View source for Day Trip to Bangor (Didn't We Have a Lovely Time)

{{Infobox song
| name       = Day Trip to Bangor (Didn't We Have a Lovely Time)
| cover      = Day Trip to Bangor (Didn't We Have a Lovely Time) by Fiddler's Dram.jpg
| alt        =
| caption    = UK vinyl single
| type       = single
| artist     = [[Fiddler's Dram]]
| album      = Fiddler's Dram
| B-side     = The Flash Lad
| released   = 1979
| recorded   = 1979
| studio     =
| venue      =
| genre      = [[Folk music|Folk]]
| length     = 2:58
| label      = {{hlist|Dingle's Records (UK)<br>[[RCA Records|RCA]] (GER/POR)<br>[[RCA Victor]] (AUS/ESP/NED)<br>Release Records (IRL)<br>[[Planet Records]] (SWE)}}
| writer     = Debbie Cook
| producer   = David Foister
| prev_title =
| prev_year  =
| next_title = Beercart Lane (Dancing in the Moonlight)
| next_year  = 1980
| misc       = {{External music video|{{YouTube|T8WiPy1xSkw|"Day Trip to Bangor"}}}}
}}
"'''Day Trip to Bangor (Didn't We Have a Lovely Time)'''" is a single by the folk group [[Fiddler's Dram]]. The novelty song was [[List of UK top 10 singles in 1979|released in 1979]] and [[List of UK top 10 singles in 1980|peaked at number 3]] at the start of 1980.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/8716061/Old-words-dont-die-they-just-wait-to-be-rescued.html|title=Old words don't die, they just wait to be rescued|last=Howse|first=Christopher|date=22 August 2011|work=Telegraph Online|publisher=Telegraph Media Group|accessdate=6 June 2018}}</ref> The song was written by Debbie Cook and recorded by the lead singer of the band, [[Cathy Lesurf]]. The single was the group's only chart entry in their career, making them [[One-hit wonder|one hit wonders]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/features/11844819.It_may_be_early_March_but_there_s_spring_in_the_step_of_Britain_s_best_seaside_village/|title=It may be early March but there's spring in the step of Britain's best seaside village|date=10 March 2015|work=The Northern Echo|accessdate=6 June 2018}}</ref>
==Controversy==
The release was shrouded in controversy after reports that the song was actually inspired by a trip to [[Rhyl]], another town in [[North Wales]]. It was rumoured that [[Bangor, Gwynedd|Bangor]] was chosen as the lyric due to it having an extra syllable that flowed better with the song. There were rumours of an outcry among local councillors and businesses in Rhyl about the missed opportunity for tourism which would have been generated. Cook stated that the song was specifically written about Bangor.<ref name=Post>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/local-news/singing-stars-fond-memories-bangor-2689518|title=Singing star's fond memories of Bangor|date=19 April 2013|work=Daily Post|accessdate=6 June 2018}}</ref>
==Use in popular culture==
In 1981, the song was parodied by the comedian [[Jasper Carrott]], with his version renamed "Daytrip to Blackpool."<ref>{{Cite web |title=DAY TRIP TO BANGOR - Lyrics - International Lyrics Playground |url=https://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/d/daytriptobangor.html |access-date=2022-09-20 |website=lyricsplayground.com}}</ref>
The [[Barron Knights]] also did a parody version of the song called “Didn’t we have a lovely time (At the office Christmas party)” on their 1980 UK hit single ''Never Mind The Presents''.
Radio presenter [[Paul Makin]] did a parody version on Sydney radio station [2UE] as "Bruiser Makin" performing "Daytrip to Woy Woy".{{When|date=September 2022}}.
Similarly, in 1980, radio presenter Barry Ion did a parody version, as “Peter Plus” on his “Bazz and Pilko” breakfast show on 5AD in Adelaide, Australia entitled “Daytrip to Victor” (a reference to local tourist location Victor Harbor).
The song was adapted,{{When|date=September 2022}} with changed lyrics, for a UK commercial for Anchor butter which ran from 1980.
[[Paul Dakeyne]] did a [[mashup (music)|mash-up]] of the song at the [[Chris Moyles]] Weekender in [[Bangor, Gwynedd|Bangor]] in 2010.<ref name="Lyrical Journey">{{cite web |date=16 October 2016 |title=Lyrical Journey - Day Trip to Bangor |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0151rkt |accessdate=7 June 2018 |work=BBC Radio 4 Extra |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation}}</ref>
"Day Trip to Bangor (Didn't We Have a Lovely Time)" was adapted by [[Vic Reeves]] and [[Bob Mortimer]] for their [[BBC]] sitcom ''[[House of Fools (TV series)|House of Fools]]'' which began in January 2014. The opening scene of each episode sees the duo sing a song to the tune of "Day Trip to Bangor".<ref name="Vic and Bob">{{cite web |last=Rampton |first=James |date=14 January 2014 |title=House of Fools: Reeves and Mortimer's big night in |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/house-of-fools-reeves-and-mortimers-big-night-in-9057105.html |accessdate=7 June 2018 |work=The Independent}}</ref><ref name="Lyrical Journey" /> The show ran for two series, ending in March 2015 after thirteen episodes.<ref>{{cite web |last=Dowell |first=Ben |date=25 August 2015 |title=Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer comedy House of Fools axed by the BBC after two series |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-08-25/vic-reeves-and-bob-mortimer-comedy-house-of-fools-axed-by-the-bbc-after-two-series/ |accessdate=7 June 2018 |work=Radio Times}}</ref>
==Charts==
===Chart performance===
The single entered the [[UK Singles Chart]] at number 26 on 13 December 1979 (week ending) two weeks before Christmas. It rose to number 4 for the following two weeks before reaching its peak of number 3 on 5 January 1980 (week ending). It spent two further weeks in the top 10, dropping to number 4 and then number 9 a week later. It was in the top 40 for one more week at number 24, and two final weeks in the top 100.<ref name = "Chart run">{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/day-trip-to-bangor/|title=Day Trip to Bangor - full Official Chart history|work=Official Chart|publisher=Official Charts Company|accessdate=7 June 2018}}</ref> It was also a sizeable hit in Australia where it reached number 8 in March 1980.
===Weekly charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|-
! scope="col"| Chart (1980)
! scope="col"| Peak<br />position
|-
! scope="row"| Australia ([[Kent Music Report]])<ref>{{cite book|first= David |last= Kent |author-link= David Kent (historian) |title= [[Kent Music Report|Australian Chart Book 1970-1992]] |publisher= Australian Chart Book |location= [[St Ives, New South Wales|St Ives]], N.S.W. |year= 1993 |isbn= 0-646-11917-6}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 8
|-
! scope="row"{{singlechart|Ireland2|6|song=Day Trip to Bangor|accessdate=March 13, 2022}}
|-
! scope="row"| UK Singles (Official Charts Company)<ref name = "Chart run" />
| 3
|}
===Year-end charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|-
! scope="col"| Chart (1980)
! scope="col"| Peak<br />position
|-
! scope="row"| Australia ([[Kent Music Report]])<ref name="aus80">{{cite web|url=https://imgur.com/a/kTGdGUZ|title= National Top 100 Singles for 1980|publisher= [[Kent Music Report]] |issue= 341 |via= [[Imgur]] |date= January 5, 1981 |access-date= January 17, 2022 }}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 60
|}
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*{{YouTube|T8WiPy1xSkw}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:1979 songs]]
[[Category:1979 singles]]
[[Category:Songs about cities]]
[[Category:Songs about Wales]]