Mick Jones' 11 Favourite Foreigner Songs

Mick Jones knows a thing or two about songwriting. With 80 million album sales and dozens of chart hits behind him, the Foreigner mainman know more about the art of wrestling a memorable chorus from the most basic of musical ideas than, well, just about anyone.

2017 saw the release of an album compiling Foreigner’s greatest hits: 40 tracks spread across two CDs (23 tracks if you buy the vinyl version) featuring the multi-million selling Juke Box Hero, the multi-million selling Waiting For A Girl Like You, and a veritable feast of other, equally commercial juggernauts.

The album also featured two tracks recorded specifically for the compilation: Give My Life For Love, and a new version of I Don’t Want To Live Without You, a song that topped Billboard’s Adult Contemporary Chart back in 1988.

We asked Mick to critique his own catalogue and nominate his 10 favourite Foreigner songs. He gave us 11.

1. Blue Morning, Blue Day
One of the songs that signified the slightly dark and tense atmosphere that I felt was a very important part of our directions.

2. Spellbinder
Probably the closest we ever came to the atmosphere of a Steely Dan track (dare I say jazzy?). Smoky and seductive.

3. Cold As Ice
This was the first song I wrote and recorded on the piano. It was a landmark event in my musical history.

4. Damage Is Done
This song reiterated foreigner’s British personality: soulful, bluesy and quirky.

5. Fool For You Anyway
A simple and romantic love song with a touch of country. Definitely in my top three faves !

6. Girl On The Moon
A recent addition to our live show. A song I never get tired of hearing or playing.

7. I Don’t Want To Live Without You
The saddest song I ever wrote.

8. I Want To Know What Love Is
Amazing to see — night after night — this powerful and universal message resonating in almost every country in the world. One of the first parings of a rock band and gospel choir.

9. Juke Box Hero
This song has over the years developed into our big rock anthem; powerful and slightly satirical and the most exciting song in the show.

10. Long, Long Way From Home
First song I wrote with Lou, describing his trip to New York (where I was putting the band together) and his entry into Foreigner.

11. Urgent
Another quirky soul song, with one of the greatest sax solos by the late great Jr. Walker, and the freaky riffs supplied by Thomas Dolby.

40 by Foreigner can be ordered now.

Foreigner 40 tracklist

Disc 1

1. Feels Like The First Time (Radio Edit)
2. Starrider
3. Cold As Ice
4. Long, Long Way From Home
5. Headknocker
6. Hot Blooded (Radio Edit)
7. Double Vision (Radio Edit)
8. Blue Morning, Blue Day
9. Dirty White Boy (Radio Edit)
10. Head Games
11. Women
12. Urgent (Radio Edit)
13. Juke Box Hero
14. Waiting For A Girl Like You
15. Night Life
16. Luanne
17. I Want To Know What Love Is
18. That Was Yesterday
19. Tooth And Nail
20. Reaction To Action (Radio Edit)
21. Down On Love

Disc 2

1. Heart Turns To Stone
2. Can’t Wait
3. Lowdown And Dirty
4. Soul Doctor
5. White Lie
6. Rain
7. All I Need To Know
8. Too Late
9. When It Comes To Love
10. Can’t Slow Down
11. In Pieces
12. Fool For You Anyway
13. Say You Will
14. Save Me
15. Girl On The Moon (Live)
16. Break It Up (Live)
17. I Don’t Want To Live Without You
18. Give My Life For Love
19. The Flame Still Burns

Foreigner 40th anniversary tour dates 2017

Apr 28: Shippensburg H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center, PA
Apr 29: Poughkeepsie Mid-Hudson Civic Center, NY
Apr 30: Northfield Hard Rock Casino, OH
May 05: Mashantucket Foxwoods Resorts Casino, CT
May 20: Luzern KKL Luzern, Switzerland
May 21: Luzern KKL Luzern, Switzerland
May 24: Dusseldorf Mitsubishi Electric Halle, Germany
May 25: Frankfurt Jahrhunderthalle , Germany
May 26: Munich Konigsplatz, Germany
May 28: Berlin Tempodrom, Germany
May 29: Dresden Freilichtbuhne Junge Garde, Germany
May 30: Leipzig Parkbuhne, Germany
Jun 02: Rostock HanseMesse, Germany
Jun 03: Hamburg Mehr Theatre, Germany
Jun 04: Ritterhude Hamme Forum, Germany
Jun 06: Stuttgart Beethovensaal, Germany
Jun 07: Salem Schlob, Germany
Jun 08: Nyon Caribana Festival, Switzerland
Jun 10: Madrid La Riviera, Spain
Jun 11: Marbella Club De Tenis, Spain
Jul 11: Syracuse lakeview Amphitheatre, NY
Jul 13: Camden BB&T pavilion, NJ
Jul 14: Bethel Wood Center For The Arts, NY
Jul 15: Hershey Giant Center, PA
Jul 17: Boston Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, MA
Jul 18: Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center, NY
Jul 20: Wantagh Northwell Health At Jones Beach, NY
Jul 21: Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, NY
Jul 22: Holmdel PNC Bank Arts Center, NJ
Jul 25: Bristow Jiffy Lube Live, VA
Jul 26: Virginia Beach Veterans United Home Loan Amphitheatre, VA
Jul 28: Nashville Ascend Amphitheatre, TN
Jul 29: Atlanta Chastain park Amphitheatre, GA
Jul 30: Pelham Oak Mountain Amphitheatre, Al
Aug 01: West Palm Beach Perfect Vodka Amphitheatre, FL
Aug 02: Tampa Midflorida Credi tUnion Amphitheatre, FL
Aug 03: Jacksonville Daily’s Place, FL
Aug 05: Charlotte PNC Music Pavilion, NC
Aug 06: Raleight Coastal Credit Union Music Park, NC
Aug 08: Cincinnati Riverbend Music Center, OH
Aug 09: Chicago Huntington Bank Pavilion, IL
Aug 11: Clarkston DTE Energy Music Theatre, MI
Aug 12: Burgettstown KeyBank Pavilion, PA
Aug 13: Noblesville Klipsch Music Center, IN
Aug 15: Kansas City Starlight Theatre, MO
Aug 16: Maryland Heights Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, MO
Aug 19: Woodlands The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, TX
Aug 20: Austin 360 Amphitheatre, TX
Aug 23: Albuquerque Isleta Amphitheatre, NM
Aug 24: Phoenix Ak-Chin Pavilion, AZ
Aug 26: Salt Lake City USANA Amphitheatre, UT
Aug 29: Chula Vista Mattress Firm Amphitheatre, CA
Aug 30: Los Angeles Greek Theatre, CA
Sep 01: Wheatland Toyota Amphitheatre, CA
Sep 02: Mountain View Shoreline Amphitheatre, CA
Sep 04: Morrison Red Rocks Amphitheatre, CO
Sep 08: Ridgefield Sunlight Supply Amphitheatre, WA
Sep 09: Auburn White River Amphitheatre, WA

Foreigner at the London Palladium: Live Review