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| Hear Popstars' New War Child Album |
| TODAY the Daily Mirror offers you the chance to hear new tracks from the biggest names in pop including Oasis, Stereophonics, Manic Street Preachers and Ms Dynamite. The songs, all former No 1s, have been recorded for the new War Child album - the follow-up to the phenomenally successful Help album which raised �1.25million in 1995 for children in war zones all over the world. Called 1Love, the record coincides with the 50th birthday of the singles charts. Released on October 14, it has already been dubbed the music event of the year. War Child asked Britain's premier artists to record covers of their favourite number ones. They came up with an eclectic mix that includes Slade, Adamski and Take That. James Topham of War Child explains: "Funds generated by this album will be spent on projects helping children in three of today's most troubled regions - Central Asia, the Middle East and Central Africa." And with profits from the phonelines going directly to the charity, you can help War Child raise even more money by calling in to listen to excerpts from the album. Just dial 0901 564 3999 (1550 923 822 RoI). Calls cost 60p per minute (73 cents per minute RoI). Donations can be made to War Child, 5-7 Anglers Lane, London NW5 3DG. Here, the 1Love artists explain what made them pick the number ones they've recorded for the album... BADLY DRAWN BOY WITH JOOLS HOLLAND: COME ON EILEEN COME On Eileen by Dexy's Midnight Runners hit number one on July 3, 1982. Damon Gough from Badly Drawn Boy says: "It's a monumental song. It reminds me of being a kid, being pushed around on the waltzers by scallies. The greatest thing about it is there'll never be another number one like it." FEEDER: THE POWER OF LOVE THE Power Of Love by Frankie Goes To Hollywood went to No 1 on December 1, 1984. It was the band's third chart-topper in a row. Grant Nicholas from Feeder says: "It's one of the only decent ballads to come out of the 80s and it has very fitting lyrics for the War Child cause." SUGABABES: KILLER KILLER by Adamski hit the top spot on April 7, 1990. The original version featured vocals by Seal. Mutya Buena from Sugababes says the band picked the song because, "It's a track that we all love and the lyrics relate to the War Child project." MUSE: HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN THIS Animals hit went to No 1 in the charts on June 25, 1964. Muse say: "1Love is important because helping out the new generations in these countries felt like a unifying thing to do in view of recent world events. It's also a cause that bands we respect are involved with." STEREOPHONICS: NOTHING COMPARES 2 U SINEAD O'Connor's version of this Prince song topped the charts on January 20, 1990. Stereophonics' Kelly Jones says: "It's a great song and we've done it in a very stripped down, intimate way." OASIS: MERRY XMAS EVERYBODY SLADE'S Christmas stalwart went to No 1 on December 15, 1973. Noel Gallagher says: "Because of our touring commitments we didn't have time to get into the studio. But we originally did this for The Royle Family Christmas special two years ago. I think only half of it was shown on the end credits so we want people to be able to hear it all the way through." MANIC STREET PREACHERS: OUT OF TIME OUT Of Time by Chris Farlowe was number one on June 23, 1966. James Dean Bradfield from the Manics says: "I discovered it when I saw the film Coming Home when I was 15 and it always stuck with me. It's our wedding reception moment." JIMMY EAT WORLD: FIRESTARTER THIS Prodigy club anthem hit number one in the charts on March 30, 1996. Jim Adkins from Jimmy Eat World says: "We picked the track because it seemed to be the least obvious choice for us and sometimes that makes for the most interesting outcome." PRODIGY: GHOST TOWN GHOST Town by The Specials went to number one on June 20, 1981. The sinister single was seen as prophetic as it was released the same week the Brixton riots erupted. Liam Howlett says: "We covered Ghost Town because the sound of The Specials shaped my early teenage years. The Specials were the first band I got in to." ELBOW: SOMETHING IN THE AIR SOMETHING In The Air by Thunderclap Newman topped the charts on June 11, 1969. Elbow's Guy Garvey says: "If you can do something responsible with music, that's a bobby dazzler. Thunderclap is overweight with a beard and so am I - that's why we covered it." DARIUS: PRETTY FLAMINGO PRETTY Flamingo by Manfred Mann reached No 1 on April 23, 1966. Pop Idol finalist Darius says: "War Child is the only cause that could get me to do a cover. I chose Pretty Flamingo because it's a song that I grew up with." THE REELISTS WITH MS DYNAMITE: BACK TO LIFE SOUL II Soul's Back To Life (However Do You Want Me) went to No 1 on June 10, 1989 with Caron Wheeler as guest lead vocalist. Rising R&B star Ms Dynamite says she wanted to cover the track because, "It's a classic British soul record which we all love." STARSAILOR: ALL OR NOTHING ALL Or Nothing by the Small Faces hit the top spot on August 11, 1966. Starsailor's James Walsh says: "When we were in our infancy as a band, this was a song we always attempted to cover. It's also a song that some people don't even realise was a number one." McALMONT AND BUTLER: BACK FOR GOOD BACK For Good became one of Take That's eight No 1s in April, 1995. Bernard Butler says: "We went through the list of all the great number one songs - we wanted to do something that would bring out the soul in David's voice." MORE FIRE CREW WITH GABRIELLE: DREAMS DREAMS by Gabrielle went to the top of the charts on June 19, 1993. Lethal B says: "My parents are big Gabrielle fans so I remembered Dreams from back then. It was a natural choice. It's kind of relevant, too." FAITHLESS AND DIDO: DUB BE GOOD TO ME DUB Be Good To Me by Beats International, featuring Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim, got to No 1 on February 10, 1990. Sister Bliss says: "We loved the original and we love Beats International's version as well. It brought out the song's dubby side." LISTEN TO SAMPLES OF TRACKS BY CALLING 0901 564 3999. Calls cost 60p per minute. All our proceeds will go to War Child. Thankyou to The Mirror for the story |