11th: When Smokey Sings - ABC (2 points, 2 voters)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABC’s 1987 return to top form, and a big hit in the USA while I was on holiday there. The suits, the smooth soul synthpop of The Lexicon Of Love were back for a whole new album, Alphabet City a sort of cool urban concept album, in the city sense of the word “urban”, and very much the real follow-up to Lexicon. Happily returning them to the UK charts too, theis tribute to Smokey Robinson is Motown-inspired magic with 80’s polish, and Martin Fry showed he still was a great singer. I loved the follow-up, The Night You Murdered Love almost as much as this one.

 

 

tbc

10th: You’re So Physical - Adam Ant The Ants (4 points, 1 voter)

 

 

 

 

 

 

I drew a blank on this one, never having heard it before. Apparently (and I stand to be corrected) it was an extra track on the cassette and US version of Kings Of The Wild Frontier, and also a B Side to Dog Eat Dog. Just to confuse me further it was then re-recorded by Adam for his album B Side Babies as Physical (You’re So) which was an influential (and covered track) for Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails. So that’s not bad for a jolly roger pirate-faced “kiddie” pop star, then!

9th: Killer In The Home - Adam And The Ants (4 points, 1 voter, regular album track)

 

 

 

 

 

 

One spot higher by virtue of being a regular album track off Kings Of The Wild Frontier, so I have heard it, yay! This listing is dominated fairly clearly by that album (and one other non-Adam album). I was doing volunteer work in a youth club at the time this album was coming off being huge, and Adam was the clear fave pop star of the kids at the time, just ahead of Shakin’ Stevens, Madness and Bucks Fizz. Younger kids, obviously, but it taught me that I although I was now far too sophisticated for some pop stars like Shaky (eg I was older) that didn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy others enjoying them a bit.

8th: Goody Two Shoes - Adam Ant (4 points, 1 voter, UK 1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adam’s first solo hit, and he appeared to have weathered the storm of losing The Ants with this delicious slice of horn-punctuated semi-rockabilly, with a nod and a wink to the salacious side of the media journalist obsession with muck-raking. I rather admired Adam for taking a pop at them at the time. Pity he can’t write another number one taking another pop, long overdue. Sadly, it was his last classic pop record, and final UK chart-topper, though it did do well in the States, hitting 12 and spurring Michael Jackson to dress like Adam for a while. Or did I just dream that?!

7th: Poison Arrow - ABC (8 points, 2 voters)

 

 

 

 

 

 

At last the points start to build up a bit, and I was surprised this one didn’t do better, it was widely well regarded critically at the time and for some time afterwards - I thought it still was! Poison Arrow is a masterpiece of sophistication of production from Trevor Horn, and the one that made everyone take notice of ABC, a passionate Martin Fry vocal and an image of classic suits presentation harking back to previous decades, and showing it’s roots were in the past but also offering something different to the New Romantics - it wouldn’t be long before every pop star was in suits again, but none of them looked as cool and smart as ABC. Oh, yes, I should also mention the song is brilliant, hit 6 in the UK, 25 in the USA, and it set up The Lexicon Of Love as a classic album.

6th: All Of My Heart - ABC (11 points, 4 voters)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The big ballad off The Lexicon Of Love, and the final single - though to be honest they could have managed another track or two easily off it. It’s a jewell of production, of course, but it’s also hugely ambitious, crossing from orchestral drama to unaccompanied vocal, and everything in between. The hook, the title, is soft-spoken, and the drama builds up to that unexpected treat. Martin Fry again shows what a magnificent singer he is, winging through the emotions with ease, classy, stylish, and a great songwriter to boot. It didn’t get the big points, sadly, so falling short of the top 5, but 4 voters is the equal second biggest number of voters (only 2 songs had more). Classic!

