359. She Blinded Me With Science - Thomas Dolby (1982)

 

 

Good heavens Miss Sakamoto,you're beautiful!

 

Although this failed to reach the top 40 here,it was a huge hit in the US,where it got to number 5. Thomas is considered to be a one hit wonder over there. The song and video feature the eccentric scientist and TV presenter Magnus Pyke who got a bit fed up of people yelling "science!" at him in the street when they saw him after the song came out.

 

Edited August 4, 20186 yr by King Rollo

358. A Few Words For The Dead - Marillion (1998)

 

 

Or you could love

 

The highlight of Marillion's tenth album 'Radiation' which isn't one of their best. The first six minutes are broodingly quiet to suit the lyrics about continuous gangland violence and then the music opens up when the lyrics become more positive.

 

 

357. It's Amazing - Jem (2008)

 

 

And you'll fall,yes you will hit a wall

But get back on your feet an' you'll be stronger and smarter

And I know,'cause I've been there before

 

The first single from Jem's second album 'Down To Earth' in which she dispenses some positive careers advice. The video is made up of 25632 photos put together. It must have taken them ages to complete it and a lot of patience from Jem posing for so many photos as she is in most of the video. All this effort was to no avail as the single didn't make the top 100. It has,however,been used in several films and TV shows so at least she earned some royalties from that.

 

 

356. Give Love Each Day - Yes (2001)

 

 

You are the song from the book of time

To realise what is yours is mine

 

Another track from the 'Magnification' album,recorded with an orchestra. It was the last album with Jon Anderson as the lead singer.

 

355. Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You) (Extended Version) - A Flock Of Seagulls (1982)

 

 

If I had a photograph of you

It's something to remind me

I wouldn't spend my life just wishing

 

This is the full ten minute version of A Flock Of Seagulls' biggest hit with its multi-layered synth sounds in all their glory. They will probably be best remembered for their lead singer's ridiculous hairstyle. Just a few weeks ago,they released an album of orchestral versions of their best known songs. I'll get round to listening to the new version of 'Wishing' some time.

 

 

354. Shout - Tears For Fears (1984)

 

 

They gave you life and in return you gave them hell

As cold as ice,I hope we live to tell the tale

 

A number 1 single for Tears For Fears in the US,I love the chorus of this song and the big production. The video featured family and friends singing along including somebody's granny who appears to be having a great time but I noticed in the final scene she is sitting down. I presume they had to film it more than once and she got a bit tired.

 

 

'Wishing I had A Photograph of You' sounds great for 1982, I actually heard it on the radio a while ago and assumed it was from the late 80s, around the time of Deacon Blue's 'Real Gone Kid' which it reminds me of a bit!

353. Shine On You Crazy Diamond Parts I-IX - Pink Floyd (1975)

 

 

Nobody knows where you are

How near or how far

 

Pink Floyd's epic tribute to their former band member Syd Barrett from their album 'Wish You Were Here'. At twenty six minutes long,it was too long to fit on one side and was split into two halves with parts 1 to 5 on one side and parts 6 to 9 on the other. Syd visited the studio while the album was being made but it took them 45 minutes to realise who he was as his appearance had drastically changed.

 

 

 

 

352. Sometimes - Les Rythmes Digitales featuring Nik Kershaw (1999)

 

 

Sometimes when I wake at night

I feel that nothing on earth could ever hurt me

 

Les Rythmes Digitales is English producer/musician/DJ Stuart Price who has worked with many well known acts. Here he combines with Nik Kershaw for this wonderful song. This is Nik's fifth and final appearance on my chart. I love the video with the suicidal teddy bear.

 

351. Follow You Follow Me - Genesis (1978)

 

 

In your arms

I feel so safe and so secure

 

Genesis' first top 10 single. In contrast to most of their previous music,this was a simple love song. Listening to it now,the musical arrangement is still quite complex with the guitar intro,the organ,the keyboard solo and a fairly unusual drum sound. This is most likely the first song by them that I ever heard.

