Weekend Supplement ~ June 24th 2012: Your Weather Channel Summer Washout Playlist...

A couple of weeks ago, I did an ultimate summer playlist full of songs that (mainly) featured the word "summer" in the title. I was playing the cd of this in the car tother day and decided that, as the sun was desperately trying to peak through the rain clouds, summer has been a bit of a wash out this year - and indeed on any given day in England you could experience weather associated with any of the four seasons. So here is a playlist inspired by that...

• Crowded House ~ Four Seasons In One Day: Because frankly what other song could kick off this list? Contemplative, yet beautiful. Beatles-esque yet still contemporary. Alternative suggestion? Their breezy gorgeous Weather With You...
• Grease 2 ~ Girl For All Seasons: One day I will realise my life long ambition of bringing Grease 2 to the West End stage. In the meantime, enjoy the bonkers camposity of this singalong ditty... The production above is like a 1980s Glee episode!
• Blue Pearl ~ Naked In The Rain: I can confirm that I have never been dancing naked in the rain, though I remain ambiguous as to whether I've been covered in ecstasy. Whatever, I love a bit of 90s dance and this is a right bobby dazzler...
• Eurythmics ~ Here Comes The Rain Again: Is there a more apt song for this saturated summer season? Plus any excuse to hear Annie Lennox's heavenly pipes is a-ok with me.
• Jason Donovan ~ Rhythm of the Rain: Ah Jase the Face with a song from his heyday of S/A/W success. Still sounds like it would aptly fit on a Dreamboats and Petticoats compilation and he can probably thank his lucky stars it wasn't Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head...

• BWO ~ Sunshine In The Rain: BWO's lack of British chart success has always and continues to bamboozle me. Here's an example of an absolutely lovely, catchy, melodic dance infused ditty that got criminally ignored in the UK. Except by those with exceptional pop tastes.
• Erasure ~ Run To The Sun: From the delicious I Say Say I Say album, this track is vintage Erasure with it's frenetic feel and urgent pleading. I'd love to run to the sun, only every direction I look in, it's bloody clouds.
• Gareth Gates ~ Sunshine (T&F vs. Moltosugo Radio Edit): A shimmering delight when it was first released in 2003, it got a new lease of life with me a few years ago when I heard this Off The Wall inspired remix in a dark A&F store. Instantly put a jolly bounce in my shopping step. More pop like this shortly please Mr Gates.
• S Club 8 ~ Sundown: Once the original S Club had disbanded, it seemed like the younger cohorts suddenly got a more grown up outlook and this was reflected in sterling pop tunes like this. Persistent beat, soaring chorus, catchy hook.
• Westlife ~ Seasons In The Sun: While this is classic boyband, key change and all, it's actually a very depressing song indeed. What a downer after the S Club 8 song. Time to pick up the pace again :D

• Eric Saade ~ It's Gonna Rain: Ooo, any excuse to get Eric in there :D This was one of his finest pop moments in a short career littered with pop highs. Part Madonna's Hung Up, part forward thinking pop sensibilities, this is your perfect, aw fuck it and enjoy, crap weather song!
• Geri Halliwell ~ It's Raining Men: Trust Geri to embrace the ludicrous camp and bring this song back to the top of the charts without it seeming like a novelty tune. Hopefully weather will pick up so all those boys get their guns out and it does indeed feel like it's raining men :)
• Deborah Gibson ~ Don't Rain On My Parade: Yes, this could have been any multitude of versions (Barbra, Glee, et al) but I'm sticking with this theatrical, horn infused, debbie gibson delight. It's a corker.
• Mika ~ Rain: Poor Mika. This song was so more deserving than the number 72 chart placing it got. I liked it though and if you haven't given it a shot before, you really should spend some time with it now...
• Madonna ~ Rain: This sumptuous, lushly produced mid tempo ballad was one of the more restrained (and not in her s&m way) songs on her frankly ace Erotica album and shined all the brighter for it...

• Wendy Moten ~ Come In Out Of The Rain: Classic, massive, Glee worthy, fuck off ballad that sounds amazing while you mime along while staring through your rain pelted windows... :)
• The Carpenters ~ Rainy Days and Mondays: Devastatingly sad and emotive tune that nevertheless brings a glimmer of beauty into your world due to Karen's always sensational, warming vocal style...
• Bette Midler ~ I Think It's Going To Rain: None of this "gonna" nonsense for Bette. She's enunciating all her lyrics on this studied ballad from the movie Beaches...
• Grease ~ It's Raining On Prom Night: When you're a teenager, everything and anything that goes wrong always feels like the end of the world. This song is a brill representation of that. I'm personally partial to this lovely dual harmony London cast (Debbie Gibson) version from 1993 :D
• Prince ~ Thunder: Ooo, nearly forgot about this rollicking slice of genius from Prince. And it's from my favourite album of his, Diamonds and Pearls. Alternative suggestion: Garth's The Thunder Rolls.

• Mariah Carey ~ You're So Cold: Ooo shiver! This new jill swing anthem should definitely have been a single back in the day but if memory serves, the singles campaign for Emotions got usurped by the I'll Be There cover. That's fine, but don't miss out on this doozy!
• Katy Perry ~ Hot and Cold: Nothing to do with weather at all, but this perky little pop ditty follows on nicely from the Mariah titled song above. Plus I really like it :)
• Mamas & Papas ~ California Dreaming: On the list because it references brown autumnal leaves and because it still sounds like heaven all these years later. Harmonised happiness in a song.
• The Bangles ~ Hazy Shade of Winter: I still find this such an exhilarating song! It has 60s girl band style vocals mixed with a modern rock pace that creates a great sound. It's all jollied along by some great instrumentals and a tremendous singalong convivial feel. I like. I like a lot.
• Glee ~ We Need A Little Christmas: Oh it's exactly six months til Christmas, and this is one of the finest covers in recent festive seasons :) Sue me!

Top 21 songs of the week:

21 ~ Little Jackie, Cock Block
20 ~ fun, Some Nights
19 ~ Danny, Amazing
18 ~ Carly Rae Jepsen, Call Me Maybe
17 ~ Nicki Minaj, Starships
16 ~ Christopher, Mine Mine Mine
15 ~ Jason Mraz, Everything is Sound
14 ~ Mika, Celebrate
13 ~ Alanis Morrisette, Guardian
12 ~ Nicki Minaj, Pound The Alarm
11 ~ Scissor Sisters, Baby Come Home
10 ~ Gravitonas, Sacrifice
09 ~ Tone Daamli ft Eric Saade, Imagine
08 ~ Maroon 5, Payphone
07 ~ Eric Saade, Backseat
06 ~ Regina Spektor, Don't Leave Me
05 ~ Madonna, Turn Up The Radio
04 ~ Marina & The Diamonds, Bubblegum Bitch
03 ~ Kylie, Timebomb
02 ~ Ola, I'm In Love
01 ~ Stooshe, Black Heart (1 week)