Ten songs about paradise. Even though the closest most of us will ever get is a Bounty bar...
10. Green Day - Welcome To Paradise
It's hard to believe Green Day were ever this young.
9. Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins - Paradise
A lovely solo offering from the Rilo Kiley songstress. What a voice.
8. Stevie Wonder - Pastime Paradise
If you were labouring under the mistaken idea that Coolio wrote Gangster's Paradise, you really ought to give this a listen.
7. Billy Fury - Halfway To Paradise
If Billy really wants to be your lover, but all you'll give him is your friendship... you're leaving him halfway to paradise.
6. Coldplay - Paradise
Fair play to 'em. I did my best to keep this song out of this Top Ten, if only because of its sheer ubiquity. That said, I can't deny it's one of the best tunes Coldplay have written in years, and a genuine earworm. I listened to a lot more paradise songs than just the ten listed here, but the only ones that were honestly better than this (in the humble opinion of my ears) are the ones listed below.
5. Amen Corner - (If Paradise Is) Half As Nice
Andy Fairweather Low and co., a timeless classic from 1969.
Who needs paradise? I'd rather have you...4. Tony Bennett - Stranger In Paradise
In playlisting terms, this is what we call the calm before the storm. One of my dad's favourites.
Take my hand...Lovely, rare Saint Etienne cover version here.
All right, enough of the warm-up acts... let's ROCK!
3. David Lee Roth - Just Like Paradise
A record so monumentally awesome, it's hard to believe it only makes #3. Hell, the video's even got DLR poncing about on vertiginous cliffs, surfing a flying canoe and accompanied by a three-necked, heart-shaped guitar.
God, this reminds me of being 16.
2. Guns 'n' Roses - Paradise City
Where the grass is green and the girls are prettyGains extra marks for mentioning Captain America in the lyrics... but still doesn't score high enough to beat this:
1. Meat Loaf - Paradise By The Dashboard Light
Because nothing succeeds like excess.
Jim Steinman's epic tale of teenage fumblings by the light of a dashboard in which Meat and Ellen Foley play the roles of young lovers who might... or might not... go all the way. Depends how well he sweet-talks her... promises her the earth... or flat-out begs. All that and the terrible consequences of promising to love someone forever...
I reckon this'll be one of my more debatable Top Tens - there were loads of great songs left out. Which one takes you to paradise?
