Three of a Kind #108

One great song, three superior versions. But which is your favourite? I'll probably get lynched for this but I'm quite partial to the Tracey Ullman version myself. Probably only because that's the one I grew up with, mind. *dives for cover anyway*





Mildly Interesting Pop Fact (courtesy of Davy in this guestbook entry): Stiff Records overdubbed Tracey Ullman's vocal onto Kirsty MacColl's original backing track for this record. The hi-pitched 'Baby!' half way through is Kirsty (uncredited).



I love the Sweptaways and so should you, especially if all-girl Swedish A cappella choirs are your 'bag' (and I've no reason to suspect they wouldn't be). You can buy their entire back catalogue, including the superb albums Ooh Aah and last year's The Sweptaways Show, featuring guest vocals from Jens Lekman, Robyn, Asha Ali et al, from the Klicktrack shop. (The Sweptaways Christmas EPs featuring Marit Bergman and Magnus Carlsson are not to be missed either.)

The Sweptaways & Moneybrother - They Don't Know mp3

"Coughing like you might not make the afternoon"

July 1st 2007 and a new law comes into effect in England which prevents smoking in the workplace. This effectively means that all the country's smokers are banished into the soggy wastelands outside their cosy office blocks, restaurants and pubs. Lovely as this is for us non-smokers, it's a bit of a bugger for all the poor, nicotine-addicted people who are often now treated as pariahs. We sympathise and, therefore, have put together an entry devoted to smoking and this momentous day.

(We did consider using songs such as The Smiths' There Is A Lighter That Never Goes Out and artists like Weezer and Pariah Carey, but that would just be silly! So here are our final choices...)

Salty Pirates - Smoking Indoors mp3

Ballpark - Cigarettes Save the World mp3 (available for 7 days)

The Lucksmiths - Smokers In Love mp3 (available for 7 days)

Kansas City Playboys - Quittin' Time mp3 (available for 7 days)

Skeeter Davis - Gonna Get Along Without You Now mp3 (available for 7 days)

Kirsty MacColl - A New England mp3 (available for 7 days)