The Pick 3 Show
Three generations, three choices, one epic argument. A fun podcast, where hosts born in different decades go head to head to rank their Top 3 picks on everything. Perfect for anyone who loves nostalgia, arguments and a lot of laughs!
The Pick 3 Show
Ep 76: Hit songs we truly hate
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Gareth was humming a fairly tuneless 80's minor pop hit in close proximity to the PMG's open window. Shortly thereafter he/she sent down this week's topic for panel debate, "hit songs we truly hate", so we can only assume that Gareth had triggered an adverse reaction with his musical rendition. Join Martin, Gareth & Andy as they discuss the songs that, despite hit status, they regard as the equivalent to dragging your nails down a blackboard.
Let us have your choices and opinions via our social portals or by e mail at thepick3show@gmail.com
Three men with three decades of separation debate three tough choices every week. This is the Pick Three Show. Welcome to another episode of the Pick Three Show, where every week our tormentor, the Picmaster General, selects a topic from their database and challenges the panel to debate, disseminate, and dismiss each other's choices. However, there is a golden rule here at the Pick Three Show: there are no bad choices, just poorly thought out arguments. Today we have been tasked with selecting our top three choices of hit songs that we truly hate, which is actually a humongous task to select three hit songs that you would erase from the history of music. The easy route is to look at novelty songs, but that is just lazy. Looking at real hits from actual artists and then eradicating these from existence is a much tougher assignment. For Andy, the vague onset of maturity, he should have no trouble finding three MM songs to destroy. Gareth lives in the eighties with some wonderful anthems, but also a load of complete tat. And Martin is pretty sure that RB and rap music has almost no cultural value. To get us in the mood, we have convened in the reception area of Downtown Radio, a bastion of the broadcast airways here in Northern Ireland, but also responsible for playing some absolute drivel over the years. So morning, gent. Tough topic this week. What do you reckon?
SPEAKER_02Yes, quite tough for me. I have quite an eclectic taste in music. I love Eurovision. I love some of the novelty acts. So for me it was very tough.
SPEAKER_03And funny, you said like most people will come up with a lot of the novelty songs that they loathe. And you know, whenever I was going through like that's just lazy. I know, but it is, it is, and I didn't go that way. Like the Agadu, I love Agado, and the chicken song and the Burger Song, Margaret, all that type of stuff. It was all catchy. I agree. And did well in church. I've gone for stuff that as soon as it comes on the radio, I switch it off.
SPEAKER_02There's one of yours I will be fairly certain on, I think.
SPEAKER_03No, I know you'll be very surprised at mine. Okay. Very surprised at mine.
SPEAKER_01All three of my choices are songs that sound like running your nails down a blackboard. The minute they come on to me, I just go, Oh no, I can't sit through this. Yeah, yeah. You know, so and you already know one of my choices, by the way, but you don't know why at this point, Gareth.
SPEAKER_02Right? There you go. That's a good point, Martin, because two of my choices are from a time of my life when I look back and I go, Now when they come on, I'm like, they're not so bad, but actually at the time I was like, those must be steps again. Yeah, you know, because Andy Andy is steps.
SPEAKER_01I don't mind Andy had the shirt, the haircut. Yeah, Andy was H from Steps. He had the poster of H as well.
SPEAKER_02So yeah, let's let's change subject for that one.
SPEAKER_03Do you want to? Oh yeah. Martin, but then you doing the mobile disco. Yes, like you knew what was bad, what killed the vibe immediately.
SPEAKER_01Well, it wasn't just sometimes songs that killed the vibe, it was sometimes songs that you know everybody absolutely loved. I mean, our our example of that would be the birdie song at Weddings. Yeah, yeah, awful, absolutely awful. But I haven't put it on my list because it's too easy a choice to do something like that. But the birdie song drove me to distraction because every single wedding party wanted because aunties and uncles, and everybody got up and did, and the kids absolutely loved it, and we're going, Oh, shoot me not.
SPEAKER_03And we would have rocked the boat, which isn't your people are on the floor on the floor, giving it. And at university for me, it was sit down by James.
SPEAKER_02James has some cracking songs, and that's not one of them. Yeah, but I I agree. There's some of mine people listen and go, Oh, that's a great song. I can't believe that. But for me, similar to you guys, there's great there's rationale.
SPEAKER_01I know once we get to music, Gareth tolerates me and Andy talking on the programme. But really, he likes to get in there and really because music is his thing, it's the 80s. So, Gareth, off you go. What is your number three choice of a song, a hit song you truly hate?
SPEAKER_03This is one from the naughtys. So I've gone from one from the notties, one from the nineties, and one from the eighties. Uh, not by choice, but just our three ones that I hate. This one will be massively controversial, I believe. At Shape of You by Ed Sheeran. Okay. I hate Ed Sheeran. I really do. Everyone loves Ed Sheeran.
SPEAKER_01Sorry, I'd like to step in at this point and say, you are wrong. Not everyone loves Ed Sheeran. I find him irritating. So do I.
SPEAKER_02I so do I don't mind him. I don't love him or hate him. I think I love the clips and when he's busking. So do I.
