12 August 1971 Already here in mid-1971 we have one of the signature hits of T. Rex and glam - but perhaps not yet the signature sound of either. As with most of the tracks on parent album Electric Warrior, 'Get It On' still has a groove rather than a stomp, the lyrics are still … Continue reading T. Rex – ‘Get It On’
Author: Aidan Curran
One Direction – ‘Perfect’
23 October 2015 A few months earlier in 2015 we saw Ireland's last number one from an Irish boyband, HomeTown's 'Cry For Help'. Now here's Ireland's last number one from any boyband. We'll still have a chart-topping single from a girl group, though, plus solo number ones from former band-boys including two of 1D. But … Continue reading One Direction – ‘Perfect’
Justin Bieber – ‘What Do You Mean?’
4 September 2015 I had just got undressed when I looked out the window and saw Justin Bieber right outside. His visit to Bushy Park in Dublin to shoot some hoops in June 2017 was one of Ireland's more unexpected celeb-sighting stories. The basketball court in Bushy Park happens to be just beside the men's … Continue reading Justin Bieber – ‘What Do You Mean?’
The Weeknd – ‘Can’t Feel My Face’
21 August 2015 So, what do we think 'Can't Feel My Face' is about? Perhaps I don't need to be so coy - The Weeknd himself certainly wasn't, going by the lyrics of his subsequent track 'Reminder': "I just won a new award for a kids show / Talking 'bout a face numbing off a … Continue reading The Weeknd – ‘Can’t Feel My Face’
Red Hurley and The Nevada – ‘Sometimes’
31 July 1971 The showbands hadn't gone away. What's more, the '70s bring a new wave of them, with more technically capable singers who'd probably have gone into musical theatre if Dublin had its own West End or Broadway. Instead, they work the cabaret angle, make the occasional tilt at getting selected for Eurovision, and … Continue reading Red Hurley and The Nevada – ‘Sometimes’
Middle Of The Road – ‘Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep’
10 July 1971 Reluctant as I am to mull on the lyrics of any '70s bubblegum pop hit or destroy your enjoyment of same, 'Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep' is not about a wee bird in a nest. It really is about a small child called Don—that second line is "little baby Don"—that's abandoned by its … Continue reading Middle Of The Road – ‘Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep’
Charlie Puth ft. Meghan Trainor – ‘Marvin Gaye’
14 August 2015 It only scraped to no. 21 in its home of America, so how come 'Marvin Gaye' by Charlie Puth and Meghan Trainor got to number one in the UK and in Ireland? I put it down to our shared taste for top, top banter - the Brits when it involves mild sauciness, … Continue reading Charlie Puth ft. Meghan Trainor – ‘Marvin Gaye’
Brendan Shine – ‘O’Brien Has No Place To Go’
19 June 1971 With five number one singles dotting the decade like bird droppings, Brendan Shine can claim to be Ireland's biggest chart-topping star of the '70s. It may somewhat colour this accolade for you to know that his nearest competitor in this was Red Hurley with four; the showband-dominated '60s Irish charts congealed into … Continue reading Brendan Shine – ‘O’Brien Has No Place To Go’
One Direction – ‘Drag Me Down’
7 August 2015 It was the fate of most boy bands and girl groups to have one member leave. In the case of One Direction, we probably all thought it would be high-profile Harry who'd be first to do a Robbie-style bolt for solo success. Instead, Zayn left for personal reasons. 'Drag Me Down' was … Continue reading One Direction – ‘Drag Me Down’
Neil Diamond – ‘I Am… I Said’
5 June 1971 Anyone who writes 'I'm A Believer' can't be all bad. Therefore, to say that every Neil Diamond song is knuckle-gnawingly dreadful would be incorrect. It's the other 99.9 percent of them that's the problem: his gauche, self-satisfied lyrics that amount to the wrong-headed knowingness of a parish priest telling a class of … Continue reading Neil Diamond – ‘I Am… I Said’
