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The epic break-up track, which epitomised Phil Spector’s ‘wall of sound’, reached the number one spot in 1965
Beneath the song’s jovial call-and-response melody lies a dark story of drug addiction
The singer confessed he didn’t know what it was about — but that didn’t prevent it from being widely covered, and sung
After a faltering start, Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach’s song has been a smouldering success
Released in 1976, the track that emerged from a piano doodle has stood the test of time
Subsequent versions hoped to capitalise on the track’s notoriety — or tried to reclaim it
The singer’s original was a far cry from the highly charged versions that followed
Now adopted as a protest song worldwide, the song has its origins in the rice fields of the country’s north-east
The folk singer found success with her 1961 track, though it took decades for her to be awarded full royalties
The duo’s 1969 story of a battered songwriter became an anthem for the ages
Louis Armstrong’s 1967 jazz-pop jewel was initially rejected by his record company boss
Sister Nancy’s 1982 track has reappeared in the music of Kanye West, Jay-Z and Beyoncé
Their musical Jesus Christ Superstar caused controversy, while its opening song has had a colourful afterlife
The feral-sounding group turned a wholesome pop tune into a garage rock classic
Rodgers and Hart’s classic has been sung by the greats and adopted by football fans — though its origins are disputed
The Ronettes’ 1963 hit exemplified the genius of the producer who later went to prison for murder
Johnny Bragg’s song was written in prison and earned him parole
The New York band’s 1979 breakthrough hit caused disquiet among fans and band members; years later, all is forgiven
The song was originally inspired by a Don McLean performance
The song, which has its roots in Irish balladry, has become part of the recent TikTok craze
The brutal-sounding instrumental track was hugely influential
The song first recorded by Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland in 1974 became a Whitesnake staple
The track has shown remarkable agility in hopping across genres and styles
The Swedish band left the song off their first two albums because it was too ‘unusual’
The ultimate anthem to desensitisation is a festive song, of sorts
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