Best 100 Songs in 100 Years
in the opinion of Paul V. Hartman

The Top 20

Rank  Song Title   Original   Best Rendition  
1.
  Only You  Platters   
2.
  Good Vibrations   Beach Boys   
3.
  Hotel California   Eagles   
4.
  Every Breath You Take   Sting   
5.
  Suspicion   Terry Stafford   
6.
  Lady in Red   Chris DeBurgh   
7.
  Desperado   Eagles  Linda Ronstad 
8.
  I Fall To Pieces   Patsy Cline   
9.
  Love Letters  Ketty Lester   
10.
  Rhiannon   Fleetwood Mac   
11.
  Here,There, & Everywhere   Beatles  EmmyLou Harris 
12.
  Take My Breath Away   Berlin   
13.
  Unchained Melody   Rightous Brothers   
14.
  Sixteen Candles   Crests   
15.
  Proud Mary   Credence C. R.   
16.
  Twelve Thirty   Mamas and Papas   
17.
  Can't Take My Eyes Off of You   Frankie Valli   
18.
  Look Thru My Window   Mamas and Papas   
19.
  Our Love Will Go On   Celine Dion   
20.
  Ragdoll   Four Seasons   

The Rest of the Best...

Rank  Song Title   Original   Best Rendition  
21.
  You Were On My Mind   Ian & Sylvia  We Five  
22.
  Its Not Unusual   Tom Jones   
23.
  To Know Him Is To Love Him  Teddy Bears  EmmyLou Harris 
24.
  The Letter   Medallions  Boxtops 
25.
  You Got It   Roy Orbison   
26.
  Chances Are   Johnny Mathis   
27.
  One of Us  Abba   
28.
  Where Did Our Love Go   Supremes   
29.
  Our Day Will Come   Ruby & Romantics   
30.
  Diamond Girl   Seals & Crofts   
31.
  Every Day   Buddy Holly   
32.
  The Boxer   Simon & Garfunkle   
33.
  Summer In The City  Lovin' Spoonful   
34.
  Loving You   Minnie Ripperton   
35.
  She's A Lady   Tom Jones   
36.
  There'll Never Be Anyone Else   Rick Nelson   
37.
  Rescue Me   Fontanna Bass   
38.
  Walk Away Renee   Left Banke  Four Tops  
39.
  Queen Of Hearts   Juice Newton   
40.
  Got A Feelin'   Mamas and Papas   
41.
  Peace Train   Cat Stevens   
42.
  Only The Lonely   Roy Orbison   
43.
  Gotta Go Now   Moody Blues   
44.
  Baby Its You   Smith Shirelles  
45.
  Midnite Train to Georgia   Gladys Knight   
46.
  Evergreen   Barbara Streisand   
47.
  Its Now Or Never   Elvis Presley   
48.
  Runaway   Del Shannon   
49.
  Maggie May   Rod Stewart   
50.
  Wooly Bully   Sam the Sham   
51.
  That'll Be The Day  Buddy Holly   
52.
  Hurt   Timi Yuro   
53.
  When Will I Be Loved  Everly Brothers   
54.
  The Tide Is High   Blondie   
55.
  Stay   Maurice Williams   
56.
  All I Have To Do   Everly Brothers   
57.
  The Rapper   Jaggerz   
58.
  I Heard It Thru The Grapevine  Marvin Gaye  Credence C. R. 
59.
  Big Girls Don't Cry   Four Seasons   
60.
  Sounds of Silence  Simon & Garfunkle   
61.
  Summer Breeze   Seals & Crofts   
62.
  Hopelessly Devoted To You   Olivia Newton John   
63.
  Love Is Strange   Micky and Sylvia   
64.
  I Call Your Name  Beatles  Mamas & Papas 
65.
  He Will Break Your Heart  Jerry Butler   
66.
  Little Darlin'  Diamonds   
67.
  One Less Bell To Answer  5th Dimension   
68.
  Cathy's Clown  Everly Brothers   
69.
  I Hear A Symphony  Supremes   
70.
  Time In A Bottle  Jim Croce   
71.
  WorkingMyWayBackToYou  Four Seasons   
72.
  California Girls  Beach Boys   
73.
  Love Will Keep Us Together  Captain & Tennile   
74.
  Can't Help Falling In Love  Elvis Presley   
75.
  Silhouettes  The Rays   
76.
  Groovin'  Young Rascals   
77.
  Going Out Of My Head  Little Anthony   
78.
  Walk On By  Dionne Warwick   
79.
  Dream Lover  Bobby Darin   
80.
  Chiquitita  Abba   
81.
  Moon Shadow  Cat Stevens   
82.
  I Think We're Alone Now  Tommy James   
83.
  Don't Stop  Fleetwood Mac   
84.
  Mack The Knife  Bobby Darin   
85.
  You Won't See Me  Beatles  Ann Murray 
86.
  Return To Sender  Elvis Presley   
87.
  The Gambler  Kenny Rogers   
88.
  Suspicious Minds  Elvis Presley   
89.
  This Magic Moment  Jay & Americans   
90.
  Never My Love  The Association   
91.
  I Can't Smile Without You  Barry Manilow   
92.
  Under The Boardwalk  Drifters   
93.
  Eleanor Rigby  Beatles  Ritchie Havens 
94.
  Mockingbird  Carly Simon   
95.
  Morning Has Broken  Cat Stevens   
96.
  Bette Davis Eyes  Kim Carnes   
97.
  Lonely Teardrops  Jackie Wilson   
98.
  Denise  Randy & Rainmakers   
99.
  I Know  Barbara George   
100.
  LongCoolWoman/BlackDress  The Hollies   



