Monday, March 08, 2010

You never hear 'Love Shine A Light', do you?


I think if t here's one song I just can't stand and never, ever want to hear again it must be Walking On Sunshine by Katrina & The Waves.

Beloved by those who have no time for music, it fills the dancefloor at wedding discos with dimbulbs to whom it encapsulates Having A Good Time. It's meant to be a happy song, and I can see that it does strike a note of optimisim, but really, enough's enough. It just makes me feel miserable.

It's the sort of song requested every week on what was once the Chris Evans drivetime show and it lives on into Simon Mayo's tenure. You can tell he's heartily sick of it too.

What's compounded my hatred for this song is that it's in the first episode of the new series of Ashes To Ashes. Never known for its accuracy where music is concerned, the series is meant to be set in 1983, but this song didn't come out until 1985 (Okay, I know it was released in Canada in 83, but that doesn't count). They could as least have picked something from that year. It's not like there's nothing else to choose from. What's wrong with Jimmy The Hoover?

I remember rather liking the song on its release, but it soon palled. Even now, I can't bring myself to download it when I'm compiling a definitive hits of 1985 playlist, like you do. Like I do. That along with Move Closer by Phyllis Nelson, Easy Lover by Phil Collins & Philip Bailey and Frankie by Sister Sledge are three other hits from that year that I refuse to own. What is it with 1985 and crap songs? It's becoming an annus horribilus for music.

What's the song you never want to hear again as long as you live?

22 comments:

Paul said...

The Lightning Tree by The Settlers.

Jon Peake said...

Nice one 'Paul'!

Cocktails said...

It's a toss-up between 'Imagine' and 'Angels'.

Jon Peake said...

Imagine wins for me. Though Angels isn't far behind.

Kolley Kibber said...

Hi Ho Silver Lining for reminding me of excruciating teenage discos at the neighbouring Jesuit boys' school, Come On Eileen for its ghastly 'Oirish' perkiness, Tainted Love for those awful opening "BLEH-BLEH" chords, and Wonderwall because it's just bloody horrible. Any one of the four will ensure my immediate exit from the party.

JM said...

Tina Turner 'The Best' if only for the insistence on people referring to it as "simply the best". It isn't even the best single she ever made FFS.

Sad that Walking On Sunshine has become irritating through its lazy ubiquity as it is on the surface one of the greatest pop records ever written and a true testament to Kimberley Rew's songwriting prowess.

You can write all the love songs and all the breezy optimistic tunes you want, but nothing will ever come close to the song-defining and life-affirming concept of the opening couplet "I used to think maybe you loved me/now baby I'm sure". In two lines you sum up the reason for wanting to be alive and the reason for celebrating the sunshine and every perfect feeling you are surrounded by.

If that still doesn't convince, I recommend the 12-inch version that I own which pads the song out with an extended intro but which then makes Kimberley sing the first stanza acapella save for the bassline, giving the song more time to build to a proper crescendo.

Paul said...

Thanks 'Five-Centres'!

Jon Peake said...

I see where you're coming from JM, but really, the 21" version? Are you nuts?

As I say, I know it's a song about glad to be alive etc, but I've heard it too many times. And it's impossible to dance to.

Agree about The Best, and I'm with you also about people calling it Simply The Best. See also Don't You Want Me Baby.

JM said...

I picked up the 12-inch in a charity shop some years back. And during life as a mobile DJ it was a double win - a floor filling crowd pleaser that also afforded the chance to cop a feel of the host's daughter round the back.

Mondo said...

It breaks down into two groups doesn't it

Songs that have become party anthems for automatons
New York, New York.
Simply The Best
YMCA
Uptown Girl

Songs that are always played when the same artist has superior material available
Spandau - True
The Beatles - Yesterday
Bowie - Let's Dance
Guns 'N' Roses - Sweet Child

Valentine Suicide said...

'Walk Away Renee', as fast as you can and as far as possible. And never come back.

Clair said...

Brown Eyed Girl
I Say A Little Prayer
Dolly Parton's 9 To 5
Hey Jude

TimT said...

I'm with you on Imagine, FC. And from his fellow Beatle, Mull of Kintyre - it came up on the iPod this morning and I hurriedly moved on to the next track.

Also, Kung-fu fighting by Carl Douglas. I didn't like it when it came out, and age hasn't improved it. Quite the reverse, in fact.

As for Katrina and the Waves, I really liked their debut album, which I had on cassette (it's probably still at the bottom of a cupboard somewhere). Songs like Que te quiero and Red wine and whiskey were fabulously catchy, and haven't been played to death like Walking on sunshine.

Wil said...

I would hate Phil & Phil's Easy Lover but every time I hear it all I can think of is Fur-Q's Uzi Lover from The Day Today so it's forgiven.

Jon Peake said...

I actually find Mull of Kintyre rather moving, TT.

In fact my one regret about selling my McCartney tickets is that I missed the full pipe band treatment he gave it. I would have killed to see that.

Bright Ambassador said...

Far too many, but this'll do for starters:

Mavericks - Dance the Night Away
The Bloke off of The Mavericks - His new single that's all over Radio 2
Berlin - Take My Breath Away
Jimmy the Hoover - Tantalise
Spandau Ballet - True
The Stereophonics - any of theirs really but especially Have a Nice Day
Oasis - Don't Look Back in Anger
Spin Doctors - Two Princes

And I'll second three of Clair's choices.

Bright Ambassador said...

There's absolutely nothing wrong with Mull of Kintyre - speaking with my Forest supporter's hat on.

Jon Peake said...

When was the last time you heard Tantalise on the radio? Eh? Cheeky.

Matthew Rudd said...

Nothing Compares 2 U.

mutikonka said...

Here in the land down under it's Abba's Dancing Queen that is played at every corporate party to get them on the dancefloor. And it works every time. I never want to hear it again. I'd rather they play the Fruit Pastilles "I Never Want To See You Again".

Bright Ambassador said...

"When was the last time you heard Tantalise on the radio? Eh? Cheeky."
Oh-whoah-wee-yeah-yeah.

Jon Peake said...

Greetings to you Down Under. If the Fruit Pastilles song really exists, I want to hear it.

As for Dancing Queen, it should have been drowned at birth. Another disco fave over here. It's a worldwide irritant.

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