Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 19th February '11 - Nancy Sinatra - Sugar Town

For this song being in my head I have to place some of the blame on the gorgeous little head of actress Zooey Deschanel. If it wasn't for her singing it in the movie '(500) Days Of Summer' (an excellent film by the way) then I might well have never heard it. Also it would have meant that whenever I think of the film this song instantly pops into my head and, as I've been thinking about the film a lot this week, I've been thinking about the song. So it's all Zooey's fault!

Nancy Sinatra was born in 1940 and is the eldest child of the late, great singer Frank Sinatra. Despite her lineage, Nancy's career didn't automatically take off. Despite signing to Reprise Records in 1961 and releasing several singles they all failed to do particularly well and by 1965 Nancy was on the verge of being dropped. Then she began to work with Lee Hazlewood, a renowned producer, songwriter and arranger who had been making hit records for stars such as Duane Eddy for a decade by that point. Hazlewood changed Nancy's sound and singing style and, along with a Carnaby Street-esque make-over, she began to have hits, leading off in early 1966 with the anthemic 'These Boots Are Made For Walkin''. A flurry of hits soon followed including 'Sugar Town' which became her second single to sell over a million copies.

Nancy continued to make music, as well as work in both film and television, until the mid-70's when she slowed down to concentrate on being a wife and mother. Periodically since the early 80's she has made music and even appeared in Playboy magazine in 1995!

'Sugar Town', for me, is a great little song that I just haven't stopped singing to myself all week. It's such a happy little ditty that you have to smile when you hear it. And it's still all Zooey's fault!

Hope you all enjoy it and I'll catch you all next week!

Nancy Sinatra - Sugar Town

I got some troubles but they won't last
I'm gonna lay right down here in the grass
And pretty soon all my troubles will pass
'cause I'm in shoo-shoo-shoo, shoo-shoo-shoo
Shoo-shoo, shoo-shoo, shoo-shoo Sugar Town

I never had a dog that liked me some
Never had a friend or wanted one
So I just lay back and laugh at the sun
'cause I'm in shoo-shoo-shoo, shoo-shoo-shoo
Shoo-shoo, shoo-shoo, shoo-shoo Sugar Town

Yesterday it rained in Tennessee
I heard it also rained in Tallahassee
But not a drop fell on little old me
'cause I was in shoo-shoo-shoo, shoo-shoo-shoo
Shoo-shoo, shoo-shoo, shoo-shoo Sugar Town

If I had a million dollars or ten
I'd give to ya, world, and then
You'd go away and let me spend
My life in shoo-shoo-shoo, shoo-shoo-shoo
Shoo-shoo, shoo-shoo, shoo-shoo Sugar Town
la-la-la-la to end

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 12th February '11 - The Bangles - Going Down To Liverpool

Formed in December 1980 by Susanna Hoffs and sisters Vicki and Debbi Peterson, The Bangles went on to be one of the most successful girl groups of the 80s.

'Going Down To Liverpool' was the band's big breakthrough single. Written by Kimberley Rew and recorded by her band Katrina & The Waves, it was covered by The Bangles for their debut album 'All Over The Place' in 1984. With the help of its video featuring 'Star Trek' actor Leonard Nimoy as well as an opening slot on Cyndi Lauper's 'Fun' tour that year.

All of this helped them reach a wider audience as well as capturing the attention of Prince who went on to write their first massive mainstream hit 'Manic Monday'. That reached number two in the US and UK and was featured on their second album 'Different Light' which also contained their global number one smash 'Walk Like An Egyptian'.

Despite the huge success of the band, by 1988 tensions between the girls were at an all time high. Though the vocal duty was shared equally between the girls both the media and, to a degree, the record label were pushing Hoffs as the 'lead singer'. Shortly after the release in 1988 of their biggest selling single, 'Eternal Flame', the group disbanded.

After many years working on solo projects the girls got back together in 1999 to record a song for the soundtrack of 'Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me' and have worked together and toured ever since. This year will see them release a new album and, I hope, do an extensive tour to plug it as I would love to see them live.

In the meantime I'll leave you with footage of a live performance of 'Going Down To Liverpool' from 1984 which I hope you'll all enjoy and I'll catch you all next week!!

The Bangles - Going Down To Liverpool

Hey now
Where you going with that load of nothing in your hand
I said, hey now
All through this green and pleasant land.

I'm going down to Liverpool to do nothing
I'm going down to Liverpool to do nothing
I'm going down to Liverpool to do nothing
All the days of my life
All the days of my life

Hey there
Where you going with that UB40 in your hand
I said, hey there.
All through this green and pleasant land

I'm going down to Liverpool to do nothing
I'm going down to Liverpool to do nothing
I'm going down to Liverpool to do nothing
All the days of my life
All the days of my life.

