Gezza

#50 DON’T DROP BOMBS YEAR: 1989 PEAK POSITION: 46 I know you carry on, behind my back With your secretary, you'll have a heart attack A collaboration that came together when the duo’s manager discovered that the label had signed Minelli and that she wanted to make a pop record, he suggested that the two acts should meet and they hit it off so well that a whole album was the result. Minelli was already a fan particularly loving their song “Rent”, and the first release was a cover of “Losing My Mind” which stormed into the top 10, the follow up was this track which just missed the top 40. Rate wise we hit an average of 6/10- not bad going for No 50! AI: “Don’t Drop Bombs” is Liza Minnelli at her most theatrically ferocious — a Pet Shop Boys‑engineered collision of camp, confrontation, and high‑gloss late‑80s synth‑pop that turns emotional cruelty into a dance‑floor spectacle. Minnelli doesn’t just sing this song — she attacks it. Her delivery is sharp, clipped, and almost exasperated, perfectly matching a lyric built on frustration and emotional exhaustion. The narrator is dealing with a partner who lies, cheats, and delights in dropping emotional “bombs” — revelations designed to destabilise her. The vocal tone is half‑plea, half‑threat, and entirely theatrical, which suits Minnelli’s stage‑honed instincts. The result is a performance that feels like a showdown: Minnelli refuses to be the wounded ingénue. She’s furious, fed up, and ready to “start playing rough.” This aligns with interpretations that frame the song as a demand for honesty and an end to destructive behaviour. The metaphor of “bombs” is blunt but effective. Each revelation — affairs, lies, secretaries, “other girls on your expense account” — is framed as an explosion designed to destabilise her life. The song’s meaning has been widely read as a portrait of deception, betrayal, and the emotional toll of a destructive relationship, with the narrator pleading for calm and honesty. What makes the lyric compelling is its mix of bitterness and theatricality. Minnelli isn’t quietly suffering; she’s staging a musical confrontation Highest score: 9- @gooddelta Lowest score: 2.5 @chartjack2

15TH JULY Becoming a major commercial act throughout 1998-1999 selling over 3 million albums in those two years, The Corrs return to the charts was always going to be an event and teaming up with Robert “Mutt” Lange fresh from his work with wife Shania Twain must be commercial gold. And so it turns out to be, the outcome is “Breathless” which charges straight to No 1 this week on a sale of 80,869 to instantly become their biggest hit yet and first chart topper. Despite all of that, the tally is the 6th lowest of the year and accounts for only 6.5% of all singles sold last week, a low for 2000, parent album “In Blue” is out in a fortnight. Eminem moves back to the top of the album charts but misses out on the chance to do the double as “The Real Slim Shady” dips 1-2 (71,000). US rock band Limp Bizkit have quickly earned themselves a reputation for causing controversy with their views and live appearances which have resulted in raucous scenes along with a No 1 album Stateside. The reception here was rather more muted with the band failing to score a hit single at all and the first two albums failing to break the 100,000 mark combined, however the band hooked up with the makers of the “Mission: Impossible II” to provide the theme for the flick “Take A Look Around”. The film currently sits at No 1 in the Cinema listings whilst the single becomes their first hit at No 3 (56,000) and CD also contains one of their previous singles, a cover of George Michael’s “Faith” for those interested. Meanwhile it’s time for Oasis’ 13th straight top 10 single in the shape of “Sunday Morning Call” which may or may not (depending on who you believe) be inspired by Kate Moss. The track comes with a promo based on the film “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” and marks the first time Noel Gallagher takes on lead vocals on an Oasis single since “Don’t Look Back In Anger”, it enters at No 4 (53,000). Forming their own string of ten consecutive top 10 singles are Steps and their third double A-Side “When I Said Goodbye/ Summer Of Love”. The former is a ballad taken from the “Steptacular” album whilst the latter track is a new composition which heralds a third album from the group before Christmas- together they enter at No 5 (52,500). After a pair of No 2 hits in “Re-Rewind” and “Movin Too Fast” the Artful Dodger re-unite with former collaborator and now solo chart topper Craig David on “Woman Trouble”. It also features the introduction of Robbie Craig who will doubtless be launching a solo career too at some point but as the production team work on that first album they see their third single power in at No 6 (46,000). Also coming back with a third hit single are Alice Deejay, “Will I Ever” looks like it could become their smallest hit yet at No 7 (44,000) but will act as an appropriate boost for them with their album due in a fortnight. A record equaling seventh new entry into the top 10 comes from a third act scoring their third hit! With the Spice Girls currently on hiatus the girl group field has room for another big name and Atomic Kitten are trying to fill that with a third top 10 single “I Want Your Love”. The single features a sample of the theme music from the 1958 film “The Big Country” which was also used on MC Rhymes “The Only Rhyme That Bites” (#10, 1990) and Ricardo Da Force’s input into the KLF’s “Justified And Ancient”, a combination which propels the song in at No 10 (33,000). Eminem aside, the only survivors from last week are Samantha Mumba 2-8 (41,000) and Darude 5-9 (34,000). 1- BREATHLESS- The Corrs (80,869) 2- THE REAL SLIM SHADY- Eminem (71,000) 3- TAKE A LOOK AROUND (THEME FROM MI 2)- Limp Bizkit (56,000) 4- SUNDAY MORNING CALL- Oasis (53,000) 5- WHEN I SAID GOODBYE/ SUMMER OF LOVE- Steps (52,500) 6- WOMAN TROUBLE- Artful Dodger Ft Robbie Craig & Craig David (46,000) 7- WILL I EVER?- Alice Deejay (44,000) 8- GOTTA TELL YOU- Samantha Mumba (41,000) 9- SANDSTORM- Darude (34,000) 10- I WANT YOUR LOVE- Atomic Kitten (33,000)

