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The BMRB Years- Top 10 sales, 1980

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Gezza View member profile	Tuesday, 05:12 PM Post #361
Ciao, 911? E 'Quagmire. Sì, è preso nella finestra di questo Joined: 25 March 2011 Posts: 17,984 User: 13,341	22ND NOVEMBER "The Tide Is High" seems to have caught the public imagination as sales swell to 132,000 this week which is more copies sold in a week than either of their other 1980 chart toppers "Call Me" and "Atomic" though of course TTIH has the advantage of not being available on any album and also the additional sales that the run in to Christmas always provides. The song has sold 305,000 copies in just 3 weeks but still has some way to go to beat their biggest seller of the year, that being "Atomic" which has sales of over 475,000 to date. fAb8Q9X2xAc Debuting sensationally at No 1 over on the album charts with "Super Trouper" ABBA prove that that is no hold back to the title track which made its presence felt last week when it debuted at No 13 and this week bounds to No 2 with 86,000 being convinced enough to purchase it. Only 4 previous ABBA singles have been as high as "Super Trouper" is on their second week and of them two went on to be No 1 hits ("Waterloo" and "Take A Chance On Me") whilst two never made it there ("Chiquitita" and "I Have A Dream") so it's 50/50 on this ones chances next week. BshxCIjNEjY ABBA are the only new entry in the entire top 10 this week though there are two climbers, David Bowie rises 6-5 (63,000) and Stephanie Mills jumps 9-6 (53,000) whilst Dennis Waterman holds at No 4 though does increase sales wise by 27% to 67,000, indeed he almost overtook a falling Barbra Streisand whose "Woman In Love" drops 2-3 (74,000) and which has now sold 578,000 copies rising to No 7 in the YTD's and should make the top 4 next week on that list. Fallers make up the bottom of the big 10, Bad Manners drop 3-7 (46,000), Adam & The Ants move 7-8 (43,000), OMD are in reverse again 8-9 (43,000) whilst Status Quo cling on 5-10 (36,0000) 1- THE TIDE IS HIGH- Blondie (132,000) 2- SUPER TROUPER- Abba (86,000) 3- WOMAN IN LOVE- Barbra Streisand (74,000) 4- I COULD BE SO GOOD FOR YOU- Dennis Waterman (67,000) 5- FASHION- David Bowie (63,000) 6- I NEVER KNEW A LOVE LIKE THIS BEFORE- Stephanie Mills (53,000) 7- SPECIAL BREW- Bad Manners (46,000) 8- DOG EAT DOG- Adam & The Ants (43,000) 9- ENOLA GAY- O,M.D (43,000) 10- WHAT YOU’RE PROPOSING- Status Quo (36,000)


chartjack2 View member profile	Tuesday, 07:47 PM Post #362
BuzzJack Enthusiast Joined: 19 November 2014 Posts: 1,444 User: 21,383	Only found out “Super Trouper” was a light last year - I’d always thought they meant “trooper”, as in “ah, what a trooper”. Unless it’s a clever pun?


TheSnake View member profile	Tuesday, 07:52 PM Post #363
Say that hiss with your chest, and... Joined: 24 May 2016 Posts: 18,521 User: 23,308	I only really know Dennis Waterman from him being mentioned with Stock and Aitken in the lyrics of the Harry Enfield novelty hit in 1988! Super Trouper is very good, I also thought it was spelt 'trooper' in the song.


Smint View member profile	Tuesday, 08:38 PM Post #364
BuzzJack Gold Member Joined: 21 February 2021 Posts: 3,632 User: 124,514	And a very random use of Glasgow in the first verse- could have chosen any big city really but nice they chose that one!


Bjork View member profile	Yesterday, 08:15 AM Post #365
BuzzJack Legend Joined: 13 November 2015 Posts: 33,400 User: 22,665	oh I didn't know it was referring to lights either Super Troupers are huge spotlights used in stadium concerts and events. As popular ABBA was, the foursome were not really fond of performing onstage and liked performing in studios rather than going on tour. The idea is reflected in this song, which has an upbeat tempo while the lyrics take a more lonely approach to stardom.


