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> REVIEW: Now That's What I Call Music 6, Released 25th November 1985 | 30 Tracks | 4 #1 Singles
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Now That's What I Call Music 6 Ratings
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awardinary
post 11th September 2016, 06:42 PM
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Released: 25th November 1985
Origin: United Kingdom
Label: Virgin / EMI
Format: Vinyl / Double Cassette / Video
Duration: 01:55:00 (115 Minutes)
Tracks: 30
#1’s: 4
Chart Peak: #1 (4 Weeks)
Sales: 1,200,000 (4x Platinum)
    Tracklisting
1. Queen – One Vision* 4:10 {7}
2. Nik Kershaw – When A Heart Beats 4:25 {27}
3. Feargal Sharkey – A Good Heart* 4:28 {1}
4. Eurythmics – There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)* 4:38 {1}
5. Simple Minds – Alive And Kicking* 4:10 {7}
6. Bryan Adams & Tina Turner – It's Only Love 3:35 {29}
7. Gary Moore – Empty Rooms 3:45 {23}
8. Marillion – Lavender 4:00 {5}
9. Elton John – Nikita* 5:05 {3}
10. Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)* 5:10 {3}
11. Level 42 – Something About You* 4:00 {6}
12. Tina Turner – We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)* 4:30 {3}
13. UB40 – Don't Break My Heart* 4:05 {3}
14. Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin – Separate Lives 4:25 {4}
15. Cliff Richard – She's So Beautiful 4:35 {17}
16. Arcadia – Election Day 4:35 {7}
17. UB40 feat. Chrissie Hynde – I Got You Babe* 3:08 {1}
18. Fine Young Cannibals – Blue 3:40 {41}
19. Midge Ure – If I Was* 5:05 {1}
20. Siouxsie & The Banshees – Cities In Dust 3:20 {21}
21. Madness – Uncle Sam 3:20 {21}
22. Lloyd Cole & The Commotions – Lost Weekend 3:30 {17}
23. Communards – You Are My World 4:15 {30}
24. Paul Hardcastle – Just For Money 4:30 {19}
25. Jan Hammer – Miami Vice Theme 2:35 {5}
26. Maria Vidal – Body Rock 4:00 {11}
27. Baltimora – Tarzan Boy 3:35 {3}
28. Mai Tai – Body And Soul 4:05 {9}
29. Cameo – Single Life 5:15 {15}
30. David Grant & Jaki Graham – Mated 4:05 {20}

Key
Tracks highlighted red were official UK #1’s.
Tracks with an asterisk (*) next to their title have also been included in special releases from the series.
Bracketed numbers refer to highest chart position reached.
    Miscellaneous Facts
Track Most Weeks At #1: Feargal Sharkey – A Good Heart (2 weeks)
Lowest Charting Track: Fine Young Cannibals – Blue{41}
Longest Song: Cameo – Single Life 5:15
Shortest Song: Jan Hammer – Miami Vice Theme 2:35
Edited Tracks: Unknown
Unedited Tracks: Unknown
Inlay Mistakes: None
Other Facts: The first time a song outside the UK Top 40 made the final tracklisting.
    On This Day In History
No music news to report for this day.
    Other Resources
Official Now Music Website
Wikipedia
TV Cream
Everyhit


This post has been edited by awardinary: 11th September 2016, 07:16 PM
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awardinary
post 11th September 2016, 06:43 PM
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    Andrew's Review
Now That's What I Call Music 6 aka Now 6 was released in time for Christmas 1985, and only allowed a gap of 4 months from it's last release Now 5 (compared to the 8 month gap prior to this). Sadly however, the CD format was once again not available with this compilation.
Now 6 would be a 30 track compilation and it was to include 4 UK #1's which was much more impressive than the last two releases which only claimed one UK #1. Some popular artists of the time like Queen, Elton John, UB40, Eurythmics and Madness were all to be included and it was at this time we heard the debut from Communards. Now 6 would be the only time we would hear from Arcadia, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Lloyd Cole & The Commotions, Maria Vidal and Baltimore.
Although already carrying 4 #1's, there were some #1's not included and these were Madonna - Into The Groove; David Bowie & Mick Jagger - Dancing In The Street; Jennifer Rush - The Power Of Love & Wham - I'm Your Man.
My review is that this release is much better than Now 5, and many of the songs are enjoyable, and there are some good duets too. A shock to see a UK #41 make it to the ranks of Now 6, but this peak would not seem so surprising when compared to some of the later releases.

