'One' just with U2 is a good song, but I prefer the duet of 'One' with U2 and Mary J Blige, as it adds more interest I think in terms of another vocal style alongside Bono's.

594. Kissed You In The Rain - Freiheit (1988)

 

 

It's still a mystery to me

How I could meet my destiny

 

Freiheit are a German pop/rock group best known for 'Keeping The Dream Alive'. This is the follow up single which didn't do as well. There is a big ELO influence here with the strings and vocal harmonies. In their own country,they are known as Munchener Freiheit.

 

593. Total Eclipse Of The Heart - Bonnie Tyler (1983)

 

 

Once upon a time I was falling in love

But now I'm only falling apart

 

An 80s classic that refuses to go away. Everyone knows it. It still sounds so fresh,I will never tire of hearing it. In a recent survey,the song was voted as the most popular to sing in the shower. Disappointingly,the urban myth that the boy at the end of the video is Gianfranco Zola is not true.

 

'Total Eclipse Of The Heart' is a very over the top (but very good all the same) song (not surprised it was originally meant for Meat Loaf apparently) and, of course, as you may know, it kept another iconic 80s classic off #1 in its second week at the the top spot!

I had to check the chart archive to see which one you are referring to. I see it's Sweet Dreams by Eurythmics. Yes,they should have had a no.1 with that.

592. The Gift - Midge Ure (1985)

 

 

And when they ask what prize I treasure most

What legacy I cherish,I say from the heart

The passion and art,that's the gift that you gave

 

The title track from Midge's first solo album. It's about the Scottish architect and artist Charles Rennie Mackintosh who designed many buildings in Glasgow.

 

591. Wound In My Heart - Propaganda (1990)

 

 

There's a gap in my life

That's too large to fill

 

Another song from the second line-up of Propaganda. Those that entered the last pop forum song contest will remember this as my entry under the theme of pop ballads. It's a very good pop ballad which Betsi Miller sings so well and was a no.1 single in Argentina.

 

590. Fourth Rendez-vous - Jean Michel Jarre (1986)

 

 

A single from Jean Michel's eighth album 'Rendez-vous'. The astronauts shown at the end of this video entering the Challenger Space Shuttle were tragically killed when it exploded shortly after take off. Jean Michel had written a piece for the saxophone which would have been played by one of the astronauts,Ron McNair. It would have been the first piece of music to have been played in space.

 

589. Healing Waters - Mr Mister (1987)

 

 

Where do we go when all our time's been wasted?

 

The second song in my chart from Mr Mister's third album 'Go On'. The 80s mullets are on full display here.

 

 

 

588. My Head Sounds Like That - Peter Gabriel (2002)

 

 

The knife it scrapes across the burnt brown toast

The freight train rumbles past my window

Oh my head sounds like that

 

Another track from Peter's 'Up' album. It features the Black Dyke Brass Band from Yorkshire who have won the National Brass Band Championships a record 23 times. I like the unsettling sound to this song which suits its lyrics.

 

587. Instruments Of Darkness - The Art Of Noise (1986)

 

 

From their second album 'In Visible Silence',this track samples speeches by President P W Botha,Rev Ian Paisley and Neil Kinnock. I like the tapestry of different sounds all the way through this.

 

That Art Of Noise track is very different...as with Close To The Edit, it sounds great for the time, the bit after 5:08 almost sounds like it could be from an early 90s rave track!

The Prodigy did a remix of Instruments Of Darkness which would suggest that they were influenced by it,so well spotted Snake.

586. Pariah - Steven Wilson featuring Ninet Tayeb (2017)

 

 

I'm tired of Facebook,tired of my failing health

I'm tired of everyone and that includes myself

 

A song that is familiar to many on here as it finished as runner-up in the BJSC last year. It's from Steven's fifth solo album 'To The Bone' and features some great vocals from Israeli singer Ninet Tayeb. Lyrically,it's quite similar to 'Don't Give Up' by Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush,with the woman offering support to the man.

 

585. These Are The Days Of Our Lives - Queen (1991)

 

 

You can't turn back the clock,you can't turn back the tide

Ain't that a shame

I'd like to go back one time on a roller coaster ride

When life was just a game

 

This video is always sad to watch as it was Freddie Mercury's goodbye to the public. The song was written by Roger Taylor about his own life but after Freddie died,the lyrics took on a new meaning.

 

584. Explorers - Muse (2012)

 

 

This planet's overrun

There's nothing left for you or for me

 

From Muse's sixth album 'The 2nd Law',there is very little guitar on this one,it's mainly piano and strings. As with many of their songs,Muse are preoccupied here with the state of planet Earth and its uncertain future.

 

Edited April 23, 20187 yr by King Rollo

583. Have A Cigar - Onetwo (2007)

 

 

The band is just fantastic,that is really what I think

Oh by the way,which one's Pink?

 

The third song in my chart by Onetwo. This is the song from their album that sounds the most like Propaganda. It's a cover version of the Pink Floyd song from their 1975 album 'Wish You Were Here' and sums up Roger Waters' views on the music industry at that time.

 

582. Dodo/Lurker - Genesis (1981)

 

 

Meanwhile lurking by a stone in the mud

Two eyes looked to see what I was and

Then something spoke and this is what

It said to me....

 

The longest track from Genesis' eleventh album 'Abacab'. Just reading the youtube comments many people thought that Phil is singing about Darth Vader and it does sound like that but it's actually "dog baiter".

 

581. The Boys Of Summer - Don Henley (1984)

 

 

A little voice inside my head said

"Don't look back,you can never look back"

 

The music for this song came from Mike Campbell from Tom Petty's band The Heartbreakers but Tom thought it would be better suited to Don Henley who added the lyrics. It got to no.12 twice,in 1985 and then again in 1998. DJ Sammy's cover version did better,reaching no.2 in 2003.

 

'Boys Of Summer' is a great summery song!

 

These Are The Days Of Our Lives is fantastic but sad to listen to because of the new meaning of the lyrics after Freddie died :(