Gezza View member profile	Yesterday, 10:02 AM Post #366
Ciao, 911? E 'Quagmire. Sì, è preso nella finestra di questo Joined: 25 March 2011 Posts: 17,984 User: 13,341	29TH NOVEMBER ABBA are back at No 1 today with their 9th chart topper putting them behind Elvis, The Beatles, and Cliff Richard in the all time list, not only that but they complete the double by also hanging onto the No 1 spot on the album charts as well. "Super Trouper" recorded a sale of 121,000 copies bringing its total to 239,000 copies so far! Oy3wVAmm1yk The track is also the 22nd No 1 hit of 1980 and the year is now behind only 1965 in terms of chart toppers in the year, the latter had a total of 24 and with 5 weeks of the year left this year could still easily outdo 65 and create a new record. With the release of "Autoamerican" this week (it debuted at No 3) Blondie take a tumble with "The Tide Is High" which still sold 92,000 copies and should move over half a million all told. After last weeks drought the top 10 gives us 4 new tracks to discuss starting at No 7 with the arrival of Kool & The Gang. "Celebration" rises 12-7 (54,000) to become their highest peaking single out doing "Ladies Night" which made No 9 last year. The track is the lead single from their 14th album "Celebrate!" Which was released a couple of months ago but which is yet to break the top 20 here. 2CVrBgmcpmQ Also back in the frame is John Lennon, he returns with a new album "Double Fantasy" which climbs 27-14 on the album chart, and lead track "(Just Like) Starting Over" which moves 13-8 (51,000) this week. It's his first album and new music in 5 years after he went into self imposed hiatus to concentrate on family life but it seems like we've missed him! P7t4sHXOlK0 With a fourth album due in January the Boomtown Rats released their 9th single "Banana Republic" which this week ascends 23-9 (49,000) to record a fifth top 10 hit, very single they have released has made the top 15, quite an achievement! The song is about their homeland Eire which has banned the group from performing in the country though there are reports that story is little more than a rouse dreamed up to cause promotion. oNUzTCHFLGM Meanwhile it's single number three and top ten hit number three for UB40 who continue to ride the coat-tails of success. Another double A-Side "The Earth Dies Screaming/ Dream A Lie" isn't on their debut album "Signing Off" though they were recorded at the same time as the album, but being left off the LP might be key to the success of this single as it rises 11-10 (45,000). cWl69ZOINfE LfoVVRDU378 (The video for "Dream A Lie" isn't one you could make in 2024 so be aware) Elsewhere Dennis Waterman and Stephanie Mills both climb, 4-3 (69,000) and 6-4 (68,000) respectively whilst Bowie holds at No 5 (60,000) and Barbra Streisand falls 3-6 (56,000) but makes its predicted move to No 3 on the YTD list. 1- SUPER TROUPER- Abba (121,000) 2- THE TIDE IS HIGH- Blondie (92,000) 3- I COULD BE SO GOOD FOR YOU- Dennis Waterman (69,000) 4- I NEVER KNEW A LOVE LIKE THIS BEFORE- Stephanie Mills (68,000) 5- FASHION- David Bowie (60,000) 6- WOMAN IN LOVE- Barbra Streisand (56,000) 7- CELEBRATION- Kool & The Gang (54,000) 8- (JUST LIKE) STARTING OVER- John Lennon (51,000) 9- BANANA REPUBLIC- Boomtown Rats (49,000) 10- EARTH DIES SCREAMING/ DREAM A LIE- UB40 (45,000) We're a month from Christmas so here's the runners and riders for the festive top spot! ANTMUSIC- Adam & The Ants Much is expected from these boys and perhaps this call to arms for “antpeople” might just go all the way to be their first No 1? DE DO DO DO DE DA DA DA- The Police The last three “proper” Police singles all went to No 1 and what’s to stop this piece of festive fun heading all the way! DECEMBER WILL BE MAGIC AGAIN- Kate Bush She may not be chart topping these days but Kate’s new single has a festive feel to warm us all up NEVER MIND THE PRESENTS- The Barron Knights It’s Christmas so it must be time for a Barron Knights single- this one is set to the usual medley of recent hits - they got to the No 3 just 2 years ago so don’t discount it. RUNAWAY BOYS- Stray Cats If hype were sales then this lot would be in the top 10 for sure- this is their debut single and it’s fair to say there’s a lot riding on this- whether it was wise to release it for the festive market will soon be decided. SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN- Elvis Presley Something much more traditional from Elvis but he was in the top 3 just a few months ago- long live the king. STOP THE CAVALRY- Jona Lewie This heartwarming anti-war tale has all the ingredients to be a festive chart topper. THERE’S NO-ONE QUITE LIKE GRANDMA- St Winifred’s School Choir Every Grandmother should be frightened of this one- children at Christmas- who can resist? THIS WRECKAGE- Gary Numan Like Kate Bush, he doesn’t seem to be hitting the very top of the charts these days but his last two singles debuted in the top 10 so this could be there or thereabouts.


chartjack2 View member profile	Yesterday, 01:52 PM Post #367
BuzzJack Enthusiast Joined: 19 November 2014 Posts: 1,444 User: 21,383	Surprised they made the Dream a Lie video in 1980 tbh. Obviously no spoilers, but #8 seems about right for Just Like Starting Over - musically, it’s fairly perfunctory but clearly the work of a Beatle.


