Years ago when I first heard this song, I heard the original version. Instantly I was drawn into the beautiful orchestral melodies, the piano that drives the song and the vocals of James Walsh. However, after buying the single and listening to the b-sides, I discovered the Thin White Duke Mix. The Thin White Duke is Stuart Price, a British electronica musician who remixed this song amazingly. Now, I found that version found on the b-side is only half as long as a version someone sent me a couple of years back, and frankly that song sounds as if someone cut it in half and stuck it on the single. But the 8 minute version is a thing of great wonder. It starts with an orchestral arrangement that harks back to the original song which then changes into the vocals from the chorus, which become double tracked, before the song reaches legendary status.
After the song’s introduction, the beat of the song become evident. This beat also inspires the name and the meaning of the song. The beat is commonly known as a Four To The Floor beat, which means that there are 4 beats per bar in a very common and straightforward rhythm. The song itself references this in the fact that the song is essentially about a man who thought he would be involved with a woman and that their relationship would be considered ‘four to the floor’, i.e, they would have a very common and straightforward relationship, but I digress. The beat of this song is the backbone. The straightforward beat and the strangely hypnotic bassline, and the ever-present snare drum transform this song from a typical mainstay of the ‘piano rock’ genre to a genre transcending gem that appeals to alternative rock enthusiasts and techno lovers.
Close Competitors
Four To The Floor
Yes, it may be a bit of a cop out having this song as a runner up, but to be honest, it was hard for me to choose between them. This song has so much soul, and the original version has an incredible raw vibe that defines the genre of alternative rock, or in the commonly accepted case, piano rock. While the song was not as popular as its remixed counterpart, the original deserves as much recognition for being so different yet so similar to the remix. Regardless, this is an amazing song that should not be forgotten to make room for the remix.
In The Crossfire
A couple of years ago I listened to a lot of talkback radio on Triple M. Before you judge me, Spoonman was an incredible host and he had a fantastic personality for radio. But anyway, when this song came out, he played it. Lots. That’s how this song got imprinted on my mind. The song focuses on the Iraq War and about how the singer doesn’t feel involved until he hears the crossfire on the radio. For a song that involves politics without becoming preachy, it’s a winner. Even the music suits the style for which the song is written and the meaning of itself. If Four To The Floor had never been written, this song would be in the list.
The 100 Best Songs From 2000 - 2009 
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