The Word

See Also:

›› The Word End Of Year Lists

Lists Included On This Page (Not Linked):

›› 110 Songs You Have to Hear!
›› Hidden Treasure: Great Underrated Albums of Our Time: Part 1
›› Hidden Treasure: Great Underrated Albums of Our Time: Part 2


110 Songs You Have to Hear! (April 2004)

“There is more music in heaven and earth than is dreamed of in radio’s playlists. And it’s never been easier to access that music. Internet retailing means everyone is now within a few clicks of a Niagara of diversity.

We set out to reflect this in the first Word Playlist. It’s not definitive. In fact it’s as subjective as hell and wholly without science. It’s a list of over 100 performances brought to you through the passionate recommendations of people who love music.

We asked musicians, journalists, broadcasters, authors and others to name one track they thought the rest of the world ought to hear, the kind of thing they would play if they were gifted four minutes of airtime. What came back from Robert Smith, George Michael, Will Self, Neil Tennant, Armando Iannuci and scores of others was an extraordinary range of overlooked classics, fascinating nuggets and tunes with a tale attached. Here you’ll find everything from Visions of Johanna to The Teddy Bears Picnic, from flamenco to Electroclash.

As Frank Zappa said: ‘Information is not knowledge. Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is not truth. Truth is not beauty. Beauty is not love. Love is not music… Music is best’.”

Not in any order of merit or date or anything, but numbered in this way: 1-110, in the magazine.

1. Harlan County – Jim Ford
2. Rippin Kittin – Golden Boy with Miss Kitten
3. Worry About the Wind – Hal
4. Black Eyed Susan – Laura Viers
5. Flying Saucers Rock ‘n’ Roll – Billy Lee Riley
6. Seeing – Moby Grape
7. Song from Under the Floorboards – Magazine
8. No Good Advice – Girls Aloud
9. Achoo – Sparks
10. Something I Can Never Have – Nine Inch Nails
11. Door Into Summer – Monkees
12. Lady with the Braid – Dory Previn
13. Ralgan Road – Luke Kelly
14. T’aint Nobody’s Business if I Do – Bessie Smith
15. My Cherie Amour – Stevie Wonder
16. (Don’t Fear) The Reaper – Blue Oyster Cult
17. Only With You – Beach Boys
18. (We’ve Got) Reservations – Simon Dupree & the Big Sound
19. Cloudbursting – Kate Bush
20. Greenbaum – Kissing the Pink
21. True or False – Swingers
22. Ship to Old England Came, a – Walter Pardon
23. I Never Dreamed – Cookies
24. All the Way Home – Southside Johnny
25. Another Sleep Song – Graham Nash
26. Teddy Bears Picnic – Henry Hall Orchestra
27. Chain of Fools – Aretha Franklin
28. Detachable Penis – King Missile
29. Acadian Driftwood – Band
30. Oops (Oh My) – Tweet
31. Changes – Jim & Jean
32. Wonderful Life – Black
33. Visions of Johanna – Bob Dylan
34. Small Stakes – Spoon
35. Bad Review – Half Man Half Biscuit
36. Simply Thrilled Honey – Orange Juice
37. I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man (live: Newport, 1960) – Muddy Waters
38. My Baby Just Cares for Me – Nina Simone
39. If You Could Read My Mind – Gordon Lightfoot
40. Adios Tristeza – La Macanita
41. My Favorite Things – John Coltrane
42. Rather Not Know – Kenny Roby
43. October Song – Incredible String Band
44. Page 43 – Crosby & Nash
45. Forbidden Fruit – Nina Simone
46. River – Joni Mitchell
47. You Can’t Tell the Difference After Dark – Alberta Hunter
48. They Shoot Horses Don’t They? – Racing Cars
49. Needles & Pins – Jackie DeShannon
50. Back for Good – Take That
51. Angelene – PJ Harvey
52. I Put a Spell on You – Screaming Jay Hawkins
53. Teenage Kicks – Undertones
54. Don’t You Just Know It – Huey ‘Piano’ Smith
55. I’m a Cuckoo (Avalanches mix) – Belle & Sebastian
56. A Mother’s Last Word to Her Daughter – Washington Phillips
57. On My Own – Ulrich Schnaus
58. Sweet & Dandy – Toots & the Maytals
59. Love Song from Apache – Coleman Hawkins
60. If I Loved You – Roland Kirk
61. I’ve Been Loving You Too Long – Otis Redding
62. Say a Little Prayer – Dionne Warwick
63. Fantastic Planet of Love – Marshall Crenshaw
64. #9 Dream – John Lennon
65. Advance Cassette – Spoon
66. Witchi Tai To – Harpers Bizarre
67. Exactly Where You Are – Ween
68. Rabbit Box – Vic Chesnutt
69. True Love – Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly
70. Year in Song – Mary Margaret O’Hara
71. Home Again – Shihad
72. Blind Willie McTell – Bob Dylan
73. I Want to Hold Your Hand – Al Green
74. Melanie – Prisoners
75. Rising Up Craig David (mix of Craig David’s Fill Me In & Survivor’s Eye of the Tiger – Picasio
76. I Used to Think My Right Hand was Uglier Than My Left – Ken Nordine
77. Kangaroo – Big Star
78. King of California – Dave Alvin
79. Jesus Was a Cross Maker – Judee Sill
80. Little Star – Stina Nordenstam
81. Like a Hurricane – Neil Young
82. Walking on the Spot – Crowded House
83. Central Square Song – Loudon Wainwright III
84. Laughing Policeman – Charles Penrose
85. Licorice Fields of Pontefract – John Betjeman (reading his poem with backing)
86. Fever – Pink Grease
87. Stakker Humanoid – Humanoid
88. Beatles Zebra Crossing? – Shriekback
89. Not to Take Sides – Sneaky Feelings
90. Dreams – Van Halen
91. Keep Yourself Alive – Queen
92. Untitled – Sigur Rós
93. I Miss You – Randy Newman
94. How Blue Can You Get (Live at the Regal, 1964) – BB King
95. Couldn’t Love You More – John Martyn
96. When You’re Smiling – Louis Armstrong
97. Come & Go with Me to My Father’s House – Margo Dan Boone
98. De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas – Mayhem
99. One More Song the Radio Won’t Like – Kathleen Edwards
100. Aislinn Gheal – Peadar O’Raida & Iarla O’Lionaird
101. Mansion on the Hill – Alabama 3
102. Down River – David Ackles
103. Do They Owe Us a Living? – Crass
104. Outdoor Type – Lemonheads
105. Nadir’s Big Chance – Peter Hammill
106. At Sunset (from Four Last Songs) – Richard Strauss (composer)
107. God Only Knows – Beach Boys
108. Waterloo Sunset – Kinks
109. Tickets to the Waterfall – Jack Bruce
110. What the World Needs Now is Love – Jackie DeShannon


