Composer Gavin Bryars looped and layered a recording of a rough sleeper to create something hypnotic
Folk and rock musicians have been drawn to a song that was spotted off the coasts of the UK and the US
Reflecting its writer’s sense of isolation, the Tubeway Army track went on to have a fruitful afterlife
Widely covered following its 1972 release, the ‘reggae rock’ track was revived in a 1980s TV advert for a coffee brand
Inspired by a real woman, the 1957 song was later covered by artists such as Cliff Richard and Lou Reed
The track pays tribute to his long partnership with Art Garfunkel
His drummer Clyde Stubblefield’s 20-second break on the track became one of the most sampled beats in music
Under pressure, the leader of Sly and the Family Stone came up with a sparse funky blues that baffled and beguiled
The band have been credited with helping integrate gay culture into the mainstream, while the song’s dance routine spread like wildfire
His track for the 1973 film was unusually structured, including a section written by Linda McCartney, and gave rise to a memorable cover version
Adapted from a Yiddish musical comedy number, the track became a sensation — and was used by the Nazi propaganda machine
The singer’s powerhouse performance brought the song to the attention of The Rolling Stones
Inspired by Moroccan rhythms and first sung by Fred Astaire, the track became a fixture in the Great American Songbook
The singer hit a memorable high note that continues to resonate
The track was first recorded by its reluctant author, country singer Carl Perkins
The German composer’s simple, interlocking round has been adapted by acts such as The Farm and The Village People
The ill-fated singer’s track horrified Nashville but drew in a wider audience
First sung by Liza Minnelli and popularised by Frank Sinatra, this paean to the city is bawled out at parties and in karaoke bars
Written after a long car journey north, the track became a favourite festive cover
Sparked by the 1991 police beating of Rodney King, the song became the band’s signature — and an unlikely seasonal chart-topper
The singer’s 1966 track was often treated as a love song, though its lyrics portray dark themes