My Favourite Songs

Normally at the end of the year I compile a list of my favourite songs that have been on adverts that year. No, really. I really do do this. I think it started as a way of mocking my waning intersection with popular music, and then turned into a thing I did that nobody knew about. Like all the murders. 

Ssshh. 

Don't mention the murders. 

This year though I've been doing more writing and less watching of adverts and, I dunno, the music on adverts isn't great. And even when it is it just seems wrong: Suicide advertising Daisy by Mark Jacobs, is so wrong that it nearly makes it...but no. 

I go through periods of not being able to write while listening to music and not being able to write without listening to music, so to that end, I had Alexa compile a playlist of my favourite songs. These are those songs. It is not definitive, more a work in progress, and equally importantly, it is not COOL. I like pop music and I always have. 

Tokyo Storm Warning - Elvis Costello and the Attractions. 

Galveston - Glen Campbell. 

You Send Me - Sam Cook. 

Killjoy - The Czars. 

Everything is Everything: Phoenix. 

Dancing in the City- Marshall Hain. 

You Ain't Living Till You're Loving - Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. 

Give Me a Little More Time - Gabrielle. 

Cherry Coloured Funk - Cocteau Twins. 

Cargo Culte - Serge Gainsbourg. 

The Hairstyle of the Devil - Momus. 

L'Opportuniste - Jacques Dutronc. 

Burn the Witch - Radiohead. 

Begin the Begin - REM. 

Sugar Me - Lyndsey de Paul. 

Biological - Air. 

Hands Up - Ottowan. 

I'm Always Touched By Your Presence, Dear - Blondie. 

In My Silks And Fine Array - Julie Covington. 

Who - Odyssey. 

It bes that way sometimes - Nina Simone. 

Moonage Daydream - David Bowie. 

Pink Frost - The Chills. 

Imagine Me, Imagine You - Fox. 

O Caroline - Matching Mole. 

Temptation - Tom Waits. 

Pitch the Baby - Cocteau Twins. 

Eagle - Abba. 

He's simple, he's dub, he's the pilot - Granddaddy. 

Mohair Sam - Tom Jones. 

Run Run Run - Phoenix. 

The Last Good Day of the Year - Cousteau. 

Left Out in the Cold - Sparks. 

A Better Future - David Bowie. 

In The Heat of the Morning - Dave Bowie

Sing Swan Song - Can

Dr Kiss Kiss - 5000 Volts

The Man Who Stole A Leopard - Duran Duran. 

Unpretty - TLC

Mother of Pearl - Roxy Music. 

Nothing Can Stop Us Now - St Etienne. 

Cherry Coloured Funk - Cocteau Twins. 

Lucifer Sam - Pink Floyd. 

Ball of Confusion - The Temptations. 

Third Uncle - Eno. 

Promise her anything - Tom Jones

The Stranger Song - Leonard Cohen. 

Dream  - Al Green. 

Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman

Ice Blink Luck - Cocteau Twins. 

If You've Got Trouble - The Beatles. 

Wild is the Wind - Nina Simone. 

Wild is the Wind - David Bowie. 

Up With People - Lambchop. 

Rock the Boat - The Hughes Copporation. 

Ending (An Ascent) - Eno. 

Fire of Autumn - Tindersticks. 

Feathers and Down - The Cardigans.

I'm An Actor - Phoenix. 

Bruxelles, J'taime - Angele

Big Blue Spanish Sky - Chris Isaac. 

Love for Granted - Phoenix.  

The Drowning Man - The Cure. 

Mississippi Delta - Bobbie Gentry. 

Javelin, Unlanding - Bill Callahan. 

Fifty Fifty Clown - Cocteau Twins. 

Out of this World - Edwyn Collins. 

Present Tense - Radiohead. 

Behind the Smile - David Coverdale. 

This Island Earth - Bryan Ferry. 

I Believe - My Bloody Valentine. 

Move on Up - Jackie Wilson

Promise her anything - Tom Jones. 

