THE iNFOMAN ALL-TIME HOT 100
(compiled  2 March 1976)

I recently discovered a list I had compiled of my all-time favourite 100 singles, dated 2 March 1976. This interested me because it was a snap shot of what music I was finding to enjoy just before the punk movement took off. I had yet to hear 'The Ramones', though later in the year it became available at, as Morrissey describes, "a cruel £5.29 on import". Even Nick Lowe and the Damned, who kicked off the Stiff Records charabanc, had yet to arrive, and tales of the Sex Pistols were still months off. I remember it as a rather stale time. Soul music had been killed off by Disco, Blues had gone underground. Pub Rock was the biggest new buzz we had, but most of the music we were listening to was from established artists like Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell.  As it was only March it is not surprising that nothing from 1976 appears in the list, but it must be significant that only 22% dates from the Seventies at all.
In many cases I have stated what album a single was originally included on, but the absence of this information is not intended to indicate it was a non-album track, though some were.
I was very surprised at some of the placings on the list, but I realised that some weighting had taken place so that if someone was already represented by a single, further singles would appear lower in the chart to more fairly represent other artists. Even so, did I really rate Stealers Wheel so highly? How could I have put Domino higher than Them's Baby Please Don't Go? Otis Redding's My Girl is great but did I really prefer it to the Temptations' original?
Right Or Wrong is one of only three tracks not currently in my digital collection, the others being Roxy Music's All I Want Is You, because I haven't got around to replacing my vinyl copy of Country Life, and Van Morrison's Caldonia (which introduced me to Louis Jordan and his Tympani Five), a non-album single that didn't chart and doesn't seem to crop up on anthologies.
As the chart was compiled in one day from an imperfect set of data, errors of omission have crept in, but I have made only two very obvious corrections, otherwise the list stands exactly as it was

1. Bob Dylan - Like a rolling stone 
   (A-side of single, from Highway 61 Revisited, 1965/6/15 R)

2. Ike & Tina Turner - River deep, mountain high 
   (A-side of single, from River Deep - Mountain High, 1966/3/6 R)

3. Beach Boys - Good vibrations 
   (A-side of 21st Capitol single, from Smiley Smile, 1966/2/18-1966/10 R)

4. Bob Dylan - Subterranean homesick blues 
   (A-side of single, from Bringing It All Back Home, 1965/1/14 R)

5. Beatles - Help!/
   I'm down
   (A/B-sides of single, from HELP!, 1965/4/13 R and 1965/6/14 R)

6. Ronettes - Be my baby 
   (A-side of single, from Presenting The Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica, 1963/7 R)

7. Jimi Hendrix Experience - All along the watchtower 
   (cover of Bob Dylan)
   (A-side of single, from Electric Ladyland, 1968/1/21-26 R)

8. Rolling Stones - It's all over now 
   (cover of the Valentinos)
   (A-side of single, 1964/6/10-11 R)

9. Beach Boys - God only knows/
   Wouldn't it be nice
   (A/B-sides of 20th single, from Pet Sounds, 1966/3/9 and 1966/1/21 R)

10. Jimi Hendrix Experience - Hey Joe 
    (cover of Tim Rose)/
    Stone free
    (A/B-sides of 1st single, 1966/10/23 R and 1966/11/2 R)

11. Grateful Dead - Dark star/
    Born cross-eyed 
    (A/B-sides of single, 1968)

12. Van Morrison - Domino 
    (A-side of single, from Van Morrison, His Band And Street Choir, 1970)

13. Roxy Music - All I want is you 
    (A-side of single, from Country Life, 1974)

14. Them - Baby, please don't go 
    (cover of Big Joe Williams)/
    Gloria 
    (A/AA-sides of 2nd single, 1964)

15. Bob Dylan - Positively 4th Street 
    (A-side of single, 1965/7/29 R)

16. Byrds - Mr Tambourine Man/
    I knew I'd want you
    (cover of Bob Dylan)
    (A/B-sides of 1st single, from Mr Tambourine Man, 1965/1/20 R)

17. Beatles - Strawberry Fields forever/
    Penny Lane 
    (A/AA-sides of 12th single, 1966/11/29-1966/12/9 R)

18. Crystals - He's a rebel 
    (A-side of single, 1962/7 R)

19. Who - Anyway, anyhow, anywhere 
    (A-side of 2nd single, 1965/4 R)

20. David Bowie - Young Americans 
    (A-side of single, from Young Americans, 1974/8 R)

21. Elvis Presley - Hound Dog 
    (cover of Big Mama Thornton)/
    Don't be cruel 
    (A/B-sides of single, 1956/7/2 R)

22. Who - My generation 
    (A-side of 3rd single, 1965/10/13 R)

23. Bob Marley & the Wailers - No woman no cry 
    (A-side of single, from Live!, recorded live, Lyceum, London, 1975/7/18 R)

