29 October 1983 In an ideal world we'd be talking about Kirsty MacColl's number one single 'They Don't Know', both here and every Christmas. However, for a combination of reasons (manufacturing strikes in England, record label tensions, lack of promotion) the 1979 release of her own track didn't even chart in the UK or Ireland. … Continue reading Tracey Ullman – ‘They Don’t Know’
John Denver – ‘Annie’s Song’
17 October 1974 'Annie's Song' gets a renewed burst of witticism-fuelled attention every five years in Ireland when we're asked to fill in our census. Aside from that quinquennial project of theirs, the Central Statistics Office also confirms we have plenty of Annies among us; in 2025 it was the 37th most popular girl's name … Continue reading John Denver – ‘Annie’s Song’
Paul Woolford and Diplo ft. Kareen Lomax – ‘Looking For Me’
16 October 2020 On the Covid pandemic timeline, mid-October 2020 was when Ireland moved to Level 5 restrictions: no household visitors; a 5km confinement for outdoor movement; restaurants and bars limited to takeaway service; clubs and cultural venues closed. Ironically, since the start of the pandemic and lockdown in March 2020 Ireland's number one singles … Continue reading Paul Woolford and Diplo ft. Kareen Lomax – ‘Looking For Me’
Carl Douglas – ‘Kung Fu Fighting’
3 October 1974 Well now. Whatever this record's motivation at the time—perhaps mere cultural appropriation to cash in on the martial arts movie craze of the era—it's now to our ears full of the sort of sonic tags that would get thrown at anyone of Asian heritage, or fuel "hilarious" depictions of their community in … Continue reading Carl Douglas – ‘Kung Fu Fighting’
Dermot Hegarty – ‘Nineteen Men’
12 September 1974 'Nineteen Men' is the sixth number one song in Ireland in the space of just three years about someone in prison, and the eleventh in eight years. What's more, Dermot Hegarty's previous Irish chart-topper was also a jailbird story, 'Twenty One Years'. Was this really such relatable pop-culture content at the turn … Continue reading Dermot Hegarty – ‘Nineteen Men’
24kGoldn ft. Iann Dior – ‘Mood’
18 September 2020 I'm not greatly into this track's proximity to the tired and sexist trope of a woman being grumpy or irritable; I feel we're just around the corner from a quip about the time of the month. In fairness to those involved, the lyrics here don't go that far. That reticence of mine … Continue reading 24kGoldn ft. Iann Dior – ‘Mood’
Brendan Shine – ‘Abbeyshrule’
22 August 1974 And why not Abbeyshrule? Surely every village, parish, sráidbhaile and townland in the country has its own celebratory ballad, right? What's more, Abbeyshrule in Co. Longford is in the heart of what the nearest tourist office would call Goldsmith Country, so perhaps Brendan Shine is waxing lyrical here about his favourite 18th … Continue reading Brendan Shine – ‘Abbeyshrule’
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion – ‘WAP’
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’
