191. The Wanderer (Dion)
“The Wanderer” is a 12-bar blues-base verse/eight-bar bridge song by Ernie Maresca (who previously collaborated on Dion’s former hit song, “Runaround Sue”) that was debuted by Dion. Initially intended for another group to record (Nino and the Ebbtides), “Wanderer” was passed on to Dion as the flip-side to his single, “The Majestic.” DJs, however, overwhelmingly preferred “Wanderer”, which was accordingly pressed into the single’s A-side; it entered the US charts in late 1961 and peaked at No. 2 in early 1962.
Meaning of the Song: tells the story of a travelling man and his many loves. Dion said of “The Wanderer”: At its roots, it’s more than meets the eye. “The Wanderer” is black music filtered through an Italian neighborhood that comes out with an attitude. It’s my perception of a lot of songs like “I’m A Man” by Bo Diddley or “Hoochie Coochie Man” by Muddy Waters. But you know, “The Wanderer” is really a sad song. A lot of guys don’t understand that. Bruce Springsteen was the only guy who accurately expressed what that song was about. It’s “I roam from town to town and go through life without a care, I’m as happy as a clown with my two fists of iron, but I’m going nowhere.” In the fifties, you didn’t get that dark. It sounds like a lot of fun but it’s about going nowhere.
Accolades: Entered the US charts in late 1961 and rose to No. 2 in early 1962; peaked at No. 10 in the UK and at No. 1 in Australia; RS/500, No. 239.
192. How You Remind Me (Nickelback)
“How You Remind Me” is a 2001 song released by Canadian rock band Nickelback as the lead single from the album Silver Side Up. Considered by many as Nickelback’s signature song, a “Gold Mix” was made for latter editions of “How You Remind Me”, but featured less guitar in the chorus. This single would be the last rock single to be No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 until 2008, when alternative rock group Coldplay released “Viva la Vida”.
Meaning of the Song: Lead vocalist and guitarist Chad Kroeger wrote the song about his old girlfriend Jodi, with whom he had a dysfunctional relationship. He refers to this song as the song that put Nickelback on the map as referred to their concert in Sturgis.
Accolades: No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100; named the most-played song on U.S. radio of the 2000’s decade by Nielsen Soundscan, with over 1.2 million plays on U.S. airwaves from 2001 to the end of 2009; named No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot 100 Songs of the Decade, 75th on the equivalent UK chart; nominated for the Kerrang! Award for Best Single.
193. You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me (The Miracles)
Initially a song written by Smokey Robinson for The Miracles as the B side to “Happy Landing”, “Hold on Me” beat out its A-side by a huge margin–causing “Dee-Jays” to flip it—and became a Top 10 hit in America. Considered one of Robinson’s most covered and most defining tunes, Robinson wrote “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” in New York in 1962 on a business trip for Motown; allegedly, he had heard Sam Cooke’s then-charting “Bring It On Home to Me” and, inspired by it, wrote his own song. Thus, “Hold on Me” was recorded at Motown’s famed Studio A with Robinson on lead vocals and the Miracles’ Bobby Rogers on co-lead. “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” was later covered by the Beatles and placed on their second album, With The Beatles.
Meaning of the Song: Miracles vocalist Smokey Robinson wrote this song for his wife Claudette after hearing Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home To Me” on the radio. Claudette was a singer for The Miracles.
Accolades: Selected as one of the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll; made Grammy Hall of Fame-induction in 1998; reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop chart, peaking at No. 8; was a No. 1 hit on the Billboard R&B singles chart during the winter of 1962-63; marked The Miracles’ second single after “Shop Around” to gross over one million copies sold.
194. (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party!) (Beastie Boys)
“(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!” (frequently shortened to “Fight for Your Right”) is a song by the American rap group the Beastie Boys and is one of their best-known songs. Written by vocalist/bassist Adam Yauch and friend Tom “Tommy Triphammer” Cushman (who appears in the video) and released as the fourth single released from their 1986 debut album, Licensed to Ill, the song was also included on the hits album, The Sounds of Science, in 1999 and Solid Gold Hits in 2005.
