Hits 21 - 1998 (3): Run DMC, Boyzone, All Saints, Aqua, The Tamperer

Episode Date: March 5, 2026

Hello, everyone! Welcome back to Hits 21, the show that's taking a look back at every single UK #1 hit..You can follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Hits21UKYou can email us: [e-mail] 21 DOES NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO ANY MUSIC USED IN THE EPISODES. USAGE OF ALL MUSIC USED IN THIS PODCAST FALLS UNDER SECTION 30(1) OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT 1988

Hi there everyone and welcome back to Hitz 21, the 90s where me, Rob, me, Andy and me, Ed, are looking back at every single UK number one of the 1990s. Email us at Hitz21 podcast at gmail.com, Twitter us at Hits21 UK. Thank you ever so much for joining us again. We are currently looking back at the year 1998 and this week we'll be covering the period between the 8th of March and the 30th of May. A little bit of a longer period than last week. It is time to get on with this week's episode, Andy.

As spring turns to summer, how are the album charts faring? Oh, it's busier than Piccadilly Circus on the album's chart this week. I will try and get through it as fast as I can. Starting of this period, we've got a right old banger. We've got Ray of Light by Madonna, coming in at number one for two weeks and eventually going six times platinum. Before in an actor that really feels like obscenity to me. Ray of Light is toppled at the top by Celine Dion with a re-entry with

Let's Talk About Love, which is in for one week and went six times platinum. Then we've got James with the best of James, a James album. That went number one for one week and went single platinum before being replaced by pulp with This Is Hardcore, which went number one for one week but only went gold, which is kind of mad that it didn't sell as well as well. as the best of James and didn't sell even one-sixth as much as let's talk about for Celine Dion. Come on, British public, sorted out.

Anyway, after that, we've got two weeks at the top for Robbie Williams with Life Through a Lens. Very big album for him. That, although Escapology is probably his finest, as far as I'm concerned. That went eight times platinum before being toppled by mezzanine by Massive Attack. Yes, it's got that one massive attack song that you know on it. That went number one for two weeks and went single platinum. Then we've got catatonia with international velvet, my favourite of all types of velvet. And that went number one for one week and went triple platinum.

Then we've got garbage with version two. Maybe it's recycling. And that went number one for one week and went double platinum. And then finally, topping off this period, it's literally a lie, the artist's name, because the artist is Simply Red, but the album's called Blue. False advertising, I am taking you to court. And Lachnall.

Representing me. Yeah, just absolute lies from Simply Red, which is the worst thing about them, apart from all of their songs. That were number one for one week and went double platinum. Fairground gets a pass. So, yeah, huge amounts of stuff this week.

Madonna, Robbie, Pulp, and if you're into that sort of thing, Simply Red. In Northern Ireland, the Good Friday Agreement is signed, effectively bringing the troubles to an end after more than 30 years of violence. Former Cambodian dictator Paul Pot dies age 72, and his body is paraded through the streets. And Mark Morrison is arrested after paying a look-alike

to perform his community service while he goes on tour. I mean, the first two definitely worth a cheer. Yay for the end of the troubles and yay for the end of Paul Pot. neutral on Mark Morrison. That's his life and I won't judge it. In football, Arsenal win their first Premier League title, their first top division title for seven years, and Arsenal complete a league and cup double

after beating Newcastle 2-0 in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium. Real Madrid's 1-0 win over Juventus sees them win their first European Cup since 1966 with the final held in Amsterdam. In America, Viagra is signed off to treat erectile. dysfunction for the first time, while James Cameron's film Titanic wins best picture at the Oscars and the Eurovision song contest is held in Birmingham. The winning act was Dana International from Israel with her song, Diva. The United Kingdom finished second on the night. So, Ed,

some people in America were probably watching Eurovision, not many of them. What music were they listening to and buying instead? Well, in terms of the Billboard number one albums, Celine and the Titanic soundtrack continue to go far and were fatigingly heard wherever you are all the way into mid-May before Dave Matthews band stopped it in its tracks with a block of rock adjacent music.

A week of that, before our Garth goes all Netflix prestige drama with two weeks of his limited series. And that's it for the albums. Number one singles for this rather large period. Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah. Will Smith captures the Crown for three weeks in mid-March with the most generic and opaque of his late 90s hits.

No film tie-in, no morphing heavy, expensive video, just catchy nonsense with mild raunch dressing and him doing that swishy thing with his hands. Then we have Casey and Jojo's not particularly bizarre adventure into slightly gruff balladry with All My Life for three weeks. Next, it's next with too close. So close, in fact, it almost did six weeks at the top. If it weren't for a week of that pesky kid, Mariah Carey and her an acceptable platter of milk toast virtuosity, She only gets a week to fuck with the nation's dogs, however, before next is next.

To see us through to next, next, next, next, next, next, next, next, next, next, next, next. Rob. Thank you very much, and thank you, Andy, for the album charts report as well. Before we get to the first proper song this week, though, we have to make a little pause, a little stop, because... Because Rob needs a week. Yes, I do. Because Celine Dion's, my heart will go on, when... Back to number one for one more week.

In its second and final week atop the charts, it sold 112,000 copies beating competition from. Big mistake by Natalie and Bruglia, when the lights go out by five and everlasting love by the cast from casualty. When it was knocked off the top of the charts, my heart will go on fell two places to number three. The song originally left the charts in July 1998,

but made re-entries in 2000. 2007 and 2012, bringing its total time in the top 100 to 22 weeks. The song is currently officially certified four times platinum in the UK. As of 2026, which leads us in to our first proper song this week, which is this. Okay, this is It's Like That by Rundi MC versus J. Jason Nevins. Released as a standalone single, It's Like That is Jason Nevin's first single to be released in the UK and Rundee MC's 12th single to be released in the UK.

It is the first number one for both acts. However, as of 2026, it is both of their last. The single is a remix of the song originally recorded by Rundi MC in 1983. It's Like That first entered the UK charts at number 90. reaching number one during its ninth week. It stayed at number one for six weeks. Across its six weeks atop the charts, it sold 879,000 copies beating competition

from the following top 10 entries. Big breath. Stop by Spice Girls. Say what you want by Texas. Ooh-l-la by Alexia. Let me entertain you by Robbie Williams. No, No, No by Despise. destiny child. Here's where the story ends by Shelley Nelson and Tintin out. Angel Street by M. People.

