Sugar Town - Nancy Sinatra

"Sugar Town" is a song written by songwriter-producer Lee Hazlewood and first recorded by American singer Nancy Sinatra in 1966. As a single released under the Reprise label, it peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in December 1966, while reaching number one on the Easy Listening chart in January 1967. The song was included on Nancy Sinatra's LP, Sugar, also released in 1966, and was featured in her 1967 TV special Movin' with Nancy, released on home video in 2000.

Carol Brown - Flight of the Conchords

Carol Brown is a homage to the Paul Simon song "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover". In "50 Ways" the singer suggests a number of ways that a man can escape an unwanted relationship, including "hop on a bus". In "Carol Brown", Jemaine sings "there must be 50 ways that lovers have left me" and it instead describes all the ways that women have left Jemaine, including "Carol Brown" who "took a bus out of town". Jemaine is accompanied by a chorus of women playing his ex-girlfriends. They sing about his many deficiencies as a boyfriend. If this song doesn't make you smile, nothing will. 

Galbi - Ofra Haza

"Galbi" is an Arabic poem by the 17th century Yemenite Rabbi Shalom Shabazi which later was set to music, and was sung by Israeli Yemenite singer Ofra Haza. Here is the 1988 remix of the song, taken from the album Shaday. "Galbi" was originally recorded in 1984. 

Rip it Up - Orange Juice

Rip It Up is the second album released by Scottish post-punk band Orange Juice. It was released in 1982. This album contains their hit song of the same name, which reached the Top 10. Rip it Up reached number 8 on the UK Singles Chart in February 1983, the band's only UK Top 40 hit. Orange Juice's guitarish was Edwyn Collins who had a hit with the song " A Girl Like You." 

Laura - Scissor Sisters

"Laura" is a song by American glam rock band Scissor Sisters and is the lead track on their self-titled debut album. It was released as the band's first single in October 2003 in the UK, placing at #54 in the UK Singles Chart. It was later re-issued on June 7, 2004, charting at #12 in the same chart.

I am always amazed as American bands that make it in the UK and not the USA. This is one of my favorite songs. Why America never discovered it, is a puzzlement to me. 

o'oh - Yoko Ono

‘O’Oh’ is a peace anthem from Yoko, except this time a little bit more laidback and with a solid R&B groove. It takes place on the 4th of July in New York City, with the lyrics describing a scene of complete harmony and joy, and then in the chorus Yoko tells us how she never thought any of this was possible in times of war and unrest. It’s a beautiful message, and is made all the more international by the fact that Yoko is singing about July 4 but was not born in America, she’s of course Japanese. She’s using July 4th as an example of a holiday filled with peace, not a celebration of one nation, but of freedom.

But the production and remix is what really makes this special. Usually backed by either screeching guitars, new wave synths or relentless club beats, it’s so refreshing to hear Yoko in a different setting. You can almost see her in a little jazz bar, quietly grooving to this in the corner while the small band plays around her. She’s a chameleon.

Miss Broadway - Belle Epoque

Miss Broadway by Belle Epoque charted at number 26 on the U.S. R&B chart and at number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978. Belle Epoque (also referenced in some sources as La Belle Epoque) was a female vocal trio, based inParis, France. I don't think that there is another disco song that sounds anything like it. It has a great beat, the vocals are a cross between screaming and something indescribable but it's the strange fiddle music and wild fade out music that ties it all together as being quite original. 

You Can't Win - Michael Jackson

You Can't Win" is an R&B, pop and soul song performed by Michael Jackson, who played Scarecrow in the 1978 musical film The Wiz.

After the original soundtrack version was recorded, Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones went back into the studio and re-recorded the track. It was the re-recording that was released in January 1979 as the second single from The Wiz: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, following the release of "Ease On Down the Road" in 1978, and was Michael's first solo chart single on Epic Records. The 7" version included "You Can't Win, parts 1 & 2". The full length version was released on 12" and was included on The Ultimate Collection in 2004.

The single only charted in the United States, where it reached number 81 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 42 on the R&B singles chart. 

In 1982, part 2 of the song, in which Michael Jackson repeatedly sings "Can't Get Outta The Game", was dusted off, given a couple of vocal overdubs, was renamed "Can't Get Outta The Rain" and became the B-side of the first single of his landmark album Thriller: "The Girl Is Mine".