Released 19 May 1986 Length 3:40 | Recorded 1985–86 Label Chrysalis | |
Format CD, 7" vinyl, 12" vinyl Genre Pop rock, new wave, jangle pop | ||
"My Favourite Waste of Time" (also known as "You're My Favourite Waste of Time") is a song written and first released by American singer Marshall Crenshaw. His 1979 home demo of the song was released as the B-side of his 1982 hit "Someday Someway".
The song was recorded by Scottish singer Owen Paul and released in the United Kingdom on 19 May 1986. It remains his biggest hit single, reaching number 3 on the UK chart in July 1986. Paul is usually considered as a "one-hit wonder" because of the song's popularity and the fact that it was his only UK chart single.
This recording features future Thunder member Mark Luckhurst on bass. It was aborted on the television programme Pebble Mill at One when the band members just stood still instead of miming as they were unable to hear the backing track.
In 2008, the song featured in a Coco Pops Coco Rocks commercial.
In 2012, the song featured in an episode of the BBC programme Rogue Traders on Watchdog.
The song has also been recorded by Freedy Johnston, Bette Midler, Jeff Foskett, Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs, and Ronnie Spector.