Inevitably my mind did start to wander, and I tried to compile a top ten of my favourite pop songs and found it difficult. As a music nerd I couldn't just come out with ten songs just like that, I had to consider the hows and whys of such a list. The word 'pop' is often used as a derogatory term, which contradicts the fact that it is short for 'popular'. However, one what is pop to one person is another genre to another. When someone asks me for my favourite style of music, I simply (and rather smugly) reply "good". Good music is good music, and once you remove the labels it is something that we should all enjoy and not be ashamed of it.
These ten songs that I have spent all day on are not in any particular order as I didn't want to favour one song over the other.
DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince - 'Summertime'
To me this is a pop tune, others might call it rap but I don't. I'm not a massive fan or consumer of hip-hop, but to me it is a stronger genre that takes in the likes of Public Enemy and that kind of area. (Incidentally, I own a copy of the album It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, but I haven't used it for the series). 'Summertime' is one of the perfect pop songs, one that makes you want to hit the beach and be a teenager again. When the song came out I was living in Skegness, and my friend Scott and myself would spend most of our summer holidays on the beach, chasing girls, and generally just enjoying the weather. 'Summertime' takes me back to a time when summer actually meant something, when remembering something that happened 'last summer' conjured up a magical time.
Kim Wilde - 'Kids In America'
I've already mentioned this, it is one of the perfect songs. There isn't a person alive who can resist singing along, even if it just the 'whoa-oh' bit.
Madness - 'Baggy Trousers'
Because they were signed to 2 Tone records, and toured with The Specials and The Selector, they were of course lumped in with the label 'ska'. As a ska fan, I don't regard Madness in the same way. Don't get me wrong, I love Madness and can't imagine that there is a person who doesn't. However, in my opinion calling Madness a ska band is like calling Bon Jovi a heavy metal band. It isn't easy to choose one Madness song, but 'Baggy Trousers' was the first one I heard as my parents had it in their record collection, and I remember loving it.
The Shirelles - 'Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow'
How many of you thought that this was a Ronettes song? When I presented The Sunday Alternative with Penny, we once had the subject of songs that you didn't get the meaning of straight away. It took me years to realise that this was essentially a song about a one night stand. The Shirelles are credited with being the first girl group, which leads me to my next choice, (what a link, you can tell I work in radio).
Bananarama - 'Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye'
I have always wanted to be in a pub and see someone being asked to leave only to walk out to the chorus chant of the whole pub singing this, replicating the scene in The Simpsons episode 'Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk'. I could have chosen any Bananarama song until 1989 to be honest, but for some reason I really like this. Even their time as a Stock Aitken and Waterman act didn't diminish the quality, but I have lost touch with them now and haven't listened to them in years. According to their website, they are still touring on a regular basis. They haven't tweeted since January this year from their official account, but the website looks fairly well maintained, I really don't know if I'd be too bothered about going to see them live these days though.
Mud - 'Tiger Feet'
There are a great many different forms of the 'glam' genre; the serious rock of David Bowie, Roxy Music, Mott The Hoople, and Sparks, the modern glam influenced sounds of Goldfrapp and Lady Gaga, and the camp, Christmassy, glitter and make up of The Sweet, Slade, Wizzard, and Mud. As with all of these choices, there's a few songs that I could have chosen, but I've chosen this because I really enjoyed watching the Top Of The Pops clip on an old VHS of my mum's when I was a kid. When I started DJing private parties, this was one of the songs that would be saved until just over the half way mark, to lift the spirits a bit. There was another song guaranteed to fill the floor back in the olden days, but you can't play 'I'm The Leader Of The Gang (I Am)' anymore!
Girls Aloud 'Sound Of The Underground'
Girls Aloud might be the product of the TV talent show, but they spent ten years proving themselves to be better than that. In my opinion they carry on the tradition of all-girl groups, and you can draw a line from The Ronettes, through Bananarama, and end up at Girls Aloud. This, their debut single, is one of the best pop tunes of the 2000s.
Freddie And The Dreamers - 'You Were Made For Me'
There was a lot more to 1960s pop than The Beatles. I saw Freddie And The Dreamers on stage as a kid as part of one of those 'All Star Sixties' reviews that tour regional theatres, and they stole the show.
Katrina And The Waves - 'Walking On Sunshine'
Listen to this and stay in a bad mood. I challenge you!
Michael Jackson - 'Billie Jean'
I know that his name is tainted these days, but there is no denying his musical legacy. Besides, he was cleared of any wrongdoing so it isn't for me to question his less than conventional private life, (although seeing as you can't libel the dead, I do think there was something iffy going on). However, the Thriller album is probably Jackson's best work, and 'Billie Jean' is the stand out song. When he performed this on Motown 25, it blew everyone else off the stage.
I don't usually allow comments to deter morons, but this is open for your own opinions of a good 'pop' song.
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