22nd April 1986

 

It's an otherwise hectic chart as George grabs a 3rd week on top, chased suddenly by a 1967 classic released as a single in the USA in 1968 and topped the UK chart in 1969. I Heard It Through The Grapevine made my top 5 that year but never got as high as 2 - with this jeans advert classic replacing the same company's Sam Cooke track in the top 10. Levi 501's I think. Everyone was wearing them. I know I was. Nick Kamen getting his kit off in the laundrette was enough for no-one to realise that the songs used were tatty soundalikes, not the originals.

 

Janet Jackson gets a first top 5, one of many, and Simple Minds keep their hot streak going with another top 10, and Five Star snatch a second in a row. New at 26, Madonna's low-key debut single off the forthcoming True Blue album is the highest new song, Live To Tell being far and away her best ballad to date, what with being classy and all rather than dirge-like. Hear'n'Aid go top 30, which is ironically what several of the metal members now need after decades of ear abuse. The Grange Hill Cast also enter high - in my defence I enjoyed the show, and it was a good cause, and good advice that no-one heeded as the Aceeeeed generation loomed.

 

Princess gets another newie, Whitney covers George Benson, replacing jazz subtlety with foghorn volume, 9 years since the original made my top 30, and the ever-good OMD keep the initial-for-group-name flag flying with the sweet If You Leave, and PIL join in with Home giving them 8 years of action, and OMD 6 years. The Force MD's debut with a nice soul number, and INXS storm in with a debut great, What You Need. Michael Hutchence was one of the great frontmen of all-time, and INXS' funked-up rock anthems were just fab - I saw them in concert only once, in Bournemouth, but my word that man was a star and the band were rock-funking.

 

John Cougar is also back, with a goodie, albeit a superfluous Mellencamp - his original decision to drop the surname was the right one. Depeche Mode keep the sombre entries going, Fine Young Cannibals keep The Beat flag flying, and The Bangles get a 3rd top 75. Surprisingly, one of the lower debuts is for an absolute belting classic with a famous video - Sledgehammer, and Peter Gabriel peaking after 9 years of chart action solo, and 12 years including Genesis.

 

 

1 ( 1 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael

2 ( NEW ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye

3 ( 2 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite

4 ( 11 ) WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY Janet Jackson

5 ( 8 ) DRIVING AWAY FROM HOME It’s Immaterial

6 ( 3 ) ROCK ME AMADEUS Falco

7 ( 18 ) ALL THE THE THINGS SHE SAID Simple Minds

8 ( 6 ) PETER GUNN Art Of Noise & Duane Eddy

9 ( 4 ) A KIND OF MAGIC Queen

10 ( 28 ) CAN’T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE Five Star

 

11 ( 5 ) CALLING AMERICA Electric Light Orchestra

12 ( 12 ) RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES Wax

13 ( 7 ) WONDERFUL WORLD Sam Cooke

14 ( 26 ) MARLENE ON THE WALL Suzanne Vega

15 ( 10 ) DIGGING YOUR SCENE The Blow Monkeys

16 ( 19 ) TRAIN OF THOUGHT a-ha

17 ( 21 ) THE FINEST SOS Band

18 ( 22 ) SOME PEOPLE Belouis Some

19 ( 9 ) TALK TO ME Stevie Nicks

20 ( 13 ) YOU TO ME ARE EVERYTHING (REMIX) The Real Thing

 

21 ( 14 ) HAVE YOU EVER HAD IT BLUE The Style Council

22 ( 17 ) LOVE COMES QUICKLY Pet Shop Boys

23 ( 20 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush

24 ( 16 ) OVERJOYED Stevie Wonder

25 ( 15 ) ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS David Bowie

26 ( NEW ) LIVE TO TELL Madonna

27 ( 48 ) STARS Hear ‘n’ Aid

28 ( 39 ) STROLLIN’ ON Maxi Priest

29 ( 32 ) CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE Lick The Tins

30 ( 74 ) ROUGH BOY ZZ Top

 

31 ( 23 ) KISS Prince & The Revolution

32 ( 24 ) IS YOUR LOVE STRONG ENOUGH Bryan Ferry

33 ( 35 ) IF YOU WERE A WOMAN (AND I WAS A MAN) Bonnie Tyler

34 ( 45 ) IT’S ALL IN THE GAME The Man (aka Jonathan King)

35 ( 37 ) IT ONLY TAKES A MINUTE Tavares

36 ( NEW ) JUST SAY NO Grange Hill Cast

37 ( 25 ) SHELLSHOCK New Order

38 ( NEW ) THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL Whitney Houston

39 ( 29 ) CHAIN REACTION Diana Ross

40 ( 27 ) MOVE AWAY Culture Club

 

41 ( 41 ) EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD Tears For Fears

42 ( 33 ) LOVE MISSILE F1-11 Sigue Sigue Sputnik

43 ( 36 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha

44 ( NEW ) I’LL KEEP ON LOVING YOU Princess

45 ( NEW ) IF YOU LEAVE OMD

46 ( 40 ) HEAVEN MUST BE MISSING AN ANGEL Tavares

47 ( NEW ) TENDER LOVE Force MD’s

48 ( 30 ) TOUCH ME (I WANT YOUR BODY) Samantha Fox

49 ( NEW ) WHAT YOU NEED INXS

50 ( 46 ) SYSTEM ADDICT Five Star

 

51 ( 56 ) LOOK AWAY Big Country

52 ( 43 ) SILENT RUNNING Mike + The Mechanics

53 ( 53 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy

54 ( 54 ) WEST END GIRLS Pet Shop Boys

55 ( 38 ) KYRIE Mr. Mister

56 ( NEW ) R.O.C.K. IN THE USA John Cougar Mellencamp

57 ( 44 ) MANIC MONDAY The Bangles

58 ( 69 ) A LOVE BIZARRE Sheila E

59 ( NEW ) HOME PIL

60 ( 31 ) LIVING DOLL Cliff Richard & The Young Ones

 

61 ( 66 ) NO PROMISES Icehouse

62 ( NEW ) A QUESTION OF LUST Depeche Mode

63 ( 42 ) DARE TO DREAM Viola Wills

64 ( 34 ) SECRET LOVERS Atlantic Starr

65 ( NEW ) SLEDGEHAMMER Peter Gabriel

66 ( 63 ) WE CAN WORK IT OUT/ DAY TRIPPER The Beatles

67 ( 64 ) LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS Mud

68 ( 58 ) C’MON C’MON Bronski Beat

69 ( NEW ) THIS IS LOVE Gary Numan

70 ( 75 ) THERE’LL BE SAD SONGS Billy Ocean

 

