Jazz is the seventh studio album by the British rock band Queen. It was released on 10 November 1978 by EMI Records in the United Kingdom and by Elektra Records in the United States. Produced by Roy Thomas Baker, the album artwork was suggested by Roger Taylor, who previously saw a similar design painted on the Berlin Wall. The album's varying musical styles were alternately praised and criticised. It reached number two in the UK Albums Chart and number six on the US Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart.
"Take Me Home, Country Roads", also known simply as "Country Roads", is a song written by Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert and John Denver. It was released as a single performed by Denver on April 12, 1971, peaking at number two on Billboard's US Hot 100 singles for the week ending August 28, 1971. The song was a success on its initial release and was certified Gold by the RIAA on August 18, 1971, and Platinum on April 10, 2017. The song became one of John Denver's most popular songs. It has continued to sell, with over 1.6 million digital copies sold in the United States.
"Help!" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that served as the title song for the 1965 film and its soundtrack. It was released as a single in July 1965, and was number one for three weeks in the United States and the United Kingdom.
"Dreaming" is a song by American new wave band Blondie. Released in 1979, the song was the opening track from their fourth album Eat to the Beat. Written by guitarist Chris Stein and singer Debbie Harry and partially inspired by ABBA's "Dancing Queen," the song also features an active drum performance by drummer Clem Burke, who did not expect the final recording to feature his busy drum track.
"The Winner Takes It All" is a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA. Released as the first single from the group's seventh studio album, Super Trouper (1980), it is a ballad in the key of G-flat major, reflecting on the end of a relationship. The single's B-side was the non-album track "Elaine". The song peaked at No.1 in several countries, including the UK, where it became their eighth chart-topper. It was also the group's final top 10 hit in the United States. It was written by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, with Agnetha Fältskog singing the lead vocal.
"Crazy Rap", also known as "Colt 45 and 2 Zig-Zags" or simply "Colt 45", is a song by American rapper Afroman. It was featured on his third album, Sell Your Dope, and was later included on his greatest hits album, The Good Times. It is often referred to as "Colt 45", as the hook states "Colt 45 and two Zig-Zags, baby that's all we need". The song failed to replicate the success of its predecessor but it nonetheless still charted across Europe, reaching the top 10 in the UK.
"Smalltown Boy" is a song by British synth-pop band Bronski Beat, released in May 1984 as the first single from their debut album, The Age of Consent (1984). The song was a big commercial success, reaching number three in the band's native UK. It was also a number one hit in the Netherlands and Belgium, and hit the top 10 in Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland and West Germany. The track reached number 48 in the US pop chart and was a number one US dance hit. A remix by Stephen Hague was released as a single on 24 December 1990. The song was released again in December 2013 after featuring in a Christmas advertising campaign for Boots UK. "Smalltown Boy" was also re-recorded by Jimmy Somerville and released as "Smalltown Boy Reprise" (2014) for the 30th anniversary of its initial release.
"Let the Beat Control Your Body" is a song by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited. It was released by various labels in January 1994 as the fifth and final single from the band's second album, No Limits (1993). The album version is largely instrumental and contains just a few spoken words from bandmembers Ray Slijngaard and Anita Doth. The single version contains full verses rapped by Slijngaard and a new chorus sung by Doth, which were co-written by them both. The song enjoyed chart success in many European countries, peaking at number two in the Netherlands and within the top 10 in Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain and the United Kingdom. It was nominated in the category for Best Song on MTV Awards. Nigel Simpkiss directed the music video for "Let the Beat Control Your Body".
"Dub Be Good to Me" is a song by British dub group Beats International featuring singer Lindy Layton, released on 24 January 1990 as the first single from their debut album, Let Them Eat Bingo (1990). It was written by frontman Norman Cook and interprets the SOS Band's 1983 hit "Just Be Good to Me", which it is named after. It also samples the songs "The Guns of Brixton" by the Clash, the Once Upon a Time in the West theme by Ennio Morricone, and "Jam Hot" by Johnny Dynell.
