11 April 2013 'Pompous' is an easy reach here, I know, but it seems this track really is about being petrified in cataclysmic clouds of Vesuvian ash and lava as a metaphor for some vague romantic angst. Hang on now. Those unfortunate enough to be made statues by the neighbourhood volcano were most likely not … Continue reading Bastille – ‘Pompeii’
Author: Irish Number Ones
Pink ft. Nate Ruess – ‘Just Give Me A Reason’
4 April 2013 I don't remember the video for 'Just Give Me A Reason' being so weird and ugly: murky sets; Pink on a bed beside a giant teddy bear with scary glowing eyes; Nate Ruess looking like US comedian John Mulaney. We've had Nate Ruess at number one in Ireland before, as the lead … Continue reading Pink ft. Nate Ruess – ‘Just Give Me A Reason’
The Tremeloes – ‘My Little Lady’
9 November 1968 Factoid fans and '90s kids love The Tremeloes. They're the band that auditioned for Decca Records on the same day as The Beatles; guess which one Decca signed. This late-'60s line-up of The Tremeloes features co-lead-vocalist Chip Hawkes, father of the one and only Chesney. Chip replaced Brian Poole, father of Karen … Continue reading The Tremeloes – ‘My Little Lady’
Mary Hopkin – ‘Those Were The Days’
12 October 1968 It's been a while, here in 2024, since we've had a newly-hatched TV talent show winner at number one in the charts. Those of you who soldiered through the '00s and caught trench foot in the 2009 rage against the machine will recall that these used to be ten a penny, or … Continue reading Mary Hopkin – ‘Those Were The Days’
Kodaline – ‘High Hopes’
21 March 2013 Where are you Kodaline hipsters to tell me you preferred them when they were 21 Demands? Okay, I throw down that gauntlet knowing full well that Kodaline fandom doesn't really lend itself to hipsterism. Chart factoids, though, are always hip, and this is a band who've had two Irish number one singles … Continue reading Kodaline – ‘High Hopes’
Bee Gees – ‘I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You’
21 September 1968 Copperfastening my realisation that, 'Hey Jude' aside, 1968 may be our worst year ever for number one singles, here come the Bee Gees. I hadn't realised there were five of them at that stage; as per the cover image above, the three Gibbs had dragged two unrelated randomers into their hot mess. … Continue reading Bee Gees – ‘I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You’
Passenger – ‘Let Her Go’
28 February 2013 We've not had Ed Sheeran at number one yet—that pleasure is still a year away—but 'Let Her Go' can serve as our entrée to Ed-ism. Passenger's chart-topping profile in early 2013 came in great part from supporting Sheeran on his Irish tour that January. So, there's a good deal of similar baggy-jumper … Continue reading Passenger – ‘Let Her Go’
One Direction – ‘One Way Or Another (Teenage Kicks)’
21 February 2013 One to remember for your next table quiz: which Irish act had a top 30 single in the UK and Ireland with 'Teenage Kicks'? Answer: Niall Horan, as part of One Direction, with this 2013 charity single that topped both charts. The original by The Undertones only reached no. 31 in the … Continue reading One Direction – ‘One Way Or Another (Teenage Kicks)’
The Beatles – ‘Hey Jude’
14 September 1968 Even taking into account the local dominance of showbands, the contemporary folk boom, the demon seed of Jim Reeves, the ready availability of low-grade Merseybeat, and the pop-cultural isolation of our country at the time, it's still been surprising to me just how few of the genuinely iconic '60s hits actually got … Continue reading The Beatles – ‘Hey Jude’
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz – ‘Thrift Shop’
14 February 2013 Macklemore made an unlikely return to the Irish charts in 2024 with 'Hind's Hall', an impressively committed and articulate track in response to the heavy-handed treatment of pro-Palestine demonstrations on US college campuses. I say "unlikely" because most of us had probably lost track of Macklemore, weren't aware of his politics, and … Continue reading Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Wanz – ‘Thrift Shop’
