Smalltown Boy was original and i'd say that's his second best remembered single.

 

And thank god for both the Communards & Jermaine for adding some much needed bops to the top 10.

'When I Think of You' is an evergreen classic.

 

I'm still aggrieved she didn't include that in her Glastonbury set <_<

Was the Communards song well known before this cover?

 

Smalltown Boy is also one of the best songs of the decade imo so that’s no mean feat.

always thought Smalltown Boy was also a cover? :D

Not to my knowledge, pretty certain it was written by them. Difficult to imagine the subject of the song being tackled much earlier than the 80s

Yes it was written by Bronski Beat

13TH SEPTEMBER

 

 

And the winner, by quite some margin this week, are the Communards who finally provide Jimmy Somerville with something that Bronski Beat never managed, a No 1 single. Their debut album has improved its position in each of its last 5 weeks and is now at No 14 and beats the performance of both “Hundreds and Thousands” and “Truthdare Doubledare” the last two Bronski Beat albums though of course “Age Of Consent” remains their best seller as it peaked at No 4 in November 1984. “Don’t Leave Me This Way” sold a mighty 92,208 copies last week to easily provide the UK with a new No 1 single.

 

 

What of the other contenders? Well Boris Gardiner was under pressure all week from Jermaine Stewart but TOTP helped it fall just 1-2 (79,084) while Stewart himself holds No 3 (67,830) Frankie Goes To Hollywood look to be in trouble though as they ultimately only climb 6-4 (52,343) with “Rage Hard”. it will really have to start shifting some copies if it is to hit the top.

 

 

The first new song in the top 10 is a song which is currently no 1 in both Germany and Holland and rising quickly in most European Countries including the UK. “Holiday Rap” is part cover of the Madonna song with some Cliff Richard thrown in, part new song with new lyrics by DJ Sven & MC Miker G which much like “Brother Louie” (a faller this week 4-7, 41,055) seems to have made it past customs with the holiday makers, it explodes 23-6 (43,843) this week to look a serious contender for the top provided the sun continues to shine!

 

 

 

They only formed last year and this is their debut release but things are happening quickly for the Cutting Crew, signed to Virgin their first single “(I Just) Died In Your Arms” sees them climb 14-8 (36,108). Their album is promised by Christmas, but the success of the single clearly demonstrates that it has been a good year for AOR ballads IN 1986.

 

 

Peter Cetera holds at No 5 (49,759) whilst Sinitta falls 7-9 (34,391) and Human League trip 8-10 (30,396).

 

 

1- DON’T LEAVE ME THIS WAY- The Communards (92,208)

2- I WANT TO WAKE UP WITH YOU- Boris Gardiner (79,084)

3- WE DON’T HAVE TO TAKE OUR CLOTHES OFF- Jermaine Stewart (67,830)

4- RAGE HARD- Frankie Goes To Hollywood (52,343)

5- GLORY OF LOVE- Peter Cetera (49,759)

6- HOLIDAY RAP- MC Miker G & Deejay Sven (43,843)

7- BROTHER LOUIE- Modern Talking (41,055)

8- (I JUST) DIED IN YOUR ARMS- Cutting Crew (36,108)

9- SO MACHO/ CRUISING- Sinitta (34,391)

10- HUMAN- The Human League (30,396)

 

'I Just Died In Your Arms' :wub:

Got back early so you got an early post!

Nice one!

 

Some decent sales in the top 10 there

This must have truly seemed like the bubble had burst for Frankie Goes to Hollywood at the time!

 

Have to admit, I don't even know this song. *goes to listen*

'Holiday Rap' :cheeseblock:

Lmao Holiday Rap

 

Ring rang a dong for a holiday :lol:

'Rage Hard' is good, it kind of goes for an industrial sound with the synths like mid 80s Depeche Mode.

 

The Cutting Crew song is good too.

 

'Holiday Rap' is interesting, didn't know there was a Euro-rap hit this early.

Edited November 21, 20231 yr by TheSnake

The Communards is a well classic number 1 :wub:

 

I also love Holiday Rap - so bad it’s good!!

