'I O U', just like 'Blind Vision' and 'Temptation', is a dance tune that builds up well throughout the song. Definitely vocally influenced by the Bee Gees too I think!

Ahhh I thought 'Moonlight Shadow' had to be coming up soon :wub: love that so much and his later song 'Man in the Rain' that goes for a similar sound

If only Moonlight Shadow had gone to No.1 - what a wonderful song! I'm guessing that performance was filmed in some Dutch city? With the clogs graphic at the start.

Moonlight Shadow and IOU are both classics from the summer of 1983.

9TH JULY

 

 

"Baby Jane" continues to lead a disappointing chart in terms of sales, it recorded a mildly improved tally of 75,497 copies last week as the charts return a chart topper for an eighth week whose sales are under 100,000. That equals the 1980 record tally when the same feat occurred Jun-Aug and with nothing on the horizon to break the roll we could be set for a record week this time in 7 days. Stewart's album "Body Wishes" meanwhile spends its third week at No 5 and seems like its struggling to make any kind of advance.

 

 

 

Former lead singer with the Streetband and Q-Tips, Paul Young has ditched his bandmates and headed out on his own. You may recall the group's only charting single was the novelty hit "Toast" which made No 18 thanks to the help of Kenny Everett, but now he proves to be justified in going solo, Young's first two singles "Iron Out The Rough Spots" and "Love Of The Common People" both failed to dent the charts but a cover of Marvin Gaye's "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)" leaps 12-3 (50,847). It was originally a B-side to Gaye's single "Too Busy Thinkin Bout My Baby" and almost stole the runner up spot from a marginally improved Irene Cara who advances 3-2 (57,579) helped by TOTP exposure.

 

 

 

Another former lead vocalist with a band making a break for it is Tom Robinson, he of Tom Robinson Band fame whose biggest hit with the combo was 1977's "2-4-6-8 Motorway" which peaked at No 5. The singer fell on tough times after the demise of the group at the start of the decade and spent some time on in Germany where he wrote "War Baby" about the divide between East and West Germany and sees his return to the upper flight after a 6 years as it moves 17-6 (34,612)

 

 

 

Heaven 17 clock up a second top 10 hit with "Come Live With Me" this week as it accelerates 16-7 (32,844). The parent album "The Luxury Gap" which hasn't left the top 20 since it was released 10 weeks ago, a marked improvement on the performance of their previous albums which never progressed beyond No 14.

 

 

Freeez continue to move up 7-5 (46,563) whilst rather surprisingly Mike Oldfield can't improve on his No 4 position as he sticks in the groove at No 4 though with a sales increase to 50,541, but he's not the only one as Shalamar find the going tough as they hold at No 8 (31,960). Meanwhile the Police dive 2-9 (31,586) but have now sold over 400,000 copies which is enough for the YTD top 10 and as we reach the half way point in the year here's that list.....

 

1- TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART- Bonnie Tyler 606,101

2- LET'S DANCE- David Bowie 603,687

3- DOWN UNDER- Men At Work 589,322

4- TRUE- Spandau Ballet 587,265

5- BILLIE JEAN- Michael Jackson 550,103

6- SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS)- Eurythmics 493,408

7- YOU CAN'T HURRY LOVE- Phil Collins 486,625

8- TOO SHY- Kajagoogoo 480,709

9- IS THERE SOMETHING I SHOULD KNOW- Duran Duran 447,814

10- EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE- The Police 419,339

 

Elton rounds off the ten as he drops back 5-10 (29,648).

 

 

1- BABY JANE- Rod Stewart (75,497)

2- FLASHDANCE...WHAT A FEELING- Irene Cara (57,579)

3- WHEREVER I LAY MY HAT (THAT’S MY HOME)- Paul Young (50,847)

4- MOONLIGHT SHADOW- Mike Oldfield (50,541)

5- I.O.U- Freeze (46,563)

6- WAR BABY- Tom Robinson (34,612)

7- COME LIVE WITH ME- Heaven 17 (32,844)

8- DEAD GIVEAWAY- Shalamar (31,960)

9- EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE- The Police (31,586)

10- I GUESS THAT’S WHY THEY CALL IT THE BLUES- Elton John (29,648)

 

Love Moonlight Shadow. That did deserve to go to No.1

Edited March 17, 20232 yr by ChrisJK

Paul Young's version of 'Wherever I Lay My Hat' is brilliantly atmospheric, its 1983's equivalent of The Cars - Drive.

All that top 10 would probably be on 3 million ‘sales’ if they were released in the 2010/20s!