8TH JULY Eminem’s back- did you notice? Yes creating controversy with his every quote meant that publicity for his new single “The Real Slim Shady” was never in short supply helped of course by the lyrics to the track dissing people like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Will Smith among others. The track sold 86,000 copies to make the top impacted a little by the fact that the parent album “The Marshall Mathers LP” has been available for 6 weeks already charting 2-3-2-3-1-2 so far with over 200,000 sales itself, he’s the first solo white rapper to hit the top since Vanilla Ice ten years ago. Eminem wasn’t the early leader though, that was Samantha Mumba. She’s the new protégé of Louis Walsh who has already been No 1 in Ireland for the last three weeks with her debut single “Gotta Tell You”, the 17 year old was discovered on an Irish talent show and now seems set for pop stardom. Her single fell way behind Eminem by the end of the week posting a sale of 68,500. Coldplay are the newest indie darlings to be hailed as the next big thing thanks to a string of low key EP releases throughout 1999 (their biggest hit of these was “Brothers & Sisters, #92) and a growing reputation live. First full release “Shiver” made No 35 earlier this year but it was Radio 1 support for their new single “Yellow” coupled with their recent Glastonbury set which has really propelled them into the top 10 this week after selling 45,000 copies. Their first album “Parachutes” is released in a fortnight. The signs are worrying for the Vengaboys, after five straight top 4 singles their last single “Shalala Lala” only made No 5 and now “Uncle John From Jamaica” crashes in at No 6 (40,000). Regardless it’s a 7th straight top 10 hit and a third from their album “The Platinum album” which looks like it won’t be living up to that title spending only 5 weeks in the top 30 though it rallies a little 34-31 this week. Fast emerging this year as a real rival to the “Ibiza” route of breaking a hit is Ayia Napa, see case in point Lonyo. The British DJ’s hit “Summer Of Love” was broken there and makes its way back to the UK to debut at No 8 (34,000) this week, the sample running through incidentally is "La Critica" by Disilusion. Kylie spins 1-3 (54,000), Darude lose their way 3-5 (43,000) and Black Legend are in trouble 2-7 (37,000). David Gray descends 5-9 (33,000) and Sonique drops 4-10 (30,000) but “It Feels So Good” is now a massive hit and as it’s half way through the year here’s the YTD top 10: 1- PURE SHORES- All Saints 682,000 2- IT FEELS SO GOOD- Sonique- 530,000 3- TOCA’S MIRACLE- Fragma- 511,000 4- FILL ME IN- Craig David- 471,000 5- RISE- Gabrielle 446,000 6- NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN- Melanie C Featuring Lisa “Left-Eye” Lopes 393,000 7- OOOPS I DID IT AGAIN- Britney Spears- 392,000 8- AMERICAN PIE- Madonna 373,000 9- THE BAD TOUCH- Bloodhound Gang- 370,000 10- REACH- S Club 7- 353,000 Sonique moving up to No 2 this week though overtaking All Saints may ultimately prove a big ask. On a side note there have been 111 new entries into the top 10 this year making second only to 1997 on that front by 13 debuts on a YTD comparison. 1- THE REAL SLIM SHADY- Eminem (86,000) 2- GOTTA TELL YOU- Samantha Mumba (68,500) 3- SPINNING AROUND- Kylie Minogue (54,000) 4- YELLOW- Coldplay (45,000) 5- SANDSTORM- Darude (43,000) 6- UNCLE JOHN FROM JAMAICA- Vengaboys (40,000) 7- YOU SEE THE TROUBLE WITH ME- Black Legend (37,000) 8- SUMMER OF LOVE- Lonyo (34,000) 9- BABYLON- David Gray (33,000) 10- IT FEELS SO GOOD- Sonique (30,000)

