APRA Top 100 New Zealand Songs of All Time

The APRA Top 100 New Zealand Songs of All Time is a selection of New Zealand songs as voted in 2001 by members of the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). The top 30 of this selection was used to create the Nature's Best CD and the rest of the list for follow-up compilations. A similar list was made in Australia of the top 30 Australian songs.

Selection

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The list was created to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) in New Zealand in 2001. Nine hundred candidate songs were chosen for APRA members to vote on. The top 30 songs were released on the Nature's Best CD.

Commentary

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Some artists feature prominently in the list. These include:

Music journalist Bruce Sergent notes that the list is highly skewed towards the 1980s and 90s to the detriment of earlier music, with notable omissions including Howard Morrison, Dinah Lee, and Ray Columbus & the Invaders.[1]

Some songs may also be claimed as both New Zealand and Australian. A list compiled by APRA at the same time of top 30 Australian songs also included Crowded House's "Don't Dream It's Over" (at number 7).[2]

Political songs on the list include commentary on the 1981 Springbok tour riots in Blam Blam Blam's "There Is No Depression in New Zealand", and nuclear testing in the French Pacific through Herbs' "French Letter" and DLT's "Chains".[3]

Top 100 list

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The list of the top 100 is below.

Position Song Artist Writer(s) Year Album Included on DVD
1 "Nature" Fourmyula Wayne Mason 1969 1
2 "Don't Dream It's Over" Crowded House Neil Finn 1986 1
3 "Loyal" Dave Dobbyn Dave Dobbyn 1988 1 Yes
4 "Counting the Beat" The Swingers Phil Judd, Mark Hough, Wayne Stevens 1981 1 Yes
5 "Six Months in a Leaky Boat" Split Enz Tim Finn 1982 1
6 "Sway" Bic Runga Bic Runga 1997 1 Yes
7 "Slice of Heaven" Dave Dobbyn with Herbs Dave Dobbyn 1986 1 Yes
8 "Victoria" Dance Exponents Jordan Luck 1982 1 Yes
9 "She Speeds" Straitjacket Fits Shayne Carter 1987 1
10 "April Sun in Cuba" Dragon Paul Hewson, Marc Hunter 1977 1 Yes
11 "I Got You" Split Enz Neil Finn 1980 1 Yes
12 "Whaling" DD Smash Dave Dobbyn 1984 1 Yes
13 "Not Given Lightly" Chris Knox Chris Knox 1990 1 Yes
14 "Pink Frost" The Chills Martin Phillipps 1984 1 Yes
15 "Jesus I Was Evil" Darcy Clay Darcy Clay 1997 1
16 "Weather with You" Crowded House Tim Finn and Neil Finn 1991 1 Yes
17 "Blue Smoke" Pixie Williams and the Ruru Karaitiana Quartet Ruru Karaitiana 1949 1
18 "Dance All Around The World"[4] Blerta Corben Simpson, Geoff Murphy 1972 1
19 "Lydia" Fur Patrol Julia Deans 2000 1 Yes
20 "Blue Lady" Hello Sailor Graham Brazier 1977 1 Yes
21 "Drive" Bic Runga Bic Runga 1996 1 Yes
22 "Chains" DLT featuring Che Fu Che Ness, Darryl Thompson, Angus McNaughton, Kevin Rangihuna 1996 1 Yes
23 "Dominion Road" The Mutton Birds Don McGlashan 1992 1
24 "Glad I'm Not A Kennedy" Shona Laing Shona Laing 1986 1 Yes
25 "I Hope I Never" Split Enz Tim Finn 1980 1
26 "Tears" The Crocodiles Fane Flaws, Arthur Baysting 1980 1 Yes
27 "Be Mine Tonight" Th' Dudes Dave Dobbyn, Ian Morris 1978 1 Yes
28 "I See Red" Split Enz Tim Finn 1979 1 Yes
29 "Beside You" Dave Dobbyn Dave Dobbyn 1998 1
30 "Home Again" Shihad Tom Larkin, Phil Knight, Jon Toogood 1997 1 Yes
31 "Outlook For Thursday" DD Smash Dave Dobbyn 1983 2 Yes
32 "Down in Splendour" Straitjacket Fits Andrew Brough 1990 2
33 "Better Be Home Soon" Crowded House Neil Finn 1988 2
34 "How Bizarre" OMC Alan Jansson, Pauly Fuemana 1995 2 Yes
35 "Language" Dave Dobbyn Dave Dobbyn 1994 2 Yes
36 "Message to My Girl" Split Enz Neil Finn 1984 2 Yes
37 "Poi E" Pātea Māori Club Dalvanius Prime, Ngoi Pēwhairangi 1984 2
38 "Stuff and Nonsense" Split Enz Tim Finn 1979 2
39 "Venus" The Feelers James Reid 1998 2 Yes
40 "System Virtue" Emma Paki Emma Paki 1996 2
41 "Fraction Too Much Friction" Tim Finn Tim Finn 1983 2 Yes
42 "French Letter" Herbs Tony Fonoti, Spencer Fusimalohi, Dilworth Karaka 1995 2 Yes
43 "Maxine" Sharon O'Neill Sharon O'Neill 1983 2 Yes
