Jadaver

Wow @Chez Wombat those votes are indeed spookily similar to mine - excellent taste, especially that 12 😎 thank you, so pleased you loved it! ❤️ I have indeed, I saw you mention 'Eli's Comin' and that was my second choice *.*

I contemplated talking about my entry in the PM but figured I'd probably be yapping away in the results thread and indeed that's transpired. When I saw this theme I thought it'd be a great opportunity to try something from the sixties. I love plenty of music from the decade but haven't unleashed much of it in song contests yet, except Judith Durham's 'The Olive Tree' in the PFSC retro contest, which unfortunately bombed! I am not as well versed in Laura Nyro's discography as others (loved the passion from John and Mattias in the other thread / listening session) but 'Captain For Dark Mornings' is my favourite song of hers I do know - so vulnerable vocally/lyrically and with majestic production. Like a proto Kate Bush (apologies for snubbing Kate's own song here, usually love her but wasn't as crazy on this specific song) Thank you so much Dandy and Mattias for the silvers and WoW for an additional 3 points so far! Intrigued to find out who sent my favourite.

Shame '50 Ft Queenie' isn't doing better at the moment! That was a great discovery when I was trawling through '90s top 40 charts a few years ago.

Stats too please for entirely unselfish reasons (agreed that Joan Osborne song was a good'un)

apologies for the exposé! I've just done a search in the BJSC '80s spin-off results thread and it's fitting that Rich is voter #9 as he gave 9 points to this song when it was sent there

I did wonder if Jim might be behind Leonard Cohen so finally a correct instinct! I really ought to dive deeper into Cohen as the aforementioned 'Suzanne' in your commentary has become a big favourite, plus I liked your pick for this contest too.

A strong selection from our hosts *.* I only knew 'Brand New Key' and 'Ruby Tuesday' by Melanie before this contest but this choice blew them both out of the water. I read up on the song during the listening session, as I was intrigued about the meaning behind the lyrics and found that The Edwin Hawkins Singers of 'Oh Happy Day' fame provided vocals on it too. They also really added to it!

I was excited to hear that as Scott Walker has such a great voice and it did not disappoint, fab pick Dobbo!

That poster and 12 pointer... Ken Lee no notes

Wait... it wasn't Rollo behind Fish? Thee guy from Marillion?! You guys are blowing my mind this month!

Colour me surprised Dandy wasn't behind Aimee Mann!

week ending 30/08/26: 04 Ariana Grande [44 posts] five consecutive weeks in the top 5, thanks all <3

I haven't made the top 10 since the 9th edition so fingers crossed for a return this time! Also hoping Sibylle Baier does well from those not already mentioned in the other thread