71 ( 59 ) BEHIND THE MASK Greg Philinganes

72 ( 57 ) CELEBRATE YOUTH Rick Springfield

73 ( 49 ) THEME FROM NEW YORK NEW YORK Frank Sinatra

74 ( NEW ) FUNNY HOW LOVE IS Fine Young Cannibals

75 ( NEW ) IF SHE KNEW WHAT SHE WANTS The Bangles

 

 

Oldies

1 THE POWER OF LOVE Jennifer Rush

2 SUNSHINE The Archies

3 THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD The Beatles

29th April 1986

 

It's a first week on top, making it over 17 years from debut to topping the chart, a new record for Marvin Gaye. Simple Minds get a second top 3, Wax get a first top 10 as a duo, or rather Andrew Gold gets one 9 years after his first, and Graham Gouldman 14 years after his first. The Big Sky bangs right in at 9, giving Kate 4 in a row off The Hounds Of Love album, and 8 years of 'em. a-ha get a 3rd top 10 in a row.

 

Whitney outdoes George Benson's original in chart performance as she hits the 20, Maxi Priest gets a first top 20, and Shalamar return A Night To Remember 4 years on from the first time it hit my top 10. From here-on the chart gets mega-volatile as last-week's deluge of new entries climb, while a deluge of 20 enter this week, meaning loads of tracks plummet, including classics. OMD go top 30 in a big climb, ditto PIL, and Icehouse, as Peter Gabriel swoops into the 40. Newies include Blancmange extending their run to 4 years, The Cure re-doing a great oldie that didn't hit, as Boys Don't Cry joins Rough Boys and Bad Boys - the latter giving Miami Sound Machine, or Gloria Estefan as they essentially were by this stage, another chart hit ahead of her actual solo launch. One and the same, same vocalist, same husband writer-producer, same success.

 

ELO are seriously back for a last time for a few decades (at least with Jeff Lynne), Fuzzbox debut with a longer band name and more of an indie vibe, Elaine Page gets another Chess musical song in my chart, so that's Benny & Bjorn of Abba making it two - Swedish protogee's Gemini enter with Just Like That, the 1982 Abba song that was never released in a finished form (though it did top my chart a decade later when a shortened version was released). Ted Chippington amusingly talks a Beatles classic into a laidback entry, Jean-Michel Jarre is another Spirit of 1977 to return, since his debut Oxygene Part VI peaked at 2. Only another 40 years to wait to top my chart (with Cyndi Lauper)...

 

Patti Labelle has dropped the girls of Lady Marmalade, and the shiny spacesuits, now opting 11 years on for a smooth soul duet with Michael MacDonald, now Doobie-less, and On My Own is just beautifully sad and beautifully sung by both. Annabella covers Peggy Lee's Fever a decade ahead of Madonna, Doctor & The Medics sneak in with a camp soundalike cover of Spirit In The Sky, 16 years on from the classic Norman Greenbaum, Level 42 start the great period rolling with Lessons In Love, Van Halen are David Lee Roth-less, and a bit toothless for me, and Limahl manages to drag another chart entry out 3 years on from Kajaverygoogooey acrimoniously splitting. Kaja who?

 

 

1 ( 2 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye

2 ( 1 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael

3 ( 7 ) ALL THE THE THINGS SHE SAID Simple Minds

4 ( 4 ) WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY Janet Jackson

5 ( 3 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite

6 ( 6 ) ROCK ME AMADEUS Falco

7 ( 12 ) RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES Wax

8 ( 10 ) CAN’T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE Five Star

9 ( NEW ) THE BIG SKY Kate Bush

10 ( 16 ) TRAIN OF THOUGHT a-ha

 

11 ( 5 ) DRIVING AWAY FROM HOME It’s Immaterial

12 ( 14 ) MARLENE ON THE WALL Suzanne Vega

13 ( 8 ) PETER GUNN Art Of Noise & Duane Eddy

14 ( 9 ) A KIND OF MAGIC Queen

15 ( 27 ) STARS Hear ‘n’ Aid

16 ( 38 ) THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL Whitney Houston

17 ( 17 ) THE FINEST SOS Band

18 ( 28 ) STROLLIN’ ON Maxi Priest

19 ( NEW ) A NIGHT TO REMEMBER Shalamar

20 ( 11 ) CALLING AMERICA Electric Light Orchestra

 

21 ( 13 ) WONDERFUL WORLD Sam Cooke

22 ( 45 ) IF YOU LEAVE OMD

23 ( 26 ) LIVE TO TELL Madonna

24 ( 61 ) NO PROMISES Icehouse

25 ( NEW ) I CAN SEE IT Blancmange

26 ( 30 ) ROUGH BOY ZZ Top

27 ( 36 ) JUST SAY NO Grange Hill Cast

28 ( 15 ) DIGGING YOUR SCENE The Blow Monkeys

29 ( 59 ) HOME PIL

30 ( NEW ) BOYS DON’T CRY The Cure

 

31 ( 20 ) YOU TO ME ARE EVERYTHING (REMIX) The Real Thing

32 ( 18 ) SOME PEOPLE Belouis Some

33 ( NEW ) BAD BOY Miami Sound Machine

34 ( 49 ) WHAT YOU NEED INXS

35 ( 23 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush

36 ( 19 ) TALK TO ME Stevie Nicks

37 ( 47 ) TENDER LOVE Force MD’s

38 ( NEW ) SO SERIOUS Electric Light Orchestra

39 ( 65 ) SLEDGEHAMMER Peter Gabriel

40 ( 44 ) I’LL KEEP ON LOVING YOU Princess

 

41 ( 34 ) IT’S ALL IN THE GAME The Man (aka Jonathan King)

42 ( 22 ) LOVE COMES QUICKLY Pet Shop Boys

43 ( 41 ) EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD Tears For Fears

44 ( 31 ) KISS Prince & The Revolution

45 ( 25 ) ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS David Bowie

46 ( NEW ) SWEETEST THING Gene Loves Jezebel

47 ( 21 ) HAVE YOU EVER HAD IT BLUE The Style Council

48 ( NEW ) XX SEX We’ve Got A Fuzzbox & We’re Gonna Use It

49 ( 62 ) A QUESTION OF LUST Depeche Mode

50 ( 24 ) OVERJOYED Stevie Wonder

 

