w/e 21st October 1986

 

It's a first week on top for their 3rd chart-topper inside 12 months, as Suburbia seals the Pet Shop Boys as my new fave pop act, closely followed by Madonna as I buy True Blue and get into La Isla Bonita and Jimmy Jimmy in my playlist/oldies chart. I didn't allow album tracks else both would have charted, La Isla Bonita quite highly some months ahead of its single release. The highest new entry is a Phantom Of The Opera gorgeous ballad, giving Cliff the latest of numerous top 10's throughout the 18 years he had been charting (and 23 years if I'd charted earlier aged 5). It's one of Andrew Lloyd-Webber's best songs, and also means Sarah Brightman grabs a first top 10 from her hubby since she was a Hot Gossip-fronting Starship Trooper chart-topper 8 years earlier.

 

In at 13, Bob Geldof's first solo single, post-Live Aid, was not that wildly received at the time, I rather liked it myself, and it keeps his run of top 20's going for 9 years including the Rats singles. The Stranglers also keep the Punk '77 flag flying shooting up Always The Sun into the 20, while Will Smith gets his first top 20. Hands up who thought he'd be a major movie star? No, me neither. About as likely as Sarah Brightman getting into opera and musicals off the back of Starship Trooper.

 

Talking of actors, Don Johnson has a crack at a singing career while his Miami Vice star is shining. It didn't work but Heartbeat was quite decent and in at 42. World Party return, as do the post-Lionel Commodores, for a sweet 12 years since Machine Gun debuted. Duran Duran return with a bang after a short break, Notorious at 64, and Prince needs another lover like a hole in the head, apparently, at 66. The Icicle Works string out a 3rd year of chart entries, and Swing Out Sister debut with the fab jazzy 80's pop of Breakout at 70, as Nik Kershaw and The Mission sneak back in ahead of Alice Cooper returning after a break - he's Back! 14 years since School's Out for summer.

 

This week I saw The Blow Monkeys and Level 42 in concert, fab musicians all. Digging Your Scene was the 1986 track that brought a nostalgic tear to my eye the most. Love it.

 

1 ( 4 ) SUBURBIA Pet Shop Boys

2 ( 1 ) TRUE BLUE Madonna

3 ( 3 ) IN THE ARMY NOW Status Quo

4 ( 2 ) HUMAN Human League

5 ( 6 ) THAT WAS THEN THIS IS NOW The Monkees

6 ( 9 ) DON’T GET ME WRONG The Pretenders

7 ( 5 ) RAIN OR SHINE Five Star

8 ( NEW ) ALL I ASK OF YOU Cliff Richard & Sarah Brightman

9 ( 25 ) TAKE MY BREATH AWAY Berlin

10 ( 7 ) THORN IN MY SIDE Eurythmics

 

11 ( 12 ) FOR AMERICA Red Box

12 ( 20 ) WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN The Bangles

13 ( NEW ) THIS IS THE WORLD CALLING Bob Geldof

14 ( 30 ) I’VE BEEN LOSING YOU a-ha

15 ( 47 ) ALWAYS THE SUN The Stranglers

16 ( 11 ) RUMORS Timex Social Club

17 ( 8 ) DON’T STAND SO CLOSE TO ME ’86 The Police

18 ( 10 ) FOREVER (LIVE AND DIE) OMD

19 ( 16 ) YOU CAN CALL ME AL Paul Simon

20 ( 34 ) GIRLS AIN’T NOTHIN’ BUT TROUBLE DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

 

21 ( 14 ) MONTEGO BAY Amazulu

22 ( 17 ) WORD UP Cameo

23 ( 23 ) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON Kim Wilde

24 ( 28 ) THE WIZARD Paul Hardcastle

25 ( 29 ) WORLD SHUT YOUR MOUTH Julian Cope

26 ( 15 ) BRAND NEW LOVER Dead Or Alive

27 ( 13 ) HEARTACHE ALL OVER THE WORLD Elton John

28 ( 18 ) LOVE CAN’T TURN AROUND Farley ‘Jackmaster’ Funk featuring Daryl Pandy

29 ( 49 ) NEVER TOO LATE TO LOVE YOU Kissing The Pink

30 ( 31 ) WHOLE NEW WORLD It Bites

 

31 ( 26 ) WHEN I THINK OF YOU Janet Jackson

32 ( 24 ) WALK THIS WAY Run-DMC featuring Aerosmith

33 ( 22 ) DON’T WALK The Big Supreme

34 ( 21 ) THE SOUND OF MUSIC Falco

35 ( 46 ) ALL I WANT Howard Jones

36 ( 68 ) CLOSE TO YOU Gwen Guthrie

37 ( 37 ) TO BE A LOVER Billy Idol

38 ( 19 ) LOVERBOY Chairmen Of The Board

39 ( 69 ) A MATTER OF TRUST Billy Joel

40 ( 27 ) ELEANOR RIGBY/ YELLOW SUBMARINE The Beatles

 