Just Like Honey - The Jesus and Mary Chain. 

What Goes On - The Velvet Underground. 

Requiem Pour un Con - Serge Gainsbourg. 

Breathe and Stop - Q Tip. 

Pop Musik - M. 

Medusa - Brendan Perry. 

The Four Horsemen - Aphrodite's Child. 

Revenge - Sparklehorse. 

Heaven or Las Vegas - Cocteau Twins. 

What's She Like - Dexy's Midnight Runners. 

Unicorns Were Horses - New Kingdom. 

Little Star of Bethlehem - Can. 

The Great Dominions - The Teardrop Explodes. 

The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game - Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. 

Night Fever - Bee Gees. 

Gut of the Quantifier - The Fall

The Lord is Back - Eugene McDaniels. 

Who Know Where The Time Goes - Sandy Denny. 

Geronimo - The Divine Comedy. 

Perfect Circle - REM

Chills and Fever - Tom Jones. 

What Makes A Man - Charles Aznavour. 

The National Anthem - Radiohead. 

Poor Boy - Nick Drake. 

I Wear Your Ring - Cocteau Twins. 

Nothing But Flowers - Talking Heads. 

Everyone Says Hi - David Bowie. 

Dealer - John Martyn. 

Computer's Dream - Polnareff. 

Wild is the Wind - Nina Simone. 

Wild is the Wind - David Bowie. 

Chills 'n' Fever - Tom Jones. 

Shakin' All Over - Johnny Kidd and the Pirates. 

How Soon is Now? - The Smiths. 

Belle - Al Green. 

Talk About The Passion - REM

Blue - The Rain Parade. 

My New House - The Fall. 

Kathleen - American Music Club. 

Chasing a Bee - Mercury Rev. 

Fotzepolitic - Cocteau Twins. 

Driver's Seat - Sniff 'n' the Tears. 

Show Me Everything - Tindersticks. 

Paranoid Android - Radiohead (!)

Lines - Korgis. 

Victim of the Crime - Phoenix. 

Dry The Rain - The Beta Band. 

Stop Me if you Think You Think You've Heard This One Before - Mark Ronson. 

Toxic - Britney Spears. 

I'm in love with a German Film Star - Passions. 

Outdoor Miner - Wire. 

Win - David Bowie. 

Spacer - Sheila B Devotion. 

Live Bed Show - Pulp. 

You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby - The Smiths. 

Dead Melodies - Beck. 

Jagger the Dagger - Eugene McDaniels. 

Swan Swan H - REM

Papa was a Rolling Stone - The Temptations. 

The Promise - Girls Aloud. 

Teardrop - Massive Attack

Perfect Blue - Lloyd Cole and the Commotions. 

The Numbers - Radiohead. (!!)

Moonshake - Can. 

Playground Love - Air. 

This is Hardcore - Pulp. 

Fooled Around and Fell In Love - Elvin Bishop

Wolf In The Breast - Cocteau Twins. 

Dress Rehearsal Rag - Leonard Cohen. 

Wicked Game - Chris Isaac. 

Rock On - David Essex. 

Fade Into You - Mazzy Star. 

I Want Everything - The Godfathers. 

Caroline Goodbye - Colin Blunstone. 

Walking in the Dark - Throwing Muses. 

Folk Guitar - Claude Vasori. 

Duchess - Scott Walker. 

Ces Gens-La - Jacques Brel. 

Paintwork - The Fall. 

Ice Blink Luck - Cocteau Twins. 

Animal Pen - American Music Club. 

Road River and Rail - Cocteau Twins. 

Summerhouse - The Divine Comedy. 

Bonita Applebaum - Tribe Called Quest. 

Carry On, Turn Me On - Space. 

Flavor of the Month - Black Sheep. 

Caroline - M C Solaar. 

Carnival of the Animals - Saint Saens. 

Rebirth of Slick - Digable Planets. 

Topaz - B52s. 

Flavor of the Month - Black Sheep. 

Fingerprint File - Rolling Stones. 