Artwork Rating: 5/10 Poor
It is disappointing to not see the pig mascot present in this design. Not as bright or colourful as the first 5 volumes, rather just a stitched on Now Logo stitched to some shiny leather trousers and clipped by a pen. Very plain design and poor aesthetics overall.

Side 1 Favourite: Simple Minds – Alive And Kicking
An 80's rock ballad recorded by 80's chart regulars Simple Minds. It's my favourite of theirs, followed by Don't You (Forget About Me).

Side 2 Favourite: Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
My favourite of this side has to be this song from pop icon Kate Bush. Surprised to learn it never made #1 as it is probably one of her best known singles.

Side 3 Favourite: Midge Ure – If I Was
Not really much quality to choose from, and the most recognised choice from UB40 just isn't a song I enjoy much. I opted for the other #1 single by Midge Ure, although it isn't one I'll likely play again in the future.

Side 4 Favourite: Cameo – Single Life
Always liked the funky sound from Cameo, and whilst this is no Word Up, it's still alright and it won't be long before we see a current artist releasing a cover I feel.

Overall Rating: 5/10 Poor
It's still not a cut above the rest, whilst increasing its number of #1 singles to 4, I just find the selection overall to be very bland and not including other genres and major hits of the time, maybe due to copyright issues, but they have had a couple of years by this point to iron out those sort of problems. I just wasn't that impressed listening to it this time around.

Andrew's Best 5 (as of September 2016)
1. Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
2. Simple Minds – Alive And Kicking
3. Eurythmics – There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)
4. Tina Turner – We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)
5. Cameo – Single Life

Andrew's Worst 5 (as of September 2016)
1. The Communards – You Are My World
2. Paul Hardcastle – Just For Money
3. David Grant & Jaki Graham – Mated
4. Madness – Uncle Sam
5. Jan Hammer – Miami Vice Theme


This post has been edited by awardinary: 11th September 2016, 09:18 PM
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Dobbo
post 11th September 2016, 07:00 PM
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Artwork Rating:
I quite like this actually, something a bit different to the previous 5. 7/10.

Side 1 Favourite:
There Must Be An Angel - love this track, very theatrical!

Side 2 Favourite:
Running Up That Hill - not even a big fan of this but it's better than the others.

Side 3 Favourite:
I Got U Babe - only one I know, it's quite a good duet.

Side 4 Favourite:
Tarzan Boy - best song on the album by MILES! Fantastic how they worked the song around the theme with all the background animal noises & the howling chorus.

Overall Rating:
Tarzan Boy alone lifts this up to a 4, that's the best I can give it.
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awardinary
post 16th September 2016, 10:38 PM
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Any more reviews for Now 6 are welcome! happy.gif
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AH Gold
post 16th September 2016, 11:54 PM
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Side 1 Favourite: Feargal Sharkey – A Good Heart

A largely forgotten 80s chart topper, written by Maria McKee who'd get a number one of her own in 1990. Pleasant and catchy enough. It was between this and the Eurythmics for me. Not a great selection on Side 1 though to be fair.


Side 2 Favourite: Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)

No competition here. By some distance, the best track on this side and remains an all time classic, which doesn't sound at all dated.