16TH JULY

 

 

Rod Stewart clings to the No 1 spot this week with "Baby Jane" but he had to fight hard to keep it, only just retaining his lead on Saturday but he sold a poor 56,848 copies this week to bring the total sales of the single to 313,684 which, for a three week chart topper, is poor even by 1983's standards. His main challenger was Paul Young who lead for most of the week with "Wherever I Lay My Hat" but had to settle for the runner up spot with 55,165 even without TOTP, it must now be favourite to be Stewart's successor. Stewart's winning margin of 1,683 is the smallest of the year so far.

 

 

 

The Funk Masters offer up a prime slice of UK soul with "It's Over" as it glides 15-8 (26,792). It's the first hit for the group and follows in the slipstream of acts like Shalamar and Shakatak in offering up a UK version of the genre which has long been the preserve of the Yanks.

 

 

 

Blazing 29-9 (25,908) is the third straight top 10 hit for the Eurythmics who are already preparing for the release of their third album "Touch". "Who's That Girl" comes with a video guest featuring several popstars including the Bucks Fizz girls, the girls from Bananarama, Hazel O'Connor, Kiki Dee and Kate Garner of Haysi Fantayzee as well as tabloid favourite Marilyn.

 

 

 

Malcolm McLaren must have been disappointed with his second single "Sowetto" fizzled out at No 32, but that appears to be a minor blip with "Double Dutch" this week climbing 19-10 (23,749). It's a "celebration" of the skipping game of the same name and must therefore be the first top 10 single to have such a theme or inspiration.

 

 

Freeez continue to move nearer to the top 5-3 (51,252) and Mike Oldfield again holds at No 4 but loses mere hundreds on last week's total with sales of 50,252, but the top 4 were all within 7,000 of each other making it the closest week of the year yet. Heaven 17 are also on the move 7-6 (34,459), meanwhile Tom Robinson slides 6-7 (33,966) and Irene Cara finally runs out of steam 2-5 (47,872)

 

 

 

1- BABY JANE- Rod Stewart (56,848)

2- WHEREVER I LAY MY HAT (THAT’S MY HOME)- Paul Young (55,165)

3- I.O.U- Freeze (51,612)

4- MOONLIGHT SHADOW- Mike Oldfield (50,252)

5- FLASHDANCE....WHAT A FEELING- Irene Cara (47,872)

6- COME LIVE WITH ME- Heaven 17 (34,459)

7- WAR BABY- Tom Robinson (33,966)

8- IT’S OVER- The Funk Master (26,792)

9- WHO’S THAT GIRL- Eurythmics (25,908)

10- DOUBLE DUTCH- Malcolm McLaren (23,749)

 

Absolutly love IOU and one of my fav discoveries from the old TOTP episodes of the time, as snake said it sounds like a more modern house track, just so fun and upbeat!

I love Eurythmics, but 'Who's That Girl' seriously does my head in!

23RD JULY

 

 

For the first time in the decade (outside of Christmas) there are no new entries inside the top 10, but that doesn't mean there isn't anything to write about. Paul Young is the new leader of the singles pack as his cover of Marvin Gaye's "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)" becomes the 12th No 1 of 1983 as it moves 2-1 spurred on by TOTP to a sale of 58,973 an increase of just 6% week on week but still the 3rd lowest weekly tally for a number one this year, his debut album "No Parlez" is released this week and could affect his ability to hang on at the top.

 

 

Freeez follow Young up the chart 3-2 (49,623) but lost sales in the process and whilst now further being Young than last week they do have a TOTP slot this week so could push Young still. Stewart drops 1-3 on a sale of 42,738 but should pass it's 400,000th copy all told which is a milestone and is clearly his biggest seller since 1978's "Do You Think I'm Sexy". Other tracks climbing this week are Eurythmics 9-4 (38,318) and Malcolm McLaren 10-7 (33,371), the only track sticking in the top 10 comes from Heaven 17 who cannot gain on No 6 (37,417).

 

The majority of the tracks are dropping however, as well as Rod Stewart there is Mike Oldfield 4-5 (37,791), Irene Cara 5-8 (29,699), Tom Robinson 7-9 (29,155) and Funk Masters 8-10 (26,622) but overall the lack of new blood in the upper reaches has driven sales downward.

