THE FRIDAY FIVE (AND IT’S A EURO 2021 SPECIAL) – 11.6.2021

1. Alphabeat – Danmark’s Dynamite
2. The Alarm – The Red Wall Of Cymru
3. Olivia Rodrigo – Good 4 U
4. Marshmello X Jonas Brothers – Leave Before You Love Me
5. Holly Humberstone – The Walls Are Way Too Thin

You may or may not have noticed, but an international football tournament starts today.

As is tradition, here’s a group by group chart by acts from the competing countries.

GROUP A

1. Yello – Oh Yeah
2. Spagna – Call Me
3. Stereophonics – Dakota
4. Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse Of The Heart
5. Ryan Paris – Dolce Vita

GROUP B

1. Tatu – All The Things She Said
2. Alphabeat – Boyfriend
3. The Rasmus – In The Shadows
4. Lordi – Hard Rock Hallelujah
5. Rasmussen – Higher Ground

GROUP C

1. Falco – Rock Me Amadeus
2. George Baker Selection – Little Green Bag
3. Shocking Blue – Venus
4. Focus – Hocus Pocus
5. Opus – Life Is Life

GROUP D

1. Simple Minds – Don’t You Forget About Me
2. Duran Duran – Ordinary World
3. Del Amriti – Always The Last To Know
4. Echo and the Bunnymen – Nothing Lasts Forever
5. Karel Fialka – Hey Matthew

GROUP E

1. Roxette – Joyride
2. Ace Of Base – The Sign
3. Robyn – Who’s That Girl?
4. Baccara – Yes Sir I Can Boogie
5. ABBA – Supertrouper

GROUP F

1. Daft Punk – Robot Rock
2. Nena – 99 Red Balloons
3. Freiheit – Keeping The Dream Alive
4. Desireless – Voyage Voyage
5. Lena – Satellite

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 8.6.2018

1. The Kooks – No Pressure
2. Johnny Marr – Hi Hello
3. Courtney Barrett – Nameless Faceless
4. Christine and the Queens – Girlfriend
5. Aurora – Queendom

And now, the first of many apologies.

Apologies for not having a Friday Five last week, I was too busy doing blogs from Biggest Weekend.

The last time I did a Friday Five, I totally forgot that it was Her Majesty Kylie Minogue’s 50th birthday.

Belatedly, he’s a chart to celebrate Kylie’s half century on earth.

FIVE SONGS BY KYLIE MINOGUE

1. I Believe In You
2. Better Than Today
3. I Should Be So Lucky
4. 2 Hearts
5. Some Kind Of Bliss

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but the World Cup starts. So here, is a series of musical charts based on the groups. You may notice that some acts are appearing under FIFA’s nationality rules.

SONGS BY ARTISTS FROM COUNTRIES IN GROUPS A-B

1. Tatu – All The Things She Said
2. Enrique Iglesias – Do You Know?
3. Nelly Furtado – Maneater
4. Tatu – All About Us
5. Baccara – Yes Sir, I Can Boogie

SONGS BY ARTISTS FROM COUNTRIES IN GROUPS C-D

1. Alphabeat – Boyfriend
2. Of Monsters And Men – Little Talks
3. Desireless – Voyage Voyage
4. Steffan Dennis – Don’t It Make You Feel Good
5. Daft Punk – Robot Rock

SONGS BY ARTISTS FROM COUNTRIES IN GROUPS E-F

1. Yello – Oh Yeah
2. Ace Of Base – The Sign
3. Freiheit – Keeping The Dream Alive
4. Modern Talking – Brother Louie
5. Emilia – Big Big World

SONGS BY ARTISTS FROM COUNTRIES IN GROUPS G-H

1. Glenn and Chris – Diamond Lights
2. Gotye – Somebody That I Used To Know
3. FR David – Words
4. The 5678s – Woo Hoo
5. Shakira – Underneath Your Clothes

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 10.6.2016 (A EURO 2016 SPECIAL)

1. Tame Impala – The Less I Know The Better
2. Birdy – Keeping You Head Up
3. Tom Odell – Magnetised
4. Biffy Clyro – Wolves Of Winter
5. Johnny Lloyd – Pilgrims

Today is the start of Euro 2016. Sounds like a good excuse for a chart, or a series of charts.