Hey now
Where you going with that UB40 in your hand
I said hey now
All through this green and pleasant land

I'm going down to Liverpool to do nothing
I'm going down to Liverpool to do nothing
I'm going down to Liverpool to do nothing
All the days of my life
All the days of my life

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 5th February '11 - The Wonder Stuff - The Size Of A Cow

Released in March '91, 'The Size Of A Cow', was the first single by Stourbridge band The Wonder Stuff to hit the UK top 10. It really pushed them into the mainstream spotlight and, after a couple of further single releases, their third album 'Never Loved Elvis' was released that June and peaked at number three on the UK album chart.

For the next few years, until they split in '94, The Wonder Stuff were one of the biggest bands about releasing several more hit singles and their fourth album, 'Construction For The Modern Idiot', which got to number four on the UK album chart and was supported by a 78 date tour of Europe & the US.

One of my favourite memories from the annual summer holiday trip to Scotland to visit the relatives is of being in the back of the car with my younger sister as we were driving back down south from Scotland. 'The Size Of A Cow' was playing on Radio 1 and my sister and I were singing along in the back of the car. Part way through the song we had to drive through the Tyne Tunnel so my sister and I carried on singing and when we resumed radio contact on the other side we were still in time with the song. I remember at the time how cool we felt for being able to achieve that feat. Now whenever I hear the song it brings back that memory of those happy times of childhood and I can't help but smile.

In 2000 the band reformed and have, since then, recorded further material and toured in between band members - primarily singer Miles Hunt - doing solo work. The new stuff has been fantastic but nothing will again be quite like those magical days of the early days where it was all about the size of a cow.

Hope you all enjoy this week's song & I'll catch you all again next week!!

The Wonder Stuff - The Size Of A Cow

Don't you think it's funny that nothing's what it seems
When you're not looking forward?
Me, I'd like to think life is like a drink
And I'm hoping that it tastes like bourbon

You know that I've been drunk a thousand times
And these should be the best days of my life
Life, it's not what I thought it was

Damn blast, look at my past
I'm ripping up my feet over broken glass
I said, Oh wow, look at me now
I'm building up my problems to the size of a cow
The size of a cow

You know it would be strange to live life in a cage
And only believe the things you see that are written on thepage
How easy would it be home in time for tea
And stop feeling like a sailboat rocking on the sea

You know that it's been sunk a thousand times
And these should be the best days of my life
Life, it's not what I thought it was

Damn blast, look at my past
I'm ripping up my feet over broken glass
I said, Oh wow, look at me now
I'm building up my problems to the size of a cow
The size of a cow
The size of a cow

You know that I've been drunk a thousand times
And these should be the best days of my life

Damn blast, look at my past
I'm ripping up my feet over broken glass
I said, Oh wow, look at me now
I'm building up my problems to the size of a cow
The size of a cow

Damn blast, look at my past
I'm ripping up my feet over broken glass
I said, Oh wow, look at me now
I'm building up my problems to the size of a cow
The size of a cow
The size of a cow

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 29th January '11 - David Bowie - Reality

2003/2004 was, for me, almost entirely connected to one album. 'Reality' is the last album to date released by David Bowie. Not long before its release I had become a member of Bowie's site Bowienet and so, when the time came for the album release, I won a ticket to go to the album launch in London where Bowie performed the album in its entirity and broadcast it to cinemas worldwide. It was the first time I saw Bowie performing live and was a magical experience.

The album, obviously, became a firm favourite of mine from the offset due to the experience I associated with it and the title track in particular is so catchy that it often finds itself swirling round my head.

With it's hard, aggressive guitars and punchy delivery it just grabs you and drags you along for the ride. It shows, in my opinon, that Bowie always has what it takes and I hope that one day we might hear some more from the man. However if this track and the album it came from prove to be his final calling card then it's a hell of a way to leave it.

The video is from that memorable album launch performance. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do and I'll catch you all next week!!

David Bowie - Reality

Tragic youth was looking young and sexy
The tragic youth was wearing tattered black jeans
Bearing arms and flaunting all her mischief
The tragic youth was going down on me

And I swear
Woo hoo
Yes I swear

I built a wall of sound to separate us
And hid among the junk of wretched highs
I sped from Planet X to Planet Alpha
Struggling for reality

Ha ha ha ha
Woo hoo
Ha ha ha ha
Whoo hoo

Hey, now my sight is failing in this twilight
Da da da da da da da da da
Now my death is more than just a sad song
Da da da da da da da da da
And I swear
Woo hoo
Yes I swear
Woo hoo

I still don't remember how this happened
I still don't get the wherefores and the whys
I look for sense but I get next to nothing
Hey boy welcome to reality

Ha ha ha ha
Woo hoo

I've been right and I've been wrong
Now I'm back where I started from
Never looked over reality's shoulder

Ha ha ha ha
Huh ha ha ha
Woo hoo

Huh ha ha
Wooh
Woo hoo
Wooh

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 26th January '11 - Jessie J - Do It Like A Dude

Whether Jessie J proves to be as sassy and feirce through the rest of her album remains to be seen but certainly 'Do It like A Dude' is a brilliant in your face introduction to the 22-year-old from Redbridge.