Side 3 Favourite: Midge Ure – If I Was

I do have a soft spot for this. I very vaguely remember seeing the video on TOTP when I was four (yep, I'm old cry.gif )

Side 4 Favourite: Mai Tai – Body And Soul

Very cheesy and very 80s, but it has a certain charm. It was a toss up between this, Mated, Body Rock & Tarzan Boy.

Overall Rating: 6/10 Good

If memory serves me correctly, this was the first physical Now we had in our household (1 and 4 were copied onto cassette from a mate of my Dad's), so there are childhood memories attached to this. But it's not the best in the series - not by a long way. In fact, the Hits series (Now's rival back then) probably had a superior tracklisting. Things will improve with the next one...


QUOTE(awardinary @ Sep 11 2016, 07:43 PM) *
Andrew's Worst 5 (as of September 2016)
1. The Communards – You Are My World
2. Paul Hardcastle – Just For Money
3. David Grant & Jaki Graham – Mated
4. Madness – Uncle Sam
5. Jan Hammer – Miami Vice Theme


A lot of my faves across the first six Nows appear in your worst 5! laugh.gif


This post has been edited by AH Gold: 16th September 2016, 11:54 PM
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Jade
post 18th September 2016, 04:45 PM
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Artwork rating: 7/10 - A shame to see the pig gone now. I guess the colour scheme here is way less in your face but I like it for being something a bit different.

Side 1 Favourite: Queen - 'One Vision' - This isn't exactly up there as one of Queen's best but it's still strong all the same. One of the most memorable songs here for sure.

Side 2 Favourite: Kate Bush - 'Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)' - Far and away the best song on this edition. I have always found Kate's voice extremely unique and almost mesmerising. This is a classic in her discography!

Side 3 Favourite: UB40 feat. Chrissie Hynde – 'I Got You Babe' - Not as good as the original but the vocals are pretty distinct which makes it interesting.

Side 4 Favourite: Baltimora – 'Tarzan Boy' - This wins by default of being the only song I have heard of here laugh.gif

Overall rating: 3/10 - It was difficult trying to write a review here as I found it so hard to be excited by this edition. One I definitely won't be coming back to any time soon - sadly not a vintage Now at all. Kate Bush saves this one really.
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TheSnake
post 9th March 2018, 06:13 PM
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Side 1 : Queen - One Vision, excellent rock tune from the legendary band.

Side 2: Level 42 - Something About You - a great disco/pop-rock tune, which I have known and liked for a while now.

Side 3: Midge Ure - If I Was - easily my favourite from disc 3, the chorus is anthemic, have liked this song for a long time!

I do like The Communards - You Are My World, it has a nice piano in it.

Side 4 : Baltimora - Tarzan Boy - Brilliant song, probably my favourite from the whole disc, the Tarzan cry in the chorus is also anthemic!

Just for Money, a real precursor to the sample-using way a lot of dance music would go by 1987-8 just misses out on my fave for disc 2 sad.gif


This post has been edited by The Hissmobile: 9th March 2018, 06:24 PM
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gavindeejay
post 9th March 2018, 06:19 PM
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Side 1: Eurythmics - Must Be Talking To An Angel
Side 2: Level 2 - Something About You
Side 3: Lloyd Cole and the Commotions - Lost Weekend
Side 4: Baltimora - Tarzan Boy
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Radio Ga Ga
post 7th May 2022, 08:57 PM
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I'm not sure now if I voted 5 or 6 for the artwork here. For a vinyl there is a lot of empty space, though.

Side 1's best track has to be the Eurythmics, complete with Stevie's harmonica!
Kate Bush for side 2, and Midge Ure for side 3.
I'd ordinarily want to refresh my memory of tracks I've forgotten before voting in something like this, but as others have voted based purely on tracks they are familiar with I struggled with side 4 - by name alone I can't really recall how any of them go. I remember Just For Money featured a Bob Hoskins sample though, so picked that for novelty factor.

I was going to give it a rating of six, but despite some great songs there are so many that haven't stuck with me that I felt I had to go for 5.
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