41 ( 41 ) AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Diana Ross

42 ( NEW ) HEARTBEAT Don Johnson

43 ( 32 ) DON’T LEAVE ME THIS WAY The Communards

44 ( NEW ) PRIVATE REVOLUTION World Party

45 ( 44 ) PANIC The Smiths

46 ( 40 ) KISS THE DIRT (FALLING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN) INXS

47 ( 54 ) JUMPING JACK FLASH Aretha Franklin

48 ( RE ) ALWAYS THERE Marti Webb

49 ( 38 ) BROTHER LOUIE Modern Talking

50 ( 65 ) YOU’RE EVERYTHING TO ME Boris Gardiner

 

51 ( 48 ) PAPA DON’T PREACH Madonna

52 ( 51 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael

53 ( 50 ) CRY Godley & Creme

54 ( 36 ) (I JUST) DIED IN YOUR ARMS Cutting Crew

55 ( 71 ) MIDAS TOUCH Midnight Star

56 ( 42 ) BA BA BANKROBBERY Eav

57 ( 57 ) IN THE SHAPE OF A HEART Jackson Browne

58 ( 33 ) STUCK WITH YOU Huey Lewis & The News

59 ( NEW ) GOIN’ TO THE BANK The Commodores

60 ( 64 ) WONDERLAND Paul Young

 

61 ( 58 ) NEW BEGINNING (MAMBA SEYRA) Bucks Fizz

62 ( 60 ) OPPORTUNITIES (LET’S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) Pet Shop Boys

63 ( 63 ) GRAVITY James Brown

64 ( NEW ) NOTORIOUS Duran Duran

65 ( 35 ) PRETTY IN PINK The Psychedelic Furs

66 ( NEW ) ANOTHERLOVERHOLEINYOHEAD Prince

67 ( NEW ) WHO DO YOU WANT FOR YOUR LOVE The Icicle Works

68 ( 55 ) BURN Doctor & The Medics

69 ( 74 ) SOMETIMES Erasure

70 ( NEW ) BREAKOUT Swing Out Sister

 

71 ( 67 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite

72 ( 53 ) TRUE COLORS Cyndi Lauper

73 ( NEW ) NOBODY KNOWS Nik Kershaw

74 ( NEW ) STAY WITH ME The Mission

75 ( NEW ) HE’S BACK Alice Cooper

 

non-chart playlist

1 LA ISLA BONITA Madonna

2 JIMMY JIMMY Madonna

3 GALAXY T.Rex

Great to see Notorious enter - good to see Duran duran back as Simon reaches 60!!

 

When did The Fresh Prince of Bel Air start on tv?

Great to see Notorious enter - good to see Duran duran back as Simon reaches 60!!

 

When did The Fresh Prince of Bel Air start on tv?

 

Hi Steve, Yes it seems unreal that so many pop stars are hitting 60 - about as unreal as me being the same age, I seem to have lost 20 years somewhere :lol:

 

Fresh Prince hit TV in 1990, which gave them both big boosts in profile for more Fresh Prince & jazzy Jeff hits after a bit of a gap..

28th October 1986

 

It's 2 weeks on top for Suburbia as Quo get a 4-week run at 3 stuck behind my top two acts of 1986, The Bangles get a 3rd top 10, Red Box a second and last, and Bob Geldof a first and final solo top 10 - though the Rats had loads over the previous 8 years. Highest new entry (gasp!) is Shaky with a sweet ballad, in one fell swoop beating almost all of his previous singles, bar 2 or 3, in at 13. It's a 3rd top 20 for entering Doctor & the Medics covering Abba's 1974 chart-topper with an assist from Roy Wood, his first top 20 (barring Xmas re-entries of you-know-what) for a decade.

 

Anita Baker's minor hit of a couple of months earlier finally starts to sell in the UK and shoots back in at 17, Sweet Love, The Mission have a huge climb into the 30, as do Duran Duran, While Cyndi Lauper finally makes the 40 with True Colors after faffing about a few weeks. Jaki Graham gets a 3rd solo top 40, in at 39, and Madness return with their final good record for 12 years, after a non-stop-run of 7 years, in at 40 with the Ghost Train. Good for Halloween of course.

 

Mel & Kim start-up the SAW pop factory proper, as they debut with Showin' Out at 49, Bobby G remixes and comes back with a TV theme, Paul McCartney pulls a second single off Press To Play, and Bon Jovi return with a classic bang! Livin' On A Prayer remains a widely-known anthem, selling well into the 2010's. Also back: The Housemartins, a windy Bowie (promoting cult Xmas movie, The Snowman), The Smiths Ask for a return while they are still Panic-ing, Tina Turner is Two people, Cutting Crew get a quick follow-up, and The Real Thing sneak in briefly with a song that isn't a 70's biggie.

