I do like WTTPD as it works well on the album but I agree it wasn’t really single material. It did well to get that high imo

 

This is quite interesting. Is there anything else on the album that should've been chosen instead?

 

(I keep meaning to get around to hearing that album in full)

Absolutely not! Well I guess ‘War’ could have worked but that had already been used in the singles.

 

I’ve never been so disappointed in an album, the first few and the closing The Power of Love are great (basically the singles near enough), everything else is either a pointless cover version or nowhere near the same standard

love that Move Closer song

boo We are the World is so cheesy, didn't know it had charted in the UK

I do like WTTPD as it works well on the album but I agree it wasn’t really single material. It did well to get that high imo

 

I guess it was the fanbase they had by then!

Jaki Graham's great (I'm grateful that this song introduced her) and so is Linx's song Intuition but this retro cover is a bit dated for 1985.

20TH APRIL

 

 

As expected USA For Africa power 7-1 to top the charts on both sides of the Atlantic this week, it did so on a relatively weak sale however of just 58,582 to bring its tally to 96,160 after a fortnight and is also the 100th chart topper of the 80s by way of trivia. It overwhelmed at the last moment Tears For Fears “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” which moves 3-2 (57,188) and nevertheless becomes the group’s biggest hit to date and assists the album remaining in the top 5 for seventh week. They must however be disappointed not to get their first chart topper!

 

 

 

Hoping for some chart revenge Phil Collins enters arrives 27-8 (26,401), it became Collins’s second US chart topper earlier this year and was knocked off the top by USA for Africa. Whilst the UK got “Sussudio” as the first single from “No Jacket Required” the US were treated to “One More Night” which explains why it has already been a US success, he’ll be hoping he can overturn USA for Africa in the forthcoming weeks. He’s not in danger of knocking himself off the top spot as “Easy Lover” falls 1-3 (43,860) and is already the fifth best selling single of the year with 446,063 copies sold already.

 

 

 

Richard Anthony Hewson has already amassed an impressive array of acts that he has worked with as arranger or producer including the Beatles, The Bee Gees, and Cliff Richard, he formed his “group” Rah Band to release the single “The Crunch” which peaked at No 6 back in 1977. The group is in reality just a front for Hewson who named it after his initials although the vocals on “Clouds Across The Moon” are courtesy of his wife, and it’s the latter track that returns him to the top 10 for the first time in 8 years as it rises 18-9 (23,409) and all that after the track was turned down by none other than Diana Ross!

 

 

Elsewhere good news for Phyllis Nelson as she halves her position 8-4 (42,092) and David Grant & Jaki Graham are also in the pink as they climb 10- 7 (27,132) it is now the biggest hit for either act. It’s all over for Frankie Goes To Hollywood as they scurry 2-5 (40,851), Go West go into reverse 5-6 (35,700) and Sarah Brightman & Paul Miles Kingston hurtle 4-10 (18,802), the first time in a year that a top 10 single has sold under the 20k mark.

 

 

 

1- WE ARE THE WORLD- USA For Africa (58,582)

2- EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD- Tears For Fears (57,188)

3- EASY LOVER- Phil Bailey & Phil Collins (43,860)

4- MOVE CLOSER- Phyllis Nelson (42,092)

5- WELCOME TO THE PLEASUREDOME- Frankie Goes To Hollywood (40,851)

6- WE CLOSE OUR EYES- Go West (35,700)

7- COULD IT BE I’M FALLING IN LOVE- David Grant & Jaki Graham (27,132)

8- ONE MORE NIGHT- Phil Collins (26,401)

9- CLOUDS ACROSS THE MOON- Rah Band (23,409)

10- PIE JESU- Paul “Miles” Kingston & Sarah Brightman (18,802)

 

That gap between #1 and #2. :drama:

Seems quite underwhelming sales for a big charity single.

I'm expecting incoming outrage from Jester!

Ah that’s a shame for TFF. So close to a #1 :(

 

I guess the only consolation is that it didn’t actually sell amazingly

I'm expecting incoming outrage from Jester!

Fuming!!!!!

 

Argh at the closeness of the best song of the 80s being just pipped to the top by one of the worst ones!

 

:angry:

 

 

Not amused by those two Worlds colliding either -_- what a shame for Tears For Fears!

oh poor TFF :/ they deserved over We are the world

 

nice to see Move Closer on the way up

kinda like the Phil Collins one :) much better than Sussudio

So close for Tears For Fears :( low sales maybe, but to miss out by a margin of less than 2.5% is very unfortunate!

