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Judas was beyond tired. He’d been up for hours already. Time zones were the worst thing known to man, but there was no way in hell was he going to miss out on this.

Triple J’s Hottest 100 was always a highlight of his childhood, he would sit by the battered old radio, guessing what songs people had voted as his favourite.

Now, twenty years later, he was doing the exact same thing with his battered old phone, on the opposite side of the world.

The countdown starting at 10am in Sydney meant that Judas was up at 1am for the start of it, and he’d already been up since 6am. He was beyond grateful that tomorrow (or technically today) would be a day off.

100 - 91

So far, it was pretty unremarkable. Blue Sky Mine was underrated, he had to admit, and Electric Blue should’ve been higher. 

90 - 81

Like the previous ten songs, the 80s were rather ordinary, the only highlight (if he could even call it that), was a sleepy Jesus giving him a playful shove at number 83. “He’s got the right idea,” Jesus had said. The song was Cigarettes Will Kill You. 

80 - 71

Number 78 brought in a favourite of his, Black Fingernails, Red Wine. “I like this one,” mumbled Jesus, before promptly falling asleep on Judas’ shoulder. 

Unfortunately, he was woken two songs later with Judas’ excited fist pump at number 76. Judas wasn’t going to admit that beneath his hard exterior, he had a soft spot for 2000s powerpop, but 4ever was a fun song, one he had drunkenly belted out at karaoke at least twice. 

70 - 61

Still drowsy, Jesus tried to stay awake, but ended up giving in to his fatigue halfway through Weather With You, one of his own favourites. Other than that, ranking at 69th, Judas found the 60s even more unremarkable than the 90s, the only other decent song being The Power And The Passion. 

60 - 51

Judas dozed off halfway through number 60, before awaking with a start at number 59. The iconic riff of Need You Tonight warbled through his phone’s tinny speaker, and it took a lot of effort to not wake the man sleeping beside him. The single occasion they had both let Simon drag them out to a club had resulted in the pair of them messily making out as INXS blared through the venue. They got kicked out pretty soon after that, for reasons Judas couldn’t quite remember. 

50 - 41

Judas groaned as the 45th song started to play. He promptly set a timer for five minutes and turned the phone off, rising for a quick trip to the bathroom and to grab a snack. He never wanted to hear Eagle Rock again; there were far too many memories of idiots pulling their pants down for the hell of it.

43 did elicit a quiet cheer, as Joker and the Thief started. It was one of the few songs he’d learnt on guitar. He hoped he could still remember it, but he knew it’d sound shit on Bart’s old acoustic. Hopefully his electric guitar was still back home in Sydney. 

40 - 31

A string of top-tier songs filled the 30s, with Judas singing along quietly as dawn broke. Reckless, Better Be Home Soon, Back In Black, Treaty, and Great Southern Land had him missing home. Maybe once the Twelve was all finished, their energy all spent, he could take Jesus there. 

30 - 21

“Can’t believe you stayed up all night, and we have to wake up to Kylie Minogue,” grumbled Mary, throwing herself down opposite. 

“Believe me, I woke up to this every morning as a kid. It never gets better,” he replied. 

Mary got up shortly after the song finished, probably in search of coffee.

Jesus started to stir. Judas sang along softly to the song that played.

“You will make me laugh and make me cry 

We will never forget it. 

You will make me call your name and I'll shout it to the blue summer sky. 

We may never meet again, so shed your skin and let’s get started. 

And you will throw your arms around me…”

20

His mother liked this song. That was all he could recall. 

19

He’d not heard this one before. 

18

“This song should’ve been higher,” whined Simon. 

“You know it’s not actually about setting things on fire, right?” Judas frowned, taking a swig of coffee. 

“It’s literally called Beds Are Burning,” Simon said. 

Judas rolled his eyes. “It’s about how Indigenous Australians deserve their land back.”

“That’s even more reason, then.”

17

Silverchair’s album 'Frogstomp' brought him back to his 20s. Perhaps one of the few fond things from that time. He wasn’t a huge fan of this song though. Straight Lines was better. 

16

Judas wanted to fall asleep. He suspected he might’ve. 

15 

“You’re The Voice should absolutely be higher,” Jesus insisted. “It’s got such a good message!”

“And it’s a staple,” Judas agreed. 

14

“Oh, I like this song,” Mary said, humming along. 

“You know Powderfinger?” Judas asked incredulously. 

“Yeah. This is These Days, from 'Odyssey Number Five'. Was one of the first CDs I bought,” Mary said, crossing her arms defensively. 

You learn something every day, Judas supposed. 

13

“If you don’t know this song I’m quitting,” Judas joked as the opening guitar of Thunderstruck played. 

Peter looked at him dumbly. “I don’t know it.”

12

A blaring intro Judas knew vividly began. “Oh I gotta teach you guys something,” he chuckled. “They’re gonna sing a question, you gotta follow my lead.”

“Am I ever gonna see your face again?” played out the speaker, and Judas followed it with the chant, half-heartedly. 

“No way, get fucked, fuck off!”

The Twelve (minus Jesus) joined in for every subsequent chorus. 

“Just don’t sing it in a nice venue. They’ll kick you out.”

11

“Oh, this is a fantastic song, I love hearing this on the radio,” hummed John. 

For once, Judas agreed with the kid. Sweet Disposition was a good song. 

10

“This only came out last year,” Thomas frowned. “It’s annoying, hearing it everywhere. What’s it called? Somebody That I Used To Know, right?”

“Yeah. And that xylophone part is Baa Baa Black Sheep. Which makes it even more annoying,” grumbled Judas. 

9

Judas let his head fall forward, his hair masking the pained expression on his face as he recognised How To Make Gravy.

It reminded him too much of home.

Of his Dad.

Of his past. 

Only Jesus knew. And he noticed Judas’ reaction, softly taking Judas’ hand in his own beneath the table. 

8

Khe Sahn seemed to disperse the disciples, all of them wandering away. Judas did the same. 

7

Judas returned with another cup of coffee to yet another Cold Chisel song, this time, Flame Trees. 

He wandered away for a snack. 

6

It was just Jesus and Judas by the phone as My Happiness played. “This song reminds me of us,” Judas whispered to the man beside him. 

5

“This song’s beautiful,” Jesus sighed, as Judas hummed along to Don’t Dream It’s Over. 

It was. 

But not as beautiful as Jesus was. 

4

“A triangle trying to squeeze into a circle,” Jesus quoted. “That’s very poetic.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Judas replied. 

“What’s the song called?”

“Scar.”

“Maybe I don’t like this as much anymore,” Jesus remarked. “But you relate to it, don’t you?”

Judas gave a minute nod. 

3

There was an iconic violin introduction, as Untouched by The Veronicas started. “Holy shit!” he exclaimed, jumping up. 

Several heads turned. 

“What the fuck?” Simon said disbelievingly. “2000s girl pop has Judas excited?”

Judas immediately sat back down, bright red.

“It’s a good song,” he muttered. 

“Not saying it’s not! Just surprised,” Simon said, raising his hands in surrender. 

2

“Ugh, this is number two?” Judas groaned. “I’m so over this song. Heard enough of it in 2003!”

“I love Nosebleed Section!” called out Peter. 

“But you don’t know AC/DC…”

1 

Finally, it was time for the final song of the countdown, and Judas was ready for bed. At 11am. 

But as string-synths radiated from the phone speaker, he felt himself tear up. 

Out of all the songs ever written and recorded by an Australian artist… It was this. 

Jesus looked at him, his own eyes watery. 

It was their song. 

“I was standing. 

You were there. 

Two worlds collided. 

And they could never tear us apart.”

...

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