390Elton John, 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road'

Writers:John, Bernie TaupinProducer:Gus DudgeonReleased:Sept. '73, MCA17 weeks; No. 2Inspired by theRolling Stones'Goats Head Soup,Johnand lyricist Taupin went to Kingston, Jamaica, to record John's sixth album. "The studio was surrounded by barbed wire," said Taupin, "and there were guys with machine guns." Too scared to leave their hotel, the duo wrote 21 songs in three days, including "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road."Appears on:Goodbye Yellow Brick Road(Island)RELATED:500 Greatest Albums of All Time: Elton John'sGoodbye Yellow Brick Road100 Greatest Singers of All Time: Elton John100 Greatest Artists of All Time: Elton John 389R.E.M., 'Radio Free Europe'

Writers:R.E.M.Producers:Mitch Easter, Don DixonReleased:July '83, I.R.S.5 weeks; No. 78"We hated it," said Peter Buck of the sound on the first version of "Europe," on indie label Hib-Tone. "It was mastered by a deaf man, apparently."R.E.M.rerecorded it forMurmur, with a richer melody and tighter rhythm "like Motown," Buck recalled. Michael Stipe mumbled his lyrics a vague riff on U.S. cultural imperialism because he hadn't finished writing them when it was time to record.Appears on:Murmur(A&M)RELATED:500 Greatest Albums of All Time: R.E.M.'sMurmur100 Best Albums of the Eighties: R.E.M.'sMurmur 388U2, 'Pride (In the Name of Love)'

Writers:Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr.Producers:Brian Eno, Daniel LanoisReleased:Oct. '84, Island15 weeks; No. 33The chords came from a 1983 soundcheck in Hawaii; the lyrics about Martin Luther King Jr. were inspired by an exhibit at Chicago's Peace Museum. With backing vocals byPretenderssinger Chrissie Hynde (credited as Mrs. Christine Kerr; she was married to Jim Kerr of Simple Minds at the time), the result was the band's first Top 40 hit.Appears on:The Unforgettable Fire(Island)RELATED:100 Greatest Artists of All Time: U2100 Greatest Singers of All Time: Bono 387Ray Charles, 'Hit the Road Jack'

Writer:Percy MayfieldProducer:Sid FellerReleased:Sept. '61, ABC-Paramount11 weeks; No. 1Charlesasked Mayfield, a one-time R&B hitmaker whose performing career was curtailed by a car accident in 1952, if he had any songs for Charles to record. Mayfield offered up "Hit the Road Jack." The snarling female vocal was provided by Margie Hendricks of the Raelettes. Hendricks' affair with Charles produced a son in 1959; Charles fired her from the Raelettes in 1964.Appears on:Ultimate Hits Collection(Rhino)RELATED:100 Greatest Artists of All Time: Ray Charles100 Greatest Singers of All Time: Ray Charles 386Yeah Yeah Yeahs, 'Maps'

Writers:Yeah Yeah YeahsProducer:David Andrew SitekReleased:Feb. '04, Interscope13 weeks; No. 87"Maps" is both a soul ballad and an art-punk classic, with torrents of jagged guitar noise and thundering drums backing up Karen O's lovesick wail. TheYYY's breakthrough hit was inspired by a case of real-life rock & roll romance: The Divine Miss O (real name Karen Orzolek) wrote the song about being on tour and missing her boyfriend, Angus Andrew, singer for fellow New York band Liars.Appears on:Fever to Tell(Interscope)

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