 

1 ( 1 ) SUBURBIA Pet Shop Boys

2 ( 2 ) TRUE BLUE Madonna

3 ( 3 ) IN THE ARMY NOW Status Quo

4 ( 6 ) DON’T GET ME WRONG The Pretenders

5 ( 8 ) ALL I ASK OF YOU Cliff Richard & Sarah Brightman

6 ( 9 ) TAKE MY BREATH AWAY Berlin

7 ( 4 ) HUMAN Human League

8 ( 12 ) WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN The Bangles

9 ( 11 ) FOR AMERICA Red Box

10 ( 13 ) THIS IS THE WORLD CALLING Bob Geldof

 

11 ( 5 ) THAT WAS THEN THIS IS NOW The Monkees

12 ( 14 ) I’VE BEEN LOSING YOU a-ha

13 ( NEW ) BECAUSE I LOVE YOU Shakin’ Stevens

14 ( 7 ) RAIN OR SHINE Five Star

15 ( 15 ) ALWAYS THE SUN The Stranglers

16 ( 20 ) GIRLS AIN’T NOTHIN’ BUT TROUBLE DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

17 ( RE ) SWEET LOVE Anita Baker

18 ( 29 ) NEVER TOO LATE TO LOVE YOU Kissing The Pink

19 ( NEW ) WATERLOO Doctor & The Medics featuring Roy Wood

20 ( 25 ) WORLD SHUT YOUR MOUTH Julian Cope

 

21 ( 10 ) THORN IN MY SIDE Eurythmics

22 ( 23 ) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON Kim Wilde

23 ( 16 ) RUMORS Timex Social Club

24 ( 24 ) THE WIZARD Paul Hardcastle

25 ( 19 ) YOU CAN CALL ME AL Paul Simon

26 ( 74 ) STAY WITH ME The Mission

27 ( 30 ) WHOLE NEW WORLD It Bites

28 ( 18 ) FOREVER (LIVE AND DIE) OMD

29 ( 17 ) DON’T STAND SO CLOSE TO ME ’86 The Police

30 ( 64 ) NOTORIOUS Duran Duran

 

31 ( 22 ) WORD UP Cameo

32 ( 36 ) CLOSE TO YOU Gwen Guthrie

33 ( 42 ) HEARTBEAT Don Johnson

34 ( 55 ) MIDAS TOUCH Midnight Star

35 ( 37 ) TO BE A LOVER Billy Idol

36 ( 72 ) TRUE COLORS Cyndi Lauper

37 ( 31 ) WHEN I THINK OF YOU Janet Jackson

38 ( 26 ) BRAND NEW LOVER Dead Or Alive

39 ( NEW ) STEP RIGHT UP Jaki Graham

40 ( NEW ) (WAITING FOR) THE GHOST TRAIN Madness

 

41 ( 41 ) AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Diana Ross

42 ( 47 ) JUMPING JACK FLASH Aretha Franklin

43 ( 21 ) MONTEGO BAY Amazulu

44 ( 32 ) WALK THIS WAY Run-DMC featuring Aerosmith

45 ( 45 ) PANIC The Smiths

46 ( 50 ) YOU’RE EVERYTHING TO ME Boris Gardiner

47 ( 59 ) GOIN’ TO THE BANK The Commodores

48 ( 40 ) ELEANOR RIGBY/ YELLOW SUBMARINE The Beatles

49 ( NEW ) SHOWIN’ OUT (GET FRESH AT THE WEEKEND) Mel & Kim

50 ( 33 ) DON’T WALK The Big Supreme

 

51 ( 69 ) SOMETIMES Erasure

52 ( 52 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael

53 ( 70 ) BREAKOUT Swing Out Sister

54 ( 53 ) CRY Godley & Creme

55 ( 51 ) PAPA DON’T PREACH Madonna

56 ( 46 ) KISS THE DIRT (FALLING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN) INXS

57 ( 67 ) WHO DO YOU WANT FOR YOUR LOVE The Icicle Works

58 ( NEW ) THEME FROM BIG DEAL (REMIX) Bobby G

59 ( NEW ) LIVIN’ ON A PRAYER Bon Jovi

60 ( NEW ) PRETTY LITTLE HEAD Paul McCartney

 

61 ( 44 ) PRIVATE REVOLUTION World Party

62 ( 27 ) HEARTACHE ALL OVER THE WORLD Elton John

63 ( 39 ) A MATTER OF TRUST Billy Joel

64 ( 62 ) OPPORTUNITIES (LET’S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) Pet Shop Boys

65 ( 61 ) NEW BEGINNING (MAMBA SEYRA) Bucks Fizz

66 ( 66 ) ANOTHERLOVERHOLEINYOHEAD Prince

67 ( 28 ) LOVE CAN’T TURN AROUND Farley ‘Jackmaster’ Funk featuring Daryl Pandy

68 ( 48 ) ALWAYS THERE Marti Webb

69 ( NEW ) THINK FOR A MINUTE The Housemartins

70 ( NEW ) WHEN THE WIND BLOWS David Bowie

 

71 ( NEW ) ASK The Smiths

72 ( 71 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite

73 ( NEW ) TWO PEOPLE Tina Turner

74 ( NEW ) I’VE BEEN IN LOVE BEFORE Cutting Crew

75 ( NEW ) STRAIGHT TO THE HEART The Real Thing

 

Playlist Oldies

1 YOU CAN DO MAGIC America

2 TELSTAR The Tornadoes

3 DON’T FORGET TO REMEMBER The Bee Gees

I've Been Losing You by a-ha is a definite favourite of mine here. Also liking seeing Suburbia on top and, of course, Human falling! :kink:

 

Sometimes by Erasure seems low, hope that continues to climb.