 

 

 

1- WHEREVER I LAY MY HAT (THAT’S MY HOME)- Paul Young (58,973)

2- I.O.U- Freeze (49,623)

3- BABY JANE- Rod Stewart (42,738)

4- WHO’S THAT GIRL- Eurythmics (38,318)

5- MOONLIGHT SHADOW- Mike Oldfield (37,791)

6- COME LIVE WITH ME- Heaven 17 (37,417)

7- DOUBLE DUTCH- Malcolm McLaren (33,371)

8- FLASHDANCE...WHAT A FEELING- Irene Cara (29,699)

9- WAR BABY- Tom Robinson (29,155)

10- IT’S OVER- Funkmasters (26,622)

 

'Wherever I Lay My Hat' is a great atmospheric #1 as I said, one of the first distinctively 80s synth power ballads too.

 

I first discovered 'It's Over' from looking though late 90s chart archives and discovering the Clock cover of it in 1997 that made top 10.

 

'Double Dutch' is good fun, it does sound very South African like Paul Simon's Graceland era so not surprised that it followed a single called 'Sowetto'

Edited March 19, 20232 yr by TheSnake

I’d have rather seen IOU at #1 given the (lack of) decent competition. This top 10 feels a million miles away from a couple of months back when it was full of classics.

 

Paul Young deserved to have a #1 at some point, this just isn’t one of his best for me

30TH JULY

 

 

Paul Young holds the top spot easily this week as he accelerates to a sale of 74,817 to bring the total sales of "Wherever I Lay My Hat" to 278,188 as parent album "No Parlez" makes its debut at No 6 rounding a very successful week for the latest heartthrob, and at 27 he certainly took his time reaching that stage

 

 

The only track within sight is of course Freeez who are frozen (apologies) out of the top slot despite a sale of 60,877 which is well clear of the Eurythmics who move 4-3 (51,000) and enough for the No 1 spot in three of the last 5 weeks proving that the charts are as much about timing as they are about the song.

 

 

Stevie Wonder hasn't been active as a chart force for over a year but he's been under the radar on two top 10 hits in the last few weeks, he played harmonica on Elton's "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" and now has co-written and sings a verse on Gary Byrd & The GB Experience's "The Crown" which arrives 21-6 (32,776). It follows Abba's "Lay All Your Love On Me" into the top 10 as a track which is only available on 12" format in its 10 minute glory, and thematically takes a historical look at evolution! heavy stuff, it speedy rise comes from being a firm club favourite for a few months now since its US release (though it bombed there).

 

 

 

Godley & Crème are back on Promo duties again for the Police as they follow up the No 1 single "Every Breath You Take" which is still topping the US charts as I write. "Wrapped Around Your Finger" is another track from "Synchronicity" and has been rush released to coincide with the start of their UK tour and of course comes in picture disc format- one for each member of the band, it travels 14-8 (32,062) to become their 10th top 10 single.

 

 

http://s3.amazonaws.com/quietus_production/images/articles/25841/bananarama_1545320185.jpg

 

Bananarama are heading back into the studio to record their second album later this year which will feature their current single "Cruel Summer" perhaps released so early due to its seasonal connection. The track flew 21-11 last week but can only progress 11-10 (28,951) and gives them a top 10 record of 5 out of 6- an enviable rate!

 

 

Malcolm McLaren powers 7-4 (37,961) and Heaven 17 finally make headway 6-5 (34,068) with declining sales, but it's all over for Mike Oldfield who drops 5-7 (32,419) and Rod Stewart tumbles 3-9 (31,246).

 

 

1- WHEREVER I LAY MY HAT (THAT’S MY HOME)- Paul Young (74,817)

2- I.O.U- Freeez (60,877)

3- WHO’S THAT GIRL?- Eurythmics (51,000)

4- DOUBLE DUTCH- Malcolm McLaren (37,961)

5- COME LIVE WITH ME- Heaven 17 (34,068)

6- THE CROWN- Gary Byrd & Experience (32,776)

7- MOONLIGHT SHADOW- Mike Oldfield (32,419)

8- WRAPPED AROUND YOUR FINGER- The Police (32,062)

9- BABY JANE- Rod Stewart (31,246)

10- CRUEL SUMMER- Bananarama (28,951)

 

'The Crown' is brilliant - a compelling theme, catchy hook, and one of several uncredited appearances for Stevie around this time.

'Cruel Summer' is the best of those new entries imo, good song.

'Cruel Summer' is my favourite Bananarama song :heart:

Love Cruel Summer!

 

The Crown track must be one of the last examples of the TOTP dancers taking the lead in a song on the show!

Love Cruel Summer!

 

The Crown track must be one of the last examples of the TOTP dancers taking the lead in a song on the show!

Zoo's last performance was on the 29th September 83 so not far off