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Post by raliverpool on Sept 2, 2014 20:34:43 GMT 1
55 Green Day - Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) 98www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnQ8N1KacJc54 McAlmont & Butler - Yes 95www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJSaRw1vjxM53 Ash - Goldfinger 96www.youtube.com/watch?v=35hDrzcHnIA52 James - Sometimes 93The lead single from the Manchester indie rock band's 5th studio album Laid, was produced by Brian Eno. Hence why it sounds like a really great U2 going Waterboys "raggle-taggle" poetry effort. According to Stuart Maconie's authorised biography of the group, Folklore Tim Booth and the rest of the band regard this as their best single, irrespective of its then disappointing UK #18 chart position. 51 Fiona Apple - Criminal 97Taken from the New York jazz-alternative rock singer/songwriter's debut album Tidal. She received a Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance (with an additional six nominations). She was a critics favourite, until this the 5th single taken from it blew up huge on US radio and MTV, spending over 40 weeks inside the USA Top 100 despite only peaking at #21.
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 2, 2014 21:14:32 GMT 1
I give you 'Angels' I neraly included it in my top 1000 but not 'Viva Forever', if I had included any Spice Girls it would have been '2 Become 1', I found 'Viva Forever' a bit weak.
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 2, 2014 21:30:28 GMT 1
50 Cyndi Lauper - Sally's Pigeons 94The third single taken from Cyndi's 4th album, with her halcyon chart days well behind her came this mournful electronic ballad written by Lauper with country singer/songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter. The song was inspired by the story of a childhood friend of Lauper, who in her teens got pregnant, had a back-alley abortion, and died as a result. "Sally's Pigeons" contains references to Elton John "Tiny Dancer," a song that Lauper has revealed to always make her cry. The favour was returned by Elton John's 1995 "Blessed" single. And on a handful of TV/Radio programmes during the 1990s he requested this flop single to be played, as an example of great, powerful female singer/song-writing. 49 White Town - Your Woman 97www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIQWt3oMids 48 Garbage - Only Happy When It Rains 95Nirvana producer Butch Vig scored their first major international hit including UK #29 & USA #55 with this 90s update on Blondie meets Pretenders sound thanks to Shirley Manson's sarcastic lyrics intended as a parody of the angst filled themes present in the Grunge/Gen X scene. 47 The Stone Roses - Love Spreads 94www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct-qa6SjRZo46 Manic Street Preachers - Motorcycle Emptiness 92www.youtube.com/watch?v=gavcjNniIvk
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 2, 2014 21:56:04 GMT 1
45 Beastie Boys - Sabotage 94www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5rRZdiu1UE 44 Sparks - When Do I Get To Sing "My Way" 94After a career long six year break Ron & Russell Mael returned with a brilliant slice of 1990s electronic synthpop taken from the American's 16th album Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins (brilliant title). The result saw the duo score their first UK Top 40 hit in 15 years (UK #38 1994, UK #32 1995 reissue), which was a bigger hit in most of Europe perhaps in some part due to the stylised Sophie Muller directed video. 43 Portishead - Glory Box 95www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF-GvT8Clnk42 Shakespear's Sister - Hello (Turn Your Radio On) 92 The UK #14 4th single released from Siobhan Fahey & Marcella Detroit second album Hormonally Yours was written by the pair with its producer Manu Guiot (aka Siobhan's then husband David A. Stewart). This beautifully sad song was a sizeable hit in Europe perhaps in some part due to the black & white Sophie Muller directed video. (I always preferred this track to the monster hit "Stay" even before Cher Lloyd destroyed it on fiX-Factor and Simon & Cheryl described it as if it was the second coming of Jesus Christ). It also makes me feel sad about how SS could have done so much more but for Siobhan's bizarre behaviour and the decision to publicly sack Marcella from the group: www.marcella-detroit.com/info/faq.html41 Suede - The Wild Ones 94www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0SuX1IvJys
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Post by greendemon on Sept 3, 2014 1:10:00 GMT 1
some great songs on this page.
i particularly appreciate your listing 'sometimes' so high as it often seems to be underrated which is a shame as i think it's brilliant.
