10 of the Best Amy Winehouse Songs

Amy Winehouse

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Amy Winehouse was a popular singer and songwriting known for her powerful voice and personal lyrics. She tragically passed away in 2011 at the age of 27.

01
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"Rehab" (2006)

The song "Rehab" is autobiographical. It refers to Amy Winehouse's management team's efforts to get her to enter alcohol rehabilitation, and her subsequent refusal. The song was a worldwide smash hit and was her breakthrough pop hit on both sides of the Atlantic peaking at #7 on the UK pop singles chart and #9 in the US. It won the Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Those victories helped propel the album Back To Black to #2 on the US album chart. When the single was released, Amy Winehouse earned comparisons with the classic work of Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, and Shirley Bassey. "Rehab" won the Ivor Novello Award in the UK for Best Contemporary Song.

The music video for "Rehab" was directed by Phil Griffin. It depicts Amy Winehouse's band playing while she sings. Later in the clip she is shown at a psychiatrist's office seemingly speaking to a therapist. In a diversion from the song's lyrics, the music video ends with Amy Winehouse in rehab. "Rehab" earned an MTV Video Music Awards nomination for Video of the Year.

02
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"Valerie" With Mark Ronson (2007)

"Valerie" was originally recorded by the English indie band the Zutons. They earned a top 10 UK pop hit with it in 2006. Producer Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse covered it for his second studio album Version. It peaked at #2 in the UK and was one of the ten bestselling songs of the year. Amy Winehouse performed the song live for BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge. The song is also included on the soundtrack for the film 27 Dresses. "Valerie" was not released as a single in the US.

03
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"Back to Black" (2007)

"Back To Black" is the title song from Amy Winehouse's second studio album. It is one of the most critically acclaimed of her songs. "Back To Black" was praised for its homage to the sound of classic girl groups. It was inspired by Amy Winehouse's breakup with her boyfriend Blake Fielder-Civil. The "black" referred to in the song's lyrics is most likely heroin. It is a common street name for heroin. "Back To Black" reached #25 on the UK pop singles chart in its initial release. Following the death of Amy Winehouse, it charted at #8. Despite never reaching the Billboard Hot 100, "Back To Black" has sold more than one million digital copies in the US.

The acclaimed music video directed by Phil Griffin shows a funeral procession for the "heart of Amy Winehouse." The graveyard scenes were filmed at Abney Park Cemetery in northeast London.

04
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"Stronger Than Me" (2003)

"Stronger Than Me" was the debut single from Amy Winehouse's first album Frank. Although it was not a commercial success peaking at #71 on the UK pop singles chart, it won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song Musically and Lyrically. Amy Winehouse co-wrote the song with Salaam Remi who also worked with the Fugees and rapper Nas. Upon its release, the album Frank received strong critical acclaim and it peaked at #13 on the UK albums chart.

05
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"You Know I'm No Good" (2007)

"You Know I'm No Good" is available both in its original version by Amy Winehouse and in a version with vocals added by rapper Ghostface Killah. The latter version edged onto the R&B singles chart in the US. The iTunes Store in the US named the song its Single of the Week upon initial release. Arctic Monkeys performed a cover of "You Know I'm No Good" on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge. Entertainment Weekly ranked it as the second best song of the year in 2007. "You Know I'm No Good" reached #18 on the UK pop singles chart and #77 in the US. "You Know I'm No Good" was used in advertisements for the TV series Mad Men which helped draw attention to the song. Amy Winehouse performed the song live at the Grammy Awards.

06
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"F**k Me Pumps" (2004)

"F**k Me Pumps," or "FMPs," is a slang term for sexy high-heeled women's shoes. The song is included on Amy Winehouse's first album Frank and it is about "gold-digging" girls. In the accompanying music video, Amy Winehouse is shown wearing pumps. The clip also depicts the kind of girls Amy Winehouse sings about arguing outside of a nightclub. A clean radio edit of the song called simply "Pumps" was released in the UK and it peaked at #65 on the pop singles chart.

07
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"Tears Dry on Their Own" (2007)

"Tears Dry On Their Own" features a sample from the Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell classic "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." The song was released as the fourth single from Amy Winehouse's album Back To Black. "Tears Dry On Their Own" was the fourth consecutive top 40 pop hit in the UK from Back To Black and peaked at #16. It climbed into the top 40 at US Adult R&B radio.

The accompanying music video was filmed by noted American photographer David LaChapelle. It was filmed in Los Angeles' Echo Park and the Grand Motel at 1479 S. La Cienega Boulevard. It was the second to last music video filmed before Amy Winehouse's death.

08
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"In My Bed" (2004)

"In My Bed" was the third single from Amy Winehouse's first album Frank. It was produced and co-written by Salaam Remi who is well known for his work with rapper Nas. It includes a sample from Nas' "Made You Look." The song peaked at #60 on the UK pop singles chart.

The music video for "In My Bed" was directed by Paul Gore. She meets a man in a hotel room, and at the end of the clip, she places her hand over the camera presumably to hide the fact that she is cheating on her partner.

09
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"Just Friends" (2006)

"Just Friends" is an acclaimed track from the album Back To Black. In the lyrics, Amy Winehouse muses about whether she and a particular boy can be just friends. However, the words are filled with doubt that she can avoid something more. The song was another collaboration with Salaam Remi. 

10
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"Love Is a Losing Game"

"Love Is a Losing Game" was chosen as the fifth and final single from Amy Winehouse's hit album Back To Black. It was the final official single released in her lifetime. The song won her an Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically. It failed to reach the UK top 40 upon initial release peaking at #46. However, when re-released following her death, "Love Is a Losing Game" climbed to #33. Pop singer George Michael picked "Love Is a Losing Game" as one of his eight desert island discs on a BBC Radio Four program. Prince performed the song live in many of his concerts. Sam Smith recorded a cover of "Love Is a Losing Game" for his re-release of his debut album In the Lonely Hour which was subtitled the Drowning Shadows Edition.