SPEAKER_01I watched one of his gigs on TV, the whole thing. I think it was um it was Jumpers for Goalposts, too, or something. And he comes on, and yeah, I get the talent. But when he's done two songs using the pedal, and then the rest of the concert's going to be exactly the same.
SPEAKER_03Exactly the same. Yeah. There's no variance to me. I think that's the problem. You know, every song is the same. I couldn't tell you the difference between his song and you said it, it's been profitable because it's one whenever it comes on, I go, Oh no, I'm gonna hit it. And I and I've taken this as a the test has been if it's on the radio, I'll flick it off. Not off my listen to mainstream radio, I'm an absolute itties, obviously, radio or talk sport, but I this one here, if it came on, I'd immediately switch it off. I I just I just can't warm to it. Interesting though. A solid pick to start with in a rather. A lot of people will like. Yeah, I don't mind.
SPEAKER_01Ed Sheeran is one of the most successful artists of the last 10 to 15 years. He sells out how do you sell out a stadium like Wembley for four or five straight nights when it's one bloke and an acoustic guitar and a loop pedal?
SPEAKER_02I like I like his mentality of he sponsors his home football club, Ipswich. He attends all the games. I quite like that mentality.
SPEAKER_01No, again, I'm I'm going to swap over. I find musically him irritating as an individual, and some of the other things he does, including going out busking or suddenly turning up at somebody's wedding and various things, are quite endearing. But the musical side of it, I just go, no, it can't. So you've picked him an individual song, but I wouldn't I would agree that he's not an artist that I I don't own a single song of his. No, no. I've never downloaded a single song of his.
SPEAKER_03I've never listened to a single song in full. Although I've heard Giets, I think. And he's not bad in Giets.
SPEAKER_01But this is the thing, he is a very, very good musician and a very good musical artist. I just can't stand it. Yeah, me too.
SPEAKER_03That's good. Well, we're agreement. Me and Martin agreement that though. Yeah, I I can take a leave.
SPEAKER_01I don't mind I don't mind the money. But actually, even that ambivalence is verging towards it's not you know, somebody else has always said that the opposite of love isn't hate, it's ambivalence. Yeah, true.
SPEAKER_03We're loathing you, you know. True.
SPEAKER_02If you if you give me 20 musicians that would be talented on a bit of paper, probably wouldn't be on that list in my mind. But yeah, no, it's a good start. Uh number three for me is actually before I jump into that, one that c almost made my list was UB40 red red wine. And the and the reason for that was working in sort of bars or when I was at university. They used to DJs who'd play that as oh, there's people drinking alcohol in the bar. Let's play red, red wine.
SPEAKER_03I think it's a red, red wine, and it does sound like a wine.
SPEAKER_02So that almost made my list, but as number three. But number three, I remember going, Yeah, this one. If it comes on the radio, I turn it off. Red, red wine if it's on it, so yeah, I'll turn it off.
SPEAKER_01Remembering, of course, listeners, that Andy is the man who likes breakup songs from the country and western genre. On that note, absolutely loves those.
SPEAKER_02On that note, I was listening to some Ella Langley recently, a lot of breakup songs there. I was saying to Nicole, listen to this. She's like, That's one of the worst songs I've ever heard.
SPEAKER_01Sorry, you say to Nicole, your lovely wife, hey, listen to this breakup song. Actually, she could read something subliminally into that. She knows she's a lucky woman.
SPEAKER_03I bought a Doctor Hook vinyl recently, you know, Sylvie's mother. Oh, yes, you'd mentioned. I love that song.
SPEAKER_02So, my number three on that note is Beyonce Single Ladies. And why that's on my list controversial is for no other reason than I think it was released around 2009, 2010, that period. And that period, I was like, Go on to you'd be at a lot of weddings, and you'd be sitting there, and single ladies would come on, women run the dance for all day as we dance, and I was like, Oh, funny gimmicky at time. And then if it comes on the radio now, I just like boom, straight off.
SPEAKER_03Well, it wasn't straight off. Is it the woman's attitude to it where they all go single ladies? I go, You just don't want to be single.
SPEAKER_02I just don't like the song either. It's just uh if you want to put it into putty ring on it, if you want to put it into ring on it.
SPEAKER_03Our listeners need video to see Martin dancing, but is it is it is it that they embrace it so much. Oh, the single lady.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, there's a yeah, and I think there was but there's a certain stigma around as well. It went viral and everyone doing these little dances and all like to me. I just go off as soon as it comes on the radio. It's one and straight away when this topic from the Picmaster channel kept on, boom, I popped into my head. Yeah, and honestly, I don't think I've heard it in five years, but straight away popped in my head and it took me back.
SPEAKER_03It really annoys you. Yeah, it does. But it's the attitude to it.
SPEAKER_01Come on, girls, come on. No, but there was always that. There's ABBA's dancing queen, where it's all the girls get up dancing. No, no, but I'm okay. No, no, I don't disagree. Well, of all ABBA songs, it's one of the worst ones, but it's you're absolutely right. There's a certain attitude to it. Having said that, Beyoncé did one of the best Super Bowl halftime shows I've ever seen, which included that, by the way.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I do know what that was a good Super Bowl halftime. I think I don't mind Beyonce overall. It's like when I there's a lot of artists I could name that I that would get onto my list of artists I don't like, but just this song, don't know, it just comes on, boom, straight off.