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 4, 2014 18:17:17 GMT 1
For the Top 40, I'm posting two by two ...
40 Alanis Morissette - You Oughta Know 95
The former Canadian popstar's first song in her change from bubblegum pop to the alternative rock sound was the lead single taken from her Maverick album Jagged Little Pill. Flea and Dave Navarro of the Red Hot Chili Peppers played bass and guitar on the track which went on to win two Grammy Awards: Best Rock Song and Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. Its music video was directed by Nick Egan (certainly not his last in my countdown). Chart wise this made USA #6, Australia #4, UK #22. Whilst in Canada it only reached #20 lower than 3 of her previous singles; however the next 4 singles from the influential album topped the charts, and the 5th peaked at #2!
39 Pulp - Razzmatazz 93
This was the Sheffield indie rockers final single for Gift Records prior to signing to Island and received much critical acclaim and a high finish on John Peel's Festive 50, which first brought them to my attention. Whilst Jarvis Cocker's band made far more successful singles, this gritty melodrama has only been bettered once for me.
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 4, 2014 18:40:02 GMT 1
38 Terry, Blair, & Anouchka - Ultra Modern Nursery Rhyme 90
Every now and then you hear a new record, and think this is going to be a massive, massive hit single (which you eventually get sick of due to overplay (currently known as "Happy syndrome") ... and then it does diddly squat. To this day I'm mystified how this updated The Mama's & The Papa's-eqsue song featuring a delightful buoyant melody, the dour clever melancholy of Terry's lyrics, and the interplay between the deadpan of Terry's voice and the multicolour of Blair's Dusty Springfieldesque voice only made UK #77. Perhaps songwriter Terry Hall's problem was it was half a decade too early, because had The Beautiful South covered it circa 1996 it surely would have been a top 5 hit. Female vocalist Blair Booth later formed Oui 3 scoring a hit with "Break From The Old Routine".
37 Pet Shop Boys - Being Boring 90
This was Tennant & Lowe's second single from the Harold Faltermeyer co-produced Behaviour album. The result was in the UK Singles Chart it became the first single released by the group not to get into the Top 10 since "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)" four years previously peaking at a miserable UK #20. Written about a friend of Tennant's who died of AIDS, and the difference between when they were teenagers and how they moved to London, and with the former Smash Hits Editor becoming hugely successful and his friend becoming seriously ill. It is regarded by Neil & Chris, and their fan base as the best song they have ever written. Thankfully it was a more sizeable hit in mainland Europe and even made #4 in Japan.
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 4, 2014 18:59:21 GMT 1
36 The Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight Tonight 96
Written by singer Billy Corgan and released as the third single from the alternative rock band's third album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. It became a bit of an anthem due to Corgan's universal yet darkly humorous lyrics addressed to himself, who escaped from an abusive childhood to become successful against all odds, so as to keep him believing in himself. The music video was directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris and was inspired by Georges Méliès's silent film A Trip to the Moon. It reached USA #36 & UK #7; and was most successful in New Zealand peaking at #2.
35 Take That - Back For Good 95
Taken from the British (then) boy band's third album Nobody Else, this BRIT & Ivor Novello Award winning song penned by Gary Barlow topped the charts in 31 countries and became their solitary USA top 10 hit ( #7). Whether or not he wrote this after receiving his first tax bill on his song-writing & publishing royalties remains unconfirmed!
