27 December 1963 Did Brendan Bowyer have an Elvis franchise for Ireland? Here he is following up his first Irish number one, 'Kiss Me Quick', with another chart-topping Elvis cover - this time a whimsical acoustic ditty from the movie Blue Hawaii. Yes, it's pretty much the same thing as his 'Kiss Me Quick', but … Continue reading Brendan Bowyer and The Royal Showband – ‘No More’
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Jim Reeves – ‘I Love You Because’
27 March 1964 I've just noticed on the record sleeve above how eerily similar Jim Reeves looks to Jim Jones, the '70s US cult leader of the Jonestown massacre, and now I can't unsee it. Anyway, here's another chart-topper from the '60s US cult leader of country & Irish. Not that any Jim Reeves record … Continue reading Jim Reeves – ‘I Love You Because’
Flo Rida ft. Kesha – ‘Right Round’
20 March 2009 Sounding like the answer to the question "what if Timbaland got hit on the head and woke up thinking he was in the Black Eyed Peas?" here's Flo Rida again. Who's he dragging into his hot mess this time? Why, Kesha at the start of her hit-making career and Dead Or Alive … Continue reading Flo Rida ft. Kesha – ‘Right Round’
Julie-Anne Dineen – ‘Do You Believe’
13 March 2009 I haven't been able to find this single in physical, digital or any other format, so this post is currently a placeholder until I hopefully do. You can help, and maybe even have your name noted here in my eternal gratitude. Since Julie-Anne Dineen was from Limerick, I'm especially making doe eyes … Continue reading Julie-Anne Dineen – ‘Do You Believe’
Cilla Black – ‘Anyone Who Had A Heart’
20 March 1964 'Anyone Who Had A Heart' is the first Irish number one single to be performed by a woman. Unfortunately, that woman isn't Dionne Warwick, who had the original US hit with this song. Instead, before any release on this side of the pond, future TV matchmaker Cilla Black (real name: Cilla White) … Continue reading Cilla Black – ‘Anyone Who Had A Heart’
Lady Gaga – ‘Poker Face’
26 February 2009 Ha! So busy were you tittering and guffawing at the mild sauce of "'cause I'm bluffin' / With my muffin" you didn't notice that in the chorus of 'Poker Face' Lady Gaga actually sings "puh-puh-puh-poker face / Fuh-fuh-fuck her face". Granted, I didn't notice it either, and it's not very noticeable in … Continue reading Lady Gaga – ‘Poker Face’
The Dave Clark Five – ‘Bits And Pieces’
13 March 1964 Give a man a hammer and every problem becomes a nail. Give that same man a drumkit and his own band, as with Dave Clark and his plus-four, and this Merseybeat-ish record becomes a stompy thumpathon. Apparently there's actual stomping of feet on a wooden surface here, so at least we know … Continue reading The Dave Clark Five – ‘Bits And Pieces’
The Searchers – ‘Needles And Pins’
14 February 1964 Here's our first Irish number one single written by someone called Bono - Sonny Bono, along with wall-of-sound and Wrecking Crew associate Jack Nitzsche and the song's original singer, Jackie DeShannon. Sonny will soon also team up with the redoubtable Cher, and all those names will be rubbing elbows with the vanguard … Continue reading The Searchers – ‘Needles And Pins’
U2 – ‘Get On Your Boots’
19 February 2009 'Get On Your Boots' is U2's 21st number one single in Ireland - and their last. (Those 21 U2 Irish number ones fall neatly: seven in the '80s, seven in the '90s, and seven in the '00s.) What's more, 2009 is also the last time U2 had an Irish top ten single, … Continue reading U2 – ‘Get On Your Boots’
The Dave Clark Five – ‘Glad All Over’
31 January 1964 Football watchers will know the stompy, shouty chorus of 'Glad All Over' from being played pre-match and post-goal by Crystal Palace, the song's early adopter, and several other club sides since, including Shamrock Rovers. To be honest, that second career in football cheerleading is probably the only reason anyone still thinks of … Continue reading The Dave Clark Five – ‘Glad All Over’
