Playground ditty has roots that could go back to the 11th century
The insistently catchy song was inspired by Mexican Americans and their souped-up cars
Named after Julie Christie’s character in the 1965 film, Maurice Jarre’s tune became a global hit with added lyrics
Two tragedies inspired Hebb to write an uplifting track that travelled from jazz to soul and beyond
Bacharach and David’s 1964 song was widely covered — including an extraordinary version by Isaac Hayes
The Cameroon-born saxophonist’s 1972 tune took off in a New York club and became the most sampled African record ever
The singer was a struggling musician until his eccentric 1968 cover hit the charts
The singer said her 1990 performance was triggered by memories of her mother
The country singer reluctantly tackled a track that went on to become a standard
In ‘The Man Who Knew Too Much’, she put her stamp on a ballad sung in mangled Spanglish
Holland-Dozier-Holland song followed a fascinating trajectory
The 1979 track by a band who sang about ‘small things in small towns’ featured a thunderous new drum sound
Countless artist have covered it, and the song inspired legions of burgeoning guitarists
The singer was one of a handful who successfully navigated the song’s wayward emotions
Songwriter Mike Scott says he was inspired by a sense of ‘wonderment’ — and by a collage of influences, including Prince
Others have tried to capture the song’s aura of warm reassurance, though few have carried it off
The band’s storming classic was based on an old gospel blues number first recorded in 1927
Baccara’s 1977 track was covered by dance-pop acts such as Goldfrapp — and will be belted out during this summer’s Euro 2024 tournament
Written by Johnny Mercer after his affair with Judy Garland ended, the first of many renditions was sung by Fred Astaire
The singer’s heartfelt plea has resonated and been reimagined since its release
The track reflected the sense of excitement and desperation portrayed in the 1977 movie
The great trumpeter channelled the song’s New Orleans roots, though some claim it goes back a thousand years
Re-recorded and sampled by musicians such as Pink Floyd and Hank Marvin, the piece returns in the latest series
A minor hit for Dandy, the song was given punky attitude by the 2-Tone band — and featured a trombonist’s reprise performance
