MUSIC legend Bob Dylan's soulful classic Like a Rolling Stone has been voted the greatest song of all time by Rolling Stone magazine.
| "I feel a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and posted their greatest songs here!" |
The song, penned by the 24-year-old folk-rocker in 1965, topped the magazine's list of "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" that will appear in a special edition this weekend. The hit that captured the searching spirit of the 1960s was voted the best song ever by 172 writers and artists, including Joni Mitchell, Elvis Costello and K.D. Lang. The music of the turbulent and artistically rich sixties dominated the list, producing more than 200 of the 500 songs, with The Beatles leading the musical charge. Britain's Fab Four were responsible for 23 of the top 500 songs, while The Rolling Stones scored 14 and Dylan 12.
Following Like a Rolling Stone on the list was The Rolling Stones' (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (1965) in second place and former Beatle John Lennon's 1971 song Imagine in third. Fourth was Marvin Gaye's 1971 hit What's Going On, followed by Aretha Franklin Respect (1967), The Beach Boys Good Vibrations (1966) and rocker Chuck Berry's Johnny B. Goode (1958). In eighth spot was The Beatles' Hey Jude' from 1968, followed by grunge rock band Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit (1991) and soul king Ray Charles's What'd I Say (1959). Some 144 of the top tunes were penned in the 1970s, while the 1980s glam rock era contributed only 55 songs. Among the other Beatles's tunes on the list are 1965's Yesterday, I Want To Hold Your Hand, (1964), Let it Be from 1970, Help (1965), 1967's Strawberry Fields Forever, Eleanor Rigby (1966), Please Please Me and Can't Buy Me Love, both from 1964, and With A Little Help From My Friends (1967).
The Stones scored with Sympathy For The Devil (1968), Gimme Shelter(1969), Honky Tonk Women (1969), Jumpin' Jack Flash (1968), Ruby Tuesday (1967) and Brown Sugar (1971). Dylan's other triumphs were Blowin' in the Wind and The Times They Are A-Changin', both from 1963, Tangled Up In Blue (1975), Mr Tambourine Man (1965) and Knocking On Heaven's Door (1973). The Beach Boys scored seven songs on the list, including 1966's Good Vibrations, God Only Knows (1966) and California Girls (1965) and Sloop John B (1966). British punk rockers The Clash scored four entries, led by their 1982 classic Should I Stay or Should I Go? and London Calling. The legally-embattled Michael Jackson came in at No.58 for 1983's Billie Jean and in No.337 for Beat It. |