Little Drummer Boy, Peace on Earth
1977
Bowie balked at the carol, so writers built the Peace on Earth counterpoint in an hour; Crosby died weeks later.
★ 4.3
The Songs canon
Sourced and sung.
Every song chosen by hand, with the recording to play it.
Browse all 2,393 songs or filter by genre, subject, artist, and year.
Browse all 2,393 songs or filter by genre, subject, artist, and year.
Crystal Blue Persuasion
1969
James took the title from Revelation's New Jerusalem and floated it over organ, acoustic guitar and overdubbed bongos.
★ 5.3
Get Together
1967
Stalled at sixty-two in 1967, then a brotherhood radio spot pushed the reissue to number five two years later.
★ 5.6
Please Send Me Someone to Love
1950
Cut for Art Rupe's Specialty in 1950, Mayfield's prayer for the world arrives before he asks anything for himself.
★ 6.2
Happy Christmas (War Is Over)
1971
Two years after Lennon and Ono's billboards declared the war over, Spector cut it with a Harlem children's choir.
★ 6.3
Turn! Turn! Turn!
1965 · From Turn! Turn! Turn!
Seeger set Ecclesiastes to a tune in 1959; McGuinn's twelve-string turned it into the number one with the oldest lyrics.
★ 7.0
(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love and Understanding?
1978 · From Armed Forces
Nick Lowe wrote it for a pub-rock flop, produced Costello's B-side version, then got rich when The Bodyguard covered it.
★ 7.0
Pride (In the Name of Love)
1984 · From The Unforgettable Fire
The Edge's chords came out of a soundcheck in Japan; Bono fixed the third verse's timeline on record only in 2023.
★ 7.3
All You Need is LoveThe Beatles
All You Need is Love
1967 · From Magical Mystery Tour
Beamed live to 400 million on the first global satellite link, opening on La Marseillaise, its coda quoting Bach.
★ 7.5
Imagine
1971 · From Imagine
Grapefruit, Ono's book of poems, supplied the idea; Lennon supplied the piano; in 2017 she finally got the credit.
★ 8.5