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 4, 2014 19:45:50 GMT 1
34 Alanis Morissette - Uninvited 98Written by the Canadian singer songwriter, it was co-produced by her with Rob Cavallo for the soundtrack of the 1998 film City of Angels (her first new recording since her international debut album Jagged Little Pill). It featured a stunning string arrangement by John Paul Jones. It topped U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream chart, and became the 4th most played track on US Radio in 1998. As it was not available in physical format it was ineligible for the USA Singles chart. But in countries where airplay counted as a proportion of the chart it performed very well (highest Canada #8), becoming her most radio played track. It went on to win "Best Female Rock Vocal Performance" and "Best Rock Song" at the 1999 Grammy Awards, and was poorly covered in 2007 by Freemasons featuring Bailey Tzuke. 33 Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah 95This cover version of Canadian songwriter Leonard Cohen's 1984 original, appeared on the son of folk singer Tim Buckley, only proper studio album "Grace" released in 1994. Although not released as a single in his lifetime before his untimely death by drowning in 1997, his version got used in 47 USA TV shows and 13 different movies before 2007; his version made Pitchfork's Top 100 tracks of the 1990s; Australia radio's Triple J Hottest 100 of All Time in 1999; Rolling Stone magazine's top 500 "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" at #259 in 2004; cover versions by Rufus Wainwright (2001); kd lang (2004) (resulting in Buckley's version going to #1 in 2004 on both the Canadian & US iTunes chart); and Espen Lind (2006) went top 10 in various countries in the world; and it had been performed by 17 different performers around the world on 2000s TV "talent" shows prior to (in the words of Simon Cowell) Alexandra Burke's "definitive, original" version of the song went to #1 in the UK for Xmas 2008, selling over 500K in one day
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 4, 2014 20:27:39 GMT 1
32 Mazzy Star - Fade Into You 94
The Californian alternative rock band are most famous for this slacker, Velvet Undergroundesque anthem taken from their second album So Tonight That I Might See written by singer Hope Sandoval and guitarist David Roback this anthem made USA #44 & UK #48; and was ranked #19 on Pitchfork's Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s list.
31 Squeeze - Some Fantastic Place 93
The 3rd single released from Squeeze's tenth album of the same name, Some Fantastic Place. This very sad and yet inspirational song peaked at a derisory UK #73. Both songwriters, Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, have stated multiple times that it is their favorite Squeeze song. The song is about the death of Chris and Glenn's longtime friend Maxine Barker, at one time Glenn's fiancee, who encouraged him to answer Chris' ad without which there would be no Squeeze. From the Excess Moderation compilation sleevenotes: Glenn: My favourite Squeeze song is also the most personal that we have ever written. About an old friend of mine and Chris' who succumbed to leukemia. Chris gave me the lyric without saying anything and the tune wrote itself. Chris: Maxine showed me that I could change my life if I wanted to, she showed me that change is a good thing and nothing to be afraid of. Before she died we sat in her garden and took tea one afternoon. She told me how I could get my house in order and I felt very humbled. Her words rung in my head like cathedral bells and very soon I would hear what she was saying. Without her there would be no Glenn and without her this album would not have existed. "Some Fantastic Place" is the finest song we have written. The picturesque video for the song was filmed at Scotney Castle in Kent.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Sept 4, 2014 20:48:39 GMT 1
Heh, I've been playing TBA non-stop over the last couple of days. To clarify, Blair Booth is the permanently corpsing multi-instrumentalist and backing vocalist; Anouchka Grose is the co-vocalist with Terry Hall. Booth basically re-did the video to get rid of the Jerry Sadowitz bits as the infamous miso-youtuber had it taken down in its original version. It really is a gorgeous, gorgeous slice of perfect pop. I first saw it on The Chart Show and nearly wore out the video replaying it. If Richard Curtis made it the theme for his next romcom it would make "Love Is All Around" look like a McFly drop.
Best Smashing Pumpkins ("Homer Simpson, smiling politely") song ever as well, with its video homage to Georges Melies. And the best Mazzy Star song, languorous, bucolic, elegiac.
Not feeling the love for Take T**t though.
