Scott McKenzie's San Francisco was a hippy anthem with a life of its own
Jon Savage: San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair) didn't reflect the particular sound of the city itself. Not that this mattered – it was great pop and its idealism lives on
Jon Savage on song: Roy Harper serves up Hors D'Oeuvres
Folk might now be mass-marketed as the Tory rock-lite of Mumford & Sons, but 40 years ago Roy Harper made a record that was ambitious in arrangement and ferocious in sentiment
Jon Savage on song: The Smiths' The Queen Is Dead is an anthem for our times
The student protests of recent weeks have brought to mind the Smiths' 1986 state-of-the-nation address, which still rings proud in its portrayal of what it feels like to be an outsider
Jon Savage on song: The Dovers open their Third Eye
Jon Savage: Before the summer of love, the LSD experience was seen as dark and troubling. Along with the Byrds and the Beatles, the Dovers explored this intense, chaotic new world
Jon Savage: Arriving in the middle of Margaret Thatcher's first-term, this 1981 single reveals the desperation behind the shiny facade of London's newly swinging club land
Shy FX's Sound of the Beast, was one of the big tunes of the 1994 Notting Hill Carnival. This jungle track had roots in the past, but the police sirens and dive-bombing bass created a truly modern noise
Jon Savage: House music first gained popularity after the late 70's disco backlash. But rather than being just another dance fad, it became a way of life, as the Children's classic track proves
