Like everybody else I didn’t know whether to laugh or gasp in admiration when I first heard this. The Flying Lizards took Eddie Cochran’s 1958 hit Summertime Blues and deconstructed it to the point where the original barely existed.

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“Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.” That one line summed up Kris Kristofferson’s singular songwriting skill. It was like the entire Sixties ethos in a single phrase.

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Deaf School emerged from Liverpool at the dawn of punk with a sound inspired by cabaret and classic songwriters of the past.

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It’s funny, looking back now, to recall that The Motels were sold as a “New Wave” band. This is the only song I remember – and it’s an epic ballad.

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Back when punk and reggae were rebel bedfellows, I discovered this deep cut – thanks to Johnny Rotten. I still can’t find out much about it.

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Bobby Byrd ought to be much more famous. He gave James Brown his big break and wrote most of his hits but never became a household name.

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Culture’s debut album Two Sevens Clash was a landmark release back in 1977. Joe Gibbs and I-Roy teamed up on the 12-inch version.

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Moon Martin was one of those characters who hitched a ride on the New Wave and followed its tributary into the smoother waters of Power Pop.

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This is such a sad and shocking song. The confessional domestic drama that unfolds over its two minutes is nothing less than heartbreaking. Especially if you listen all the way through to the abrupt surprise ending.

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