SPEAKER_01I can't totally agree with that because I actually maybe I haven't listened to it enough or haven't seen it enough, but I actually find it reasonably okay. Some of our listeners might be surprised at that. It doesn't annoy me to the same extent.
SPEAKER_03So the song doesn't annoy me, but it's you you put you set the scene perfectly. Yeah, the wedding. Oh, yeah. Right? And it's all you know, your partner and all, your wife, whatever. I'll go partner and wife. And wife. It's true. You run a tricky whole world, you do. This was 2009. But do you know what the way it's literally as if they're giving two fingers up to the guys are sitting there doing the old giving up? Do you another one of people? I'll just go join in. But no, you don't get up and dance.
SPEAKER_02Do you know what also popped into my mind? I thought I have to remove this because I'll come across like a woman hater was uh Spice Girls Wannabe. The birth of Girl Bar.
SPEAKER_01To be honest, that was close to making my list.
SPEAKER_02But then it was like, if I have Beyonce number three, number two, no, I'll quickly remove that.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, number three, Beyonce Single Ladies. As I say, it's not the worst for me. It would be one that wouldn't trigger, but I mean different people are chosen for different reasons.
SPEAKER_02Of course, but I think he did. I liked um Martin's Dance to It. Yeah. When we get video content, that will be a group. That will never that will never appear.
SPEAKER_03Get up and dance to that.
SPEAKER_01Um you're making a statement. I am no, no, as in if you get up and dance to it, you're making the statement.
SPEAKER_02Single ladies, I'm sure in certain bars around Belfast it gets playing. Some of our listeners might suggest it later.
SPEAKER_01I think if there's a pile of women that hit the dance floor, a couple of guys with confidence getting up and dancing to that could have a very good evening. A young Martin. Trust me, that was not me. So I did say guys with confidence and not dressing it.
SPEAKER_03And it does need confidence to get on a dance floor. Like I it does. So, like I said, you're okay, Martin. For guys, there's a difference between sober and a couple of drinks. Like, you know, I was up dancing at the silent disco on that crew, so I was giving it whatever. Now no one knows what you're dancing to, but I've maybe had a couple of drinks and that was it. And I think I'm John Travolta then.
SPEAKER_01Or has anybody watching thought you were John Travolta?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah. And my next two choices involve a dance floor where it gets a slight tick.
SPEAKER_01On the on the Martins number three. Okay, well, my number three is as we approach Christmas annually, one record appears every year that I loathe beyond anything. And in fact, it has appeared as a choice listed on the vinyl vault when you did your Christmas episode with special. And it is Stop the Cavalry by Jonah Lewis.
SPEAKER_02I like that. I like that.
SPEAKER_01I know you do because you said so on the vinyl vault, but you actually said on the vinyl vault that I have a friend who said he would rather have his hemorrhoids launched than you listen to that particular song ever again. I don't know what it is about that. I think it's the way the trumpets or the trombones or anything come in. There's something about that song that is wildly irritating to me. And there are plenty of other Christmas songs. I mean, put it like this. No way I should admit to this next thing. But if you offer me Shaking Stevens, I will take that in a heartbeat. Mud, it's lonely this Christmas. Those are great songs. Jonah Lewey Stop the Cavalry is one that's meant to make you feel really bad about a whole pile of things, but has a really weird sort of vibe and tempo to it. And if I could just say there's a Christmas song, although to be honest, Maria Carey might come close as well. But if there's a Christmas song that you'd like rid of forever, for me it would be Stop the Cavalry by Joe Louie.
SPEAKER_03Now obviously I've never listened to lyrics on it, right? So I don't even know the story. Do you know the story?
SPEAKER_01No, it's basically I think it's a war story. It's a first world war or a war story.
SPEAKER_03No, I've never done it. Again, that's why I never listen to lyrics or whatever, so I never do this. But you see, then you don't understand the song. No, I don't understand it, but I like it. You're about to get shot around here, I'm telling you. Honestly.
SPEAKER_01It's just the nails go down the blackboard the minute I hear the intro to that. It's not no. I that would be my number three. And that's only my number three choice. Yeah, yeah. It's only my number three choice.
SPEAKER_02My number two is a Christmas song as well.
SPEAKER_03Was it?
SPEAKER_02No, I couldn't do the Christmas song.
SPEAKER_01So yeah. No, but again, when you when you were doing your vinyl vault and the Christmas songs and all the rest of it, it was quite interesting because people have a very different view on Christmas songs. And there are some Christmas songs that I absolutely love. I mean, lots of people hate White Christmas. By Ben Crosby? Yeah. Did you just cough? It is. I'm sorry. You've known that I'm currently enraged about something, and you chose to cough.
SPEAKER_02A perfect segue where I'll jump in. That was my number two. Ben Crosby, White Christmas.
SPEAKER_01Oh, I don't believe it.
