28 August 2020 A warm welcome to any of you who don't know what the title stands for. I'll give you a minute to look it up. [A minute later] Welcome back. There's a long lineage of bawdy chart-toppers from male rap acts—my mind summons up The Outhere Brothers—so an all-female duet doing likewise is … Continue reading Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion – ‘WAP’
The Times – ‘If Ma Could See Me Now’
25 July 1974 Footnotes first: The Times were an Irish showband, and not US vocal group The Tymes who would have a number one in Ireland six months later with 'Ms Grace'. The Irish group included the two Swarbrigg brothers from Cootehill in Co. Cavan, credited as writers of 'If Ma Could See Me Now', … Continue reading The Times – ‘If Ma Could See Me Now’
Joel Corry and MNEK – ‘Head & Heart’
24 July 2020 'Head & Heart' caught my attention at the time because of its split-screen video, which you can see below, with the parallel working days of someone living their worst life and their best life. (It was made using identical twins.) As this was in the days of Covid-enforced remote working, the office … Continue reading Joel Corry and MNEK – ‘Head & Heart’
Charles Aznavour – ‘She’
18 July 1974 I once stood behind Charles Aznavour in a queue at the bank in Paris. He was courteous to the teller and got his business done quickly. That, I'm sorry to say, is my best celebrity encounter story from the eight-and-a-half-years I spent Seine-side. You've probably had starrier celeb sightings or meetings in … Continue reading Charles Aznavour – ‘She’
Jawsh 685 and Jason Derulo – ‘Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)’
17 July 2020 I'm a big fan of Jason Derulo's habit of starting his tracks by saying his own name. It's a considerate signal from him that I should change the station. After all, not everyone loves Jason Derulo as much as Jason Derulo seems to love Jason Derulo. Thanks, Jason. It's not quite out … Continue reading Jawsh 685 and Jason Derulo – ‘Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)’
Big Tom and The Mainliners – ‘Old Love Letters’
11 July 1974 Sensational news for those of you emotionally invested in the Big Tom Memorial Statue in Castleblayney: to facilitate the renovation of the neighbouring Market House, in August 2026 the statue was boarded off and no longer visible. This provoked a less-than-gruntled one-star review which has caused the statue's Tripadvisor rating to fall … Continue reading Big Tom and The Mainliners – ‘Old Love Letters’
Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande – ‘Rain On Me’
29 May 2020 Earlier in May 2020 the UK had two number ones that were charity records in response to the Covid pandemic. Neither of them made the Irish top fifty—and you can look them up online yourself to understand why—nor did we have any native Covid charity hits. Perhaps the closest we got was … Continue reading Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande – ‘Rain On Me’
Mouth & MacNeal – ‘I See A Star’
30 May 1974 Not the pair of mismatched TV cops their name suggests, Mouth & MacNeal were the no-less-incongruous singing duo who represented the Netherlands at Eurovision 1974. Mouth in particular seems to have fancied their chances; on game night (in the video below) he bursts onto the stage waving giddily at all and sundry, … Continue reading Mouth & MacNeal – ‘I See A Star’
Joe Cuddy – ‘Any Dream Will Do’
9 May 1974 "Aha!", the elders would say: "Joe Cuddy sang that!" This was a common reaction in the Ireland of 1991 to Jason Donovan topping the Irish charts with 'Any Dream Will Do'. (Other reactions were also available.) Joe Cuddy topped the Irish charts with it too. It was his second number one of … Continue reading Joe Cuddy – ‘Any Dream Will Do’
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch – ‘Rockstar’
15 May 2020 Neither of the two acts here are easy to like. Roddy Ricch faced charges of domestic violence earlier in 2020, though the charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence. In 2018 DaBaby shot a man, who later died, but pleaded self-defence and avoided serious charges. He also struck a woman in a … Continue reading DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch – ‘Rockstar’