I'm Set Free - The Velvet Underground. 

Wichita Lineman - Glen Campbell. 

You Can't Blame It On Anybody - Phoenix. 

Begin the Begin - REM.

Golden Lady - Jose Feliciano. 

A Lady of a Certain Age - The Divine Comedy. 

On Again, On Again - Jake Thackray. 

La Rue Madureira - Nino Ferrer and Bon Entendeur. 

Having a Party - Lee Scratch Perry. 

Witness (one hope) - Roots Manoeuvre.

Time To Break Down - The Supremes. 

Rich - Lloyd Cole and the Commotions. 

Sunday Morning - Spain. 

Scrubs - TLC. 

New Big Prinz - The Fall. 

The World's Strongest Man - Scott Walker. 

In My Room - The Walker Brothers

In My Room - The Beach Boys. 

La Ritournelle - Sebastien Tellier. 

Yesterday is Here - Tom Waits. 

Seductive Barry - Pulp

Painbirds - Sparklehorse. 

Cow - Sparklehorse. 

I Thought -Bryan Ferry. 

Les Cactus - Jacques Dutronc.  

Summertime Rolls - Jane's Addiction. 

The Drowners - Suede. 

Gourmandises - Alizee. 

Looking For Clues - Robert Palmer. 

Lover You Should Have Come Over - Jeff Buckley. 

Blackstar - David Bowie. 

By the time I get to Phoenix - Glen Campbell. 

The Storm - World of Twist. 

Caroline, No - The Beach Boys. 

Suedehead - Morrissey. 

She's Not There - The Zombies. 

Show You The Way To Go - Jackson Five. 

Are We Dancing Now? - Jane Siberry. 

Congratulations - Phoenix. 

The Consequences of Falling - K D Lang. 

Mercy Seat - Ultra Vivid Scene. 

Red Right Hand - Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds.

Breathless - Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. 

Mercy Seat - Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. 

Storm In A Teacup - The Fortunes. 

Protection - Massive Attack

Windfall - Offspring. 

Killing of a Flashboy - Suede. 

Sons of the Stage - World of Twist. 

Zadok the Priest - Handel. 

Sour Times - Portishead. 

The Great Wheel - Eno. 

True Faith - New Order. 

The Creator has a Master Plan - Pharaoh Sanders. 

Same Old Scene - Roxy Music. 

Ant Music - Adam and the Ants. 

Barabajagal - Donovan. 

He's Got Magic - Fox. 

This is Hardcore - Pulp. 

Fun For Me - Moloko. 

Sympathy for the Devil - The Rolling Stones. 

Under My Thumb - The Rolling Stones. 

Song for Guy - Elton John. 

The Witch - Rattles. 

Beethoven's 7th - Beethoven. 

Misty Roses - Colin Blunstone. 

Flashing Lights - Screaming Lord Sutch. 

Shaking Through - REM. 

Alpha Beta Gamma - Air. 

I'm in love with a German film star - Passions. 

Bring On The Dancing Horses - Echo and the Bunnymen. 

My Friend Jack - The Smoke. 

Requiem pour un con - Serge Gainsbourg. 

Breathe and Stop - Q-Tip. 

Speedway - Morrissey. 

Lipgloss - Pulp. 

Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division. 

The Big Sky - Kate Bush. 

Les Gymnopedies - Erik Satie. 

Reward - The Teardrop Explodes. 

Modern Love - David Bowie. 

Einstein A Go Go - Landscape. 

All of my Heart - ABC.  

Love Your Shoes - Furniture. 

Hushabye Mountain - Bobbie Gentry. 

Ring the Alarm - Tenor Saw. 

The Time Is Now - Moloko. 

Unicorns Were Horses - New Kingdom. 

Don't Stop the Dance - Roxy Music. 

Hey Bulldog - The Beatles. 

Crosstown Traffic - Jimi Hendrix. 

New Rose - The Damned. 

Turn Off The Lights - Larry Young's Fuel. 

