Bette Davis Eyes sounds way more mid 80s than early 80s in my opinion.

Bette Davis Eyes - wonderful song and beginning of the classic 80s synth electro pop songs!

30TH MAY

 

 

The entire top 6 remain the same this week in an unusually slow week in the charts, that’s the headline but only one of those tracks gained sales wise. Right at the top Adam & The Ants keep the No 1 slot for a fourth week but “Stand And Deliver” loses 23% to 103,000 last week, that takes its tally to 535,000 placing it at No 6 on the YTD list whilst still at the top, it must be expected that the track will become No 1 for the year in a matter of weeks.

 

 

The record currently receiving the title of best seller of the year changes this week as “This Ole House” by Shakin’ Stevens passes Ultravox’s “Vienna” to take the accolade with sales over 700,000 (it's also under 20,000 away from best seller of the decade!). Shaky’s follow up “You Drive Me Crazy” meanwhile holds at No 2 on a sale of 87,000 and should easily break the 400,000 point next week. Has Shaky's chance at hitting the top passed or is there still one final twist in the duel between these top 2 tracks!

 

Meanwhile at No 3 Starsound hold steady but lose sales as they sold 68,000 but do hold at No 1 on the album charts, they are already over the 400,000 mark keeping ahead of Shaky in total sales.

 

The only track to gain sales wise in the top 6 is Kim Wilde at No 4 (57,000) but no such luck for the Spurs Football team at No 5 (43,000), Tenpole Tudor who keep No 6 but sell 42,000. Even No 10 is a non mover, Kim Carnes sells 36,000 but she is No 1 stateside keeping out a certain track which this week enters the top 10.

 

 

 

For all his critical claim Smokey Robinson has only been in the top 10 twice in the UK but this week he scores a third top 10 placing albeit now without his miracles as back up. “Being With You” jumps 23-7 (42,000) and his first cut from his album of the same title, it’s his first top 10 single in 11 years, the last time he was here he made No 1 with “Tears Of A Clown”. The genesis of the song is an interesting one and connects Robinson with none other than Kim Carnes who is also in the top 10 at present. She scored a top 10 hit last year in the US with a cover of Robinson's "More Love", so enamoured with the cover was he that Robinson wrote "Being With You" with the intention of giving it to Carnes to record. Once Motown head Berry Gordy heard the track he convinced Robinson to keep it for himself. The even greater irony is that at present in the US charts "Being With You" stands at No 2 blocked from the top by....you guessed it- Kim Carnes.

 

 

 

A second top 10 on the trot for Toyah with “I Want To Be Free”- it’s taken from their fourth album “Anthem” which debuts at No 3 this week. Unlike their previous hit “It’s A Mystery” this is an original composition but no fear in continuing the bands success as the track jumps 13-9 (36,000)

 

 

The only song not mentioned so far REO Speedwagon drop a place 7-8 (38,000). This week sees a new single by the Jam- could it enter at No 1?

 

 

1- STAND AND DELIVER- Adam & The Ants (103,000)

2- YOU DRIVE ME CRAZY- Shakin Stevens (87,000)

3- STARS ON 45- Starsound (68,000)

4- CHEQUERED LOVE- Kim Wilde (57,000)

5- OSSIE’S DREAM (WAY TO WEMBLEY)- Spurs Football Team (43,000)

6- SWORDS OF A THOUSAND MEN- Ten Pole Tudor (42,000)

7- BEING WITH YOU- Smokey Robinson (42,000)

8- KEEP ON LOVING YOU- REO Speedwagon (38,000)

9- I WANT TO BE FREE- Toyah (36,000)

10- BETTE DAVIS EYES- Kim Carnes (36,000)

 

Doing a bit of catch up

 

Fabulous to see Kim Wilde’s debut. I wish it had been a #1 over the lacklustre Shakin’Stevens, who I hate with all my guts.

 

Love love love Stevie Wonder’s Lately. Easily the best thing he ever did

 

Oh my that Einstein song, I knew it as a kid but never realised they were singing Einsten-a-go-go

 

Stand and deliver I kinda like it too, Ten Pole Tudor too.

