400

TheFourTops,'BabyINeedYourLoving'

Writers:BrianHolland,LamontDozier,EddieHolland
Producers:Holland,Dozier,Holland
Released:July'64,Motown
12weeks;No.11
TheFourTopswereplayingaDetroitnightclubwhentheygotacallfromBrian
Hollandsayinghehadasongreadyforthem.Aftertheirshowended,they
arrivedatHitsvilleat2a.m.torecord"BabyINeedYourLoving,"whichwould
becometheirfirstsingleforMotown.
Appearson:TheUltimateCollection(Motown)
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100GreatestArtistsofAllTime:TheFourTops

399

TheTemptations,'JustMyImagination'

Writers:NormanWhitfield,BarrettStrong
Producer:Whitfield
Released:Jan.'71,Gordy
15weeks;No.1
EddieKendricks,who'dsungleadontheTemptations'firsthit,"TheWayYou
DotheThingsYouDo"in1964,tookhislastleadasaTempt.Bythetimethe
songhitNumberOne,Kendrickshadleftthegroupforasolocareer.Buthegave
thisonehisall:TemptOtisWilliamssaidheleftthestudioat6a.m.thenight
theycutit,andKendrickswasstillthere,workingouthispart.
Appearson:Anthology(Motown)

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500GreatestAlbumsofAllTime:TheTemptations'

Anthology

398

ThePolice,'Roxanne'

Writer:Sting
Producers:ThePolice

Released:Jan'79,A&M
13weeks;No.32
"Thatsonghasbeentheturnaroundforus,"StewartCopelandtoldRolling
Stone.Stingcameupwiththeideaforthesongwhilewanderingaroundthered
lightdistrictofParisafteracanceledshow,wonderingwhatitwouldbeliketo
beinlovewithaprostitute.ThetitlecamefromaposterfortheplayCyranode
BergeracfeaturingaheroinenamedRoxanneintheband'shotellobbyin
Paris.
Appearson:Outlandosd'Amour(Interscope)
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397

EltonJohn,'TinyDancer'

Writers:John,BernieTaupin
Producer:GusDudgeon
Released:Nov.'71,Uni
7weeks;No.41
LyricistTaupinwrotethis1971songabouthisfirstwife,MaxineFeibelman,
whoreallywasaseamstressforJohn'sbandandobviouslydidmarryamusic
man.John'sskyrocketingmelodygotalittlehelpfromPaulBuckmaster'sstrings
andfromRickWakeman,soontojoinprogrockersYes,whoplayedorgan.
"TinyDancer"wasrevivedinthe2000filmAlmostFamous.
Appearson:MadmanAcrosstheWater(Island)
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396

EricB.andRakim,'KnowYouGotSoul'

Writers:EricB.andRakim
Producers:EricB.andRakim
Released:July'87,4thandBroadway
DidNotChart
Rakimwasthemicrophonefiendwhowasdrippingsteam.EricB.wastheDJ
withtheJamesBrownsamples.TheywereNewYorklegendsbeforeever
releasingasong("EricB.wasdrivingaRollsRoycebeforeheeverputouta
record,"ChrisRockoncetoldRollingStone."Mymanwasgangsta"),butthis
cut,namedfora1971songbyBrownsidemanBobbyByrd,madethewhole
worldtakenotice.
Appearson:PaidinFull(Island)

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395

Crosby,Stills,NashandYoung,'Ohio'

Writer:NeilYoung
Producers:Crosby,Stills,Nash,Young
Released:June'70,Atlantic
9weeks;No.14

OnMay4th,1970,theNationalGuardkilledfourprotestersatKentState
UniversityinOhio.Youngwroteafieryindictmentoftheshootings,
andCSNYcuttheirversionofthesongjust11daysafterthetragedy,thenrush
releasedit,knockingtheirown"TeachYourChildren"offthecharts."David
Crosbycriedwhenwefinishedthistake,"saidYoung.
Appearson:Decade(Reprise)

394

TheBeatles,'TickettoRide'

Writers:JohnLennon,PaulMcCartney
Producer:GeorgeMartin

Released:April'65,Capitol
11weeks;No.1
Lennonclaimedthatthiscompositionofhiswasthefirstheavymetalsong.For
hispart,McCartneyplayedleadguitar."Wealmostinventedtheideaofanewbit
ofasongonthefadeout,"hesaidof"Ticket.""Itwasquiteradicalatthetime."
Appearson:Help!(Capitol/Apple)
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393

TheAllmanBrothersBand,'WhippingPost'

Writer:GreggAllman
Producer:TomDowd
Released:Nov.'69,Capricorn
Nonsingle
ThisanthemwaswrittenonanironingboardinadarkenedFloridabedroomby
Allman.PunctuatedbyDuaneAllman'sknifelikeguitarincisions,thesongis
bestappreciatedinthe23minuteincarnationonAtFillmoreEast.
Appearson:AtFillmoreEast(Mercury)
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392

TheVerve,'BitterSweetSymphony'

Writers:MickJagger,KeithRichards,RichardAshcroft
Producers:TheVerve,ChristopherMarcPotter,Youth
Released:Sept.'97,Virgin
20weeks;No.12
SinceitusedasamplefromanorchestralversionoftheRollingStones'"The
LastTime,"thissongwascreditedtoJaggerRichards.ButAllenKlein,who
ownedthe"LastTime"rights,brokeanagreementanddemanded100percentof
theroyalties.AshcroftcalleditthebestsongtheStoneshadwrittenin20years.

Appearson:UrbanHymns(Virgin)

391

AaronNeville,'TellItLikeItIs'

Writers:GeorgeDavis,LeeDiamond
Producer:Davis
Released:Nov.'66,ParLo
14weeks;No.2
"Iheard'TellItLikeItIs'andIsaid,'Bro,thisistheshitrighthere,'"saidArt
Neville.Aaronwasworkingasalongshoremanwhenhecutthissublimeballad.
Heoriginallyfeltsomethingsosweetwouldn'tcatchoninaneraofgrittyR&B.

"Alotofpeoplecomeuptomeandsay,'Thatsonggotmeandmywife
together,'"herecalled."Andotherssay,'Itbrokemeandmywifeup.'"
Appearson:TellItLikeItIs:GoldenClassics(Collectables)

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