SONGS BY ACTS FROM COUNTRIES IN GROUP A

1. Yello – Oh Yeah
2. Desireless – Voyage Voyage
3. Phoenix – Entertainment
4. Air – Sexy Boy
5. Alexandra Stan – Lemonade

SONGS BY ACTS FROM COUNTRIES IN GROUP B

1. Tatu – All The Things She Said
2. Mansun – Wind Open Space
3. Stereophonics – Dakota
4. Manic Street Preachers – Motorcycle Emptiness
5. The Cure – Close To Me

SONGS BY ACTS FROM COUNTRIES IN GROUP C

1. Wonder Villains – TV
2. Nena – 99 Red Balloons
3. Harold Faltermeyer – Axel F
4. Baltimora – Tarzan Boy
5. Ruslana – Wild Dance

SONGS BY ACTS FROM COUNTRIES IN GROUP D

1. Enrique Iglesias – Do You Know?
2. Can Bonomo – Love Me Back
3. Jan Hammer – Crockett’s Theme
4. Karel Fialka – Hey Matthew
5. Baccara – Yes Sir I Can Boogie

SONGS BY ACTS FROM COUNTRIES IN GROUP E

1. Gala – Freed From Desire
2. Phil Lynott – Yellow Pearl
3. Roxette – Joyride
4. Spagna – Call Me
5. Ace Of Base – The Sign

SONGS BY ACTS FROM COUNTRIES IN GROUP F

1. Falco – Rock Me Amadeus
2. Of Monsters and Men – Little Talks
3. Bjork – Play Dead
4. Christina Strumer – Fieber
5. Bjork – It’s Oh So Quiet

50 YEARS OF TOP OF THE POPS : OCT 31 – NOV 6

It really is winter now, looks like you all need to be warmed up. I’ll try.

How about Tatu covering The Smiths?

Ace Of Base singing about Flowers

A certain Dandy Highwayman whose name i’m too scared to mention turned 60 this week.

Word up fool, it’s Puff Daddy

Men in their early 30s will be having flashback of a teenage crush.

Don’t you wish you had a photograph of Flock Of Seagulls?

(WARNING : Clip contains Dave Lee Travis)

The Groover Who Briefly Lived In Vancouver turned 55 this week.

Not even making this up, but Ryan Adams has the same birthday as Bryan Adams, but 15 years younger.

Does anyone remember Lisa Scott-Lee’s solo career?

And finally, we move from one member of a great band on a solo career to another, Glenn Frey, with the 2nd best solo single by a member of The Eagles in 1985.

50 YEARS OF TOP OF THE POPS : OCT 3 – OCT 9

This week’s first birthday, is Lindsay Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac officially becoming an OAP. In 1988, he sold his house, Buckingham Palace, to the British Royal Family for £20m and a signed copy of Rumours.

Unfortunately, there’s not much Mac in the archives, so here’s The Corrs.

It was Gwen Stefani’s birthday this week, of which there is No Doubt.

As yet, Danny from The Script isn’t in the TOTP Hall OF Fame.

Also blowing out candles this week is Chris Lowe, writer of Ian Wright’s 1992 classic Do The Wright Thing , 55 this week.

Remember when Tatu scandalised the nation (well, Richard and Judy) back in 2003?

Bob Geldof, caught in a Rat Trap.

Who wants to see Madness cover The Kinks?

Nicola from Girls Aloud edged another year closer to 30 this week.

And from Girls Aloud, we go to Radiohead ……

Two sadly missed Johns now, to end this week’s round-up.

John Lennon would have been 74 this week.

And a Legs and Co tribute. It’s what he would have wanted.

John Entwhistle would have been 70 this week.

THE FRIDAY FIVE – WORLD CUP SPECIAL

It’s almost here, only another six days to go.

For some reason, the 2014 World Cup will be starting on a Thursday night instead of a Friday afternoon, which is why i’m jumping on the bandwagon today.

The competing countries have also provided some great music as well as great football, so here, is some songs from acts from those countries. Enjoy.