Hidden Treasure: Great Underrated Albums of Our Time

Part One: June 2005

“… what of those masterpiece records that were undernourished at birth, or cold-shouldered by the critics, or simply slipped between the floorboards of the industry, those discs whose ever-expanding virtues genuinely deserve to be trumpeted from any available rooftop? … a few of our favourite writers & musicians offer their personal bids for The Great Underrated Albums of Our Time”.

Not in any order of merit or date or anything, but numbered in this way: 1-60, in the magazine. Celebrity or writer who picked the album, given in brackets after the title.

* it was Springsteen’s image chosen for the magazine’s cover.

1. No Deeper Blue – Townes Van Zandt [Bill Flanagan]
2. Dreaming, the – Kate Bush [Jim Irvin]
3. Ruling Class: Very Best of Él Records – Various Artists [Jonathan Coe]
4. And the Gospel Sound of Progress – Micah P Hinson [KT Tunstall]
5. Axe Victim – Be Bop Deluxe [Toby Manning]
6. Redemption’s Son – Joseph Arthur [Juliette Lewis]
7. Queen of Soul – Aretha Franklin (1963) [Jools Holland]
8. Roots – Everly Brothers [Andrew Loog Oldham]
9. I Didn’t Get Where I Am – Chris Difford [Danny Baker]
10. Odessey & Oracle – Zombies [Paul Weller]
11. Darkness on the Edge of Town – Bruce Springsteen* [Paul Du Noyer]
12. Playing with Fire – Spacemen 3 [Danny Kelly]
13. Della, Della, Cha Cha Cha – Della Reese [Tim Lott]
14. Famous Blue Raincoat – Jennifer Warnes [Linda Thompson]
15. Emergency! – Tony Williams’ Lifetime [Andy Partridge]
16. Adventure – Television [Mark Radcliffe]
17. Can’t Stand the… - Rezillos [Colin Bateman]
18. Gonna Take a Miracle – Laura Nyro [Richard Williams]
19. One World – John Martyn [Anton Corbijn]
20. Tyger – Tangerine Dream [Paul Du Noyer]
21. Discover America – Van Dyke Parks [Brian Wilson]
22. Dissected – Meira Asher [Robert Wyatt]
23. Wedding Album – Leon Russell & Mary McCreary [John Prine]
24. Rock Bottom – Robert Wyatt [Mark Ellingham]
25. Whatevershebringswesing – Kevin Ayers [Toby Manning]
26. Head – Monkees [Dorian Lynskey]
27. Pirates – Rickie Lee Jones [Bill Flanagan]
28. Keep Moving – Madness [Phil Jupitus]
29. Nobody’s Perfect – Distractions [David Quantick]
30. Looking for a Day in the Night – Lilac Time [Miranda Sawyer]
31. Iron Flag – Wu Tang Clan [Steve Yates]
32. Stormcock – Roy Harper [Johnny Marr]
33. Tim Moore (1975) – Tim Moore [Karen Krizanovich]
34. Anne Briggs (1971) – Anne Briggs [Bert Jansch]
35. Lovers Rock – Sade [Robert Sandall]
36. Weird Tales – Golden Smog [Bill Flanagan]
37. Dettwork South East – Blak Twang [Roots Manuva]
38. Let It Bee – Voice of the Beehive [Liz Kershaw]
39. Fuzzy – Grant Lee Buffalo [Fran Healy]
40. Jali Musa Jawara – Jali Musa Jawara (1984) [Ian Anderson]
41. Mark Hollis – Mark Hollis [Andrew Smith]
42. Loveless – My Bloody Valentine [Danny Kelly]
43. Author! Author! – Scars [Andrew Collins]
44. Giant Steps – Boo Radleys [Craig McLean]
45. Hark! The Village Wait – Steeleye Span [Toby Manning]
46. Up – REM [Jude Rogers]
47. Strange Pleasure – Jimmie Vaughan [Nick Lowe]
48. X – Beloved [Sheryl Garratt]
49. Rock & Roll Gumbo – Professor Longhair [Charlie Connelly]
50. Spirit of Eden - Talk Talk [Kathleen Edwards]
51. Prince Charming – Adam & the Ants [Tm Meighan]
52. On the Threshold of a Dream – Moody Blues [Paul Du Noyer]
53. Black Monk Time – Monks [Jon Spencer]
54. Back in Denim – Denim [Andrew Harrison]
55. De La Soul Is Dead – De La Soul [Steve Yates]
56. Ain’t Living Long Like This – Rodney Crowell [Brent Hansen]
57. La’s – La’s [Edith Bowman]
58. Copperhead Road – Steve Earle [Trevor Dann]
59. Some Change – Boz Scaggs [Richard Williams]
60. Songs for Beginners – Graham Nash [Peter Paphides]

