1ST OCTOBER

 

 

"Karma Chameleon" continues to put in a sterling performance at the top of the charts recording another stellar sale of 239,598 to take its 21 day total to 472,685 putting it in the YTD top 10 already and looking good to overtake David Bowie's "Let's Dance" as the biggest seller of the year- potentially as early as next week! It is also the highest weekly tally of the decade.- an incredible feat A truly phenomenal seller it should also overtake "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me" as their biggest seller, that sold 808,000 copies last year, we'll have more on the YTD list next week when we hit the 3/4 mark of the year. Speaking of Bowie he shoots 8-3 with "Modern Love" but its sales of 65,297 means it poses no threat to Boy George et al (it is also the largest gap between the top two tracks in the 80s so far), it also remains behind UB40 who hold at No 2 on a reduced sale of 69,632 bringing "Red Red Wine" up to 570,809 cumulatively.

 

 

 

Kajagoogoo have been in the papers quite a few times in the last few months after effectively firing front man Limahl, but now with Nick Beggs on lead vocals they show they don't need him, "Big Apple" is the first release from their second, as yet unnamed, album due next year and accelerates 12-8 (31,382) to become their third top 10 single in just 8 months.

 

 

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Big Country are one of 1983's great breakthrough acts, debut album "The Crossing" made No 3 in the summer spawning two hits "Fields Of Fire" (No 10) and "In A Big Country" (No 17) and now a third hit "Chance" arrives 11-9 (29,342) to become their biggest hit to date. Like so many of the current crop of chart bands they are now making their presence felt over in the states where "In A Big Country" is starting to make waves on radio as they join the so termed "Second Invasion" of UK acts dominating the US charts.

 

 

Everything else is dropping, Roberta Flack & Peabo Bryson dip 3-4 (55,318), Paul Young slides 4-5 (54,995), Genesis ebb 5-6 (46,631), Ryan Paris deflates 6-7 (35,921) and Status Quo dive 9-10 (28,492)

 

 

 

1- KARMA CHAMELEON- Culture Club (239,598)

2- RED RED WINE- UB40 (69,632)

3- MODERN LOVE- David Bowie (65,297)

4- TONIGHT I CELEBRATE MY LOVE- Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack (55,318)

5- COME BACK AND STAY- Paul Young (54,995)

6- MAMA- Genesis (46,631)

7- DOLCE VITA- Ryan Paris (35,921)

8- BIG APPLE- Kajagoogoo (31,382)

9- CHANCE- Big Country (29,342)

10- OL' RAG BLUES- Status Quo (28,492)

 

'Modern Love' by David Bowie is good and has a Springsteen style saxophone solo. 'Chance' by Big Country also sounds a bit Springsteen-esque.

Edited March 29, 20232 yr by TheSnake

8TH OCTOBER

 

 

Another week and another easy victory for "Karma Chameleon" which is finally on the slide this week sales wise though it keeps the No 1 spot for a third week. The single sold a mighty 199,648 to bring the total to 672,333 in just 4 weeks as it sails past Bowie's "Let's Dance" to officially become the biggest selling single of the year so far!

 

 

The YTD top 10 now looks like this:

 

1. KARMA CHAMELEON- Culture Club 672,333

2. RED RED WINE- UB40 620,823

3. LET’S DANCE- David Bowie 612,136

4. TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART- Bonnie Tyler 607,461

5. TRUE- Spandau Ballet 601,035

6. DOWN UNDER- Men At Work 589,322

7. BILLIE JEAN- Michael Jackson 553,367

8. SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS)- Eurythmics 496,553

9. YOU CAN’T HURRY LOVE- Phil Collins 486,625

10. TOO SHY- Kajagoogoo 480,998

 

It's a bit of a bittersweet week for Bowie, he now plays second fiddle to both Culture Club and UB40 on both the YTD top 10 and on this weeks chart as "Modern Love" continues to improve on paper 3-2 but decreases on his sales marginally to 55,454, still over 140,000 adrift of Culture Club, indeed Boy George and his band get their own back from this April when Bowie's "Let's Dance" deprived their own "Church Of The Poison Mind" of top billing. UB40 drift 2-3 but the 50,014 they sold sees them move to No 2 on the YTD so it's certainly not a bad position to be in.