51 ( 29 ) CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE Lick The Tins

52 ( NEW ) NOBODY’S SIDE Elaine Page

53 ( 43 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha

54 ( 56 ) R.O.C.K. IN THE USA John Cougar Mellencamp

55 ( 39 ) CHAIN REACTION Diana Ross

56 ( NEW ) RENDEZVOUS Jean-Michel Jarre

57 ( 42 ) LOVE MISSILE F1-11 Sigue Sigue Sputnik

58 ( 58 ) A LOVE BIZARRE Sheila E

59 ( 46 ) HEAVEN MUST BE MISSING AN ANGEL Tavares

60 ( NEW ) GODSTAR Psychic TV

 

61 ( 40 ) MOVE AWAY Culture Club

62 ( NEW ) SHE LOVES YOU Ted Chippington

63 ( NEW ) ON MY OWN Patti Labelle & Michael MacDonald

64 ( 53 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy

65 ( 54 ) WEST END GIRLS Pet Shop Boys

66 ( 32 ) IS YOUR LOVE STRONG ENOUGH Bryan Ferry

67 ( NEW ) FEVER Annabella

68 ( 69 ) THIS IS LOVE Gary Numan

69 ( NEW ) SPIRIT IN THE SKY Doctor & The Medics

70 ( 33 ) IF YOU WERE A WOMAN (AND I WAS A MAN) Bonnie Tyler

 

71 ( NEW ) LESSONS IN LOVE Level 42

72 ( NEW ) WHY CAN’T THIS BE LOVE Van Halen

73 ( NEW ) JUST LIKE THAT Gemini

74 ( NEW ) MASUKA DAN The Flaming Mussolinis

75 ( NEW ) LOVE IN YOUR EYES Limahl

 

FAVE OLDIES OF THE WEEK

1 YOU SEND ME Sam Cooke

2 (I’LL NEVER BE) MARIA MAGDALENA Sandra

3 SCHOOL LOVE Barry Blue

I hope Sledgehammer keeps climbing. Nice climb for Icehouse this week, just heading them on the old totp in recent weeks with Hey little Girl I think?!

Not the best time in the 80s for chart music, although looking at the chart archive, it gets better towards the summer I think and really good by September.

 

'If You Leave' I just listened to and sounds good, sadly flopped and only made #71 officially.

 

'Lessons In Love' is excellent. 'Why Can't This Be Love' is not as good as 'Jump' but it still very good, heavy rock definitely seemed to have had a revival in the charts in the mid to late 80s.

Edited May 1, 20187 yr by The Snake 🐍

Not the best time in the 80s for chart music, although looking at the chart archive, it gets better towards the summer I think and really good by September.

 

'If You Leave' I just listened to and sounds good, sadly flopped and only made #71 officially.

 

'Lessons In Love' is excellent. 'Why Can't This Be Love' is not as good as 'Jump' but it still very good, heavy rock definitely seemed to have had a revival in the charts in the mid to late 80s.

 

Hi Snakey, I really enjoyed 1986 at the time, 1988 was the year that dropped a bit in quality for me. You're right about If You Leave - in fact most of their singles, I saw them in concert last year and they were still fab. :cheer:

I hope Sledgehammer keeps climbing. Nice climb for Icehouse this week, just heading them on the old totp in recent weeks with Hey little Girl I think?!

 

Hi Steve,

 

Yes Sledgehammer climbs, but oops at a drop for Icehouse for some bizarre reason - prob it got no airplay that week and I hadnt managed to bung it on cassette off the radio.... :(

5th May 1986

 

It's straight in at 1 for 1966 classic Motown knocking off classic 1967 Motown from the top spot - Diana Ross & The Supremes must have heard of the Kim Wilde cover forthcoming as it recharted in the lower regions of the UK charts, giving me an opportunity to give the Supremes a 3rd chart-topper, and Diana Ross a 3rd - albeit The Supremes with Nathan Jones/Stoned Love reissue in 1976 and Diana Ross with Surrender in 1971, with both together on 1974's reissued Baby Love.

 

Patti Labelle outdoes Lady Marmalade rocketing top 5, and Michael MacDonald outdoes What A Fool Believes ditto, his Doobie Brothers classic, and Frankie Says Oldie as another 1966 classic enters at 10, Strangers In The Night predating my charts, but being loads better than New York New York - So, in other words, Frank Sinatra's biggest chart hit for me since My Way in 1969.

 

Highest actual new track is Jaki Graham going it minus David Grant with the fab Set Me Free at 34, while both Elaine Page and Gemini take 2 Abba songs (sort of) into the 40 in the week that waiting another 32 years for an actual new Abba song seemed unthinkably unlikely (in sheer length of time), as opposed to one year ago when it seemed as likely as The Beatles reforming. But there ya go, the great day has come and I don't care how good or bad it is when it drops - it's an event that took longer than Free As A Bird's some 26 years since The Fabs last recorded together.

 

Others: Johnny Hates Jazz debut a year ahead of chart success, Joan Armatrading makes it 10 years of singles success, Pete Wylie makes it 3 Wah! Years, Nick Heyward Haircut 5 years, Tina Turner 13 mostly-Ike-less Nutbush years with Stevie Wonder's social classic, and Elton has 2 ballad classics I didn't rate that much when they first came out suddenly making my playlist oldies: one of them went on to top the charts in the 90's, as well as reissue hit, one hasn't yet done that though deserves to.

 

1 ( NEW ) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON Diana Ross & The Supremes

2 ( 2 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael

3 ( 1 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye

4 ( 4 ) WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY Janet Jackson

5 ( 63 ) ON MY OWN Patti Labelle & Michael MacDonald

6 ( 5 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite

7 ( 9 ) THE BIG SKY Kate Bush

8 ( 3 ) ALL THE THE THINGS SHE SAID Simple Minds

9 ( 15 ) STARS Hear ‘n’ Aid

10 ( NEW ) STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT Frank Sinatra

 

11 ( 8 ) CAN’T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE Five Star

12 ( 6 ) ROCK ME AMADEUS Falco

13 ( 22 ) IF YOU LEAVE OMD

14 ( 7 ) RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES Wax

15 ( 16 ) THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL Whitney Houston

16 ( 19 ) A NIGHT TO REMEMBER Shalamar

17 ( 23 ) LIVE TO TELL Madonna

18 ( 18 ) STROLLIN’ ON Maxi Priest

19 ( 14 ) A KIND OF MAGIC Queen

20 ( 30 ) BOYS DON’T CRY The Cure

 