Madness with the last gasp single after a classic era of singles from them from 1979-86!

I've Been Losing You by a-ha is a definite favourite of mine here. Also liking seeing Suburbia on top and, of course, Human falling! :kink:

 

Sometimes by Erasure seems low, hope that continues to climb.

 

Hi dandy :)

 

That was the first a-ha track to fall short of my top 10 (only just) so I think I under-rated it a bit, and sadly Human took ages to go away , best get you prepared for it in advance :lol:

 

Erasure is well too low, I think I must have got into it too early and then not heard it for a few weeks but remembered it enough to know I still liked it. It is going all the way to the top spot, never fear! :cheer:

Madness with the last gasp single after a classic era of singles from them from 1979-86!

 

Hi Steve, yes indeed, what a great run of singles it was. Luckily Suggs was back before too long carrying the flag till the reunion and part 2 of their career, both of which have been quite good. :cheer:

4th November 1986

 

It's a 3rd week on top for Pet Shop Boys, with Berlin's classic movie theme breathing down their neck at 2, and Lloyd-Webber's gorgeous Phantom song at 3. Anita Baker finally makes the top 10 with Sweet Love, and Shaky gets a rare top 10. His 4th, but his hit-rate is quite low. Madness chug into the 20, Boo! That's "Boo!" as in ghostly fright, not an exclamation of displeasure. Kim Wilde also goes top 20 with her Supremes cover, climbing slowly, while Duran notoriously climb faster. Highest new entry is Debbie Harry's best post-Blondie solo single, French Kissing In The USA, at 22, for 8 years of non-stop success in my charts, and China Crisis are back with the nice Arizona Sky at 26. That under-performed Uk chart-wise sadly.

 

Mel & Kim get a big climb into the 30, and Erasure, Swing Out Sister and Bon Jovi into the 40 ditto, as the fab emotive, hugging Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush are new at 39. Don't Give Up is timeless advice. Future cheesy anthem Europe enters at 61. I was heading a Highways team, surveying Dorset roads back in this day, and a few weeks later I had a heated discussion with my young post-grad music student assistant which annoyed me so much it still burns cos I was so sure I was right in my opinion and he was wrong in his assessment that the chart were rubbish and the music disposable destined to be forgotten. "I bet you" I said, "that Berlin and Europe, at the very least, are remembered decades from now". They had the ring of lasting popularity to me. Nice to be right.

 

The Cars main man is solo at 62, Madonna gifts a song for the first and last time, to male model Nick Kamen, he of the Levi 501 laundrette strip off advert. In at 70, just ahead of Janet Jackson and a more pedestrian follow-up to a fab single, in Control, another movie song from Kenny Loggins, and a lovely song from Bucks Fizz keeping each other warm, not to mention the cockles of my heart.

 

1 ( 1 ) SUBURBIA Pet Shop Boys

2 ( 6 ) TAKE MY BREATH AWAY Berlin

3 ( 5 ) ALL I ASK OF YOU Cliff Richard & Sarah Brightman

4 ( 8 ) WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN The Bangles

5 ( 2 ) TRUE BLUE Madonna

6 ( 9 ) FOR AMERICA Red Box

7 ( 17 ) SWEET LOVE Anita Baker

8 ( 3 ) IN THE ARMY NOW Status Quo

9 ( 10 ) THIS IS THE WORLD CALLING Bob Geldof

10 ( 13 ) BECAUSE I LOVE YOU Shakin’ Stevens

 

11 ( 4 ) DON’T GET ME WRONG The Pretenders

12 ( 18 ) NEVER TOO LATE TO LOVE YOU Kissing The Pink

13 ( 7 ) HUMAN Human League

14 ( 40 ) (WAITING FOR) THE GHOST TRAIN Madness

15 ( 15 ) ALWAYS THE SUN The Stranglers

16 ( 14 ) RAIN OR SHINE Five Star

17 ( 22 ) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON Kim Wilde

18 ( 30 ) NOTORIOUS Duran Duran

19 ( 19 ) WATERLOO Doctor & The Medics featuring Roy Wood

20 ( 11 ) THAT WAS THEN THIS IS NOW The Monkees

 

21 ( 12 ) I’VE BEEN LOSING YOU a-ha

22 ( NEW ) FRENCH KISSING IN THE USA Debbie Harry

23 ( 16 ) GIRLS AIN’T NOTHIN’ BUT TROUBLE DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

24 ( 20 ) WORLD SHUT YOUR MOUTH Julian Cope

25 ( 27 ) WHOLE NEW WORLD It Bites

26 ( NEW ) ARIZONA SKY China Crisis

27 ( 49 ) SHOWIN’ OUT (GET FRESH AT THE WEEKEND) Mel & Kim

28 ( 32 ) CLOSE TO YOU Gwen Guthrie

29 ( 25 ) YOU CAN CALL ME AL Paul Simon

30 ( 36 ) TRUE COLORS Cyndi Lauper

 

