Rick Dees presenting Darren with the #1 song award for IKILY

Rick Dees: Well, the time has arrived...and our special guest is quietly slipping into the countdown studio right now...settling in to his chair. Who has #1? Well, see if you can figure it out early by his voice alone. Who are you?

DarrenI'm here. I'm sipping Cherry Cola *hint, hint* and I'm hangin out with Rick Dees

Rick Dees: Who is this mystery man and why is he so huge in music with his partner? Their #1 hit and the secret to becoming #1 all next in seconds.

Pause for commercials

Rick Dees: Well, look at you? You're just in time for #1 on the countdown, and he's here: Darren Hayes of Savage Garden . . . and by way of introduction, this is what you do so well, sir!

*plays medley of I Want You, To the Moon and Back, Truly Madly Deeply, and the Animal Song*

Rick Dees: That is just incredibly good. It's one of those songs that you play on your car CD and just let it happen. And thank you for what you've created, Darren, and would you please please tell Daniel that the CD "Affirmation" gets a lot of play right here.

Darren: Sure. Thanks. I'm sure he'll be very pleased about that.

Rick Dees: It is 2000. What will we see of Savage Garden now in the next six months of 2000?

Darren: You know, we're touring a lot. We've kind of been away for a little while. This album "Affirmation" took about a year. We took a year off and wrote it and recorded it in San Francisco. So, 2000 for us is probably more singles. The touring will start in April in Asia and will come through the States in your summer, so we're really excited about that.

Rick Dees: You've been in San Francisco . . . Don't you have a house there now?

Darren: Yeah, it's funny. I was living in New York for about a year, and when we recorded in San Francisco, it was a complete accident. I got rejected by the board in New York from an apartment like most celebrities do.

Rick Dees: Get out!

Crew member: *gasps* Oh, don't you feel bad? Every celebrity gets rejected!

Darren: *laughs* And basically, I came to San Francisco to record, and I just fell in love with the place. I bought a house in Marin County, and I've been there for about eight months. I love it.

Rick Dees: Wren County is the capital of hot tubs.

Darren: Yeah! I don't have one yet!

Rick Dees: You don't?!

Darren: No, I'm trying to get one.

Rick Dees: Almost every home . . and correct me if I'm wrong on this . . . There's a beautiful view of the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean, and it gets cold and clammy-feeling, kind of foggy at night. So you have to have that hot tub bubbling and beckoning you.

Darren: Exactly. I've been invited to quite a few hot tub parties. *crew laughs* I haven't taken up the offer, but I've been invited!

Rick Dees: Oh, you must! *pauses* Is there a style of Australian architecture?

Darren: You know, there is actually. Where I come from, the state is called Queensland. It's kind of like the temperature in Florida. It's humid and tropical, and we have homes that we call Queenslanders. They're like plantation homes in that they're elevated because we have a lot of rainfall and flooding, and very big decks. Verandas, we call them, and usually you sit out there in the evenings and watch the sunsets.

Rick Dees: I can picture you sitting out there in the evening . . . on the wood . . writing a song.

Darren: Uh-huh?

Rick Dees: And . . . that's just a great inspiration, isn't it? Just to be out there, just to have your mind totally free and say "What am I thinking about? What if . . . Let's write something. Let's write . . . an animal song!"

Darren: Let's do that! Let's write a song about chic-a-cherry cola!

Rick Dees: *laughs* Yes! Well, it didn't come to you that way, but it did, didn't it?

Darren: You know, everything we do . . . it's funny, everything we do is very personal, especially "Affirmation" is an album that's basically my diary. And it's funny because a lot of people don't associate pop music with being sincere, and yet we always have been. I think on this record, it's a little easier to understand that, if you listen to the lyrics and see what's going on. It's catchy, it's electronic, it's pop, but it's real.

Rick Dees: And look what it did. You now have been presented this Number 1 Award to you.

Darren: That's very exciting!

Rick Dees: Can you read what it says?

Darren: Yes, it's from Rick Dee's Weekly Top 40 Countdown. It's an award for the #1 Song for 2 weeks in a row, February 7th to the 15th, for Truly Madly Deeply. And I'm really proud of that.

Rick Dees: It took you that long to come by and pick it up. I want you to know that.

Darren: It did! I've been out of town for a while! *laughs* That's great!

Rick Dees: But that's OK.

Darren: You know, actually, I listen to you in Australia and all over the world, so it's a big deal.

Rick Dees: What a nice thing to say. And there's another one, too, if you don't mind. Randy, this one, right here.

Darren: *whispers* Oh, no!

Rick Dees: Oh,yes. Now I'm going to read this one to you if it's OK because it takes a tremendous amount of promotion. Look at this group of people. They're very talented people who work with you.

Darren: And attractive.

Rick Dees: And attractive they are! This is the #1 Song Award, and this is another one. Savage Garden, "I Want You". Now this is 1997, but it took him from 1997 *crew laughs* until now to come by and pick it up!

Darren: That is unbelievable and amazing, and I'm going to have to get a new wall in my house for all these Rick Dees' awards! Thank you so much!

Rick Dees: But wait a minute, Darren! The good news is we're not done yet! *drum roll* This qualifies you for your third #1 Award! Three weeks in a row at #1 for you, Savage Garden! I Knew I Loved You before I Met You! Number 1!

*plays I Knew I Loved You*

Rick Dees: Savage Garden at #1 with I Knew I Loved You again this week. Savage Garden is with us, minus one member, Daniel Jones. And we were just talking about this. Are his work habits different from yours?

Darren: You know, he's someone who wants to sit in the studio and fiddle around with EQ's and drum machines and stuff like that, whereas I'm constantly thinking about lyrics, melodies, and designing a tour and things like that. So we definitely have different roles.

Rick Dees: And let me tell you something. The lyrics are fantastic, and if you just take them alone . . . Let me just give you an example *classical music plays* And to Daniel Jones, wherever you are!

*Darren laughs*

Deep voice: *talking, Darren continues to laugh* "Maybe it's intuition, but some things you just don't question. Like in your eyes, I see my future in an instant, and there is goes. I think I found my best friend. I know it sounds more than a little crazy, but I believe . . . I knew I loved you before I met you."

Rick Dees: *laughs* Darren, I can tell! Actually, Tony J., an amazing voice, just for you because you are #1. It's a pleasure to have you here, too, sir.

Darren: Man, it's a pleasure! Anytime you want to make me #1, just call me and I'll be back!

Rick Dees: Absolutely!

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