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)’
Dickie Rock and The Miami Showband – ‘From The Candy Store On The Corner To The Chapel On The Hill’
30 October 1964 At thirteen words, 'From The Candy Store On The Corner To The Chapel On The Hill' is the longest title of any number one single in Ireland, holding off Sandi Thom's 'I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Hair)' by one word, without recourse to add-ons in brackets. … Continue reading Dickie Rock and The Miami Showband – ‘From The Candy Store On The Corner To The Chapel On The Hill’
Roy Orbison – ‘Oh, Pretty Woman’
23 October 1964 Yes, that's what it's called, although the 'oh' doesn't show up until the last line. Before that, however, 'Oh, Pretty Woman' gives us one of the most sensational openings of any hit single: strutting drumbeat; sashaying guitar. Familiarity may have you overlook it, but I defy you not to be swept up … Continue reading Roy Orbison – ‘Oh, Pretty Woman’
Owl City – ‘Fireflies’
21 January 2010 I haven't heard 'Fireflies' by Owl City since its heyday: top of the US charts, no less, plus here Ireland's first new number one single of the '10s. Even then, so dreadful was the merest random snippet that I spent any inadvertent overhearings with my head in a half-wince, half-cringe. However, that's … Continue reading Owl City – ‘Fireflies’
Herman’s Hermits – ‘I’m Into Something Good’
16 October 1964 Calling yourselves Herman's Hermits is a clear sign your core brand value is English whimsy. Sure enough, the following year these guys will surf the British Invasion by playing the stage Englishman for ravenous US audiences with the George Formby-esque 'Mrs. Brown, You've Got A Lovely Daughter' and then 'I'm Henry VIII, … Continue reading Herman’s Hermits – ‘I’m Into Something Good’
The Bachelors – ‘I Wouldn’t Trade You For The World’
9 October 1964 When The Bachelors went to number one in the UK earlier in 1964 with 'Diane' they weren't the first Irish act to top the charts cross-channel - Ruby Murray had already done so in 1955. However, they were the first Irish group to have a UK number one with simpering, retrograde pop … Continue reading The Bachelors – ‘I Wouldn’t Trade You For The World’
Joe McElderry – ‘The Climb’
17 December 2009 Alexandra Burke's X Factor winner's-single cover version of 'Hallelujah' was the 2008 Christmas number one in the UK and Ireland, fending off Jeff Buckley's cover version of 'Hallelujah' at no. 2 there and no. 8 here. I don't recall if the Buckley-buyers were an organised opposition movement or just random shoppers. Interestingly, … Continue reading Joe McElderry – ‘The Climb’
Brendan Bowyer and The Royal Showband – ‘Bless You (For Being An Angel)’
3 July 1964 Wow: a snippet of live audience at the start of 'Bless You (For Being An Angel)' to capture the hormone-fuelled frenzy of Bowyermania! And then we segue into an Irish showband iteration of a pre-Emergency US jazz ballad. The Ink Spots indeed released this in 1939, and they're a fine and important … Continue reading Brendan Bowyer and The Royal Showband – ‘Bless You (For Being An Angel)’
The Beatles – ‘A Hard Day’s Night’
7 August 1964 Sgt Pepper is Temple Bar '60s. Revolver is cold and chippy. Rubber Soul has 'Run For Your Life'. Abbey Road is '70s soft rock. The White Album is bloated. My favourite Beatles album is A Hard Day's Night. Handily, its title track is a perfect overture for the album. 'A Hard Day's … Continue reading The Beatles – ‘A Hard Day’s Night’
