Couple of okay editions on recently, Friday's (13/08/87) probably being the best of the bunch. Do have a soft spot for Def Leppard and their album Hysteria from which Animal is from, and most of the breakers shown were great (Bridge To Your Heart, Just Call, Happy When It Rains, all favourites from this chart). Plus a third showing for Labour Of Love, yet it still not being tiring- good song that. And a good job Jacko hadn't made a video for his #1, or BBC might've had to drop this episode.
Also some interesting points, with Rick's debut and arguably the beginning of the SAW domination, an obscure Australian band Pseudo Echo- giving us Bates' surprisingly truthful prediction for Aussie acts crossing over, as well as the banned version of Wet Wet Wet's Sweet Little Mystery. They were sued by Van Morrison over stolen lyrics in this song after it charted, and the one shown on TOTP recently is the version with the unaltered, plagiarised lyrics, which aren't heard on their album or any music channels showing the video!
Looking ahead to next weeks episodes, its the last couple before Smith comes back and messes everything up with presenting 4 in a row :( Some of the songs we won't be missing out on before he returns include T'pau- Heart & Soul, Then Jericho- The Motive, and the great PSB'S & Dusty Springfield's What Have I Done To Deserve This, as well as some of last week's breakers in full (Wax + Sherrick), and another live vocal performance from Black, with their biggest hit Wonderful Life.
Do have a soft spot for Def Leppard and their album Hysteria from which Animal is from
Def Leppard's best song easily for me is 'Love Bites'. Not that big a fan of any of their other singles tbh.
'Labour Of Love' is great and a very different pop hit, pity Hue and Cry, like fellow Scottish bad Wet Wet Wet never had another song that was nearly as good as their debut (in my opinion at least).
Just watched the most recent episode now. Rick Astley is on it, the SAW cheesy dance pop bandwagon is starting! Also for cheesy dance pop, Spagna is at #3 with Call Me, its like the sort of equivalent of Jonas Blue of 1987 I think with the combination of the instrumental 'drop' in place of the chorus (it even sounds a bit 'tropical') and sentimental lyrics. I rather like it though.
We now seem to be at the height of the 80s stadium rock era with Def Leppard swiftly followed by Motley Crue. The Wet Wet Wet song 'Sweet Little Mystery' is nice enough if a bit cheesy (rather like ABC's 'When Smokey Sings' also from 1987). Sweet Little Mystery has become a radio favourite over the years though.
Edited by TheSnake
Was this Def Leppards big break through? Their chart history seems to show top 75 hits back until 1979!
Was this Def Leppards big break through? Their chart history seems to show top 75 hits back until 1979!
Yep it does seem to be (they were more an albums than a singles act until 'Animal'), and the second half of the 80s seems to see more hard rock in the charts than the first half - I suppose as new wave mostly died out by about 1985, hard rock took its place in the charts, along with the growing success of guitar based alternative rock (with Jesus and Mary Chain making top 10 in 1987)
Or hard rock acts creating stadium pop/rock anthems!
Or hard rock acts creating stadium pop/rock anthems!
Yep a lot of them went a bit more chart friendly in the late 80s.
Plus a third showing for Labour Of Love, yet it still not being tiring- good song that.
Labour of Love sounds more early 80s than late 80s I think, more in common with the alternative pop/new wave of the early 80s than the more polished pure pop of the late 80s, and that's why i like it, it sounds a lot 'lighter' than most of the stuff around the charts at the time.
The chart seemed very slow between May-Aug 87, seems some of the biggest hits had been around for ages!!
Couple of okay editions on recently, Friday's (13/08/87) probably being the best of the bunch. Do have a soft spot for Def Leppard and their album Hysteria from which Animal is from, and most of the breakers shown were great (Bridge To Your Heart, Just Call, Happy When It Rains, all favourites from this chart). Plus a third showing for Labour Of Love, yet it still not being tiring- good song that. And a good job Jacko hadn't made a video for his #1, or BBC might've had to drop this episode.
Also some interesting points, with Rick's debut and arguably the beginning of the SAW domination, an obscure Australian band Pseudo Echo- giving us Bates' surprisingly truthful prediction for Aussie acts crossing over, as well as the banned version of Wet Wet Wet's Sweet Little Mystery. They were sued by Van Morrison over stolen lyrics in this song after it charted, and the one shown on TOTP recently is the version with the unaltered, plagiarised lyrics, which aren't heard on their album or any music channels showing the video!
Looking ahead to next weeks episodes, its the last couple before Smith comes back and messes everything up with presenting 4 in a row :( Some of the songs we won't be missing out on before he returns include T'pau- Heart & Soul, Then Jericho- The Motive, and the great PSB'S & Dusty Springfield's What Have I Done To Deserve This, as well as some of last week's breakers in full (Wax + Sherrick), and another live vocal performance from Black, with their biggest hit Wonderful Life.
Def Leppard's best song easily for me is 'Love Bites'. Not that big a fan of any of their other singles tbh.
'Labour Of Love' is great and a very different pop hit, pity Hue and Cry, like fellow Scottish bad Wet Wet Wet never had another song that was nearly as good as their debut (in my opinion at least).
Just watched the most recent episode now. Rick Astley is on it, the SAW cheesy dance pop bandwagon is starting! Also for cheesy dance pop, Spagna is at #3 with Call Me, its like the sort of equivalent of Jonas Blue of 1987 I think with the combination of the instrumental 'drop' in place of the chorus (it even sounds a bit 'tropical') and sentimental lyrics. I rather like it though.
We now seem to be at the height of the 80s stadium rock era with Def Leppard swiftly followed by Motley Crue. The Wet Wet Wet song 'Sweet Little Mystery' is nice enough if a bit cheesy (rather like ABC's 'When Smokey Sings' also from 1987). Sweet Little Mystery has become a radio favourite over the years though.
Edited by TheSnake
Yep it does seem to be (they were more an albums than a singles act until 'Animal'), and the second half of the 80s seems to see more hard rock in the charts than the first half - I suppose as new wave mostly died out by about 1985, hard rock took its place in the charts, along with the growing success of guitar based alternative rock (with Jesus and Mary Chain making top 10 in 1987)
Yep a lot of them went a bit more chart friendly in the late 80s.
Labour of Love sounds more early 80s than late 80s I think, more in common with the alternative pop/new wave of the early 80s than the more polished pure pop of the late 80s, and that's why i like it, it sounds a lot 'lighter' than most of the stuff around the charts at the time.