It’s hard to believe that this incredibly deep and meaningful song has been forgotten and brushed over by many over the years. Even when it was released, despite peaking at number 6 on the UK charts and number 1 on the Australian charts, it wasn’t a worldwide hit (and it should have been).

Saltwater highlights the importance of environmental conservation and eliminating world poverty in today’s modern world. It does this by juxtaposing the marvels and achievements of humanity with the destruction of the natural world as we know it. It exposes the irony that as we have become more advanced and sophisticated, we have actually taken another step towards our own destruction.

The lyrics shows this juxtaposition beautifully. And it makes you reflect upon the world we live in today and the many wrongs that exist. It always refers back to the idea of saltwater welling in one’s eyes because the tears are not just tears of sadness, they are also tears of guilt (and even anger). For example, in one verse of the song: “We’re so ingenious we can walk on the moon, but when I hear about how the forest have died, saltwater wells in my eyes.”

The song was written and composed by none other than Julian Lennon, the son of the great and legendary singer John Lennon. Although his career was not as prolific and successful as that of his father, this song would have made his father proud. It is a song of extremely high quality and the similarity between Julian and John in terms of looks and voice is at times freaky. You could be forgiven for thinking that it was John that actually sang the song.

It surprises me that this song has not been used by environmental conservationists and socialists around the world to promote their movements. Perhaps Julian himself has not allowed this to happen. I’m not sure.

The most important thing now is to pass this song to current generations who have probably not heard it yet. Despite being written and composed almost 20 years ago, this message contained in Saltwater is as (if not more) important than when it was first released.

The following video is a beautiful collection of images shown throughout the song. It makes the song’s message powerful. Please pass this song on to your family and friends because it’s for the good of the world and our humanity.

I am currently going crazy over this song. Yes, you’ve guessed it! I’ve been blown away by another hidden gem. And funnily enough, it’s another song from the musical Chess. For some reason, I thought that “I Knew Him So Well” was the only big hit to come from that musical. Sadly, I was wrong and I had no idea until today.

As I was researching number 1 hits from the 80s on the Australian music charts, I came across the song “One Night In Bangkok” by Murray Head. The title of the song rang a bell but the singer did not. So I got access to the song and it’s absolutely AMAZING!

Stunning in fact. Very 80s and very European. Which is no surprise given that it was composed by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus who formed the male half and were the masterminds behind ABBA. The synthesisers are literally everywhere in this song and it’s more of a dance than a pop song. And even in 2010, this dance song would still fit in quite well.

There is really nothing that I don’t like about this song. It gets my body moving so easily, it’s extremely catchy and makes me want to go over to Bangkok and see if what the song says about it is indeed true.

If I could criticise this song in any way, it would be that it is way too short. Ok, it’s just over 4 minutes long which is standard, however, you get into the song so much that time flies and before you know it, it’s over and you want to keep on dancing to it. As a result, I hope that some great DJ out there makes an extended remix of this song (at least 8 minutes long) to play at nightclubs over the world. I can guarantee you, it will be a hit again, if it’s done right.

There’s nothing I can say about this song apart from going ahead and listening to it. Show it to your family and friends because this is seriously a song that has been forgotten about. In hindsight, it would have been nice to see Benny and Bjorn make an entire album with songs like this one. But then again, Modern Talking wouldn’t have been able to compete (just kidding!).

Enjoy One Night In Bangkok!

Given that the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup is only days away, I thought it would be appropriate to write about what I consider to be the best World Cup theme song of all time. Just in case you didn’t know, I’m also a massive football fan and when the World Cup comes along every 4 years, there’s nothing on my mind except following each team and watching each game. The Cup Of Life by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin was the theme song of the 1998 World Cup which took place in France and was won by the host nation.

That World Cup was particularly special for me because it was the first time I’d watched a significant amount of World Cup games and followed the tournament closely. I was 11 at the time and the 1 thing that always reminds me of that tournament is The Cup Of Life. It’s also such a catchy and fun song to sing and dance to. It captures the spirit of football perfectly. The game of football and its dynamics and drama is so much like life itself, which probably explains why it’s the most popular sport in the world. It also explains why the World Cup is the Cup of Life.

The song is so good that the theme songs from the 2002 and 2006 World Cups have failed to overcome The Cup Of Life in terms of quality and popularity. The theme song for the upcoming World Cup in South Africa is not too bad, however, when compared to Ricky Martin’s song, it pales in comparison.