Father by L.L. Cool J. La Primavera by Sash. All I Want is You by 9-1-1. I get lonely by Janet Jackson. Kiss the Rain by Billy Myers. Give a Little Love by Daniel O'Donnell. How Do I Live by Leanne Rimes? Turn It Up by Buster Rimes. Found a Cure by Ultranate. All My Life by KCI and Jojo. feel it by the tampera and Maya and Kung Fu by 187 lockdown. When it was knocked off the top of the charts, it's like that dropped one place to number two. By the time it was done on the charts, it had been inside the top 104-27 weeks.

The song is currently officially certified two times platinum in the UK. As of 2026, Andy, you can take us away with Roe. Run DMC and that guy, Jason. Thank you. Daniel O'Donnell. Imagine if we'd have to talk about Daniel O'Donnell on this podcast. Jesus Christ, dodged a bullet there. I love this. I love this.

I have to slightly take back the shade I threw at the British music buying public for pulp not selling very well. Because as far as the singles are concerned, we're on a really good run here. Like, just to recap last week where we had frozen brimful of our... my heart will go on. I love all three of those. And now we got this. This is a good spring into summer of 1998. This is a nice little run-ness. I've always seen this as like a little bit of a cousin of One More Time, which is one of my favourites of the early Nauties. It just feels like it has a lot of similar DNA, that it's going for similar kind of vibes with that kind of very distorted, very

record scratchy kind of wampum-bum-bum-bum-bum-bum-bum-bum sound kind of kind of reminds me a little bit like the horns from one more time. It does something I always go absolutely crazy for, which I love. I love it in Mucho Mambo Sway, I love it in Don't Call Me Baby, which we covered a long time ago. When you have a little element

that's just a bit discordant, just a little bit discordant, and there's got that bum, bump, bump, bump, bump, going in the background of this, which I think just adds a little bit of edge to it. I always love it when that happens. I think it's full of energy.

I think the vocal performance is really fun and really entertaining. and really easy to sing along to with that hook in the middle. I like that kind of almost leaning on the window of chakaran kind of kind of style, but it's on the right side of it. Those you know chakarab, well, know what I mean? But it's a hard thing to do without sounding like you're just completely, like, completely tired and zoned out and stoned.

Probably wear stones, to be fair. But yeah, I just think it's a really nice pop package all put together that sounds really exciting that I think definitely has keys to the future in it. And it's just a really good jolt of adrenaline. Like I just can't help but feel excited and feel like I want to go for a run or feel like I want to like open the curtains and stand into the sun when I listen to something like this. And I'm not a big fan of Run the MC generally, to be honest. But I do get this.

I really, really like this. And like I say, hell of a run that we're on here. I've not got much more intelligent to say about this. It's one of those songs that, like, I can't give it that much analysis. It's just very good. It's just one of those songs. It just gets a thumbs up. And that's kind of all, really.

I think the great run that we're on might not carry on beyond this one, but we'll see. Yeah, this is a curious thing for me. The first song in absolutely ages that we've had to actually spend some time at number one, you know? I feel like in the earlier 90s, especially in the first half of the 90s, song spending six weeks at number one was a bit more common, but now we're in the fully in the CD age, where the CDs and the number one singles on those CDs are going in and out faster than you can see them, really.

This was responsible for stop, becoming the only Spice Girls song not to reach number one until 2007 anyway, sold nearly a million copies just during its time at number one after spending weeks climbing the chart, like the old-fashioned way. The third biggest single of the year in terms of raw numbers sold. And it's come from a DJ

that only people in the club scene really knew about and a rap group who were a major deal in America, but were little more than a sort of alternative concern over here. You know, he had walked this way and things like that, but, you know, it's always their collaborative singles

that made it big. It's a bit like when we covered Niles Barkley, who also produced the number one, despite being, you know, an alternative concern of a rapper and a kind of producer slash DJ coming together to make something. This is like, I don't know, if in like 2026,

like a guy like, I don't know, Dom Dollar or something like that, remix like Oldie by Odd Future and got a number one with it. Like, you know, it's, I imagine it kind of got swept up in a campaign of some kind, maybe to try and keep the Spice Girls off number one

or something. And from there it may be spread to enough people to have them all realise like, oh, hey, you know, I actually quite, you know, like this. Because, you know, this is a big bag of fun. It's a nice throwback. to late 80s hip house, but without feeling like it's dragging us backwards.

I feel like, you know, it goes back to about 1988 by itself, has a bit of fun there before the rest of the charts kind of carry on with whatever we were doing in 1998. And I think, you know, if you were a club DJ in the 90s and you wanted something to wind the crowd up and get the atmosphere going, I think a beefier remix of a Rundi MC track is, you know, it's about the right way to go. I think, you know, Rundi MC's debut, I like it a lot. rock box from the album I love that song

I have the 1984 UK import of that song I love it so much one of the coolest songs of all time and still sounds fresh as fuck despite its heavy reliance on 80s arena rock but if you were in the era of late 90s maximalism

and you know you come across Russell Simmons's like aggressive minimalist production that he had a lot of his early acts in the 80s and you'd think see now this would be

be better if we sped it up, played it louder, and maybe added a couple of things to the mix just to give it some club momentum, like that thing that sounds like they're hitting a plastic pipe at the back of the mix. The doon, don't, don't, don't. And I think it's a mostly successful experiment. Where I think this may be fall short for me is purely in the mixing department, but the issues are quite significant, I think, and sadly significant enough for me to knock this out of the vault.

Daryl and Joseph sound like they're at the other end of Aroob. you're being blasted with this instrumental at full volume while Darrell and Joseph are rapping and dancing about 15 yards away and you're really trying to squint your ears to make out what they're saying, but it's hard. On dance floors, I don't think you'd care too much, but as a headphone experience, it's the kind of thing I get frustrated with

because Darrell and Joseph, they had fantastic chemistry. Their group was built on it, and the chemistry on the original recording for this was great. You know, a lot of the fun kind of back and forth, a lot of the cheeky satire of the lyrics, I feel like it gets a bit lost in this, though. It feels less like call on me by Eric Pritz to me

where it kind of deliberately kind of trampled Steve Winwood's sample with like, yes, it's the future, it's the 21st century. But I do think this is strong, despite that kind of unintended error. I'm unsure why it stands out so much that like it gets six weeks during a period where the number one is changing more than like the batting line up in the 2020 cricket game.