21 ( 17 ) THE FINEST SOS Band

22 ( 39 ) SLEDGEHAMMER Peter Gabriel

23 ( 26 ) ROUGH BOY ZZ Top

24 ( 10 ) TRAIN OF THOUGHT a-ha

25 ( 25 ) I CAN SEE IT Blancmange

26 ( 13 ) PETER GUNN Art Of Noise & Duane Eddy

27 ( 11 ) DRIVING AWAY FROM HOME It’s Immaterial

28 ( 37 ) TENDER LOVE Force MD’s

29 ( 29 ) HOME PIL

30 ( 12 ) MARLENE ON THE WALL Suzanne Vega

 

31 ( 20 ) CALLING AMERICA Electric Light Orchestra

32 ( 34 ) WHAT YOU NEED INXS

33 ( 33 ) BAD BOY Miami Sound Machine

34 ( NEW ) SET ME FREE Jaki Graham

35 ( 27 ) JUST SAY NO Grange Hill Cast

36 ( 52 ) NOBODY’S SIDE Elaine Page

37 ( 73 ) JUST LIKE THAT Gemini

38 ( 38 ) SO SERIOUS Electric Light Orchestra

39 ( 48 ) XX SEX We’ve Got A Fuzzbox & We’re Gonna Use It

40 ( 21 ) WONDERFUL WORLD/ CHAIN GANG Sam Cooke

 

41 ( 24 ) NO PROMISES Icehouse

42 ( 28 ) DIGGING YOUR SCENE The Blow Monkeys

43 ( 35 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush

44 ( 49 ) A QUESTION OF LUST Depeche Mode

45 ( 31 ) YOU TO ME ARE EVERYTHING (REMIX) The Real Thing

46 ( 46 ) SWEETEST THING Gene Loves Jezebel

47 ( 43 ) EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD Tears For Fears

48 ( 54 ) R.O.C.K. IN THE USA John Cougar Mellencamp

49 ( 71 ) LESSONS IN LOVE Level 42

50 ( NEW ) SINFUL Pete Wylie

 

51 ( 36 ) TALK TO ME Stevie Nicks

52 ( 45 ) ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS David Bowie

53 ( 62 ) SHE LOVES YOU Ted Chippington

54 ( 44 ) KISS Prince & The Revolution

55 ( 56 ) RENDEZVOUS Jean-Michel Jarre

56 ( 53 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha

57 ( 74 ) MASUKA DAN The Flaming Mussolinis

58 ( 42 ) LOVE COMES QUICKLY Pet Shop Boys

59 ( 32 ) SOME PEOPLE Belouis Some

60 ( 40 ) I’LL KEEP ON LOVING YOU Princess

 

61 ( NEW ) ALL ‘N’ ALL Joyce Sims

62 ( NEW ) MY FOOLISH HEART Johnny Hates Jazz

63 ( NEW ) KIND WORDS (AND A REAL GOOD HEART) Joan Armatrading

64 ( 67 ) FEVER Annabella

65 ( NEW ) YOU AND ME TONIGHT Aurra

66 ( 64 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy

67 ( 65 ) WEST END GIRLS Pet Shop Boys

68 ( 75 ) LOVE IN YOUR EYES Limahl

69 ( 41 ) IT’S ALL IN THE GAME The Man (aka Jonathan King)

70 ( 57 ) LOVE MISSILE F1-11 Sigue Sigue Sputnik

 

71 ( NEW ) OVER THE WEEKEND Nick Heyward

72 ( 60 ) GODSTAR Psychic TV

73 ( NEW ) LIVING FOR THE CITY Tina Turner

74 ( 59 ) HEAVEN MUST BE MISSING AN ANGEL Tavares

75 ( NEW ) WICKED WAYS The Blow Monkeys

 

PLAYIST OLDIES

 

1 SOMEONE SAVED MY LIFE TONIGHT Elton John

2 DON’T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME Elton John

3 CRYING Don McLean

 

Hi Snakey, I really enjoyed 1986 at the time, 1988 was the year that dropped a bit in quality for me. You're right about If You Leave - in fact most of their singles, I saw them in concert last year and they were still fab. :cheer:

 

At least the explosion in dance music in the charts adds a bit of interest to 1988! Outside that the quality is more variable I agree, but still a couple of great tunes from Aswad, Aztec Camera, Pet Shop Boys, Erasure, A-ha, Michael Jackson, INXS etc.

 

Btw, having followed this chart and your 1985 one it will be interesting to see what you vote for in the first Now That's What Buzzjack Calls Music! ;) http://www.buzzjack.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=211936

Edited May 9, 20187 yr by The Snake 🐍

13th May 1986

 

It's straight in at 1 for the 1985 Pan-European chart-topper and UK flop (91), and personal chart top 5 for Sandra. Maria Magdalena was given another reissue chance, given she had been popping and out of my oldies playlist (tracks I love but which have either dropped out of my chart or are not eligible) for a few months, it's not a surprise for the future Enigma star, with hubby songwriter/producer Michael Cretu.

 

Patti Labelle & Michael McDonald hit a new peak of 2, Peter Gabriel gets a 3rd top 20 9 years after the first, and a 2nd top 10, the epic Sledgehammer, and OMD keep the run of top 10's going for 6 years, more or less every single release. Tears For Fears record a Sports Relief version of their still-charting classic and the 2 are combined for my chart purposes and a climb back into the 20 for a third run.

 

Doctor & The Medics re-enter at 25, Spirit In The Sky being a great fun version of a rock classic, Jaki Graham leaps into the solo top 20 for a first time, Level 42 leap up into the 30, and Aretha's 1985 Freeway Of Love gets reissued and a much bigger hit out of it (like Sandra), and Pete Wylie grabs a third top 30 since Story Of The Blues started the ball rolling in 1982.

 

A good new one for Sly Fox, Samantha's younger brother (HHOK), and Hipsway's gospel goodie, both top 40, while The B52's return 7 years on with a reissued Rock Lobster, more famously parodied in Family Guy these days. Quirky in '79, still quirky in '86. Still fab. Sandie Shaw is back 2 years on from Morrissey giving her a boost with The Smiths Hand In Glove. This time it's a great Lloyd Cole cover, and annoyingly Sandie's not getting a hit out of it, though it had a better try in the 90's.

