6 July 1989 Content warning: domestic violence; abusive relationships; male violence against women Yes, a number one single in Ireland in 1989 was a jaunty, ersatz trad-Irish ditty that romanticises abusive relationships and serial male violence against women, with no sign of any remorse or comeuppance. The male narrator is also a musician, so we … Continue reading The Waterboys – ‘And A Bang On The Ear’
U2 – ‘All I Want Is You’
22 June 1989 You're so materialistic, what with your wanting "diamonds on a ring of gold" and your promising me "treasure just to look upon it". You're also a bit odd and ranty, with all your pseudo-Biblical bluster of "eyes in a moon of blindness / a river in a time of dryness / a … Continue reading U2 – ‘All I Want Is You’
Jason Donovan – ‘Sealed With A Kiss’
15 June 1989 Those of you following the Jason Donovan: Pop Star plotline will recall how 'Especially For You' was a mid-tempo romantic duet, 'Too Many Broken Hearts' was an up-tempo number, and Jason sounded comfortable on neither. What next for our hero and the three-headed hit machine of Stock, Aitken and Waterman behind him? … Continue reading Jason Donovan – ‘Sealed With A Kiss’
No Sweat – ‘Heart And Soul’
1 June 1989 Despite the band name, Irish hard rockers No Sweat seemed to be putting in the work. It was a Saturday afternoon, so Roxy Records in the centre of my home town of Tralee was busy anyway, but the prospect of spotting an actual band off the TV was intriguing to me and … Continue reading No Sweat – ‘Heart And Soul’
The Christians, Holly Johnson, Paul McCartney, Gerry Marsden, Stock Aitken and Waterman – ‘Ferry ‘Cross The Mersey’
18 May 1989 The F.A. Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest was one of RTÉ's regular Saturday afternoon live English games, so I was watching it. George Hamilton and John Giles, the RTÉ commentary team that day, were quick to mention that the Liverpool supporters' end looked dangerously overcrowded, and the Liverpool players defending that … Continue reading The Christians, Holly Johnson, Paul McCartney, Gerry Marsden, Stock Aitken and Waterman – ‘Ferry ‘Cross The Mersey’
Kylie Minogue – ‘Hand On Your Heart’
11 May 1989 If you'd asked me in 1989 which we would have in twenty years' time, flying cars taking us to the moon or Kylie elevated to icon status with a slew of brilliant hits, I would have said... the Kylie one, obviously. She was clearly a great pop star, her then-suppliers Stock, Aitken … Continue reading Kylie Minogue – ‘Hand On Your Heart’
Daniel O’Donnell – ‘Far, Far From Home’
4 May 1989 I don't remember 'Far, Far From Home', though of course this may also be the case for most of Daniel's elderly fanbase. So, as per my standard operating procedure for any tracks I find here that I don't know, I will listen to it for the first time LIVE as I write … Continue reading Daniel O’Donnell – ‘Far, Far From Home’
U2 ft B.B. King – ‘When Love Comes To Town’
13 April 1989 We've already seen how U2 followed the lead of George Michael's 1987 one-word abstract-noun Bo-Diddley-beat rock 'n' roll throwback 'Faith' with 'Desire'. Now we have this other Rattle And Hum single which, like George's duet with Aretha Franklin on 'I Knew You Were Waiting For Me' a year or so earlier, sees … Continue reading U2 ft B.B. King – ‘When Love Comes To Town’
The Bangles – ‘Eternal Flame’
6 April 1989 If you wanted a number one single in late-1980s Ireland and you hadn't starred in Neighbours, your up-tempo pop banger probably wasn't going to cut it. No sirreee: to nail that final push to the summit you usually needed to wheel out a big romantic ballad. And so, just as with Whitney … Continue reading The Bangles – ‘Eternal Flame’
Guns N’ Roses – ‘Paradise City’
30 March 1989 In my 1989 small child worldview, bigger boys liked Guns N' Roses, the way they liked A Nightmare On Elm Street and whatever Death Wish video they somehow got away with renting. (I tried taking out the nasty Dirty Harry sequel The Dead Pool, in which Guns N' Roses briefly appear, but … Continue reading Guns N’ Roses – ‘Paradise City’