But like, hey, I wasn't really there. and it has lasted. You still get this on adverts and things like that. So clearly a legacy was being forged in those six weeks, not got a huge problem with it at all. Ed, Rundee-M-C and Jason Nevins. Run! Yeah, I loved this.

I think everybody did back in the day. I know my brother got a cassette single version of it. So he was one of the people contributing to that, and I certainly wasn't complaining. I think this was the first time. I'd even heard of Run DMC at the time. They had kind of disappeared from the popular lexicon in the UK at this point. In a way, they probably never did in the States,

because they were probably a little more underground in this country. They weren't like a major chart concern, as I recall, whereas in the States they were ginormous. And I agree with you, Rob. Yeah, the first album, this track, you know, Rock Box, hard times. It's fantastic. It's probably the first, arguably the first hip-hop album that's kind of essential as a whole, do you think? Yeah, there's a lot of early 80s ones, especially like the Grandmaster Flash and Furious Five stuff where it's like you get the message at the start of one of them.

It's like, oh yeah, this is fucking great. And then you get into the second half of the album and they try their hand at like slow ballads and even Curtain. Curtis Blow tried his hand at a couple of ballads for some strange reason, but you get songs like, You Are and Dreaming and things like that that are totally out of place. And then, but the message then finishes the record, doesn't it?

It's like, yeah, this is what I fucking came for. Yeah, I mean, it was very much a sort of singles game, wasn't it? Yeah.

Did, like, Africa Bambarta? Do they even release an album? Yeah, mostly just, Planet Rock, isn't it, that he's kind of best known for, I suppose. Yeah, just a bunch of singles and remixes and things. but that was, you know, that's what worked. Very exciting time.

Very, very exciting time. Definitely. And it was kind of, this was the beginning of what would be known as boombap slash hardcore hip-hop, which was the first kind of post-electro hip-hop. Yeah. And that kind of leads into something I have a slight issue with, with this, going back, having appreciated the original for so long, is that, I mean, it worked. It felt fresh for UK.

listeners at the time. Again, Robert, it fed into the maximalism of the late 90s and it made it absolute fodder for crossover dance floor appeal. However,

it is basically just the original track with a house kick on it. If you want to cut it down, the reason the mixing is a bit dodge is because the bass

is more bludgeoning than the original track can cope with, I think. So it's a boom, boom, boom, boom, and it works great in a dance

environment. It really cuts through, but it does get rid of a bit of the syncopation and space and menace of the original, which I guess is fine, but it doesn't feel like that's necessarily a deliberate move. It's just when you turn it into a dance floor here, a lot of the space goes with it. Because the original has a more kind of a, do. Choo, doom, and it's like there, and that's the way it is. It's cool in its own way.

but it's got more punch and menace to it. But different setting. I get it. Yeah, it's, as a result, it doesn't really stand on its own. It doesn't really stand up. I say to, like, headphone listening. It is meant for dancing and boogieing to. And to be fair, that's how it was depicted in the video,

which was very cool. I mean, it did sort of feed super into the hip-hop retro style because it was basically just a breakdancing competition in like a decayed urban environment. But in some ways it is nice to be reminded of that because the breaking competitions were a super important part of early hip-hop. And it wasn't just because it was cool and it was part of the sound and accompaniment. It was actually part of the sort of social purpose of hip-hop, if you like.

So, yeah, I guess actually I'm talking my way into giving this a higher score because it's just kind of evolved the dance aspect of it. Yeah. Do you remember that? Do you know the song Long Train Running by the Doobie Brothers? Mm-hmm. Do you remember in the early 90s, they did a dance remix that actually, I think, reached the top ten, that was basically the original, a teet-sey bit faster with like a...

Ptsp-p-p-tip-tze-pud-pits-pud-pud-p... underneath it. And that was it, basically. But it was enough to make it a hit. and if you hadn't heard the song before, you thought it was absolutely fucking great. It's kind of a bit like this, really. I'm sorry to say it,

but it is still good, and I'm more than happy to have this come on in a club and, you know, sing along with it. However, I'm happy to hear it because it's run DMC, not necessarily because it's Tracy Scroggins. Who is it?

Jason Nevins. Jason Nevins. That's the one. So yeah, yeah, yeah, back to you. All right then, so the second song up this week is this. Okay, this is all that I need by Boyzone. Released as the third single from the group's third studio album titled Where We Belong, All that I Need is Boyzone's 12th single overall to be released in the UK and their third to reach number one,

and it's not the last time we'll be coming to Boysone on this podcast. All that I need went straight in at number one as a brand new entry. It stayed at number one for one week. In its first and only week atop the charts, it sold 80,000 copies, beating competition from Sound of Drums by Coolers Shaker, road rage by Catatonia blasting on my mind by steps and dance the night away by the Mavericks

when it was knocked off the top of the charts all that I need fell three places to number four by the time it was done on the charts it had been inside the top 100 for 15 weeks the song is currently officially certified silver in the UK as of 2026 Ed you could go first on Boyzone but we don't have time

for this. Rob, we've got a lot to cover. I think. Rob, back to you. Yeah, I've not got much on it either. I find this to be sort of insulting and evil. I feel like it's trying to deliberately cheap and pop. Louis Wall's trying to fix it so that the charts could be played on easy mode for however long as acts stay together. Lifeless arrangement, tired vocals from Ronan, whose voice is something I'm really starting to go off. I don't mind him in his solo ear. really, but I have a big problem with him in Boyzone, I don't think he suits the group, which is really weird because he's like their most famous member. The lyrics come from the diary of an 11-year-old boy.

This doesn't even have Stephen Gately having like a solo moment or anything. His voice might not be like technically as strong as Ronans, but Stephen sounds current. Sounds like he's smiling as he's singing. Ronan's already setting himself up for like the adult contemporary one show future that he's destined for. they add a new melody, if you can call it that, you know, in the sort of Coda section, if you can call it that. But no, no, we've got a lot of songs to get through this week, and I feel like I've spent too long on this already. So Andy, boys own.

