My listening self is currently adrift in time, split in three ‘ working in the present, listening to pop for pleasure; downloading song after song for this, enjoying right now the summer of ’60, listening for curiosity; and listening to t[…]

I know this tune already, from a role-reversed version by (I think) Goldie Hill, “I Let The Stars Get In My Eyes”. That’s a terrific record, strident and fatalist. Goldie admits her starstruck whim has ruined her relationship &#8211[…]

Not that sounding ‘modern’ is always great. Eddie Fisher’s tear-clogged crooning style is thoroughly, slickly pre-modern and all the more mysterious for it. Enveloped by trilling strings and cooing singers, he sounds as fallen and u[…]

A gutsy, danceable swing tune – just a hint of throat in Kay Starr’s voice to make it sexy, even though here she’s playing older sister, thumping you between the shoulders, telling you to pick yourself up. I’ve got a cold tod[…]

Sophistication – this particular kind of sophistication – is missing from pop now. “Fly the ocean in a silver plane / See the jungle when it’s wet with rain” – Stafford’s lover can tour the world but he can […]

Deep magic from the dawn of pop. Except it’s not really magical, and it wasn’t exactly the dawn, and nowadays this doesn’t even sound like pop. But you have to start somewhere, and the British singles charts started here: a device t[…]

We put together this list as part of our Popular project, which sees Tom Ewing review all these number ones in chronological order. (more…)[…]