1998 B*Witched: Rollercoaster/Billie: Girlfriend

The second number one for both acts and a neat coupling that provides a useful point of contrast. First up, 'Rollercoaster' is pretty much as their previous ‘C’est La Vie’ in its unassuming, 'my first pop group' trill, only over familiarity makes it less so this time round. Well that and the sheer lack of anything much going on behinds its eyes - from the phoned in, mid-tempo dance beat, the grotesque lyrics ("Today's the day, we're out to play and lost our way, it's always the same. Climbed the trees, swam the seven seas, we've grazed our knees and no-one's to blame") to the flat packed production and half assed dance shapes the girls throw in the video, everything about 'Rollercoaster' is undercooked, underdone and underwhelming - a plastic trinket from the cheapest Christmas cracker in the shop with nary a single highlight to evidence any craft or tender loving care and attention having gone into its creation. Somehow it managed to strike lucky, and good luck to it I guess, but not lucky enough to not fill me with the same levels of resentment usually only reserved for the unemployed, drug taking wife beater who scoops millions on the lottery. The one on the far right always gives me the creeps too.

Though no less an unabashed pop song aimed at a younger audience, 'Girlfriend' benefits immeasurably through following on from such a blank round. While the former dismays in its ‘been here before’ tack, what I like most about 'Girlfriend' is its sense of purpose and the individuality it carves out for itself. I've always got a soft spot for the wistful sighs that come from loving from afar, but Billie's direct "Do you have a girlfriend? You're looking real cool. Can I have your number?" is refreshingly upfront and its boldness makes me smile, particularly as I would never have had the guts to say the same to a girl at age 15. Which, I think, is the mainstay of its appeal - it couldn’t really be said that B*Witched 'perform' or provide any kind of 'interpretation' to 'Rollercoaster'; there's no depth to any of the raw material to offer up any dimension beyond one whereas Billie, in comparison, makes 'Girlfriend' an extension of her own persona. Granted, in doing so it's no less a manufactured or marketed commodity, but the dovetail between song and performer is seamless in presenting and maintaining the chirpy, girl next door image - why does she want to know if she can have his number? Because she wants to, that's why. And if he doesn’t want to know then there's enough of Billie on display here to guess that she'd just smile and move on. Add a chunky 'urban' production (that's admittedly more avenue than street) and it makes 'Girlfriend' classic pop for its times yet with an appeal that endures in a way 'Rollercoaster' quite simply has not and could never hope to.