Tag Archives: Crowded House

THE SOUND OF 2020

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We haven’t had our first 24 hours of 2021 yet and I can’t imagine that many want to look back at 2020, but it’s time for my annual look back at the best songs of the past year.

I’m not going to insult you by cutting and pasting the usual about how it was a great year and all that. It really wasn’t.

Even though we got treated to some interesting covers and live online concerts from bored pop stars in lockdown, i’d swap all that for a return to normality.

As much as i’ve loved Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Kitchen Disco, i’d rather it not have to exist, if you know what I mean.

I actually have concert tickets for 2021, unsurprisingly, most are carried over from 2020.

Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott are first up in April, although that is looking ambitious, considering that Paul Weller scheduled for the week before has already been put back to November.

Also in the diary is Lightning Seeds, Ash, Doves and Beabadoobee.

Hopefully, when I do get back to concerts, it won’t be in the first batch. Let’s be honest, they’ll be full of tanked up bellends determined to “make up for” what they’ve “missed out on”.

You don’t realise how much a sound crowd adds to a concert until you’re surrounded by bellends.

So, enjoy the best songs of 2020. Hopefully, i’ve introduced you to something you’ll like.

Let’s hope 2021 will be a lot better than 2020, although we’re working off a very low bar.

  1. Tame Impala – Lost In Yesterday
  2. The Weeknd – Blinding Lights
  3. Powfu ft Barbadoobee – Death Bed
  4. Post Malone – Circles
  5. David Guetta and Sia – Let’s Love
  6. Royal Blood – Trouble’s Coming
  7. Beabadoobee – Care
  8. Paul Molloy – Dungaree Day
  9. Shader – Don’t You Forget About Me
  10. Georgia – Running Up That Hill
  11. Declan McKenna – Beautiful Faces
  12. Tom Grennan – Amen
  13. Andy Bell – Cherry Cola
  14. Lady Gaga – Stupid Love
  15. Dea Matrona – Roll With It
  16. Blossoms – Paperback Writer
  17. Dermot Kennedy – Giants
  18. 5 Seconds Of Summer – Wildflower
  19. Blossoms ft James Skelly – Dreaming Of You
  20. Beabadoobee – Together
  21. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Come On Outside
  22. Crowded House – Whatever You Want
  23. Tom Grennan – Something Better
  24. Samara Ginsberg – Inspector Gadget
  25. Dermot Kennedy – Power Over Me
  26. Oasis – Don’t Stop
  27. 24kgoldn – City Of Angels
  28. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – We’re Gonna Get There In The End
  29. Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott – Some Might Say
  30. Samara Ginsberg – Knight Rider
  31. Declan McKenna – Rapture
  32. Samara Ginsberg – Thomas The Tank Engine
  33. Liam Gallagher – All You’re Dreaming Of
  34. Beabadooebee – Worth It
  35. Karen O and Willie Nelson – Under Pressure
  36. Tate McRae – You Broke Me First
  37. Declan McKenna – Be An Astronaut
  38. Two Mad Men And A String Quartet – Madness Hits Medley
  39. Blossoms – It’s Going To Be A Cold Winter
  40. Arlo Parks – Black Dog
  41. New Order – Be A Rebel
  42. Izzy Bizu – Faded
  43. The 1975 – If You’re Too Shy
  44. David Latto – Geordie Munro
  45. Magnum Haus – Rip It Up
  46. Swim School – Dignity
  47. Ash – Darkest Hour Of The Night
  48. Doves – Broken Eyes
  49. AC/DC – Shot In The Dark
  50. Tom Ogden – Everyday I Write The Book

PAST WINNERS

2019 Vampire Weekend – Harmony Hall
2018 Lovelytheband – Broken
2017 Liam Gallagher – For What It’s Worth
2016 The Strumbellas – Spirits
2015 Blossoms – Charlemagne
2014 Jamie T – Zombie
2013 Haim – The Wire
2012 Taylor Swift – We Are Never Getting Back Together
2011 Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – AKA …. What A Life
2010 Marina and the Diamonds – Shampain
2009 Little Boots- New In Town
2008 Sons and Daughters – Darling
2007 Feist – 1, 2, 3, 4

50 YEARS OF TOP OF THE POPS : MAY 23 – MAY 29

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Another week, another Sugababe birthday. Heidi Range this time.

The lack of Bob Dylan in the TOTP studio caused a mild panic for this week’s birthdays round-up, but luckily, Manfred Mann came to the rescue.

And from Bob Dylan, we go to another end of the musical scale. The band who gave a shot in the arm to the red codpiece industry.

And of course, this brilliant cover.

