7 May 1988 As a Kerry person I am pleased to confirm the strong Kingdom connections of this record: Eddi Reader has family on her mother's side from Tralee, and 'Perfect' was used in a '90s Toyota ad on Irish television that also featured the mellow north Kerry tones of the poet and academic Brendan … Continue reading Fairground Attraction – ‘Perfect’ →

30 April 1988 Was the teacher in the lyrics an actual teacher or just someone metaphorically teaching George Michael a lesson? For Pink Floyd and Sting it would have been the former, but we can assume that George means the latter. Either way, at the time my school-hating small child brain found all this teacher … Continue reading George Michael – ‘One More Try’ →

9 April 1988 You'd think that after trudging so far through the barren, cynical wastelands of 1988's cheaply-made teen pop number ones I'd be delighted to find an oasis of Pet Shop Boys. However, I've never warmed to 'Heart'. Yes, I enjoy the soaring, epic Euro-house confection, and the extravagant Nosferatu video starring Sir Ian … Continue reading Pet Shop Boys – ‘Heart’ →

2 April 1988 Here's Tiffany back at number one, but in the two months since 'I Think We're Alone Now' things had changed. Now Kylie Minogue and the Goss twins, all still only 19 in early 1988, were the new teen pop sensations on this side of the Atlantic, and Kylie in particular had become … Continue reading Tiffany – ‘Could’ve Been’ →

26 March 1988 Bros-mania was now in full swing and, as Stock, Aitken and Waterman have shown us, fans will buy anything in a frenzy. I remember Bros in Smash Hits interviews being uncomplimentary about Stock, Aitken and Waterman's songs and stars, but 'Drop The Boy' is almost wilfully horrible and certainly poorer than anything … Continue reading Bros – ‘Drop The Boy’ →

19 March 1988 My first memory of listening to the week's new Irish singles chart was when the mighty Larry Gogan on 2FM counted them down on this week in March 1988 and revealed the new Irish number one to be 'Feet On The Ground' by the Hothouse Flowers. I remember its stompy beat and … Continue reading Hothouse Flowers – ‘Feet On The Ground’ →

12 March 1988 If anyone was "robbed" by the Pet Shop Boys of the 1987 UK Christmas number one, it wasn't The Pogues. The ante-post favourite was actually Rick Astley's version of 'When I Fall In Love', and it duly looked like romping home in the sales race. However, on the Christmas run-in Nat King … Continue reading Rick Astley – ‘Together Forever’ →

27 February 1988 In two-channel provincial Ireland in 1988 we didn't have Neighbours; instead we made do with Home And Away. Like any kid made to feel uncool, I slightly resented having to experience Neighbours-mania vicariously by peeking in the windows of Smash Hits and, more cruelly, Dublin-based Irish kids TV. So, while I was … Continue reading Kylie Minogue – ‘I Should Be So Lucky’ →

20 February 1988 How do you follow a surprise number one hit? As closely as possible! Even the long, clumsy two-part title is similar to that of 'When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going', as if some record company exec suddenly had the blinding insight that pop punters love it when Billy sings … Continue reading Billy Ocean – ‘Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car’ →

13 February 1988 Time hasn't been kind to Matt and Luke Goss. Their 2018 behind-the-scenes reunion documentary After The Screaming Stops, featuring their total lack of self-awareness and conkers-are-still-legal-awareness, made them a laughing stock. That's a pity, because they have an interesting story to tell: teen hysteria, family tragedy, follow-up failure, and (as the title … Continue reading Bros – ‘When Will I Be Famous?’ →