FT music critics and contributors discussed the story of a song, from its origins and early recordings through cover versions good and bad.
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Songs can be mixed blessings.
The song crystallises a moment in time between the optimism of the Summer of Love and the darkness on the desert horizon. Cathi Unsworth explores its history
The song crystallises a moment in time between the optimism of the Summer of Love an…
Joy Division's stripped-down sound signaled a new direction for music in 1978, but t…
Ian McCann charts the transformation of UB40’s number one hit, from Neil Diamond’s c…
The song that defined Fleetwood Mac's high water mark went on to be covered by count…
David Honigmann follows Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway' from its origins in a Welsh cottag…
Prince wrote his song about partying in the face of nuclear threat during the cold w…
This 1853 Christmas Carol, set to the melody of a 13th-century Nordic Hymn, has sinc…
Greg Lake died this week, and this track remains an enduring Christmas classic.
Buddy Holly's 1958 London performance of the song inspired the young Mick Jagger to …
It's been the theme tune for the BBC's review series 'Film' since 1971, but Nina Sim…
Gene Wilder died Listening to Ella Fitzgerald’s cover, but it was Judy Garland who b…
Leonard Cohen's most famous song nearly wasn't released after being rejected by his …
“Yesterday” came to Paul McCartney in a dream one night in 1963.
Snippets of Isaac Hayes' classic were used by trip-hop pioneers Portishead and Trick…
The origin of Deep Purple's 1971 hit is almost as famous as its instantly recognisab…
Peter Aspden deconstructs the creation of Bob Dylan's legendary song over the course…
Originally sung by slaves, the spiritual became a jazz and blues hit in the 1960s, w…
Fiona Sturges follows Patti Smith's lustful 1970s song of youthful abandon.
Richard Clayton on how Tracy Chapman's searing ballad of low income life carried her…
Boney M's unlikely disco ballad was a hit on both sides of the iron curtain but was …
Bruce Springsteen's bleak ballad of American life has been promoted by politicians …
Janis Joplin achieved a posthumous No.
Billy Holiday's secular hymn was born out of a blazing family row and its swaying me…
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