Pretty Maids All In A Row – EAGLES: Joe Walsh makes his major contribution to ‘Hotel California‘ with a wistful piano ballad that is more Randy Newman than ‘Rocky Mountain Way.’
Late For The Sky – JACKSON BROWNE: Eloquent title track from a monumental album, nobody else has captured the uncertainties and complexities of love with such resonance.
Up The Junction – SQUEEZE: An outstanding slice of social drama that slides from happiness to heartbreak – creating a series of evocative scenes as it goes along.
Wasn’t Born To Follow – THE BYRDS: The most urbane lyrics ever put down by the Goffin-King team, The Byrds add echo and sinewy guitars to make it a great inclusion on the equally marvellous ‘Notorious Byrd Brothers‘ album.
Every Picture Tells A Story – ROD STEWART: Rod pens a riotous travelogue from a journey taken through Europe and the Far East – and ends up writing arguably the greatest opening song to an album ever recorded (21st Century sensibilities notwithstanding). Hilarious, compelling – what a picture, what a story.
Our Last Farewell – DAN FOGELBERG: Due to a tendency to over-write and be over-wrought, Fogelberg rarely received good reviews, but on this, the closing track of his 1987 album ‘Exiles‘ he manages (just) to avoid both.
Second Hand News – FLEETWOOD MAC: Lindsay Buckingham sets the tone for ‘Rumours‘ with a homage to Buddy Holly that is loaded with harmony and hubris.
Fortunate Son: CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL: For all his fascination with riverboat queens and green rivers, the true genius of John Fogerty was to be found in political commentary. In this seething indictment of the rich/poor divide he skewers Nixon-era America, twisting the knife for all he’s worth.
Here There & Everywhere – THE BEATLES: Paul makes a case for this being his best Beatles song – a bold but understandable claim given the sheer wonder of the lyrics.
An ode to the hope of everlasting love between him and his paramour, this is wondrous in every aspect.
writers of the Faces most enduring song.
Ooh La La – FACES: The title track of their fourth and final studio album, this gorgeously understated folk song is a far cry from ‘Stay With Me‘ and none the worse for that. Ironic their most enduring cut should be sung by Woody and written by the two Ron-Ron of Wood and Lane.
Bonus Track (Come on, everybody does this these days).
Stay Free – THE CLASH: ‘Give ‘Em Enough Rope‘ tour de force in which Mick Jones recounts his teenage years. From the off, The Clash were bursting with energy, wit and passion – and over forty years later you still wonder whether his friends did heed the advice.
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NEIL SAMBROOK is also the author of MONTY’S DOUBLE – an acclaimed thriller now available in paperback and as an Amazon Kindle book.