Maybe we need to introduce no spoilers rule for the thread so people can follow it live like it's 1984!

Didnt know Rufus was a band, always imagined it was a guy

have to check that Scritti Politti song, I love their 1988 song Oh Patti or something but don't know any old songs from them

 

two big singles in a row for Queen, wonder where will this peak

it's funny for me cos I have no clue where this Queen song or Phil Collins ended up peaking so it's like following the charts live

I assume a new FGTH single must be out soon (Two Tribes)

Oh Patti is my favourite by Scritti Politti. The follow-up to Wood Beez, Absolute, is also worth listening to.

 

You Take Me Up, Against All Odds, I Want To Break Free, People Are People and Glad It's All Over are all highlights. I hadn't noticed the similarity between the latter and Living By Numbers before.

 

Didnt know Rufus was a band, always imagined it was a guy

have to check that Scritti Politti song, I love their 1988 song Oh Patti or something but don't know any old songs from them

 

two big singles in a row for Queen, wonder where will this peak

it's funny for me cos I have no clue where this Queen song or Phil Collins ended up peaking so it's like following the charts live

I assume a new FGTH single must be out soon (Two Tribes)

 

I would assume Queen enter high and jump in weeks 2 due to being big fanbase acts of the time but not sure myself!

28TH APRIL

 

 

Ahead in midweek flashes Phil Collins had to settle for the No 2 spot though he pushed Lionel Richie all the way with just over 4,000 copies between the pair with Richie selling 57,970 copies. “Hello” has now spent 6 weeks at No 1, one week longer than his chart topper with the commodores “Three Times A Lady”, but that track sold over 900,000 copies whilst “Hello” has just passed the 600,000 mark, a sign of the downturn in singles sales over the last 6 years.

 

 

 

The chances of Collins being No 1 next week should be improved with some TOTP exposure this week but he’ll have to fend off Duran Duran who affirm their place at the head of the pop table as “The Reflex” debuts at No 5 (31,739). The song is heavily remixed from the album version by a certain Nile Rogers, the band were, reputedly, keen to release this as the first single from the album but the record label were not impressed by the song though presumably they were finally convinced. Ordinarily a shoe in for the No 1 spot next week the identical start for “Union Of The Snake” argues that we shouldn’t be so certain.

 

 

 

For the first time in their career Kool & The Gang have back to back top 10 hits as “(When You Say You Love Somebody) In The Heart” ascends 11-7 (23,902). Title track to their most recent album it is also the follow up to their biggest hit “Joanna/ Tonight” which missed out on the top slot thanks to Nena.

 

 

 

1983 proved a rather disappointing year for OMD who had racked up 4 consecutive top 10 singles during 1980 to 1982 but their album “Dazzle Ships” proved a relative commercial flop only generating one top 20 single “Genetic Engineering” but a return to the pop field has reaped rewards as “Locomotion” soars 19-10 (22,967). Their fifth album “Junk Culture” is released in a fortnight and will hopefully continue their run of top 10 rankings.

 

 

Queen rise 5-3 (52,003) thanks in part to TOTP which saw it coming within a whisper of Phil Collins. All over for the Thompson Twins however who slide 2-4 (37,451), also falling are Shakin’ Stevens 3-6 (28,713), Captain Sensible 7-8 (23,800) and Depeche Mode 6-9 (23,545)

 

 

 

1- HELLO- Lionel Richie (57,970)

2- AGAINST ALL ODDS (TAKE A LOOK AT ME NOW)- Phil Collins (53,839)

3- I WANT TO BREAK FREE- Queen (52,003)

4- YOU TAKE ME UP- Thompson Twins (37,451)

5- THE REFLEX- Duran Duran (31,739)

6- A LOVE WORTH WAITING FOR- Shakin Stevens (28,713)

7- (WHEN YOU SAY YOU LOVE SOMEBODY) IN THE HEART- Kool & The Gang (23,902)

8- GLAD IT’S ALL OVER- Captain Sensible (23,800)

9- PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE- Depeche Mode (23,545)

10- LOCOMOTION- O.M.D. (22,967)

 

The Reflex is definitely my new favourite in that top 10. I'd never really realised that The Reflex came after Union of the Snake and New Moon on Monday as singles from the album - what an odd choice of order!

I also assumed The Reflex was the lead single!

Is it me or that OMD single sounds pretty different compared to their previous stuff, doesn't even sound like them to me

I also had no idea that Rufus was a band until now :o I always presumed it was an Ike & Tina Turner / Sonny & Cher style couple credit for some reason *_*

 

'Ain't Nobody', 'People Are People' and 'The Reflex' are my favourites at the moment, the latter is such an earworm.

'The Reflex' is such an anthem :wub: Eaaasily the best thing they put out!