Meaning of the Song: “Fight For Your Right” was intended as a parody of party and “attitude” songs, like “Smokin’ in the Boys Room” (Brownsville Station, 1973). However, the irony was lost on most listeners.In the liner notes to the Beastie Boys anthology, Adam “MCA” Yauch explains that the song began as a “goof” on dumb rock songs. They cut the vocals as a joke, then went on tour. Producer Rick Rubin added the loud drums and guitar track. Continuing with the joke, the Beasties made a video where they played along with the drunken party boy image that this song had created. Soon the Beasties were superstars, thanks to their new fanbase of frat boys. According to MCA, they played into their new roles until they realized that they had become their own joke.
Accolades: Peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the week of 7 March 1986; No. 7 on the RPM Singles chart; RR/HoF-induction.
195. Macarena (Los Del Rio) (Bayside Boys remix)
Los Del Rio (Antonio Romeo Monge and Rafael Ruiz), a Spanish flamenco-pop duo, first produced and recorded “Macarena” in Spain in 1993. In mid-1996, the song became a worldwide hit when the Bayside Boys recorded an English-lyrics remix of the song thanks to Johnny “Jammin” Caride. Caride, of Power 96 in Miami, initially learned about the “Macarena” when clubgoers at a club where he was deejaying requested the song. He subsequently brought the “Macarena” to his bosses at Power 96 who, in turn, asked him to make an English version of the song. During the height of its popularity, the song was frequently played at professional athletic games, conventions, rallies and other venues. Fun fact: The chorus to “Macarena” translates as “Give your body joy, Macarena, that your body is to give joy and good things.”
Meaning of the Song: “La Macarena” is one of 8 sections (AKA “quarters”) of Seville, Spain; hence is the origin of the name. Los Del Rio was inspired to record the song while in Venezuela when they spotted a beautiful flamenco dancer named Diana Patricia. And when the song became a hit, that dancer became known as “Macarena” in Venezuela. Further, its meaning changes depending on the version: The original Macarena becomes angry her boyfriend, Vitorino, because he has joined the army. She avenges him by leaving town and flirting with other men. The meaning behind the Bayside Boys’ version is quite similar, except with Macarena being given a first person voice in the lyrics.
Accolades: Ranked No. 5 on Billboard’s All Time Top 100 and No. 1 on its All Time Latin Songs; VH1‘s No. 1 Greatest One-Hit Wonder of all Time (2002); spent 14 weeks at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart (Bayside Boys Remix); remained in the Hot 100 chart for 60 weeks – the longest reign among No. 1 songs (Bayside Boys Remix) until Adele’s 2010 No. 1 single “Rolling in the Deep”; VH1‘s No. 1 on its 40 Awesomely Bad No. 1 Songs list.
196. Every Breath You Take (Police)
“Every Breath You Take”, written by The Police’s lead singer Sting and guitarist Andy Summers, is a smash 1983 song by The Police for the album Synchronicity. The single was one of the biggest hits of 1983, topping the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for eight weeks, garnering Sting a Grammy for “Song of the Year” and The Police one for “Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal” in 1984 This song is considered to be The Police’s signature song, and in 2010 was estimated to generate between a quarter and a third of Sting’s music publishing income. Sting later said he was disconcerted by how many people think the song is more positive than it is. He insists it’s about the obsession with a lost lover, the jealousy and surveillance that follows.
Meaning of the Song: Although “Every Breath” is commonly (mistakenly) thought a positive-sounding song, Sting once told BBC Radio 2 that “I think the song is very, very sinister and ugly and people have actually misinterpreted it as being a gentle, little love song.”
Accolades: RS/500, No. 84; topping the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for eight weeks and the UK Singles Chart for four weeks. It also topped the Billboard Top Tracks chart for nine weeks. Sting won “Song of the Year” and The Police won “Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal” at the Grammy Awards of 1984 for “Every Breath You Take”
197. I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll (Joan Jett & The Blackhearts)
“I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” is a rock song written and recorded in 1975 by Alan Merrill and Jake Hooker of Arrows under RAK Records, with lead vocals by Merrill and produced by Mickie Most. And even though it was first released as a B-side, but was soon re-recorded and flipped to A-side status on a subsequent pressing of the record. Although not a chart hit in its original version as a result of nonexistent promotion by the band’s label, the song became massively successful with Joan Jett & The Blackhearts’ 1981 cover. She first recorded the song in 1979 with two of the Sex Pistols: Steve Jones and Paul Cook. This first version was not released until 1993 in Flashback. In 1981, Jett re-recorded the song, this time with her band, The Blackhearts. This recording became a U.S. Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single for seven weeks, effectively launching Jett’s solo career.
