Affirmation (Savage Garden)

This song does what it says on the title. It's an affirmation of beliefs, most of which I share (some I don't). Some of the beliefs are reminiscent of the "Wear Sunscreen" essay which was made into a UK number 1 single by fellow Australian Baz Luhrman, in particular the line about beauty magazines promoting low self-esteem. In any case, it's a beautiful, strong lyric, and it lends itself very well to a monologue. I first imagined performing it as a union address, then it hit me that it could make a good lecture. Don't ask me how, but I managed to sneak into a lecture hall and use their equipment to record it. I don't own the copyright for the images I have used. If any of the owners object to my use, please get in touch.

My First Night Without You (Cyndi Lauper)

The second single from Cyndi Lauper's third album "A Night to Remember" (25 years old this year). The album is a true gem, even though it had disappointing sales. Disappointing was also the performance of this single, which could only reach number 52 in the UK charts and missed the top 50 in the US as well, after the top 10 success of its predecessor "I Drove All Night".  It took 5 years for her to have another UK top 10 hit (her final so far) with the re-worked version "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" in 1994.

I was moved by this song from the first time I ever heard it. It is so charged with emotion and delivered with such desperation that it gives me goosebumps. I should therefore have stayed well away from it for a PopMonologue, since my delivery could never match the rawness of Cyndi Lauper's. But it's such a great lyric, and it lends itself so well to a monologue, that I couldn't help myself. 

Recording yourself whilst driving, balancing an iPad on the dashboard and doing your best to make sure the sun hits your eyes while you say the line "the sun is in my eyes so I can't see" is not conducive to a great performance, as I was multitasking to the extreme. This was my second-best take (I managed to delete the best one by accident). Hope you like it.

It's a Sin (Pet Shop Boys)

This song came out when I was 16. I attended a catholic school and suspected I was gay, so the lyrics about how every thought, word and deed were a sin resonated with me in a way that few songs ever have. I wanted to film this in a confessionary at a church, but despite several attempts to sneak into several unnoticed, I haven't managed. So I used a (rather noisy) chapel instead. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa...

Lie To Me (Gary Barlow)

The best Gary Barlow single that never was. The song was supposed to be the third single from his "Twelve Months Eleven Weeks" album, but the record company cancelled the single and dropped him after poor sales and media backlash. I firmly believe that if this had been the first single the album would have had a very different reception. I could have easily been the equivalent to Robbie's "Angels" but alas, it didn't happen. It's a beautiful song with a heartfelt lyric and remains my favourite song of his. If only I could find that elusive radio edit...

I Just Don't Have the Heart (Cliff Richard)

Cliff Richard joined forces with Stock Aitken Waterman in 1989 for his 101st single. It hit the top 3 and is one of the few Cliff Richard songs that could be played in a club at the time.

This is a good example of a song with a happy singalong tune but lyrics that don't match the mood of the music. In the original, Sir Cliff sings about being a complete coward and leaving his lover without so much as a by-your-leave. How unkind. This is a theme that Mike Stock also used in the Jason Donovan / Sam Fox track "Too late to Say Goodbye". So pop stars can be bastards who'll leave you and not even bother to tell you. Who knew?

Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money) (Pet Shop Boys)

80s greed, Thatcherite economics, looks over talent... This song has it all. After the disappointing chart position of "Love Comes Quickly", the follow-up to "West End Girls", Pet Shop Boys came back with this amazing single (an early mix of which had actually been released before "West End Girls"). Of course, nowadays the relative failure of their second single would have got them dropped from their record label, so let's be glad that this single was a hit. It was their last single to miss the top 10 until four years later, when "Being Boring" only reached number 20. 

A straight reading of the lyrics. Let's make loadsa money!

You Came (Kim Wilde)

I loved this song from the moment I first heard it in 1988. I also loved the lyrics, about being in love with someone whose presence changes you for the better. Only I was wrong. Many years later I found out that the song (written by Kim and her brother Ricky) was actually about the love of a parent for their child, which made it even lovelier. 

This song became very special to me after my husband and I adopted our son. I used to sing it to him when he first came to us. He's now a bit old to appear here, but it still feel the same way. 

Thank you very much to Nico, who was a complete star during the recording, and to his mum and dad for letting me "borrow" him. He's a scene stealer!