as singles and as album tracks. Unfortunately I would be too dense to know what (or which) those are...Regards...Big Brother

Two lists if I may

My predictable one:
1. Trumpton Riots/All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit
2. 1966 And All That/Albert Hammond Bootleg
3. Dickie Davies Eyes/I Left My Heart In Papworth General
4. Let's Not/Our Tune/Ordinary To Enschede
5. No Regrets/1966 And All That (live)
6. Eno Collaboration/Hair Like Brian May Blues
7. Look Dad No Tunes/Ecclesiastical Perks/Lock Up Your Mountain Bikes
8. Bob Wilson - Anchorman/Vatican Broadside
9. Tending The Wrong Grave For 23 Years/Blood On The Quad

My almost as predictable one (or 20 - I couldn't decide which 10)
1. Save My Soul - Wimple Winch
2. Echo Beach - Martha & the Muffins
3. See Emily Play - The Pink Floyd
4. Defecting Grey - The Pretty Things
5. Beeside/Vacuum Cleaner - Tintern Abbey
6. My White Bicycle - Tomorrow
7. Hole In My Shoe - Traffic
8. Hello Goodbye - The Beatles
9. Dead End Street - The Kinks
0. Who Do You Love - Juicy Lucy
1. Ascension Day - Third World War
2. The Medium Was Tedium - The Desperate Bicycles
3. Madman Across The Water - Dantallion's Chariot
4. Father's Name Was Dad - Fire
5. Love Makes Sweet Music - The Soft Machine
6. Ribbon Bow - The Fairport Convention
7. Dream On My Mind - Rupert's People
8. Colours Of My Mind/Created By Clive - The Attack
9. The World Will End Yesterday - Second Hand
0. Black Mass - Jason Crest

If you want a list of some the greatest singles ever then just click here

What a lot of tosh!

quote:

Originally posted by bob mccluckie:
What a lot of tosh!

Why?

Having the same problem as ROFT, but I've tried to limit the numbers ish!

1. Medicine Head - Slip & Slide 7"
2. Golden Years - David Bowie 7"
3. Groovy Train - The Farm 12"
4. The Only One I know - The Charlatans 12"
5. Walk On By - The Stranglers 7" (White vinyl)
6. You - The Au Pairs - 7"
7. Homicide - 999
8. Alphaville - The Monochrome Set 7"
9. Jumping Someone Else's Train - The Cure 7"
10. Ceremony - New Order 7"
10. The Puppet Echo & The Bunnymen 7"
9. Fiery Jack - The Fall 7"
8. New Thing In Cartons - Fire Engines 12"
7. Love Like Anthrax- Gang of Four 7"
6. Change - Killing Joke 12"
5. Are You Receiving Me - XTC 7"
4. Gathering Dust - Modern English 7"
3. West One (Shine on me) - The Ruts 7"
2. Perfect Game - The Thompson Twins 7"
1. Don't Step On The Cracks - Wah Heat 7" (B side to Seven Minutes to Midnight)

I could go on (and probably have!). I would be all of a dither if I was ever asked to go on Desert Island discs.

Nic

It’s almost impossible to limit myself to 10, but I stopped at 20.

The Cure – Friday I’m in love
The Las – There she goes
Elgins – Heaven must have sent you
Bedouin Soundclash – When the night hears my song
Stone Roses – Waterfall
Mary Coughlin – Seduced
T-Rex – Ride a white swan
Chris Rea – Stainsby girls
The Tams – Hey girl don’t bother me
Creedence Clearwater Revival – Have you ever seen the rain
Deep Purple – Smoke on the water
Bob Marley – Exodus
Dolores Keane – The island
Runrig – Healer in your heart
The Mavericks – Dance the night away
Prince Buster – Al Capone
Bill Black & His Combo – My girl Josephine
Slade – Get down and get with it
Bob & Marcia – Young, gifted and black
Thompson Twins - You take me up

Cheers

Brad

Wot no Bohemian Rhapsody anyone?

Always wins the best single ever on telly

Jonathan

quote:

Originally posted by Shayman:
Wot no Bohemian Rhapsody anyone?

Always wins the best single ever on telly

Jonathan

Yeah might be all right on a TV but sounds lousy on record player IMO. I prefer Grandad by Clive Dunn - extended version with extra sentimentality.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Brother:
Trouble is, I haven't bought a single since the mid 70's.

I take it then that you aren't into reggae, drum and bass or dance music. A lot of that sort of stuff is only released on singles, or exists on singles as a much better version and with extra remixes. Also with reggae, the main media in Jamaica is still the seven inch single with the centre punched out so you need an adaptor. In the UK it tends to be 10 or 12 inch singles.
Actually in the last 10 years or more I don't think I've bought any albums on vinyl, apart from a few collectibles. I have however brought hundreds of 10 and 12 inch singles and a few sevens

quote:

Originally posted by nicnaim:

3. West One (Shine on me) - The Ruts 7"

Nic

Yes, West One by the Ruts. I'm glad you remeninded me. If I had it on a single I would have picked it. Easily one of the greatest pieces of music ever. I could also include Staring at the rude boys by the Ruts, Get a grip by the stranglers and Life on the line by Eddie and the Hot Rods

quote:

Originally posted by jcs_smith:
Get a Grip by the Stranglers

So you do like prog after all - I always thought the Stranglers sounded like a Doors tribute band, even if they were a bit Nice and Sleezy.

