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Kubrick and Copland are among those who have felt the force of Richard Strauss’s piece
Paul Robeson sang the definitive version of this beautiful, rousing tune
The story of a devilish figure has been widely covered and had a rich afterlife on TV soundtracks
The ‘cowboy’s lament’ is one of the most widely discussed and dissected songs in the folk canon
A track first recorded by Jerry Butler in 1964 has shed light on the tides of 20th-century history
A mash-up of global cultures and styles, the song has a surprisingly long history
The song was one of a number of 1970s paeans to the iconic bird
While Martin Carthy and Paul Simon were not speaking, many other singers gave voice to this mysterious melody
Since it was a hit in 1968, many singers — including the big beasts of the larynx — have tackled this daunting song
The song’s story is a tale of exile, lamentation, liberation — and disco
The song that became a fixture in their live shows was inspired by a dusty road trip — but not to Kashmir
Few have matched the power of the country singer’s 1949 original
Both groups’ recordings were born amid challenging circumstances
The folk singer’s politically charged ballad went on to become globally popular
The song became part of the soundtrack to the Summer of Love
The song caused ructions with the Motown label because of its political content
Singers such as Lena Horne and Ella Fitzgerald mined the depths of this Great American Songbook classic
Plastic Bertrand’s 1978 hit has lived on in cover versions and TV adverts
The song has been belted out lustily at games — and widely covered
This enigmatic, quietly devastating story is one of the songwriter’s most beloved tracks
The composer’s 1952 work has prompted tributes, heckles and even a lawsuit
Singers down the years have been drawn to a mysterious track written by a man who turned his back on music
Eric Clapton’s collaborator Duane Allman helped transform the song into a bravura rock showpiece
The 17-minute track also featured in a classic episode of The Simpsons
The track’s six-second drum solo became a key element in the history of hip-hop
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