There should be a worldwide petition launched to make The Cup Of Life the official theme song for every World Cup. It would certainly save songwriters and singers the embarrassment of not being able to live up to the standard of the 1998 theme song.

This is perhaps not a 90s classic song for many people out there, however, for football fans everywhere, this is a song that will stand the test of time. Even if you’re not a football fan, you should catch some of the upcoming World Cup, even if you just watch the final on July 11. It is the biggest sporting event in the world and it should not be missed.

If you want a comprehensive preview of all the teams and groups, then you should watch my World Cup Preview which I made with a good friend of mine.

In the meantime, enjoy the beauty of The Cup Of Life.

Unless you’re a massive James Bond fan, then you have probably haven’t heard of this song. Licence To Kill is theme song of the Bond film of the same name, which was released in 1989. Up until recently, this was one of the Bond films I hadn’t seen and given that I’d heard bad reviews of the film, I didn’t expect much. Surprisingly, the movie was quite good and one of the things I liked about it was this theme song by Gladys Knight.

Now I’m obsessed with it a bit. It’s just so good on so many levels. It’s very catchy and not easily forgettable. If you haven’t heard it, please listen it by clicking on the video at the bottom.

Naturally, this got me interested in Gladys Knight and whose career I hadn’t really explored. I find it incredible that despite my knowledge and interest in Motown, that she hadn’t crossed by radar up until now. The career she’s had is quite amazing.

For a large part of her career, she was the main singer of RnB/soul vocal group Gladys Knight & The Pips. Over 3 decades, the group had a number of hits which included 21 songs which charted in the Top 20 of either the US or UK chart. One of their biggest hits was “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” which they released before Marvin Gaye’s more famous version. It became a hit on its own, but it was toppled by Gaye’s version and has since become his signature song. The longevity and greatness of this group was recognised when they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

The group disbanded in 1989, and in that same year, Gladys Knight was chosen to record the theme song of the newest James Bond movie of the same name starring Timothy Dalton. It reached number 6 on the UK chart but it didn’t chart in the US (which was because the movie was not a box-office success in the US).

There have been so many great Bond theme songs over the years, but this one, is up there with the very best. To feel and sense the raw power and beauty of this song, put the volume up and enjoy the song Licence To Kill.

For me, this is the ultimate reunion song. Reunited is all about 2 former lovers who decide to reconcile and reunite after realizing that they are made to be with each other.

It is beautiful. It is majestic. It is just perfect.

There’s no wonder this song was a US number 1 hit in 1979 where it remained for 3 straight weeks.

The lyrics are what stands out the most for me and what makes the song the beautiful song it really is. They illustrate the heartbreak and loneliness that separated lovers feel really well. All of which makes the chorus have a happy and blissful feel to it.

The combination of Herb Fame‘s and Linda Greene’s voices is wonderful and one can sense that they are indeed overjoyed to be reunited and back together again.

Just in case you weren’t aware, “Peaches” has been played by 6 different women ever since the beginning of the group back in the 1960s. Herb Fame’s partnership with Linda Greene was the most successful one of the group’s history.

The group is arguably more well known for its other major hit song “Shake Your Groove Thing” which has been played countless times in TV shows and movies. Yet it was never as successful as Reunited.

I really wish I’d discovered this song much earlier because I would have added it to my list of the The 30 Greatest Love Songs of all time. I could go back and alter the list but for the time being, I will keep it as it is.

I personally think that the feeling of reuniting with your lover and starting afresh is something to behold. I’ve never experienced it personally but I can totally imagine that it must be an incredible feeling.

So if you have reconciled or reunited with a former lover and started once again, Reunited is your theme song.

The other day I came across this song as I was listening to an old CD compilation of duets titled “Duets.” It’s a great feeling to find awesome songs which you had either forgotten or never had investigated further in terms of the name of the song and the artists. I Know Him So Well was the final song on this compilation and from the first note, I was hooked and could not get the song out of my head for the rest of the day.

Upon further investigation, I found out that this song was part of a concept album and the subsequent musical Chess. I’m not a fan of musical at all but for some reason I was immediately able to picture this song as part of a musical. In order to understand how it all fits into a musical, the song is sung by 2 women, one of which is the estranged wife of a Russian chess champion while the other is his mistress. With this knowledge, you can probably understand why the song is titled I Know Him So Well.

