13 June 1997 If I told you a number one single was an original track speeded up and given cartoonish record scratches, all with a chorus of gibberish scat vocalising and sung by three cutesy floppy-haired American siblings, you'd assume it was a novelty hit, right? Hanson's 'MMMBop' is that single. I see a lot … Continue reading Hanson – ‘MMMBop’
Tag: 90s
Sarah Brightman & Andrea Bocelli – ‘Time To Say Goodbye (Con te partirò)’
23 May 1997 Here's the first Irish number one we can attribute to German boxing. 'Con te partirò' had already been a solo hit across Europe for Andrea Bocelli. In November 1996 Henry Maske, a former Olympic champion boxer, was coming to the end of an illustrious pro career that had made him one of … Continue reading Sarah Brightman & Andrea Bocelli – ‘Time To Say Goodbye (Con te partirò)’
Sash! – ‘Encore Une Fois’
11 April 1997 Whenever Irish social media talks about the Irish language, which is taught as a compulsory subject in Irish schools, you invariably get a reply guy who claims they finished school with a poor level of Irish but a "strong" level of French, German, Spanish or whatever. I happen to be a fluent … Continue reading Sash! – ‘Encore Une Fois’
Spice Girls – ‘Mama’ / ‘Who Do You Think You Are’
14 March 1997 This is a double-A-sided single of two halves. 'Who Do You Think You Are' is a down-the-line disco banger that plays to the Spice Girls's strengths: it allows them to be energetic, fun, smart and assertive, without too many demands on the singing front. Notably, it's their first single where one member … Continue reading Spice Girls – ‘Mama’ / ‘Who Do You Think You Are’
No Doubt – ‘Don’t Speak’
21 February 1997 The song is about Gwen Stefani's break-up with the band's bass player. The video is about the band, including bass player ex, resenting all the attention on Stefani at their expense. The song's co-writer, Stefani's brother Eric, had left the band after the song and its parent album had been recorded. Tell … Continue reading No Doubt – ‘Don’t Speak’
U2 – ‘Discothèque’
7 February 1997 Desperation: that's the first thing I remember from 'Discothèque', the Pop album and the PopMart tour. How else can you explain U2 (a) dressing up as the Village People, and (b) looking so uncomfortable doing it? Seeing Larry so stiff and self-conscious in this video, you suddenly realise: ah, so that's who's … Continue reading U2 – ‘Discothèque’
Barbra Streisand and Bryan Adams – ‘I Finally Found Someone’
31 January 1997 Was Bryan Adams now the '90s go-to person for a sure-fire movie theme hit? La Streisand hadn't been in the charts for a while, so she and her people probably figured they needed a contemporary act to see their soundtrack single over the line. Bryan Adams previously had movie tie-in synergy number … Continue reading Barbra Streisand and Bryan Adams – ‘I Finally Found Someone’
No Mercy – ‘Where Do You Go’
24 January 1997 Uh-oh: I see the name of Frank Farian lurking here. Farian was the German producer behind Boney M, in which two members weren't actually singing on the records, and Milli Vanilli, in which the only two members weren't actually singing on the records. There's no suggestion that Marty Cintron, the lead No … Continue reading No Mercy – ‘Where Do You Go’
Spice Girls – ‘2 Become 1’
20 December 1996 If you list every Irish number one single in alphabetical order, starting with those which begin with numerals, '2 Become 1' by the Spice Girls is first on the list. It was also Ireland's 1996 Christmas number one, and its Christmassy New York video (actually shot with green screen in a London … Continue reading Spice Girls – ‘2 Become 1’
The Prodigy – ‘Breathe’
6 December 1996 We're probably catching The Prodigy at the wrong moment here. They'd already had a string of brilliant Irish top ten singles through the '90s, first with sparkling primary-colour rave, then with murkier hip-hop textures, and most recently before this with the scorching electro-punk of 'Firestarter'. That latter track was a genuine sensation … Continue reading The Prodigy – ‘Breathe’
