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Pop music and substance abuse have been bedfellows since day one. It was uppers and downers to get through the gruelling tours in the 50s. In the 60s came the acid revolution, and by the 70s full tilt heroin abuse was not uncommon. The excess of the 80s made cocaine the drug of choise in musical circles and by the 90s, club culture was being fuelled by ecstasy. From rockers to rappers, they have all dabbled and as a result there have been manysongs written about drugs over the years. Here are ten...

1. Heroin – Velvet Underground

Written by Lou Reed and released by the Underground in 1967. Three guesses what it was about. In fact, make that one guess...

2. Brown Sugar – Rolling Stones

Lead single from 1971's Sticky Fingers album. Brown Sugar refers to a kind of heroin – a subject Keith Richards was quite into reseraching at the time.

3. There She Goes – The La's

This up-temps slice of classic scouse pop isn't about a girl as you might thing. “There she goes again... racing through my brain... pulsing through my vein... no one else can heal my pain.” Work it out for yourself!

4. Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds – The Beatles

The sound of Lennon and McCartney tripping their heads off on L.S.D from the Sergeant Pepper album

5. Eboneezer Goode – The Shamen

1992 hit banned by the Beeb for its endorsement of ecstasy after they cleverly decoded the not very well -hidden “E's are good” line in the chorus.

6. White Lines – Grand Master Flash

New York old skool hip-hop tale depicting the down-hill slope that tends to go hand in hand with cocaine. Don't do it kids!

7. Cocaine – JJ Cale

You don't need to be a detective in the Narcotics Squad to work this one out. Later covered by Eric Clapton on his 1977 album, Slowhand.

8. That Smell – Lynrd Skynrd

The 70s southern rockers were known for their hell-raising antics but this little ditty referred to their penchant for a bit of a smoke to calm things down a bit.

9. Comfortbaly Numb – Pink Floyd

From 1979's The Wall album. Supposedly about a fictional character – oh yeah, that old chesnut! Later given the camp treatment when covered by Scissor Sisters.

10. Golden Brown – The Stranglers

1981 hit that singer Hugh Cornwell says works on two levels – “It's about herion and also about a girl...Both provided me with pleasurable times.”