Monday 8 October 2012

Nature's Best Appendix

The list below is an Appendix of the Nature's Best list with songwriter, artist, date, and chart details. The title of each song is also a link to a YouTube clip.

The list was originally compiled as part of my Masters thesis (a musical analysis of the 100 songs), which is available at http://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz.
It has been listed here as a supplement to my paper published in the 2011 IASPM-Australia/NZ (International Association for the Study of Popular Music) Proceedings, on Nature's Best, New Zealand  popular music, and New Zealand identity.

The songs are listed in order of ranking (i.e. 'Nature' was deemed New Zealand's "best" popular song between the years 1926-2001. My favourites are "She Speeds," "Andy," "I Hope I Never," and "Message To My Girl." And "Down In Splendour." That'll do for now.


Song
Year
Artist
Songwriter
Peak Chart Position
1969
Fourmyula
Wayne Mason
1
1986
Crowded House
Neil Finn
1
1988
Dave Dobbyn
Dave Dobbyn
19
1981
The Swingers
The Swingers
1
1982
Split Enz
Tim Finn
7
1997
Bic Runga
Bic Runga
7
1986
Dave Dobbyn & Herbs
Dave Dobbyn
1
1982
The Dance Exponents
Jordan Luck
6
1987
Straitjacket Fits
Shayne Carter
N/A
1978
Dragon
Paul Hewson and
Mark Hunter
9
1980
Split Enz
Neil Finn
1
1984
DD Smash
DD Smash
8
1990
Chris Knox
Chris Knox
N/A
1984
The Chills
Martin Phillipps
17
1997
Darcy Clay
Darcy Clay
5
1991
Crowded House
Neil Finn and
Tim Finn
9
1949
Pixie Williams
Ruru Karaitiana
N/A
1972
Blerta
Corben Simpson and Geoff Murphy
N/A
2000
Fur Patrol
Julia Deans
1
1977
Hello Sailor
Graham Brazier
13
1997
Bic Runga
Bic Runga
10
1996
Che Fu & DLT
Che Fu
1
1992
The Mutton Birds
Don McGlashan
31
1986
Shona Laing
Shona Laing
2
1980
Split Enz
Tim Finn
33
1980
The Crocodiles
Fane Flaws and
Arthur Baysting
17
1978
Th' Dudes
Dave Dobbyn and
Ian Morris
36
1979
Split Enz
Tim Finn
27
1998
Dave Dobbyn
Dave Dobbyn
28
1997
Shihad
Shihad
42
1983
DD Smash
DD Smash
3
1990
Straitjacket Fits
Andrew Brough
N/A
1988
Crowded House
Neil Finn
2
1995
OMC
Alan Jannson
1
1994
Dave Dobbyn
Dave Dobbyn
4
1984
Split Enz
Neil Finn
28
1984
Patea Māori Club
Ngoi Pewhairangi and Dalvanius Prime
1
1979
Split Enz
Tim Finn
N/A
1998
The Feelers
James Reid
4
1993
Emma Paki
Emma Paki
N/A
1983
Tim Finn
Tim Finn
2
1982
Herbs
Herbs
11
1983
Sharon O'Neill
Sharon O'Neill
16
1974
Space Waltz
Alistair Riddell
1
1975
Max Merritt and the Meteors
Max Merritt
5
1999
Stellar
Boh Runga
11
1992
The Exponents
Jordan Luck
3
1972
Shona Laing
Shona Laing
4
1994
The Mutton Birds
Don McGlashan
10
1979
Th' Dudes
Dave Dobbyn and
 Ian Morris
25
1984
Netherworld Dancing Toys
Malcolm Black and Nick Sampson
3
2000
King Kapisi
Bill Urale and
Kas Futialo
N/A
1969
John Rowles
Nathan Kipner and
John Rowles
1
1985
Mi-Sex
Murray Burns and
Colin Bailey
36
1999
Zed
Zed
9
1972
Headband
Thomas Adderley
N/A
1981
Split Enz
Neil Finn
5
1994
Sisters Underground
Sisters Underground
6
1978
Citizen Band
Geoff Chunn
N/A
1999
Shihad
Shihad
48
1967
Larry's Rebels
Roger Skinner
4
1997
Bic Runga
Bic Runga
33
1997
Greg Johnson
Greg Johnson
N/A
1994
Strawpeople
Strawpeople
27
1979
Sharon O'Neill
Sharon O'Neill
24
1981
Blam Blam Blam
Don McGlashan
17
1977
Hello Sailor
Dave McArtney
15
1984
Herbs
Herbs
22
1981
Blam Blam Blam
Don McGlashan
11
1986
Dave Dobbyn
Dave Dobbyn
2
2000
Fur Patrol
Julia Deans
24
1981
Graham Brazier
Graham Brazier
N/A
1993
Crowded House
Neil Finn
5
1997
Bic Runga
Bic Runga
26
1984
The Mockers
The Mockers
2
1991
Headless Chickens
Headless Chickens
6
1998
The Feelers
James Reid
29
1994
Crowded House
Neil Finn
N/A
1985
Peking Man
Neville Hall
1
1987
Herbs
Herbs
9
1982
Prince Tui Teka
Ngoi Pewhairangi, Missy and
Prince Tui Teka
1
1987
The Front Lawn
Don McGlashan and Harry Sinclair
N/A
1995
Shihad
Shihad
20
1991
Crowded House
Neil Finn and
Tim Finn
33
1990
The Chills
Martin Phillipps
2
1985
Sneaky Feelings
Matthew Bannister
16
1981
Pop Mechanix
Pop Mechanix
21
1993
Straitjacket Fits
Shayne Carter
N/A
1983
The Dance Exponents
Jordan Luck
18
1981
Sharon O'Neill
Sharon O'Neill
12
2000
Eye TV
Eye TV
9
2000
Zed
Zed
4
1999
Stellar
Boh Runga
4
1983
Coconut Rough
Andrew McLennan
5
1979
Sharon O'Neill
Sharon O'Neill
22
1975
Split Enz
Tim Finn and
Phil Judd
N/A
1979
Citizen Band
Geoff Chunn
N/A
1992
Shona Laing
Shona Laing
N/A
1994
Supergroove
Supergroove
1
1995
Dave Dobbyn
Dave Dobbyn
20