http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxLFav1Z9EY "It's time the tale was told, of how you took a child and you made him old." In the competition for the best ever opening line of a song, this takes some beating, although The Smiths do eclipse it twice, with songs number three and one on this list. Again, for a self-avowed celibate, Morrissey couldn't half write about the emotions of love incredibly vividly. His vicarious existence and youth spent 'swimming in books' was a factor, as was his obvious horniness, sadly tethered by his shyness. This is one of his many paeans to Sheila Delany, literally stealing from her play 'A Taste of Honey' word for word. Suede would not have existed without this song, with its submissiveness 'I'll take it slowly', flirtation 'people said you were easily lead, and they were half right.' and above all intimacy 'You can pin and mount me like a butterfly.' If you've never heard this song I urge that you do so right away. And then listen to it again.
What makes music fantastic? Star quality, amazing music, breathtaking lyrics and the ability to bring something new to the table, even if that means a new take on the classics. That's what I love to listen to and write about.
As well as writing for What Culture, I occasionally write a blog http://tedney.blogspot.co.uk and sometimes use Twitter, but sparingly @TedneyNash