A Town of Timeless Melodies

Following on from my Top 25 songs from Manchester, I thought it would only be fair to travel 30 miles down the M62 and give you my Top 20 songs from Liverpool. Another of Britain's musical institutions. A city that gave us Merseybeat, The Beatles and three of Britain's most elusive songwriters. Before we begin, people of Liverpool I apologise, there will definitely be some huge songs that I have missed.

So in no particular order...

1. The Beatles- In My Life, The 1965 acoustic effort by The Beatles written by Lennon & McCartney. It's a song that often gets overlooked, it is from 'Rubber Soul' which was a transition period for the band, they hadn't quite got to the LSD stage yet, but they weren't the four mop tops from Liverpool either. 'In My Life' is a beautiful piece of music, only just over two minutes in length it still managed to capture something so beautiful and saw Lennon & McCartney transition into the finest song writers of their generation

2. The La's- Looking Glass, The last song on The La's only ever studio album had to make this list. Not only is it the finest song the band ever wrote and recorded, It seemed a perfect end to the story of The La's, a story that really only had just begun. A story of a genius in Lee Maver's who had the ability to write songs as good as this, yet could not come to give the songs away. He famously hates the recording of this song, in fact he hates the whole album the band recorded and released. It's a masterpiece no matter what Mavers may think. It's a spine tingling piece of music that perhaps was too ahead of it's time. Yet it also seems to sound like how Liverpool is as a city. Having spent a lot of time there, they aren't too concerned with how the rest of England is doing, they might have a look through the Looking Glass every now and again. It's the perfect song, and it ends one of the best albums of al time.

3. The Teardrop Explodes- Reward, a 1980s classic, by one of the cities hidden gems. Until recently I didn't know that The Teardrop Explodes were scousers, and they often fly under the radar due to Echo & The Bunnymen and Frankie Goes to Hollywood being around at the same time. However 'Reward' is an absolute brilliant song. Influenced by Love, and written after the band had taken acid, it became the sound track of Liverpool in the 80s, and The Teardrops would go on to influence a whole new generation of Liverpool bands.

4. Cast- Promised Land, from the ashes of The La's, bass player John Power formed Cast. Named after the last word sung by The La's on 'Looking Glass' which also features on this list. They would release 'Promised Land' in 1995 alongside debut album 'All Change' it seemed to take the sounds of Liverpool The Beatles, The La’s, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Teardrop Explodes to create a melodic yet snarling outfit. Lyrically the song has a lot in common with The La's and it's easy to see why they have begun one of Liverpool's most popular bands.

5. Red Rum Club- Would You Rather Be Lonely, a more recent entry to the list. Released in 2019, 'Would You Rather Be Lonely' is a modern indie classic, complete with a big anthem like chorus. Relatable lyrics and a trumpet! I first heard the band in 2021 and have seen them a few times since, and this is the song they always end the sets with and it goes down an absolute storm. They are one of Liverpool's new brightest sparks and after a few huge festival appearances this year. It is really nice to see them get the recognition they deserve.

6. Shack- Streets of Kenny, this song takes the award for the saddest song on this list, named after a place in Liverpool, Kensignton (Kenny) it talks about Liverpool's and the bands problems with heroin. It does aim to provide a romanticist view of the drug as some bands did, for example The Velvet Underground it instead discusses and documents drug use and all of the trials and tribulations that come from drug taking. It's a believeable song because a lot of it is true. Michael Head the songwriter of 'Streets of Kenny' famously has suffered because of the drug and this song seems to document his sufferings, it's both beautiful and brutal.

7. SPINN- Stuck on a Feeling, another recent effort, 'Stuck on a Feeling' was released in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. Yet the song is the epitome of summer time. With feel good guitars, a groovy bass line. It's a dreamy indie pop tune, it does not reinvent the wheel but they aren't trying too. It just wants to be a feel good tune.

8. Circa Waves- Old Friends, this may come as a surprise for some of you, Circa Waves are one of my favourite bands from Liverpool and they are known for festival ready anthems, and indie disco classics. 'Old Friends' doesn't really fall into either of those categories. It's much more of a soulful affair, with a tinge of nostalgia and regret. 'Old Friends' is a side to Circa Waves that we had never really seen before and a side we haven't seen that much since. 

9. The Coral- In the Morning, I know, I know The Coral are from Hoylake which is on the Wirral but if I included Blossoms on the Manchester list then The Coral are getting included on the list for Liverpool. 'In The Morning' has gone to become one of the songs we associate most with The Coral, and for good reason it's brilliant. An acoustic led affair backed up by a £5 piano. It would propel the band from the indie scene into the public's conscience, in it's year of it's release 2005, it was the second most played song on UK radio beaten only by Beyonce's 'Crazy in Love.' The song has gone to become one of the most songs synonymous with the 00s and for those reasons it has to make this list.

10. Echo & The Bunnymen- Seven Seas, I mentioned Echo & The Bunnymen earlier, and it was obvious they would make this list. 'Seven Seas' is from the bands 1984 album 'Ocean Rain an album that woid also give us 'The Killing Moon' two absolute classics on the same album. It's a song about freedom and moving forward, using the sea as a metaphor. The theme of the ocean runs through the whole album, and even in the songs sound and instrumentation it feels much like the sea complete with a floating boat. As seen in the albums cover art. Another of Liverpool's hidden classics.