Leaving This Town - The Beach Boys. 

The Lord is Back/ Jagger The Dagger - Eugene McDaniels. 

Street Fighting Man - The Rolling Stones. 

Blue Melody - Tim Buckley. 

The Dog, The Dog, He's at it Again - Caravan. 

The Complete History of Sexual Jealousy parts 17 - 24 - Momus. 

Why? - Carly Simon. 

Woman in Love - Barbra Streisand. 

Groove is in the Heart - Dee-lite. 

Fooled around and fell in love - Elvin Bishop. 

Late Night Maudlin Street - Morrissey.

I Feel Love - Donna Summer. 

Thanks But No Thanks - Sparks. 

Baby Let Me Kiss You - Fern Kinney. 

Rid of Me - P J Harvey

Girl - The Beatles. 

Life's What You Make It - Talk Talk. 

Wolves, Lower - REM

Once in a Lifetime - Talking Heads. 

Been Caught Stealing - Jane's Addiction. 

Spaceball Ricochet - T Rex. 

Sitting Still - REM

For What it's Worth - The Cardigans. 

When I was Cruel - Elvis Costello. 

The Night - Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. 

Looking For You - Nino Ferrer. 

Love At First Sight - Spain. 

Lipgloss - Pulp. 

Alphabetical - Phoenix. 

Hey Bulldog - The Beatles. 

You Should Be Dancing - Bee Gees. 

Into Dust - Mazzy Star. 

La Serranissima - Rondo Veniziano. 

Who Loves The Sun - The Velvet Underground. 

Love Like Blood - Killing Joke. 

Blue Light - Mazzy Star. 

Hey Music Lover - S Express. 

Vesoul - Jacques Brel. 

Ode to Billie Joe -Bobbie Gentry. 

Happy Anniversary - Charles Aznavour. 

Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain - Willy Nelson. 

The Beautiful Ones - Prince. 

Ever So Lonely - Monsoon. 

Mine - That Petrol Emotion. 

Chasing a Bee - Mercury Rev. 

Talk About The Passion - REM

You Are My Friend - Rain Parade. 

Since I left you - The Avalanches. 

Heroes and Villains - The Beach Boys. 

The Clarke Sisters - The Go Betweens. 

Disaster in Motion - Robert Forster. 

Watching You Without Me - Kate Bush. 

I'm So Green - Can. 

Les Fleurs - Minnie Ripperton. 

Yes Sir I Can Boogie - Baccarra. 

Together We Are Beautiful - Fern Kinney. 

She's Gone - Tindersticks. 

Done - Frazey Forde. 

Pinball - Brian Protheroe. 

Mambo Sun - T Rex. 

She Sells Sanctuary - The Cult. 

Away - The Bolshoi. 

The Look - Metronomy. 

Whatevershebringswesing - Kevin Ayers. 

Coconut Grove - Lovin' Spoonful. 

If I ever feel better - Phoenix. 

Lady With The Braid - Dory Previn. 

Food For Thought - UB40. 

Grey Skies - Turquoise Days. 

The Slider - T Rex. 

The Way - Bonnie Prince Billy. 

Into Fire - Portishead. 

The Chauffeur - Duran Duran. 

The Real Thing - Tony di Bart. 

Surfing on a Rocket - Air. 

Somewhere In Between - Kate Bush. 

Can't Seem to Make You Mine - The Seeds. 

What Am I Going To Do? - The Dovers. 

Cinnamon Girl - Neil Young

The Losing End - Neil Young

Love My Way - Psychedelic Furs

See No Evil - Television. 

Gloria - Patti Smith. 

Do You Like Gospel Music? - Make Up. 

Down By The River - Neil Young. 

Swan Swan H - REM

Love For Sale - Boney M. 

Fly Robin Fly - Silver Convention. 

Lady Bump - Penny McClean. 

Rock Your Baby - George McCrea. 

The Consequences of Falling - K D Lang. 

I Was Born To Love Her - Spain. 

Duel - Propaganda.