Having already been named the Brit Critics Choice 2011 and the winner of Radio 1's 'Sound Of 2011' list, Jessie J has already made a name for herself in the business as a songwriter penning songs for artists such as Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys and Justin Timberlake. Now breaking out on her own and currently riding high in the UK charts I feel that, if she keeps the style she's started with, she could quite easily make a name for herself in the US too.

'Do It Like A Dude' is such a catchy tune that you just can't help but get it stuck in your head. Originally penned for Rihanna, Jessie decided at the last minute to keep it for herself and I don't blame her. I'll be interested to see what she does next to keep our attention but as the next single features another one of my favourite current artists, B.o.B., I'm hoping it's a sign of good things to come.

Hope you all like this slice of British fierceness and I'll catch you all next week!!

Jessie J - Do It Like A Dude

Stomp stomp I've arrived
Drop the beat, nasty face
Why ya lookin' at me?
Flyin' flyin' flyin' flyin' through the sky
In my spaceship
I'm an alien tonight
Dirty dirty dirty dirty dirty dirty sucka
You think I can't get hurt like you, you motherfucker

I can do it like a brother
Do it like a dude
Grab my crotch, wear my hat low like you
Do it like a brother
Do it like a dude
Grab my crotch, grab my hair get low like you
We can do it like the man'dem, man'dem
We can do it like the man'dem
Sugar sugar sugar
We can do it like the man'dem, man'dem
We can do it like the man'dem
Sugar sugar sugar

Boom Boom, pour me a beer
No pretty drinks, I'm a guy out here
Rollin' rollin' rollin' rollin' money like a pimp
My B I T C H's on my dick like this
Dirty dirty dirty dirty dirty dirty sucka
You think I can't get hurt like you, you motherfucker

I can do it like a brother
Do it like a dude
Grab my crotch, wear my hat low like you
Do it like a brother
Do it like a dude
Grab my crotch, grab my hair get low like you
We can do it like the man'dem, man'dem
We can do it like the man'dem
Sugar sugar sugar
We can do it like the man'dem, man'dem
We can do it like the man'dem
Sugar sugar sugar

Boys, come say what you wanna
Boys, you need to lick my dollar
Boys, gettin' hot under the collar
Holla holla woah

Boys, come say what you wanna
Boys, you need to lick my dollar
Boys, gettin' hot under the collar
Holla holla woah

I can do it like a brother
Do it like a dude
Grab my crotch, wear my hat low like you
Do it like a brother
Do it like a dude
Grab my crotch, grab my hair get low like you

We can do it like a brother
Do it like a dude
Grab my crotch, wear my hat low like you
Do it like a brother
Do it like a dude
Grab my crotch, grab my hair get low like you
We can do it like the man'dem, man'dem
We can do it like the man'dem
Sugar sugar sugar
We can do it like the man'dem, man'dem
We can do it like the man'dem
Sugar sugar sugar

Do it, do it like a dude
Do it, do it low like you
Do it, do it like a dude

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 16th January '11 - Prince - Take Me With U

In the 80's there was 'the big three', Madonna, Michael Jackson & Prince. I never saw Michael Jackson live and I still don't know if that's something I should regret or not. I saw Madonna live in 2006 and was left with the feeling of having wished I'd seen her in the early 90's as I feel I missed her at her best. In 2007 when he was playing his 21 nights at the O2 Arena in London I saw Prince. Right from the opening number that night, '1999', I was blown away. So much so that the next day I promptly sourced a ticket for a second night as one night was not enough.

No amount of words can do justice to just how amazingly talented this guy is. Whether it be his ability to play piano/keyboard with such ease and beauty, his amazing style of delivering any genre of song with style and grace or the fact that he is simply, in my opinion, the greatest guitarist of his generation. Then on top of that you have his stunning charisma and an ability to work a room no matter how big. Even at the O2 where I was part of a 20,000 audience I felt that 'presence' as he can manage to do that.

Having released his first album 'For You' in 1978, just two years before I was born, Prince has been a constant presence in my life as I've grown up. 'Purple Rain' was released when I was 4 and some of the biggest hits of that year came from that album. One of the songs to be release from that album was 'Take Me With U'.

I've always found 'Take Me With U' to be a great song about those heady, lust-driven, early days of romance. He manages to capture that magic and intensity in such a simple way that it really demonstrates what a fantastic songwriter he is. I am always captivated by the quality of his music and I hope that one day I get to see him live again and, even more so, hear 'Take Me With U' live.

