380The Who, 'I Can't Explain'

Writer:Pete TownshendProducer:Shel TalmyReleased:March '65, Decca2 weeks; No. 93For their debut single, theWhorecordedTownshend's alleged answer to theKinks' blazing "You Really Got Me." The Whoeven hired that song's producer, Talmy, who recruited additional players for the recording, among themJimmy Page, who contributed rhythm guitar.Appears on:The Ultimate Collection(MCA)RELATED:The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time: The Who100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time: Pete Townshend100 Greatest Singers of All Time: Roger Daltrey 379The Jimi Hendrix Experience, 'The Wind Cries Mary'

Writer:HendrixProducer:Chas ChandlerReleased:May '67, Reprise8 weeks; No. 65A dish-smashing argument with his girlfriend leftHendrixalone to scrawl the words to "The Wind Cries Mary" in January 1967. A few days later, the guitarist taught the uncharacteristically tender ballad built around a gentle riff inspired by soul manCurtis Mayfield to the Experience. The trio knocked out the track in 20 minutes.Appears on:Are You Experienced?(MCA)RELATED:100 Greatest Artists of All Time: Jimi Hendrix100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time: Jimi Hendrix500 Greatest Albums of All Time: The Jimi Hendrix Experience'sAre You Experienced? 378Bo Diddley, 'I'm a Man'

Writer:DiddleyProducer:Leonard ChessReleased:June '55, CheckerDid Not ChartThe B side ofDiddley's first single was built around a four-note guitar stomp that was a trademark of mid-Fifties Chicago blues. Songwriter Willie Dixon, who supervised the 1955 session, said it was Diddley's sense of rhythm that set him apart from everyone else at Chess: "The drums are speaking, and he'll tell you what the drums are saying."Appears on:His Best: The Chess 50th Anniversary Collection(Chess)RELATED:100 Greatest Artists of All Time: Bo Diddley100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time: Bo Diddley 377Depeche Mode, 'Personal Jesus'

Writer:Martin GoreProducers:Depeche Mode, FloodReleased:Nov. '89, Sire20 weeks; No. 28Depeche Mode's breakthrough single was based on a surprising source: Priscilla Presley's bookElvis and Me. "It's about howElviswas her man and her mentor and how often that happens in love relationships," Gore said. "How everybody's heart is like a god in some way."Appears on:Violator(Sire)RELATED:500 Greatest Albums of All Time: Depeche Mode'sViolator 376Cream, 'White Room'

Writers:Pete Brown, Jack BruceProducer:Felix PappalardiReleased:Aug. '68, Atco11 weeks; No. 6Powered byEric Clapton's wah-wah work, the song's unnerving psychedelic imagery came from Brown, emerging from a period of drug and alcohol excess. "It was in my white-painted room that I had the horrible drug experience that made me want to stop everything," he said.Appears on:Wheels of Fire(Polygram)RELATED:100 Greatest Artists of All Time: Cream500 Greatest Albums of All Time: Cream'sWheels of Fire 375Bee Gees, 'How Deep Is Your Love'

Writers:Bee GeesProducers:Bee Gees, Karl Richardson, Albhy GalutenReleased:Sept. '77, RSO33 weeks; No. 1The first single fromSaturday Night Feverwasnt a disco track but this slow jam. It went to Number One in December 1977, and theBee Geesthen controlled the top spot for 15 of the next 20 weeks. The song was originally intended for Yvonne Elliman, who had her own Number One with If I Cant Have You.Appears on:Saturday Night Fever(Polygram) 374The Righteous Brothers, 'Unchained Melody'

Writers:Alex North, Hy ZaretProducer:Phil SpectorReleased:July '65, Philles13 weeks; No. 4This song first hit the charts in 1955, when three different versions of it landed in the Top 10. The Righteous Brothers picked up the torch in 1965, making it the B side to their single "Hung on You." When DJs began playing "Unchained Melody" instead, Spector decided the duo should put out only covers of pre-rock pop songs as its singles; their version of Sinatras "Ebb Tide" also hit big.Appears on:Anthology 1962-1974(Rhino) 373Bob Dylan, 'Highway 61 Revisited'

Writer:DylanProducer:Bob JohnstonReleased:Aug. '65, ColumbiaDid not chart"Highway 61 begins about where I came from," Dylan writes in Chronicles. "Duluth, to be exact." The road runs through the heart of America and so does the song. Its Dylan at his wildest, both musically and lyrically, topping the band's roadhouse stomp with his surreal cosmic jokes. The police-siren whistle was courtesy of session man Al Kooper.Appears on:Highway 61 Revisited(Columbia)RELATED:The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: Bob Dylan'sHighway 61 RevisitedThe 100 Greatest Singers of All Time: Bob DylanThe 100 Greatest Artists of All Time: Bob Dylan 372The Box Tops, 'The Letter'

Writer:Wayne Carson ThompsonProducer:Dan PennReleased:July '67, Mala16 weeks; No. 1On "The Letter," Alex Chilton moans like a gruff soul man, though he was just 16. He credited the performance to his producer, Memphis legend Penn. "[He] coached me pretty heavily on singing anything we ever did," Chilton said. In a lot of cases, it sounds more like him singing than it sounds like me. Chilton went on to front Big Star but participated in Box Tops reunion tours until his death in 2010.Appears on:The Letter(Sundazed) 371The Clash, 'Complete Control'

Writers:Mick Jones, Joe StrummerProducer:Lee "Scratch" PerryReleased:July '79, EpicNon-singleThe Clash were hardcore reggae fans, so it was natural they would want to work with legendary dub producer Perry. But the resulting single wasnt dub at all it was the Clashs toughest, noisiest punk anthem, with Mick Jones cranking the guitar to ear-bleeding levels. "Complete Control," a U.K. hit in the fall of 1977, was appended to the American version of the band's debut album.Appears on:The Clash(Epic)

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