31 ( 21 ) THORN IN MY SIDE Eurythmics

32 ( 35 ) TO BE A LOVER Billy Idol

33 ( 23 ) RUMORS Timex Social Club

34 ( 34 ) MIDAS TOUCH Midnight Star

35 ( 51 ) SOMETIMES Erasure

36 ( 53 ) BREAKOUT Swing Out Sister

37 ( 39 ) STEP RIGHT UP Jaki Graham

38 ( 59 ) LIVIN’ ON A PRAYER Bon Jovi

39 ( NEW ) DON’T GIVE UP Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush

40 ( 42 ) JUMPING JACK FLASH Aretha Franklin

 

41 ( 26 ) STAY WITH ME The Mission

42 ( 41 ) AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Diana Ross

43 ( 46 ) YOU’RE EVERYTHING TO ME Boris Gardiner

44 ( 47 ) GOIN’ TO THE BANK The Commodores

45 ( 37 ) WHEN I THINK OF YOU Janet Jackson

46 ( 24 ) THE WIZARD Paul Hardcastle

47 ( 74 ) I’VE BEEN IN LOVE BEFORE Cutting Crew

48 ( 31 ) WORD UP Cameo

49 ( 71 ) ASK The Smiths

50 ( 66 ) ANOTHERLOVERHOLEINYOHEAD Prince

 

51 ( 45 ) PANIC The Smiths

52 ( 52 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael

53 ( 38 ) BRAND NEW LOVER Dead Or Alive

54 ( 29 ) DON’T STAND SO CLOSE TO ME ’86 The Police

55 ( 73 ) TWO PEOPLE Tina Turner

56 ( 48 ) ELEANOR RIGBY/ YELLOW SUBMARINE The Beatles

57 ( 60 ) PRETTY LITTLE HEAD Paul McCartney

58 ( 33 ) HEARTBEAT Don Johnson

59 ( 54 ) CRY Godley & Creme

60 ( 28 ) FOREVER (LIVE AND DIE) OMD

 

61 ( NEW ) THE FINAL COUNTDOWN Europe

62 ( NEW ) EMOTION IN MOTION Ric Okasek

63 ( 55 ) PAPA DON’T PREACH Madonna

64 ( 70 ) WHEN THE WIND BLOWS David Bowie

65 ( 69 ) THINK FOR A MINUTE The Housemartins

66 ( 65 ) NEW BEGINNING (MAMBA SEYRA) Bucks Fizz

67 ( 64 ) OPPORTUNITIES (LET’S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) Pet Shop Boys

68 ( 56 ) KISS THE DIRT (FALLING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN) INXS

69 ( 75 ) STRAIGHT TO THE HEART The Real Thing

70 ( NEW ) EACH TIME YOU BREAK MY HEART Nick Kamen

 

71 ( NEW ) CONTROL Janet Jackson

72 ( NEW ) KEEP EACH OTHER WARM Bucks Fizz

73 ( 72 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite

74 ( NEW ) BOAT TO BOLIVIA Martin Stephenson & The Daintees

75 ( NEW ) DANGER ZONE Kenny Loggins

 

 

4th Nov

PLAYIST OLDIES

 

1 SAD SWEET DREAMER (REMIX) Sweet Sensation

2 LOVE IS LIFE Hot Chocolate

3 GREEN GREEN GRASS OF HOME Tom Jones

11th November 1986

 

It's a first week on top for Berlin's movie classic, with Anita Baker looking Sweet at 2. Debbie Harry leaps into the top 5, the first time she has troubled that end of the chart for almost 6 years with Rapture, as Kissing The Pink get a second top 10 3 years on from The Last Film. Bon Jovi's future classic anthem shoots up to 12 and Swing Out Sister Breakout into the 20. OMD get the highest new entry with the laid back We Love You, as future chart biggie Europe is up 29 places to 32, but is leapfrogged by Nick "Madonna" Kamen at 31. The Smiths, Tina Turner and Cutting Crew all return to the 40.

 

Eurythmics also go low-key with a sort-of Xmas ballad that everyone has forgotten these days, new at 49, just ahead of Spandau's comeback after other projects, the Northern Ireland-referencing Through The Barricades. The under-rated Lone Justice enter at 56 with Shelter, though singer Maria McKee would eventually top the UK chart, Greg Abbott's Shake You Down gets a decent new entry, Human League return with another Jam & Lewis track, this one uptempo, and under-performing considering the track record of all parties concerned in my charts. That also goes for Kate Bush's Experimental single, and Frankie's Wasteland, while Boston get a brief one-week return to my charts after, ooh, 9 years away. Ultravox scrape in as their best chart days are well and truly behind them at this point.

