Comic Relief Singles
A few weeks ago I showed you this video for this years Comic Relief single by Girls Aloud and The Sugababes.
Although this is a good idea and is fun I really don’t think that its the best Comic Relief single so far.
So, with the big night coming up this Friday I thought it would be nice to re-visit some of the old tunes.
First up is my favourite…Westlifes version of Uptown Girl which was 2001s song.
The first ever comic relief single was Living Doll By Cliff Richard and the Young Ones in 1986. After its sucess was it was followed by Rockin Around the Christmas Tree by Mel & Kim. in the same year.
Then in 1989 there comes another goodun, this time it was Banarama and Help!
And then….favourite of many The Stonk by Hale & Pace.
Then comes one that I totally don’t remember in April 1992 “(I want to be) Elected” by Smear Campaign (Bruce Dickinson, Rowan Atkinson, Angus Deayton) any ideas what the hell this was?
February 1993 saw “Stick It Out” by Right Said Fred and friends - which i can’t find the video for. Shame.
The in 1995 was the hideous ‘Love Can Build A Bridge’ By Cher, Chrissie Hynde, Neneh Cherry and Eric Clapton, which bizarrely I seem to have on CD single. Why oh why oh why?
Then of course in March 1997 the biggest thing in the world right then - The Spice Girls released “Mama/Who Do You Think You Are”
March 1999 saw another of my faves “When The Going Gets Tough” by Boyzone , this had a really great dance routine. yes really. it did. I can’t believe I can’t find the video for this, rubbish!
Then of course came Westlife…
Then this rather unpleasant Gareth Gates one. Were the Kumars ever funny?
Then, finally in 2005 it was Mcfly. Who bizarrely didn’t do a fun cover version but a more serious song of their own, was nice.
Which is your favourite then? Or do you always think they are a bit rubbish?
Oh and Comic Relief is this Friday. Its for charidee folks.
Don’t forget that the Stonk was the single from an ENTIRE ALBUM of Comic Relief songs. I swear no one in the world owns that album. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it. Or at least not since my mate Rumi had it on cassette at Primary school.
Commented by bse on March 15, 2007 at 1:32 pmMy favourite is either the Stonk or Stick It Out. I don’t think the Spice Girls or McFly made proper comic relief songs. They weren’t funny. At all. Or even trying to be. Let’s not speak on “love can build a bridge” at all.
I just looked for that album on the internet. I dont think it exists.
Commented by Becca on March 15, 2007 at 1:45 pmThere was a Comic Relief album of sorts in 1991 (The year of The Stonk) called The Big Red Tape. It was basically Paul Whitehouse and Harry Enfield as Smashie and Nicey doing a radio show and introducing comedians doing soundalike versions of proper pop stars. Smith and Jones did a borderline homophobic piss take of Vogue by Madonna, and French and Saunders did a remarkly faithful Abba-esque song. See/hear:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eidyrlSdKcE
I know because I have this tape. Weirdly The Stonk isn’t on it. There was another Comic Relief album in probably the late nineties which just seem to be audio from the best bits of the Telethon shows or something. I used to always see it in HMV spoken word/comedy section up until recently. Possibly still available…
I used to have the Mel & Kim one. Maybe I had the Bananarama too? Does the Tony Christie/Peter Kay Amarillo song count if it wasn’t originally recorded for CR? The best Comic Relief Song is definitely “Stick it Out” by Right Said Fred and Bernard Cribbins though. That’s official. Spice Girls, Mel & Kim, Bananarama, and McFly were all good ones. the rest weren’t except maybe The Stonk that almost gets away with through sheer entertaining awfulness.
“(I want to be) Elected” by Smear Campaign was a bad faux-metal comedy song which featured Mr Bean trying to elect himself Prime Minister for the 1992 general election. It was about as funny as it sounds.
Commented by Nathaniel on March 18, 2007 at 4:50 pmI was also undecided as to if the Amarillo one counted, it wasn’t officially the comic relief song but the money did go to comic relief didnt it?
Commented by Becca on March 19, 2007 at 11:44 am