Some favourite songs in no particular order.

Made in Europe - Caroline Henderson. Not an ad for the Euro or the EU but a subtle anti-racist song with a sexy sort of modernized 60's jazz feel to the music. A few years ago, Caroline won ALL the music prizes in her native country of Denmark. From the album Cinemataztic.
Jump! - Van Halen Get your back against the record machine and feel this.
You wear it well - Rod Stewart When Rod Stewart was every other teenage girls heart throb back in the early days he sang nostalgic tales like this and 'Maggie May'. the voice was different and the music not very glam at all.
Ängeln i rummet - Eva Dahlgren - 'the angel in the room' When I first heard this I heard a striking description of my own experiences whilst giving birth, of another not-of-this-world entity reassuring me. It turned out ten years later that Eva had written a lesbian love song - how wrong you can be!
Losing my mind - Liza Minelli A Stephen Sondheim song with BMP's upped by the Pet Shop Boys. About obsession.
The Rhythm Divine - Yello & Shirley Bassey Gorgeous slow track with Bassey's stunning vocals.
All this time - Sting A song about Newcastle on Tyne, England of all places. Sting captures the glittering busy river that dominates Newcastle's story and town centre.
Candy - Iggy Pop. Pop sings with Kate Pierson (of the B-52's) about a reunion after a parting of ways. Kate sets off Iggy's rather low tones nicely.
Forbidden Colours - Sakamoto/Sylvian The haunting theme tune to 'Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence'
The love I lost - Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes Just one of many Philly songs I loved in the seventies. Good vocals and a gentle 70's disco beat.
My baby just cares for me - Nina Simone Nice jazz tinkling, mellow voice and wonderful warm lyrics.
Smells like Teen Spirit - Nirvana The first time I saw Nirvana on TV I thought they were sending up another band. Their relatively short period of fame proved too sharp for Curt Cobain the lead singer and he killed himself with a shotgun. Dismal punk that got dubbed grunge this is to be experienced not listened to.
Nouveau Western - MC Solaar Soft, swirling French rap about USA and multinational dominance. Having seen a tiny bit of Africa for myself I can see what he means.
Obsession - Army of Lovers A song that could go round and round for ever and a good video. 'Oh Superman' noises  combined with quiet, almost thin vocals give the whole thing a eerie, almost supernatural feeling.
Who's that lady - Isley Brothers A favourite from the seventies, raw and direct.
Just my Imagination - Temptations A slow one for the discos,  here are The Temptations at their best singing of unrequited love.
Waiting in Vain - Bob Marley More unrequited love but with the patience and hope that many white westerners lost long ago.
Goodbye Mr Ed -Tin Machine A truly marvellous track almost  hidden at the end of Tin Machine II. Who Mr Ed is I've yet to find out.
Love Missile (F1-11) - Sigue Sigue Sputnik More dressing up and making a noise. They found one of those noise generating toys boys like to irritate their parents with, added some bizarre lyrics and had a smash hit. The follow-ups never matched this wonderful cacophany.
One step Beyond - Prince Buster From ska's heyday,  this is really an instrumental although Prince Buster blows raspberries and makes other strange noises with his mouth al the way through. Bouncy beyond belief.
Streets of Philadelphia - Bruce Springsteen Title track to Tom Hanks AIDS film capturing the horror disgust and disbelief of a body wasting away.
Guldlock -Eva Dahlgren. Accompanied by a clarinet and little else, this is another beautiful song by Dahlgren about awakening, discovery and empty spaces (and lesbian love?!)
Fields of Gold - Sting. This just drips with nostalgia but is still a good straightforward song of new love and old and the permanence of nature.
Ghosts -  Japan Another eerie disturbing vocal from David Sylvian
Rubbish - Carter Stale bread, drugs on sale outside school and rubbish on the radio. Too lyrical to be punk, too noisy to be acceptable social comment, Carter wrote some memorable songs including the wonderfully titled 'Is wrestling fixed?'
Summer Breeze - Isley Brothers More black gold from the talented Isley Brother about coming home through the summer evening perfumes to a welcoming kitchen.
Love Cats - The Cure Being a cat owner helps one to appreciate the clever musical and lyrical twists in this, but its not about cats really at all, of course.
Bizarre love Triangle - New Order Pounding relentless synth track from the makers of biggest selling 12" single 'Blue Monday'
Tears of a Clown -  Smokey Robinson Smokey's Motown track, good tune, strong lyrics. As Tony Blackburn always used to say -'would do well in the discos.'
Zing! Went the strings of my heart -  The Traamps Wonderful backing vocals make the Zing feel real.
First cut is the Deepest -  Donna Dawson Rough reggae on the Trojan label this heavily played (and badly scratched!) single still has a firm place in my musical heart
Innan kärleken kom - Eva Dahlgren 'Before love came' By the time this was released Eva had 'come out' but the beautiful orchestral arrangement and her carefully weighted vocal about how the arrival of love can change one's accepted, tarnished view of the world can be enjoyed even if you don't speak Swedish
Walking in Memphis - Mark ?? - not Cher's! Wonderful rambling piano and unusual story line about seeing a vision of Elvis in Memphis
The whole of the moon - The Waterboys. While the singer sees slight possibilities the other person, blessed with  special sight, sees and grabs at everything. He sees the crescent , s/he sees the whole of the moon.
Nightshift - Commodores. The Commodores had almost faded into oblivion when this tribute to past soul singers arrived. Soul as it used to be.

Copyright  © Liz Lamb, Ängelholm, Sweden, Jan '99. You are welcome to copy anything original you find here, but as a matter of politeness you should ask first, and cite your source! Thanks!  Last updated Dec2001