SPEAKER_02100%. It's just such a boring song. I love Christmas and I love the build-up to Christmas and everything about it. If that comes on the radio or TV, you're like off straight away. It's so slow and drawing. And I remember my grand and granddaugh's house at Christmas time at Beyond. I'd be like, oh, this is awful. This is terrible. Have you ever watched the movie? No. I don't intend to watch.
SPEAKER_01Oh, I love the movie. I saw it as a kid.
SPEAKER_02After he mentioned the wrong comment story.
SPEAKER_01The White Christmas song is two minutes in the movie. The whole story about the movie is great. It's absolutely superb. But it's just one of those movies. I saw it as a kid, and it's one of those ones that was on coming up to Christmas, and you watched White Christmas, and you know, it's Bing Crosby and Danny Kay, and it's you know, it's tremendous. What's the plot, Martin? Um they he first sings White Christmas uh as an American soldier towards at Christmas on the front lines in the Second World War in front of a group of things, and then the whole place sort of erupts and they're back fighting and all the rest. It's this juxtaposition, and then afterwards they become entertainers and they're out in the road and doing anything, and then it all they meet up with their old unit and they colonel, and that's it's a it's a what you've actually a lovely story.
SPEAKER_02You've explained that better, I thought. I might actually, yeah. But the song to me it's just uh it's just long-winded.
SPEAKER_03Well, do you know do you know that it's a very good point because you you're the long-winded slowness of it, whatever, and recently with you know I've seen a few cabaret artists murdering songs recently is what I have. Gareth was on a cruise, yeah, murdering it, right? Was there any good ones there? You're like the only one. Some good ones were the ones within the shows, but people who were in to sing it. I think those singers, whenever they get the song, sing it a little slower than the original, just to drag it out. And I can understand you're saying why your white Christmas to you is um dream because it's so long to get to the flippin' White Christmas 100%.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and actually, it's one of those ones that people have on music channels on the radio, uh, at Christmas song, like straight off.
SPEAKER_01Do you know the actual difference between Bing Crosby and Walt Disney?
SPEAKER_02There's some joke here going.
SPEAKER_01Bing sings and Walt Disney in a Scottish accent.
SPEAKER_03I like Bing Crosby's other Christmas hit.
SPEAKER_01Oh, Little Drummer Boy. Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I don't mind that David Boy is a classic.
SPEAKER_01But you see, Bing Crosby comes from a classic era of Krooner, yeah. Which was very much your grandparents' era. But because I was growing up in the 60s and into the early 70s, limited number of TV channels and a limited number of movies and things that came on, and these were the sorts of things that appeared.
SPEAKER_02Carl Dunigan. Who would be Bing Bing Crosby now in today's music world? Michael Bubley. Okay, yeah, that's good.
SPEAKER_01Only Michael Bubley would be a bit more up-tempered, a bit more of a showman. Bing Crosby was definitely a crooner.
SPEAKER_02Okay, yeah, that's good to know for our listeners, our younger listeners.
SPEAKER_01So that's your number two. My number two then. Because we've actually swapped positioning again.
SPEAKER_02That's why the lovely cough just to annoy him before jumping in.
SPEAKER_03This one, okay for a slowy dance at the Christmas disco, school Christmas disco. But I did hate it. Lady in Red Christopher. It was number one for three weeks. It ruined my top of the pops for three weeks. I hate it. A bit like the White Christmas. Lady in it takes a long time of speed, and I know someone else is obviously going to come up with this as well. I can just tell by his face.
SPEAKER_01No, but actually, I've seen I saw Christie Berg in concert a couple of times, and he had some very, very good songs.
SPEAKER_02Oh, Spaceman Came's Traveling is.
SPEAKER_01Don't pay the Ferryman and Don't Pay the Ferryman and stuff. Those are excellent. Yeah. And then he would sing Lady and Red, and the place would erupt and go absolutely mad, and I'd go, Oh, three minutes. I hope he doesn't do an extended version. I no, all I was doing is agreeing with you that of all the Christaburg songs, it's far and away the worst, and yet it's his most successful.
SPEAKER_03No, it was successful because once it came on in the old school disco, you went, Happy days, I'm up there. Was that his breakthrough hit, Lady and Red?
SPEAKER_01No. No, it was way well into his career. I mean, you could have been his last hit. Don't it might be very close to his probably made him the money to retire. Yeah. I mean, Don't Pay the Ferryman was out a good bit of time before that. And um, you know, a good a good artist, but again, a song that actually just outlived its welcome. It did. It just was too long.
SPEAKER_03It just took ages to get there.
SPEAKER_02No, that's fair. That's a good choice, actually. It's one that you said straight away, I was like, yeah, I wouldn't listen to that.
SPEAKER_03Help Christopher singing it. Like he didn't look excited. No, it would be.
SPEAKER_01It was hard to actually mirror some of the visuals they were running with his haircut.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. What year was that sort of out? Late 70s, early 80s? Oh no, it's later than that. Mid late 80s?
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_03And was it it was it a soundtrack to a film?
SPEAKER_01No, I don't believe so. I don't believe it was the soundtrack to a film.
SPEAKER_03Somehow I think it was a Kelly LeBrock.