FIVE SONGS BY ACTS FROM COUNTRIES IN GROUPS A – B

1. Kylie Minogue – I Should Be So Lucky
2. 2 Unlimited – No Limit
3. Baccara – Yes Sir I Can Boogie
4. Rawbau – Tejkitize
5. Santana – Smooth

FIVE SONGS BY ACTS FROM COUNTRIES IN GROUPS C – D

1. The Clash – Train In Vain
2. Giorgio Moroder ft Phil Oakey – Together In Electric Dreams
3. Sabrina – Boys Boys Boys
4. The 5. 6. 7. 8s – Woo Hoo
5. Shakira – Underneath Your Clothes

FIVE SONGS BY ACTS FROM COUNTRIES IN GROUPS E – F

1. Yello – Oh Yeah
2. Desireless – Voyage Voyage
3. Daft Punk – Da Funk
4. Piola Vago – Triki Triki
5. Darius – Kinda Love

FIVE SONGS FROM COUNTRIES IN GROUPS G – H

1. Tatu – All the Things She Said
2. Nena – 99 Red Balloons
3. Katy Perry – Hot n Cold
4. Scala ft Kolacny Brothers – With Or Without You
5. Scorpions – Winds Of Change

FIVE WORLD CUP SONGS

1. Dana – Yer Man
2. Andy Cameron – Ally’s Army
3. England 1970 World Cup Squad – Back Home
4. Del Amitri – Don’t Come Home Too Soon
5. Village People – Far Away In America

FIVE UK TV WORLD CUP THEME TUNES

1. Jeff Wayne – Matador
2. Vusi Mahlasela – When You Come Back
3. Apollo 440 – Rondezvous
4. Silsoe – Aztec Gold
5. Daryl Hall – Gloryland

50 YEARS OF TOP OF THE POPS : FEB 14 – FEB 20

We begin our look back at TOTP with Valentine’s Day. If it was your birthday as well, you share it with Ali Campbell from UB40.

This week saw the 4th anniversary of the death of Doug Fieger, lead singer of The Knack. Sadly, we’ve no The Knack, but we have Girls Aloud ripping off My Sharona.

Born on this week in history was Mikey Craig of Culture Club. Here he is performing “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?”, ironically, he missed the video shoot (hungover, according to Pop Up Video)

And yes, I know “Karma Chameleon” is their best song, but you’ll have to wait until Boy George’s birthday.

Another birthday boy this week is Ronnie Vanucci. Hard to believe that “Mr Brightside” was almost 10 years ago.

Finally, we have a Duran Duran birthday. Andy Taylor, no relation to John Taylor or Roger Taylor, or even Roger Taylor from Queen. Or Taylor Swift.

It’s not easy trying to pick a favourite Duran Duran song. In fact, it’s about as easy as a nuclear war.

Billy Joe Armstrong of Green Day is 42 this week. Here he is performing “Minority” in 2000.

We’ve already had one Taylor birthday this week, but there’s another one ……. Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters.

In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison for a crime they didn’t commit. In 2011, Ed Sheeran performed The A-Team on Top Of The Pops. Ed Sheeran as yet, hasn’t relocated to the Los Angeles underground.

I love the song, but this version ….. it really killed the mood in the studio.

The 2nd most famous Andy Williams in pop, Andy Williams from Doves is 44 this week, as was his twin brother Jez.

Sadly, I couldn’t find any Sub Sub, but i’ll make up for it with a double dose of Doves.

Talking of Andy Williams, The Beat had a big hit with an Andy Williams cover, but Dave Wakeling’s birthday shall be commemorated with “Mirror In The Bathroom” instead.

Bit of pointless The Beat trivia, Sting wore a The Beat t-shirt in the video for “Don’t Stand So Close To Me”

Ian Brown is 51 this week, and like fellow Mancunians New Order, i’ll treat Stone Roses birthdays to side projects, in Ian Brown’s case, his debut solo single, the best of his whole career, “My Star”

Meanwhile, Kurt Cobain would have been 47 today if he was still alive. Hard to imagine him getting old considering his early death.

He was born in Aberdeen you know. But not that Aberdeen. Aberdeen in Seattle.

And finally, remember the whole Tatu “controversy” of 2003?