 

1 ( 2 ) TAKE MY BREATH AWAY Berlin

2 ( 7 ) SWEET LOVE Anita Baker

3 ( 3 ) ALL I ASK OF YOU Cliff Richard & Sarah Brightman

4 ( 1 ) SUBURBIA Pet Shop Boys

5 ( 22 ) FRENCH KISSING IN THE USA Debbie Harry

6 ( 9 ) THIS IS THE WORLD CALLING Bob Geldof

7 ( 4 ) WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN The Bangles

8 ( 10 ) BECAUSE I LOVE YOU Shakin’ Stevens

9 ( 12 ) NEVER TOO LATE TO LOVE YOU Kissing The Pink

10 ( 6 ) FOR AMERICA Red Box

 

11 ( 5 ) TRUE BLUE Madonna

12 ( 38 ) LIVIN’ ON A PRAYER Bon Jovi

13 ( 11 ) DON’T GET ME WRONG The Pretenders

14 ( 14 ) (WAITING FOR) THE GHOST TRAIN Madness

15 ( 8 ) IN THE ARMY NOW Status Quo

16 ( 18 ) NOTORIOUS Duran Duran

17 ( 17 ) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON Kim Wilde

18 ( 19 ) WATERLOO Doctor & The Medics featuring Roy Wood

19 ( 36 ) BREAKOUT Swing Out Sister

20 ( 13 ) HUMAN Human League

 

21 ( 39 ) DON’T GIVE UP Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush

22 ( 26 ) ARIZONA SKY China Crisis

23 ( 16 ) RAIN OR SHINE Five Star

24 ( 35 ) SOMETIMES Erasure

25 ( 27 ) SHOWIN’ OUT (GET FRESH AT THE WEEKEND) Mel & Kim

26 ( 37 ) STEP RIGHT UP Jaki Graham

27 ( 20 ) THAT WAS THEN THIS IS NOW The Monkees

28 ( 30 ) TRUE COLORS Cyndi Lauper

29 ( 15 ) ALWAYS THE SUN The Stranglers

30 ( NEW ) WE LOVE YOU OMD

 

31 ( 70 ) EACH TIME YOU BREAK MY HEART Nick Kamen

32 ( 61 ) THE FINAL COUNTDOWN Europe

33 ( 34 ) MIDAS TOUCH Midnight Star

34 ( 49 ) ASK The Smiths

35 ( 40 ) JUMPING JACK FLASH Aretha Franklin

36 ( 29 ) YOU CAN CALL ME AL Paul Simon

37 ( 23 ) GIRLS AIN’T NOTHIN’ BUT TROUBLE DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

38 ( 55 ) TWO PEOPLE Tina Turner

39 ( 47 ) I’VE BEEN IN LOVE BEFORE Cutting Crew

40 ( 31 ) THORN IN MY SIDE Eurythmics

 

41 ( 25 ) WHOLE NEW WORLD It Bites

42 ( 21 ) I’VE BEEN LOSING YOU a-ha

43 ( 50 ) ANOTHERLOVERHOLEINYOHEAD Prince

44 ( 33 ) RUMORS Timex Social Club

45 ( 42 ) AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Diana Ross

46 ( 24 ) WORLD SHUT YOUR MOUTH Julian Cope

47 ( 28 ) CLOSE TO YOU Gwen Guthrie

48 ( 64 ) WHEN THE WIND BLOWS David Bowie

49 ( NEW ) MIRACLE OF LOVE Eurythmics

50 ( NEW ) THROUGH THE BARRICADES Spandau Ballet

 

51 ( 32 ) TO BE A LOVER Billy Idol

52 ( 71 ) CONTROL Janet Jackson

53 ( 52 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael

54 ( 62 ) EMOTION IN MOTION Ric Okasek

55 ( 45 ) WHEN I THINK OF YOU Janet Jackson

56 ( NEW ) SHELTER Lone Justice

57 ( 75 ) DANGER ZONE Kenny Loggins

58 ( 69 ) STRAIGHT TO THE HEART The Real Thing

59 ( 43 ) YOU’RE EVERYTHING TO ME Boris Gardiner

60 ( 56 ) ELEANOR RIGBY/ YELLOW SUBMARINE The Beatles

 

61 ( 59 ) CRY Godley & Creme

62 ( 51 ) PANIC The Smiths

63 ( NEW ) SHAKE YOU DOWN Gregory Abbott

64 ( 57 ) PRETTY LITTLE HEAD Paul McCartney

65 ( 72 ) KEEP EACH OTHER WARM Bucks Fizz

66 ( 66 ) NEW BEGINNING (MAMBA SEYRA) Bucks Fizz

67 ( 63 ) PAPA DON’T PREACH Madonna

68 ( NEW ) I NEED YOUR LOVIN’ Human League

69 ( NEW ) EXPERIMENT IV Kate Bush

70 ( NEW ) WARRIORS OF THE WASTELAND Frankie Goes To Hollywood

 

71 ( 67 ) OPPORTUNITIES (LET’S MAKE LOTS OF MONEY) Pet Shop Boys

72 ( NEW ) AMANDA Boston

73 ( NEW ) JODY Jermaine Stewart

74 ( 73 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite

75 ( NEW ) ALL FALL DOWN Ultravox

 

Playlist Oldies Of The Week

1 IF IT WASN’T FOR THE NIGHTS Abba

2 THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC Abba

3 ALWAYS YOURS Gary Glitter

The Mel and Kim song is certainly quite a bit different in style to the later SAW songs, it was apparently heavily influenced by the emerging house sound. Good track though, I do like those percussion rolls and funky synths of the instrumental.