5th: Prince Charming - Adam And The Ants (16 points, 3 voters)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UK number one from 1981, Adam’s 2nd chart-topper and it’s got Diana Dors in the video. That’s good enough for me! Everybody enjoyed this one I think, though some fans of his earlier stuff started to moan he’d gone too much over the top with the new Prince Charming image, his first non-rogue look, and it was more of a rhythmic waltz than a tribal chant. It was, however, great fun and Adam had the same gift that Madness had: fun with a capital “F” without being trite, or cliched. I would struggle to name many current multi-hit-making pop stars that have that quality and that ability, which is a shame. The current music scene’s loss!

4th: The Look Of Love - ABC (24 points, 4 voters)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Big points from here on, and it’s the top-rated ABC track, and the only ABC record to top my charts, The Look Of Love. It hit UK 4 and US 18, and was the 3rd track from The Lexicon Of Love, and remains a perfect pop record, it hasn’t dated, it’s still passionate, but more upbeat than the other singles, the tune is fantastic and the lyrics superb: “Me I go from one extreme to another” is the key line moment, and then there’s that delicious spoken section, and that histrionic chorus, not to mention the horns-led intro. Just brilliant. Most of all though, it’s the emotion ABC and especially Martin Fry put into what is essentially electronic music, showing the two were perfectly compatible. Still are....

3rd: Kings Of The Wild Frontier - Adam And The Ants (28 points, 4 voters)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title track from the album that was Adam at his most popular, and a 1981 UK number 2 on reissue after being the first single off the album in 1980 (peaking at 48). To be honest I totally missed it first time round, and I thought it was a bit sprawling compared to previous singles but the sentiment and the drum-guitar Native American flavour met with my approval, and it clearly resonates on here! In 1981 Adam had more weeks on the singles chart than any other act, I think. Madness were his main rivals for singles weeks, but he also had a monster album too, so he did pretty well!

2nd: Antmusic - Adam And The Ants (32 points, 5 voters)

 

 

 

 

 

Another UK number 2 for Adam - his first after Dog Eat Dog got him his first top 10 - and straddling the xmas of 1980 and new year of 1981, it was overshadowed for me by the murder of John Lennon, Abba’s Super Trouper album, Police’s Zenyatta Mondatta album and Madness’ album Absolutely, but it sort of came into it’s own with the new year. Deliciously catchy and tribal, it was really Adam’s statement of intent and signature tune, and probably me being in my 20’s rather than my teens meant it didn’t have that extra zing to it enough to top my charts. Pretty sure I’d have loved it at 14 though, complete with face stripes and wardrobe!

1st: Stand And Deliver - Adam And The Ants (36 points, 5 voters)

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first new stuff after the debut album and all of it’s singles, Stand And Deliver was UK number one, and the most beloved song on buzzjack by either Adam Ant or ABC. It is, of course, huge fun. It also topped my chart, the video was terrific, and the new highwayman image not too far away from the previous to jar. The tribal drums, though, had gone as Adam headed right for the pop jugular and hit the bullseye. There’s something wrong with those mixed metaphor images, but hey ho, he’s a dandy highwayman, looking flash, and showing off his rifftastic guitars. It’s top of the pops!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not sure when I do the next quickie rate, but it will be a megastar as I’m dropping the alphabetic bit - it’ll just take too long to get the monster acts! In the meantime other volunteers feel free to jump in with full rates. KLF is awaiting right now...

I spend my cash on looking flash and grabbing your attention *.*

If I had been here in 2015,my top 5 would have been:

 

1. The Look Of Love

2. How To Be A Millionaire (Bond St. Mix)

3. Paper Thin

4. 15 Storey Halo

5. By Default By Design

 

All those by ABC who I certainly prefer to Adam Ant.

01. Stand And Deliver

02. Prince Charming

03. Antmusic

04. Kings Of The Wild Frontier

05. Ants Invasion

 

:kink:

Thanks for the votes, I hereby accept them as formally move The Look Of Love up one place as a result :lol:

 

No change to the top end at all, but there's one extra Adam Ants Invasion track in last place (20th), How To Be A Millionaire enters at 8th and knocks everything below down one place, Paper Thin enters at 12th and knocks everything below 2 spots down, 15 Storey Halo enters at 18th and By Default By Design at 19th. So that makes it a pleasing 10 each... :cheer:

Never saw this but always ABC before Adam for me.