#51 IT DOESN’T OFTEN SNOW AT CHRISTMAS YEAR: 2009 PEAK POSITION: 40 Christmas is not all it’s cracked up to be Families fighting around a plastic tree Nothing on the TV that you’d want to see And it’s hardly ever snowing Technically part of their “Christmas EP”, lead track “It Doesn’t Often Snow At Christmas” dated back to 1997 when it was fan club exclusive single and was remixed for this release. The EP also contained their mash up of “Domino Dancing” and “Viva La Vida” which also garnered some attention. It was their last top 40 single as the noughties came to an end. AI: Unlike most Christmas songs, this one doesn’t pretend everything is magical. Instead, it leans into the disappointment, the commercialism, the forced cheer. But rather than sounding cynical, it’s affectionate—like someone rolling their eyes at the season while still secretly loving it. He sings about the lack of snow, the lack of magic, the lack of sincerity, but he does it with a twinkle. It’s a Christmas song for people who don’t trust Christmas songs. It’s a rare thing: a Christmas song that feels honest, witty, and emotionally grounded. It acknowledges the season’s flaws while still finding joy in it. It’s festive pop for grown‑ups, outsiders, and anyone who prefers their Christmas with a side of irony and a disco beat. Highest score: 9 @MangoOoOoOo @AH Gold Lowest score: 1- @Ghoulian

I'd certainly recommend the album as it is very PSB sounding and some of rhe reworks are fantastic!

I would add, as much as I love the PSB original, the version of "Rent" she does on the album takes it to a whole new level. See also the version of twist in my sobriety.

Hurrah for @MangoOoOoOo . You all did this song the dirty. I must admit I wasn't much fussed on it when i bought "results" but over the years I've grown to love it, and it's certainly better than DDB even if it seems most don't agree with me 😁