 

Cutting Crew is also marvellous.

I remember hearing that Holiday Rap song on a TOTP repeat and I still refuse to believe it's actually real x

I remember hearing that Holiday Rap song on a TOTP repeat and I still refuse to believe it's actually real x

It’s quite the earworm :(

I feel like it’s the whole package that’s difficult to believe, it’s like a comedy show sketch :/

You need to Ring Ranga Dong for a hollie-day!

20TH SEPTEMBER

 

 

The Communards continue to dominate this week and increase sales again to 121,125 giving “Don’t Leave Me This Way” a total of 326,264 in its first 5 weeks on sale as it cruises into the top 20 best sellers of the year to date, the album also rises to another new peak at No 12. Peter Cetera gets a TOTP lift 5-3 (52,649) but it was old rival Jermaine Stewart who provided the main challenge to Jimmy Somerville et al though in truth its move 3-2 was accompanied by a sale of 71,570, the best yet for the track but well short of the target. Completing the top 5 are Cutting Crew who rise 8-4 (52,428) and Boris Gardiner who slides 2-5 (43,843) which lifts his sales to 584,460, that’s now enough for the track to bound past “When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going” and become the 3rd biggest seller of the year and is just around 46,000 away from demoting “Living Doll” at the top slot.

 

 

 

 

“Word Up” is the sixth hit single for Cameo whose biggest hit before this was 1985’s “Single Life” (No 15), quite unbelievably the group are already preparing to release their tenth studio album shortly, also called “Word Up”. They are about to embark on a UK Tour and the group will be on TOTP this week and if that red codpiece makes an appearance then doubtless they’ll get a very healthy boost to say the least! For now though the single advances 13-6 (38,556)

 

 

 

Only those with a passing knowledge of the US charts in the 70s or an interest in rock music would have heard of Aerosmith as the group are uncharted on this side of the Atlantic until the release of “Walk This Way” which is a collaboration with Run DMC, a US rap act, and in combining their skills it becomes the first successful amalgamation of the two genres. The track originally made No 10 back in 1977 for Aerosmith who it is fair to say have struggled to make much impact in the 80s in the US with drug problems riddling the group, Run DMC by contrast have been on the rise since 1984 becoming a leading light in the US hip hop scene but this track has led to their first mainstream success and MTV support, “Walk This Way” battles 15-9 (33,320)

 

 

 

The Eurythmics had a great 1985 scoring their first No 1 single with “There Must Be An Angel” but so far 86 hasn’t been so kind with both releases so far failing to make the top 10, that included the lead single from their recent album “Revenge” only making No 30 (“When Tomorrow Comes”). However things are back on track with the second single “Thorn In My Side” which arrives 16-10 (32,317) to score their 9th top 10 single. Oddly with such a weak lead in single the album hasn’t done badly since its release 11 weeks ago leaving the top 10 for just one week and climbs 7-3 this week to match its original peak.

 

 

MC Miker G & DJ Sven dip 6-8 (36,686) and most alarmingly Frankie Goes To Hollywood fall 4-7 (37,196) as the single seems to have peaked and must be considered an underperformance by the group but all eyes will now be on how the album performs next month.

 

1- DON’T LEAVE ME THIS WAY- The Communards (121,125)

2- WE DON’T HAVE TO TAKE OUR CLOTHES OFF- Jermaine Stewart (71,570)

3- GLORY OF LOVE- Peter Cetera (52,649)

4- (I JUST) DIED IN YOUR ARMS- Cutting Crew (52,428)

5- I WANT TO WAKE UP WITH YOU- Boris Gardiner (43,843)

6- WORD UP- Cameo (38,556)

7- RAGE HARD- Frankie Goes To Hollywood (37,196)

8- HOLIDAY RAP- MC Miker G & Deejay Sven (36,686)

9- WALK THIS WAY- Run DMC Vs Aerosmith (33,320)

10- THORN IN MY SIDE- Eurythmics (32,317)