11. Shack- Time Machine, they were never going to make the list just once. Shack are one of the greatest bands Liverpool ever produced. Michael Head also happens to be one of the greatest songwriters Britain has ever produced. Yet he is an illusive character, who has often had the worst of luck. 'Waterpistol' the album 'Time Machine' features on had been delayed by 5 years after a fire in the studio had destroyed the master tapes. Luckily a copy was found in a rental car in New Mexico. Long story! It was a good job that they were found though because this song is a beautiful piece of music, an epic song that any of the greats would have been proud of. Sitting here today listening to Shack you feel mixed feelings, sadness because they could have been huge if the band could have had a bit of luck and didn't have the drug problems but also a twinge of excitement because those songs are not well known, but for those of us that do know, we know just how great they are.

12. The Beatles- Strawberry Fields Forever, of course I was always going to include more than one Beatles song. I could have chosen so many, but in the end I decided on Lennon's psychedelic look back at his childhood. Lennon look back on his memories of playing in the garden of the Strawberry Field, Salvation Army Children's Home a place close to Lennon's childhood home. The song itself has a childhood innocence about it and many of the places mentioned are real places in Liverpool, yet it is twinged with surrealism, it saw Lennon really dip into the psychedelic genre following the release of 'Revolver'. One of the very best Beatles songs and in my opinion Lennon's greatest song.

13. Echo & The Bunnymen- The Killing Moon, the bands most famous song, and a track that Lead singer Ian McCulloch has gone on record saying that, the song is the greatest song ever written and even credits ‘God’ for helping him write the track. It is a truly dark affair, haunting in places with the sinister vocal delivery, and dark lyrics about god and the powers at be. Musically however the song is pretty simple. The chords of the song were based on David Bowie's "Space Oddity", played backwards. It really allows the lyrics to do the talking.

14. The La's- Timeless Melody, another classic song from Liverpool's Lost Band, 'Timeless Melody is the third song on The La's only album. A unique blend of Merseybeat, The Beatles, The Byrds, and Punk. It's a timeless piece of music, a real pop gem, unlike anything we had ever heard before and to be honest unlike anything we have heard since. Unlike 'Looking Glass' 'Timeless Melody' is just over three minutes long, a short snappy affair that perfectly summarises the band, and exactly what they were all about. If this showcases The La's I wonder what else Mavers has hiding. He has only appeared a handful of times following the release of this record, a record he hates and is embarrassed by as it did not live up to his mythical expectations. He disappeared and has become somewhat of a recluse. A story that is both magical and a bit mental. With an excellent record, and a reclusive songwriter with a bank of songs many would sell their soul for. 

15. Circa Waves- T-Shirt Weather, now this is what you were expecting! A fired up festival anthem. This song has gone to become the bands most famous, featuring on 2015's 'Young Chasers' it has gone on to soundtrack long summer nights, indie discos and festival sets up and down the country ever since. A simple song with a chorus that you cannot help but singalong to. It was made to be chanted at the top of your lungs. It is also the song that helps reinforce Circa Waves as one of Britain's best live bands.

16. Zuzu- My Old Life, Zuzu gives us some female balance. I first heard of her in 2018 when I saw her perform in support of Courteeners in Liverpool. 'My Old Life' was released three years later on 2021 and saw her write about things we can all relate too. It's sincere and soulful songwriting, and it is beautifully delivered, sung loud and proud in her Liverpool accent, you can tell she means every word she sings. It's a brilliant song by a brilliant artist, Liverpool still has plenty more to give!

17. The Zutons- Valerie, A noughties classic about a mysterious girl 'Valerie' who the band met in America and who the bands lead singer Dave McCabe dated, the song is written as a love letter to to this girl. Who had been arrested in America. It's a true indie classic. Of course in 2006 the song was covered by the legendary Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson which was many people's introduction to the song. Including mine. A true classic!

18. The Wombats- Let's Dance to Joy Division, it's taken me to song 18 to include these Marsupials but they were always going to make the list. An ironic masterpiece, that details a night out in Liverpool by bands lead singer Matthew Murphy were he and this then girlfriend danced to Joy Division's 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' on a table, a famously dark and sad song, 'Let's Dance to Joy Division' is far from a dark and sad song though, it's an indie anthem.

19. Jamie Webster- Something's Gotta Give, an acoustic driven protest song that details Britain in the 2020's, it seems to detail everything wrong with today's society. With some hard hitting and poignant lyrics, with a message that rings true. Something really has gotta give, a song that sums up the mood of many. Unsure of where to turn, unsure who to put their faith in.  'Going Underground' for the 2020's.

20. OMD-Enola Gay, one of Britain's snythpop classics with a very dark undertone. The song itself is named after the plane that dropped the first atomic bomb on Japan at the end of World War Two. Written by a band from Liverpool in 1981 about events that happened 35 years before in a city 5800 miles away. It asks questions of the listener and talks about right and wrong and whether the whole thing was necessary at all. A thought provoking classic.

So that brings us to the end. A city that has given us some of the greatest songs ever, and there's what I thought were 20 of the best. What did I miss?

Thank you for reading x