30 April 1992 The English taste for mildly saucy end-of-the-pier humour, as evinced by Carry On films and 'Deeply Dippy', leaves me cold. There's also an English strain of male, white, middle-aged, entitled "anti-woke" celebrity, and like the pair of buttocks they resemble, the Right Said Fred brothers now squeeze out the dribbliest, whiniest diarrhoea … Continue reading Right Said Fred – ‘Deeply Dippy’
Eric Clapton – ‘Tears In Heaven’
19 March 1992 I've not experienced the tragic death of a loved one, as in the sad story behind this Eric Clapton song, nor have I needed to work out or express what must be awful and overwhelming feelings. Also, I'm not religious or spiritual; I don't believe in life after death and I'm not … Continue reading Eric Clapton – ‘Tears In Heaven’
U2 – ‘One’
5 March 1992 The further along we go from 'The Fly', the more New U2 reverts to Old U2. 'One' could definitely have fitted onto The Joshua Tree or The Unforgettable Fire. No funk basslines or dance beats, no alter-egos or natty shades: it's U2 back to their earnest, serious selves. Whatever way you slice … Continue reading U2 – ‘One’
Shakespears Sister – ‘Stay’
27 February 1992 What are the most influential tracks of the '90s? 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', 'Unfinished Sympathy', 'The Drowners', 'Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang', 'Wannabe' and '...Baby One More Time' are in there for sure. To those, I'll add Mariah Carey's 1990 debut single, 'Vision Of Love'. I don't even mean the entire track, … Continue reading Shakespears Sister – ‘Stay’
Wet Wet Wet – ‘Goodnight Girl’
30 January 1992 For the good of my health I've checked ahead, and the more notorious Wet Wet Wet hit doesn't get to number one in Ireland. (It happened to coincide with a homegrown event release and months-long chart-topper.) Still, though, any '90s Wet Wet Wet single is reliably dreadful. In the '80s this band … Continue reading Wet Wet Wet – ‘Goodnight Girl’
Queen – ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ / ‘These Are The Days Of Our Lives’
18 December 1975 and 19 December 1991 I wasn't born when it was first a hit, and I hadn't developed any interest in Queen since then, so I knew very little of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' when it came around again after Freddie Mercury's untimely death. I reckon today you wouldn't even fill a taxi with the … Continue reading Queen – ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ / ‘These Are The Days Of Our Lives’
U2 – ‘Mysterious Ways’
12 December 1991 I remember Hot Press in the early '90s carrying angry letters from die-hard U2 fans, mostly in North America, on how Achtung Baby and Zooropa were a travesty of U2 by U2. On 'Mysterious Ways', for instance, those strobe-lit dance beats and synth washes combine with Adam's mildly funky bassline to sound … Continue reading U2 – ‘Mysterious Ways’
Zig and Zag – ‘Zigzaggin”
14 November 1991 "What do you get if you cross Zig and Zag?" asked the flustered young phone-caller to The Den, struggling to come up with a joke to tell. "Zigzag!" Kindly uncle Iano, then still the host, gave a hearty laugh and a sincere "well done". It stuck in my small child brain because … Continue reading Zig and Zag – ‘Zigzaggin”
U2 – ‘The Fly’
24 October 1991 Deep down, did U2 really change all that much on Achtung Baby? Where they had gone west for The Joshua Tree and Rattle And Hum to chase their idea of US blues and gospel, now they went east to chase the spirit of Bowie's Berlin albums. On 'The Fly', our entrée to … Continue reading U2 – ‘The Fly’
Monty Python – ‘Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life’
17 October 1991 I had thought this song's second life must have been connected to a cinema re-release or video re-issue of Monty Python's Life of Brian. (The Irish film censor ban on the film had been lifted in 1987.) But no: apparently 'Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life' came around again because … Continue reading Monty Python – ‘Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life’