Best Instrumentals in 100 Years

Rank  Song Title   Original   Best Rendition  
1.
  Love Theme: St. Elmo's Fire     
2.
  Theme From A Summer Place  Percy Faith   
3.
  Sleepwalk  Santo & Johnny   
4.
  Color My World  Chicago   
5.
  Walk Don't Run  The Ventures   
6.
  Because They're Young  Duane Eddy   


The Best of Disco in 100 Years

Rank  Song Title   Original   Best Rendition  
1.
  Turn The Beat Around  VickiSueRobinson   
2.
  Staying Alive  Bee Gees   
3.
  Dancing Queen  Abba   
4.
  More, More, More  Andrea True   
5.
  I Will Survive  Gloria Gaynor   
6.
  Night Fever  Bee Gees   
7.
  SheWorksHardForTheMoney  Donna Summer   
8.
  Heart Attack  OliviaNewtonJohn   
9.
  You Should Be Dancin'  Bee Gees   


A lot of good stuff had to be left out of the 100...

Yesterday (Beatles)
Let The River Run (Carly Simon)
Louie, Louie (The Kingsmen)
Twist and Shout (Isley Brothers)
Time of the Season (Zombies)
Hooked On A Feeling (BJ Thomas)
S.O.S. (Abba)
Physical (Olivia Newton John)
Windy (Association)
Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon and Garfunkel)
Judy in Disguise (John Fred)
You've Lost Loving Feeling (Righteous Brothers)
I Write The Songs (Barry Manilow)
Where Did Our Love Go (Supremes)
In the Still of the Night (Five Satins)
Stop In The Name of Love (Supremes)
Imagine (John Lennon)
Lady (Kenny Rogers)
Let It Be (Beatles)
Dawn (Four Seasons)
Return to Sender (Elvis Presley)
Chapel of Love (Dixie Cups)
For The Benefit of Mr. Kite (Beatles)
Scotch and Soda (Kingston Trio)
(You Are) My Special Angel (Vogues)
Since I Don't Have You (Skyliners)
He Will Break Your Heart (Jerry Butler)
Quarter to 3 (Gary Us Bonds)
Young Girl (Gary Plunkett)
Hello Marylou (Rick Nelson)
Five O'Clock World (The Vogues)
Witchy Woman (Eagles)
Precious and Few (Climax)
Bird Dog (Everly Brothers)
Come Saturday Morning (Sandpipers)
Tracy (Cuff Links)
Lightnin' Strikes (Lou Christie)
Wouldn't It Be Nice (Beach Boys)
Touch Me In The Morning (Diana Ross)
Book of Love (Monotones)
Ventura Highway (America)
My Girl (Temptations)
My World Is Empty Without You (Supremes)
Tears on My Pillow (Little Anthony/Imperials)
Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond)
Magic (Olivia Newton John)
A Horse With No Name (America)
Precious and Few (Climax)
Dizzy (Tommy Roe)
Downtown (Petula Clark)
Summer In The City (Lovin' Spoonful)
Delilah (Tom Jones)
Get Together (Youngbloods)
Monday, Monday (Mamas & Papas)

Did I make a glaring omision? Send me email.