24. Shangri-Las - Remember (Walkin' in the sand)
    (A-side of 1st single, 1964)

25. Manfred Mann - Pretty flamingo 
    (A-side of single, 1966)

26. Nina Simone - Don't let me be misunderstood/
    I put a spell on you 
    (cover of Screaming Jay Hawkins)
    (A/B-sides of single, 1964)

27. Sir Douglas Quintet - She's about a mover 
    (A-side of single, 1965)

28. Kinks - You really got me 
    (A-side of 3rd single, from Kinks, 1964/7 R)

29. Aretha Franklin - I say a little prayer 
    (cover of Dionne Warwick)
    (A-side of single, 1968)

30. Bob Dylan - Can you please crawl out your window? 
    (A-side of single, 1965/11 R)

31. Otis Redding - My girl 
    (cover of the Temptations)
    (A-side of single, from Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul, 1965/7/9 R)

32. Ronettes - Do I love you? 
    (A-side of 4th Philles single, from The Fabulous Ronettes), 1964/5 R)

33. Buddy Holly - Heartbeat/
    Well... alright 
    (A/B-sides of single, 1958/2-1958/8 R)

34. Bob Dylan - Hurricane 
    (A-side of single, from Desire, 1975/7-1975/10 R)

35. Beatles - Hello, goodbye/
    I am the walrus 
    (A/B-sides of 14th single, 1967/10/2-11/2 R and 1967/9/5 R)

36. Rolling Stones - Brown sugar 
    (A-side of single, from Sticky Fingers, 1971)

37. Procol Harum - A whiter shade of pale 
    (A-side of 1st single, 1967)

38. Animals - House of the Rising Sun 
    (cover of Josh White)
    (A-side of 2nd single, 1964/2 R)

39. Joni Mitchell - Rainy night house (Live)
    (B-side of single, from Miles of Aisles, recorded live, 1974/8/14 R)

40. Booker T and the MGs - Boot-leg 
    (A-side of single, 1965)

41. David Bowie - Life on Mars? 
    (A-side of single, from Hunky Dory, 1971/7 R)

42. The Crickets featuring Buddy Holly - That'll be the day/
    I'm looking for someone to love 
    (A/B-sides of single, 1957/2/25 R)

43. Rolling Stones - Let's spend the night together/
    Ruby Tuesday 
    (A/AA-sides of single, 1966/8-1967/1 R and 1966/11/16 R)

44. Van Morrison - Brown eyed girl 
    (A-side of single, from Blowin' Your Mind, 1967/3/28 R)

45. Jefferson Airplane - Somebody to love 
    (cover of the Great Society)/
    She has funny cars
    (A/B-sides of single, from Surrealistic Pillow, 1967)

46. Love - The castle 
    (A-side of UK single, from Da Capo, 1967)

47. Elvis Presley - Mystery train 
    (cover of Little Junior's Blue Flames)
    (A-side of 5th single, 1955/2 R)

48. Simon and Garfunkel - The boxer 
    (A-side of single, from Bridge Over Troubled Water, 1968/11/16 R)

49. Van Morrison - Bulbs 
    (A-side of single, from Veedon Fleece, 1974)

50. Tim Buckley - Morning glory 
    (A-side of single, from Goodbye And Hello, 1967/6 R)

51. Chuck Berry - Sweet little sixteen/
    Reelin' and rockin' 
    (A/B-sides of 9th single, from One Dozen Berrys, 1957)

52. Coasters - Shoppin' for clothes 
    (A-side of single, 1960)

53. Stealers Wheel - Right or wrong 
    (A-side of single, from Right Or Wrong, 1975)

54. Them - Here comes the night 
    (A-side of 3rd single, 1965)

55. Rolling Stones - Not fade away 
    (cover of Buddy Holly)
    (A-side of single, 1964)

56. Spencer Davis Group - I'm a man 
    (A-side of single, 1967)

57. Kinks - Waterloo sunset 
    (A-side of 13th single, from Something Else By The Kinks, 1967/4 R)

58. Dion - The Wanderer/
    The Majestic
    (A/B-sides of single, from Runaround Sue, 1961)

59. Joni Mitchell - Free man in Paris 
    (A-side of single, from Court And Spark, 1974)

60. Chuck Berry - Bye bye Johnny 
    (A-side of 22nd single, from Rockin' At The Hops, 1960)

61. Buddy Holly - 
    It doesn't matter anymore/
    Raining in my heart 
    (A/B-sides of single, 1958/10 R)

62. Pretty Things - Honey, I need/
    I can never say 
    (A/B-sides of single, 1965)

63. Rolling Stones - Honky tonk woman 
    (A-side of single, 1968 R)

64. Roxy Music - 
    Pyjamarama (A-side of 2nd single, 1973)

65. Animals - We've gotta get out of this place 
    (A-side of 6th single, 1965 R)

66. Moody Blues - Go now 
    (cover of Bessie Banks)
    (A-side of 2nd single, 1964)

67. Lovin' Spoonful - You didn't have to be so nice 
    (A-side of 2nd single, 1965)

68. Small Faces - Tin soldier 
    (A-side of 3rd Immediate single, 1967)

69. Beach Boys - Darlin' 
    (A-side of single, from Wild Honey, 1967)

70. Van Morrison - Caldonia 
    (cover of Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five)
    (A-side of single, 1974)