Thank you. Well, I could, I mean, I echo everything that both of you have said, mainly that this is a waste of my precious, precious oxygen, and that I can sum up my thoughts about this song in one rude word. So I'm going to do something else instead, just going to fill the time. with something else. A little bit of fun. Who fancies the Boys Own quiz? Oh yes. Don't say I don't come prepared to this show because I've even done a jingle for it, which I made earlier. Here we go. There we go. So there are obviously five members of Boys Own. We all know them. We all adore them. We all admire them. They are Keith Duffy, Stephen Gately, Mikey Graham, Ronan Keating and Shane Lynch.

Keith, Stephen, Mikey, Ronan, Shane. You'll need to remember those names because I'm going to give you really fascinating quotes by Boys Owen, and you've got to guess which of them said it. So who said, I'm just normal. We're not the Osbournes. We just aren't. Ian Duncan Smith.

You've got Keith, Stephen, Mikey, Ronan and Shane. Mikey. Ed? Oh, that's a Derek quote, if ever I heard one. You're both wrong, it's Ronan. Uh. Okay, who said, we weren't even allowed. sweet crisps in case our faces got fat.

Stephen Gaetley. Ed? Theodore Roosevelt. It was Keith Duffy, you're both wrong. People think we're manufactured, but we still get up in the morning. Stephen Gaetley. You're correct, Robert, Stephen Gaetley. One nurse.

How about, I remember thinking, how did we end up singing this? Stephen Gaetley! any of that's the one that was in that that was in that Kung Fu film you know it was Mikey Graham

unfortunately was it the one in the kung fu film no I doubt I doubt that very much I'm not sure because one of them was one of them actually

let's say they all were spiritually well it's currently one nil to Rob and the final question which of them said shove that clip up your

fucking hole Oh my god Ian Duncan Smith Stephen Gately It was Shane Lynch And he said it in 2018 When the whole band appeared on the Irish Late Late Show

And they showed a clip of them from the 90s And Shane Lynch just kicked off about it for some reason Said shut that clip of your fucking hole And walked off Oh I heard you like I hear you like holes Well funnily enough So the winner

of this week's episode of The Boys Own Quiz is Rob. Well done, Rob. Join us again for The Boys Own Quiz. I love that jingle so much. Chit Song. All right. Third song and technically fourth

up this week is this. Because he's my... Okay, this is Under the Bridge, double A-side with Lady Marmalade by All Saints. Released as the third single from the group's debut studio album titled All Saints, Under the Bridge and Lady Marmalade is All Saints, third single. To be released in the UK and their second to reach number one, and it's not the last time we'll be coming to All Saints during our 90s coverage. The single contains two covers,

one of the song originally recorded by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, which reached number 13 in 1994, and another of the song originally recorded by LaBelle, which reached number 17 in 1975. Under the Bridge with Lady Marmalade went straight in at number one as a brand new entry. It stayed at number one for, big shock, one week! In its first week atop the charts,

it sold 107,000 copies beating competition from Ray of Light by Madonna, push it by garbage, and teardrop by massive attack. When it was knocked off the top of the charts, under the bridge and Lady Marmalade dropped one place to number two, but it is not the end of this song's journey

at the top of the UK charts. So Andy, All Saints, Under the Bridge, Lady Marmalade. Lots to discuss, I'm sure, how we feel it. I'm not that much to discuss, to be honest, and I haven't done an All Saints quiz. But this is all right. I struggle talking about All Saints to be honest because it's a really unfair yardstick for that

Pure Shores is one of my favourite pop songs ever and it wasn't just the first All Saints song that we ever covered on this show. It was one of the first songs we ever covered on this show, false stop. And everything since then has been diminishing returns in comparison to that monolith in my head. And like, I think they've kind of all been slightly weaker

than the last, if I'm honest. Like pure shores, like amazing. Black coffee also kind of fantastic. Really, really loves that as well, but just not as much as pure shores. And then we get to the 90s and never ever. This is all right. Like, I think it's quite plain, but I see why people like it. And then this, it's fine, but they can do so much better than this.

I think it's a real cop-out for them to capitalize on their big breakout number one hit with two covers. Like not just one, but two. covers. That seems a bit... I know covers were far more in vogue in the 90s, and it was far more normal thing to do, and, you know, people like Steps and West Life made their career off of it. But it still seems like a bit of a tacky thing to do, to come straight in with two covers. And I will say, though, that if you're going to do covers, they're chosen quite well.

First of all, Under the Bridge, you know, that's a pretty recent song, it's pretty cool. It's definitely... It definitely gives them some credibility to cover something like that, to step out of their own genre. and to not like turn it into too much of a pop song they keep it pretty authentic and they do quite a lot with that guitar part that boom bum boodoo do do do do do do do they do more with that really than the original probably does

which I quite like I do quite like the original song I think it's nicely structured I think it kind of keeps you guessing I like how the chord structure is so unexpected in the chorus that it's such a different thing I like how that intro is also completely disconnected but it all feels like you're being taken on this journey all the way through.

Not a huge fan of the chili peppers in general. But I do like Under the Bridge. I think the problem with this is the problem with so many 90s covers is that it just plays a bit too safe, to be honest. I think they could have made this their own a bit more. Like, you know, it kind of seems contradictory to what I just said, which is that, you know, they step out of their comfort zone with it. But I think maybe they could have stood to bring it in to their comfort zone. comfort zone a little bit more.

Like, it's just, I don't know. It's fine. It's a good cover. It's perfectly serviceable cover. But I just think they're playing it out a little bit safe here, considering that all the other songs were covered by them are quite bold. This isn't that bold, to be honest. And as for the Lady Marmalade cover, that's, again, it's another good choice of song.

It's such a shame that they've been done so dirty by history that there was a much better and more well-loved cover of this song that came out just a few years later. And obviously, they couldn't have predicted that. I'm not sure it's the best choice for them, to be honest. I don't think they're really this kind of group that's like, yeah, who come on, girls, get the party started. They're not really that kind of group. So I'm not sure it's the best fit for them, to be honest.

And with that one, I would say there is a little bit too much 90s tweaking. There is a little bit too much like someone's dying to press the DJ, DJ button on the keyboard. It's a bit of that to it, to be honest. So like both of these songs are fine, but all things are capable of being, you know, they're very, very best. They're capable of reaching unbelievable skyscraper heights. And these are just okay.

I think at the time, if I was excited by Never Ever, waiting to see what came next, I would have been underwhelmed by these songs, to be honest. So, fine, but could do better. Completely agree with you, Andy, on Lady Marmalade.

