prussianblue

07.06.23 62 The Rolling Stones – Paint It, Black 33 The Four Tops – Reach Out I´ll Be There 27 Dusty Springfield – You Don´t Have To Say You Love Me 27 The Spencer Davis Group – Keep On Running 27 The Monkees — I’m A Believer 22 The Kinks — Sunny Afternoon +4 18 Nancy Sinatra — These Boots Are Made For Walkin' 16 Procol Harum – A Whiter Shade Of Pale 11 Scott McKenzie – San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair) 06 The Walker Brothers – The Sun Ain´t Gonna Shine Anymore -6

Just gave it a listen. Holy fuck, what a perplexing mess. I wonder who it beat to the top spot? I think I'd retire from music instantly in disgust.

I've never heard of this song nor Black Legend. Seems to be a fairly strong tendency for the more successful versions to be exponentially worse in terms of quality. Do you think they are basically able to unjustifiably leverage the legacy of their superior no.2 predecessors?

Re. the planned no.2s game, I saw A1 perform at Mightly Hoopla on Sunday. They pointed out that while a-ha didn't manage to get Take On Me to the top, they did. Not sure if there are any other examples of no.2s that made it to no.1 later on, either as covers or rereleases?

06.06.23 64 The Rolling Stones – Paint It, Black 35 The Spencer Davis Group – Keep On Running 32 The Monkees — I’m A Believer 29 Dusty Springfield – You Don´t Have To Say You Love Me 29 The Four Tops – Reach Out I´ll Be There 28 The Kinks – Sunny Afternoon +4 22 The Walker Brothers – The Sun Ain´t Gonna Shine Anymore -6 21 Nancy Sinatra – These Boots Are Made For Walkin' 21 Procol Harum — A Whiter Shade Of Pale 18 Scott McKenzie – San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair)

Jane posted this photo of her with Roger Corman from Cannes last week. She doesn't seem to think he's doing too badly!

It's obscured by how light and messy it is, but he's also getting balder.

This Mourning

02.06.23 53 The Rolling Stones – Paint It, Black 38 Procol Harum – A Whiter Shade Of Pale 37 Nancy Sinatra – These Boots Are Made For Walkin' 36 The Walker Brothers – The Sun Ain´t Gonna Shine Anymore 34 Dusty Springfield – You Don´t Have To Say You Love Me 33 The Four Tops – Reach Out I´ll Be There 32 The Monkees – I´m A Believer 29 The Spencer Davis Group – Keep On Running 26 The Beatles – Hello, Goodbye 26 Scott McKenzie – San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair) 21 The Kinks – Sunny Afternoon +4 17 The Beatles – Paperback Writer 16 The Beach Boys – Good Vibrations 16 The Bee Gees – Massachusetts 15 The Small Faces – All Or Nothing 13 Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds – Out Of Time -6 13 The Foundations – Baby, Now That I´ve Found You 10 The Spencer Davis Group – Somebody Help Me

Perhaps more relevant for us, according to Amol Rajan (the man with the smallest eyes in the world), Schofield 'mentioned suicide within moments of our acquaintance, and repeatedly during the interview': https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65783331

Correct, but my understanding was that the list was those appointed pre-1980 who weren't dead. Him being the monarch doesn't alter that.

You've missed the King from your list.

Jane is so frail that she walked the red carpet and presented the Palme d'Or at Cannes 3 days ago...

01.06.23 50 The Rolling Stones – Paint It, Black 39 The Monkees — I’m A Believer 35 The Four Tops – Reach Out I´ll Be There 35 Dusty Springfield – You Don´t Have To Say You Love Me 34 Nancy Sinatra – These Boots Are Made For Walkin' 31 Procol Harum – A Whiter Shade Of Pale 30 The Walker Brothers – The Sun Ain´t Gonna Shine Anymore 30 The Beatles – Paperback Writer 27 The Spencer Davis Group – Keep On Running 27 Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds – Out Of Time 24 The Beatles – Hello, Goodbye 22 The Kinks – Sunny Afternoon +4 20 Scott McKenzie – San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair) 19 The Small Faces – All Or Nothing 17 The Foundations – Baby, Now That I´ve Found You 17 The Spencer Davis Group – Somebody Help Me 17 The Beach Boys – Good Vibrations 16 Petula Clark – This Is My Song 14 The Bee Gees – Massachusetts 07 Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames – Get Away -6 06 The Beatles – All You Need Is Love Get Away is literally a shit advertising jingle turned into a single, they just forgot to make it good.

I like Sinatra in his prime. Strangers in the Night is not that, and it's a bit of a relic in this company. Also, less said about the Scooby-Doo scat bit at the end the better.

