Some interesting choices here.

 

"United States of Whatever" - one from the most strangest songs, which I heard. In Australia this single was peaked at # 6 and got Gold sertifiaction for sold 35.000 copies.

"Asereje" - Lithuanian girl group Mokinukes did a cover version of this hit on Lithuanian.

"Have A Cheeky Christmas" - didn't age well, but good enough for # 1 in my retrospective chart. It's their best song.

"The Official BBC Children In Need Medley" - cutest video and very rare situation, when I like various "artists" colloboration.

Edited December 19, 20231 yr by Last Dreamer

This Week:

 

2000- Madonna- Don't Tell Me

 

 

The first song in 2024 for this series is: Madonna with 'Don't Tell Me'. This was the second single from her eighth studio album 'Music'. This would go on and peak at #4 in the UK and in the US. Maybe a bit of an controversial opinion but I prefer this to her previous single 'Music'.

 

2000- Robbie Williams- Supreme

 

 

Which contained an melody of this:

 

 

'Supreme' was the third single to be released from Robbie Williams' third studio album 'Sing When You're Winning'. This would go on and peak at #4 in the UK. The music video is particularly one of my favourite music videos of the 2000s with Robbie's tribute to three-time F1 world champion Jackie Stewart. Where Robbie portrays a driver called Bob Williams where he completes for the F1 World Championship but he doesn't win the title due to getting locked in his caravan. I think that is portraying Brazilian two-time F1 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi possibly. This would contain an melody of Gloria Gaynor's 'I Will Survive'.

 

2005- Nizlopi- JCB Song

 

 

'Midlands Today' was the first time that I heard this from one-hit wonders Nizlopi with 'JCB Song'. This would go on and peak at #1 in the UK. it was cosnidered to be one of the favourites for the Christmas No.1 in 2005 but was beaten by the beginning of the X Factor juggernaut this time from Shayne Ward with 'That's My Goal'. I can remember people that my high school were obsessed with the song and me getting a pasting just because I didn't like this song. Its one that you would hear on Christmas No.2 playlists or one-hit wonders.

 

This Week:

 

2002- Ronan Keating ft Lulu- We've Got Tonight

 

 

'We've Got Tonight' was the third single from Ronan Keating's second studio album 'Destination' and featured on Lulu's twelfth studio album 'Together'. This would go on and peak at #4 in the UK. It is the highest charting version of this song. It isn't one that I wouldn't go back and listen to again as I'm not a fan of Lulu. The original version was Bob Seger, and in 1983 Kenny Rogers would cover this with Sheena Easton

 

Original:

 

 

Kenny Rogers & Sheena Easton Version:

 

 

 

2008- The Script- Breakeven

 

 

'Breakeven' was the third single from The Script's self-titled debut album. This would go on and peak at #21 in the UK, in the US this would outpeak its position in the UK by peaking at #12 in the Billboard Hot 100 albeit in May 2010. I quite liked this from The Script, I was quite gutted at the time that this didn't peak higher. At least James Arthur has left this alone after he plagizsed 'The Man Who Can't Be Moved'.

 

 

 

2009- Miley Cyrus- Party In The U.S.A.

 

 

'Party In The U.S.A.' was the lead single from Miley Cyrus' EP 'The Time of Our Lives'. This would go on and peak at #11 in the UK which at the time was her highest charting single tied with 'See You Again' and 'The Climb'. In the US this would fare better by peaking at #2 in the Billboard Hot 100. This was one that did get skipped or switched off when this used to come on, now I would listen to it for nostaglia.

 

Really like both 'Don't Tell Me' & 'Supreme' from this weeks. 'JCB Song' is alright but a bit lame for me too x

 

-

 

'Break Even' should've swapped with 'The Man Who Can't Be Moved' for me. Shame it never did get a lift into the top 20 at the very least :( still had a decent run though.

 

Never liked 'Party In The USA' oops and I liked pretty much all of what I heard from Miley up to that point as well!

For German speaking countries Ronan recorded a special version of "We've Got Tonight" together with Jeanette Biedermann instead Lulu.