 

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Since they broke through back in 1978 Siouxie & The Banshees have accrued 12 hit singles with only their debut hit "Hong Kong Garden" making the top 10. The 5 year wait is finally over for one of the few remaining acts from the punk scene as their cover of the Beatles track "Dear Prudence" leaps 17-4 (48,314), the track first appeared on the fab four's "White" album in 1968 and is a song about actress Mia Farrow's sister who turned recluse to concentrate on her meditations (odd but true story). It's a "between album" release, a strategy which has been gaining considerable popularity over the last few years as a way to ensure sales, well in this case it gives Siouxsie and her gang the biggest hit of their career!

 

 

 

Indeed it's a week for punk survivor's as John Lydon proves that he can generate a long post Sex Pistols career with Public Image limited as he too (like Siouxie) returns to the top 10 for the first time in 5 years. "This is Not A Love Song" is a response to those fans, and those in media circles, who see the group's evolution into a more commercial sound as a sell out, it flies 15-5 (40,103) to outpeak the No 7 position of 1979's "Public Image".

 

 

 

David Essex's 10th top 10 hit comes from the new musical "Mutiny!" which he has co-written and continues the star's long association with the musicals/ Film which has already provided him with major hits "Oh What A Circus" (No 3) and "Silver Dream Machine" (No 4). "Tahiti" floats 13-8 (33,609) and has already been around for 7 weeks, an unusual tally in the increasingly short term of chart runs.

 

 

 

Tracey Ullman's first single "Breakaway" was released way back in March but she's been busy in the interim recording her debut album "You Broke My Heart in 17 Places" which is due next month, the second single "They Don't Know" is a cover of a Kirsty MacColl single that was unlucky not to chart as its release coincided with a distributor's strike in 1979, it now has a much brighter future in Ullman's hands, it rockets 31-9 (33,575) this week to give her a 100% success rate in terms of her releases hitting the big 10.

 

 

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New Order finally get the top 10 single that the critics have been stating is long overdue! "Blue Monday" has already been a No 12 single earlier this year and was of course only released on 12" but it now gets a re-issue, though technically it has never been out of production. The song makes the top 10 this week (following Abba's "Lay All Your Love On Me" and Gary Byrd & The Experience's "The Crown" into the top 10 based on a 12" issue only) as it climbs 12-10 (32,028), the song is already considered a dance classic by many and the band are not "promoting" the single with a live TOTP performance after the March release saw the band undertake the show live with disastrous effects (everything of a technical nature went wrong) and was widely credited with the underperformance of the single. This seems to have worked!

 

 

With so many new entries there aren't room for any climbers, Paul Young drops 5-6 (39,933) and Roberta Flack and Peabo Bryson descend 4-7 (38,709).

 

 

1- KARMA CHAMELEON- Culture Club (199,648)

2- MODERN LOVE- David Bowie (55,454)

3- RED RED WINE- UB40 (50,014)

4- DEAR PRUDENCE- Siouxsie & The Banshees (48,314)

5- THIS IS NOT A LOVE SONG- P.I.L. (40,103)

6- COME BACK AND STAY- Paul Young (39,933)

7- TONIGHT I CELEBRATE MY LOVE- Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack (38,709)

8- TAHITI- David Essex (33,609)

9- THEY DON’T KNOW- Tracey Ullman (33,575)

10- BLUE MONDAY- New Order (32,028)

 

Dear Prudence always seemed good at the time. Not so much now.

The PIL song is awful.

Lets skip David Essex.

Thank God for Tracy Ullman.

 

The New Order performance isn't that bad.

Blue Monday :heart:

Tracy Ullman's version of They Don't Know couldn't be much closer to Kirsty MacColl's original - I didn't realise a strike might have prevented it charting - but it's a fine performance of a great song.

Blue Monday is, of course, an 80s classic. Dear Prudence and They Don't Know are also top songs.

The PIL song I have never heard but listening to it now it is a very good song, influenced by Jefferson Airplane - Somebody To Love me thinks!

