THE golden oldies are still top of the pops, according to music lovers across Suffolk who have voted for their top 50 songs of all time. The result of the EADT and BBC Radio Suffolk joint survey gave short shrift to modern day pop icons, with the tunes of 1960s and 70s ruling supreme.

THE golden oldies are still top of the pops, according to music lovers across Suffolk who have voted for their top 50 songs of all time.

The result of the EADT and BBC Radio Suffolk joint survey gave short shrift to modern day pop icons, with the tunes of 1960s and 70s ruling supreme.

The overall winner, The Animals' 1964 hit, the House of the Rising Sun, came as a pleasant surprise to BBC Radio Suffolk breakfast presenter Mark Murphy, who had expected the ubiquitous Bohemian Rhapsody to top the bill.

The winning song, which is steeped in American folklore, is a tale of woe, of one woman's decline into prostitution – House of the Rising Sun was an old English euphemism for a brothel.

The immortal opening line "There is a house in New Orleans…", prompted claims from bordellos throughout the city to be the fateful house off the rising sun.

The Animals' electric version of an old bluesy folk tune, Rising Son Blues, has been re-recorded in almost every style possible, from easy-listening to Cajun, punk and even a hip hop version, courtesy of Wyclef Jean. It is Melvyn Bragg's favourite tune ever.

Mark Murphy said: "In national surveys of this kind it is always the Beatles or Queen which come top. Whether there is an Animals fan club in Suffolk or not, I don't know. It is still a very good song but it wouldn't have been my choice."

The DJ's own favourite of all time, very fittingly, would have been Queen's Radio Ga Ga.

Bohemian Rhapsody came in at number two in the Fab 50, with John Lennon's Imagine at number three, the Beatles' Hey Jude in forth place and The Power of Love, by Jennifer Rush, at number five.

Mark said the latter had done extremely well to feature so prominently.

The only current pop stars to merit a mention in the top 10 were Robbie Williams, with the soulful crowd-pleaser Angels, and Canadian singer Bryan Adams, with Everything I Do, from the 1991 blockbuster film, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.

Mark was not surprised to see so many golden oldies in the pile, including Louis Armstrong's Wonderful World, at 10, and Nat King Cole's appropriately titled Unforgettable, in 20th place.

"It just goes to show that some of the more recent music just doesn't have the same staying power," Mark said.

"Bands such as Queen and the Beatles were absolute legends and their tunes transfer across time, sounding as fresh when they are played today as when they were first recorded.

"I doubt if some of the manufactured stuff we have today will be as popular in 10 years time. If people like Gareth Gates and Will Young aren't in the top 50 now, I don't think they ever will be."

Overall, Mark added, the list showed music listeners in Suffolk, who submitted votes via the EADT and online, appreciate tunes of excellent quality.

You can hear the final countdown, from 25 to number one, on Mark Murphy's breakfast show on BBC radio Suffolk, this morning from 7am-10am on 103.9,104.6,95.5 and 95.9 FM.

1 – Animals, House of the Rising Sun

2 – Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody

3 – John Lennon, Imagine

4 – Beatles, Hey Jude

5 – Jennifer Rush, The Power of Love

6 – Simon and Garfunkel, Bridge Over Troubled Water

7 – Mike and the Mechanics, The Living Years

8 – Bryan Adams, Everything I Do

9 – Robbie Williams, Angels

10 – Louis Armstrong, Wonderful World

11 – Righteous Brothers, Unchained Melody

12 – Eric Clapton, Wonderful Tonight

13 – Gerry Rafferty, Baker Street

14 – Beatles, Yesterday

15 – Gerry and the Pacemakers, You'll Never Walk Alone

16 – Tina Turner, The Best

17 – Don McLean, American Pie

18 – Procul Harum, Whiter Shade of Pale

19 – George Harrison, My Sweet Lord

20 – Nat King Cole, Unforgettable

21 – Otis Redding, Sitting on the Dock of a Bay

22 – Moody Blues, Nights in White Satin

23 – Elton John, Daniel

24 – Rod Stewart, Sailing

25 – Righteous Brothers, You've Lost that Loving Feeling

26 – Celine Dion – My Heart Will Go On

27 – Ultravox – Vienna

28 – Dire Straits – Brothers in Arms

29 – Sting – Fields of Gold

30 – Frank Sinatra – My Way

31 – 10cc – I'm Not in Love

32 – Simon and Garfunkel – Mrs Robinson

33 – Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You

35 – Chris De Burgh – Lady in Red

36 – Elvis – Suspicious Minds

37 – Kylie – Can't get you out of my Head

38 – Rolling Stones – Satisfaction

39 – Genesis – Follow you, Follow me

40 – Eva Cassidy – Over the Rainbow

41 – Cliff Richard – The Young Ones

42 – Roberta Flack – Killing me Softly

43 – Dusty Springfield – You don't Have to say you Love me

44 – Queen – We are the Champions

45 – ABBA – Dancing Queen

46 – Nillson – Without You

47 – Beach Boys – Good Vibrations

48 – Tom Jones – It's not Unusual

49 – Everly Brothers – All I have to do is Dream

50 – Beatles – A Hard Days Night