Charles, Charlie, Chuck... there was only one man to illustrate this week's name: Charles Edward Anderson Berry.
I don't have time to list all the other famous musical Charlies in my collection, but I'm sure you know who most of them are... and you spotted quite a few yourselves.
Another duo is Charles and Eddie who it seems were at the No. 1 spot when I was on my honeymoon in 1992 with Would I Lie To You. Bit of trivia: They performed the song at Bill Clinton's inaugural ball in 1993, which was ironic considering the pickle Bill found himself in down the line re Ms Lewinsky.
All hail the return of Douglas McLaren from the snowy wastes of Canada! Welcome back, Douglas...
From my personal favourites of all time, the Trash Can Sinatras (or if you prefer to be up with the times, Trashcan Sinatras), there is an obscure b-side in the back catalogue entitled "Charlie's Atlas", with deliciously satirical lyrics full of their usual brand of wordplay and cutting linguistic cunning.
My name's Aaron Hers is Betty Our boy is a Charlie, so the neighbors sing "hooray for ABC" ABC forever, each endeavour that I do, I do to keep together A+B+C
Acid House was never my bag, so if you're going to make an acid house record that I'll listen to more than once, a good idea would be to sample one of my favourite public information films from the 70s.
Well done to Rigid Digit for guessing this one would be in the Top Ten.
C added: Argh, I can't believe I forgot Charlie by Split Enz; we've been on a bit of a Split Enz fest in this house lately! (I have developed something of a crush on Noel Crombie - who doesn't like a man who can play the spoons?!)
Jim returned: You can't go wrong with Split Enz, always preferred them to Crowded House, some of those 70's video were brilliant, enjoy your Enz Fest :-)
The (more or less) title track of their 2008 album. A fine slice American indie folk which may go over well with some ears around here if any are not familiar with it.
It was written by Lieber and Stoller and I've just discovered the first song they wrote, called Hard Times, was recorded by an artist called Charles Brown - not sure if that's just a coincidence or not.
Now I have to admit that I was never a fan of the Charlie Brown cartoons. He always seemed a miserable little sod. (Too close to home, perhaps?) But I do love this track.
Not that I'm a big Oasis fan, but I couldn't give Liam a header without then giving one to his big brother. You know how they squabble.
Don't Look Back In Anger if you didn't get any of these right. Just Roll With It... it was basically a three horse race yesterday, with Lynchie clinching it by a nose (1/2 a point for #3). Well done to C for getting #10 though.
10. Me. Or my brother. Dumping prison coffee.
I am the Son Of My Father. So is my brother.
Prison coffee is made from chicory. A dump is a tip.
Yes I am a pirate, two hundred years too late The cannons don't thunder, there's nothin' to plunder I'm an over-forty victim of fate Arriving too late, arriving too late...
Because every Pogues song sounds like it's sung by a lairy, drunken sea captain, I figured I'd have no problem including them in this list. Especially as one of their greatest albums is called Rum, Sodomy & The Lash. I was rather surprised then by how long it took me to track down an appropriate tune... but this one saved the day. Read the full story behind it - and its rather bizarre genesis - here.
In later years, Tom Waits would come to resemble a real life pirate in both vocals and appearance (in fact, only Keith Richards and Shane MacGowan could beat him in a Captain Pugwash Lookalike Contest). Back in 1974, when this was released though... they'd have made him walk the plank as an imposter. Still gorgeous, despite that...
And the fog's liftin' And the sand's shiftin' I'm driftin' on out Ol' Captain Ahab He ain't got nothin' on me So come and swallow me, follow me I'm trav'lin' alone Blue water's my daughter 'n I'm gonna skip like a stone
Ah-harrgh, you scurvy landlubbers... part of me would prefer it if Kurt Wagner made up this day... yet it turns out it's an actual phenomenon (September 19th, if you're interested). Which may even be better.
Without your eye patch and your parrot I've been informed it's National Talk Like A Pirate Day Perhaps this singing is a refuge From other equally uncomfortable thoughts
Warren would have had no problem talking like a pirate... he even begins this song:
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum Hoist the mainsail - here I come...
Like much of this amazing songwriter's work, however, he manages to make his playful lyrics heartfelt and affecting. The more I listen to Warren Zevon, the more I want to hear.
1. Cosmo Jarvis - Gay Pirates
A song so good Stephen Fry tweeted it, Cosmo's Gay Pirates tells of the doomed love affair between two pirates who are victimised because of their sexuality. Both hilarious and heartbreaking, it's a real triumph.
And I'm sick of being beaten And whipped and lashed to death, I want one night with no gang-rape But I won't hold my breath.
But it's you my love You're my land ahoy Yeah, you're my boy
Those were my favourite pirate songs... but which one blows you down?
