Popfools is on holiday! A lovely, tan-on-the-beach, swim-in-the-sea, and drink-lots-of-cocktails type holiday. So that you still get your Popfools fix over the next fortnight, and to convince ourselves that our holiday is hard-earned and well deserved, this feature will be rating some of the top holiday tunes, in plenty of time before the British summer hits. We have devised and strenuously-tested all new holiday-themed criteria for our best holiday songs to live up to, so hold onto your inflatable fly-fish, because this is going to be a whale of a ride!
Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina – Stereo Love
We absolutely adore a bit of Eurodance popfoolishness, and nobody can provide a holiday-tinged anthem within this genre better than Edward Maya. Our holiday playlist would simply be incomplete without the UK #4 smash from 2009. How highly will it manage to climb our ultimate ranked playlist though? There’s only one way to find out…
References to beach/sea/sun/sand in lyrics?: The song doesn’t tackle holiday in its theme so sadly it chalks up a poor zero references. 0/10
Steel-drums present? There are no steel drums in the song. Steel drums make EVERYTHING sound more holidayish. EVERYTHING. Rating: 0/10
Other dodgy ‘holiday’ sound effects? The riff which sounds a lot like the Lambada to these ears is on a lovely accordion which sounds extremely holidayish. Rating: 7/10
Video evoke ‘holiday’? Yes. Sunny skies and white-stairs are a go-go from the minute the video opens. The sea is seen and beautifully blue it looks too. The town is typically Mediterranean looking, and the lady is at first attired in a nice Sari-esque floaty piece. There are pretty pink flowers, in full bloom, and a swimming pool, although this sadly and rather inexplicably remains unswam in. Later on, a boat is used as a leg rest, and at last in a rock-pool, just as we were losing all hope, some water is finally entered. From there, the video throws in some clichéd but sorely needed beach-and-sunset-scenes. Our protagonists embrace at the end. Feels slightly more wish-you-were-here than music video. Rating: 10/10
Nonsensical lyrics, preferably holiday-themed? This song depends on the way its vocals are layered, and it opens with a nice mystic ‘ooooooh’. Almost-whispered vocals add to the intimate feel. There is some echo during the verses, which at moments like ‘lose control’ becomes very seductive. It’s stated ‘I’m hiding inside’ but the video hints nobody is hiding inside anywhere; they are all outside, all the time (as one is on holiday). Questions like ‘Can I get to your soul?’ seem a bit redundant. Therefore the lyrics are certainly fairly nonsensical. Rating: 6/10
Verdict: This gorgeous and underrated slice of Eurodance feels upon listening like a long-forgotten memory or dream. One which takes place in a warm, sunny, Mediterranean environment. Nonetheless, it scores a rather limp 23/50
The Popfools Ultimate Holiday Playlist (Ranked)
The Vengaboys – We’re Going To Ibiza 57
= The Vengaboys – Uncle John From Jamaica 57
The Cheeky Girls – Hooray Hooray (It’s A Cheeky Holiday) 53
Peter Andre – Mysterious Girl 46
Alphabeat – Vacation 37
New Kids On The Block – Summertime (RedOne Remix) 36
Ashley Tisdale – Fabulous 35
Beenie Man – Dude (ft. Ms Thang) 30
Madonna – La Isla Bonita 29
Edward Maya – Stereo Love 23
Annie – Anthonio (Designer Drugs Remix) 21
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