 

Another Brothers In Arms single for Dire Straits, 13 years of chart entries for Status Quo, not even half-way through their 50-year chart career and already getting the piss taken out of them. That horrendous novelty song from the man who was The Hee Bee Gee Bees, and which was far worse than any of it's intended targets (as it was supposed to be) on Spitting Image, somehow became a chart hit. Who the hell bought it?! Funny first time, not funny every time afterwards, and on repeat play brain cells commit mass suicide. Sam Cooke has another oldie entry, not one I loved, not even in the Cat Stevens version, but worth a mention. Finally Robert Palmer returns with his chart anthem, and also one I never loved, at best I enjoyed it, and not a patch on Every Kinda People in 1978, or Some Guys Have All The Luck, among others. The guitar riff is admittedly fab though.

 

 

1 ( NEW ) (I’LL NEVER BE) MARIA MAGDALENA Sandra

2 ( 5 ) ON MY OWN Patti Labelle & Michael MacDonald

3 ( 2 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael

4 ( 3 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye

5 ( 1 ) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON Diana Ross & The Supremes

6 ( 22 ) SLEDGEHAMMER Peter Gabriel

7 ( 7 ) THE BIG SKY Kate Bush

8 ( 4 ) WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY Janet Jackson

9 ( 13 ) IF YOU LEAVE OMD

10 ( 6 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite

 

11 ( 12 ) ROCK ME AMADEUS Falco

12 ( 17 ) LIVE TO TELL Madonna

13 ( 10 ) STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT Frank Sinatra

14 ( 20 ) BOYS DON’T CRY The Cure

15 ( 16 ) A NIGHT TO REMEMBER Shalamar

16 ( 8 ) ALL THE THE THINGS SHE SAID Simple Minds

17 ( 47 ) EVERYBODY WANTS TO RUN/RULE THE WORLD Tears For Fears

18 ( 34 ) SET ME FREE Jaki Graham

19 ( 11 ) CAN’T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE Five Star

20 ( 28 ) TENDER LOVE Force MD’s

 

21 ( 15 ) THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL Whitney Houston

22 ( 32 ) WHAT YOU NEED INXS

23 ( 9 ) STARS Hear ‘n’ Aid

24 ( 14 ) RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES Wax

25 ( RE ) SPIRIT IN THE SKY Doctor & The Medics

26 ( 49 ) LESSONS IN LOVE Level 42

27 ( 29 ) HOME PIL

28 ( NEW ) FREEWAY OF LOVE Aretha Franklin

29 ( 38 ) SO SERIOUS Electric Light Orchestra

30 ( 50 ) SINFUL Pete Wylie

 

31 ( 23 ) ROUGH BOY ZZ Top

32 ( 33 ) BAD BOY Miami Sound Machine

33 ( 37 ) JUST LIKE THAT Gemini

34 ( NEW ) LET’S GO ALL THE WAY Sly Fox

35 ( 19 ) A KIND OF MAGIC Queen

36 ( 39 ) XX SEX We’ve Got A Fuzzbox & We’re Gonna Use It

37 ( 21 ) THE FINEST SOS Band

38 ( 18 ) STROLLIN’ ON Maxi Priest

39 ( NEW ) ASK THE LORD Hipsway

40 ( 27 ) DRIVING AWAY FROM HOME It’s Immaterial

 

41 ( 26 ) PETER GUNN Art Of Noise & Duane Eddy

42 ( 31 ) CALLING AMERICA Electric Light Orchestra

43 ( 48 ) R.O.C.K. IN THE USA John Cougar Mellencamp

44 ( NEW ) ROCK LOBSTER The B52’s

45 ( 25 ) I CAN SEE IT Blancmange

46 ( 53 ) SHE LOVES YOU Ted Chippington

47 ( 24 ) TRAIN OF THOUGHT a-ha

48 ( 43 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush

49 ( NEW ) ARE YOU READY TO BE HEARTBROKEN Sandie Shaw

50 ( 61 ) ALL AND ALL Joyce Sims

 

51 ( 30 ) MARLENE ON THE WALL Suzanne Vega

52 ( 40 ) WONDERFUL WORLD/ CHAIN GANG Sam Cooke

53 ( 63 ) KIND WORDS (AND A REAL GOOD HEART) Joan Armatrading

54 ( 45 ) YOU TO ME ARE EVERYTHING (REMIX) The Real Thing

55 ( 65 ) YOU AND ME TONIGHT Aurra

56 ( 64 ) FEVER Annabella

57 ( 42 ) DIGGING YOUR SCENE The Blow Monkeys

58 ( 75 ) WICKED WAYS The Blow Monkeys

59 ( 56 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha

60 ( RE ) I’M THE LEADER OF THE GANG Gary Glitter & Girlschool

 

61 ( 57 ) MASUKA DAN The Flaming Mussolinis

62 ( 71 ) OVER THE WEEKEND Nick Heyward

63 ( 68 ) LOVE IN YOUR EYES Limahl

64 ( 36 ) NOBODY’S SIDE Elaine Page

65 ( NEW ) YOUR LATEST TRICK Dire Straits

66 ( NEW ) ROLLIN’ HOME Status Quo

67 ( 35 ) JUST SAY NO Grange Hill Cast

68 ( 52 ) ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS David Bowie

69 ( 66 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy

70 ( RE ) IF SHE KNEW WHAT SHE WANTS The Bangles

 

71 ( NEW ) THE CHICKEN SONG Spitting Image

72 ( RE ) WHY CAN’T THIS BE LOVE Van Halen

73 ( NEW ) ANOTHER SATURDAY NIGHT Sam Cooke

74 ( NEW ) ADDICTED TO LOVE Robert Palmer

75 ( 70 ) LOVE MISSILE F1-11 Sigue Sigue Sputnik

 

Playlist Oldies Of The Week

1 SUNSHINE The Archies

2 THIS DIAMOND RING Gary Lewis & The Playboys

3 JINGLE JANGLE The Archies

At least the explosion in dance music in the charts adds a bit of interest to 1988! Outside that the quality is more variable I agree, but still a couple of great tunes from Aswad, Aztec Camera, Pet Shop Boys, Erasure, A-ha, Michael Jackson, INXS etc.

 

Btw, having followed this chart and your 1985 one it will be interesting to see what you vote for in the first Now That's What Buzzjack Calls Music! ;) http://www.buzzjack.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=211936

 

oops sorry Snakey, I just missed the nomination round! I will vote in the next round though :)

20th May 1986

 

It's 2 weeks on top for Sandra's European anthem, holding off Peter Gabriel from topping my chart with his brilliant Sledgehammer 3 years after his Genesis mates topped with Mama. Doctor & The Medics take Spirit In The Sky, the song, into the top 5 for a second time after Norman Greenbaum's 1970 original. Jaki Graham gets a first solo, and third in total, top 10, as Madonna grabs an 8th in two years.