"Have a Nice Day" is a song by American rock band Bon Jovi. Written, composed and produced by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, and John Shanks, "Have a Nice Day" was the first single released from the band's 2005 album of the same name. The overall message of the song can be taken several ways, but reflects an overall theme of both tolerance and defiance, and its title has a discordant effect from its message. Musically, the song features a propulsive blast of power chords, drum beats, and sneering vocals, as well as choruses and hooks similar to Bon Jovi's previous material. It received a positive reception from critics, some of whom praised the song's arrangement and message; both favorable and unfavorable comparisons were made to the band's previous hit "It's My Life".
"Patience" is a song by British boy band Take That. It was released on 13 November 2006 as the first single from their comeback album, Beautiful World. The single peaked at the top of the UK Singles Chart, and also topped the charts in Germany, Spain and Switzerland, as well as peaking in the top ten of the charts in Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Austria and Sweden.
"Shine" is the second single taken from English pop group Take That's comeback album, Beautiful World (2006). It became Take That's sixth consecutive number one single and their tenth number-one overall, making them one of only seven acts in the history of the UK charts to have more than nine number one hits. The song is about former Take That member Robbie Williams' battle with depression.
"Dr. Beat" is the first international single released by the American band Miami Sound Machine, led by Cuban-American singer Gloria Estefan, on their first English language, but eighth overall, studio album, Eyes of Innocence (1984). The song which was written by the band's lead songwriter and drummer Enrique "Kiki" Garcia and was released worldwide in 1984 becoming a top success across Europe where the album impacted the charts with this hit.
"Beat It" is a song by American singer Michael Jackson from his sixth studio album, Thriller (1982). It was written and composed by Jackson and produced by Quincy Jones and co-produced by Jackson. Jones encouraged Jackson to include a rock song on the album. Jackson later said: "I wanted to write a song, the type of song that I would buy if I were to buy a rock song... and I wanted the children to really enjoy it—the school children as well as the college students." It includes a guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen.
"All or Nothing" is a song recorded by American boy band O-Town. The pop ballad was written by Wayne Hector and Steve Mac, and produced by Mac. It was released on March 20, 2001, as the second single from their debut album, O-Town (2001). The song reached number three in the United States, number five in Canada, and number four in the United Kingdom.
"Buffalo Gals" is a 1982 hip hop single released by Malcolm McLaren and the World's Famous Supreme Team, from McLaren's 1983 album Duck Rock. The song is composed of extensive scratching with calls from square dancing. The music video prominently features the Rock Steady Crew.
"The Flood" is a song by British pop group Take That from their sixth studio album, Progress (2010). It was released as the lead single in the United Kingdom on 7 November 2010. The song is the first to feature Robbie Williams since his return to the band in July 2010, and features both Williams and Gary Barlow on lead vocals.
"Take Me to Church" is a song by Irish singer-songwriter Hozier. It was released as his debut single on 13 September 2013, originally featuring on his extended play of the same name, before being featured as the opening track of his 2014 debut album Hozier. A struggling musician at the time of its composition, Hozier wrote and recorded the song in the attic of his parents' home in County Wicklow. A mid-tempo soul song, its lyrics use religious terminology to describe a romantic relationship in the face of Church discrimination. The song caught the attention of Rubyworks Records, where producer Rob Kirwan collaborated with Hozier on the final recording.
"Guilty Conscience" is a song by written, produced, and performed by American rapper Eminem featuring fellow American rapper Dr. Dre. It was released as the third and final single from the former's The Slim Shady LP (1999). It was also released on his 2005 greatest hits album Curtain Call: The Hits.
"Greased Lightnin'" is a song from the 1971 musical Grease which was also adapted into the 1978 film Grease. A soundtrack recording from the film version, with John Travolta on lead vocals, peaked at No. 47 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978.