 

This Week:

 

2001- Sophie Ellis-Bextor- Murder On The Dancefloor

 

 

Be warned:

 

2003- Shane Richie- I'm Your Man

 

 

Which was performed on Children In Need:

 

 

Which was a cover of this:

 

 

2006- Sharam- PATT (Party All The Time)

 

 

Which was a remix of this original:

 

 

 

This Week: (Doing this 2 days earlier as busy on Thursday)

 

2002- One True Voice- Sacred Trust/After You're Gone

 

 

 

Popstars: The Rivals was the show that would produce two bands One True Voice and Girls Aloud (I wonder what happened to them). One True Voice would complete with Girls Aloud for the Christmas #1. They were beaten to the Christmas #1 spot by Girls Aloud with 'Sound Of The Underground'. This and 'Sound of The Underground' there wasn't much of a contest, it was definitely gonna be Girls Aloud. This was a cover of the Bee Gees version. This was the start of the beginning for One True Voice as they would release one further single 'Shakespeare's (Way With Words) which would peak at #10. In August they would split up. This wasn't a great song from One True Voice.

 

Bee Gees version:

 

 

2002- Cheeky Girls- Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum)

 

 

From One True Voice, an unlikely duo called The Cheeky Girls from Gabriela and Monica. This would go on somehow and peak at #2 in the UK for four non-consecutive weeks. This unfortunately was overplayed a lot at my house as my sister would keep playing the CD for this at least 20 times a day. Not one that I would go out of my way to listen to. This would later be voted the worst pop record in the 100 Worst Records which was complied by Channel 4 in January 2004. This however would probably be played at most weddings, discos, christenings.

 

That audition:

 

 

2005- Shayne Ward- That's My Goal

 

 

The song that would start the X Factor hold on the Christmas #1 for the next four years it is the winner's single from Shayne Ward with 'That's My Goal'. This of course would go on and get the 2005 Christmas #1. This was later included on his debut self-titled album. This would be the last original X Factor winners' song til Matt Terry's 'When Christmas Comes Around'. This is often played on those best selling singles of the 2000s countdown on music channels.

This Week:

 

2001- S Club 7- Have You Ever

 

 

2001- Stereophonics- Handbags And Gladrags

 

 

Didn't realise this was a cover version. A haunting song from Stereophonics here.

 

Which was mentioned in my Top 100 Songs of the 2000s countdown I did back in 2015.

 

 

2009- Paolo Nutini- Pencil Full of Lead

 

 

This Week:

 

2001- Westlife- Queen of My Heart

 

 

The first song for this week, I apologize it isn't an popular choice or from an popular band, it is Westlife is the first time they have been included in this series with 'Queen of My Heart'. This was the first single from their third studio album 'World of Our Own'. This would become their 9th UK #1 in two and a half years. This isn't great from them. At the time they were the 'Manchester City' of the UK Charts, where everything they released seemed to go to #1.

 

2004- Band Aid 20- Do They Know It's Christmas?

 

 

I apologize for the timing of this song. A third version of the 1984 hit of 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' This of course would go straight to #1 in the UK and become the Christmas No 1, it would stay at #1 for four weeks.

 

The line-up was:

 

Midge Ure – organiser

Nigel Godrich (Radiohead, Travis) – producer

Bob Geldof – producer

Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz)

Harry Sutcliffe – sound engineer

 

Instruments:

 

Danny Goffey (Supergrass) – (drums)

Thom Yorke – (piano) and Jonny Greenwood – (guitar) – (Radiohead)

Paul McCartney – bass guitar

Justin Hawkins and Dan Hawkins (The Darkness) – guitar

Phil Collins – drums (Genesis)

Vocals:

 

Tim Wheeler (Ash)

Daniel Bedingfield

Natasha Bedingfield

Bono (U2)

Busted

Cat Deeley

Chris Martin (Coldplay)

Dido – performed separately from a studio in Melbourne

Dizzee Rascal – the only artist to add lyrics to the song

Ms Dynamite

Skye Edwards (Morcheeba)

Estelle

Grant Nicholas (Feeder)

Neil Hannon (The Divine Comedy)

Justin Hawkins (The Darkness)

Jamelia

Tom Chaplin (Keane)

Tim Rice-Oxley (Keane)

Beverley Knight

Lemar

Shaznay Lewis (formerly of All Saints)

Katie Melua

Róisín Murphy (formerly of Moloko)

Gary Lightbody (Snow Patrol)

Rachel Stevens

Joss Stone

Sugababes (Mutya, Keisha and Heidi)

The Thrills

Turin Brakes

Robbie Williams – performed separately from a studio in Los Angeles

Will Young

Fran Healy (Travis)

What I said about it in my 2021 thread of 'Mack's 50 Reasons Why Doesn't Like Christmas:

 

Unnecessary cover of the 1984 Classic, Pt 2.