#52 SO SORRY I SAID YEAR: 1989 PEAK POSITION: 62 I bought my freedom after all that we have shared I couldn’t leave you Think of the skins I’d have to shed Third release from the “Results” album was another Lowe/Tennant composition which the boys had performed on the 1991 tour, it was handed to Minelli for her album and the single got lost somewhat in the pre-Christmas rush and because the single contains nothing new for fans to buy. It was originally envisaged as a duet between Minelli and Frank Sinatra (whom Minelli had recently been on tour with) however Minelli wanted Tenant as a duo partner, in the end the compromise was that it was a solo Minelli track. AI: “So Sorry I Said” is the quietest, saddest, and most emotionally precise moment on Results — a miniature Sondheim‑esque drama where Liza Minnelli turns apology into self‑imprisonment. At its heart, the song is about staying in a damaged relationship because leaving feels harder than enduring it. The narrator apologises not out of guilt, but out of exhaustion — a pattern of capitulation that keeps the relationship intact but corrodes her sense of self. This reading is strongly supported by commentary noting that the song depicts someone who finds it “easier simply to apologise and continue on as before,” even when the relationship feels like a ghetto or a prison. The final line — “think of the skins I’d have to shed” — is devastating. It suggests that leaving would require a total reinvention, a painful peeling away of identity. Critics have rightly called this metaphor “brilliant” for how it captures emotional entanglement. Minnelli’s performance is unusually controlled, almost conversational. Where other Results tracks let her unleash theatrical fire, here she leans into fragility. That restraint becomes its own form of drama — a woman holding herself together through politeness. Highest scorer: 10- @Gezza Lowest scorer: 2 @Pting Rollo

Tomorrow we lose our first 80s track!

#53 LEAVING YEAR: 2012 PEAK POSITION: 44 Our love is dead, but the dead don't go away They made us what we are, they're with us everyday A song which at least returned the group to the top 50 if nothing else. Drawing from the death of his parents in 2008 and 2009, Tennant drew inspiration for the lyrics and the song was salvaged from another track they wrote “Heaven Is A Playground” which they wrote a new chorus. This is officially our favourite PSB post 2009 "hit". AI: Where many breakup songs lean into catharsis, Leaving does the opposite. It’s about the moment when the relationship is already over, the arguments have stopped, and all that’s left is the slow, painful process of detaching. They avoid grand statements and instead focus on the small, human truths of a relationship’s end. Highest score: 8- @dandy* @MangoOoOoOo Lowest score: 2.5 @chartjack2

#54 THURSDAY YEAR: 2013 PEAK POSITION: 61 And when I wake I’ll call it fate that it’s not over, over, over Marking their final single to chart, and hooking up with Example, this was actually a fourth release from the “Electric” album but their only to chart. The duo wanted a rap in the single and initially sampled a Nicki Minaj track to see how it would sound, they liked it enough to play to Stuart Price who was producing the album and was also working with Example, he suggested using the latter on the single and hey presto. AI: At heart, “Thursday” is about the tiny, precious window between obligation and release. Thursday isn’t the weekend; it’s the promise of the weekend. That liminal space—anticipation rather than fulfilment—is where the Pet Shop Boys thrive. The lyrics are deceptively simple, but they capture something very real: the way routine shapes emotion. Thursday becomes a metaphor for hope in the middle of monotony, a reminder that joy often arrives in small, predictable doses. (Example free version for @Jester ) Highest score: 8.5 @gooddelta @Popchartfreak Lowest score: 0- @Jester

Well it's done better so I'm clearly in the minority i know😀

Yeah y'all did this song dirty- it's better than the much duller "DJ Culture" that preceded it.....

#55 WAS IT WORTH IT? YEAR: 1991 PEAK POSITION: 24 I don't know why I never thought I'd fall in love Recorded as a new song for their first compilation “Discography” this was their first single to miss the top 20 in the UK, an undeserved accolade! Tennant called the song “"It's a reaffirmation of the worth of love, an 'I am what I am' sort of song. It’s a very gay song. Very gay positive. It's basically saying: if I had to do it all again, I wouldn't change a single thing". He confirmed later that it was about him starting his first real relationship It was recorded for the “Behaviour” album but missed the cut at the very end, it was also excluded from their 2003 compilation “Pop Art: The Hits” on the basis that it wasn’t a top 20 single. AI: Where “Behaviour” ends with the devastation of “Jealousy”, “Was It Worth It?” bursts in like a rebuttal. It’s the Pet Shop Boys saying: yes, life hurts, but the moments of joy are still worth fighting for. This is not naïve optimism. It’s hard‑won. The song’s central idea is that pleasure, community, and nightlife can be meaningful, a quietly radical statement for 1991, especially from a band so often associated with emotional restraint. it captures something the Pet Shop Boys rarely express so directly: joy without apology. It’s a celebration of the messy, beautiful, complicated business of living, and a reminder that even the painful chapters contribute to who we become. Highest score: 8 @Gezza @MangoOoOoOo @gooddelta lowest score: 2- @AH Gold

