20 February 2014 On the basis of 'Rather Be' and most of their subsequent singles, Clean Bandit's artistic vision seems to be: what if every uplifting dancefloor pop hit aspired to the state of the University Challenge theme tune? This is an understandable worldview, I grant you, when your group was formed at Jesus College, … Continue reading Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne – ‘Rather Be’
Zager & Evans – ‘In The Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus)’
19 September 1969 Exciting, isn't it: we're exactly 500 years from the year 2525! If I recall something I saw on TV once, everyone will be phenomenally beautiful, dressed in white spandex jumpsuits, and accompanied by droids quite similar to, but sufficiently distanced in copyright terms from, the droids in Star Wars. I think it … Continue reading Zager & Evans – ‘In The Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus)’
Pharrell Williams – ‘Happy’
2 January 2014 The last time we saw family-friendly Pharrell here before this soundtrack hit from all-ages cartoon Despicable Me 2 was a mere six months earlier as randy player Pharrell on consent-bemoaning anthem 'Blurred Lines' with Robin Thicke, whose cartoon would be Despicable #MeToo. Here in 2024, I doubt we'd be so ready to … Continue reading Pharrell Williams – ‘Happy’
Robin Gibb – ‘Saved By The Bell’
5 September 1969 Not, unfortunately, the theme from that '90s US high school sitcom: this 'Saved By The Bell' is a solo Bee Gees joint. I gather Robin briefly left the group after a disagreement with his brothers, perhaps on how exactly to make their records sound so gloopy and nauseous, then re-joined after a … Continue reading Robin Gibb – ‘Saved By The Bell’
Sean Dunphy and The Hoedowners – ‘When The Fields Are White With Daisies’
30 August 1969 Back in August 1969 Ireland was setting up refugee camps for families fleeing persecution and civil strife in their homeland. As it happens, those refugee families were also Irish, their homeland was the six counties of Northern Ireland, and they were fleeing loyalist attacks on nationalist areas of Belfast, Newry, Armagh and … Continue reading Sean Dunphy and The Hoedowners – ‘When The Fields Are White With Daisies’
The Rolling Stones – ‘Honky Tonk Women’
16 August 1969 Well, I certainly didn't expect to see the Stones' most debauchery-drenched single at number one in '60s Ireland - not because of prudishness or religiosity of the time and place, but because the last two years of Irish chart-toppers have been mostly twee bubblegum schmaltz. Could the same individuals who enjoyed 'Lily … Continue reading The Rolling Stones – ‘Honky Tonk Women’
Sam Bailey – ‘Skyscraper’
19 December 2013 Previous winners and finalists will continue to top our charts: Little Mix; James Arthur; Ella Henderson; One Direction together and solo. 'Skyscraper' by Sam Bailey, though, is the last X Factor winner's single to go to number one in Ireland. It's also the end of an annual tradition; 'Skyscraper' was Ireland's eighth … Continue reading Sam Bailey – ‘Skyscraper’
Lily Allen – ‘Somewhere Only We Know’
21 November 2013 They said it couldn't be done. However, on a TV commercial just now I've heard a sad cover version of the ultimate '90s dayglo Eurodance banger, 2 Unlimited's 'No Limits'. I think it was an ad for some telecommunications product and its generous user tariff, hence the connection. (Correction: it's actually for … Continue reading Lily Allen – ‘Somewhere Only We Know’
Elvis Presley – ‘In The Ghetto’
19 July 1969 Most of us would probably agree that systemic poverty is a bad thing. So, I want to be generous to the impulse behind the writing of 'In The Ghetto'. That said, this is a dreadfully manipulative, exploitative and condescending record. Its main lyrical concern is that the poor are fecklessly reproducing, growing … Continue reading Elvis Presley – ‘In The Ghetto’
The Beatles – ‘The Ballad Of John And Yoko’
21 June 1969 The coolest Beatle is Ringo, obviously, but the second-coolest is Yoko. (From top to bottom, the official Beatles Coolness Ranking goes: Ringo; Yoko; George Martin; Brian Epstein; Stuart Sutcliffe; Billy Preston; Astrid Kirchherr; Wilfrid Bramble; Aunt Mimi; the people rattling their jewellery; any other Beatles.) So, as with 'Woman', our other Irish … Continue reading The Beatles – ‘The Ballad Of John And Yoko’