44 "Out on the Street" Space Waltz Alistair Riddell 1974 2
45 "Slippin' Away" Max Merritt and the Meteors Max Merritt 1976 2
46 "Violent" Stellar* Boh Runga 1999 2 Yes
47 "Why Does Love Do This To Me" The Exponents Jordan Luck 1992 2 Yes
48 "1905" Shona Laing Shona Laing 1972 2 Yes
49 "Anchor Me" The Mutton Birds Don McGlashan 1994 2
50 "Bliss" Th' Dudes Dave Dobbyn, Ian Morris 1979 2 Yes
51 "For Today" Netherworld Dancing Toys Nick Sampson, Malcolm Black 1984 2 Yes
52 "Screems From Tha Old Plantation" King Kapisi Bill Urale, Kas Futialo 2000 2 Yes
53 "Cheryl Moana Marie" John Rowles Nathan Kipner, John Rowles 1970 2
54 "Blue Day" Mi-Sex Murray Burns, Colin Bayley 1985 2 Yes
55 "Glorafilia" Zed Ben Campbell, Nathan King, Adrian Palmer 1999 2 Yes
56 "Good Morning Mr Rock 'n' Roll" Headband Thomas Adderley 1971 2
57 "History Never Repeats" Split Enz Neil Finn 1981 2 Yes
58 "In The Neighbourhood" Sisters Underground Alan Jansson, Hassanah Orogbu, Brenda Makaoeafi 1994 2 Yes
59 "Julia" Citizen Band Geoff Chunn 1978 2
60 "Pacifier" Shihad Shihad 1999 2 Yes
61 "Let's Think of Something" Larry's Rebels Roger Skinner 1967 2
62 "Bursting Through" Bic Runga Bic Runga 1997 2 Yes
63 "Liberty" Greg Johnson Greg Johnson 1997 2 Yes
64 "Sweet Disorder" Strawpeople Paul Casserly, Mark Tierney, Anthony Ioasa 1994 2 Yes
65 "Asian Paradise" Sharon O'Neill Sharon O'Neill 1979 2
66 "Don't Fight It Marsha, It's Bigger Than Both of Us" Blam Blam Blam Don McGlashan 1981 3
67 "Gutter Black" Hello Sailor Dave McArtney 1977 3 Yes
68 "Long Ago" Herbs Lundon, Hona 1984 3 Yes
69 "There Is No Depression in New Zealand" Blam Blam Blam Richard Von Sturmer, Don McGlashan 1981 3
70 "You Oughta Be in Love" Dave Dobbyn Dave Dobbyn 1986 3 Yes
71 "Andrew" Fur Patrol Andrew Bain, Julia Deans, Simon Braxton, Steven Wells 2000 3 Yes
72 "Billy Bold" Graham Brazier Graham Brazier 1981 3
73 "Distant Sun" Crowded House Neil Finn 1993 3
74 "Suddenly Strange" Bic Runga Bic Runga 1997 3 Yes
75 "Forever Tuesday Morning" The Mockers Gary Curtis, Andrew Fagan, Tim Wedde 1984 3 Yes
76 "Cruise Control" Headless Chickens Chris Matthews, Michael Lawry 1991 3 Yes
77 "Pressure Man" The Feelers James Reid, Matt Thomas, Hamish Gee 1998 3
78 "Private Universe" Crowded House Neil Finn 1994 3
79 "Room That Echoes" Peking Man Neville Hall 1985 3 Yes
80 "Sensitive to a Smile" Herbs Dilworth, Karaka, Tumahai 1987 3 Yes
81 "E Ipo" Prince Tui Teka Ngoi Pēwhairangi, Missy, Prince Tui Teka 1982 3
82 "Andy" The Front Lawn Harry Sinclair, Don McGlashan 1987 3
83 "Bitter" Shihad Shihad 1995 3
84 "Four Seasons in One Day" Crowded House Tim Finn and Neil Finn 1991 3
85 "Heavenly Pop Hit" The Chills Martin Phillipps 1990 3
86 "Husband House" Sneaky Feelings Matthew Bannister 1985 3
87 "Jumping Out A Window" Pop Mechanix Paul Mason, Andrew McLennan, Chris Moore, Kevin Emmett, Paul Scott 1981 3
88 "If I Were You" Straitjacket Fits Shayne Carter, John Collie 1993 3
89 "I'll Say Goodbye (Even Tho I'm Blue)" Dance Exponents Jordan Luck 1983 3 Yes
90 "Maybe" Sharon O'Neill Sharon O'Neill 1981 3 Yes
91 "One Day Ahead" Eye TV Sean Sturm, Luke Casey, Michael Scott, Grant Winterburn 2000 3 Yes
92 "Renegade Fighter" Zed Ben Campbell, Nathan King 2000 3 Yes
93 "Part of Me" Stellar* Boh Runga 1999 3 Yes
94 "Sierra Leone" Coconut Rough Andrew McLennan 1983 3 Yes
95 "Words" Sharon O'Neill Sharon O'Neill 1979 3 Yes
96 "Spellbound" Split Enz Tim Finn, Phil Judd 1979 3
97 "Rust in My Car" Citizen Band Geoff Chunn 1979 3
98 "Mercy of Love" Shona Laing Shona Laing 1992 3 Yes
99 "Can't Get Enough" Supergroove Joseph Fisher, Karl Steven 1996 3 Yes
100 "Naked Flame" Dave Dobbyn Dave Dobbyn 1995 3

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Sergent, Bruce. "APRA Top 100". Article. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  2. ^ "APRA 30 Top Australian Songs". Article. APRA. Archived from the original on 1 April 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  3. ^ "Tribute to Herbs: Video". Video. TV3NZ. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  4. ^ "Dance All around the World: Music Video (1971)". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
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