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 5, 2014 19:36:59 GMT 1
30 Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing) 98
Taken from the former Fugees lead singer one and only proper studio album to date, the brilliant, multi-Grammy winning The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is this delightful, positive message, retro RnB track. Written and produced by Hill is topped the USA Billboard Charts, and made UK #3, as well as being a sizeable hit elsewhere. What a waste of talent.
29 TLC - No Scrubs 99
Written by producer Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs with his then girlfriend former Xscape singer Kandi Burruss, with Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, and featuring a Hype Williams video, this track from the trio's third album FanMail topped the charts in USA (and spent 24 weeks inside the USA top 10), Australia, Canada, New Zealand & Ireland ... and went top 10 virtually everywhere else including UK #3.
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 5, 2014 20:04:31 GMT 1
28 The Verve - The Drugs Don't Work 97
Richard Ashcroft penned aching acoustic ballad was inspired by the death of his father from cancer, although many at the time wrongly assumed it was about his own documented battles with illegal substances. This moving country ballad track was embellished by guitarist Nick McCabe, and a sweeping string arrangement supplied by Youth. Youth had previously worked with Neil Finn's Crowded House, and noted its similarities to a certain song in their back catalogue (check out My Top 1000 Songs of the 1980s thread, and the #1 song). As a result Neil Finn was happy to wave a share of any royalties on provision those royalties were shared amongst 3 cancer related charities in New Zealand. Which certainly compares very favourably the with the way Jagger & Richards behaved like see you next Tuesdays over The Verve's previous single to claim a ridiculously high 50% share of the songwriting & publishing via a court judgement ("The Last Time" = "Bitter Sweet Symphony"). It topped the UK singles chart and was a sizeable international hit, helping to turn the excellent Urban Hymns album into a top selling album.
27 Blur - This Is A Low 94
Damon Albarn's lyrics referenced a low-pressure area of weather hitting Britain. The lyrics were based on the Radio 4 long wave Shipping Forecast, with references made to the various areas surrounding the country. It was the final proper track on their best selling Parklife album. It was released as a promo single in the USA, where the live Glastonbury 1994 performance was used as the promo video, resulting in it getting sizeable modern rock radio & video airplay in the USA (second only to Girls & Boys) from that era. Which probably helped them in the long run when they changed musical direction on their 1997 Blur album.
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 5, 2014 20:56:33 GMT 1
26 Massive Attack ft Elizabeth Fraser - Teardrop 98
The second single taken from the Bristol trip hop outfit's second album Mezzanine it features the Cocteau Twins singer's distinctive voice. It became the theme of the brilliant US medical television series House as a result of a suggestion of its star Hugh Laurie (which makes me almost forgive him for his dirge-like poorly sung bluegrass folk albums). "Teardrop" was first developed from a simple harpsichord riff picked out in the studio, and the trio of Robert Del Naja, Grantley Marshall, Andrew Vowles all wanted Kate Bush to supply the vocals. Alas she rejected this request, so for their second choice it was a 2-1 split in favour of Elizabeth Fraser over Madonna (Vowles). Fraser wrote the song's lyrics after finding out that her once-close friend, Jeff Buckley had drowned to death. "That was so weird ... I'd got letters out and I was thinking about him. That song's kind of about him – that's how it feels to me anyway. It made UK #10 & Australia #16 and was a sizeable worldwide hit bar in the USA. (Perhaps Madonna used her influence to ensure the track received little airplay there?). Its music video featured a plastic foetus in the womb, singing the song was directed by Walter Stern.
25 Guns N' Roses - November Rain 92
This symphonic power ballad by American rock band Guns N' Roses, taken from their Use Your Illusion I album, was written by lead singer Axl Rose. It had been written as far back as 1983. It peaked at USA #3, making it the longest song in history to enter the top ten of that chart; and was a major worldwide hit going top 10 in most territories including UK #4; and Australia #5, where it spent an incredible 53 weeks inside its top 10 becoming the 2nd best selling single of 1992, and the 4th best selling single of 1993. The $1 million costing music video accentuated the epic nature of the song, it was directed by Andrew "Andy" Morahan who portrays Rose marrying his then-girlfriend Stephanie Seymour in dramatic fashion.