Meaning of the Song: In an interview with the website Songfacts, leader singer Alan Merrill said he wrote the song as “a knee-jerk response to The Rolling Stones’ ‘It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll (But I Like It)’.”
Accolades: Became a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single for seven weeks; certified platinum by the RIAA for over one-million units sold; helped propel Jett’s I Love Rock ‘n Roll album to No. 2 on the Billboard 200; ranked at No. 89 On Rolling Stone‘s 100 Greatest Guitar Songs list.
198. Call Me (Blondie)
“Call Me” is a 1980 song by the American New Wave band Blondie. Composed by European Disco producer Giorgio Moroder and lead Blondie singer Debbie Harry, it was initially offered to Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks; she declined, giving Harry the now-legendary hit. The song, featured as the theme song to the film American Gigolo, topped the singles charts in both the US (where it became the band’s biggest selling single and second No. 1 hit) and the U.K., the latter marking Blondie’s fourth No. 1 there. In the U.S., it was released by three labels: The 7″ and 12″ on Blondie’s label Chrysalis, the longest version (8:06) on the soundtrack album (Polydor Records), and a Spanish language 12″ version under Salsoul.
Meaning of the Song: “Call Me” tells the story of the prostitute in the film American Gigolo in the scene where the lead character is “working.”
Accolades: Peaked at No. 1 for six consecutive weeks in the U.S.; certified gold for one-million copies sold; spent four weeks at No. 2 on the U.S. dance chart; No. 1 on Billboard magazine’s 1980 Year-End chart; RS/500, No. 283; Grammy-nominated for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals; No. 44 on Billboard‘s All Time Top 100 compilation.
199. London Calling (The Clash)
“London Calling” is a 1979 song by the British punk rock band The Clash. Released as the only single from the double album London Calling and regarded by many as the band’s finest-ever, most defining song, its apocalyptic, rebellious rant features the band’s usual combo of vocals, reggae basslines, and punk electric guitar. The song became The Clash’s highest-charting single until “Should I Stay or Should I Go” rose to No. 1 some 10 years later. And despite not breaking the charts in the U.S.–likely due to the group’s “Train in Vain” single (No. 23 on the U.S. pop charts)–it marked the band’s first major appearance on the world stage, charting within the top 40 in Australia and elsewhere.
Meaning of the Song: “London Clash” refers to the old BBC World Service’s “station identification”, which began with “This is London calling”, and was used frequently during World War II in broadcasts to occupied countries. Its lyrics describe lead singer and co-writer Joe Strummer’s worries about world events, with particular references to the Three Mile Island “nuclear error” incident that transpired earlier that year and police brutality. According to Strummer, “We felt that we were struggling about to slip down a slope or something, grasping with our fingernails. And there was no one there to help us.”
Accolades: RS/500, No. 15 (the highest position of the band and of any punk rock song); peaked at No. 11 in the U.K. and spent a total of fifteen non-consecutive weeks on its primary Singles chart; ranked No. 42 on VH1‘s “100 Greatest Songs of the ’80s”; RR/HoF-induction; generally regarded as The Clash’s finest- and most defining-song.
200. I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor)
A top-selling disco anthem that was first performed by Gloria Gaynor in 1978 and garnered massive popularity, “I Will Surive” has–for over three decades–served as an anthem and symbol of pride for both the female and LGBT populations. It debuted as the B-side to a cover version of the Righteous Brothers song “Substitute”, but pounded the latter song into the ground in terms of popularity when disc jockeys played it virtually nonstop. Eventually it was pressed onto the record’s A-side and easily became one of the most enduring, most famous disco songs of all time.
Meaning of the Song: The song’s lyrics describe the narrator’s discovery of personal strength following an initially devastating breakup, delivered with increasing confidence and backed by a stirring instrumental accompaniment.
Accolades: Marked Gaynor’s biggest-ever hit; No. 1on the Billboard Hot 100 and on the UK Singles Chart; won a 1980 Grammy Award for Best Disco Recording (the only year that Grammy category existed); RS/500, No. 492; No. 97 on Billboard magazine’s “All-Time Hot 100”; ranked No. 2 in VH1’s 2000 list of the 100 greatest dance songs; RIAA-certified double platinum.