And no, i’m not posting Mel B’s version. Or Mel G, as she was then known. Or Little Mix (Mainly, because they haven’t done a TOTP performance for their version)

Meanwhile, Paul Weller, turned 56 this week. He’s made a few appearances on the show. I should do a whole blog dedicated to the Style Council.

SPOILER ALERT : You may see a video of Paul Weller pretending to be Bono later in the year.

Meanwhile, it was Stevie Nicks birthday this week. Here she is performing “Room’s On Fire”, which probably explains why the stage is covered in smoke.

Meanwhile, that’s not her only big solo hit. “Edge Of Seventeen” is probably best known for being sampled for “Bootylicilous”, and if you look closely at the start of the promo video of the song, she makes a cameo appearance.

Forever Young (see what I did there?) Marion Gold of Alphaville hits the Big 60 this week. Here he is performing “Big In Japan”.

Can’t say i’m a fan of Lenny Kravitz, but this is a brilliant song.

Best known for her success with The Banshees, Siouxsie Sioux’s side project, The Creatures did this sadly forgotten pop classic.

It’s a busy week, so let’s get cracking. Neil Finn, Split Endz/Crowded House, 1958.

(WARNING : First video contains Jimmy Savile)

However, don’t dream it’s over, there’s still more to come.

Prince Buster turned 76 this week, and he was immortalised in song by Madness for their first single, and appearance on TOTP. Obviously.

John Fogarty of Creedence Clearwater Revival nudged closer to 70 this week. His most famous song, is possibly a cover.

I have no idea why it is being performed on TOTP 11 years after it was a hit, though the credits across the screen suggest it was for a 25th anniversary of TOTP show.

(WARNING : Clip contains Jimmy Savile)

Charlene Robinson turned 46 this week? Who? You know, she worked in a garage and married Scott Robinson.

You got a bit of Quo, now for some mo, as Francis Rossi is now Bus Pass age, which is ironic, as he’s spent half his life on a tour bus (The other half in the TOTP studio)

And finally, Noel Gallagher, closer to 50 than 40. Amazing to think. (47, since you ask)

And the great man himself on Oasis while inteviewed on TOTP

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 25.5.2012

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1. Alex Clare – Too Close
2. Gotye – Eyes Wide Open
3. Ben Howard – Only Love
4. Little Boots – Headphones
5. General Fiasco – Rebel Get By

It’s Eurovision!!!! Oh yes, it’s that time of year. When Englebert Humperdink was announced, I did a Eurovision Top Five. It would be rude to let this weekend pass without a chart, so here’s the Top Five from last year.

FIVE EUROVISION 2011 SONGS

1. A Friend In London – New Tomorrow
2. Anna Rossinelli – In Love For A While
3. Jedward – Lipstick
4. Getter Jaani – Rockefeller Street
5. Lucia Perez – Que Mi Quiten Lo Bialao

This week saw the unveiling of the trailer for the new James Bond movie. So, in honour of this, here’s a Top Five of Bond themes.

FIVE BOND THEMES

1. Carly Simon – Nobody Does It Better
2. Duran Duran – View To A Kill
3. Louis Armstrong – We Have All The Time In The World
4. Alicia Keys and Jack White – Another Way To Die
5. Chris Cornell – You Know My Name

It’s Paul Weller’s birthday today. I only know this because I saw it on Twitter. So, in honour of this, here’s a Top Five of Paul Weller solo songs.

FIVE PAUL WELLER SONGS

1. Changing Man
2. Mermaids
3. Sunflower
4. Instant Karma
5. From The Floorboards Up

This Monday sees Noel Gallagher’s birthday, so here’s the Top Five from his solo album, which I can’t urge you enough to buy.

PS : As a side note, i’ve applied for tickets to see him at Itunes Festival. Hopefully, if I do win, I get enough notice to get flights arranged, unlike when I won Manics tickets last year.

FIVE NOEL GALLAGHER SONGS

1. AKA ……. What A Life
2. I Wanna Live In A Dream
3. Everybody’s On The Run
4. AKA …… Broken Arrow
5. Stop The Clocks

Well, this week saw us have our one week of Summer and Sunshine. So, in honour of this, here’s five sun and five summer songs, to cheer you up when it starts pissing rain next week.

FIVE SUN SONGS

1. Crowded House – Distant Sun
2. Zoe – Sunshine On A Rainy Day
3. The Beatles – Here Comes The Sun
4. Elliott Minor – Solaris
5. Jamiroquai – Seven Days In Sunny June

FIVE SUMMER SONGS

1. Don Henley – Boys Of Summer
2. Bananarama – Cruel Summer
3. Lovin Spoonful – Summer In The City
4. Lostprophets – Last Summer
5. Squeeze – This Summer