It may sound a bit harsh because this technically was first in history, but the Mulam Rouge version just kicks this into touch, doesn't it? It just wholesale replaces it. Yeah. It's fine, though. You know, it's attempting

to modernize and urbanize the La Belle original, but then the Mulamruge version comes along and does that, but better. You know, there are some rap verses. They mess around with the recital of the title and the song for some reason. They try to lean into the sexuality, but they sort of lean the wrong way with the sexual side of it. It's not, they try to go for sultry when I think they need to go for camp. It needs to be feather boas, if you know what I mean? Like, it's not feather boas enough. It's not a good fit for them. But, you know, It's a bit flat. I'm just not sure if this was All Saints game.

I agree with you, Andy. This is like when Sugar Babes did Ugly or Here Come the Girls, where it's like, there's a good try, but it's not really all lame doing a song like this. Ugly more so, but them doing Here Come the Girls after it was on that Tesco advert or whatever it was. It was a bit like, oh, that's a calculation you've made there. Under the Bridge, though, now we're talking.

I think this is a really strong cover, on its own, without Lady Marmalade, I would have vaulted this straight away. I think it does two things I really want great cover versions to do all the time, which is, one, treat the lyrics as a reference point, but not as a Bible, and two, fuck with the original as much as possible, while still leaving clues about the original form in the mix, and they do all of these things, both of these things. The sample of Josh Fashanti's guitar line from the Red Alt Chili Peppers version is sample,

but it's all chopped up and messed with. the atmosphere then immediately switches in the verses to a pretty cool kind of East Coast-style hip-hop instrumental, which means you've kind of ripped the song out of a dusty, hazy Los Angeles Day, straight into like a New York or even London night, you know, that the rhythmic patterns of the verse vocals are deliberately fuddled with. It feels windy and cold, but then it slams into that chorus and you recognize what they're covering straight away. And if anything, it leans harder into the funk than Red-Ochilly Peppers did on the original. If Red or Chili Peppers had decided to make this arrangement more like their kind of traditional, you know, upbeat kind of funk rock style, at least in terms of their singles, this probably, you know, this version is pretty closeish to how it would have sounded, I think, you know, it runs on a little long, but I love the atmosphere and the execution of the ideas. I think this is a pretty big feat that doesn't get enough credit.

I think turning what is essentially a slow heroin ballad into a more traditional kind of breakup song, okay, yeah, I'm, I'm, I'm. on board with it. Some Chili Peppers fans remain a bit unhappy that this version cuts out the punch line that, you know, the under the bridge is where the protagonist goes to shoot up and without that you maybe lose the effect of the original somewhat,

you know, and I can see that. But I guess like under the bridge also implies that it's water under the bridge and the breakup is just something that All Saints have to get over, you know, I think it works fairly well both ways. You know, that they're carving out a little niche for themselves here with like a moody R&B cuts

that take inspiration from fairly unexpected places. I'm happy for them to continue. Well, if I was alive in the, you know, and cognizant in the sort of late 90s, I would have been happy for them to continue down this way. It's kind of weird, though. I have a memory of the Chili Peppers and All Saints versions being played together on a music channel.

I was on a campsite in Wales that had kind of a communal building in the centre with a bar and a restaurant and a swimming pool and a play area for kids. kids. And it wasn't part of like a chain, I don't think, like a haven site. It was just a field with some tents and caravans in it and this big kind of pavilion thing where you'd go at night for food and entertainment. And I remember being about five years old, maybe six at the time. My dad took me on these camping trips to Wales about once or twice a year, maybe a little bit more.

We'd just have a two-man tent and we'd stay for the weekend. And this particular trip would be 99, the year 2000, I think. And it was in the kids play area. where I had like, I definitely, it's going to sound a bit weird this, but it definitely goes somewhere safe and quite important for me. I definitely wouldn't class it as a sexual experience because I was like six years old, but it was like the first time I ever remember, like wanting to be with someone all the time

for reasons more than just like kid friendship. It was really strange because when you're that age, obviously your feelings aren't complete yet. So I didn't know that I had a crush on her. I wouldn't even call it a crush, just like a kind of childlike fascination, I guess. We were both about six years old. And I remember being on both nights, we were kind of left in the kids' play area, basically on our own, because it was quite a quiet time of year.

I think my dad took me out during the school term. And we always found our way to this part of the big ball pit that wasn't visible from the bar where our parents couldn't see us. And we didn't go as far as playing doctor. I just want to state that for the record. But I do remember us finding a space to be in private and we were just smiling at each other and we would touch each other's faces

and we would analyse each other's arms and hands and I think we traded shoes at one point because I think that's all we really knew how to do to express this kind of strange mutual affection towards each other and it still felt exciting and new like we were doing something that was supposed to be a bit of a secret

that only we had. I don't think we ever told each other our names or anything like that, but I distinctly remember during the last few minutes that we ever spent together in that ball pit, the music channel on the big TV and the kids play area, they were doing like, I don't know, like a special of like, you know, the cover and then the original and you get to have to text in to like say which one was your favorite or ring in on the phone and say which one was your favorite. And they would play the All Saints version first,

and then they started playing the Chili Peppers version. and I remember her mom coming in to get her and take her back to their caravan as the Chili Peppers version played and it was so strange because I'd never had that feeling before of not wanting to say goodbye to somebody you know it was probably the first time

I remember feeling that kind of feeling before so when we came to do this song I'd kind of forgotten the shape of under the bridge the All Saints version but as soon as that chorus hit for the first time I immediately remembered looking up at the big TV in that kid's play area as that girl was just lifted up by her mum didn't even get to say bye

because her mom didn't think that we were playing together and she just carried her out and that was like you know as a six-year-old me i was like oh my god my friend where's she gone and really weirdly listening to that of to this it's really strange to be taken back there because i haven't thought about that memory in fucking ages really really really long time but these two songs together I've been going back over the chili peppers version as well, just this past week as well. Really, really strange memory to come back up. But Ed, Ed, under the bridge and Lady Marmalard.

