
Back when we started this section, almost a year ago to the day, the theme we chose to link the songs was the idea of rain. So, on the anniversary of the inception of "Variations on a theme", and despite all the evidence to the contrary, it's summer, or was, so why not go for a bunch of songs that have to do with the sun?
This was popularised by Emma Bunton, better known as Baby Spice, and she got into the charts with it, but this is the original, from 1980, a lady called Zoe with “Sunshine on a rainy day”.
A true soul classic from the Man, this is Stevie Wonder, and “The sunshine of my life”.
Then of course there's a-ha, with one of their bigger hits, “The sun always shines on TV”.
And a bleak, touching little tale from Terry Jacks which also hit number one back in 1974, it's called “Seasons in the sun”.
A big hit too for Gordon Lightfoot, this is “Sundown”.
NOT a hit, but still a great song from Iron Maiden's “Piece of mind” album, this is “Sun and steel”.
And of course, we couldn't forget Katrina and the Waves...
A lot of people it seems don't like Fleetwood Mac's “Behind the mask” album, but I do. Here's a sun-themed track from it. This is called “When the sun goes down”.
One of the darker songs the Police put out, this is “Invisible sun”.
And we close with one of the biggest bands on the planet, love 'em or hate 'em. It's U2, with “Staring at the sun”.