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Recorded with his band Wings in challenging conditions, the song reflected the former Beatle’s new-found sense of freedom
Bonnie Tyler had the perfect voice for Jim Steinman’s 1983 epic
The track spoke of men and women treating each other well — though many subsequent versions got the lyrics wrong
Blind Willie Johnson was the first to record this apocalyptic song
The track sounded like a rallying cry but its message was subtler
It became an arena classic for the ages — but the track was originally conceived as a duet with Stevie Nicks
The ethereal 1959 song’s purity has endured through the decades
The track’s invitation to dial down the angst struck a chord in the post-’60s US
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
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