 

Sandie Shaw rockets up to 12 to give her a 3rd top 20 and a chart span of 17 years, and The B52's take Rock Lobster back into the top 20 up 30 places 7 years late and a new peak. Aretha gets a 4th top 20 in a row, Pete Wylie gets his 3rd, and ELO their final top 20 in the original line-up. Highest new entry is Icehouse, I Engineer, a fourth top 40 entry, and Joan Armatrading makes it at least 4 top 40's, while Nick Heyward keeps his run going.

 

In at 43 it's new Opportunities for Pet Shop Boys, a spanking new remix of a chart flop letting them make lots of money and a 3rd chart entry, while likeable Owen Paul gets his 5 minutes of fame at 44 and Culture Club bless the female of the species at 47, and that was about that for the band for 12 years or so. Black Uhuru are back, with a train robbery, Cliff is back still rockin' 18 years on from his chart debut in these parts, ditto Rod still touching love at every opportunity some 15 years on from Maggie May. I recall nothing about Perils Of Plastic, in with Ring A Ding Ding at 70 - though the name was prophetic, they included Steve Nieve of J.Ross Esq, and they sound a bit Culture Club. Mike + The Mechanics are having a miracle, and Amazulu cover The Chi-Lites to lesser effect.

 

1 ( 1 ) (I’LL NEVER BE) MARIA MAGDALENA Sandra

2 ( 6 ) SLEDGEHAMMER Peter Gabriel

3 ( 2 ) ON MY OWN Patti Labelle & Michael MacDonald

4 ( 3 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael

5 ( 25 ) SPIRIT IN THE SKY Doctor & The Medics

6 ( 14 ) BOYS DON’T CRY The Cure

7 ( 4 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye

8 ( 5 ) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON Diana Ross & The Supremes

9 ( 18 ) SET ME FREE Jaki Graham

10 ( 12 ) LIVE TO TELL Madonna

 

11 ( 8 ) WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY Janet Jackson

12 ( 49 ) ARE YOU READY TO BE HEARTBROKEN Sandie Shaw

13 ( 26 ) LESSONS IN LOVE Level 42

14 ( 44 ) ROCK LOBSTER The B52’s

15 ( 10 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite

16 ( 9 ) IF YOU LEAVE OMD

17 ( 20 ) TENDER LOVE Force MD’s

18 ( 28 ) FREEWAY OF LOVE Aretha Franklin

19 ( 30 ) SINFUL Pete Wylie

20 ( 29 ) SO SERIOUS Electric Light Orchestra

 

21 ( 11 ) ROCK ME AMADEUS Falco

22 ( 7 ) THE BIG SKY Kate Bush

23 ( 31 ) ROUGH BOY ZZ Top

24 ( 17 ) EVERYBODY WANTS TO RUN/RULE THE WORLD Tears For Fears

25 ( 32 ) BAD BOY Miami Sound Machine

26 ( 34 ) LET’S GO ALL THE WAY Sly Fox

27 ( 39 ) ASK THE LORD Hipsway

28 ( 13 ) STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT Frank Sinatra

29 ( 36 ) XX SEX/ RULES AND REGULATIONS We’ve Got A Fuzzbox & We’re Gonna Use It

30 ( 16 ) ALL THE THE THINGS SHE SAID Simple Minds

 

31 ( 19 ) CAN’T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE Five Star

32 ( NEW ) I ENGINEER Icehouse

33 ( 15 ) A NIGHT TO REMEMBER Shalamar

34 ( 22 ) WHAT YOU NEED INXS

35 ( 53 ) KIND WORDS (AND A REAL GOOD HEART) Joan Armatrading

36 ( 43 ) R.O.C.K. IN THE USA John Cougar Mellencamp

37 ( 24 ) RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES Wax

38 ( 55 ) YOU AND ME TONIGHT Aurra

39 ( 21 ) THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL Whitney Houston

40 ( 62 ) OVER THE WEEKEND Nick Heyward

 

41 ( 50 ) ALL AND ALL Joyce Sims

42 ( 23 ) STARS Hear ‘n’ Aid

43 ( NEW ) OPPORTUNITIES (LET’S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) Pet Shop Boys

44 ( NEW ) MY FAVOURITE WASTE OF TIME Owen Paul

45 ( 35 ) A KIND OF MAGIC Queen

46 ( 66 ) ROLLIN’ HOME Status Quo

47 ( NEW ) GOD BLESS YOU WOMAN Culture Club

48 ( 42 ) CALLING AMERICA Electric Light Orchestra

49 ( 27 ) HOME PIL

50 ( 40 ) DRIVING AWAY FROM HOME It’s Immaterial

 

51 ( 37 ) THE FINEST SOS Band

52 ( 33 ) JUST LIKE THAT Gemini

53 ( 70 ) IF SHE KNEW WHAT SHE WANTS The Bangles

54 ( 48 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush

55 ( 58 ) WICKED WAYS The Blow Monkeys

56 ( 60 ) I’M THE LEADER OF THE GANG Gary Glitter & Girlschool

57 ( 38 ) STROLLIN’ ON Maxi Priest

58 ( 41 ) PETER GUNN Art Of Noise & Duane Eddy

59 ( 71 ) THE CHICKEN SONG Spitting Image

60 ( 65 ) YOUR LATEST TRICK Dire Straits

 

61 ( 45 ) I CAN SEE IT Blancmange

62 ( 74 ) ADDICTED TO LOVE Robert Palmer

63 ( 59 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha

64 ( 72 ) WHY CAN’T THIS BE LOVE Van Halen

65 ( NEW ) GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY Black Uhuru

66 ( 54 ) YOU TO ME ARE EVERYTHING (REMIX) The Real Thing

67 ( NEW ) BORN TO ROCK ‘N’ ROLL Cliff Richard

68 ( 52 ) WONDERFUL WORLD/ CHAIN GANG Sam Cooke

69 ( NEW ) LOVE TOUCH Rod Stewart

70 ( NEW ) RING A DING DING Perils Of Plastic

 