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Sept 5, 2014 21:41:53 GMT 1
To be fair to Mick 'n' Keef, it wasn't them playing heavy with Ashcroft - it was Allen Klein, who owned the rights to much of the Stones' pre-Altamont back catalogue. In a fairly scummy industry, Klein was pretty near the top. Although I don't think The Verve's legal team covered themselves in glory. Should have fought on. Klein did the same sort of thing with Carter USM over "After The Watershed".
I once suggested to someone who had an animated scan of their first would-be child to put "Teardrop" over the top. It worked, apparently it brought tears to most of his family and friends. Score one for the vasman.
Surprised TLC so high - after a perky first hit most of their stuff was colourless. Talents wasted.
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 5, 2014 21:53:57 GMT 1
24 U2 - One 92
Bono's lyric was initially written from the narrative of a conversation between a father and his HIV-positive gay son. This rock ballad from Achtung Baby produced by Daniel Lanois & Brian Eno was released as the album's third single in March 1992 as a benefit single, with all of the band's royalties being donated to different AIDS research organisations for each country in which the single was released. In 2010, Rolling Stone placed the song at #36 on its list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time", making it the highest-ranked U2 song; and it has been covered by too many artists to mention. Chart wise it made #1 in Canada & Ireland, UK #7 & USA #10, and went top 20 in most territories.
23 Electronic - Get The Message 91
This was the 2nd single from their 1991 debut album Electronic and was a commercial success around the world. It is a good example of Johnny Marr and Bernard Sumner's original concept of mixing the fluid synthesizers of New Order with The Smiths' rich guitar sound. It features Primal Scream vocalist Denise Johnson towards the end of the song. It reached UK #8 & topped the USA Modern Rock chart.
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 5, 2014 22:37:38 GMT 1
To be fair to Mick 'n' Keef, it wasn't them playing heavy with Ashcroft - it was Allen Klein, who owned the rights to much of the Stones' pre-Altamont back catalogue. In a fairly scummy industry, Klein was pretty near the top. Although I don't think The Verve's legal team covered themselves in glory. Should have fought on. Klein did the same sort of thing with Carter USM over "After The Watershed". In the words of the Rolling Stones debut single "Come On"!!!: Jazz Summers (manager of Wham!, Yazz, Lisa Stansfield, D:Ream, The Verve, La Roux, Scissor Sisters and Klaxons) "Anyone who works in the music industry knows, two of the biggest hypocritical ****s in it are Mick Jagger & Keith Richards. Sure they hid behind the old it was their old ex-managers faults (Allen Klein & Andrew Loog Oldham) for suing for the publishing and sampling copyrights which had already been agreed in advance for a cash payment, until the track went stratospheric. But they are more than happy to take the cash. I phoned Nancy Berry, who ran Virgin Records in America, and asked if there was any chance she could play Bittersweet Symphony to Mick and Keith. Those two were bound to put music before business. How naive I was as we proposed a 50:50 split which was more than generous to the pair, but we needed to get the track out. Anyway a week later the contract came back. The contract is right, Jazz, and it is 50-50, like they said: 50 per cent Mick, 50 per cent Keith. Richard Ashcroft and the band got screwed over good and proper, just like they did with Carter USM. While you are at it go and ask Semisonic (Secret Smile) & Erykah Badu (On & On) about what they think of Mick & Keith over what they did due to similarities on their post Decca (1970) material which they have full control over. ****s the pair of them" (Taken from ‘Big Life’ by Jazz Summers (published 2013)). "I don't care one f*** that Jimmy Page and Robert Plant think we are money grabbing hypocrites" (Over then recent criticism of Jagger & Richards aggressive attitude towards litigation against numerous music acts over the years whose tracks have shared similarities with Rolling Stones tracks). "If new acts can't write an original song with borrowing from our back catalogue then we are fully entitled to go after them. I don't see the problem over that. We got screwed over during the 1960s, so it is hardly double standards if we screw people in the 2000s. After all we've earned the right to" Keith Richards (Q Magazine 2005)
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Sept 5, 2014 23:45:46 GMT 1
Strangely the same section of text was printed in the Hate Mail (sorry) with the crucial addition that it was Allen Klein who had control. Frankly, if the story were true, there's not a court in the land that would have ruled in favour of Klein. Indeed Summers could have re-recorded the sample and just paid a standard licence fee. Methinks he's trying to disguise his own faults here.