It was Easter Monday in this week so that may account for the lesser sales in the last two weeks ( good Friday and Easter Monday BH days lost)

Such a pity for TFF!

 

Similar to when Ultravox were beaten to the top spot in 1981, sometimes in the charts ‘ a song for the ages is beaten by a song for the moment’ but we all know which song won out in the long run!

I'm guilty! TFF is poss the best record of the 80's, or certainly top 10, but I'd already bought before We Are The World came out, and I bought WATW totally to donate money to the cause, and not because I loved the record (it was always a bit sappy, and got annoying within 2 or 3 weeks, where EWTRTW stayed fresh forever more). I do remember thinking "Steve Perry?!" on a star-studded line-up, as Journey meant nothing in the UK. Guess they had the last laugh after all, come the 00's.

27TH APRIL

 

 

USA For Africa make it a second week at No 1 though its sales aren't really taking off as they improve just 38% to 80,767 being sold last week making a total of 500,000 look a distant prospect, it currently stands on just 176,000.

 

 

 

A version does exist on their debut album “Age Of Consent” but Bronski Beat have substantively rerecorded their medley of “I Feel Love/ Johnny Remember Me” and added the Donna Summer track “Love To Love You Baby” to make a “I Feel Love (Medley)” and for good measure they’ve recruited former Soft Cell front man Marc Almond. His solo career has not really taken off with none of his singles breaking the top 40, but Bronski Beat prove he just needed the right material and the medley powers 24-7 (28,050) to become a third top 10 single from 4 releases for Bronski Beat.

 

 

 

Despite scoring 6 top 40 singles on the trot it looked for a while that Simple Minds were not going to make it into the top 10 but they finally appear 22-8 (27,863) with “Don’t You Forget (About Me)” which has already become their first US top 10 single as well sitting at No 5 over the there this week. Forming in 1977 the group have built up a loyal fanbase through the years becoming a solid performer on the album front at least culminating in last year’s “Sparkle In The Rain” hitting the top spot, with a seventh album due later in the year the group strike it big on the singles chart with a song featured in “The Breakfast Club” which helps to explain its US success. The song was written by the film’s producer Keith Forsey and was allegedly offered to The Fixx, Billy Idol and Bryan Ferry before ending up in the hands of Simple Minds who must be thankful now.

 

 

 

Howard Jones is currently wowing them on tour but he’s taken time out to release a second track from “Dream Into Action” which made No 2 last month. “Look Mama” advances 20-10 (27,625) in its second week to become his sixth top 10 single from 7 releases in just 18 months, if you’re wondering where the dialogue at the start of the single comes from then it’s lifted from the 1974 film “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore”. The album responds by lifting 9-6 and may yet top the charts.

 

 

Tears For Fears hold at No 2 and again pursued USA For Africa all the way once more escalating sales to 75,140 (32%), Phyllis Nelson climbs 4-3 (68,119), and also climbing are Phil Collins 8-4 (41,650), David Grant & Jaki Graham 7-5 (31,518) and the Rah Band lift 9-6 (29,563) as the tracks line up behind “We Are The World” to take over. Go West complete the round up moving down 6-9 (27,625).

 

 

 

1- WE ARE THE WORLD- USA For Africa (80,767)

2- EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD- Tears For Fears (75,140)

3- MOVE CLOSER- Phyllis Nelson (68,119)

4- ONE MORE NIGHT- Phil Collins (41,650)

5- COULD IT BE I’M FALLING IN LOVE- David Grant & Jaki Graham (31,518)

6- CLOUDS ACROSS THE MOON- Rah Band (29,563)

7- I FEEL LOVE (MEDLEY)- Bronski Beat/ Marc Almond (28,050)

8- DON’T YOU (FORGET ABOUT ME)- Simple Minds (27,863)

9- WE CLOSE OUR EYES- Go West (27,625)

10- LOOK MAMA- Howard Jones (27,098)

 

A mash-up of 'I Feel Love' and 'Johnny Remember Me' sounds strange on paper, even though I love both of the originals, however it does work surprisingly well.

 

'Don't You (Forget About Me)' is a good addition too :heart:

How galling that 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World' was A) beaten by a pile of absolute shit and B) missed by such a small amount.

Don’t You (Forget About Me) is another classic!