james blunt

[43] Gnarls Barkley, ‘Crazy’

I think this is meant to be the single of the millennium so far. Oops. Seeing as a James Blunt single was in very vague contention for the rundown, we can safely say we’re not sticking to a tasteful script. For all dodgy heart conditions out there however, here’s a promise that Captain Blunty has not made the cut; instead, a perfectly respectable showing for the Gnarls fellows and their nigh-on uncategorisable chunk of hip hop indie soul (OK, lazily categorisable). While it’s been all downhill from here for the duo together, Danger Mouse has used ‘Crazy’ as a handy springboard for all sorts of lucrative cool-cachet producer gigs, our favourite of which is The Shortwave Set’s Replica Sun Machine. That’s “lucrative” in its broadest sense. Opposite sense.

Junior says: “I’ve heard this before.” I think we can all get with that. She gives it the shoulders, which, again, we’ve all done.

Best bit: 1. The opening thumps; 2. The almost-fact that we’re gearing up to churning out one of these posts a day. We’d better, or it’ll run headlong into the 2010 countdown.

[15] The Wonder Stuff, ‘Unbearable’

Foreshadowing James Blunt by a couple of decades in the rhyming slang stakes, Miles Hunt introduced his troupe of Black Country grebo-pop rockers to the world with this quickfire, snotty-nosed number. They were the greatest band ever for a year, before I woke up, got serious and cared more about girls. As late as 1990 though, I was bonding with fellow undergraduates over Stuffies (as the Melody Maker undoubtedly called them) t-shirts and posters.

The twin millstones of ‘Size Of A Cow’ and ‘Dizzy’ will live longer in the collective memory, but over a couple of albums they brought together countless floppy fringed and oversized topped teenage boys with their spiky, catchy pop punk. We even turned up to their gigs a couple of years back. It’s hard to let go.

Junior was asleep when I left for work this morning, so for a change she’s listened to this and the next tune with her mum. Speaking to her mum just now, I’m told that while this was playing Junior was lying stock straight on her mat, waving her arms and legs just a little. She’s growing up a bit faster than her dad.