Well, I will keep this short, as they are covers. Not that they did, especially, I'll be honest. But I will say this, that sounded a bit of a bum note to start on. All saints going through this podcast and revisiting them have been something of a revelation for me. I kind of suspected they were good at the time, but due to peer pressure and other things, I don't think they were ever some,

a group that I consciously, you know, admitted to being like, oh, I like these, I might buy the record. Not that I was really buying albums much at that point. But, I mean, I really, I mean, the singles they produced through this era are really very impressive, especially when pitched against what was going on around them, I realised why they were so refreshing. Just even on the sort of fillerish tracks on the albums

that aren't necessarily the, you know, they clearly weren't going to be singles, they just don't have the hooks. The production is outstanding. I mean, they're just nice to sit with. They put so much effort into making them kind of cool and spacey. And as you say, Rob, they have this quite effective and quite up to, date sort of hip-hop vibe that makes them sound more in tune with what's going on in America

than they probably actually were. And in that line, I mean, on Marmalade, I actually, I like the rapping, probably in part because it reminds me a lot of Missy Elliott. And I think it's, it's not your expected like, oh, it's a girl group doing a rap kind of sound. It's like, oh, this has got a bit of spunk and character to it. So I kind of dig that. I do agree that Lady Marmalard, Marmalade normality is the weaker of the two. Yeah, you mentioned that it should be done with feather boas and leaned into the, they should be leaning into the camp a bit more, Rob. I do agree, but it's weird because all saints don't really come off as a campy group, and I don't necessarily think that's what they were going for. However, I agree that this.

song does need that. Even the original has a kind of tongue in cheek because it knows that the main line is corny. It knows it's naff. It knows it's a naff. Come on. And it leans into that. But this wants to be, you know, suave and urbane and sexy and it's the wrong song. So yeah, it does, it probably just wasn't the best choice compared to under the bridge, which I think you summed up beautifully, Rob, all the stuff about the, you know, the East Coast verses and the changing atmosphere. or maybe it being transposed to night time in London. Yeah, I completely agree. The atmosphere is great. It's unexpected and it works. They do both tread water a bit after a while. It is a long version under the bridge. So the kind of novelty does wear a little bit thin. But nonetheless, on both counts, even on Lady Marmalady, I am refreshed. on the whole, I still find these, a nice surprise as cover versions go. They're a lot better than one might expect from kind of, you know, manufactured groups of the time.

Do you know what? As that was so short, how about an All Saints quiz? I don't have a theme tune. It's just I was vainly writing. The All Saints quiz. Oh, beautiful. Talk about pulling it out of thin air. Right, okay, okay. Fingers on buzzers. Fingers on buzzers. This is a speed round, right, okay.

How many saints does it take to change a light bulb? Is it no saints, one saint, some saints, all saints, all saints? All saints. Very well done, it is all saints. Okay, Peter, Paul, John, Francis. What do these have in common? They're all saints. They are all saints.

Well done, Andy. And finally, finally, what do you call a crowd of Roger Moore's? All saints? Nope, it's double-double-07. You're almost there. It was almost a hat trick, Andy. But, oh yeah, I liked the songs. Rob.

All right, so the fourth proper song this week is This. Okay, this is Turnback Time by Aqua. Released as the sixth single from the group's third studio album, titled Aquarium, and as the second single from the soundtrack album to the film's sliding doors, Turn Back Time is Aqua's third single to be released in the UK, and their third to reach number one. However, as of 2026, it is their last.

Turnback Time went straight in at number one as a brand new entry. It stayed at number one for one week. In its first and only week atop the charts, it sold 75,000 copies, beating competition from Gone Till November by Wyclef Jean. Life ain't easy by Cleopatra, Dreams by the Cause, and Say You Love Me by Simply Red.

When it was knocked off the top of the charts, Turnback Time fell two places to number three. By the time it was done on the charts, it had been inside the top 100, 10 weeks! The song is currently officially certified silver in the UK. As of 2026, Andy Aqua Turnback Time. Yeah, another one really that I think is just basically fine,

but for a completely different reason, it's just a bit odd this, because everybody, I think literally everybody in the world probably associates Aqua with cheesy pop, with the tongue firmly in cheek, with, you know, both Dr. Jones, Jones and Barbie girl. We've had two different flavors of the same food, really,

where it's just, you know, it's pop culture, meta, cheesiness with extremely bold production choices than just ram the song down your throat. It's just power pop silliness, really. And that's great. That's what people love aqua for, to be honest. This is like, I get that they're trying for something a little bit more sincere,

but sometimes you can just do what you're good at, to be honest. And I really kind of miss the fun stupidness that you get from Acqua, to be honest. But, having said that, I do think there is a surprising amount of genuine sincerity in this, and I think they prove the point that they are capable of doing more than just silly songs about pop culture artifacts. But is that a point that really needed to be proven? Like, this feels like one that, like, when you go and see them live, they do this to kind of make that point, you'd be like, yeah, okay,

let's have a song about India Jones or Barbie. these. Like, it's, it's fine, but was this necessary, really? They were on such a good run, and they were probably afraid of being sort of musically typecast, as it were, and I get it, they're not the first, they won't be the last, and there's nothing wrong with this, but if you told me that this was Aqua, and I didn't already know that, I'd be really surprised. This is not as good as I remembered it being. I remember this being a lot better than it was, And it's just, it's a little bit flimsy, it's a little bit underwhelming, given the reputation that Aqua have. I've kind of seen this posited as like actually being the best number one Aqua had.

Like, you know, while you're having fun with Barbie Girl and Dr. Jones, we're sitting back with a bottle of scotch to enjoy their more serious material, like Turnback Time. While you were listening to Barbie Girl, I studied the blade. Yes, pretty much. But I don't know. I just think this kind of exposes them as maybe not having the strongest material. when it comes to the slower songs. Like, don't get me wrong, like, you know, the vague wifts of trip-hop and lounge. Definitely root this in a pretty sleek era of 90s pop production,

but that midi saxophone sample is so naff 80s and needs to be hard cut. I'm also a bit surprised at this really struggling to nudge my sing-along buttons. This is a slow ballad by a group that really seem to know what they're doing with sing-along stuff. It's going for something more emotional and mature, but with songs like this, I feel like there's always a fine line between mature and boring and this teacher's very, very close to falling off that tightrope. I don't want Aqua making sad eyes at me.