 

350. Broken Land - The Adventures (1988)

 

 

With schemes of men for days that lay ahead

They sell their souls so cheap

They breed mistrust and fill my heart with dread

When did the boy become a man and lose his life to learn

 

The third and final song on my chart by The Adventures. With a fantastic vocal by Terry Sharpe and some traditional Irish instrumentation,it was their only top 40 single,reaching number 20,and also the most played song on Radio 1 in 1988. The musical part at the end finishes prematurely on this single version. It goes on for a further minute on the album.

 

Edited August 5, 20186 yr by King Rollo

349. Don't Answer Me - The Alan Parsons Project (1984)

 

 

Don't answer me,don't break the silence

Don't let me win

Don't answer me,stay on your island

Don't let me in

 

I know very little about the Alan Parsons Project. This is the only song I know by them after it was played quite a lot on Radio 1 in 1984 (apart from the song Buzzjack Mountain entered into BJSC100). It was their highest charting single here,reaching number 58,but a bigger hit in many other countries. They have re-created the Phil Spector sound very well here. The video,worked on by 40 people,took 23 days to film.

 

That Alan Parson's Project is nice enough, but I still prefer my BJSC 100 entry!

 

So Radio 1 played it a lot and it still only reached #54. :( That's like a lot of the indie and alternative songs they playlist this decade :(

 

'Follow You, Follow Me' is a very nice love song, the instrumental is great in it. I actually assumed it was an 80s song rather than 70s song especially with the synths.

'Don't Answer Me' should have been a top 40 hit but a lot of good songs didn't make it into the chart in the 80s even with Radio 1 airplay,there was a lot of competition. And that video was probably never shown on British TV.

Broken Land, Shout are amazing, Follow You lovely, Wishing very good, others good too, including Alan Pasosn project. Alan P was engineer on Abbey Road, Wings albums, Dark Side Of The Moon, and was a major creative force contributing to them, and Hollies He Aint heavy, Air That I Breathe, and was behind Pilot (including nabbing David Paton for the Project), so he was quite well-thought-of really. His greatest contribution to popular culture, though, was being referenced in Austin Powers..... :lol:

'Don't Answer Me' should have been a top 40 hit but a lot of good songs didn't make it into the chart in the 80s even with Radio 1 airplay,there was a lot of competition. And that video was probably never shown on British TV.

 

Oh interesting to know that, definitely a lot like this decade then in this respect!

Edited August 5, 20186 yr by Gríma Wormtongue

348. Fly On The Windscreen - Depeche Mode (1986)

 

 

Death is everywhere

There are flies on the windscreen

For a start

Reminding us we could be torn apart

Tonight

 

The second of the trilogy of fine songs that segue into each other at the start of the 'Black Celebration' album. There's a dark atmospheric sound to the production on this one.

 

347. Don't Don't Tell Me No - Sophie B Hawkins (1994)

 

 

This is our world awaiting

For the sweetest penetrating

Love that we have found

Why can't we splatter it around and around

 

The third of Sophie's four top 40 singles. This is a great pop song and not for the first time,she utilises some tubular bells.

 

346. Milliontown - Frost* (2006)

 

 

My worm cathedral

Diseased by all this intervention

I watch them turning

Into things they might have been

 

And here it is,in all its glory,the longest song on my chart! It's 26 minutes and 35 seconds long,about half a minute longer than 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond' by Pink Floyd which appeared a couple of days ago. Frost* are a prog supergroup formed by Jem Godfrey who co-wrote the number 1 singles 'Whole Again' for Atomic Kitten and 'That's My Goal' for 'Shayne Ward'. The track alternates between quiet piano sections and loud guitar/keyboard sections. Marvellous.

 

 

345. Ride The Wild Wind - Queen (1991)

 

 

We got freaks to the left,we got jerks to the right

Sometimes I get so low,I just have to ride

 

From the 'Innuendo' album,this track was written by Roger Taylor and his drums are prominent throughout. It got to number 1 in Poland.