Mine has now shipped today

^ thank you for the comments! 💖 1960s #08 The Beach Boys - 'God Only Knows' (1966) #07 The Rolling Stones - 'Paint It, Black' (1966) Next up we have another pair of songs that were both released in the same year! 'God Only Knows' was written for the legendary Beach Boys album Pet Sounds, after the late Brian Wilson was determined to create something that matched the quality of The Beatles' Rubber Soul record. He achieved this goal and then some, as Paul McCartney has said 'God Only Knows' is his favourite song of all-time. It later became a source of inspiration for The Beatles' own 'Here, There and Everywhere', plus 'Silly Love Songs' from fellow McCartney project Wings. Brian Wilson wrote the song alongside Tony Asher but it's his brother Carl Wilson who performs the lead vocal. This is a beautiful love song yet has some interesting, darker twists and turns - like the opening line "I may not always love you", which is quickly flipped on its head to become more romantic. There is also the lyric "so what good would living do me?" in response to a hypothetical break-up, such is the depth of his love. The use of the word 'God' in the title was also unusual for the era. Carl Wilson's warm lead performance is backed with heavenly harmonies from brother Brian and Bruce Johnston. The complex presentation of these vocals feels ahead of the curve in 1966, in addition to the layered, baroque style of the production. Twenty session musicians were enlisted to help bring the rich sound of this song to life with sleigh bells, harpsichord, drums, clarinets and even paper orange juice cups, amongst the many instruments used. What a gorgeous, soaring, triumph. 'God Only Knows' was released as a B-side alongside 'Wouldn't It Be Nice' in the U.S. but stood on its own two feet in the United Kingdom. The Beatles connections do not end with the competitive songwriting process, as 'God Only Knows' had to settle for #2 in the chart here, blocked by none other than 'Yellow Submarine' / 'Eleanor Rigby' by the fab four. ••• I didn't get around to voting in the Rolling Stones rate on the forum a couple of years ago but would've bolstered the victory of 'Paint It, Black' even further if I had taken part in time. The haunting 'Gimme Shelter' and riff-tastic '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction' would complete my Stones holy trinity. I was introduced to 'Paint It, Black' through playing Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock with my brother as a kid and instantly fell in love with it. That adoration has evidently never waned. Those four guys from Liverpool are once again relevant to the countdown as The Beatles' 'Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)' is noted as the first record by a Western pop group to feature the sitar. The Stones' Brian Jones had some history with this Indian instrument thanks to his studies with Harihar Rao, a disciple of Ravi Shankar. He decided to devote more time to it after a discussion with George Harrison and got to work on what would become the melody for 'Paint It, Black'. The sitar was one of several unconventional instruments used on the track, in addition to a Hammond organ and castanets, giving it a raga rock sound. I'm a huge fan of this psychedelic cacophony in addition to Charlie Watts' thunderous drumming throughout. 'Paint It, Black' was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Their protagonist depressingly paints his universe black after the loss of a lover. Jagger takes on this tale so effectively, with an often moody vocal that develops into a raw unravelling towards the end of the song. This whole package is exhilarating and feels like a leap forward for the group artistically. The fab four may have got to 'Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)' first but The Rolling Stones can boast the first U.K. #1 to contain a sitar, as 'Paint It, Black' became their sixth chart topper.

So glad you guys have had a great time seeing her! 🥰

Gutted about this news I expected such a talent to spread his wings elsewhere at some point but not this soon

1960s We begin with a particularly groovy decade! Notable events in my world include the explosion of my all-time favourite band and the birth of my mother. I got into The Beatles in a big way in around 2013, after Glee aired not one but TWO tribute episodes to them, plus I posed with their waxworks at Madame Tussauds around the same time. My grandparents, both big fans, were more than happy to engage with my curiosity. But more on them later! The fab four were my springboard into a love of '60s pop culture in general. In 2014 I decided to start listening to every U.K. top 40 hit of the decade. At the time, the OCC website's archive began at 1960 (only stretching back to 1952 a bit later) so I got cracking. I think I only made it to about 1966 during these busy A Level years (although I revisited the project again later) but this was still enough to create a deep appreciation of the era. This would also expand to fashion, as I'm a fan of many sixties models, like: Jane Birkin, Jean Shrimpton, Donyale Luna, Pattie Boyd, Twiggy etc.! Elsewhere, my favourite 1960s movie is probably Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey but there are still lots more I want to watch. What a creative time. The aforementioned birth of my mum is relevant, as she came into the world in 1967, which happens to be the year my picks for song #10 and #09 were released in... #10 The Velvet Underground & Nico - 'Venus In Furs' (1967) #09 The Doors - 'Light My Fire' (1967) Kicking off the sixties top 10 is my ultimate highlight from the much lauded The Velvet Underground & Nico album. That iconic banana artwork is treasured in my vinyl collection and is certainly one of my favourite albums of the 1960s. This record from the Lou Reed fronted band initially underperformed, as the public was clearly not ready for its abrasive sound and controversial lyrics yet, but it became a critical darling in time. There are several fantastic songs on this album, such as the more delicate 'Sunday Morning' and Nico-fronted 'Femme Fatale', but 'Venus In Furs' has always wowed me the most. This risqué song is based on the Leopold von Sacher-Masoch novel of the same name and includes many S&M references, not something you heard every day in music at the time. I can't help but think of the BuzzJack member when "Severin, Severin" is uttered in the song. I'm pretty sure our Severin is named after Steven Severin from Siouxsie and the Banshees, but the Severin in this song is the masochistic Severin von Kusiemski from the novel. I love the outlandish descriptions, Reed's hypnotic vocal performance and of course that immediately impactful psychedelic drone rock instrumental, which even includes an electric viola. A live version of this song would reach #71 in the U.K. chart in 1994. ••• The Doors is another one of the best albums the decade has to offer so is naturally also a part of my vinyl collection. The late, great Jim Morrison fronted band impressed with many songs on this album; my personal favourites include 'Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)' with its carnival sound, 11 minute epic closer 'The End' and of course the countdown pick, 'Light My Fire'. This song has rather erotic lyrics as well although it was specifically the "girl, we couldn't get much higher" line that landed the group in hot water. Sponsors for The Ed Sullivan Show were uncomfortable with potential drug connotations so asked them to modify the lyric when performing on the programme. They complied... at least in rehearsals. Morrison reverted back to the original line for the actual broadcast and the group were subsequently blacklisted from the show. An unfazed Morrison responded with: "Hey man. We just did the Sullivan show". He may sing the song but it was actually guitarist Robby Krieger who penned the lyrics. Fellow group member (Door?) Ray Manzarek provides the fantastic opening organ solo. I also love Morrison's sultry vocals throughout and that long, layered instrumental break. What a masterpiece - an important moment for psychedelic rock and a counterculture anthem. The track was a #1 smash on the Billboard Hot 100 but initially only made #49 in the U.K. singles chart. However, it later peaked at #7 in 1991 upon re-release, due to renewed interest from the biopic film The Doors. Sadly their music is not shown in BBC4 Top Of The Pops repeats due to licensing issues. Will Young's cover of 'Light My Fire', based on the José Feliciano arrangement of the song, would later take the song to #1 in the U.K. in some form.