#56 ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS YEAR: 1994 PEAK POSITION: 6 "Shall we finish off the beluga or shall we have some smoked salmon and nibbly things?" "Oh, whatever, Sweetie." Released to benefit Comic Relief 94 appeal, the song is a pretty straightforward track comprising quotes and sniplets of dialogue from series 1 of the hit comedy “Absolutely Fabulous” and it served a purpose. The boys had always maintained that they would not make a charity record but after this got released simply said “We’ve always been inconsistent anyway”. AI: On the surface, it’s a chaotic collage built around Absolutely Fabulous samples — a remix masquerading as a single. But underneath the silliness is a very Pet Shop Boys idea: using pop as a mirror. The track exaggerates the show’s world of fashion, booze, and self‑delusion until it becomes a satire of 90s celebrity culture itself. The Pet Shop Boys have always understood camp not as frivolity but as a form of commentary. Here, they weaponise it. By looping lines about champagne, fashion, and self‑importance, they turn the characters’ excesses into a kind of pop-art installation. It’s not mocking Absolutely Fabulous; it’s celebrating its absurdity while also pointing out how close it sits to real 90s celebrity behaviour. The song becomes a cultural time capsule of pre‑Cool Britannia Britain, where fame was becoming both more accessible and more ridiculous. Highest score: 9 @AH Gold Lowest score: 0.5 @Pting Rollo

Downloading virtually killed the concept of the double a side though so not sure it would have meant anything practically

#57 TOGETHER YEAR: 2010 PEAK POSITIONI: 58 Tell me what you want from me Give me what I need from you 2010 and time for a third “Best Of” album in the form of “Ultimate” and it became their first full release to miss the top 40 entirely! They worked with Tim Powell who had been part of Xenomania but had left the outfit by this point, Tennant commented that the song was "about two people being intensely in love… But it could really be anything about two people. It could be Chris and I at the beginning of our writing career together, thinking we could go all the way with this” Some of it’s failure to chart higher was pinned on the evolution of downloads which didn’t promote “legacy” acts. AI: An orchestral, melodramatic waltz that tries to sound triumphant but can’t quite hide the melancholy at its core. It’s a song about unity that feels haunted by the possibility of separation. There’s a faint sense of desperation, as if the relationship is already under strain and the song is trying to conjure unity through sheer force of will. “Together” is not one of their most immediate singles, but it’s one of their most quietly revealing. Beneath the grand gestures lies a very human fear: that closeness is never guaranteed, and that sometimes the most romantic thing you can do is simply ask someone to stay. Highest score: 8 @MangoOoOoOo Lowest score: 2.5 @chartjack2

