100 Hit Songs: 101-200

I couldn't begin to try to explain the fine points of discrimination that put, say, #122 ("It's All Right" by the Impressions) 43 places ahead of #165 ("Seven Year Ache" by Rosanne Cash), let alone what puts that one place ahead of #166 ("Itchycoo Park" by the Small Faces). Everything here was in the top 100 at least once at one point or another, or darn close, and subsequently pushed out by the churning and shuffling. There's another hundred beyond this, and another hundred beyond that, but already, here, I reached a point where making distinctions was starting to look like a mug's game of ever-diminishing returns. I didn't actually know there were so many radio hit songs that I liked so much until I undertook this exercise, so that's useful information. Any one of these, and all of them, I would be perfectly happy to hear right this minute, and repeatedly.

101. Chi-Lites, "Oh Girl" (1972)
102. Phoebe Snow, "Poetry Man" (1975)
103. Beach Boys, "God Only Knows" (1966)
104. Glen Campbell, "Wichita Lineman" (1968)
105. Bobby "Boris" Pickett, "Monster Mash" (1962/1973)
106. Joey Dee & the Starliters, "Peppermint Twist" (1961)
107. Roberta Flack, "Feel Like Makin' Love" (1974)
108. Shirley Bassey, "Goldfinger" (1965)
109. Patti Smith Group, "Because the Night" (1978)
110. Timbuk 3, "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades" (1986)
111. Sarah McLachlan, "Angel" (1998)
112. A-ha, "Take On Me" (1985)
113. Al Wilson, "Show and Tell" (1973)
114. Danny O'Keefe, "Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues" (1972)
115. Van McCoy, "The Hustle" (1975)
116. Yes, "Roundabout" (1972)
117. Joni Mitchell, "Free Man in Paris" (1974)
118. Norman Greenbaum, "Spirit in the Sky" (1970)
119. James Brown, "I Can't Stand Myself (When You Touch Me)" (1967)
120. Foreigner, "Waiting for a Girl Like You" (1981)
121. Edwin Starr, "War" (1970)
122. Impressions, "It's All Right" (1963)
123. Byrds, "Eight Miles High" (1966)
124. Beach Boys, "California Girls" (1965)
125. Deep Purple, "Hush" (1968)
126. Soft Cell, "Tainted Love" (1982)
127. Commodores, "Easy" (1977)
128. Robert Cray Band, "Smoking Gun" (1987)
129. Eric Burdon & the Animals, "See See Rider" (1966)
130. Rolling Stones, "Jumpin' Jack Flash" (1968)
131. Sylvester, "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" (1979)
132. 5th Dimension, "One Less Bell to Answer" (1970)
133. Dionne Warwick, "Déjà Vu" (1979)
134. Fleetwood Mac, "Rhiannon (Will You Ever Win)" (1976)
135. Edison Lighthouse, "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" (1970)
136. Three Degrees, "When Will I See You Again" (1974)
137. Bruce Springsteen, "Hungry Heart" (1980)
138. Harry Chapin, "Taxi" (1972)
139. Minnie Riperton, "Lovin' You" (1975)
140. Sam Cooke, "You Send Me" (1957)
141. Buoys, "Timothy" (1971)
142. Undisputed Truth, "Smiling Faces Sometimes" (1971)
143. Guns N' Roses, "Welcome to the Jungle" (1988)
144. Bobby Helms, "Jingle Bell Rock" (1957)
145. Toys, "A Lover's Concerto" (1965)
146. Jethro Tull, "Living in the Past" (1972)
147. Box Tops, "Neon Rainbow" (1967)
148. U2, "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" (1987)
149. Gary Lewis & the Playboys, "She's Just My Style" (1965)
150. Petula Clark, "A Sign of the Times" (1966)
151. Cardigans, "Lovefool" (1996)
152. ABBA, "The Winner Takes it All" (1980)
153. James Brown, "Mother Popcorn (You Got to Have a Mother for Me)" (1969)
154. Bob Dylan, "Like a Rolling Stone" (1965)
155. Lipps, Inc., "Funky Town" (1980)
156. Curtis Mayfield, "Freddie's Dead (Theme From 'Superfly')" (1972)
157. Edgar Winter Group, "Frankenstein" (1973)
158. Shocking Blue, "Venus" (1969)
159. Frank Sinatra, "It Was a Very Good Year" (1966)
160. Shirelles, "Foolish Little Girl" (1963)
161. Young Rascals, "How Can I Be Sure" (1967)
162. Sheena Easton, "For Your Eyes Only" (1981)
163. Tony Joe White, "Polk Salad Annie" (1969)
164. Isley Brothers, "That Lady" (1973)
165. Rosanne Cash, "Seven Year Ache" (1981)
166. Small Faces, "Itchycoo Park" (1968)
167. Viscounts, "Harlem Nocturne" (1966)
168. Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose, "Too Late to Turn Back Now" (1972)
169. Scott McKenzie, "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" (1967)
170. Lulu, "Oh Me Oh My (I'm a Fool for You Baby)" (1969)
171. Chambers Brothers, "Time Has Come Today" (1968)
172. Sylvia, "Pillow Talk" (1973)
173. King Curtis, "Memphis Soul Stew" (1967)
174. Dixie Cups, "Chapel of Love" (1964)
175. Paul Revere and the Raiders, "Him or Me – What's it Gonna Be?" (1967)
176. Bee Gees, "How Deep Is Your Love" (1977)
177. Barry McGuire, "Eve of Destruction" (1965)
178. P.M. Dawn, "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" (1991)
179. Carl Douglas, "Kung Fu Fighting" (1974)
180. MFSB, "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" (1974)
181. Elvis Presley, "Little Sister" (1961)
182. Paris Sisters, "I Love How You Love Me" (1961)
183. Jeannie C. Riley, "Harper Valley P.T.A." (1968)
184. Archie Bell & the Drells, "Tighten Up" (1968)
185. Berlin, "Take My Breath Away" (1986)
186. Johnny Rivers, "Poor Side of Town" (1966)
187. Blackbyrds, "Walking in Rhythm" (1975)
188. Brenda Lee, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (1960)
189. Buddy Knox with the Rhythm Orchids, "Party Doll" (1957)
190. Rod Stewart, "Maggie May" (1971)
191. Los Del Rio, "Macarena" (1996)
192. Skylark, "Wildflower" (1973)
193. Jaynetts, "Sally, Go 'Round the Roses" (1963)
194. Richard Harris, "MacArthur Park" (1968)
195. Lee Dorsey, "Ride Your Pony" (1965)
196. Captain & Tenille, "The Way I Want to Touch You" (1975)
197. Carla Thomas, "B-A-B-Y" (1966)
198. Janis Ian, "Society's Child (Baby I've Been Thinking)" (1967)
199. Major Harris, "Love Won't Let Me Wait" (1975)
200. Staple Singers, "Respect Yourself" (1971)