 

Strange chart run for Blue Monday with a re-release and re-peak within a few months of first charting, reminds me of what happened with some dance songs in the mid 90s ie. Dreamer and U Sure Do.

 

Blue Monday is a very good song anyway, and another dance-ish track with similar styled production, The Cure - The Walk made #12 back in July 1983.

 

Tracey Ullmann - They Don't Know is a really nice song, again very 60s influenced.

Edited March 30, 20232 yr by TheSnake

That tale of Kajagoogoo's implosion when they were at their height/just beginning is MAD.

 

I wonder if the people involved look back on that with regret?

 

'Blue Monday' is one of my all-time favourite songs :wub: :wub:

 

In addition to that - The Beatles meets the gothic flair of Siouxsie and The Banshees is about as me as you can get too :P

ah so many memories for me 1983...I was working in a photo lab factory, digging out discarded rolls of photos of the Falklands war from a skip (quality control where colours not quite right) after troops got back home. In those days photos had to be sent off from Boots and other stores to labs - and when I wasn't unloading lorries I was often driving around the region (Sheffield down to Derby/Nottingham mostly) listening to Steve Wright in the Afternoon when he was funny, ground-breaking for Radio 1. And buying loads of singles and some albums. Frinstance of the last 2 top 10's the only one I never bought was Tahiti, while at the start of the year the only one I ignored was Orville. :lol: Still got 'em all....

That tale of Kajagoogoo's implosion when they were at their height/just beginning is MAD.

 

I wonder if the people involved look back on that with regret?

 

I was thinking this.

There are so many acts through the years who have just kept going when they hate each other just so they can carry on raking in the money... but you can't help but think of hats off to them for dealing with it (and then failing reasonably quickly after Limahl left)

15TH OCTOBER

 

 

"Karma Chameleon" joins "True" as the only tracks in 1983 to hold the top spot for 4 weeks, Culture Club however do it in style selling a further 143,378 copies, a drop of only 28% week on week, that puts it on 815,711 after 5 weeks and should pass the million mark within a few weeks, that would make it the quickest million seller certainly of the decade, the next target is the 1,080,000 sold by "Come On Eileen"- keep em peeled! Regardless it is their personal best seller already.

 

 

 

Grabbing attention in part thanks to the appearance of mime artist Jed Hoile on TOTP, Howard Jones rises 13-5 (53,040) with his debut single "New Song". He came to the attention of the music industry after he booked the Marquee club in London and invited record executives, he got a Radio 1 session out of it along with support slots with OMD and China Crisis which led to a record deal. Jones is recording his debut album currently so if you like "New Song" you shouldn't have too long to wait for the LP!

 

 

 

George Benson scores his third top 10 single this week, "In Your Eyes" leaps 15-7 (35,088). The tracks lyrics are penned by Dan Hill who of course had a hit with "Sometimes When We Touch", the parent album, also called "In Your Eyes", is incredibly his 19th studio album making him one of the most prolific recording acts of the last 20 years and clearly he hasn't run out of steam yet, his current single now equals his highest peak achieved by 1980's "Give Me The Night".

 

 

After last weeks splurge of new hits it's a much calmer week this time around, Tracey Ullman is the big winner moving 9-2 with "They Don't Know"- she's starring in Paul McCartney's film "Give My Regards To Broad Street" hence his appearance in her promo for this hit, its sales spiral to a cool 61,931 and could pose a serious threat to "Karma Chameleon" next week.

 

The rest of the chart is more subdued, Siouxsie & The Banshees improve 4-3 and New Order bump 10-9 but they have differing fortunes at retail with the fomer up 21% to 58,871 whilst the latter retracts 9% to 29,359 . Four other fallers, David Bowie 2-4 (53,057), P.I.L 5-6 (44,421), UB40 3-8 (29,886), and David Essex 8-10 (28,679).

