8 March 1965 "Musical Director: Phil Coulter" says the label (above) of 'Born To Be With You', giving us early notice of an eminence beige in Irish popular music for years to come. This being an Irish showband record, the track is originally a '50s US pop hit. Coulter's peppy arrangement tries to bring some … Continue reading Butch Moore and The Capitol Showband – ‘Born To Be With You’
Boyzone – ‘Gave It All Away’
4 March 2010 Boyzone's 2010 return to the Irish number one spot came in sad circumstances. Stephen Gately had died in October 2009, so 'Gave It All Away'—written by Mika—was the remaining group members' tribute to him. As the track had been recorded in 2008 it still features his lead vocals, so to hear him … Continue reading Boyzone – ‘Gave It All Away’
Brendan Bowyer and The Royal Showband – ‘The Hucklebuck’
18 January 1965 'The Hucklebuck' is the 'Maniac 2000' of '60s Ireland and the most famous record of the Irish showband era. That said, tempting as it is to suggest such a rare flash of native dancefloor-filling buzz caught some '60s mood of social change or economic prosperity, this is still the Ireland of mass … Continue reading Brendan Bowyer and The Royal Showband – ‘The Hucklebuck’
Helping Haiti – ‘Everybody Hurts’
11 February 2010 The '10s was the decade when Haiti replaced Angola in our comfortable, condescending worldview as the most woe-begotten place on Earth. Years of brutal repression under the Duvaliers and their Tonton Macoute, coupled with huge external debt, had left the country politically and economically precarious, so Haiti was particularly ill-equipped for the … Continue reading Helping Haiti – ‘Everybody Hurts’
The Beatles – ‘I Feel Fine’
18 December 1964 Our first actual Beatles music video! The literal-minded treatment for 'I Feel Fine' is to have the lads mime the song with some gym equipment. John and Paul are try-hard larkish. George looks uncomfortable and chances singing into a punchbag like a microphone. Naturally, Ringo as the coolest Beatle—fact—steals the show. I … Continue reading The Beatles – ‘I Feel Fine’
Butch Moore and The Capitol Showband – ‘Down Came The Rain’
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’