1ST JULY Part of the joy of the charts is to see career’s resurrected that most had written off some time ago, and most had thought the chance of Kylie Minogue topped the UK charts again was never going to happen especially after the commercial failure of “indie” Kylie during her last era. Yet here she is and all she needed, it’s transpired, is a return to pop music to do it, “Spinning Around” sold 82,484 last week to slam into the top spot giving her a 5th chart topper but a first in 10 years, only Cher and Diana Ross have waited longer in between for No 1 hits (in terms of female soloists). It’s co-written by another former popstar Paula Abdul and destined originally for the singer herself before being passed to Minogue for her first album with new label Parlophone. It also means that Minogue joins Madonna as the only acts so far to have chart toppers in the 80s, 90s and 00s. David Gray’s fourth album “White Ladder” has been quite the slow burner, it was issued way back in 1998 but went unnoticed (like his first three albums) despite three singles released in 1999 including the original release of “Babylon”. Only one single charted (“Please Forgive Me” #72) but radio has since picked up on “Babylon” and has seen the parent album surge in sales over the last few months making the top 10 for the first time this week 13-7 just in time to see the single successfully make No 5 (43,000)- his time has finally come it seems. Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s back catalogue seems too good to be left alone for too long, the group were massive back in the mid 80s with a hat-trick of chart toppers in 1984 before splitting in 1987, since then their biggest hits were re-issued in 1993 with two of them making the top 10 all over again. One of those was “The Power Of Love” which managed to slip a week at No 1 before the arrival of Band Aid in December 1984 then made No 10 nine years later and now hits the top 10 for a third time, this time it has been remixed into a trance anthem by DJ Rob Searle and is new at No 6 (35,000). Damage have been out of the public eye for a few years save lead singer Jade Jones’ relationship with Emma Bunton and in between the vogue for boybands has gone into overdrive. They prove there is still space for them in the market however with their first single in three years and precursor to a second album “Ghetto Romance” which debuts at No 7 (32,000), their forth top 10 hit. Now here’s a story, Girl Thing are the newest all girl group designed to ape the success of The Spice Girls and All Saints with some serious money put into the project to launch the first single “Last One Standing” which major promo slots and a song co-written by former Dead Or Alive members Tim Lever and Mike Percy (as well as the girls themselves) who recently helmed Billie Piper and S Club 7 to the top. All to no avail it seems as the single slinks in at No 8 (29,000), the girls had (allegedly) already recorded their celebratory interview with Radio 1 on entering at No 1- oops. Black Legend resign their crown 1-2 (69,000) but Darade hold at No 3 (57,000) with sales only off 10% week on week. Sonique falls 2-4 (45,000) but crosses the 500,000 mark- you can out where that places her on the YTD next week, and former rivals S Club 7 fall 4-9 (29,000) with Mary Mary completing the recap 6-10 (24,000). 1- SPINNING AROUND- Kylie Minogue (82,484) 2- YOU SEE THE TROUBLE WITH ME- Black Legend (69,000) 3- SANDSTORM- Darude (57,000) 4- IT FEELS SO GOOD- Sonique (45,000) 5- BABYLON- David Gray (43,000) 6- THE POWER OF LOVE- Frankie Goes To Hollywood (35,000) 7- GHETTO ROMANCE- Damage (32,000) 8- LAST ONE STANDING- Girl Thing (29,000) 9- REACH- S Club 7 (29,000) 10- SHACKLES (PRAISE YOU)- Mary Mary (24,000)