I really liked the Stranglers - preferred The Clash and Desperate Bicycles though.

Can I think of 10 special singles?

Knocking on Heaven's Door - Dylan (1st single I bought)
I can't get no satisfaction - Stones
Jimmy Jimmy - Undertones
Blue Monday - New Order
Rebel Rebel - Bowie
Friday I'm in Love - Cure
Less than zero - Elvis Costello
Stand down Margaret - The Beat
Safety pin stuck in my heart - Patrik Fitzgerald
I can see for miles - The Who

Tim

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:

So you do like prog after all - I always thought the Stranglers sounded like a Doors tribute band, even if they were a bit Nice and Sleezy.

Prog, the stranglers? Sorry I don't buy that for one minute

Singles Dad, what are they?


1. The Undertones - Teenage Kicks
2. The Boomtown Rats - Rat Trap
3. The Pretenders - Brass in Pocket
4. Squeeze - Up the Junction
4. Thin Lizzy- The Boys are back in Town
5. Rory Gallagher - Philby
6. Pixies - here comes your man/wave of mutilation
7. U2 - I will follow
8. Elvis Costello and the attractions - Oliver's Army
9. Blondie - Hangin on the telephone
10. Jam - Going Underground.


Obviously there are better singles but I'm limiting it to ones I heard contemporaneously.



SJB

quote:

Originally posted by jcs_smith:

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:

So you do like prog after all - I always thought the Stranglers sounded like a Doors tribute band, even if they were a bit Nice and Sleezy.

Prog, the stranglers? Sorry I don't buy that for one minute

What about that concept album - The Meninblack?
Not to mention the Raven

Still we agree we both like the Stranglers.

Do you like the Doors?

All the best, Rotf

I loved the Doors when i was about 12 or 13, basically because of the bluesy style stuff they did. I've always hated The End and the more pretensious stuff of theirs. I haven't really listened to them since, although they seemed to be on the radio all the time when I lived in the States - I always changed channel

The Turtles - Happy Together
The Kinks - Waterloo Sunset
Beach Boys - Good Vibrations
Monkees - Pleasant Valley Sunday
Jo Jo Gunne - Run Run Run
Herb Alpert - Thid Guy's In Love With You
The Smiths - This Charming Man
The Jam - Down In The Tube Station at Midnight
Eddie and the Hot Rods - Do Anything You Wanna Do
The Orb - Little Fluffy Clouds

Waterloo Sunset by the Kinks is the best single ever made.

Some other contenders for the 2-10 positions (but in no particular order)

Light My Fire: The Doors
Watching the Detectives: Elvis Costello
Strawberry Fields Forever: The Beatles
This Charming Man: The Smiths
Gloria: Them
What Do I Get: Buzzcocks
Jilted John: Jilted John
Eton Rifles: The Jam
John I'm Only Dancing: David Bowie

I've splt my selections into 7 inch and 12 inchers. In each case the single may have been released in the other size but the one I've chosen is the format it is best remembered by.

Top 10 7 inch singles

No1. The Beatles 'Strawberry Fields Forever/Penny Lane'

The rest are in no particular order

Sex Pistols 'God save the Queen'
Kinks 'Waterloo Sunset'
Chumbawamba 'Revolution'
Marvin Gaye 'I heard it through the grapevine'
Robert Wyatt 'Shipbuilding'
Rolling Stones 'Paint it black'
The Clash 'White man in Hammersmith Palais'
Lou Reed 'Walk on the wild side'
The Beatles 'Rain' (b-side of Paperback Writer)

Top 10 12 inch singles

No.1 Joy Division 'Atmosphere'

The rest are in no pariclar order

Chic 'Good times'
Primal Scream 'Loaded'
Missy Elliott 'Get yr freak on'
Grandmaster Flash 'Adventures on the wheels of steel'
Spiritualized 'I think I'm in love'
Keith LeBlanc 'Malcolm X - no sell out'
Eric B & Rakim 'Paid in full (Coldcut remix)'
New Order 'Blue Monday'
Prodigy 'Out of space'

Paul

OK, just coming over from the top 15 albums thread and this time I will follow directions - only 10 - and mostly those singles whose b sides are excellent as well

I have just been on a ridiculous 7" and 12" 45rpm buying binge that has set me back about a paycheck so I have some in recent memory -

By the way, before I begin, ROTF you are blowing my mind with your references. I can just read your posts and go on a tangential record buying spree - no need for the music mags!


White Lines - Granmaster Flash and the Furious Five - 12"

You Showed Me/Buzz Saw - The Turtles - 7" (with autographed picture sleeve!)

Baby Youre a Rich Man/All you need is love - Beatles - 7" English pressing with picture sleeve

Friends/Little Bird - The Beach Boys 7"

The Cure - In Between Days - 12" extended mix

The Zombies - Time of the Season/Friends of Mine - 7"

Rolling Stones - She's a Rainbow/2000 light years from home

Horace Andy - Skylarking - 7"

Neil Young - Heart of Gold/Only Love Can Break Your Heart - Japanese 7" with picture sleeve

Booker T and the MGs - Hip Hug Her/Groovin - 7"