I wasn’t too surprised to also discover that the composers of the song (and the entire concept album) were in fact Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, better known as the musicians of the mega Swedish pop group ABBA. The song certainly does have an ABBA-esque sound and at the moments during the song you can hear touches of Agnetha and Anni-Frida. In hindsight, I think this song would have sounded better and would have been a bigger hit if the ABBA girls had sung.

That’s not saying that Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson don’t do a good job, because they do. But it’s so ABBA-esque that you might as well get the whole to reunite and sing it as if it was old times.

The song was a worldwide hit, and spent 4 weeks at the top of the UK charts and continues to be the highest-selling song in the UK by a duo.

If you were looking for a song where an estranged (and cheated) wife and the mistress get together and plan revenge on the man, then you cannot go further than I Know Him So Well. Enjoy this classic 80s ballad.

This is one of those songs that many people can relate with. You have just separated from your partner and you are finding it hard to get over your previous relationship. In fact, you are disappointed that the relationship has ended and think that everyone that has happened is just some bad dream. You long for the day that your partner will be back in your arms.

This is what Who’s Holding Donna Now is about. It was DeBarge’s second biggest hit overall in the 1980s and part of their most successful album Rhythm Of The Night.

In this song, the lead singer sings about a girl he once was with called Donna. For some reason, she decided to leave the relationship, much to his surprise and disappointment, and now cannot help but think about which guy is now holding Donna.

I only discovered this group and this song recently, and I have to say that Who’s Holding Donna Now remains one of the most unknown great ballads from the 80s. Or maybe it was just me who took so long to discover it. I personally have never found it on greatest 80s ballads compilation. I would love to know if you have.

The other thing which I find surprising is a lack of a music video. The only video I have been able to find is one where DeBarge is performing the song. Or maybe there was a music video but it has yet to be upload to one of the popular video sharing websites out there.

This is certainly one of those songs for which I would personally love to create a music video. I have created it in my mind and all I need now is some equipment and some funds to create it. Who’s knows when or if it will happen? Watch this space.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy Who’s Holding Donna Now, another classic song from the 80s.

The other day, as I was heading back home from a dental checkup, a song started playing on the radio which caught my attention and left me completely mesmerized. As a result, as soon as I got back home I did my research and found out the song to be called Baker Street from Scottish singer Gerry Rafferty.

For the whole day I could not get the song out of my head. It’s so addictive and wonderful to listen to. It’s one of those songs you can listen as you walk along a deserted street in the early morning after a big night out. In fact, upon checking up on the lyrics, that’s pretty much what the song is about.

The only difference is that the song is about someone who is down and out and close to giving up on life. And all this is taking place on a London street called Baker Street. In the first part, it talks about how the person thought life would be so easy and yet they now find themselves in a helpless situation where he’s “drinking the night away.” The person seems to find some consolidation that in a year’s time, they will be happy again, but for the time being, they are crying.

The second part of the song talks about they are now planning to move away from the big city and settle down in a quiet little town to “forget about everything” and start afresh. However, he realizes that it won’t be last long and before they know it, they will be on the move again because that’s how life is.

For me personally, this song is representative of the anxiety and isolation people can feel living in a big city. And it’s ironic because in a big city you are surrounded by many people. However, given the busyness of the city, there can unfortunately be very little communication between people.

The highlight of the song is the alternative rhythm. The song starts off with a beautiful saxophone solo and then moves on to a soft rock rhythm. It is then followed by another sax solo and then back to the soft rock rhythm. Finally, the sax solo is joined by a guitar solo which rounds out the song.

The funniest thing about that day when I couldn’t get Baker Street out of my head is that on that very night, I heard a busker playing the exact same song in a tunnel. I couldn’t believe that out of a million songs out there, the busker was playing the one song that I couldn’t get out of my head. Was it a coincidence or something more than that? I’ll never know.

It’s not surprising that Baker Street became Gerry Rafferty’s biggest hit when it peaked at number 2 on the US Charts in 1978. The corresponding album even knocked off the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack from the number 1 position which is no mean feat. Enjoy this classic song from the year 1978.

Last night, I went to the Motown 50 Concert here in Sydney. I’ve always loved Motown given its significant contribution and continuing influence on contemporary artists and music. So when I heard that there was going to be a Motown concert here in Sydney, I did my research and bought my tickets as soon as they came out. That was back in November last year. After almost 3 months waiting, I took out the tickets from my drawer and went to the Sydney Entertainment Centre ready to get awed and move to the rhythm of the unique Motown sound.

