15 May 2014 Though not credited on 'Sing' as an artist, Pharrell's prominence in its audio and video for its sole week at number one in May 2014 effectively gives him a total of 22 weeks at the top of the Irish singles chart on four different tracks in little over a year, seemingly unscathed … Continue reading Ed Sheeran – ‘Sing’
The Archies – ‘Sugar, Sugar’
14 November 1969 The Archies are our first encounter with a hit-making fictional cartoon act, paving the way for Bart Simpson, Chef, Gorillaz and Shakin' Stevens. What you hear on 'Sugar, Sugar' are the vocals of session singer Ron Dante, co-writer Andy Kim (who goes on to become a flesh-and-blood one-hit wonder in 1974 with … Continue reading The Archies – ‘Sugar, Sugar’
Joe Dolan – ‘Teresa’
7 November 1969 Here's the final Irish single to reach number one in Ireland in the '60s. You will be familiar with Joe, but I don't know this song and I'm not aware of it being up there in his classic pantheon with 'Make Me An Island' or 'You're Such A Good Looking Woman'. (A … Continue reading Joe Dolan – ‘Teresa’
John Legend – ‘All Of Me’
24 April 2014 It's been a good few years since I was at a wedding - not that I'm complaining. After all, if I want to spent hours sitting on a wooden bench watching some unlucky sap in a cheap suit stand at the top of the room and wait nervously for a weird old … Continue reading John Legend – ‘All Of Me’
Bobbie Gentry – ‘I’ll Never Fall In Love Again’
24 October 1969 Surely this is recency bias on my part, I thought, but I re-watched The Apartment on TV last week and my re-listen to 'I'll Never Fall In Love Again' today seemed like it could be fittingly sung by Shirley MacLaine's Miss Kubelik: same cruel heartbreak, same world-weary sadness, same biting wit and … Continue reading Bobbie Gentry – ‘I’ll Never Fall In Love Again’
5 Seconds Of Summer – ‘She Looks So Perfect’
27 March 2014 The reference to American Apparel underwear in the chorus of 'She Looks So Perfect' hasn't aged well. Many fans of 5 Seconds Of Summer have surely grown out of them too. (The band, I mean, not the underwear.) Still, 5SOS continue to release new music, and back in 2014 they found considerable … Continue reading 5 Seconds Of Summer – ‘She Looks So Perfect’
Creedence Clearwater Revival – ‘Bad Moon Rising’
10 October 1969 Don't go out tonight! Don't make unnecessary journeys! Ireland in 1969 didn't have weather apps or storm-battered TV reporters, so it fell to mid-table rock bands like Creedence to warn the people of impending extreme weather events. 'Bad Moon Rising' predicts earthquakes, lightning and hurricanes, all of which John Fogerty wraps up … Continue reading Creedence Clearwater Revival – ‘Bad Moon Rising’
Duke Dumont ft. Jax Jones – ‘I Got U’
20 March 2014 Our previous 2014 number one, 'Rather Be' by Clean Bandit, included a feature credit for then-unknown guest vocalist Jess Glynne that effectively launched her career. However, the vocalist on DJ-producer Duke Dumont's 'I Got U', Kelli-Leigh, doesn't get a feature credit - that goes to the other DJ-producer here, Jax Jones. Now, … Continue reading Duke Dumont ft. Jax Jones – ‘I Got U’
Wham! – ‘Last Christmas’
30 December 2022; 27 December 2024 If you haven't been following the singles charts in the last few years, you may have missed a bit of chart history. Top of the UK pops for the week of 7 January 2021 was 'Last Christmas' by Wham!, finally getting to number one a full 36 years after … Continue reading Wham! – ‘Last Christmas’
Bee Gees – ‘Don’t Forget To Remember’
3 October 1969 Those of you following Robin Gibb's 1969 solo run and his chart-topping 'Saved By The Bell' are probably waiting for the other shoe to drop: what happens now with the Bee Gees? Well, here's their subsequent single without the third brother, now replaced by a Peter Mason. You may be familiar with … Continue reading Bee Gees – ‘Don’t Forget To Remember’
