Mixed bag (Top 10 Singles)

Member Name: The Duke

Product:	Top 10 Singles
Date:	21/11/00 (114 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Loads of differing music types

Disadvantages: Not to everyones taste, Some are unavailable today

I've been a fan of music of all types for ages, and every now and again a song comes along that just grabs me, and sucks me in. Usually, I am already a fan of that genre, but sometimes it can prove to be a bit embarrassing.

As with all of my other Top Ten lists, these are presented in no particular order, other than the order in which I remember them!

1) The Power of Love (Huey Lewis and the News) Released twice in the UK, before and after Back to the Future came out, which would make that around, 1985? A great song which just makes you feel good, and ties in well with the movie – at least when I hear this song, I remember going to see BTTF in the cinema. I think this was the first single I ever bought – a double A side with “Do you believe in love?” The only one of the three “The Power of Love” songs that didn’t get to Number One I the British charts.

2) Where are you Baby? (Betty Boo) It's about 10 years old, but even to this day, I groove along every time I hear this. The whole album is great, but it was this song that really made me take note of Ms. Boo. I demand there is a Betty Boo revival now! Unless, of course, she brings out such crap as that hear’say song, which I believe she wrote/co-wrote. Even I’m hard pushed to forgive that one!

3) Step On (Happy Mondays) Like Betty Boo, a feel good song from my end of school days which sort of typified the summer I had that year. Actually, to be fair, possibly the main reason this gets into the Top Ten is because of the other songs/bands I’m also reminded of that were around at approximately the same time – The Wonderstuff, EMF, Jesus Jones, Mock Turtles etc.

4) Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen) Well, it is probably one of the best songs of all time, and a great tune to belt out when you're drunk because then no-one cares that you don't know all the words! If I remember correctly, this was a double A
side, when released in 1991 with “These are the days of our lives”. As a Queen fan of many years I had this on a couple of Queens albums, but this is a “Top Ten singles” category. Maybe I’m cheating by not actually owning this as a single? Anyway, this was Queen’s second number one of the year, after “Innuendo”. It has to be said that 1991 wasn’t a great year for Number Ones, apart from Queens adding a touch of class; we did have such crimes against music as that Bryan Adams number and Chesney Hawkes. Yikes!

5) Who Do You Think You Are? (Spice Girls) One to groove on down to at the local disco (are they still called that?). I’m not a big Spice Girls fan, but for some reason, I liked the sound of this song – modern with a hint of 70’s disco thrown in for good measure. After cunningly submitting everyone’s name for some karaoke in a Shrewsbury pub a few years ago, I was hauled onstage with the rest of the “volunteers” where I proceeded to embarrass the lot of them by singing backing vocals without looking at the lyric screen once! I got a standing ovation too!

6) Sweetest Thing (U2). This hit Number Two in the British charts in October of 1998 to the despicable Cher and the song where she warbles a bit. Actually an old B-side from The Joshua Tree, they re-did it for a single release and inclusion on their Greatest Hits album. The reason I remember it so well is that I was returning from a weekend away with my girlfriend of the time, and a few friends. Even my girlfriend, who doesn’t like U2, thought that it was better than the Cher single.

7) Tequila (Terrorvision) “Tequila! It makes you happy!” The album version sou8nds nothing like this remixed single version. It’s been made more poppy, and the tempo has been increased slightly making it a great song to boogie around to when you’ve had a few cactus juices yourself. I do
like Terrorvision, and could have named a few other singles instead of Tequila, but this is their crowning moment as far as chart position is concerned.

8) Play It Cool (Super Furry Animals) Why do I like this tune? No idea. I just do. I heard it one day on Radio 1 around the time I was contemplating jacking in my job and going back to university. I suppose, this was the song I listened to when I was feeling nervous about giving up the regular pay packet to live on meagre students “earnings”.

9) Another Brick In The Wall - Part 2 (Pink Floyd) Eeeek! An old song! I know a few people who think that songs released before 1980 don’t exist, but they’re wrong! This is from 1979-I think, and I just remember all the kids singing along, on the Christmas edition of Top of the Pops perhaps? When I finally got round to buying the album a few years, all the memories came flooding back. Great stuff.

10) Celebrate (An Emotional Fish). An Irish band from around 1990-ish. I’m actually surprised there aren’t more Irish bands in this list – only 2, eh? There are a few notable exceptions – Boyzone, Westlife etc. Hah! As if! I meant Therapy? Ash or even The Undertones. I think AEF only had one album, and this was very first track on it. It’s absolutely outstanding which is a shame because the rest of the album isn’t! “Celebrate. This party's over. I'm going home.”

All songs I would certainly recommend you listen to, even if you have to download from the Internet before you buy. Not that I can advocate that sort of behaviour, mind you ;)

*** Nearly rans ***
Calling All the Heroes (It Bites)
Going Out (Supergrass)
The Drowners (Suede)
World Shut Your Mouth (Julian Cope)
History Repeating (Propellerheads feat. Shirley Bassey)
Counting Sheep (Airhead)
Sweet Child o’ Mine (Guns ‘n’ Roses)

Plus many, many more!

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