 

'Breakout' I really see as the start of the rather cheesy sounding pop that would become more popular in 1987 with Rick Astley, Spagna etc. but I really like it though!

 

'Warriors of the Wasteland' is brilliant, I like the production (sounds great for its time and could almost be a 90s dance track in parts), the lyrics are good too, it should have been more of a hit in the charts.

 

 

Edited November 18, 20186 yr by The Snake 🐍

18th November 1986

 

It's 2 weeks on top for Berlin as Shaky gets a career-high of 3 in my charts - with one of his most obscure hits! Bon Jovi make it 2 consecutive top 5's with their signature tune, and Mel & Kim get a first top 10 and get the ball rolling proper on the SAW years of pop dominance. Kim Wilde makes it 5 years of top 10's and Madness 7 years. Nick Kamen climbs into the 20, and Bucks Fizz shoot up into the 40 - keeping their record of top 40's 100% in 5 years.

 

Highest new entry is Womack & Womack keeping up the run of post-Love Wars tracks to chart, at 42 with Soul Love/Soul Man, as Cyndi Lauper leapfrogs herself as True Colors drops like a brick and the good Change Of Heart enters at 51. Cameo are back with Candy, sweet! Phil Fearon is back with another cover, this time the 1968 Showstoppers song Ain't Nothin' But a Houseparty, and some substantial goodies enter at the lower end, from Robbie Nevil's C'Est La Vie, Oran 'Juice' Jones terrific The Rain, The Communards best-single to-date So Cold The Night, and also a bunch of lesser entries from Glass Tiger (over-rated), Simple Minds, a Springsteen cover of Edwin Starr's classic War, Grace Jones, and a superstar duet from Elton and Cliff, who collectively had made the UK charts every year since 1958, and for quite some time after 1986, Elton having non-stop runs from 1971 through 1999, while Cliff had 1958 through 1974. In my charts Elton had a non-stop run from 1971 through to 2002 with new material, or 2004 including oldies.

 

 

1 ( 1 ) TAKE MY BREATH AWAY Berlin

2 ( 2 ) SWEET LOVE Anita Baker

3 ( 8 ) BECAUSE I LOVE YOU Shakin’ Stevens

4 ( 12 ) LIVIN’ ON A PRAYER Bon Jovi

5 ( 5 ) FRENCH KISSING IN THE USA Debbie Harry

6 ( 6 ) THIS IS THE WORLD CALLING Bob Geldof

7 ( 25 ) SHOWIN’ OUT (GET FRESH AT THE WEEKEND) Mel & Kim

8 ( 3 ) ALL I ASK OF YOU Cliff Richard & Sarah Brightman

9 ( 17 ) YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON Kim Wilde

10 ( 14 ) (WAITING FOR) THE GHOST TRAIN Madness

 

11 ( 7 ) WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN The Bangles

12 ( 16 ) NOTORIOUS Duran Duran

13 ( 4 ) SUBURBIA Pet Shop Boys

14 ( 24 ) SOMETIMES Erasure

15 ( 19 ) BREAKOUT Swing Out Sister

16 ( 18 ) WATERLOO Doctor & The Medics featuring Roy Wood

17 ( 11 ) TRUE BLUE Madonna

18 ( 31 ) EACH TIME YOU BREAK MY HEART Nick Kamen

19 ( 13 ) DON’T GET ME WRONG The Pretenders

20 ( 10 ) FOR AMERICA Red Box

 

21 ( 21 ) DON’T GIVE UP Peter Gabriel & Kate Bush

22 ( 22 ) ARIZONA SKY China Crisis

23 ( 9 ) NEVER TOO LATE TO LOVE YOU Kissing The Pink

24 ( 15 ) IN THE ARMY NOW Status Quo

25 ( 32 ) THE FINAL COUNTDOWN Europe

26 ( 26 ) STEP RIGHT UP Jaki Graham

27 ( 20 ) HUMAN Human League

28 ( 30 ) WE LOVE YOU OMD

29 ( 65 ) KEEP EACH OTHER WARM Bucks Fizz

30 ( 34 ) ASK The Smiths

 

31 ( 23 ) RAIN OR SHINE Five Star

32 ( 54 ) EMOTION IN MOTION Ric Okasek

33 ( 75 ) ALL FALL DOWN Ultravox

34 ( 39 ) I’VE BEEN IN LOVE BEFORE Cutting Crew

35 ( 50 ) THROUGH THE BARRICADES Spandau Ballet

36 ( 38 ) TWO PEOPLE Tina Turner

37 ( 70 ) WARRIORS OF THE WASTELAND Frankie Goes To Hollywood

38 ( 27 ) THAT WAS THEN THIS IS NOW The Monkees

39 ( 49 ) MIRACLE OF LOVE Eurythmics

40 ( 48 ) WHEN THE WIND BLOWS David Bowie

 