 

2004- Armand Van Helden- My,My,My

 

Original:

 

 

Remixed Version

 

 

'My My My' was originally released in 2004 from American DJ Armand van Halden. Where it would peak at #15 in the UK at the time. Two years later an remixed version titled 'MyMyMy' which featured vocals from Tara McDonald. It would outpeak its original position of #15 by peaking at #12 in the UK. This is a great dance song from Armand Van Helden.

This Week:

 

2000- Public Domain- Operation Blade (Bass In The Place)

 

 

2004- Green Day- Boulevard of Broken Dreams

 

 

2006- The Feeling- Love It When You Call

 

 

 

This week we have a Top 5 hit from Public Domain, the second signature song from 'American Idiot' from Green Day and a #18 hit from The Feeling.

1st of Feb batch - 'Have You Ever' is cute. 'Handbags and Gladrags' is nice as well and I didn't originally think it was a cover either. 'Pencil Full of Lead' is quirky fun too!

 

--

 

From this weeks, 'Boulevard Of Broken Dreams' one of Greendays very best and 'I Love It When You Call' is fun as well. Was impressive for them to get all of their singles in the top 40 too, even the forgotten 'Rosé'!

Operation Blade was a real stomper! Reminds me of some great hardstyle songs of the time like Warp Brothers and Porn Kings.

Operation Blade was a real stomper!

Agreed with Wardy. Giving a listen to it for the first time and it gives me a Blademasterz (Brennan Heart) / Jeckyll & Hyde (Maarten Vorwerk a.k.a. EDM's number one ghost-producer) vibe, who I'm more familiar with!

 

All 3 good choices there. Agree Operation Blade is a bit of a banger. I remember Ronan Keating ranting on radio about how awful and noisy it was and then it blocked him from the Top 5. :lol:

Thanks all for commenting it is very much appreciated, :)

This Week:

 

2003- Sugababes- Too Lost In You

 

 

'Too Lost In You' was the second single from Sugababes' third studio album 'Three'. This would feature in the soundtrack in 'Love Actually'. This would go on and peak at #10 in the UK where it would stay for two weeks, this really should have charted higher as I think it is one of the best songs that the Sugababes did.

 

Love Actually Scene:

 

 

 

 

2004- Girls Aloud- I'll Stand By You

 

 

From the naff Shane Richie 'I'm Your Man' version for the 2003 Children In Need single. In 2004 we had another cover this time from Girls Aloud with a cover of the 1994 Pretenders song 'I'll Stand By You'. This would go on and peak at #1 in the UK becoming their second UK #1. This in my view was one of the better Children In Need singles, it feels poignant after the passing of Sarah Harding in 2021.

 

Original Version:

 

 

2007- Girls Aloud- Call The Shots

 

 

A double helping of Girls Aloud this week as we have 'Call The Shots' which was the second single from their fourth studio album 'Tangled Up'. This would go on and peak at #3 in the UK where it would stay for two weeks behind the juggernaut that was 'Bleeding Love' by Leona Lewis. This would be their 16th consecutive single to chart in the UK Top 10, that's insane, I'm not sure if that would happen now. This is probably one of the best songs in my view that Girls Aloud did.

 

Ooh I love 2/3 - Too Lost In You and Call The Shots are both brilliant and right up with both acts’ very finest. The Pretenders cover is not so great. ;)

Ooh I love 2/3 - Too Lost In You and Call The Shots are both brilliant and right up with both acts’ very finest. The Pretenders cover is not so great. ;)

Thanks for commenting, :), JulianT.

 

 

Just catching up with this thread - loving it so far Mack. Glad Who Am I got some recognition and love. Definitely my favourite Will single along with Jealousy.

Also not a fan of the 'I'll Stand By You' cover but 'Call The Shots' is fab and one of their best for me.