Doing It For YOU
An upcoming Popular special event!
Coming up soon – we’ll have to just tolerate spoilers here – is Bryan Adams’ “Everything I Do (I Do It For You)”, which as every schoolkid knows is the longest-running number one of all time. Sixteen long weeks, to be exact.
So my review of it will be a little different from normal. I’m going to listen to it sixteen times on the trot – one for each week – and live blog as I go. (With a minute or so break between each to finish typing). The whole thing will take about 60-70 minutes 90 minutes, and at the end I’ll hand out a mark.
Of course comments will be open all this time, and I’ll announce before exactly when it’s going to happen (early afternoon on a weekday, I should think) so you commenters can follow along too. There’s still a few entries to go before that, too.
(This idea is stolen from an old comics fanzine from 1991 in which Andrew Littlefield and Hasan Yusuf did something similar, so credit to them!)
Ok, looking forward to this. It looks like a test of endurance as much as the summer of 91 was. There was something a little similar on AVclub last year when a writer listened to Celine Dion and Nickleback songs ten times each, Celine came out of it much better IIRC.
This is probably going above and beyond the call of duty. Be interesting to see what comes out of it though.
It would have been quicker if you’d substituted “You Suffer (but why)” Napalm Death, but hey…
Actually, you’d have time to insert this track inbetween the 16 plays, as a palate cleanser. And, of course, the title is what we all are thinking, for you…
to jump ahead a couple of years to another long running no 1 of similar style and genre….
….I wouldn’t do THAT….
I note with some wonderment that my draft comment on this marathon hit parade topper runs for a total of 3,133 words. Perhaps I’ll save them for my TPL entry on Waking Up The Neighbours.
That’s the number to beat for the liveblog then ;)
Despite its greatness I recommend not listening to the next number 1 at the same time each night forever.
#7 re the greatness, I will hopefully learn something when you tell me what I’m missing Steve.
#7 #8 soon enough for this!
This is like the inverse version of when the Guardian journo (I *think*) listened to the whole of Throbbing Gristle’s 24 hour-long, TG24 compilation. To be honest, I don’t which would be worse, and I’m a fan of Throbbing Gristle.
Reckon you should listen to Frankie Laine’s “I Believe” an extra 17 times as well, to be fair.
Looking forward to this very much – should be a bit different.
My belief is that, in any context, really, but most especially in the context of Popular, it’s a very hard song to review. This is because, whatever you think of it, whatever angle you take, whatever your feelings are about epic-soft-rock-ballads-with-a-vague-medieval-vibe, you are up against the singular fact of 16 weeks, and with every note of the song, a backing vocal inside your head provokes you, cajoles you, whispers, screams ’16 weeks! 16 weeks!’
You aren’t reviewing a song. You’re reviewing a monolith.
#10: I listened to it all for Uncut review, and it was fab.
for authenticity this listening really ought to be done while lying on a shoddy futon in a student house.
#12 exactly! better to confront that head-on I think :)
Your masochistic tendancies know no bounds Tom. Even I couldn’t listen to my most FAVORITE song that number of times in a row! The points awarded for it would inevitably go downwards rather rapidly.
By the way:
I know a song that would get on your nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves!
I know a song that would get on your nerves, get get get on your nerves!
“(This idea is stolen from an old comics fanzine from 1991 in which Andrew Littlefield and Hasan Yusuf did something similar, so credit to them!)”
Doesn’t this go back to an episode of “Car 54 Where Are You” in which, to make sure each team entering the NYPD’s barbershop quartet contest get a fair go, they all sing the same song – and by the end of it the judging panel are gibbering wrecks?
You have been warned….
Which is surely predated by the Wodehouse story in which a variety show is comprised entirely of people singing “Sonny Boy”…
This is all fine and groovy, Tom, but what does our little buddy with the floppy ears and bobtail say about this arrogant affront to his majesty? I say abandon this foolishness before it’s too late.
where i grew up rabbits went straight into pies
Not this one, matey!!
You poor bugger.
In the words of another notable act who were about to hove into view: you do it to yourself, you do.
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO POPULAR FANS…
I’m sure many of you would have picked up on this but a simply SENSATIONAL night awaits us this coming Friday on BBC4:
8.30 TOTP 1964-1975: Documentary outlining the history of the show between these pioneering dates.
10.00 TOTP – The Story of 1976: Documentary reflecting musical changes in the British music scene during this year.
10.50 TOTP 1976: Tony Blackburn introduces an episode from this date in 1976. (This, it appears, starts a series of weekly repeats)
11.20 TOTP – The True Story: Memories of the show.
12.20am When The Stranglers Met Roland Rat.
I would just remind you all that there might be one or two little wind-ups in the offing here, bearing in mind the date. Never forget Tom’s cute little stroke over Rick Astley last year. But get the beer and Chablis chilled and have a good one.
Brilliant stuff, Jimmy – here’s a Digital Spy thread giving more background: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=1409242&highlight=top+of+the+pops