Most of “Go Now”‘s lead vocal sounds half-improvised, soulful elaborations on a few simple lines, go go darlin darlin darlin. Could be purest self-expression, could be a band in some kind of shock at having to turn a perfect intro i[…]

The sound of the pirates – Georgie Fame’s promoter was so frustrated by the lack of establishment airplay for his acts that he set up Radio Caroline, helping start the domino topple which led to the state-sanctioned Radio 1 on the one han[…]

Will you still read me, will you still tick me, now we’re ’64? Expect a new Popular post proper presently, however we’ve had a call for another year poll, and the 2d10 came up with 64. So, Tom’s standing orders are:
I give a […]

The sliver of feedback that opens “I Feel Fine” has become one of pop’s great use-other-facts-please. It’s historically interesting, it’s a strong gimmick, but it has very little to do with the rest of the record, which […]

I’m a bit slow tonight. I just typed something about Mick Jagger’s cock, and then looked at the name of the song, and – ohhhhh, right. Now I get it.
Sung, as opposed to written, it is a more discreet metaphor at least. And Jagger&#8[…]

At the start of this record – though maybe it was mixed in years later – there’s a lovely bit of stereo panning where a troupe of polite feet tap across your head from right to left and then quickly back. What images does it summon?[…]

Something in Sandie Shaw’s voice reminds me of Helen Shapiro, but whether it’s the vastly improved material, or the changed times, or those few crucial extra years on her, Sandie sounds impressive where Helen sounded precocious. There&#82[…]

The song where doughy, doleful Roy Orbison finally gets the girl – of course we’re on his side from the start, and Orbison plays on his persona and our sympathies with a wonderful piece of three-minute theatre. From the opening, stutterin[…]

Sunshine pop from Goffin and King – and whether their pen-portrait of dating etiquette seemed quaint at the time or not, Peter Noone sings it with a perfect innocence. Hands clap, the backbeat rolls gently along, the Beach Boys harmonies comple[…]

The sound of the atom splitting. Break open the basic unit of pop music, the hook, and we discover a mess of gimmickry, noises and ideas so primeval you can often barely describe them, let alone hum one. Find one strong enough and you can top the cha[…]