 

 

 

1- KARMA CHAMELEON- Culture Club (143,378)

2- THEY DON’T KNOW- Tracey Ullman (61,931)

3- DEAR PRUDENCE- Siouxsie & The Banshees (58,871)

4- MODERN LOVE- David Bowie (53,057)

5- NEW SONG- Howard Jones (53,040)

6- THIS IS NOT A LOVE SONG- P.I.L (44,421)

7- IN YOUR EYES- George Benson (35,088)

8- RED RED WINE- UB40 (29,886)

9- BLUE MONDAY- New Order (29,359)

10- TAHITI- David Essex (28,679)

 

I didn't know much about Howard Jones ('What Is Love?' aside) but the U.K. #1 Album sessions we've had on SyncTube recently were educational, I liked the sound of 'New Song'!

New Song is certainly one of Howard Jones' best ones, a great chart debut.

New Song was a great debut for Howard Jones, and Jed dancing doing his thing was such a good trick for getting attention.

New Song is Modern Romance style tropical pop meets Kraftwerk synths

22ND OCTOBER

 

 

Five weeks in and Culture Club are still ruling the roost becoming the first act since The Human League to top the singles chart for that long, but they had to overcome an early week wobble which saw Tracey Ullman run them neck and neck. However as the week wore on "Karma Chameleon" created clear blue water between the tracks in the end selling 119,187 to 94,129, but it was the first time since it ascended to the top that it didn't command an insurmountable lead from the off, despite all that "Karma Chameleon" has now sold 934,898 and should become the third million seller of the 80s next week.

 

 

 

So if Ullman isn't going to be the next No 1 (which now looks likely) then who? Well the smart money is on Lionel Richie, he has a new album out this week "Can't Slow Down" and it features his new single "All Night Long (All Night)" which soars 16-4 this week selling 54,842 into the bargain. In doing so it becomes his highest charting single though of course he hit No 1 in 1978 as a member of the Commodores with "Three Times A Lady". The single comes with a memorable video which is directed by former Monkees member Michael Nesmith.

 

 

 

The world of breakdancing is introduced to the top 10 this week in the form of the Rocksteady Crew whose "(Hey You) The Rocksteady Crew" advances 11-6 (45,220). Formed in the Bronx in New York back in 1977 the b-boying crew have finally struck commercial gold in the aftermath of the recent New York City Rap Tour which generated press interest over the summer- let's see how many hits the genre can generate.

 

 

 

The UK's entrant to Eurovision back in 1979 Black Lace have been absent from the charts ever since but have been busy supporting Suzi Quatro on tour back in 1980 along with "almost£ having a hit with "Chicken Dance" which was their version of the "Birdie Song" which was a massive hit for the Tweets in 1981 which rather made their version redundant. The group make an unexpected return to the charts this week with "Superman" which comes with its own dance which thanks to TOTP has infected some of the UK Public, it rises 12-9 (31,807) today.

 

 

 

Last year's "The Girl Is Mine" provided a top 10 hit from Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney, it was the lead track from Jackson's "Thriller" album which is now a million seller and looking good to become the year's biggest selling album. Jackson returns the favour on "Say Say Say" which is McCartney's lead release on his new album "Pipes Of Peace", the song was produced by the famed Beatles producer George Martin and written by the pair during the recording session's for McCartney's 1982 album "Tug Of War" but was held over for this album making the song about 2 years old already. It leaps 25-10 (29,699)

 

 

Howard Jones put in a good performance to move 5-3 and sold an impressive 73,576 into the bargain. George Benson holds at No 7 (40,630) whilst those falling include Siouxsie & The Banshees 3-5 (46,291), and David Bowie 4-8 (34,017)

 

 

1- KARMA CHAMELEON- Culture Club (119,187)

2- THEY DON’T KNOW- Tracey Ullman (94,129)

3- NEW SONG- Howard Jones (73,576)

4- ALL NIGHT LONG (ALL NIGHT)- Lionel Richie (54,842)

5- DEAR PRUDENCE- Siouxsie & The Banshees (46,291)

6- (HEY YOU) ROCKSTEADY CREW- Rocksteady Crew (45,220)

7- IN YOUR EYES- George Benson (40,630)

8- MODERN LOVE- David Bowie (34,017)

9- SUPERMAN- Black Lace (31,807)

10- SAY SAY SAY- Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson (29,699)

 

Black Lace - Superman really capitalised on the popularity of Malcolm McLaren's recent dance trend/skipping trend songs! Also with the good tune from the Rock Steady Crew there, 1983 really did have quite a few dance trend songs!

