If thousands of deluded tweenies are going to give their money, otherwise designated for ringtones and Miss Selfridge lipglosses, to these cringingly jolly, wacky-haircut-sporting, Moptops-and-Monkees-aping fakers, it’s just as well the dosh is not going to pay for more instruments McLie may or may not actually play (see Paul Morley in the Observer) but, instead, to Comic Relief (for this is the official Comic Relief single of 2005). As for the rest of us, however, for whom a ten-foot pole is far too teensy an implement with which to puck this appallingly insincere offering from this boy-band-in-disguise away from us: well, you can just log on to www.makepovertyhistory.org and give ‘em the ol’ hard-earned and no fake band will come to your home.
As for Mr Fish, this semiacoustic walk-thru of Ben E. King’s masterpiece is a bit of a disappointment when you just know that he’s got all sorts of saxophonists and trumpet players and men with accordions in the very next room, banging down the door and shouting, ‘Jerry! Gis a go. C’mon.’ That said, it’s still the only charity single you will be remotely requiring this fortnight. kp