The fourth, the fifth. The minor fall, the major lift

right. earworms of the week - your disturbing insight into the what's going on inside my head:

10. 'Torn' - Natalie Imbruglia
Coincidentally featured in Lord Bargain's top 20 list for 1997. She's shimmeringly beautiful, and clearly has no need for all of those cosmetics she now advertises, being all of about 27. Still, her new record has made me think about her first. It may have been nicked from a Norwegian, but surely she'll never do anything better than this?

9. 'Mr.Brightside' - The Killers
This is the first killers song I heard, and is the one that I keep coming back to. I'm not entirely convinced by the rest of the album, I have to say, but I will give them a look when I'm at Glastonbury.

8. 'Chocolate' - Snow Patrol
My most played album of 2004, and after a short break from them, this was on again in the car on Thursday. I could easily have gone for almost anything off this album, but today, I chose this one.

7. 'The Lost Art Of Keeping a Secret' - Queens of the Stoneage
I went to see QOTSA when they played at Rock City in as part of Radio One's "One Live In Nottingham" thing a couple of year's ago. They were absolutely magnificent, and this was the song that really stood out. Not as ROCK as some of their other stuff, but what a tune. Josh Homme, we saltute you!

6. 'Pistol of Fire' - Kings of Leon
Because it's by a man with big ears and a ridiculous fringe singing about shagging groupies and then wondering why his "pistol" burns when he pees. At least I think that's what he's saying.

5. 'Sunshine of Your Love' - Cream
bar-bar be ba, bar-bam-bam dee DOOOO da

4. 'Evil' - Interpol
I was asked by a colleague at work to check that the audio balance on his iPod was okay... I did so using this song, which we both have in our libraries. Interpol are brilliant and I'm pleased to report that they are playing at Glastonbury in the summer, and I will most certainly be there to watch them again, although as it most likely won't be dark, I am wondering how they will manage to perform without their customary silhouette lighting show.... or as they are most likely all vampires, how they will manage to perform in daylight at all?

3. 'My Lovely Horse' - Father Ted Crilly & Father Dougal MacGuire
Where are you going, with your fetlocks blowing in the wind?

2. 'Jolene' - Dolly Parton
The White Stripes do a pretty mean version of this, but nothing comes close to the original in my books. Please don't take him just because you can: sage advice for anyone.

1. 'Hallelujah' - Jeff Buckley
Rufus Wainwright played a decent enough version of this the other night, but to be honest it only made me think how gorgeous the Jeff Buckley version is (and the John Cale version isn't too shabby either, or Leonard Cohen's original version). I saw Buckley performing this live in the Melody Maker tent at the Reading Festival in 1994. It was a shitty wet day, and I was waiting for Gene to perform. Now I love Gene dearly (and I had to go on my own, none of my mates would come with me), but I have to say that I'm quite glad I saw this vocally gymnastic show-pony in action. Breathtaking. Right from the sigh right at the beginning of this song, through to the plaintiff last chord. Quite possibly one of the most moving pieces of music that I own.

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I am playing host the the Ultimate Olympian this weekend. He's up in Nottingham to try out all of the Olympic canoeing and kayaking disciplines with some members of the Great Britain coaching team at the Holmepierrepoint watersports centre. This is something of a local media event, you know.... he's the current star of the BBC Nottingham website (thanks to Phill from 'Danger! High Postage").

I'm supposed to be on camera and camcorder duties, but there is a small danger that I will be roped in to perform at some point.... I imagine that there will be an update on this at some point or other over the weekend.

I bet you can't wait.

You lucky people.