Part Two: July 2005

“Continuing our unscientific celebration of the Great Underrated Albums, compiled with the help of musicians, writers, broadcasters, and the readers of Word.”

Albums were not even numbered this time, totally random order. I’ve numbered them in the order they appeared in the article, for reference. And, yes, Roy Harper’s Stormcock LP is in both lists!

* Word reader’s contribution.
** not an actual album, a recommendation of an entire back catalogue.

1. One Year – Colin Blunstone [Neil Tennant]
2. Thunder, Lightning, Strike – Go! Team [Christian O’Connell]
3. Olympian – Gene [Anthony Smith*]
4. Red Dirt Girl – Emmylou Harris [Jenny Éclair]
5. Stormcock – Roy Harper [Robert Plant]
6. Desperado – Eagles [Danny Kelly]
7. And the Shake Society – Fred Schneider [Chuck Palalmuik]
8. Folk Singer – Muddy Waters [Richard Williams]
9. Swagger – Blue Aeroplanes [Nick Stewart*]
10. Kaleidoscope – Kelis [Dorian Lynskey]
11. Solid Air – John Martyn [Penny Smith]
12. Black Celebration - Depeche Mode [Steve Taylor*]
13. Last of the Independents – Pretenders [Bill Flanagan]
14. Human – Rod Stewart [Rob Brydon]
15. Spilt Milk – Jellyfish [Stephen Constable*]
16. Cry of Love – Jimi Hendrix [Glenn Tilbrook]
17. Argus – Wishbone Ash [Robert Sandall]
18. 1000 Years of Trouble – Age of Chance [Andrew Collins]
19. Heart Food – Judee Sill [Jim Irvin]
20. Before & After Science – Brian Eno [Mark Radcliffe]
21. Wrong People – Furniture [Jonathan Patterson]
22. Dixie Fried – Jim Dickinson [John Hiatt]
23. Trainfare Home – Last Forever [Peter Blegvad]
24. Wind, the – Warren Zevon [John Adcock]
25. Heart of the… - Congos [Eke Webb*]
26. Box Frenzy – Pop Will Eat Itself [Karl Chambers*]
27. Parachute – Pretty Things [Graham Coxon]
28. Steve McQueen (aka 2 Wheels Good) – Prefab Sprout [James Donnelly*]
29. Goodbye – Dubstar [Gareth Lightfoot*]
30. Rain Dogs – Tom Waits [Jon McGill*]
31. Sunday Afternoon – Rebecca Hall [Mark Phillips*]
32. Hungarian Gypsy Music – Csardas** [Yoko Ono]
33. Grievous Angel – Gram Parsons [Sarah Ledger*]
34. Only Ones (1978) – Only Ones [Tim Riley*]
35. Bring the Family – John Hiatt [Mike Allen*]
36. Sailin’ Shoes – Little Feat [Louis Davidson*]
37. 12 Shades of Brown – Junior Brown [Nick Lowe]
38. Apple Venus: Volume 1 – XTC [Nigel Bamford*]
39. Heavy Mental – Killah Priest [Danny Kelly]
40. I Stand Alone – Al Kooper [Andrew Loog Oldham]