SPEAKER_01I think she might have appeared in a in the video. But do you know what there might have been a movie called Lady in Red, but I don't think this was the soundtrack. to it. I'm unaware, but there's a young person in the in the uh studio um down here at downtown where where you could actually just go and ask them and we'll f I'll find that out because I've got a feeling it wasn't a movie.
SPEAKER_03Was it Gene Wilder Kelly LeBrock?
SPEAKER_01You're you're piecing this together well if it is if it is you're dragging it from the dark share. Do you know this is taking longer to appear than the Kraken?
SPEAKER_03It briefly featured in a scene of the 2000 film American Cycle which was Christian Bale exactly no doesn't appear. Well yeah it's a good I think that's a good choice.
SPEAKER_01Yeah yeah no I it you can't argue you're entitled to be it's a song you hate. I hate and there's no way I can change your opinion whereas no one wants to change my opinion I think you're right. Number two for you Martin okay the song that broke the Elster Hole. Yep the floor collapsed right come on Eileen by Dexy's Midnight Runners. Oh no I like come on no it's hideous I like it no I would say it broke the floor well apparently no I'm not totally convinced because my colleague Robert Fitzpatrick told me it wasn't that song and he was there but the floor in the Ulster Hall the collapsed it just gave way and sank just dropped that was before the Ulster Hall had its major renovation right and it was while Dexie's Midnight Runners were playing and the story was always that it was when come and eileen was on and everybody's bouncing around the floor just collapsed.
SPEAKER_02That's a great story though for them and they like in the days before obviously social media yeah that story just can well you've heard you've heard the story where madness registered an earthquake in Finsbury Park did they?
SPEAKER_01Yeah unbelievable it registered on a rector scale but if you actually think about uh come on eileen tell me why you would like any aspect of it come on Eileen Yeah you sing I would have come to build up at the end yeah and then there's a bit it's never gonna Did you play that your mobile discos? Unfortunately we probably did have and I'm sure people loved far preferred Gino oh I I like Gino as well Gino was a better song oh Gino anyway um no I just it's one of those ones that it just there everything about it annoys me.
SPEAKER_03Was it was it number one for too long?
SPEAKER_01Gino I can't remember my my memory is that it was probably number one for two or three weeks. It was there for more than a week but couldn't tell you off the top of my head how many weeks it was there but all I know is there's something about when it starts I can again feel tension rise. And you still hear it a good bit now music channels and stuff of course you do because it is one of those things that people it's you know it's very very well known but actually when you think to it what what does it offer you? What what musically does it really offer I think you see a phrase if you're best you can come up with it's a good wee song. I know but you know but it was always we dance floor filler ogres come on eile and get that on now that what annoyed me about them was the way they looked really Kevin Roger scars round the neck were they was that the style back then no not really it was it was their personal they they were running with what a some kind of bohemian styling but it looked like the Wersals yeah it wasn't it wasn't great yeah describe it bohemian or a good song well I I had another choice but I thought we'd get banned if I used that but no number one number one drum roll number one and this was probably a very good song but why I hate it was it was number one for 19 weeks.
SPEAKER_03Oh I know exactly I know where you're going in 1981.
SPEAKER_01Well no hang on it it there's two options there's the the one where it is um I found it in my finger no it's um so it's Brian Adams it has to be Robin for you maybe right do you want a couple of interesting facts about that song right lovely jumped in the fastest song he ever wrote he wrote the song from start to finish in under forty five minutes.
SPEAKER_03Right yeah I like Brian Adams it is his biggest ever hit oh it is held and I think it still does yeah the most weeks at number one most weeks at number one consecutive weeks at number one so your your rationale for not liking this isn't actually it's a terrible song it's just the longevity no it is longevity because you tuned in top of the pops every Thursday night and then you're like you're on a high you didn't know what the charts were just it just wouldn't go away yeah it just wouldn't go away and therefore it was being played because it's number one it was getting played all the time but it was also tagged to a summer blockbuster yeah by Robin Hood Prince which wasn't even a great film.
SPEAKER_01I liked it I don't know it's an easy watch it's not no but it it was doing very well as a movie and that song was definitely that was tied into it.
SPEAKER_02Two famous actors in that movie Kev and Alan Rickman yep and Costner obviously yeah like Kev and was it Mary Elizabeth Mastrianton or whatever was it was the female was made marion so this this if you were hearing like I'd say bring it to most kids now hearing it for the first time they'll think it's a good song oh yeah I agree in fact it was just so long at number one and played everywhere another good slowy song like from the school disco I had to say but I'd love university discourse I was just gonna say in 1991 had you been held I do like your ration I do like your rationale though you're sitting down to watch Top of the Pops Thursday night what is it what is it is he still there and not and it's always when it gets to number two you know it's still there still there's still yeah but it was perfectly guitar I'm sure loads of people love it but I loathe it because and I would you see if it comes on now I've just heard it too much.
SPEAKER_01It's one of Brian Adams' least enjoyable live songs. Yeah and he ends up he does it a lot of the time just with an acoustic guitar and everybody swoons and the the lighters or the lights come on in the phones and all the rest of it and I'm going play the good stuff would you yeah I I've seen him in concert loads of times me too there is a fine balance of hearing a song too much.