I want them to sing about dolls and Hollywood characters. You see people saying, oh, it's a shame they weren't taken seriously because of Barbecue because this is so much better. And I'm just like, right, but is this something that deserves to be taken as seriously as you want me to? I'm not sure. As artists, as songwriters, as musicians as performers,

I did take them seriously because of Barbigo. There is songcraft to that. Like, there is a skill to that. Not everybody can do it. It's a fantastic song. Like, I did take them seriously. I just didn't take them sincerely, I guess. I keep using that word.

Yeah. It's not, it's, you can be, it's like a really great comedian. Like, you don't take them seriously in the sense of, hmm, I'm going to go away and think about that. But you take them seriously as talented. Yeah, I think that's missing the point of it. I agree with you. Yeah, strange.

So, Ed, Aqua. I like it. The chorus Peter's out a little. That middle eight is bonkers. I'm not really sure what's going on there. I mean, I like them mixing it up. I suspect that that Sacks thing was just a bit of a sort of like,

oh no, but we are quirky and a little bit wacky. Has anyone seen the video for this? Yes. I remember it from the time, actually. Yeah. Is that a little bit sort of kitschy in meta or is it playing it straight?

I can't remember. No, not really. I mean, not even in the same. universe of Kitchie as the previous two. It's not got the bald chap playing like a plastic miniature saxophone in the background to that vacuum. It might do. I don't remember it in that kind of detail.

But no, it's definitely not a high concept video in the way that the other been. I mean, as I say, it's not the share cover that I initially thought it was when I actually saw the title. But I do remember this one quite distinctly. And I'm like, oh, this is that one.

This still gets radio play. and it's nicely written and it's not as interesting or enduring or charming as the previous two singles they've done but it is fine before we come to the final song we'll be discussing this week we have to make another stop two stops in one episode

ha yes my bladder is being squeezed sorry because all saints with Under the Bridge and Lady Marmalade went back to number one for one more week. In its second and final week atop the charts, it sold 51,000 copies

beating competition from Stranded by Nutrition McNeil and Hot Stuff by Arsenal Football Club. When it was knocked off the top of the charts, Under the Bridge and Lady Marmalade dropped one place to number two. By the time it was done on the charts, it had been inside the top 100 for 17 weeks,

The song is currently officially certified gold in the UK. As of 2026 and now, the fifth and final proper song this week of this bumper bumper episode is this. Okay, this is Feel It by the Tampera featuring Meyer. Released as the lead single from their debut studio album titled Fabulous, Feel It is the first single to be released by the Tampera and Meyer and their first to reach number one in the UK. However, as of 2026, it is their last. Feel it first to enter the UK charts at number three, reaching number one during its sixth week. It stayed at number one for one week!

In its first and only week atop the charts, it sold 50,000 copies in a week where there were no new entries in the top ten. when it was knocked off the top of the charts, Feel It fell three places to number four. By the time it was done on the charts, it had been inside the top 100 for 19 weeks. The song is currently officially certified platinum in the UK. As of 2026, Ed, do you feel, feel it? marginally.

Uh, da da da da da da da da. The tampera. It's Maya quiz time. Right. Question one. Maya? Yes. I'm sorry, the answer is, I've never met her.

Oh, of course it is. Anyway, no, scrub that. It's, I mean, this is sort of pure novelty. It's got appealing, what sounds to be appealing nonsense as a hook. They really leaned into the abstraction of the expression, what's she going to look like with a chimney on her, on the top of the... pop's performance, which I remember very, very clearly. Have you ever seen the top of the pop's

performance of this per chance? No. The lead vocalist is basically coming out of a giant chimney, which she's sort of attached to by some sort of giant billowing dress thing. And she's sort of waving her arms around, going, what's it going to look like with a chimney on her? And I was like, it's a pretty indelible image, but it did lean into the more innocent and wacky side of the expression, which I learned much, much later, is basically euphemism for a black eye. So basically, when you look at this and it's like, whoa, come on, girl, it's kind of like a, it's like smack my bitch up, but girl power. So, yay, question mark. But anyway, rather like run DMC and Tracy Scoggins, this is basically just the original backing track

with a kind of house kick drum on it. I mean, it has got a sort of new hook. But, and I do think that does help, because I'll be honest, can you feel it was never exactly the Jackson's best single, was it really? The chorus always sounded a little bit limp to me, maybe because I heard this first.

But, yeah, I like it. Again, it just feels like a bit of a sort of, quickie novelty, but it is fun, and it's one of those ones that everyone just likes singing along with the, what? And that's all you need, in it really? Andy, what's your note's going to sound like when you talk about this song?

Yeah, that all fit, syllabically. The comedy you were going for there, I really felt it. I mean, the tamperer, hardly know, I just completely see that his material now. This is funny this. I'm made up to have this here, because I'm really surprised at this got to number one, because it doesn't really get talked about that much anymore, but it's just a lovely, lovely thing to look back on.

I remember we had, in about 98, 99, around this time, we had a CD at home just called Party, that was just like designed for New Year's parties and stuff. It was just party songs. It had this on it. It had sex on the beach. It had Dr. Jones as track one, I believe. I'm going to have to find this on eBay or something,

but it's going to be quite hard to find because it was just called party. one for Lizzie. Lizzie's good at that sort of thing. See if I can find it. But yeah, this was on it, and this was my main experience of this song. And I always used to sing it correctly. I was,

what she gonna look like with a chimney on her? But, like, as the years went by and I spent like a solid 20 years away from this. I used to sometimes think, remember that song that I used to sing, what's she going to look like with a chimney on her? I wonder what the lyrics actually were? Because I just assumed it's one of those things.

Like, you know, when you just get lyrics wrong as a kid, because I always used to sing baby one more time as my lonely nurse is killing me. Like some sort of nurse ratchet. Lonely nurse. I think that was actually a son headline. Lonely nurse killer.

But I just thought it was one of those. I sort of thought of those. That like, oh, she must be saying something else. And then I looked it up about five years ago. I was like, what? She actually is saying what's she going to look like with a chimney on her? It's just, it's a great lyric that. A really mad lyric.

