Bono and The Edge cover ABBA
Scott looked back at Bono and The Edge’s Radio 2 Piano Room performance.
The U2 members said they admired ABBA even though admitting that during the punk era would once have felt unfashionable.
They performed SOS, one of Scott’s own favourite ABBA songs.
Scott directed listeners towards the full performance and extended Gary Davies interview on BBC Sounds and iPlayer.
The Birthday Game: Cara
Cara from Cheshire turned 37 and described herself as the Queen of Darts.
She met her husband after captaining the darts team on which they both played and still had a full board set up at home.
Her birthday plans involved a facial, a pub meal and wine at the weekend.
Cara shared her birthday with Aisling Bea, Blu Cantrell, Theo Walcott and former US president James Madison.
She hoped for Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera or something from the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Her first spin was Cliff Richard’s Summer Holiday. Cara rejected it.
The second was Will Young’s Evergreen, the first Pop Idol winner’s single. She also rejected that despite it coming much closer to her preferred era.
Her compulsory final song was Doop’s self-titled 1994 number one.
Cara did not recognise it immediately, but accepted the energetic Dutch production and received her birthday balloon.
Planning a St Patrick’s Day Wonder Years
Scott and producer Ben decided on air to create a St Patrick’s Day edition of The Wonder Years for the following afternoon.
Listeners suggested Irish artists including U2, Sinéad O’Connor, Westlife, Enya and Nadine Coyle.
Scott also asked whether a group should qualify when only one member was Irish.
The Music Police
Mark from the Cotswolds had submitted a melody that sounded classical, religious and connected with rugby.
Thousands of listeners believed it came from Gustav Holst’s Jupiter, part of The Planets.
Scott brought in music teacher James Partridge as an expert witness.
James explained that the central melody from Jupiter was later combined with words to create the hymn I Vow to Thee, My Country.
It was then adapted again as World in Union, closely associated with the Rugby World Cup.
James played the tune on a school piano and sang part of the hymn while pupils supposedly waited outside his classroom.
Scott declared Mark’s case closed.
The missing middle of the Toys R Us song
James then explained that the Toys R Us advert contained a longer section most viewers never heard.
The familiar jingle described “a magical place” with millions of toys, but the extended version also featured Geoffrey the giraffe and listed books, board games, bikes, teddies, puppets, dolls, beds, spaceships and trikes.
James played and sang the additional section on piano.
Scott admitted that, as a child, he had misunderstood the line “there’s millions, says Geoffrey” and had not realised Geoffrey was the giraffe’s name.
Why Americans do not use kettles
A listener explained that many American sockets use around 110 volts.
As a result, an electric kettle takes significantly longer to boil than it does in Britain.
Scott decided this partly explained why American kitchens often relied on microwaves or hob kettles instead.
Handover
Scott handed over to Sara Cox after asking listeners to help complete the following day’s Irish Wonder Years.
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