 

'Say Say Say' is a quite good song but a bit underwhelming considering the names involved. I guess they went for a light-hearted tone though which is reflected in the video.

Edited April 3, 20232 yr by TheSnake

29TH OCTOBER

 

 

"Karma Chameleon" tops the chart this week and in doing so becomes the first single since Art Garfunkal's "Bright Eyes" in 1979 to spend 6 weeks in the position, it a;so becomes an official million seller this week. Culture Club also score the double with "Colour By Numbers" sitting at the No 1 position on the album charts. That's the good news, the bad news is that it will probably all be over next week with the vultures lining up to dethrone them, not least of all Lionel Richie who still on the move up 4-2 (89,862) with a 66% sales hike- and that was without TOTP exposure! It was just 1,088 adrift of "Karma Chameleon" which suffered a 24% sales decline to 90,950 which would indicate a victory next week for Richie. Indeed Culture Club were No 1 on neither the separate 7" singles chart or the 12" one losing out on the first one to Richie and on the latter to Tracey Ullman but it did enough combined to hold on. Not issuing a 12" version yet of "All Night Long" may have been the crucial factor in allowing Culture Club to remain at the top- bizarrely it isn't due for release for a few weeks.

 

 

 

Richie may be a little too late to dethrone Culture Club though thanks to a new Duran Duran single, their last single "Is There Something I Should Know" debuted at No 1 back in March and now they return with a new album "Seven And The Ragged Tiger" in stores in time for Christmas and lead single "Union Of The Snake" which debuts at No 4 this week after selling 80,988 copies. The song comes with a typically exotic video, with ever expanding budgets Duran Duran seem to be ahead of the competition in the video age and there seems little doubt that they will be celebrating another No 1 next week.

 

 

 

Believe it or not Billy Joel is already on his 9th album "Innocent Man" which is at No 26 this week and has been out for 2 months already but is yet to impact. That should all change now that "Uptown Girl" is a top 10 hit, his chart career dates back 5 years but his previously highest placed single was the No 12 hit "My Life" but he rockets 15-7 (53,754) this week with his ode to his current girlfriend, the model Elle McPherson- lucky lady, the video also features another model Christie Brinkley.

 

 

 

Already a top 20 hit in their native Canada and a top 3 smash Stateside, Men Without Hats finally also get a top 10 UK hit with "The Safety Dance". It was written by the lead singer Ivan Doroschuk after he was thrown out of a club for pogoing, it's taken from their debut album "Rhythm Of Youth" which is displayed on the T-shirt of the dwarf in the video.

 

 

Tracey Ullman makes way for all the action at the top of the charts and recedes 2-3 (85,986) but ironically was nearer to Culture Club last week than either of her weeks at No 2, whilst Howard Jones (3-5, 71,315) George Benson (7-9, 34,459) and Black Lace (9-10, 31,382) all move the wrong way, better news for The Rocksteady Crew hold at No 6 (57,273). Sales are buoyant generally with the top 8 clearing 50,000 each for the first time in 1983.

 

 

1- KARMA CHAMELEON- Culture Club (90,950)

2- ALL NIGHT LONG (ALL NIGHT)- Lionel Richie (89,862)

3- THEY DON’T KNOW- Tracey Ullman (85,986)

4- UNION OF THE SNAKE- Duran Duran (80,988)

5- NEW SONG- Howard Jones (71,315)

6- (HEY YOU) ROCKSTEADY CREW- Rocksteady Crew (57,273)

7- UPTOWN GIRL- Billy Joel (53,754)

8- SAFETY DANCE- Men Without Hats (50,286)

9- IN YOUR EYES- George Benson (34,459)

10- SUPERMAN- Black Lace (31,382)

 

Union of the Snake is a great Duran song.

Uptown Girl is obviously now a classic

Safety Dance is fondly remembered from childhood

 

Three great new ones in the Top 10 there.

 

I also really like Rocksteady Crew... it's on Now #1 which I bought when released on CD more recently and rediscovered.