Hope you all enjoy it and I'll catch you all next week!!

Prince - Take Me With U

I can't disguise the pounding of my heart
It beats so strong
It's in your eyes what can I say
They turn me on

I don't care where we go
I don't care what we do
I don't care pretty baby
Just take me with u

Come on and touch the place in me
That's calling out your name
We want each other oh so much
Why must we play this game?

Don't care where we go
I don't care what we do
I don't care pretty baby
Just take me with u

I don't care if we spend the night at your mansion
I don't care if we spend the night on the town
All I want is 2 spend the night together
All I want is 2 spend the night in your arms

To be around u is so-oh right
You're sheer perfection (thank u)
Drive me crazy, drive me all night
Just don't break up the connection

I don't care where we go
I don't care what we do
I don't care pretty baby
Just take me with u

I don't care where we go
I don't care what we do
I don't care pretty baby
Just take me with u

Just take me with u
Oh won't u take me with u
Honey take me with u

Song Stuck In My Head This Week - 09th January '11 - New Kids On The Block - Twisted

The great thing about New Kids On The Block and their fans is the amount of communication they want to share with us. The time they take to make it personal whether it be tweeting people directly, or privately (I've experienced both), or just by putting up photos on their twitter or facebook accounts that are personal -photos of them behind the scenes or even their families - just because they want us to feel a part of their lives. They are always quick to tell us, as if we needed reminding, that without us fans being there they'd not be enjoying their second crack at the music business.

Also the fans are always there for each other and, in the age of the internet and social media, fans around the world are getting to share experiences as well as cultivating new friendships.

Both aspects of this special 'relationship' pulled together this week to help a fan in serious need. Bobette is a 30-year-old fan in the US who had a liver transplant when she was three. Her parents were told she might live to seven if she was lucky but she's obviously defied the medics. However the drugs she's had to take to keep her liver functioning have destroyed her kidneys. She's in need of a kidney transplant from a living donor as it will have a longer life span than a kidney from someone who is deceased.

For various reasons none of her close friends or family were suitable matches so her best friend decided to write a blog and see if anyone in the big wide world would be willing to help Bobette. Both girls are New Kids On The Block fans and so she decided to post the link to her blog to the members of the band to see if they could help spread the word and Donnie Wahlberg did just that. Within a few hours Bobette had six people, all fellow New Kids fans, offering to be donors. They didn't know her personally but felt compelled to help her. This just shows how magic simply loving a band can be.

As for the song, 'Twisted' is my favourite song from their most recent album 'The Block' and this week it just kept popping up on my lastfm account and sticking in my head. Then, when looking for a video of it on youtube I came across the one which you'll find at the end of this blog where, when performing the song at Radio City last June, they mashed it up with the Eurythmics track 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)' which made it even more brilliant than it was already.

Hope you all enjoy it and I'll catch you all again next week!!

New Kids On The Block - Twisted

You wanna feel, I'll let you feel
Come over here
You heard what love can do to you

You know that cuts, scars, bruises hurt
So what
You like it
You like all the screws, tattoos, cool
That I can do
You're telling, you're telling me you're
A little bit twisted

Can feel ya heart
You want me to twist it
Twist it for ya
A little bit twisted
Tell me where does it hurt
Tell me where to kiss it'
Kiss it, kiss it, kiss it, kiss it
Where does it hurt
Tell me where to kiss it (kiss it)

How do you feel
I got you ill from all the love
I'll try not to kill ya
Get close enough

You know that cuts, scars, bruises hurt
So what
You like it
You like all the screws, tattoos, cool
That i can do
You're telling, you're telling me you're
A little bit twisted

Can feel ya heart
You want me to twist it
Twist it for ya
A little bit twisted
Tell me where does it hurt
Tell me where to kiss it'
Kiss it, kiss it, kiss it, kiss it
Where does it hurt
Tell me where to kiss it (kiss it)

You need a little more to get you where you want
I'll push you how you want it
Just tell me where to pull
You want it harder
Need it harder
Girl it's how you like it
Tell me what you been missing
You need me to come and twist it for you
I'll come and twist it for you
I'll even hit it for you
I'll hurt you if you like it
And then I'll twist it for you

Twist it for ya
Twist it for ya
Twist it for ya
Twist it for ya
Sadistic for ya
Twist it for ya

A little bit twisted
Can feel ya heart
You want me to twist it for ya
A little bit twisted
Tell me where does it hurt
Tell me where to kiss it'
Kiss it, kiss it, kiss it, kiss it
Where does it hurt
Tell me where to kiss it (kiss it)

Twist it for ya
Twist it for ya
Sadistic for ya
Twist it for ya
Twist it for ya
Sadistic for ya

Where does it hurt
Tell me where to kiss it