The first thing that caught my eye as I got to the venue was the demographic of the attendees. As expected, most of them were older folk aged over 45. However, they were a couple here and there around my age, and I was hoping there would be more young people embracing this great music. Nevertheless, that was not going to deter me from enjoying the concert.

The concert started at about 8:10pm and the first act was Mary Wilson from the Supremes. Oh, how I wish that they could have brought Diana Ross! And I’m not saying that because Mary Wilson wasn’t great. She was awesome last night, still looking and sounding great. It’s just that the Diana Ross IS the Supremes. But then again, if she’d come, the ticket price would have at least doubled and the whole concert wouldn’t have been possible, at least commercially. So it was left to Mary Wilson to sing a couple of the Supremes greatest hits. If my memory serves me correct she sang “Love Child”, “Baby Love”, “Stop! In The Name of Love”, “Reflections”, “You Can’t Hurry Love” and “You Keep Me Hangin’ On.” I was a bit disappointed that she didn’t end up singing “Where Did Our Love Go?.” It didn’t matter because she opened the concert with a bang.

The next act were The Miracles. I only recently ‘discovered’ this group and so my knowledge about their songs was and still is not great. Once again, I wish Smokey Robinson had come to perform because he IS the Miracles. Nevertheless, their performance was not too bad. The only songs I can recall that they sang was “Shop Around”, “You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me”, “I Second That Emotion” and “The Tracks Of My Tears.” I think they sang another one but I can’t pinpoint it because I have no idea what it’s called. The biggest disappointment of the night was not hearing them sing “The Tears Of A Clown” which is one of the most favourite Motown songs.

The next act of the night was Joan Osborne, who belted out some Motown classics from other artists. She was later joined by famous Australian musicians Ian Moss and Jimmy Barnes to sing “What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted.” It was also great to see Ian Moss sing the Stevie Wonder classic “Uptight.” I thought the performance was so good because he sounded a lot like Stevie Wonder.

The next act were The Four Tops. I’ve known this group for a long time now and I had a list of songs in mind that I hope they would sing. The good news is that they sang all of them! I was a bit surprised that they didn’t sing “I Can’t Help Myself” and “The Same Old Song” back to back because that would have been cool. I also think that’s the way the songs are meant to be sung. Just in case you’re not aware, both songs are very similar musically that one can sometimes find it hard to tell the difference. Apart from the aforementioned songs, they sang “Baby I Need Your Loving”, “Reach Out (I’ll Be There” “Standing In The Shadows Of Love”, “Walk Away Renee” and “Bernadette.”

After they finished singing, there was a 15 minute intermission, which I certainly needed after singing a bit too much.

Following the intermission, it was Martha Reeves and the Vandellas who took the stage at the Motown 50 Concert and I must admit that this was the worst performance of the night. The truth is that Martha Reeves’ voice has certainly past its used by date and you could easily tell that she was finding it hard to sing. But she put in her very best effort. Another reason why I thought this wasn’t a good performance was because I was and still am not a fan of the Martha and the Vandellas. However, despite the below average performance, Martha was the most hilarious performer between songs. At one point, she began thanking all the men in her life including Mick Jagger, David Bowie and Lionel Ritchie. Very hilarious! The songs they sang were “(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave”, “Nowhere To Run, “Jimmy Mack” and “Dancing In The Street.”

The final group to take the stage were The Temptations and there was really only 1 song I was looking forward to: “My Girl.” When they did sing it, I could not help but stand up and dance (much like the rest of the auditorium). For me, their performance of “My Girl” was the performance of the night. No other act had been able to get the crowd involved as much as they did. Apart from that song, they sang “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg”, “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)” and some other songs, the names of which, I am not able to work out. I guess I still need to improve my knowledge of Motown!

At the end of the concert, all the performers got together on stage to sing 2 songs. One of them was a tribute to their “little brother”, the King of Pop Michael Jackson. It’s true that MJ wouldn’t have been something had it not been for the support of Motown for the Jackson 5. They performed “I’ll Be There” and it proved to be a spectacular ending to the concert.

Overall, the Motown 50 Concert was thoroughly enjoyable and it was a privilege to watch some of the legendary singers in the flesh in action in Sydney. I don’t know what my next concert will be, but I’ll be sure to tell you about it on this blog.

It’s been exactly 1 month since I’ve posted on this blog. I apologise for not posting content on a more regular basis. A lot of exciting things have been happening in my life which have kept me occupied.

Anyway, the subject of today’s post is my compilation of the Top 100 70s Songs. Just like any other compilation, it was a difficult picking out the 100 best songs from an entire decade. I’ve had to consult various resources online and offline to help put together the best possible list of songs.