41 ( 33 ) MIDAS TOUCH Midnight Star

42 ( NEW ) SOUL LOVE/SOUL MAN Womack & Womack

43 ( 29 ) ALWAYS THE SUN The Stranglers

44 ( 56 ) SHELTER Lone Justice

45 ( 36 ) YOU CAN CALL ME AL Paul Simon

46 ( 45 ) AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Diana Ross

47 ( 37 ) GIRLS AIN’T NOTHIN’ BUT TROUBLE DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

48 ( 69 ) EXPERIMENT IV Kate Bush

49 ( 57 ) DANGER ZONE Kenny Loggins

50 ( 40 ) THORN IN MY SIDE Eurythmics

 

51 ( NEW ) CHANGE OF HEART Cyndi Lauper

52 ( 35 ) JUMPING JACK FLASH Aretha Franklin

53 ( 52 ) CONTROL Janet Jackson

54 ( 53 ) A DIFFERENT CORNER George Michael

55 ( NEW ) CANDY Cameo

56 ( 44 ) RUMORS Timex Social Club

57 ( 28 ) TRUE COLORS Cyndi Lauper

58 ( NEW ) AIN’T NOTHIN’ BUT A HOUSEPARTY Phil Fearon

59 ( 43 ) ANOTHERLOVERHOLEINYOHEAD Prince

60 ( 68 ) I NEED YOUR LOVIN’ Human League

 

61 ( 61 ) CRY Godley & Creme

62 ( 60 ) ELEANOR RIGBY/ YELLOW SUBMARINE The Beatles

63 ( NEW ) THE RAIN Oran ‘Juice’ Jones

64 ( NEW ) C’EST LA VIE Robbie Nevil

65 ( 55 ) WHEN I THINK OF YOU Janet Jackson

66 ( NEW ) SO COLD THE NIGHT The Communards

67 ( NEW ) DON’T FORGET ME Glass Tiger

68 ( 66 ) NEW BEGINNING (MAMBA SEYRA) Bucks Fizz

69 ( 74 ) E=MC2 Big Audio Dynamite

70 ( 67 ) PAPA DON’T PREACH Madonna

 

71 ( NEW ) GHOSTDANCING Simple Minds

72 ( 62 ) PANIC The Smiths

73 ( NEW ) WAR Bruce Springsteen

74 ( NEW ) I’M NOT PERFECT (BUT I’M PERFECT FOR YOU) Grace Jones

75 ( NEW ) SLOW RIVERS Elton John & Cliff Richard

 

 

Playlist oldies

1 LONELY DAYS LONELY NIGHTS Don Downing

2 KILLER QUEEN Queen

3 LONELY THIS CHRISTMAS Mud

Are you going on to 1987 after this?

 

Which years are have you still to do?

Human by The Human League is a real grower for me, a far cry from the early 80s stuff but really well written and sung, thought I would think this era which the beginning of the end for them would sound terrible. Same with Duran Duran - Notorious is quality!

Are you going on to 1987 after this?

 

Which years are have you still to do?

 

Watch here : https://popchartfreak.wordpress.com/ :)

Are you going on to 1987 after this?

 

Which years are have you still to do?

 

Hi Snakey,

 

yes straight into 1987, the other years get done as I get time to add to them. I'm re-doing my original 60's charts on a 50-year anniversary basis, much expanded, so that's the other main one.

 

Currently nearing the end of 1970, 1975, 1980, 1990, 1995, and have done:

 

1973/4

1983/4

1978/9

1988/9

1993/4

1998/9

2003/4

2012 onwards

 

everything from 1998 is on computer so I just have to dig them out and post, everything before is on pencil notepads :lol:

 

cheers!

john

Human by The Human League is a real grower for me, a far cry from the early 80s stuff but really well written and sung, thought I would think this era which the beginning of the end for them would sound terrible. Same with Duran Duran - Notorious is quality!

 

Hi Steve, my love for the Human League has never gone away, though they got less great generally after this album, I might even go and see them next week for the umpteenth time, always a good night out.

 

Duran improved with age, I thought, from 1984 onwards, peaking in 1993, but still pushing out some good stuff right up to their last album. :)

Watch here : https://popchartfreak.wordpress.com/ :)

 

Thanks for the plug Alex! :wub:

Hi Snakey,

 

yes straight into 1987, the other years get done as I get time to add to them. I'm re-doing my original 60's charts on a 50-year anniversary basis, much expanded, so that's the other main one.

 

Currently nearing the end of 1970, 1975, 1980, 1990, 1995, and have done:

 

1973/4

1983/4

1978/9

1988/9

1993/4

1998/9

2003/4

2012 onwards

 

everything from 1998 is on computer so I just have to dig them out and post, everything before is on pencil notepads :lol:

 

cheers!

john

 

Would like to see your charts for 1982 on here soon, looking at the Official Chart archive from that year, that is probably my favourite year from the 80s for music.

 

1987 seems to have had some great songs making the chart though so I look forward to seeing your personal charts for this year and also seeing the episodes from that year once they appear soon on the BBC Four TOTP re-run.

Yeh my fav year from the totp and popchart journey is 1983!