Top 10 Alan Parsons Project Songs

Photo: By Andemaya (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Our Top 10 Alan Parsons Project Songs takes a look at the musical catalog of one of the most important figures in rock and roll history. Alan Parsons has led what we would call a double life in rock and roll. On one hand, Alan Parsons is known as a producer and engineer on some of the most famous albums in Classic Rock History. Alan Parsons served as the engineer for The Beatles final studio album Abbey Road in 1969. Alan Parsons also worked as an audio engineer on the Pink Floyd albums Atom Heart Mother and Dark Side of the Moon. Alan Parsons was also responsible for engineering Al Stewart’s biggest hit “Year of the Cat.” One of Alan Parsons’ most recent engineering endeavors was for Steven Wilson’s album The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories) As an album producer, Alan Parsons produced albums for Ambrosia, Al Stewart, John Miles and many others.

Alan Parsons began releasing his own music in 1976. Alan Parsons formed a partnership with Eric Woolfson and formed a group called the Alan Parsons Project which would utilize different musicians on every album they would issue over a twelve-year period of steady releases. Their first album was released in 1976 entitled, Tales of Mystery and Imagination. The Alan Parsons Project followed up that record with a very successful album entitled I Robot in 1977. The band’s tenth album was released in 1987 called Gaudi. It would be the final album the band released until 2014 when an unreleased album called the The Sicilian Defence was released.

Besides his work with the Alan Parsons Project, Alan Parsons also released four solo studio albums. Over the years there was also an onslaught of live albums and compilations released under both the Alan Parsons Project name and simply just Alan Parsons.

Our Top 10 Alan Parsons Project Songs list will focus mainly on the music released on the Alan Parsons Project albums. (We updated the list to 11 after first publication, see note on track 10)

# 11 – I Wouldn’t Want To Be Like You

We open our Top 10 Alan Parsons Project songs list with the great track, “I Wouldn’t Want To Be Like You.” The song was released on the Alan Parsons Project album I Robot. It was the band’s second album. It was released in 1977. The lead vocal on the track was performed by Lenny Zakatek. The song was released as the album’s only single. The song reached the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. “I Wouldn’t Want To Be Like You.” peaked at number 36. This has always been one of our favorite Alan Parsons song and stands as a great way to open up our list.

# 10 – Breakdown

Editors Note: (I Robot is one of the best Alan Parsons Project albums ever released. It was on my turntable constantly. When we were putting together this Alan Parsons Project songs list we had to decide which songs from the album we would include on this list. Songs like “Breakdown,” and “Some Other Time,” are fan favorites and of course amazing pieces of music .Our first publication of this list left them off because we were trying to cover various parts of their career. However one of our loyal readers made an impression on us with his point about those two great songs. So we have taken “Lucifer,” off the list and added “Some Other Time,” and “Breakdown,” to the article and increased the list to 11. Why not?

# 9 – Some Other Time

(See note above)

# 8 – Damned If I Do

“Lucifer,” was the opening track on side one of the album Eve. “Damned If I Do,” was the opening track on side two. During the vinyl years, it was common to place the best songs on albums as the opening tracks, because their was more vinyl groove available on the outer perimeter of the vinyl record. and the audio of those songs always sounded better.

# 7 – The Fall Of The House Of Usher

The Alan Parsons Project shining progressive rock moment. “The Fall Of The House Of Usher,” was released on the Alan Parsons Project debut album Tales of Mystery and Imagination

# 6 – In The Real World

The great Ian Bairnson’s guitar lick at the beginning of the song “In The Real World,” sealed the deal for us on choosing this great track for our top 10 Alan Parsons Project songs list. The song “In The Real World,” was released on the Stereotomy album in 1985.

# 5 – Mammagamma

The song “Mammagamma” was an instrumental released on the Eye in the Sky album in 1982. We love the Alan Parsons Project instrumentals. The legendary Hipgnosis art firm designed the cover for the Eye In The Sky album. Hipgnosis was the same art firm that designed so many legendary classic rock album covers including Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here.

# 4 – Time

The song “Time,” was released on the The Turn of a Friendly Card album in 1980. The lead vocal on the track was performed by Eric Wolfson. It was the first time Eric Wolfson had sung lead vocals on an Alan Parson Project song.

# 3 – Don’t Answer Me

The song “Don’t Answer Me,” was released on the Ammonia Avenue in 1984. The song reached the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1984. That was a very impressive feat because the competition for airplay in 1984 was fierce. Bruce Springsteen’s Born In The USA was storming the charts that year, along with Prince’s Purple Rain, Madonna’s Like A Virgin, and strong albums from Fleetwood Mac, Van Halen, and so many others.

# 2 – Games People Play

As we get closer to our number one spot on our top 10 Alan Parsons Project songs list we turn to one of the band’s biggest hits. The amazing song “Games People Play,” was released on the The Turn of a Friendly Card album in 1980

# 1 – Eye In The Sky

It’s tough to choose a number one song from a band like the Alan Parson Project, but that’s what makes writing these lists so much fun.The song “Eye in the Sky,” was released on the Eye in the Sky album in 1982. The album was recorded at Abbey Road Studios.

Updated June 27, 2021