Day 47 takes us to Now! #47, which was released on 20th November 2000.
Let’s see what the hits were going into the winter.
Track 1: Robbie Williams – Rock DJ
Great, danceable, singalong track – loved it at the time, love it now.
Track 2: Modjo – Lady (Hear Me Tonight)
I don’t normally like this kind of repetitive turn-of-the-millennium house music, but I quite like the tune on this one.
Track 3: Ronan Keating – Life Is A Rollercoaster
Super annoying chorus, cheesy theme. Not a fan.
Track 4: Texas – In Demand
Really like this track – great tune. Love the video with Alan Rickman too.
Track 5: Bon Jovi – It’s My Life
Loved it at the time, still really like it now. Always had a soft spot for Bon Jovi.
Track 6: U2 – Beautiful Day
The perceived wisdom is that U2 took a nosedive in quality sometime in the mid-’90s, but to be honest I’ve always really liked the stuff off the All That You Can’t Leave Behind album. This is a nice epic track – I don’t like it as much as I did at the time, but it’s still solid.
Track 7: David Gray – Babylon
Nice chillout track, quite like this one. I don’t know why I’ve always liked David Gray’s White Ladder album, ’cause it’s not the sort of thing I’d normally be keen on, but I do enjoy most of the tunes.
Track 8: All Saints – Pure Shores
The soundtrack song for the film The Beach. I really like the tune on the chorus.
Track 9: Spice Girls – Holler
The now-Geri-less Spice Girls with a fairly bland tune. The end was clearly nigh, especially as they were all launching solo careers.
Incidentally, it always annoys me when British artists sing songs written in American vernacular. ‘Holler’ is not a word over here!
Track 10: Architechs and Nana – Body Groove
Quite like the hook, but the vocals are irritating.
Track 11: Craig David – 7 Days
Always had a soft spot for this one – really like the theme! I was really annoyed when it was sampled by Kojo Funds and Raye for Check earlier this year.
Track 12: Samantha Mumba – Body II Body
Love the Ashes To Ashes sample, but the rest of the track is pretty generic.
Track 13: Britney Spears – Lucky
This is a highly cheesy, irritating song. Thankfully, at the time, some of my mates at school livened it up by coming up with alternative German history themed lyrics:
He’s so lucky
He’s Bismarck
And he tries so hard at this union lark, thinking:
If there’s nothing missing in my reich
Then why won’t the states unify?
As a result, I think of nineteenth-century Germany whenever I hear it. Good effort, friends!
Track 14: LeAnn Rimes – Can’t Fight The Moonlight
Soundtrack song for the film Coyote Ugly. It’s okay, but the chorus is a little annoying.
Track 15: S Club 7 – Natural
Quite like the interesting instrumentals on this one, but the vocals are pretty irritating.
Track 16: NSYNC – It’s Gonna Be Me
Timely, as the meme related to this this track actually went viral again about a month ago when NSYNC received their Hollywood Walk Of Fame star. The track is a great solid pop tune with an awesome atmosphere – good stuff.
Track 17: Anastacia – I’m Outta Love
Great, classic singalong song. Really like this one!
Track 18: Tom Jones and Heather Small – You Need Love Like I Do
Two great voices on this duet, but I find the song a bit so-so.
Track 19: Robbie Williams and Kylie Minogue – Kids
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Robbie Williams. This duet with Kylie is great, though, so I won’t complain too much. Nice upbeat track, awesome tune.
Track 20: Coldplay – Trouble
I like the piano intro, but one it launches into the vocals it gets very depressing.
Track 21: Martine McCutcheon – I’m Over You
Nice tune, but the vocals are super saccharine, which puts me right off.
Track 22: Kylie Minogue – On A Night Like This
Repeated artist alert…again. We already had Kylie on the Kids duet – give some other artists a chance!
This is a great track, though – lovely tune, good atmosphere.
Track 23: Steps – Stomp
Disco-tinged track, very Abba-inspired. Good solid pop song.
Track 24: Vanessa Amorosi – Absolutely Everybody
Found it highly irritating at the time, still do now. Twee, annoying theme.
Track 25: Billie Piper – Walk Of Life
Not my favourite Billie Piper track – it’s a bit generic.
Track 26: True Steppers, Dane Bowers and Victoria Beckham – Out Of Your Mind
‘Not on Spotify’ Type 2: YouTube Pause (TM).
Quite like this one, mainly due to the tune on the chorus.
Track 27: Melanie C – I Turn To You
Gorgeous dance-infused track from Melanie C – beautiful tune.
Track 28: Delerium and Sarah McLachlan – Silence
Classic tune, lovely vocals.
Track 29: Sonique – Sky
‘Not on Spotify’ Type 2: YouTube Pause (TM).
Slightly messy lines, but the vocal is nice.
Track 30: Zombie Nation – Kernkraft 400
There’s a common misconception that ‘Zombie Nation’ is the name of the song and ‘Kernkraft 400’ is the name of the band, but it’s actually the other way round. This misconception is especially prevalent in the goth/industrial scene, largely due to Grendel calling the track ‘Zombie Nation’ when they covered it. Great tune, either way.
Track 31: Storm – Time To Burn
Highly irritating squawky/scratchy instrumentals, uninspired vocal sample, generic electro hook. Not keen.
Track 32: Darude – Feel The Beat
Generic dance track for about two minutes, then it switches gears into a more chilled out version of itself, which is a bit jarring. After that, there’s some washing machine noise and it goes back to where it was at the start. Also, I’m pretty sure that’s a sample from 9PM (Till I Come), which is highly uninspired if so.
Track 33: Aurora – Ordinary World
Fairly pointless cover of the Duran Duran song with a dance beat over the top. I love Duran Duran (as you might be aware by now) so I’m always going to side-eye a bit when somebody attempts a cover. It’s still a great song, but nothing can touch the original.
Track 34: SuReal – You Take My Breath Away
Boring, uninspired, forgettable dance track. Not a fan.
Track 35: Madison Avenue – Who The Hell Are You
Too similar to Don’t Call Me Baby – guess they only really had one song in them.
Track 36: Azzido Da Bass – Doom’s Night
Irritating ‘wub wub’ bit at the start, then the rest of the track is fairly tuneless. Not my thing.
Track 37: Baha Men – Who Let The Dogs Out?
I’ve always quite liked this song and its comedy tone – it soundtracked quite a few summer holidays in the early ’00s for me. Great chant-along chorus.
Track 38: Nelly – Country Grammar (Hot…)
Generic, messy track. Too much going on and not enough melody for me.
Track 39: Sisqó – Unleash The Dragon
Nice instrumentals, but the rap is fairly generic.
Track 40: Melanie B – Tell Me
The squeaky intro is annoying, though there’s some interesting stuff going on with the vocals.
Track 41: Louise – Beautiful Inside
Good beat, but the vocal is boring.
Track 42: Gabrielle – Should I Stay
And we return to a dull ballad as the last track of a Now! compilation. Nothing interesting about this track.
