5 April 1965 Before Eurovision, what did Ireland do for national pop-cultural psychodrama? Whatever public interest or patriotic pride our first Eurovision entry may have whipped up in 1965, I doubt anyone anticipated its grip on the Irish imagination ever since. If anything, our recent trail of semi-final elimination has intensified our fascination and fervour; … Continue reading Butch Moore – ‘Walking The Streets In The Rain’
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Lady Gaga ft. Beyoncé – ‘Telephone’
25 March 2010 By this stage Lady Gaga clearly wasn't going to rediscover her inventive pop touch of 'Just Dance'. However, we do get to revisit the brief reference in 'Just Dance' to her phone in the club - and if that was your favourite bit of 'Just Dance', or if you're pining for the … Continue reading Lady Gaga ft. Beyoncé – ‘Telephone’
Tom Dunphy and The Royal Showband – ‘If I Didn’t Have A Dime (To Play The Jukebox)’
22 March 1965 Don't worry, Brendan Bowyer fans: he hasn't left The Royal Showband (yet). Tom Dunphy was their bass player and had already done vocal duties with them. So, think of this as their equivalent of George or Ringo singing one. 'If I Didn't Have A Dime (To Play The Jukebox)' was a B-side … Continue reading Tom Dunphy and The Royal Showband – ‘If I Didn’t Have A Dime (To Play The Jukebox)’
Butch Moore and The Capitol Showband – ‘Born To Be With You’
8 March 1965 "Musical Director: Phil Coulter" says the label (above) of 'Born To Be With You', giving us early notice of an eminence beige in Irish popular music for years to come. This being an Irish showband record, the track is originally a '50s US pop hit. Coulter's peppy arrangement tries to bring some … Continue reading Butch Moore and The Capitol Showband – ‘Born To Be With You’
Boyzone – ‘Gave It All Away’
4 March 2010 Boyzone's 2010 return to the Irish number one spot came in sad circumstances. Stephen Gately had died in October 2009, so 'Gave It All Away'—written by Mika—was the remaining group members' tribute to him. As the track had been recorded in 2008 it still features his lead vocals, so to hear him … Continue reading Boyzone – ‘Gave It All Away’
Brendan Bowyer and The Royal Showband – ‘The Hucklebuck’
18 January 1965 'The Hucklebuck' is the 'Maniac 2000' of '60s Ireland and the most famous record of the Irish showband era. That said, tempting as it is to suggest such a rare flash of native dancefloor-filling buzz caught some '60s mood of social change or economic prosperity, this is still the Ireland of mass … Continue reading Brendan Bowyer and The Royal Showband – ‘The Hucklebuck’
Helping Haiti – ‘Everybody Hurts’
11 February 2010 The '10s was the decade when Haiti replaced Angola in our comfortable, condescending worldview as the most woe-begotten place on Earth. Years of brutal repression under the Duvaliers and their Tonton Macoute, coupled with huge external debt, had left the country politically and economically precarious, so Haiti was particularly ill-equipped for the … Continue reading Helping Haiti – ‘Everybody Hurts’
The Beatles – ‘I Feel Fine’
18 December 1964 Our first actual Beatles music video! The literal-minded treatment for 'I Feel Fine' is to have the lads mime the song with some gym equipment. John and Paul are try-hard larkish. George looks uncomfortable and chances singing into a punchbag like a microphone. Naturally, Ringo as the coolest Beatle—fact—steals the show. I … Continue reading The Beatles – ‘I Feel Fine’
Butch Moore and The Capitol Showband – ‘Down Came The Rain’
11 December 1964 'Down Came The Rain' is, after 'Rhythm Of The Rain' by The Cascades in 1963, our second Irish number one single about rain - and Butch Moore will be back in 1965 with another Irish number one about rain. It won't be until 1966 that Ireland has a number one single about … Continue reading Butch Moore and The Capitol Showband – ‘Down Came The Rain’
Jedward ft. Vanilla Ice – ‘Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)’
4 February 2010 2009 had been a febrile year for The X Factor in the UK, but it provided a thrilling TV moment when John and Edward (to use their competition name) showed the correct amount of disrespect to Queen by their performance of 'Under Pressure' mashed up with its protégé 'Ice Ice Baby'. Sure, … Continue reading Jedward ft. Vanilla Ice – ‘Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)’