71 ( 57 ) DIGGING YOUR SCENE The Blow Monkeys

72 ( 69 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy

73 ( NEW ) ALL I NEED IS A MIRACLE Mike + The Mechanics

74 ( NEW ) TOO GOOD TO BE FORGOTTEN Amazulu

75 ( 75 ) LOVE MISSILE F1-11 Sigue Sigue Sputnik

 

PLAYLIST OLDIES THIS WEEK IN 1986

 

1 HELLO GOODBYE The Beatles

2 GENIUS OF LOVE Tom Tom Club

3 NEW FRONTIERS Donald Fagen

'Set Me Free' is a BIG tune, easily Jaki's best song! :music: It's a song I think that really should be an 80s classic, but sadly seems to be largely forgotten. :(

'Set Me Free' is a BIG tune, easily Jaki's best song! :music: It's a song I think that really should be an 80s classic, but sadly seems to be largely forgotten. :(

 

Hi Snakey,

 

Yes Set Me Free is a choon! It will peak higher in my charts than the UK charts, though, and that's the only chart that matters :lol:

27th May 1986

 

It's up 42 places to hit the top spot, giving Pet Shop Boys lots of Opportunities and a second fabulous number one. That's bad news for Peter Gabriel stuck at 2 with Sledgehammer and no chance of knocking off my increasingly new fave pop stars. The B52's meanwhile reach a new peak as Rock Lobster finally makes my top 10 7 years late, and Sandie Shaw makes it 3 top 10's spread over 17 years - though guaranteed she would have topped my chart in 1964 with Always Something There To Remind Me had I been charting at 6 years old, being as I was totally in love with it, the love was long-lasting. 22 years then, 54 years now...

 

Level 42 grab a rare top 10 with Lessons In Love, Grace Jones reissues Private Life, and the Pretenders cover is back in the top 20 with a bang 6 years on. ZZ Top go untypically ballad-style and extend the top 20's to 2 years, Miami "Gloria Estefan" Sound Machine get the 2nd of many top 20's, John Cougar Mellencamp has a second top 20 4 years after Jack & Diane, and Falco gets the highest new song into the chart - Hello? Vienna Calling! At 25!

 

The Real Thing follow-up their 1976 remixed chart smash with the same 1976 original follow-up (also remixed), and Can't Get By Without You is back in the top 40. Quo make it 13 years of top 40's. I saw the band in a club 2 years ago, still good, and was saddened to hear of Eddie Amoo's passing not long ago. I Can't Wait enters, but not Stevie Nicks, it's Nu Shooz with that fab hooky synth noise, Venus enters again, but it's not the fab Shocking Blue it's the even fabber Hi-NRG cover by Bananarama, who I saw do it last year with the original trio back together, and they were just fantastic.

 

At 59, the song that still gives me nightmares, Invisible Touch was the song I did a goldfish impression to when Mike Read asked the name of the current Genesis album on the Radio One Roadshow to me, my first question, my mind went blank, The Real Thing were backstage signing autographs. It's ingrained in my mind now, though. Happily I got the rest correct. Just finishing reading Phil Collins Not Dead Yet autobiography and he doesn't mention me. Neither does Johnny Marr in his, even when I saw him with Pet Shop Boys at the Royal Album Hall charity show - see how life is so circular! Cue The Smiths in at 69 with Morrissey's own Lifelong Statement Of Intent. I saw him again not long ago shortly before his media melt-down as a cartoon character with outrageous and inappropriately misinformed opinions on things his isolated, wealthy lifestyle tax exile status suggests he should keep to himself.

 

That leaves Simply Red with a reissue of Holding Back The Ears, a shame as I rather like sticky-out ears, not as good as Money's Too Tight To Mention to my ears, and Janet Jackson turning Nasty. Also not as good as What Have You Done For Me Lately, but Jam & Lewis are never actually less than decent.

 

 

1 ( 43 ) OPPORTUNITIES (LET’S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) Pet Shop Boys

2 ( 2 ) SLEDGEHAMMER Peter Gabriel

3 ( 1 ) (I’LL NEVER BE) MARIA MAGDALENA Sandra

4 ( 9 ) SET ME FREE Jaki Graham

5 ( 5 ) SPIRIT IN THE SKY Doctor & The Medics

6 ( 14 ) ROCK LOBSTER The B52’s

7 ( 12 ) ARE YOU READY TO BE HEARTBROKEN Sandie Shaw

8 ( 3 ) ON MY OWN Patti Labelle & Michael MacDonald

9 ( 4 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael

10 ( 13 ) LESSONS IN LOVE Level 42

 

11 ( 19 ) SINFUL Pete Wylie

12 ( 24 ) EVERYBODY WANTS TO RUN/RULE THE WORLD Tears For Fears

13 ( 7 ) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Marvin Gaye

14 ( 6 ) BOYS DON’T CRY The Cure

15 ( NEW ) PRIVATE LIFE Grace Jones

16 ( 23 ) ROUGH BOY ZZ Top

17 ( 11 ) WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY Janet Jackson

18 ( 26 ) LET’S GO ALL THE WAY Sly Fox

19 ( 36 ) R.O.C.K. IN THE USA John Cougar Mellencamp

20 ( 25 ) BAD BOYS Miami Sound Machine

 

21 ( 32 ) I ENGINEER Icehouse

22 ( 29 ) XX SEX/ RULES AND REGULATIONS We’ve Got A Fuzzbox & We’re Gonna Use It

23 ( 8 ) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON Diana Ross & The Supremes

24 ( 15 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite

25 ( NEW ) VIENNA CALLING Falco

26 ( 16 ) IF YOU LEAVE OMD

27 ( 21 ) ROCK ME AMADEUS Falco

28 ( 10 ) LIVE TO TELL Madonna

29 ( 18 ) FREEWAY OF LOVE Aretha Franklin

30 ( 22 ) THE BIG SKY Kate Bush

 

31 ( NEW ) CAN’T GET BY WITHOUT YOU (REMIX) The Real Thing

32 ( 20 ) SO SERIOUS Electric Light Orchestra

33 ( 17 ) TENDER LOVE Force MD’s

34 ( 47 ) GOD BLESS YOU WOMAN Culture Club

35 ( 35 ) KIND WORDS (AND A REAL GOOD HEART) Joan Armatrading

36 ( 27 ) ASK THE LORD Hipsway

37 ( 70 ) RING A DING DING Perils Of Plastic

38 ( 40 ) OVER THE WEEKEND Nick Heyward

39 ( 31 ) CAN’T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE Five Star

40 ( 46 ) ROLLIN’ HOME Status Quo

 

