Having refrained from blogging about a certain blog popularity contest run by a certain newspaper mainly on account of not giving a shit (am I gutted that I didn’t win? Yes - total sour grapes. It may have helped if I’d entered which I might actually do next year.*), I will say that I did part with some hard earned cash for the first single I’ve bought in a Zeus’ shield**. My nomination for number one - Gary Jules’ cover of Mad World

And surprise, surprise, it actually made it to number one (obviously my purchase made all the difference).

I quoted from the song the other day quite coincedentally as I didn’t realise it had been released (honest - I have no idea what’s in the charts because most of it’s shite and just about everything released these days makes my teeth ache) but had just been watching Donnie Darko (a fantastic film availble on DVD and Video***). So it’s encouraging to see that the single buying public is, for once, choosing a decent song rather than another piece of crap by Atomic Spice Babes or the latest champion, or indeed loser, from the BBC/ITV Karaoke-u-like competition. (And I have to confess that I can’t stand The Darkness either, spoof or not. They are not the new Queen, despite a penchant for wearing similar 70’s glam leotards to the ones Freddie M. wore way back when!)

What did surprise me is that they released the single now rather than back in 2001 when the film was released (although it didn’t get to this country until late last year) Turns out that Gary Jules had no idea it was being released either - the record company just made a decision to do so without consulting him. Worked out okay for all involved though! And personally I think it’s better than the original.

*Ha ha ha! As if! Not unless I was being paid!
**Aegis. I apologise for that extremely weak and feeble pun!
***And I apologise for the cynical captalist marketing ploy too. See below!