 

That Bette Davis Eyes song was everywhere at the time, ok.ish for me

 

Bucks Fizz, Good Thing Going and Can You Feel It were great too

 

 

Chequered Love is not half bad but pales compared to Kids in America

 

that Smokey Robinson song is ok I guess bit on the boring side

That Toyah track - I can't help but sing along to the euphoric chorus. Good synths in it too.

Edited June 19, 20241 yr by TheSnake

Musclebound is one of Spandau Ballet's lesser known songs but is another good one from them. Keep On Loving You is a great soft rock song and I echo the love for Swords Of A Thousand Men.

 

I prefer the single before it, The Freeze, good synths in it. Musclebound is good though, the production is more like Imagination type Britfunk.

Edited June 19, 20241 yr by TheSnake

Was Glenn Hoddle on the spurs single?

I do quite like that Shaky track. Probably his 2nd best after 'Merry Christmas Everyone'.

 

'Bette Davis Eyes' is fantastic :wub:

Was Glenn Hoddle on the spurs single?

Yes

Multiple top 10 artists this decade then aul Glenn!

surprised to see the Bette Davis Eyes song struggling, I would have bet it had been a #1

6TH JUNE

 

 

Well it looked like it would be a tough fought battle this week and certainly until the weekend it was with both Adam & The Ants and Shakin Stevens neck and neck. However an exclusive on “Tomorrow’s world” on the making of the video coupled with TOTP swung it the way of “Stand And Deliver” which spends a fifth week at No 1, the first song to do so in the 80s. It was evidently a heavily edited version which was provided to TV for the last month, the "full version" is now available and was premiered on TOTP last week with a few release on "video disc" later in the year which is a costly exercise given only 1 in 10 households currently own a video player and that they retail at £300. It's also indicative of their popularity of the group that the record label is investing in it.

 

The track sold just 82,000 copies last week, a slide of 20% week on week but it does hit the 600,000 mark whilst still at No 1, it’s now No 4 on the YTD and should top the rankings soon. “You Drive Me Crazy” remains at No 2 but sold 73,000 copies as it accumulates 456,000 sales in total but its challenge is now on paper only.

 

 

 

The Jam debut at No 4 this week as 1981 proves a more difficult nut to crack than 1980 for new entries in the top 10, only John Lennon and the aforementioned "Stand And Deliver" have turned the trick so far this year. "Funeral Pyre" is a stand alone single from the band and sold 64,000 copies, well down on their last two opening tallies of 131,000 and 91,000 respectively, the promotion for this single has been rather more low key than those hits which perhaps accounts for it, but don't discount a shot at No 1 next week for this- we all know how loyal their fanbase is- and how "Start" ......started its chart career.

 

 

 

Named after their home town of Champaign in Illinois, the group have a top ten hit on their hands in the form of "How Bout Us" which rises 11-6 (39,000). The track is currently at No 12 in the US and is there first hit on both sides of the Atlantic.

 

 

 

Hazel O'Connor now has a hat-trick of top 10 hits to her credit as another release from the "Breaking Glass" soundtrack climbs 23-10 (33,000). O'Connor may have fallen out with A & M but she is doing the rounds promoting the track perhaps aware that it would do her career just as much damage not to promote as it would do to the label.

 

 

Elsewhere the top 3 trivium of Adam and the Ants, Shaky and Starsound is finally broken this week by Smokey Robinson's climb 7-3 (73,000) with "Being With You" which surely has only to fight off the Jam for the top spot next week after it ran Shaky very close this week? Speaking of Starsound they descend 3-7 (38,000) just ahead of Tenpole Tudor who retreat 6-9 (34,000), Kim Wilde is also a victim of this weeks chart with "Chequered Love" floundering 4-5 (39,000). The only act not mentioned so far is Toyah who climb a spot 9-8 (34,000) despite a loss in sales.