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 9.11.2012

1. Tegan and Sara – Closer
2. Coldplay – Hurts Like Heaven
3. Pink – Try
4. Rihanna – Diamond
5. Katie and the Carnival – Dinosaurs

As per usual at this time of year, a Top five based on the previous wee’s X-Factor theme. Last week’s theme was ‘Number Ones’, another generic and open ended theme where they make it up as they go along.

I’ve read the 1999, 2001 and 2003 Guinness Book Of British Hit Singles from cover to cover, and some songs sung weren’t UK Number Ones. But, they didn’t specify what country though, to be fair.

So, here’s five UK Number One singles

FIVE UK NUMBER ONE SINGLES

1. Falco – Rock Me Amadeus
2. Nena – 99 Red Balloons
3. Tatu – All the Things She Said
4. Status Quo ft Manchester United FC – Come On You Reds
5. Babylon Zoo – Spaceman

Meanwhile, last Friday, BBC Four had a night dedicated to Paul Weller, once again, proving thay BBC Four is worth the licence fee along. I love that channel (as much as I love Paul Weller)

So, to commemorate, here’s five Paul Weller solo songs

FIVE PAUL WELLER SOLO SONGS

1. Sunflower
2. Changinman
3. Mermaids
4. From The Floorboards Up
5. Instant Karme

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 13.7.2012

1. Katy Perry – Wide Awake
2. Florence and the Machine ft Calvin Harris – Spectrum
3. The Killers – Runaways
4. Josh Osho – Redemption Days
5. Gym Class Heroes ft Ryan Tedder – The Fighter

Last Sunday, ITV launched a three part series titled ‘The Nation’s Favourite Number One’ which will probably have some crap Robbie Williams or Spice Girls song as the winner.

To commemorate this (The UK Singkes chart turns 60 this year) i’m going to do a Top Five for every decade from the 60s on.

I have three editions of the Guinness Book Of British Hit Singles (1999, 2001, 2003) and read them from cover to cover, so I know which songs were and weren’t Number One off by heart.

I had to use Wikipedia for this decade, whatever it’s called. A marked departure from when I would check the charts on Ceefax on a Sunday night (It’s still on page 528, if you’re interested)

FIVE NUMBER ONES FROM THE 60s

1. Small Faces – All Or Nothing
2. Rolling Stones – Get Off My Cloud
3. Tommy Roe – Dizzy
4. The Beatles – Ticket To Ride
5. Bee Gees – I Just Gotta Get A Message To You

FIVE NUMBER ONES OF THE 70s

1. Kate Bush – Wuthering Heights
2. Tina Charles – I Love To Love
3. Blondie – Heart Of Glass
4. Sweet – Blockbuster
5. Status Quo – Down Down

FIVE NUMBER ONES OF THE 80s

1. Wham – Freedom
2. Nena – 99 Red Balloons
3. Blondie – Call Me
4. Joe Dolce – Shaddap You Face
5. The Jam – Going Underground

FIVE NUMBER ONES OF THE 90s

1. U2 – The Fly
2. Queen – Innuendo
3. Chesney Hawkes – the One And Only
4. Blur – Country House
5. Babylon Zoo – Spaceman

FIVE NUMBER ONES OF THE 00s

1. Tatu – All The Things She Said
2. Stereophonics – Dakota
3. Nelly Furtado – Maneater
4. Cheryl Cole – Fight For This Love
5. Billie Piper – Day And Night

FIVE NUMBER ONES OF THE 10s

1. Owl City – Fireflies
2. Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe
3. Rihanna ft Calvin Harris – We Found Love
4. Gotye ft Kimbra – Somebody That I Used To Know
5. Diana Vickers – Once

THE FRIDAY FIVE – 8.6.2012 (AND IT’S A SHAMELESS EURO 2012 SPECIAL)

1. Rawbau – Tejkitize
2. General Fiasco – Rebel Get By
3. Alex Clare – Too Close
4. Ren Harvieu – Open Up Your Arms
5. Coldplay ft Rihanna – Princess Of China

Euro 2012 starts today, and thus, I shall be shamelessly cashing in on this by doing football related charts. We start, with five football related songs

FIVE FOOTBALL RELATED SONGS

1. Dana – Yer Man
2. Manchester United 1994 FA Cup Final Squad – Come On You Reds
3. Glenn and Chris – Diamond Lights
4. Andy Cameron – Ally’s Army
5. Lightning Seeds ft Frank Skinner and David Baddiel – Three Lions

History is full of great football songs, I might as well have, as they say in football, have a subs bench. These musical subs are so good, there isn’t even room for The Anfield Rap. Now that is strength in depth.

