29 August 1987 Take the kitsch of country & Irish, multiply it by the campy simpering of Daniel O’Donnell, and you get… well, a whole lot of campy, simpering kitsch really. Other male singers working the country & Irish scene, most notably Nathan Carter, have since tried to follow Daniel’s blueprint of a junior infant … Continue reading Daniel O’Donnell – Four Track EP
Tag: 80s
Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald – ‘On My Own’
10 May 1986 Bacharach & David devotee that I am, I must admit that I've never played their compilations as far as Burt's 1980s output. Though Bacharach was still wildly successful with his new post-Hal lyricist (and then-wife) Carole Bayer Sager, the Bacharach sound had drifted from '60s mature, yearning sophistication into '80s middle-aged soft-focus … Continue reading Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald – ‘On My Own’
The Pogues ft. Kirsty MacColl – ‘Fairytale Of New York’
12 December 1987 and 8 December 2023 Kirsty MacColl herself sings "you're cheap and you're haggard" in the version of 'Fairytale Of New York' in the video below. You'll also hear her sing that line in what we can call an alternative official version posted on The Pogues' own YouTube channel. So, "you're cheap and … Continue reading The Pogues ft. Kirsty MacColl – ‘Fairytale Of New York’
Band Aid II – ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’
14 December 1989 Only two singers appear on both the original 1984 Band Aid and the 1989 Band Aid II: Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward of Bananarama. Looking around the room in 1984 they would have seen hi-wattage superstars like George Michael, Boy George, Simon Le Bon, Sting and Bono. In 1989 the ambient light … Continue reading Band Aid II – ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’
Jason Donovan – ‘When You Come Back To Me’
7 December 1989 No surprise that one half of 'Especially For You', our first chart-topper of 1989, goes on to be Ireland's favourite pop star that year; the only surprise was which half. Yes, this is Jason's fifth Irish number one single in 1989, far more than Kylie or anyone else. 'When You Come Back … Continue reading Jason Donovan – ‘When You Come Back To Me’
Linda Ronstadt ft. Aaron Neville – ‘Don’t Know Much’
16 November 1989 I know now about Linda Ronstadt's '70s back catalogue of Laurel Canyon-style country rock, and about Aaron Neville's R&B vocal harmonies with his brothers Gary and Phil. At the time, though, to young me these were just two random middle-aged people with yet another schmaltzy romantic ballad that seemed to be played … Continue reading Linda Ronstadt ft. Aaron Neville – ‘Don’t Know Much’
Kylie Minogue – ‘Never Too Late’
9 November 1989 Spoiler alert: Kylie goes on to have an eclectic '90s, a triumphant '00s, and pop icon status ever since. Even so, and knowing all that, I listen to 'Never Too Late' and start to wonder if she's even going to be around until the end of the record. I also wonder if … Continue reading Kylie Minogue – ‘Never Too Late’
Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers – ‘That’s What I Like’
19 October 1989 When Chubby Checker followed up 'The Twist' with 'Let's Twist Again', he at least had the decency to make them two different songs. No such qualms for our Watership Downer friend Jive Bunny, whose follow-up to hit single 'Swing The Mood' also starts with the exact same Chubby Checker sample. I bet … Continue reading Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers – ‘That’s What I Like’
Wet Wet Wet – ‘Sweet Surrender’
5 October 1989 Already in late 1989 we had harbingers of the decade to come. Here's Wet Wet Wet as they begin to move away from the "popped in" of their debut album title and towards its "souled out". In a few years time they will release a single that is truly an anal fistula … Continue reading Wet Wet Wet – ‘Sweet Surrender’
Black Box – ‘Ride On Time’
28 September 1989 Quick recap. At first, up to early September 1989, you were hearing the voice of Loleatta Holloway as sampled from her 1980 single 'Love Sensation'. Since then, once Holloway and other interested parties had a quiet word with Black Box about the niceties of copyright and clearance, you have apparently been hearing … Continue reading Black Box – ‘Ride On Time’