Popchartfreak View member profile	Yesterday, 04:19 PM Post #368
BuzzJack Legend Joined: 18 July 2012 Posts: 22,914 User: 17,376	I bought the Super Trouper album and loved it to bits, so many brilliant tracks, and the video for the single was just fabulous, recorded it onto my £20 videotape and played it a lot. I, for once, didn't buy the single because B side The Piper was on the album - I only bought singles from albums if they had bonus non-album tracks on the B side. The Piper was great too though, and it was blatantly obvious that Happy New Year would be out in time for a 3rd single for Xmas - except it wasn't!! Missed opportunity, though it wouldnt have made the top spot unless they'd released early enough to challenge the actual Xmas number one. Celebration was the one that really kickstarted the Kool & The Gang pleasant non-challenging smooth run of hits for the 80's, after the funk era failed to make any impression. It's OK. Kylie liked it! Starting Over heralded a media comeback for John Lennon and I was ecstatic to have him back with the new album also sounding promising (until I found out 50% of the tracks were Yoko's, at which point I opted out until after his brutal murder and was also converted to Yoko in 1981 by her brilliant Yoko's single, Walking On Thin Ice - the one they were working on the night of the murder). This single was the return of a hero for me, and the retro vibes were charming. Banana Republic was fun, at least on the surface, but it was the final big Rats single, sadly. UB40 OTOH were just getting started. The Earth Dies Screaming was the best side.


chartjack2 View member profile	23 hours ago Post #369
BuzzJack Enthusiast Joined: 19 November 2014 Posts: 1,444 User: 21,383	Curious John Lennon never made a video for Starting Over considering it was out for a month before his death. I’m not sure if there’s any filmed interviews with him either to promote Double Fantasy. Perhaps he was just a bit shy?


King Rollo View member profile	22 hours ago Post #370
BuzzJack Platinum Member Joined: 3 January 2017 Posts: 10,196 User: 23,961	QUOTE(Smint @ 7th May 2024, 09:38 PM) And a very random use of Glasgow in the first verse- could have chosen any big city really but nice they chose that one! The recent documentary 'When Abba Came To Britain' confirmed that line refers to a phone call that Bjorn made while they were on tour in Glasgow.


Bjork View member profile	22 hours ago Post #371
BuzzJack Legend Joined: 13 November 2015 Posts: 33,400 User: 22,665	My fav from the newbies is Banana Republic the John Lennon song, not a favourite amazed UB40 where consistently being top 10 considering they sound dull as dishwater


Smint View member profile	19 hours ago Post #372
BuzzJack Gold Member Joined: 21 February 2021 Posts: 3,632 User: 124,514	'Banana Republic' is a great Boomtown Rats track, up there with 'I Don't Like Mondays' and 'Like Clockwork'. A bit avant garde which is always a good thing. Whereas 'Just Like Starting Over' is a bit meh - sounds very Elvis tribute if anything. 'Celebration' is a fun classic disco track which is impossible to dislike. 'Earth Dies Screaming' is pretty good too - UB40 did bland out in later years with all their covers but their early stuff sounded fresh and different.


TheSnake View member profile	19 hours ago Post #373
Say that hiss with your chest, and... Joined: 24 May 2016 Posts: 18,521 User: 23,308	Kool on their 14th album wow! Celebration is a good song but its been overused by the media over the years so I am not a massive fan. The John Lennon song is good, its quite late 50s early 60s retro sounding.