71. Gladys Knight and the Pips - I heard it through the grapevine 
    (A-side of single, from Everybody Needs Love, 1967)

72. Faces - You can make me dance, sing or anything 
    (A-side of single, 1974 R)

73. Marvin Gaye - Let's get it on 
    (A-side of single, original version from Let's Get It On, 1973)

74. Derek and the Dominos - Layla 
    (A-side of single, original version from Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs, 1970/9-10 R)

75. Lovin' Spoonful - Summer in the city 
    (A-side of single, from Hums Of The Lovin' Spoonful, 1966)

76. Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band - Too much time/
    My head is my only house unless it rains 
    (A/B-sides of single, from Clear Spot, 1972 R)

77. Supremes - Come see about me 
    (A-side of 11th single, from Where Did Our Love Go, 1964)

78. Beach Boys - You need a mess of help to stand alone 
    (A-side of single, from Carl And The Passions "So Tough", 1971/12-1972/4 R)

79. Temptations - It's growing 
    (A-side of 11th single, from The Temptations Sing Smokey, 1965)

80. Love - 7 and 7 is 
    (A-side of 2nd single, from Da Capo, 1966/6/17 R)

81. Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and the Trinity - This wheel's on fire 
    (cover of Bob Dylan)
    (A-side of single, 1967)

82. Miracles - The tracks of my tears 
    (A-side of single, from Going To A Go-Go, 1965)

83. Ronettes - Walking in the rain 
    (A-side of 5th Philles single, from The Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica, 1964/9 R)

84. Maria Muldaur - Midnight at the oasis 
    (A-side of single, from Midnight At The Oasis, 1974)

85. Dr Feelgood - Roxette 
    (A-side of 1st single, from Down By The Jetty, 1974/8-9 R)

86. Martha and the Vandellas - Dancing in the street 
    (A-side of 7th single, from Dance Party, 1964)

87. Righteous Brothers - You've lost that lovin' feeling 
    (A-side of single, 1965)

88. Dion - Ruby baby 
    (cover of the Drifters)
    (A-side of single, 1962/12/15 R)

89. Rolling Stones - Jumpin' Jack Flash 
    (A-side of single, 1966 R)

90. Otis Redding - (Sittin' on) The dock of the bay 
    (A-side of single, 1967/12/7 R)

91. Roxy Music - Virginia Plain 
    (A-side of 1st single, 1972/3 R)

92. Vanilla Fudge - You keep me hangin' on 
    (cover of the Supremes)
    (A-side of single, 1967/2 R)

93. Beatles - Day Tripper/
    We can work it out 
    (A/AA-sides of single, 1965/10/16-29 R)

94. Byrds - 8 miles high/
    Why
    (A/B-sides of single, from Fifth Dimension, 1966/1/25 R)

95. Wilson Pickett - In the midnight hour 
    (A-side of single, 1965/5/12 R)

96. Beatles - Hey Jude/
    Revolution 
    (A/AA-sides of 16th single, 1968/7-8 R)

97. Stevie Wonder - I was made to love her 
    (A-side of single, from I Was Made To Love Her, 1967)

98. Who - I can see for miles 
    (A-side of single, from The Who Sell Out, 1967/9/15 R)

99. Dionne Warwick - Walk on by 
    (A-side of single, originally B-side of Any Old Time Of The Day, 1964)

100. Small Faces - All or nothing 
     (A-side of 5th single, 1966)

Bubbling under

101. Four Tops - Loving you is sweeter than ever 
     (A-side of single, 1966)

102. Bob Dylan - Tangled up in blue 
     (A-side of single, from Blood On The Tracks, 1974)

103. Sandie Shaw - (There's) Always something there to remind me 
     (cover of Dionne Warwick, 1st recorded by Lou Johnson)
     (A-side of single, 1964)

104. Jefferson Airplane - White rabbit/
     Plastic fantastic lover
     (A/B-sides of single, 1967)

105. Jimi Hendrix Experience - The wind cries Mary
     (A-side of 3rd single, 1967/2/4 R)

This page was last updated on 18 April, 2006