17July
The one person who likes that vacuous nonsense that's been selling less fewer copies than anything else. Dorian Lynskey writes, Last year, Gnarls Barkley's curiously addictive Crazy
deserved every one of its nine weeks at the top and I reckon the same is true of Umbrella
. They are both bona fide, the-nation-has-spoken hits which still sound fresh and unpredictable.
Ah, nonsense. Mr. Berkley's work was annoying from the second time we heard it, which was still two plays (give-or-take 1.3 seconds) longer than it took to determine that Miss Na's product. Yes, she's got a decent voice, and doesn't over-use it, but it doesn't help that the lyrics are vacuous, the melody is unimaginative, and the result is tedium of the highest order. A better song of the summer? Heavyweight champion of the world
. Not a good song, but a better one.
Which brings us to our list of songs for summer. Songs with a summery feel, that - unlike Mr. Lynskey's favourite - have sunshine and hot weather pouring out of the groove...
My favourite waste of time
, Owen Paul, 1986. The standard by which we evaluate all other contenders.Follow me
, Uncle Kraker, 2001. Well, it's good in hot weather.Oblivious
, Aztec Camera, 1983. A single released in December, naturally.The chicken song
, Spitting Image, 1986. This is the one nod to silliness, there shall be none of your Macaronis or Ketchups or Pineapples.La bamba
, Los Lobos. A serious song with very silly lyrics. To dance the goat requires a little gracefulness, and to keep going. For jings! Jings! Jings! Jings! I'm not a sailor, I'm a captain. Etc! ©Smash Hits 1987.Baila morena
, Zucchero, 2006. It's a grand foot-tapper.Desire
, Claudette Pace, 2000. Yes, a Eurosong entry.Crazy for you
, Let Loose, 1993. We've long preferred the guitar-laden version that was a birrova flop, rather than the more washy hit the following year.Bring it all back
, S Club 7, 1999. Part of the genius behind this band was the way they could bring summer to the darkest winter.Se a vida e
, Pet Shop Boys, 1996. One of the very rare celebrations from Neil and Chris.Alright
, Supergrass, 1995. Cheesy and silly.Searching
, China Black, 1994. Obscurity reigns!Move any mountain
, Shamen, 1991. On the umpteenth release, it finally became a hit.Mona
, Craig McLachlan and Check 1-2, 1990. Classic call-and-response.Sweet little mystery
, Wet Wet Wet, 1987. See the video.
