Unlucky for some, eh?  Well, this thirteenth edition of Singles Night was far from unlucky for me – I had a great night.

It’s been a while since I’ve thrilled you with a blog like this.  So what is Singles Night, exactly?  Well, I’ll tell you: it’s basically me playing through a stack of 7 inch vinyl singles in the order they’re stacked in.  Like a jukebox, but not as good.

The quality of these discs can vary dramatically.  Some are classics I’ve spent a couple of quid on.  Some are charity shop finds, or even donations given to me.  As such they can range from the unfathomably cool to the stinkiest of cheese.

It’s always good fun though.  So take a dip in the Virtual Hot Tub with me, and enjoy a playlist unlike any other…

1. The Donnas – “Who Invited You” / “Mama’s Boy”
2. Windsor Davies & Don Estelle – “Whispering Grass” / “I Should Have Known”
3. Elvis Presley – “(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear” / “”Loving You”
4. Chas’n’Dave – “Stars Over 45” / “Harem”
5. Neil Diamond – “Be Mine Tonight” / “Right By You”
6. Depeche Mode – “Get the Balance Right” / “The Great Outdoors”
7. Small Faces – “Sha-La-La-La-Lee” / “Grow Your Own”
8. Right Said Fred – “Don’t Talk Just Kiss” / “Don’t Talk Just Kiss (Instrumental)”
9. Bad Manners – “Lip Up Fatty” / “Night Bus to Dalston”
10. Cyndi Lauper – “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” / “Right Track Wrong Train”
11. Feargal Sharkey – “A Good Heart” / “Anger is Holy”
12. Bruce Willis – “Under the Boardwalk” / “Jackpot (Bruno’s Bop)”
13. Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66 –  “The Fool on the Hill” / “With a Little Help From My Friends”
14. Pat Benatar – “Love is a Battlefield” / “Here’s My Heart”
15. Gloria Gaynor – “I Will Survive” / “Anybody Wanna Party?”
16. Kenny Rogers & The First Edition – “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” / “Girl Get a Hold of Yourself”
17. Showaddywaddy – “Blue Moon” / “I Think I’m Really Going Out of My Mind”
18. REO Speedwagon – “Keep On Loving You” / “Follow My Heart”
19. Salt-N-Pepa – “Do You Want Me (Remix)” / “Do You Want Me (Original)”
20. Carl Douglas – “Kung Fu Fighting” / “Gamblin’ Man”
21. Judas Priest – “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'” / “Exciter (Live Version)”
22. Elvis Costello & The Attractions – “Sweet Dreams” / “Psycho”
23. Iron Maiden – “Flight of Icarus” / “I’ve Got the Fire”
24. Motorhead – “Bomber” / “Over the Top”
25. Village People – “Y.M.C.A.” / “The Women”

My favourite of all of those records is the Donnas single – just awesome rock’n’roll.  They’re a great band, I just wish I had the album on vinyl.

Other classics from Motorhead (one of their best singles, with a beauty on the B-side); Judas Priest at their best; great Small Faces and one of the greatest singles of all time – “Kung Fu Fighting”.  If I remember, I was actually up on my feet at that point, doing a few martial arts inspired moves.  I’d been drinking, after all.

There’s a fair spread of cheese in that lot too, though you can’t go wrong with “Y.M.C.A.”, “I Will Survive” and “A Good Heart”.  Not to mention one of my childhood favourites, “Whispering Grass”.  Enjoyable songs all.

The one real stinker of the bunch was the Bruce Willis tune.  I remember liking that as a kid, ‘cos I was a fan of Moonlighting.  Listening to it again – with its terrible 80’s production and Bruce’s “adequate” voice ruining a soul classic – it’s less Die Hard than Die of Embarrassment.

Till next time!