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 6, 2014 15:18:20 GMT 1
Strangely the same section of text was printed in the Hate Mail (sorry) with the crucial addition that it was Allen Klein who had control. Frankly, if the story were true, there's not a court in the land that would have ruled in favour of Klein. Indeed Summers could have re-recorded the sample and just paid a standard licence fee. Methinks he's trying to disguise his own faults here. Whilst I think it is fairly obvious that The Verve('s management & their indie label Hut records managed by Dave Boyd (later bought by Virgin Records)) should have pulled the single, and rerecorded the sample (much like Black Box did with Loletta Holloway's "Love Sensation" sample on "Ride On Time" to get a soundalike (a then unknown Heather Small) to replicate the vocals), the wheels were already in motion as they had already contacted ABKCO publishing & ROLLINGSTONES (tm) Records about the track. The fact is Jagger and Richards still own just under a third of the publishing on their ABKCO (Decca/London records) recordings (1963-1970), and they could have spoken out against the ruling, which precedent was used in Australia only a few years ago to result in the equally outrageous case whereby Men At Work's initially lost 100% of their publishing of "Down Under" due to the flute part in the song being based around the tune of "Kookaburra", a well-known Australian children's rhyme. In 2012 after a 10 year legal battle the Australia's High Supreme Appeal court ruled that Men At Work should pay a more realistic 5% of the royalties for the copyright infringement. Tragically, this did not occur until after Men At Work's flautist Greg Ham was found dead in Melbourne after committing suicide due to being depressed and despondent over the case, and worried about the final appeal verdict, and convinced that "the only thing people will remember me for" would be the plagiarism conviction. But as in another interview with Q Magazine (back in 1999) Keith Richards was asked if he thought it was harsh taking all The Verve's royalties from "Bitter Sweet Symphony". He replied, "I'm out of whack here, this is serious lawyer sh*t. If The Verve can write a better song, they can keep the money." Still the Rolling Stones Glimmer Twins reputation was well known in advance, hence the original demo version of Primal Scream's Rocks" had the original chorus lyrics "Rip The Stones Off, Rip the Stones Off Honey ..." so The Verve, and especially their management should have known better. For example Robert Johnson's estate had to take 23 years to get 100% of the publishing royalties of Let It Bleed's "Love In Vain" and Exile On Main Street's "Stop Breaking Down" being similar to Robert Johnson's "Love In Vain" & "Stop Breakin' Down Blues" respectively; and in the end this only occurred thanks to Eric Clapton & Stevie Wonder giving sizeable donations to fund the Johnson's Estate long running prosecution case against the Rolling Stones whom originally had the tracks and publishing down as Trad .. arranged by Mick Jagger & Keith Richards. Either way in monetary musical and ethical terms Jagger & Richards make the likes of Bono & Gary Barlow seem like Mahatma Gandhi & Mother Teresa!
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Sept 6, 2014 16:01:28 GMT 1
I suppose, as Richards suggested above, Mick & Keef are a bit annoyed that two-thirds of their songwriting royalties from the sixties are going elsewhere. So they're going to grab hold of what they can. The hardball playing though is far more Klein's modus operandi - he even ripped off the Concert for Bangladesh.
Funny though how supposedly left-leaning musicians get all capitalist when it comes to royalties...step forward, Sir Steven of Morrissey.
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