SPEAKER_03I agree I I remember Take the Weather with you by Crowded House I loved it. It was everywhere I think 25252 loved it right played it over and over again see if you played it now I mean I loved it at the time see oh I just go I can't be bothered.
SPEAKER_01You see I grew up in an era where if you wanted to get a surprise musical input during the week you phoned dial a disc when you when your parents weren't watching because each week they would play a song on rotation and so you would dial up to see if they were playing one of the hit songs and you would listen to it on the Baker Light handset.
SPEAKER_03On the telephone on the telephone my mum had seen me using the telephone gutter I would be dead.
SPEAKER_01I'm surprised your dad didn't kill you for that may I say I escaped with a few things along the way and one of the things he didn't tend to notice was was that in particular that's is a lovely link on the My Number one of some of the Raspberry Lucky we do these wonderful segues for Amazon.
SPEAKER_03So they don't even know each other's choices.
SPEAKER_01No My Number one we cough again before you start because the listeners the listeners love those moments. I've been talking to a few listeners and one said to me are you ever actually going to just reach across grab one of them by their hair and bounce them off the desk can I just say if we had a list of people who cough the most I'd say Martin would be talking so far yeah we get ahead to Path you do you both come out of it very badly the edit listeners you're absolutely right Andy and Gareth are badly treated on this show.
SPEAKER_02So my number one 1998 I'm living in Newcastle upon Tyne Westlife release flying without wings their big ballad and it's everywhere it's not even an original it's a copy. I do know what doesn't surprise me I just even but so it's a cover version does Nicole know you've picked this oh no and uh she said to me she's the biggest fan big Westlife fan but around Newcastle it was oh the Irish guy you must love Westlife every place we went Westlife played we used there used to be a music channel on Sky TV called Box oh wow and you used to get music you used to a bit like what you were saying about ringing up dialedisc or whatever you text in and the text used to cost one pound and what they had was a couple of hours with no ads that you could put the same song on back to back and it used to be one of those great times you go on you try to type something in and it would it would come on but it could be in three hours or something.
SPEAKER_01Yeah I remember once far and on hearing West life seven times back to back flying without wings and the we white suits coming it was everywhere similar to your sort of uh Bran Adams one there was did they did they sing you raised me up as well yeah because that was close to getting in mind oh really close to getting mine no I like that I didn't want the wrath of Nicole actually I like some Westlife songs some of them are quite catchy but that one flying without wings awful and if it comes on now it's like beep and still actually a couple of weeks I was driving and a cool FM had it on oh this throwback boom straight off I only ever liked one Westlife song and they did an there was an ABBA special on at Christmas time or something and they did I have a dream oh yeah and to be fair they did it quite well so they did but Westlife no and I get that annoyed the life of me as well what's your views on Westlife Martin my wife is a fan of Westlife and has been to see them on a a number of occasions I have fortunately never seen them yeah uh they aren't my type of band uh I certainly wouldn't uh waste time going to see them I'm actually going to make a correction because uh flying without wings is maybe an original I've just I've I think I've I've made an error there and so I've a collector's item I'd like to own up to that now rather than have all of the listeners ring in what I was thinking was uh You raise me up which is definitely a cover version and I was going but Flying Without Wings I think might well be an original and I'm amazed like obviously there's still a huge amount of Westlife fans but any time that they're in the SSE sells out six or seven days shortly to be the O2 Belfast I think it's transferring as we speak. Oh really what attracts your two wives to the four good looking guys that's singing Westlife I've no idea probably music well day can I tell you a little true story a little true aside probably shouldn't say this but apparently that is one of the most difficult nights of the year for the staff at the Odyssey to police because apparently women of a certain age with a few wines on board there are more scraps than almost anything else. You compare that Martin to the darts where they're drinking from the start compared to West yeah honestly you would assume that one's just going to be easy apparently it can be tricky enough that's good I like I didn't say so there you go so in the midst of it apparently last year there was a ringleader called Nicole right in the middle of it she was swinging around people and it was when when she hit one of the security guards apparently she said Andy you take that the guy goes my name's not Andy do your wives compare you to two members of Questlifts don't be ridiculous I'm certainly old enough to be their father and let alone maybe maybe sort of a very young grandfather but I don't look I I get it there's a there's a lot of reasons why you know you wouldn't necessarily like that so okay. Number one Martin number one he's about to blow whenever he says it no but if you play it at any point in time I would I'm not likely just to switch off the radio I'm likely to yank it out of the wall and hoof it out the hoof it out the window. Ooh ebony and ivory by Paul McCartney I love this well that doesn't surprise me it is a horror story and I've read it's the most ridiculous it's the most ridiculously obvious crass ill thought out supposedly we're pulling the world together by just write a decent song that both sides enjoy don't start writing ebony and ivory we can live together in perfect harmony give me a break it's an awful song like I disagree with you see if that came on the radio I'd listen to that right was it was it a global hit when it was launched can I can I give you a tip don't put your head out the window because the radio might hit you when you put your head out the window I do love it. Well I don't I I thought long and hard about what would be my number one choice and when I looked at this and I thought do you know what I just can't stand that song I really can't stand it.