 

 

 

1- STAND AND DELIVER- Adam & The Ants (82,000)

2- YOU DRIVE ME CRAZY- Shakin Stevens (73,000)

3- BEING WITH YOU- Smokey Robinson (73,000)

4- FUNERAL PYRE- The Jam (64,000)

5- CHEQUERED LOVE- Kim Wilde (39,000)

6- HOW BOUT US?- Champaign (39,000)

7- STARS ON 45- Starsound (38,000)

8- I WANT TO BE FREE- Toyah (34,000)

9- SWORDS OF A THOUSAND MEN- Ten Pole Tudor (34,000)

10- WILL YOU- Hazell O’Connor (33,000)

 

What a fabulous song Will You by Hazel O'Connor is with that sax solo which goes on for more than two minutes. :wub:

Urgh, Toyah - terrible singer. Thank God for Adam & the Ants!

13TH JUNE

 

 

The reign of the dandy highwayman is finally over after 5 weeks but the race to replace Adam & The Ants at No 1 was a very close race with just 3,000 copies separating the top 2 when the dust had settled. Neither track in the race was by The Jam who surpringly only lifted 13% to 72,000 and retain the No 4 slot. The eventual winner was Smokey Robinson who gets only his second No 1 single in his long career with "Being With You" which climbs 3-1 (95,000).

 

 

 

Also leapfrogging the Jam are two songs new to the top 10, "More Than In Love" and "One Day In Your Life". The first track is a first hit single from Kate Robbins and Beyond, you may know Robbins as a member of the UK Eurovision entry last year Prima Donna (they finished third) and her backing group "Beyond" took place in this year's "Song for Europe" before losing out to Bucks Fizz, Robbins is currently in the soap "Crossroads" as Kate Loring where she plays a singer who uses the newly found recording studio in the basement of the hotel (obviously) and composes this track. The song jumps 13-2 (92,000) after the exposure it gained this week from the ITV soap and it would be unwise to bet against it making No 1 next week although naturally it won't get TOTP to help it on its way this week

 

 

 

He's currently between albums but Motown are taking advantage of the success of "Off The Wall" to push an old Michael Jackson track "One Day In Your Life", dating from the 1975 album "Forever" it also features on a new compilation of his work for his old label and moves 12-3 (79,000) to become his joint highest solo track ever matching the peak of "Rockin' Robin" and "She's Out Of My Life".

 

 

 

Written and recorded by legendary composer Lamont Dozier for his 1977 album "Peddlin Music On The Side", Odyssey get their fourth top 10 hit this week as "Going Back To My Roots" rockets 23-8 (54,000) this week.

 

 

Indeed it's been a bumper week for sales this week as the whole top 10 clears 39,000 copies a piece, meaning that even some fallers are increasing sales, including Toyah 8-10 (39,000- up 15%), Champaign who hold at No.6 (67,000- up 73%) and a climbing Hazel O'Connor 10-9 (43,000- up 32%). Nothing however can arrest the fall of Shaky however as he falls 2-7 (56,000). Afam and the Ants drop to No 5 (68,000) but are now roughly 36,000 copies away from becoming the biggest selling single of the 80s to date!

 

1- BEING WITH YOU- Smokey Robinson (95,000)

2- MORE THAN IN LOVE- Kate Robbins & Beyond (92,000)

3- ONE DAY IN YOUR LIFE- Michael Jackson (79,000)

4- FUNERAL PYRE- The Jam (72,000)

5- STAND AND DELIVER- Adam & The Ants (68,000)

6- HOW BOUT US- Champaign (67,000)

7- YOU DRIVE ME CRAZY- Shakin Stevens (56,000)

8- GOING BACK TO MY ROOTS- Odyssey (54,000)

9- WILL YOU- Hazell ‘Connor (43,000)

10- I WANT TO BE FREE- Toyah (39,000)

 

what a top 3 of snoozefest ballads! I guess it's not that normal to have 3 ballads in the top 3, and also 3 very lacklustre and boring ones

 

Odyssey the best track

What a rubbish replacement for Stand and Deliver! Boo! Hiss!

I've just discovered upon Googling Kate Robbins (no idea who she is) that she is Emily Atack's mother!

Edited June 22, 20241 yr by Jessie Where

More Than In Love :wub:

 

It's the one from my favourite UK # 2 songs in 80s.

Edited June 22, 20241 yr by Last Dreamer