5TH MAY

 

 

Proving that anything Culture Club can do so can they, Duran Duran celebrate their second No 1 single this week as “The Reflex” advances 5-1 (59,262) and marks a return to form for the band who all but abandoned the UK through 1983 due to tax reasons and whilst making their album in Australia, France and Montserrat. Speaking of the album it still stubbornly refuses to re-entry the top 20 and currently rests at No 25 though it has now sold nearly 400,000 copies so not a bad tally, they also picked up two Grammy's recently and show no sign of decreasing popularity in the teen press back in the UK. The track was plagued by 20,000 copies (approx) of the single being warped (fire at the distributers) and causing a recall last week which may in part explain why the sales of the track haven't really accelerated, that problem is now largely sorted though.

 

 

Two tracks who also continue to improve right behind Duran Duran this week, Phil Collins holds at No 2 on 55,029 and was never far from Duran Duran, and Queen also hold at No 3 on 49,980.

 

 

US Trio The Pointer Sisters are already on their 10th album yet they only have one UK top 20 hit to their name so far, that came in 1981 with “Slow Hand” which peaked at No 10. Now they can rejoice as they score the biggest hit of their career in “Automatic” which has already peaked at No 5 stateside. The track accelerates 20-5 (33,660).

 

 

 

Composed by Van McCoy and recorded originally by Ruby & The Romantics back in 1964, “When You’re Young And In Love” was a UK No 13 hit for the Marvelettes three years later but this week becomes a top 10 hit for the first time ever in the capable hands of The Flying Pickets. Their last single “Only You” was of course the Christmas chart topper last year selling just under 600,000 to date and their current single isn’t doing too badly either as it rises 13-7 (26,078).

 

 

 

A second album due in just three Weeks this is an important time for Blancmange. The first two singles to be released from the album peaked at No 10 (“Blind Vision”) and No 33 (“That’s Love, That It Is”) but current single “Don’t Tell Me” proves to be the biggest one as it jumps 11-8 (24,378) to become their third top 10 single.

 

 

 

“One Love” can trace its history back to 1965 when it was written by Bob Marley and made its first appearance on vinyl on the following year’s compilation “The Wailing Wailers” though its re-recording for the album “Exodus” in 1977 is the first version that most will be familiar with! Its release as a single (segued into Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get Ready” on that version) is now released to promote a major new compilation of the deceased singers work entitled “Legend” which is out in a fortnight.

 

 

Richie’s reign at the top ends with a 1-4 (40,358), and a song it held off No 1, The Thompson Twins’ “You Take Me Up”, also slides 4-10 (21,641), it’s better news for OMD who rise 10-6 (30,464).

 

 

 

1- THE REFLEX- Duran Duran (59,262)

2- AGAINST ALL ODDS (TAKE A LOOK AT ME NOW)- Phil Collins (55,029)

3- I WANT TO BREAK FREE- Queen (49,980)

4- HELLO- Lionel Richie (40,358)

5- AUTOMATIC- Pointer Sisters (33,660)

6- LOCOMOTION- O.M.D (30,464)

7- WHEN YOU’RE YOUNG AND IN LOVE- Flying Pickets (26,078)

8- DON’T TELL ME- Blancmange (24,378)

9- ONE LOVE/ PEOPLE GET READY- Bob Marley & The Wailers (23,545)

10- YOU TAKE ME UP- Thompson Twins (21,641)

 

Very average sales for DD there, hope it goes on to perform better

I assume next weeks sales for it will remain stable due to the factory fire. What was the tax issue that kept them out of Britain in 1983?

'Automatic' is my favourite Pointer Sisters hit! It may be their highest peaking song but feels massively overshadowed by 'Jump (For My Love)' and 'I'm So Excited' nowadays.

 

Blancmange :wub: their signature song 'Living On The Ceiling' actually is my favourite but 'Don't Tell Me' is a good'un too.

I assume next weeks sales for it will remain stable due to the factory fire. What was the tax issue that kept them out of Britain in 1983?

They spent a year abroad recording an album ostensibly until it was later revealed they were avoiding paying tax after the huge success of the "Rio" album

Just realised that I missed the brief appearance of Ain’t Nobody - that song deserved to do so much better, a true soul/disco classic

I think there was a remix a few years later that boasted its sales, but yeh deserved a long chart run but think by this stage not many songs had runs longer than 12 weeks too 40 just cos of the way the chart was.

The Reflex is certainly an interesting song, obviously influenced by American breakdance music with the skipped why-why-why's.

 

Blancmange's 'Don't Tell Me' is very Talking Heads-esque.

 

Is it me or that OMD single sounds pretty different compared to their previous stuff, doesn't even sound like them to me

 

Yeah its 80s tropical pop like the band Modern Romance of 'Best Years Of Our Lives' fame

Edited June 8, 20232 yr by TheSnake

Doesnt sound like EnolaGay or Joan pf Arc

But wouldnt call Locomotion tropical pop either

 

I was neverthe biggest Duran fan

All their songs kinda sound the same to me

And have trouble telling them apart

But at leastthey were better than Spandau Ballet ;)

Oh it’s my birth week 👶! Good #1. Also love #3, 9 and 10.

Just a question..

 

If The Reflex climbed from No.5 to No.1, how was the TOTP performance crediting them at No.2 on that performance? Did TOTP just get it wrong?