SPEAKER_00Paul McCartney was good in Al Jet I always thought what's Paul McCartney's timeline did he go Beatles the wings then just loads of solo stuff it was just wings it wasn't the wings you know I mean that would be something like calling you know so is it the leads the LEDs episode he's on a he's on a high level of alert at the moment because it's red alert no I've got a great story about Stevie Wonder That's an edit point that is definitely an edit point that might be in the that might be in the Outtakes archive oh I've got to use that in future I'm actually checking sorry I've I've actually got tears in my eyes now for just something about I'm taking on the internet that Stevie Wonder reaches for the microphone stand that Paul McCartney knocks over in some TV thing and people say is Stevie Wonder actually blind.
SPEAKER_01Oh really so he's it's all a gimmick I I I don't know and um I I do know though that again another song I don't have a lot of time for is Lionel Ritchie um hiding behind trees because he's gone hello that's a song again I like number one for too long. Yeah and I don't actually hate that song as much but Ebony and Ivory. Oh I love Ebony and Ivory. Yeah but that's because you want us all to live in perfect harmony. Yeah I do. Whereas I'm a realist what they're a realist in fact I'm just looking at the pair of you today an ebony and ivory conversation a little it's it's quite nice.
SPEAKER_02What did our listeners think of this topic?
SPEAKER_03I don't no one's come back to me do you know I think it's because we're cording on a Tuesday I'm gonna have to start making up as if I've got friends.
SPEAKER_01Oh no I haven't actually so I there's sorry mate I was distracted from sorting this somebody's come back tell it name and shame it was Rodney Maxwney Maxwell Rodney does put in some stuff he's the one guy that Gareth normally relies upon Mick Maclane.
SPEAKER_02He's gone he's not answering he's had enough he's not answering who is your really good friend in Dublin Nigel Nigel he doesn't answer anymore either more he seems do you think it's actually just you possibly we have to start making them up now people just say Jared Butler sent in Whackham Phoenix we have uh Pete sent in number three black pink how do you like that number two BTS dynamite both selling cells as K-pop demon hunters and ruining little kids evenings and number one that Billy Eilish one where she just loudly breathed duh the the like through out we have Corin who sent in anything by Drake One Dance for example back to black Amy Winehouse and then Who Runs the World Girls Beyonce not going to ask why that was with Thomas who sent in Icky Breaky Heart. Oh that was nearly on my list gentlemen I've got to stop you for a second I actually like that song I do I didn't hit it I think I don't I dislike the artist and the way he gets on don't break my heart oh no far but far better song than some of the others we have number two Barbie girl he went down the gimmicky sort of number aqua but it was sort of I like it Barbie girl and we know the words because of it so fantastic his number one was Ice Ice Baby no he's completely wrong love that song so a band Thomas from future input no ice ice baby was good there are no wrong choices he's but he's very close to making one Ron sent in the Macarena number two dance no reason why I like the Macarena I won a contest for best dancer snake with uh someone in the Macarena in my first year of university oh really would you win a bottle of I think I was now a bottle of per seco or something yeah not bad back then of course it would be for Macarena you weren't gonna get any hard liquor for dancing to the Macarena better yeah no sorry it wasn't Macarena it was lambada that's good I won that yeah but not the Macarena sorry okay runs number two was dancing queen I can't stand abba and that is the pinnacle things abba I had a friend when I was young that used to play for him consistently called Dale Carter he's out of friend has he's name and shame poor old Dale just liked a bit of Swedish music and you're his number one your heart will go on Titanic oh yeah cringe that's that's a I'm surprised actually I'm that would have made my top three I think I've forgotten Dion no Connor sent in Umbop from Hanson which I could quite like yes I know yeah I'm friend as I say there are no wrong answers but that's one of them uh Courtney Thompson sent in Baby Shark oh yeah okay which is more of a novelty yeah thriller no I know and I'm thinking that's a big call that's a big call thriller that's one of the biggest songs of all time one of the biggest albums of all time and you say but you're gonna go mental in the next one her number one choice Last Christmas what I actually sent her back a message you might make Gareth cry Last Christmas is brilliant every time we hear it and I've even heard a wee rap version recently and it's superb it's made it onto my list ultimate list you gave Andy your heart I did the very next day he gave it away he gave it away that's what uh big keys he often thinks to save it from tears.
SPEAKER_01I was gonna say tears I'm gonna give it to someone special.
SPEAKER_03Courtney well that won't be Andy then Courtney has uh put the cat amongst the pigeons out those are two very bold calls from Courtney fair play I watched the Michael movie this week good okay I seen it okay wasn't a thriller no no quite bad it's oh good good you're in the game yeah tagged in you know beat it beat it Andy you're not to beat me anyway right uh Colonel Lou Colonel Lou and I have been friends a very long time like a very long time right back to about 1972 we became friends and he's listed as his number three song Highway to Hell by A C D C I know I know that he has very strong beliefs and I respect those in him but you can't ignore Highway to Hell one of the great songs yeah I agree yeah yeah and he also dislikes Sweet Caroline no it's a classic I love it and I've had a bit of a Neil Diamond renaissance recently I watched that song Sing Blue with Hugh Jackman in it.