FIVE MORE FOOTBALL SONGS

1. Giorgio Chinaghlia – I’m Football Crazy
2. Andy Cole – Outstanding
3. Christina Strumer – Fieber
4. Chas and Dave – Ossie’s Dream
5. James – Goal Goal Goal

A further twist, I thought i’d do a group by group chart from acts from the competing countries. I’m gutted that Moldova didn’t qualify, as I can’t put in Dragostea Din Tei by O-Zone.

Imagine if I did this for Euro 2008, purely with Austria qualifying, I could have had Falco.

With Switzerland also qualifying, I could have used it as a platform to profess my undying love for Celine Dion. She may have been born in Canada, but through representing Switzerland in Eurovision 1988, that would qualify her under FIFA rules.

Group A was a struggle due to the lack of Polish postars I know of, and Greece producing dross like Demis Roussos and Nana Mouskouri, but I got a chart together.

FIVE SONGS FROM EURO 2012 GROUP A COUNTRIES

1. Tatu – All The Things She Said
2. Karel Fialka – Hey Matthew
3. Jan Hammer – Miami Vice Theme
4. Tatu – All About Us
5. Jan Hammer – Crockett’s Theme

If Group A was a struggle for the wrong reasons, Group B was a struggle for all the right reasons. I didn’t even need to use Nelly Furtado as a ringer for Portugal, there was so much musical talent from Denmark, Germany and Holland, or even having to include Van Halen, courtesy of the Dutch born guitarist Eddie Van Halen.

FIVE SONGS BY ACTS FROM COUNTRIES IN EURO 2012 GROUP B

1. Alphabeat – Boyfriend
2. Shocking Blue – Venus
3. Harold Faltermeyer – Axel F
4. Focus – Slyvia
5. Goombay Dance Band – Seven Tears

Group C was difficult to choose with the musical powerhouse of Republic of Ireland, responsible for the likes of Jedward, Boyzone, Westlife and B*Witched in it, alongside Spain and Italy. Croatia really lets the group down.

Controversy may surround the inclusuion of Electric Dreams, with Sheffield not being in Italy, but Giorgio Moroder is the main name on the song, and Phil Oakey only a credited guest vocalist. Plus, remember the fundamental rule of The Friday Five …….. My chart, my rules.

FIVE SONGS BY ACTS FROM EURO 2012 GROUP C

1. Spagna – Call Me
2. Giorio Moroder ft Phil Oakey – Together In Electric Dreams
3. Samantha Mumba – Always Come Back To Your Love
4. Gala – Freed From Desire
5. Baccara – Yes Sir, I Can Boogie

Group D sees me “Positively discriminate” against England. Nothing against England, but it feels wrong to include the likes of Oasis, Blur, Pulp, James and Ocean Colour Scene on a Europop chart

Ukraine sees me draw a blank, but I did like that woman who won Eurovision for them a few years back by ripping off Wildboys by Duran Duran.

Thankfully, the group is salvaged by pop heavyweights France and Sweden

FIVE SONGS BY ACTS FROM COUNTRIES IN EURO 2012 GROUP D

1. Ace Of Base – The Sign
2. Andreas Johnson – Glorious
3. Daft Punk – Da Funk
4. Emilia – Big Big World
5. Air – Kelly Watch The Stars

And finally, the Olympic Flame came to Northern Ireland this week. So, I thought i’d use this to embrace the pyromaniac within, and do a chart of fire related songs.

FIVE FIRE RELATED SONGS

1. Billy Joel – We Didn’t Start The Fire
2. Midnight Oil – Beds Are Burning’
3. U2 – The Unforgettable Fire
4. Bruce Springsteen – I’m On Fire
5. The Prodigy – Firestarter