139. Hunger For The Flesh - Howard Jones (1985)

 

 

The river gently beckons

But the answer is no

Gripping their illusions

They cannot let them go

 

The sixth and final song on my countdown by Howard Jones. It's from his second album 'Dream Into Action' and has a dramatic and rather spooky sound to it.

 

 

Absolutely adore the Sundfør pick. Not sure how it would figure in an all time basis but it's at least top 20 of this decade for me ^_^

Yes,it's a very Buzzjack type of song.

138. Atlantic - Keane (2006)

 

 

I don't want to be old and sleep alone

An empty house is not a home

 

I've always been fascinated by the video for this song,filmed on a Sussex beach. If you watch EastEnders,you will recognise Cheryl Fergison who played Heather Trott. The track is from Keane's second album 'Under The Iron Sea'. I like the way the melody of the song completely changes at 3.30.

 

137. Macho City - The Steve Miller Band (1981)

 

 

Politicians and lawyers

All know what it means

They'll be keeping it all legal

With political visquine

 

During the 80s,Annie Nightingale hosted a Sunday evening request show on Radio 1 which followed the top 40 countdown. Some of the songs played on the programme were fairly obscure ones which built up a cult following amongst her listeners and this is one of them. The first three minutes are mostly rapped vocals which are then followed by thirteen minutes of instrumentation consisting mainly of bass guitar and drums. While the Steve Miller Band were a rock group,this track is much closer to funk than it is to rock.

 

 

136. Collapse/Collide - Archive (2009)

 

 

Now we're all stoned

They've ripped it all apart

Collapse,collide

Our hearts collide

 

Another track from 'Controlling Crowds Parts I-III',this is the first of the five songs that make up part II. It takes a while to get going but the second half is fantastic. I'm not sure who the female singer is on this one but she puts in a great performance.

 

 

Are there any more Keane songs still to come?

There is one more.

There is one more.

Nice! Just glad Atlantic isn't your favourite Keane song because they did so many better ones!

135. Silver Rainbow - Genesis (1983)

 

 

But if you're sitting there beside her

And a bear comes in the room

And you keep on going cos you're unaware

Ooh then you know that you are there

 

I don't think this is a popular song among Genesis fans but I like it. It's from their eponymous 1983 album. I like this line about being so in love with the person sitting beside you on the sofa that you don't notice a bear coming into the room.

 

134. Starship Trooper - Yes (1971)

 

 

Speak to me of summer

Long winters longer than time can remember

 

Another track from 'The Yes Album'. The song is just under ten minutes long and they pack a lot into it with several tempo and mood changes. I like the lead and harmonised vocals on this while the highlight is Steve Howe's guitar work in the last four minutes,gradually building towards the climax.

 

133. It's My Turn (Original 12" Mix) - Angelic (2000)

 

 

I've learnt to ignore them

When they bring me down

I won't let vicious people

Fool around

 

The second song on my chart by Angelic with Judge Jules' wife Amanda O'Riordan on vocals once again. It reached number 11,one place higher than 'Can't Keep Me Silent' and I have to choose the full version with the extended trancey intro before the vocal comes in.

 

 

 

Haha I initially thought 'Godley and Creme's 'An Englishman in New York' was the same song as The Police's song of the same name there before I listened to it and realised it was a completely different song.

 

'Enjoy the Silence' is a great song, I like the production and synths in it particularly. 'Suburbia' is a very good song by the Pet Shop Boys, again with nice synths, way better than 'Opportunities...' from earlier in the year I think. Hopefully it will be on the BBC 4 TOTP re-runs soon!

Edited October 7, 20186 yr by The Pus 👽

Sting covering a Godley & Creme song would certainly be something I would be interested in listening to. :P

132. Souvenir - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (1981)

 

 

All I need is co-ordination

I can't imagine,my destination

 

This is my favourite song from OMD who have contributed 24 songs to my chart. It's also their biggest chart hit,reaching number 3,a position equalled by 'Sailing On The Seven Seas' ten years later. Paul Humphreys sings lead vocal on this one. As with many of their early singles,a synth hook replaces a vocal chorus.

 

Souvenir is a great song, and perhaps influential too, as that sort of chilled synthpop production was popular in the 90s in songs like Donna Lewis' 'I Love You Always Forever'.

 

Its My Turn is a great trance song! 2000 does seem to have been one of the best years for dance music ever, so many great, many of them not that poppy, dance tracks making the charts that year.

 

As with many of their early singles,a synth hook replaces a vocal chorus.

 

Which was kind of ahead of its time as a lot of chart songs have done that this decade!

 

 

131. Home - Depeche Mode (1997)

 

 

Here is a page from the emptiest stage

A cage or the heaviest cross ever made

A gauge of the deadliest trap ever laid

 

The third single to be taken from the 'Ultra' album. Martin Gore sings the lead vocal on this one. Depeche Mode rarely use a string section but it's used very effectively here and,combined with the drums,gives the song a slightly trip hop sound.

 

130. The Raven That Refused To Sing - Steven Wilson (2013)

 

 

Sing to me raven

I miss her so much

Sing to me Lily

I miss you so much

 

A really beautiful song from Steven Wilson's third album. It's a story of an old man whose sister died when they were both children. He finds a raven and tries to make it sing to him the way his sister used to when she was alive. This brilliant video complements the music so well.

 

129. Wastelands - Midge Ure (1985)

 

 

His bedroom window opens to the evening air

The fox is in his lair

The volume of his system is full on

But the neighbours moan and the parents call

This angry noise is the muzak of the wastelands

 

The third single from Midge Ure's debut solo album 'The Gift',this just missed the top 40. I like the production with the cello and the drums and a great vocal from Midge.

 

128. Machines (Or 'Back To Humans') - Queen (1984)

 

 

What's that machine noise?

It's bytes and megachips for tea

It's that machine boys

With random access memory

 

From Queen's eleventh album 'The Works',written by Roger Taylor and Brian May,this has quite a heavy sound to it with the guitar and drums and also plenty of synth sound effects. The voice of the machine was provided by Roger Taylor using a Roland vocoder.

 

Edited October 10, 20186 yr by KingOfRolloween