SPEAKER_01Oh yeah uh which is not a great movie it's okay but the I love Neil Diamond songs yeah some good songs only artist I've ever wanted to assassinate whilst watching him no why oh he was so insincere he was the most fake artist I ever saw perform I wasn't getting it at all and the other one he has uh he says Country Roads oh I love that or he's put or basically any John Denver song uh I disagree I like it but country roads or country rose country take me home take me home so you're on a road to take you home the clue is in the second bit of the lyric Gareth I like John Denver It's not Country Rose sniff me no but it could be country rose take me home big girl yeah that's that's a different angle and big girl is just a phrase it could be a perfect
SPEAKER_02Yeah, we do Colonel Lew might like up.
SPEAKER_01Anyway, Anne McKissick sent any rap song, especially sexually explicit and cussing. And I went, well, okay, big j big genre there, just like me. Let's get rid of rap. Johnny Kerr. Is that cursing or cussing? Cussing, she had written. Cussing, no. She's American. Oh, very American.
SPEAKER_03Wait, is that what they call cursing?
SPEAKER_01Oh, is that even not? Did you not know that? No, no. Oh, you you learn on this podcasting? It's not just entertainment, it's actually education. Exactly.
SPEAKER_02I am I'm fascinated to know what Johnny Kerr said as his top three.
SPEAKER_01Johnny Kerr's number three choice, come on, Eileen.
SPEAKER_02Get in there. Where you go, score. Don't know if that's good to agree with JK on that.
SPEAKER_01It's always good. JK is one of life's great musicians. So if he understands music, I'll I'll agree with him. Obladee Ublada, he absolutely loathes. And finally, James Blunt's You're Beautiful. Now that's a real thing. I watched the James Blunt documentary and it was great. He came out of it really well. He's really good. I like that. Yeah. Victoria Dunun, also known as Queen Vic, Who Let the Dogs Out. Yeah. And she wrote, It's not something to sing about, it's a real problem. The Macarena doesn't stop me doing the dance, though. Yeah, fair. And finally, all about the bass. Turns out it's mostly about treble levels I can no longer tolerate. I really like that song. I hate to admit it. I did a version of that at the ranch with a girl who was a country singer, and we had so much fun doing that particular song. You know, including me doing one of the high parts at one point. Oh nice. I would have loved to see that. Um you probably can, I think it's on video. But uh hey, you'll never get access to that. But anyway.
SPEAKER_03Or else you will this weekend. No.
SPEAKER_01Ashley Ashley Parks. Uh he said Budapest by George Ezra. Yeah, I'm not fussing George Ezra.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, he sort of falls into what you're saying about Ed Sheeran. American Pie, Don McLean. No, I like that. Give me a story on American Pie.
SPEAKER_01Actually, yeah, I've never really liked that song. Yeah. And his final was was Anything, Lewis Capaldi. And he says, Anything is not the name of a song. I mean any of his songs. I'm not a fan of him either. No. Paul McMahon said Mr. Blobby still scares me some 33 years later. That was one of those phenomena that you just could never understand. How does anybody find Mr. Blobby even mildly amusing? Uh Baby Shark was fine the first time, but now just need to turn it off. And his third choice, or his number one choice, was Dance Monkey by Tunes and I. Apparently it was a number one in 2019. I don't even know what it's.
SPEAKER_03And actually, the all his ones have sort of gone whenever kids away at a foreign holiday, you know, they get the kids up on stage, do the baby shark, or do that.
SPEAKER_01Maybe yeah, yeah, yeah. Anyway, right. Anyway, don't know. And finally, uh Big Keith. Never going to give you up by Rick Astley. No.
SPEAKER_03That's a good song. It's a good song. I disagree. No, it's a good song.
SPEAKER_01I always thought I never know. Rick is some voice. Uh I think he's a good artist. He does a very good version, actually, bizarrely, of Highway to Hell. Oh, really? In his live set. But there you go. He has Agadoo by Black Blackson. I like that. I think he's something against pineapples. Yeah. And Barbie Girl by Aqua. Which again, but those two last two were really they're kind of the novelty songs, rather than being true pop songs. Some good, some good listener feedback. That's good. Really good. Our listeners are great. Well, yours and mine are, aren't they? Obviously, Gareth needs to develop a few mates somewhere.
SPEAKER_03Next one of some call as well. No, don't the next one I've got one.
SPEAKER_02Just makeup. John McGawkin.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. People we know. I know, but it's there's an S Bullock on here again who's in something. You know, it's all sorts of things. Anyway, we are about to go in and do uh a Pete Snodden program, I believe, Andy. That was something you organized. Yep, that's it. Uh so we're going in, and I think today's topic is how do you create a media empire from a single podcast? I think so. So we'll be we'll be talking about that for quite some time.
SPEAKER_02Could be a five hour program.
SPEAKER_01It could be. So it could be a master class. So because we've got to go and do that, um live as well. Live. I know. Oh, yeah. You see, Pete won't be as nice to you as I am. Yeah, true. Anyway, we'll be back with another episode of the Pick Three Show very shortly. But until then, on behalf of the podcast, my name is Martin. I'm Garth. My name's Aldi. And we'll see you all very soon. Yep, coming out, Pete. Right. See you in a second. See you later, listeners.