24TH JUNE Released pent up demand for a dance hit once again spells a No 1 this time for Italian DJ’s under the name of Black Legend, they are Enrico Ferrari and Ciro Sasso with vocalist Elroy Powell. The bootleg original of “You See The Trouble With Me” was based around the sample from the Barry White single of the same name (#2, 1976) but when White refused the sample for official release the vocals were re-recorded by Powell and the result is a chart topper on release after moving 81,500 copies last week. The song has actually been charting on imports for the last 5 weeks getting to No 52 and thanks to differing copyright laws the imported versions are a mix of the actual White vocals as well as the revoiced remix- all of this presumably ate into sales for those unprepared to wait for the official release. The single was only narrowly ahead of Sonique in early sales flashes but benefited from the weekend sales which saw it create clear blue water between itself and “It Feels So Good” the latter ended up at No 2 but well behind with 66,000 copies sold impacted slightly by the arrival of her album at No 21. Finland isn’t a country that has graced the top 40 before but that changes this week with DJ Ville Virtanen’s hit “Sandstorm” recorded under the moniker Darude coming in at No 3 (63,000). The title comes from the Roland JP-800 which the DJ used to generate the song and displays the word on start up- odd what can inspire! Moby has certainly had a great 2000 so far, his album “Play” hasn’t been out of the top 10 for the last 17 weeks including five at No 1 thanks in part to many of the album’s tracks being used in adverts over the last few years giving a stream of publicity to the LP. A sixth release “Porcelain” hit the shops last week and becomes the biggest single yet entering at No 5 (30,000), previous singles peaked at No’s 33, 33, 38, 16 and 11 so this is something of an upturn. This might be explained by its use in the recent film “The Beach” but at any rate it is only his third top 10 single in 9 years but certainly his biggest ever. Is the Backstreet Boys bubble over? All of their last 8 singles have all gone top 5 but newy “The One” can only arrive at No 8 (27,000) their smallest hit since 1996. It’s still an 11th top 10 hit on the trot but they may be suffering from the rise here of *NSync who seem to have stolen their thunder this year. The song was never in the original plan of single releases from the “Millennium” album with “Don’t Want You Back” penciled in for a final release until the band asked their fans to pick a single from the album and this got chosen. S Club 7 debut at No 1 on the album chart this week but see “Reach” pay the price drifting 2-4 (38,000), a modest increase in sales to 29,000 see Mary Mary rebound 8-6 just above York who drop 4-7 (29,000). Richard Blackwood takes a tumble 3-9 (25,000) and Gabrielle hangs on in there 6-10 (24,000). 1- YOU SEE THE TROUBLE WITH ME- Black Legend (81,500) 2- IT FEELS SO GOOD- Sonique (66,000) 3- SANDSTORM- Darude (63,000) 4- REACH- S Club 7 (38,000) 5- PORCELAIN- Moby (30,000) 6- SHACKLES (PRAISE YOU)- Mary Mary (29,000) 7- ON THE BEACH- York (29,000) 8- THE ONE- Backstreet Boys (27,000) 9- MAMA- WHO DA MAN- Richard Blackwood (25,000) 10- WHEN A WOMAN- Gabrielle (24,000)

I like that it's a PSB rate and we start off with Irony!

#58 WINNER YEAR: 2012 PEAK POSITION: 86 Now at this moment the crowd acclaim us Will you just listen to that sound! Fresh from supporting Take That on their “Progress” Tour, this song served as the intro to their 12th album “Elysium” and was their attempt to write something in the vein of Take That’s “Greatest Day”. The song was originally offered to One Direction but they never heard anything back so it ended up as their own single, Tennant remarked on the song “superficially it's a sort of 'We Are the Champions' song but actually it's not. It's really about that moment...and really what's important is the camaraderie of everything that got you there. Enjoy the moment, enjoy the memory 'cause it's just a little moment." In that sense it reminded Tennant of the feelings he had when “West End Girls” made No 1. AI: On first listen, Winner sounds like the duo’s attempt at a modern, inspirational pop song: warm synth pads, a steady beat, a melody that rises with reassuring confidence. It’s almost aggressively pleasant The official video—featuring a transgender roller derby team—gave Winner a cultural and emotional depth the song itself only hints at. Suddenly, the lyrics about triumph, identity, and perseverance gained specificity and poignancy. This is one of those rare cases where the visual context elevates the song, revealing a meaning that the production alone doesn’t fully articulate. Winner is a song that wants to be simple but can’t escape the Pet Shop Boys’ instinct for emotional ambiguity. It’s a victory song for people who don’t quite believe in victory—a gentle, slightly melancholy reassurance wrapped in the language of triumph. Best score : 8 @MangoOoOoOo Lowest score: 0 @dandy*

A word on postings- I have used AI on the write ups but after I wrote my little bits, so AI will be in italics. I aim to post a track a day but there will be a break as I'm away for a week next month but all results will be finished for Christmas! Where songs are tied the song with the most 11's then the most 10s etc will given precedence etc.

Don't worry - you're in!

And voting is closed!!! Thanks everyone for the votes- now i need to sort the eliminations out- first one tomorrow evening!