THE BACHELORS - “Diane”
(22nd February 1964)
An unwitting example of how quickly things change, the cod-country yokelry of “Diane” would have blended perfectly into 1962’s list of No.1s, but now seems quaint and entirely out of place. Innocuous enough, though, even charming if you catch it on a good day. The group’s website describes them as “the original Irish boy band”. It’s a witty and canny claim, as it’s not hard to imagine Louis Walsh running his eye over this, though no doubt his boys would have erred on the ponderous side. At least the Bachelors keep things light. 4
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bramble on September 8th, 2006
The Bachelors somehow survived in the British charts until the later sixties,with the extraordinary feat of beating Simon and Garfunkel with their rather uncomprehending version of Sound of Silence. I think, like Val Doonican, they presented the British public with a romantic picture of rural Irish charm, like leprochauns and creamy Irish butter
Waldo on April 15th, 2007
Creamy Irish cheese, more like it, bramble! Woo-Hoo!
Marcello Carlin on April 16th, 2007
Really they were the sixties Westlife. Didn’t one of them get arrested for not paying his TV licence?
wichita lineman on July 12th, 2008
One of them (Dec?) dated Twinkle - she (allegedly) turned down a fling with George Harrison for this geezer. The Bachelors were just as light-with-lightly-ponderous moments - Sound Of Silence for starters - as Westlife, and just as deathly. Diane is horrible, a 1 for me, and I think it would’ve sounded grisly and dated in ‘62, too. It wouldn’t even stand up as Pre Rock. Listen to it alongside Slim Whitman’s Rose Marie and feel that frown.
Even Val Doonican (the lolloping Walk Tall and genuinely sweet What Would I Be) works better as condensed Irish milk.
The Bachelors did slightly worse on average in the Irish charts (where Diane stalled at no.2) than in Britain. I’d love to say they didn’t sell a bean in their homeland, though they were still put firmly into the shade by many of the homegrown showbands.
Billy Smart on July 29th, 2008
Back in the album charts at number 7! Featuring new material!
There’s an entertaining interview with the 2 currently operating Bachelors on Monday’s ‘Front Row’ on Radio 4, where they talk about the third one’s lesser talent, sacking him, and their tussles in the courts with him to continue trading as The Bachelors.
DJ Punctum on July 30th, 2008
Rather sadly they now bill themselves as “The Original Irish Boy Band.” And they’re more popular than Primal Scream (in at number 9) but then I’m arguably more popular than Primal Scream these days.
Billy Smart on July 30th, 2008
Have you seen that Bobby Gillespie can STILL get on the cover of the NME in 2008? Surely Steve Sutherland can’t still be pulling strings there?
DJ Punctum on July 30th, 2008
Is Stickboy still “Brand Director” over at IPC Meeja? Maybe he thinks the BG brand is enough on its own to sell magazines if not actual records (see also: “career” of Rachel Stevens).
Billy Smart on July 30th, 2008
NOTHING in popular culture in 2008 has irritated me more than the willingness of middle-aged journalists to hail Primal Scream and The Verve as the last great rock & roll survivors in town. It was bad enough ten years ago!
DJ Punctum on July 30th, 2008
Or the willingness of middle-aged radio stations to keep playing their murkily mucky 1974-style soft rock!