My Top Ten Guilty Pleasures - British Songs
November 19, 2007 by Dave Parrack
We all think our music taste is the best, and most of us try and somehow inflict that taste on out friends, or in the case of blogging, on total strangers.
I am very confident in my music taste, thinking it is solid, with artists who are talented, and definitely acceptable to most people’s ears. But, everyone, including me, has those little gems hidden away somewhere, that they may not be quite so proud of.

Call them what you will, but for the means of this post, we are referring to them as Guilty Pleasures, and here are my Top Ten British Songs which I love, but maybe will get stick for…
Spice Girls - Viva Forever
They’re back, they still mime after all these years, and their songs are cheesy as hell, but I love this song. It may be sentimental claptrap but there’s something magical about it that I never get bored of.
James Blunt - You’re Beautiful
Everyone loved this song at first, but then they turned, and started to hate it. The problem is, I didn’t follow them, and instead carried on adoring it. It’s a gorgeous song, with great lyrics, and I don’t even mind Blunt’s whining voice.
Cliff Richard - Summer Holiday
I’m not old enough to have been around when this came out, but I still like the song. It came with a film, and a healthy dose of optimism and happiness which is sadly lacking in this day and age.
Craig David - Seven Days
Craif David is a tool, I’ll give you that, but this song still gets me listening every time it comes on the radio. I do start to imagine the Bo Selecta character rather than the reality, but sorry, this song rocks.
Sandie Shaw - Puppet On A String
An oldie but a goodie, this song was released for the Eurovision Song Contest, the ultimate display of pop crapiness. But it’s good, it’s poppy, and after one listen, I can’t get it out of my head.
Dido - Thank You
Some of you will wonder why this is a guilty pleasure, but Dido is a bit crap now. At the time though, I loved this song, and I still do. Eminem nicked the main lyrical riff for Stan, but I prefer the original.
Elton John & Blue - Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
Damn, there’s just no good thing about that sentence above: Elton John AND Blue! But I love it, prefer it to the original, and could listen to it on repeat.
Daniel Bedingfield - If You’re Not The One
Yes, it’s cheesy as hell, I know this, and so do you, but again I love it. I hated his first song, the one he recorded in his bedroom, but this song has heartfelt lyrics, and flows really well.
Phil Collins - Two Hearts
Phil Collins is actually getting a bit of a resurgence due to that ape video for Cadburys chocolate, but at the end of the day he’s still classed as crap. This song however, floats my boat every time I hear it.
Bucks Fizz - Making Your Mind Up
Another Eurovision entry, this one from the 80s. I actually remember it being performed at the time, and maybe the reason I still like it is because of Cheryl Baker showing her knickers.
There, it’s out, I’ve embarrassed myself, and now it’s time for me to go and hide somewhere while you all rip apart my terrible lapses in to musical cheesiness. Try not to be too harsh won’t you?














I still love “You’re Beautiful” as well! And Blue … dear me … they were so hot at one time. You’ve got me wondering where they are now!
Spice Girls! Holy you are brave. I do not and never did like that Blunt song. Good list. Funny stuff.
You nay have just set the cause of British music back years. Great post.
I have to agree with Jennifer on both accounts, Dave. Viva Forever? What?!
As for James Blunt, I have always hated both the song and his general whineyness (extra marks for a new word there surely). I think a blunt instrument would be more use right to put us and, more accurately, Mr Blount out of his misery.
The rest of the songs, wow, you better be feeling really guilty!
Craig David….Seven Days.
Wow, I was living in Ireland when that song came out and it was on the radio or the video was on the tube every 30 minutes.
I still sing the song and remember Craig David macking it out on the escalator…ha.
Great list! Phil Collins has always been my all-time favourite musician, nothing to be ashamed of.