Thank you for the kind words! ❤️ It's all good, my post in that thread and the subsequent discussion actually inspired this idea. Also, the songs I listed there were in alphabetical order - so still some mystery and intrigue for the positions in that decade, plus 5 other songs I've selected. Shall kick off the '60s shortly!

Confirmed!! Hopefully no clash in the milliseconds like last month as my artist has about 300 monthly listeners

Welcome to a brand new countdown exploring my all-time favourite songs. I've had a love of retro music for quite some time now in addition to keeping on top of new releases each week. So I wanted to put together a thread that was all-encompassing. Now feels like a good time as I've ramped up my 20th century musical discoveries compared to pre-pandemic, have got a lot better at sourcing more obscure modern songs in addition to chart hits and know my taste more than ever. I have decided to break this thread down in to decades and will count down my top 10 favourite songs of the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s and 2020s... so far! These lists should be a great representation of what I love today and the scale of this project feels manageable. I can get this done in a little over a month if I drop two songs a day! I've limited this to one song per act, although there's an exception where one artist is here with her own song and is part of a remix too, but I let that slide. There's one song that could fall into the 1970s or 1980s and I'm being inconsistent, as I've considered it a 1980s song in forum rankings in the past, but decided to revert back to its original release date as I had 11 songs I desperately wanted to include for the 1980s and 9 for the 1970s, so balanced it out that way. We'll get to that one later! I probably should've waited another few years so the 2020s were covered in full but I evidently need to get this out of my system. Can always revise that list in 2030 Apologies to any time period before the swinging sixties as that's the first decade I feel passionate about, despite gems here and there before then as well. Hope you enjoy ❤️

"I'm 23 now but will I live to see 24? The way things are going I don't know"

Spends a 13th week in the U.K. top 10 (at #6) so officially Ari's longest running top 10 hit ever!

'hate that i made you love me' now overtakes 'thank u, next' to become Ariana's longest running top 10 hit 👏 I would not have seen this coming when it first dropped, but sure why not. Go Ari! a devilish 6-6-6 run over the past few weeks also

'Jolene' is brilliant I found this in the 2023 chart predictions thread the other day when I was browsing all the old ones: ...I'm sad it's instead back under these circumstances! But I remember predicting this as those lyrics feel evergreen. What a classic - new peak next week please <3