31.05.23 46 The Rolling Stones – Paint It, Black 35 The Monkees — I’m A Believer 32 The Four Tops – Reach Out I´ll Be There +2 32 Dusty Springfield – You Don´t Have To Say You Love Me +2 31 Procol Harum – A Whiter Shade Of Pale 30 Nancy Sinatra – These Boots Are Made For Walkin' 30 The Walker Brothers – The Sun Ain´t Gonna Shine Anymore 24 The Beatles – Paperback Writer 24 The Beatles – All You Need Is Love 24 The Kinks – Sunny Afternoon 24 Petula Clark – This Is My Song 24 The Beach Boys – Good Vibrations 23 The Spencer Davis Group – Somebody Help Me 23 Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds – Out Of Time 23 The Spencer Davis Group – Keep On Running 22 Scott McKenzie – San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair) 17 The Foundations – Baby, Now That I´ve Found You 17 The Small Faces – All Or Nothing 16 The Beatles – Hello, Goodbye 15 Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames – Get Away -2 14 The Bee Gees – Massachusetts 14 Nancy & Frank Sinatra – Somethin ' Stupid 07 Manfred Mann – Pretty Flamingo 00 Frank Sinatra — Strangers In The Night -4

30.05.23 38 The Rolling Stones – Paint It, Black +1 32 The Monkees – I´m A Believer 28 The Four Tops – Reach Out I´ll Be There +1 27 Procol Harum – A Whiter Shade Of Pale 26 The Beach Boys – Good Vibrations 26 Nancy Sinatra – These Boots Are Made For Walkin' 25 The Kinks – Sunny Afternoon +1 25 Scott McKenzie – San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair) 24 The Beatles – Paperback Writer 24 Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds – Out Of Time 23 Dusty Springfield – You Don´t Have To Say You Love Me +1 23 The Walker Brothers – The Sun Ain´t Gonna Shine Anymore 22 The Spencer Davis Group – Keep On Running 22 The Beatles – All You Need I s Love 21 Petula Clark – This Is My Song 21 The Spencer Davis Group – Somebody Help Me 20 The Foundations – Baby, Now That I´ve Found You 19 Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames – Get Away -2 17 Nancy & Frank Sinatra – Somethin' Stupid 17 The Small Faces – All Or Nothing 17 The Beatles – Yellow Submarine / Eleanor Rigby 16 The Beatles – Hello, Goodbye 16 Jim Reeves – Distant Drums -2 15 Frank Sinatra – Strangers In The Night -2 14 The Bee Gees – Massachusetts 14 Manfred Mann – Pretty Flamingo 13 Tom Jones – Green Green Grass Of Home 11 Sandie Shaw – Puppet On A String

Paolo Portoghesi, Italian architect, architectural academic, theorist and historian, dead at 91. Designed the main mosque in Rome (largest in Europe, apparently), and was head of the architecture section of the Venice Biennale for several years. Article/obit in Italian: https://www.repubblica.it/cultura/2023/05/30/news/e_morto_larchitetto_paolo_portoghesi_fu_direttore_della_biennale_e_invento_il_borgo_di_calcata-402477650/

28.05.23  74 The Kinks – You Really Got Me 74 The Animals — House of the Rising Sun 73 The Rolling Stones – (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction 53 The Beatles – Ticket To Ride 37 The Supremes – Baby Love 30 The Kinks – Tired Of Waiting For You 23 The Rolling Stones – Get Off Of My Cloud +4 04 The Beatles – I Feel Fine -6

One of Arrested Development's more niche jokes: https://arresteddevelopment.fandom.com/wiki/George_Maharis_and_Perfecto_Telles

Kirk Douglas and Olivia de Havilland, among others, would like a word.

It's past midnight in Bavaria where he was born, so I think that counts for him having made the century.

26.05.23 71 The Animals – House Of The Rising Sun 69 The Kinks – You Really Got Me 58 The Rolling Stones – (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction 56 The Kinks – Tired Of Waiting For You 55 The Supremes – Baby Love 42 The Beatles – Ticket To Ride 34 The Beatles – I Feel Fine 25 The Rolling Stones — Get Off Of My Cloud 24 Sandie Shaw – (There´s) Always Something There To Remind Me +2 17 Roy Orbison – Oh, Pretty Woman -3 13 The Moody Blues – Go Now -3 10 Herman´s Hermits – I´m Into Something Good +2 A couple more points for Herman’s Hermits for sentimental reasons. When I was first dating my now husband he had it as his morning alarm.

I live in an SNP seat which Labour have a very strong chance of gaining. I've never voted Labour, but I'm sorely tempted to if it helps eject the current Westminster shower.