Popchartfreak View member profile	9 hours ago Post #374
BuzzJack Legend Joined: 18 July 2012 Posts: 22,914 User: 17,376	music and hits sometimes need to be seen as part of the culture and events of the time - John Lennon had been away for 5 years, an eternity in pop terms in those days, and the whole music scene had changed - John himself had been inspired by acts like Madness to get recording again, so there was huge goodwill to have the legendary Beatle back to grab his first top 10 with new material in 8 years. Most of the media stuff was radio, a lot of it broadcast after his death - see the Andy Peebles in-depth series on his career interviewing John for hours. I expect a video just didnt occur to John, they werent really a thing when he last did an album, and he had only done one singing TV appearance (Old Grey Whistle Test pre-filmed studio special) for 1975's Stand By Me and some other covers, since Instant Karma in 1970, so he was def out of the video loop - pre MTV I'm not sure there were many video outlets on US TV, the UK had TOTP and kids shows so we were lucky really, which is why we had a head start on the 80's MTV explosion and UK acts really took off. UB40 were the voice of the unemployed and poor (before they went in for reggae covers) - the charts might be fun but life wasn't for many. I was part of the 3 million on the dole unable to get a job for 2 years: any job! 1981 would be even worse, with riots in the streets, and benefits were about as low as you could get if you were straight out of education. The North was especially hit hard and that would get even worse when all coalmines were closed. My grandad, dad had worked down the mines in the past, and my brother in the 70's and 80's as that was the biggest employer until Thatcher. Plus UB40 were multicultural, which was a social and musical statement in itself, along with Two-Tone acts carrying on the tradition of previous musical generation bands like Hot Chocolate, Blue Mink, The Equals.


Gezza View member profile	8 hours ago Post #375
Ciao, 911? E 'Quagmire. Sì, è preso nella finestra di questo Joined: 25 March 2011 Posts: 17,984 User: 13,341	6TH DECEMBER A quiet week at the top of the charts this week with no movement for either ABBA at No 1 or Blondie at No 2 though both slide sales wise as fans switch to the albums for Christmas presents. "Super Trouper" loses 22% of its sales and registers 101,000 sales whilst Blondie lose only 6% as they drift to 86,000, both acts have current top 5 albums with ABBA again completing the double! it's the 4th time this year that the double has been achieved and also the fourth time that ABBA have done it- putting them behind only Elvis and the Beatles in this respect. DPQnD7_fMsg Becoming the first act to score 4 top 10 hits in 1980 Madness soar 12-4 (60,000) with "Embarrassment" which is the follow up to "Baggy Trousers" which still lingers in the chart at No 58 this week as sales now exceed 500,000. Thematically it's rather darker than your normal Madness single covering themes of racism, illegitimacy and teenage pregnancy, that hasn't stopped it becoming the bands fifth straight top 10 hit. Rumour has it that it's based on a real life tale which happened to a relative of the band who got involved in an interracial relationship much to the anger of her family. ba46KuUHKmM Named after the German prison where many executions took place (the "Ballet" refers to the twitching the bodies exhibited as they were hanged) Spandau Ballet see their first single "To Cut A Long Story Short" jump 11-5 (56,000) . The band are part of the emerging "New Romantic" crowd which have grabbed many headlines over the last 6 months and finally provide the movement, if it is such a thing, with a hit of its own! QUCyXswP0zY This week also sees the return of Eddy Grant who of course famously topped the charts back in 1968 as a member of the Equals with a song he wrote himself "Baby Come Back". He split with them and struck it big last year with "Living On The Front Line" which narrowly missed the top 10, a curse he breaks this week with "Do You Feel My Love" which climbs 15-9 (45,000). k0J-BVjwe7g Boomtown Rats are finally back in the top 3 for the first time since "I Don't Like Mondays" in June 1979 as they jump 9-3 (77,000) but they're the only climbers. Dennis Waterman drops 3-6 (47,000), Stephanie Mills dips 4-7 (47,000), Kool & The Gang descend 7-8 (46,000) and John Lennon can't advance any further and moves 8-10 (43,000) 1- SUPER TROUPER- Abba (101,000) 2- THE TIDE IS HIGH- Blondie (86,000) 3- BANANA REPUBLIC- Boomtown Rats (77,000) 4- EMBARRASSMENT- Madness (60,000) 5- TO CUT A LONG STORY SHORT- Spandau Ballet (56,000) 6- I COULD BE SO GOOD FOR YOU- Dennis Waterman (47,000) 7- I NEVER KNEW A LOVE LIKE THIS BEFORE- Stephanie Mills (47,000) 8- CELEBRATION- Kool & The Gang (46,000) 9- DO YOU FEEL MY LOVE- Eddy Grant (45,000) 10- (JUST LIKE) STARTING OVER- John Lennon (43,000)


jimwatts View member profile	7 hours ago Post #376
my mind is ready for fun Joined: 28 August 2017 Posts: 10,838 User: 38,591	'To Cut A Long Story Short' with that circling synth riff is Spandau Ballet's best song for me, or at least joint best with another of their multi-word titled hits. 'The Earth Dies Screaming' is the best UB40 song I've come across thus far - I suppose the success of their 1983 Labour Of Love album and specifically 'Red Red Wine' sent them on a different course.