Once again, please keep in mind that these songs are in no particular order. My only hope is that you enjoy this list of Top 100 70s Songs and that it helps find some hidden gems for 70s themed parties and activities.

21. Killing Me Softly With His Song – ROBERTA FLACK

22. Seasons In The Sun – TERRY JACKS

23. You Make Me Feel Brand New – THE STYLISTICS

24. Shining Star – EARTH, WIND AND FIRE

25. Philadelphia Freedom – ELTON JOHN

26. One Of These Nights – EAGLES

27. Don’t Go Breaking My Heart – ELTON JOHN & KIKI DEE

28. Play That Funky Music – WILD CHERRY

29. Tonight’s The Night – ROD STEWART

30. Silly Love Songs – WINGS

31. Love Machine – THE MIRACLES

32. December, 1963 (Oh What A Night) – THE FOUR SEASONS

33. You Light Up My Life – DEBBY BOONE

34. I Just Want To Be Your Everything – ANDY GIBB

35. Dancing Queen – ABBA

36. Best Of My Love – THE EMOTIONS

37. Night Fever – THE BEE GEES

38. Shadow Dancing – ANDY GIBB

39. Three Times A Lady – THE COMMODORES

40. Baby Come Back – PLAYER

41. You’re The One That I Want – GREASE

42. Grease – FRANKIE VALLI

43. My Sharona – THE KNACK

44. Le Freak – CHIC

45. Do Ya Think I’m Sexy? – ROD STEWART

46. YMCA – VILLAGE PEOPLE

47. I Will Survive – GLORIA GAYNOR

48. Too Much Heaven – THE BEE GEES

49. Stayin’ Alive – THE BEE GEES

50. How Deep Is Your Love – THE BEE GEES

51. Three Times A Lady – THE COMMODORES

52. Hotel California – EAGLES

53. Take It Easy – EAGLES

54. I’m Not In Love – 10CC

55. Horse With No Name – AMERICA

56. Heart Of Gold – NEIL YOUNG

57. New Kid In Town – EAGLES

58. What A Fool Believes – DOOBIE BROTHERS

59. Just The Way You Are – BILLY JOEL

60. My Life – BILLY JOEL

61. We Are Family – SISTER SLEDGE

62. Hopelessly Devoted To You – OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN

63. You’re So Vain – CARLY SIMON

64. Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough – MICHAEL JACKSON

65. You Sexy Thing – HOT CHOCOLATE

66. Hot Love – T-REX

67. Heartache Tonight – EAGLES

68. Live & Let Die – WINGS

69. The Joker – STEVE MILLER BAND

70. The Logical Song – SUPERTRAMP

71. Easy – THE COMMODORES

72. Go Your Own Way – FLEETWOOD MAC

73. You Are So Beautiful – JOE COCKER

74. Rocket Man – ELTON JOHN

75. Superstition – STEVIE WONDER

76. My Sweet Lord – GEORGE HARRISON

77. 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover – PAUL SIMON

78. Sweet Home Alabama – LYNYRD SKYNYRD

79. Lady Marmalade – LABELLE

80. Mandy – BARRY MANILOW

81. Blinded By The Light – MANFRED MANN’S EARTH BAND

82. Show Me The Way – PETER FRAMPTON

83. Mamma Mia – ABBA

84. Bohemian Rhapsody – QUEEN

85. We Will Rock You – QUEEN

86. You’re My Best Friend – QUEEN

87. Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad – MEATLOAF

88. Roxanne – THE POLICE

89. Evil Woman – ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA

90. Sultans Of Swing – DIRE STRAITS

91. Peace Train – CAT STEVENS

92. Brown Sugar – THE ROLLING STONES

93. I Love The Nightlife – ALICIA BRIDGES

94. Video Killed The Radio Star – THE BUGGLES

95. Hold The Line – TOTO

96. Ballroom Blitz – SWEET

97. Highway To Hell – AC/DC

98. More Than A Feeling – BOSTON

99. Somebody To Love – QUEEN

100. Stairway To Heaven – LED ZEPPELIN

If you enjoyed this list of the best 70s songs, then you might be interested in getting access to the best songs from the 60s, 80s and 90s. I’ve created a free stuff section on this website where you can access these lists as well as other great gifts.

I invite you to make comments and suggestions about this list of the Top 100 70s Songs below. It always fun and interesting to have constructive discussions about a topic such as this.