Beggin'

"I need you to understand

That I tried so hard

To be your man..."

Timebox were a mod/psyche/pop band from Southport formed in 1965. They covered 'Beggin'' in '68 and their version is as passionate as the Frankie Valli original and also brilliantly orchestrated. I like to play this one out at the moment. The ladies love it!

Beggin'

"I'm fighting hard

To hold my own

No, I just cant make it

All alone..."

One of the best Radio 1 Live Lounge covers ever. I love the energy and the refusal to change the gender of the lyrics. Also a little nod to Monty Norman's Bond theme on guitar.

The Saturdays second single, 'Up' is another favourite of mine. I find the groove (reminiscent of MJ's 'The Way You Make Me Feel') impossible to resist. Watch the video here.

"This is the final call for all destinations,

This is were you're in or out!

No hesitation, this is not the time for doubt!"

The Right Stuff (Dub)

"She's mountain high, river deep

The right stuff..."

I always loved the dub of Bryan Ferry's 'The Right Stuff', a track co-written with Johnny Marr in 1987. 'The Right Stuff' started life as 'Money Changes Everything', a Smiths instrumental originally released as the B-side of 'Bigmouth Strikes Again'. Bryan and Johnny sexed-up the earlier track, adding lyrics, female BVs and a clubbier, extended dub produced by Patrick Leonard, who was behind lots of Madonna's hits, including 'Who's That Girl?' and 'Like A Prayer'. I doubt Morrissey was amused.

Who Gets Your Love?

"Who gets your love when I'm gone?

Will she kiss you with her eyes

Choose your ties, keep your pillow warm?"

An underrated slice of heartbreak pop balladry from Dusty's hard-to-find 1973 album 'Cameo'. Features the legendary Carol Kaye, one of the world's most prolific bass players - and a bird to boot! - whose sessions include Good Vibrations, Mission: Impossible, These Boots Are Made For Walking and Wichita Lineman.

'Who Gets Your Love?' was also recorded (equally soulfully) by reggae star Ken Boothe in 1978 with Sly and Robbie. I notice on this seven inch he has claimed the songwriting credit, which may not have pleased Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, the original writer/producers. Ace, nevertheless.

Wired for Sound

When I was DJing recently, a hatchet-faced hairdresser celebrating the arrival of her Decree Nisi asked me if I had any Cliff Richard. Scrolling doubtfully through my i-river, I was flabbergasted to discover 'Wired For Sound'. I told her I'd play it provided she could tell me what the time signature drops into in the chorus, because it has always flummoxed me.

She couldn't.

The video is a stone cold classic, but alas I am forbidden to embed it by EMI , presumably for reasons relating to the sartorial recklessness contained within. Watch it here if you dare.

I Was Made For Lovin' You

"Tonight

I want to give it all to you

In the darkness

There's so much I wanna do..."

'I Was Made For Lovin' You' was co-written by Kiss guitarist and vocalist Paul 'The Starchild' Stanley, who described the track as a conscious effort on his part to prove how easy it was to write and record a hit disco song. As a result, frowning disco dads the world over profess to loathe the record, which only ramps up my enthusiasm for it. When Kiss played MEN in May 2010, Paul Stanley 'flew' across the entire arena whilst singing it. The fact that I missed this monumental event still causes me consternation.

Take a Little Time

"Take a little time to get to know me

If you want to know what I am all about..."

When I first heard this track way back in 1999 I thought it was a heartfelt and meticulous tribute to early Madonna. It was only upon inspecting the sleevenotes of 'Darkdancer', the Les Rhythmes Digitales album it's taken from, that I discovered the vocal was by Shannon of 'Let The Music Play' fame. In 1983, Shannon and Madonna were both busy putting out their debut records. You could argue that 'Let The Music Play', which knocked 'Holiday' off the number one spot on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, was providing a harder, blacker flipside to Madge's perfect pop.

Of course, Stuart Price aka Les Rythmes Digitales/Jacques Lu Cont, eventually worked on Madonna's 'Confessions on a Dancefloor' album in 2005, famously co-writing 'Hung Up', with a little help from Benny and Bjorn.

Ten years after 'Take a Little Time', over-exuberant Danish pop stars Alphabeat put out 'The Spell', a song that also draws on the classic Shannon sound, albeit with a little less class than Stuart Price's effort.

I love it it anyway.

Every Kinda People

"Said the fight to make ends meet

Keeps a man upon his feet

Holding down his job

Trying to show he can't be bought..."

This is one of my favourite Robert Palmer songs and performances.

It was written by Andy Fraser from Free and produced by Tom Moulton.

The amazing, liquid bass groove is by Bob Babbitt, who was a one-time Motown Funk Brother and member of MFSB.

In my opinion, this track is as good as anything off 'What's Going On'!