New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Horse racing in the UK has become a national pastime for many. Not only do they watch the festivals and meetings on television - or head over to the tracks to watch the action, they also scour the bookies for the best
horse racing odds to add even more excitement. This is a sport that has inspired Oscar-worthy movies and swathes of well-known songs. Here, we look at the best (or most memorable) horse and horse racing-inspired songs of all time:
Crazy Horses
Crazy Horses, by the Osmond Brothers, was a huge hit in 1972 - not only did it make waves in the US, but it also reached number 2 in the UK charts. Theoretically, The Osmonds shouldn't really go well with Heavy Rock - but it worked. The combination of Donny Osmond, with rhinestone-encrusted suits and some crazy dance moves, took the charts by storm.
Horse with No Name
This song topped the US charts in the US - written by Dewey Bunnell - and was a hit, despite the fact that Dewey wasn't the most talented writer of the rockstars in the seventies. The desert, he claims, was filled with plants, birds, rocks… and things - and the horse wasn't even given a name - but it was a hit nonetheless that stays with us to this day.
Bring on the Dancing Horses
Fans of the scouse pop group, Echo and the Bunnymen, might well be familiar with this tune, released originally in November 1986. The song tells the story of broken hearts mourning the immature frolicking of the early days of courtship as they yearn for meaningful relationships - being unable to find them. This metaphorical song was quite the hit at the time - although hasn't really stood the test of time.
Wild Horses
Although this isn't necessarily exactly a horse racing song, it is a song about horses, penned by the legendary duo of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, featuring on the 1971 Rolling Stones album Sticky Fingers. The song is rumoured to be about Marianne Faithful - and it has been so popular that there have been several covers of the songs by artists such as Guns 'N Roses, Elvis Costello… and even John Barrowman!
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
This may not be the most inspiring song lyrically, but Bono and U2 still managed to make a hit of it, despite the inspirational lyrical prowess of 'hey hey sha la la' - and the questionable 'thee' and 'sea' rhyme. It seems that this horsey song was a bigger hit with fans than the band itself - who have claimed that this wasn't necessarily one of their finest moments- and they aren't going to play it live. It may have done them well - but it's not one of their most celebrated tunes - horsey inspired or not.
