Murder on the Dancefloor - Sophie Ellis Bextor

Here's an earworm that has followed me around for years: Murder on the Dancefloor by Sophie Ellis Bextor. When I was backpacking around Italy back during 2002, there was a café that offered everyone staying at our hostel a daily breakfast deal. It was quite a trendy place and I'd start each morning in Rome with a strong coffee (standing up!) and pastry, contemplating the day ahead. Only a few of the staff spoke English so I was pretty much immersed in standard Italian each morning. It was a great way to rekindle the little Italian I remembered from my childhood.

I was always amused to hear English speaking songs dubbed into different languages. In nightclubs, the guys  singing along in English thought that made them god's gift to you. This song was playing on high rotate (in English) throughout Europe at the time and I could guarantee it would be playing every single morning in that trendy café. Just hearing it now instantly transports me back there - good times when I'd plan my day of sightseeing before setting off through the streets of Rome, assured that the very next morning, Sophie Ellis Bextor would be ready to greet me with a coffee once again.

Monday, Monday - The Mamas and the Papas

Like most people, I'm not a huge fan of Mondays. The plethora of songs lamenting the start of another week indicates that many songwriters also agree. That's where Monday, Monday, released by The Mamas and the Papas in 1966, is a gem. It gets the point across with such gentle perfection that the listener couldn't possibly hear the song without smiling, even if they are reminded of what day it is.

In primary school, I had an eccentric teacher who was a brilliant pianist and musician. I remember one afternoon him playing Monday, Monday repeatedly while we were working in class. He'd point out interesting things to listen to, much to the chagrin of my classmates: "... and now another harmony comes in", "oh, beautiful" and "wait for the break - ahhh!". Years later, when I fell in love with this song for myself, I realised he had a point. Several, in fact.

The harmonies are indeed superb. I've practised each harmony line individually and still find myself choosing one to sing whenever I hear the song played. It's fun to listen to in stereo; just block off a side and you get either male or female parts. Monday, Monday. Can't trust that day.

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds - Elton John

A group of workmates get together at 3 o'clock every afternoon to do the Capital Day quiz from the Dompost. One of today's questions was about a #1 Beatles song released by Elton John in 1974. Easy: Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. "No way!" someone said. "Yes way!" I replied. "It can't be," they retorted. "Why not?" I asked. They gave up, accepted my answer and we got it right.

This is an excellent cover version of an already excellent song. Elton John not only does it justice but his arrangement adds both strength and originality. It naturally features a dominant piano underlined by some pretty decisive drumming and flavoured with distinctive guitar riffs. The verses, chorus and bridge provide a range of dynamics and variation that beautifully exploits the original song's structure and phrasing.

Rumour has it that when John Lennon was playing on this recording, he had to ask Elton John's guitarist what some of the chords were, even though he wrote the song himself. (And you still think the song was about a girl in a little boy's painting?)

Summer Nights - John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John

Grease is my all time favourite movie (yes, I'm a female of a certain generation) and you can read about how I went along to the singalong version of the movie last night. Here is one of the many highlights from the night, right from the start of the movie and pure pop kitsch.The karaoke lyrics were colour coded pink and blue so that the audience knew which parts to sing, but everyone ended up singing every line on top of each other - awesome!

I'll get you started ...

Summer loving had me a blast

Summer loving happened so fast ...

There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart) - Eurythmics

I've been going through a bit of a pop resurgence lately. There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart) from 1985 typefies the 80s sound and presents it in an upbeat, positive package sans cheese. Eurythmics (not The Eurythmics, as they are commonly yet incorrectly called) were far better musicians than their synthesised demeanours suggest. One thing's for certain, no-one else has a voice like Annie Lennox; no-one even comes close, but that's not all there is to this duo. 

There Must Be An Angel is my favourite Eurythmics song (but a few of their other numbers are not far behind). To me, it is a complete package which builds from the instantly identifiable intro right through to when it fades out while still on such a high. Hear how the bridge into the solo builds and builds - more of a stairway to heaven than another cliched songs I could name. I have listened over and over (and over) to the chunky piano octaves leading into the superbly spine chilling harmonica solo by Stevie Wonder, who also jams an amazing outro. *drool*