It's not the kind of thing you put in a pop song. and from a reference point so obscure that not only does the song that it comes from not have a Wikipedia page, the artist doesn't have a Wikipedia page. It's really relatively deep cut stuff. And it's just a lovely thing to hear at the top spot

because you would think that would be extremely uncommercial and it would turn people off, but I think the very oddness of that line really turns people on as it were. I really love the use of the Can You Feel It sample. It's one of those songs that's kind of crying out to be sampled and be used in other things because

it already starts as a kind of remix sort of thing really because Michael Jackson on Can You Feel It? Like it just comes in to do the vocals, really. It's like an early installment of one of those David Guetta type things where the pop artist of the day just comes in and sings over this EDM thing that's been written. It's like an early version of that. And that boom, bum, boom, boom, bum, boom, dum, do-dum.

It's like, that's such a good little sonata. That's such a good bass line. there's so much to that, so recognisable. You've got to do more with that than just this little thing you got Michael Jackson into sing, which is like a footnote in his career. And it's used to full effect here.

I think this works better than can you feel it, and this song is better than can you feel it. I just think it comes to life more. It has that mad energy to it because of that chimney line that just feels like it just is a more interesting song

and kind of feels more invigorating. It's the same kind of space to me as Red Alert by Basement Jack which I always used to think was really like, whoa and scary and exciting as a kid because it was that moment where she just screams. It goes, wow, freak out. And it sits in that kind of space for me

where it's like this is like unhinged pop, but really, really good unhinged pop. That's like I'd actually bang a beat to it. So I love this. I think this is really good. I haven't listened to it in so long and it was made up to see it turn up. What is she going to look like with a chimney on her?

Well, if it's a normal house chimney, she'd look stupid. If it's like a smokestack chimney She might look a bit like Marge Simpson But made of bricks So I'm going to leave it on that Rob, what is she going to look like with a chimney on her? Well, I'll try and answer it

I kept coming to type something about this With my notes But I lacked strong feelings about it either way So I went down a bit of a rabbit hole And it seems to have been settled over the years That the chimney line Which is pulled from one of the original songs That this is made up from

It seems that line can be read two ways The lyrics are from a song by Urban Discharge called Wanna Drop a House on That Bitch, which contains apparently deliberate lyrical references to The Wizard of Oz, The Wicked Witch of the East being crushed by the house at the beginning. And then as we saw painstakingly drawn out in the second Wicked film when Ariana Grande and Cynthia Arrivo's characters were fighting in that scene, that first film's quite good. I couldn't get on with the second one, unfortunately.

the wicked witch of the east being crushed by that house. So, you know, the house has a chimney. So apparently chimney as well. Chimney is slang in Northern Ireland for a black eye. So you get the feeling, yeah, you get the feeling one way or another that Maya is planning to batter or at least threaten the other woman, capital O, capital W. And the whole song kind of sounds like a countdown to the boxing match that she can't wait to have.

I remember as a kid, this was always played a shorthand for like an event that people, were anticipating. Like, I don't know, it would be played on Sky Sports before a football game, or, you know, it would be used in a montage on pop idol before a big vote, or it would be placed in the middle of a DJ set at a wedding in order to warm people up for like the Macarena or Saturday night. You know, it sounds like, you know, the bell is the dong, dong, dong, you know, bells are always portentous in one way or another. It does a fantastic job of sounding like the eve of something dramatic and climactic. The minor melodies in the verses are a bit basic, but it just kind of repeats that interval a few times,

but it all contributes to that. But then I realized that everything about the song that I really seem to be connecting with is just from the Can You Feel It Instrumental? They've made it sound louder and larger, which maybe carries the emotion over in a more kind of suitably 90s fashion, like the Rundi MC one before.

This is the era of big beat as well. But I don't know, I'm kind of mixed on this one, mostly positive, but with like one butt cheek kind of on the fence and one butt cheek off the fence kind of thing. Oh, sounds painful. Oh. I don't know. All this really does is take me back to all the weddings and parties I went to as a child, staying up later than usual, walking around the dance floor and wondering why everyone

was so much taller than me. Also, this might be my memory playing tricks on me, but I felt like I went to a lot more weddings and parties in my childhood than in my adulthood. Like, were function rooms just easier to book? Like, did my parents just know more people back then? I think they were cheaper. I think they were cheaper. Yeah. And also people had small. the houses so house parties were more difficult that's true yeah did I go to the same number of parties but my memories of being a child that is clear when parties and weddings are involved like the DJ definitely played this um at my mum's 40th in 2003 at the gateway pub in didsbury uh the DJ played

this and then he played Crash the Wedding but for some reason he kept restarting crash the wedding before the first chorus and I got really pissed off with him and I complained to my mum and I told it I told her to go over to the DJ and say look could you just time to play the chorus and then the rest of the song please. God, why am I not talking about the song anymore? But anyway, it's just, it's, it's fine. It's good-ish, I think. So, before we go, we need to do a quick vault and pie hole check now, don't we?

So, Ed, it's like that. All that I need, under the bridge and Lady Marmalade, turn back time and feel it. How are we feeling on all of those? Run DMC and Tracy Skoggin. Whose house? A halfway house, because it's not going anywhere. Boy's own, fuck'em, piehole. All saints, it's more a question of,

Vue le vu tesoir, a veu tesoir, i.e., will you sit with me tonight? Because, unfortunately, that's not going anywhere either, as it's a shared score. If I could turn back time, if I could find a way I would do absolutely nothing Then you'd stay And it's less tampera More fiddler Fafa

That's not really going anywhere either So like not a Not a fireworks week But not bad either Andy Rundi MC Boy Zone All Saints

Aqua and the Tampra Well that's for Rundi MC And Mrs Goggins From Postman It's like that. It's going in the vault. All that I need is for Boizzo to fuck off into the pie hole. Under the bridge, well, under the bridge, I guess it must be the bridge between the pie hole and the vault.

Because it's staying exactly where it is in the middle. And turn back time, well, it's not exactly pern back pime, but it's not Vanback Vault either. It's just turned back time and possibly the most painful joke I've ever made on this show, and that is saying something. No, it was brilliant. Thanks, Ed. But I don't think you're the person to ask, if I'm honest. Harsh, but fair. And finally, feel it.

Well, what I feel is that this is going into the vault. Feel it? More like vault it. Volta, I hardly know her. As for me, four of the... them aren't going anywhere, but all that I need by Boy Zone going straight into the pie hole, kicking it the fuck in there. Um, next week, we'll be back down to three songs. I think we all may have a fair bit to say about each of them. We'll be continuing our journey through 1998, of course,

and we will see you for it. Goodbye now. Bye. Bye.