41 ( 38 ) YOU AND ME TONIGHT Aurra

42 ( 44 ) MY FAVOURITE WASTE OF TIME Owen Paul

43 ( 69 ) LOVE TOUCH Rod Stewart

44 ( 30 ) ALL THE THE THINGS SHE SAID Simple Minds

45 ( 41 ) ALL AND ALL Joyce Sims

46 ( NEW ) I CAN’T WAIT Nu Shooz

47 ( 37 ) RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES Wax

48 ( 56 ) I’M THE LEADER OF THE GANG Gary Glitter & Girlschool

49 ( NEW ) VENUS Bananarama

50 ( 53 ) IF SHE KNEW WHAT SHE WANTS The Bangles

 

51 ( 62 ) ADDICTED TO LOVE Robert Palmer

52 ( 48 ) CALLING AMERICA Electric Light Orchestra

53 ( 34 ) WHAT YOU NEED INXS

54 ( 28 ) STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT Frank Sinatra

55 ( 64 ) WHY CAN’T THIS BE LOVE Van Halen

56 ( 45 ) A KIND OF MAGIC Queen

57 ( 54 ) HOUNDS OF LOVE Kate Bush

58 ( 65 ) GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY Black Uhuru

59 ( NEW ) INVISIBLE TOUCH Genesis

60 ( 50 ) DRIVING AWAY FROM HOME It’s Immaterial

 

61 ( 33 ) A NIGHT TO REMEMBER Shalamar

62 ( 39 ) THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL Whitney Houston

63 ( NEW ) THE PROMISE YOU MADE Cock Robin

64 ( 67 ) BORN TO ROCK ‘N’ ROLL Cliff Richard

65 ( 74 ) TOO GOOD TO BE FORGOTTEN Amazulu

66 ( 63 ) THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV A-ha

67 ( NEW ) NEW BEGINNING (MAMBA SEYRA) Bucks Fizz

68 ( 58 ) PETER GUNN Art Of Noise & Duane Eddy

69 ( NEW ) BIG MOUTH STRIKES AGAIN The Smiths

70 ( 73 ) ALL I NEED IS A MIRACLE Mike + The Mechanics

 

71 ( NEW ) HOLDING BACK THE YEARS Simply Red

72 ( 42 ) STARS Hear ‘n’ Aid

73 ( NEW ) YOUR LOVE The Outfield

74 ( 72 ) THE LAST KISS David Cassidy

75 ( NEW ) NASTY Janet Jackson

 

Playlist Oldies

1 ODE TO BILLIE JOE Bobbie Gentry

2 THE DAY BEFORE YOU CAME Abba

3 TWILIGHT ELO

The Bananarama cover of Venus is a good tune! We think of it as now more as a pop song but it must have sounded quite dancey back then for the time with its production. Stock Aitken Waterman weren't too cheesy yet in their productions either.

 

One of my favourite dance tracks of the 80s might be entering your next chart ;) Was only a low top 40 flop officially sadly :(

Edited May 31, 20187 yr by The Snake 🐍

Totp isn't too far behind your chart now Popchart, always thought Sledgehammer was later in the 80s like 87-89, great track! Genesis really did spawn some wonderful music from the 60s-90s in all their different forms!!

The Bananarama cover of Venus is a good tune! We think of it as now more as a pop song but it must have sounded quite dancey back then for the time with its production. Stock Aitken Waterman weren't too cheesy yet in their productions either.

 

One of my favourite dance tracks of the 80s might be entering your next chart ;) Was only a low top 40 flop officially sadly :(

 

Hi Snakey,

 

I actually loved early SAW hits, it wasn't till The Reynolds Girls, Big Fun, Kylie and Sonia that the tide turned a bit, and Venus was a sassy move for the girls who needed a boost. Ooh what track is that, now I'm curious? (I'm not sure there are many dance tracks entering in my next 1986 chart, bar Mantronix! Oops!)

Totp isn't too far behind your chart now Popchart, always thought Sledgehammer was later in the 80s like 87-89, great track! Genesis really did spawn some wonderful music from the 60s-90s in all their different forms!!

 

Hi Steve, I'm well out of date with the TOTP repeats - still recording them but my hard drive is stuffed with unwatched TV shows (not to mention my DVD collection!). It's quite a big hard drive too!

 

Sledgehammer very much doesnt sound like 1986, it's meaty production makes it sound much more recent than most of it's contemporaries, and I've just read the Phil Collins autobiography, Genesis makes a fascinating story musically.

Hi Snakey,

 

I actually loved early SAW hits, it wasn't till The Reynolds Girls, Big Fun, Kylie and Sonia that the tide turned a bit, and Venus was a sassy move for the girls who needed a boost. Ooh what track is that, now I'm curious? (I'm not sure there are many dance tracks entering in my next 1986 chart, bar Mantronix! Oops!)

 

Of the SAW hits in 1987/8, I do like Rick Astley's NGGYU and Together Forever. Sabrina's All Of Me though would be my favourite, it actually sounds a little ahead of its time, anticipating the 90s eurodance sound with its production and vocal (it particularly reminds me of the likes of Whigfield).

 

The Reynold's Girls and their shade for Fleetwood Mac and Dire Straits! Also insisting heavy metal was music of the past before Iron Maiden got a top 10 later in 1989...oops.

 

Actually there are two official low top 40 dance hits I am thinking of, and neither are the Mantronix one. Speaking of Mantronix, I love 'How Do You Know' from 2003!

Of the SAW hits in 1987/8, I do like Rick Astley's NGGYU and Together Forever. Sabrina's All Of Me though would be my favourite, it actually sounds a little ahead of its time, anticipating the 90s eurodance sound with its production and vocal (it particularly reminds me of the likes of Whigfield).

 

The Reynold's Girls and their shade for Fleetwood Mac and Dire Straits! Also insisting heavy metal was music of the past before Iron Maiden got a top 10 later in 1989...oops.

 

Actually there are two official low top 40 dance hits I am thinking of, and neither are the Mantronix one. Speaking of Mantronix, I love 'How Do You Know' from 2003!

 

 

I literally had a motorway car crash while listening to radio 1 and The Reynolds Girls (not my fault, a young twat drove into me doing 80mph in heavy hailstones) so it remains my most-loathed record anyway, although it's annoying lyrics annoyed me, cos frankly I'd Rather Fleetwood Mac.

 

You know what, I had either forgotten Kurtis Mantronik was behind Mantronix, or never knew! How Do You Know topped my chart and was bloody fantastic :cheer: