Chant number 1 is my fave Spandau track, total funk thanks to Beggar & Co, I wish they had gone that musical direction instead of plodding limp synth tracks. I dont particularly rate anything after this one, some are quite good, some decent, some rubbish.

 

The follow up Paint Me Down was funk too though I think?! Instinction is not one of my favourites if that's what your talking about but it sounds like it influenced sophistipop later in the 80s like Hue and Cry.

Meh, the horror of Shakin' Stevens at #1 :/

besides Abba and Specials, that top 10 is evil

8TH AUGUST

 

 

After last weeks frantic scramble for the top spot this week is much more orderly with Shakin' Stevens way out in front with "Green Door" from the off. The single sold 100,000 copies last week to bring its total to 200,460 copies after just three weeks, not being available on his current album "This Ole House" has certainly helped, that album is still pottering around the top 30 but his next album "Shaky" is due next month and will feature the current No 1 along with Stevens' last single "You Drive Me Crazy"- expect a big seller. Indeed Shakin Stevens is the only man who looks capable of selling anything like Adam & The Ants in 1981.

 

 

 

Three new hits in the top 10 start with the Jacksons and "Walk Right Now" which accelerates 15-7 (38,000). It's a fourth single from "Triumph" which has turned out to be a prophetic title as it has become one of their most successful albums here in the UK, it also marks the first time the band have scored back to back top 10 hits since their initial run of four hits back in 1970.

 

 

 

It's been a rocky 12 months for Sheena Easton who has seen her going from two hits simultaneously in the top 10 this time last year to having her song "Take My Time" peak at No 44 in February. To balance that the singer famously made No 1 stateside with a retitled "The Morning Train (9 to 5)" a few months ago which led to revived fortunes in the UK as her last single "When He Shines" made No 12. She is of course now singing the new Bond theme to "For Your Eyes Only" which was actually written with either Dusty Springfield or Donna Summer in mind but again it was that increased profile with a stateside chart topper than got Easton the job and a third top 10 hit as it moves 11-8 (35,000). She also becomes the first bond theme singer to appear in the film as she's there in the opening credits!

 

 

 

 

Not had enough Medley's yet? How about Tight Fit which are a group of session singers put together by producer Ken Gold to front his medley of 60s hit imaginatively called "Back To The Sixties" which sneaks in this week climbing 14-10 (32,000). Along with Starsound at No 9 this week (34,000) it means we have three medleys of old hits in the top 10 along with 2 covers marking a week when half of the big 10 are remakes and rehashes.

 

 

Back to the top of the charts and Stevie Wonder proves no real competition to Shaky even though he moves 4-2 (82,000), looking more healthy are Royal Philharmonic Orchestra who jump 7- 3 (77,000) an increase of 83% in sales terms. Bad news for the remaining records though Spandau Ballet will have to wait for that No 1 as they drop 3-4 (66,000- yes a sales increase! again thanks to TOTP), The Specials dip 2-5 (61,000) but cumulatively the track is now over 500,000 and easily their biggest selling single now. Bad Manners round matters off with "Can Can" holding at No 6 with 42,000 copies sold, and has now sold 364,596 copies in total, and is only around 30,000 away from overtaking "Special Brew" to become their biggest seller.

 

 

 

1- GREEN DOOR- Shakin Stevens (100,000)

2- HAPPY BIRTHDAY- Stevie Wonder (82,000)

3- HOOKED ON CLASSICS- Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (77,000)

4- CHANT NO 1 (I DON’T NEED THIS PRESSURE ON)- Spandau Ballet (66,000)

5- GHOST TOWN- The Specials (51,000)

6- CAN CAN- Bad Manners (42,000)

7- WALK RIGHT NOW- The Jacksons (38,000)

8- FOR YOUR EYES ONLY- Sheena Easton (35,000)

9- STARS ON 45 VOLUME II- Starsound (34,000)

10- BACK TO THE SIXTIES- Tight Fit (32,000)

 

On August 1st, 1981 MTV launched in the US and would change the music industry with a promo becoming a virtual pre-requisite for a successful single (certainly in the US) for decades to come. Promo's were already far more common in the UK than in the US leading MTV to air mostly UK acts in the first years which would lead to the second invasion of UK acts over the next 5 years stateside.

Love For your eyes only, great JB theme song from Sheena Easton!

I’m not particularly fond of any of the newer ones. I think Ghost Town is the only thing I particularly care for in the current top 10

I never realised that Tight Fit had a hit with a sixties melody. Wow.

'Chant No. 1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On)' my joint favourite Spandau Ballet song along with 'To Cut A Long Story Short'. I had no idea it was a midweek #1, that would have been appropriate for its title - at least it was sampled in a #1 hit eventually.

15TH AUGUST

 

 

Shaky reigns supreme this week with an easy victory despite sales dipping. "Green Door" loses 13% as it sells 87,000 copies and equals the three week stay of "This Ole House" earlier in the year and brings the Welsh singer to a total of 6 weeks at the top in the 80s just one behind John Lennon, his victory is easier than last week given that everything around him slides even further, "Hooked On Classics rises 3-2 but loses 13% (66,000) and Stevie Wonder swaps places with RPO 2-3 (64,000), a big dip of 21% week on week.

 

 

 

The New Romantic movement may still be looking for its first chart topper (if you view "Ashes To Ashes" as Bowie just dipping his toe in the genre) but it's certainly making its presence felt in the top 10 with two new arrivals. First up are Duran Duran who came to the media's attention after they supported Hazel O'Connor in late 1980 on tour and signed for EMI earlier this year, the first fruits resulted in "Planet Earth" which peaked at No 12 though they disappointed with second single "Careless Memories" at No 37, all that is put behind them now as "Girls On Film" gives them a top 10 hit moving 15-6 (47,000). Their debut eponymous album is already in the top 10, and with a video that is causing some controversy the hype around the group seems, for the moment, to be justified. The track was actually written by Andy Wickett (a former frontman for the outfit pre fame) but was purchased by the remaining members of the outfit for £600 with Wickett signing away his writing royalties instead, wonder if he'll regret that?

 

 

 

Plugging away for a good few years the Human League are already about to release album three but had failed to dent the top 40 singles until "Sound Of The Crowd" made No 12 earlier this year. "Love Action (I Believe In Love)" is labelled as "Red" on the sleeve to denote the band's marketing tool of labelling their songs either "Blue" for pop songs and "Red" for dance songs in case you wondering, it advances this week 29-7 (43,000) to become their biggest hit.

 

 

 

With new album "Time" stuck at No 2 behind the Royal Wedding album, ELO return to the top 10 with "Hold On Tight" this week as the track rises 19-9 (38,000) to become their 15th top 10 hit in 9 years. It reportedly has a video which cost £400,000 (the most expensive video made to date) and is particularly apt in the month that MTV launches in the US.

 

 

It may be that the main threat to Shaky next week could be Tight Fit as they power 10-4 (58,000) on the back of a TOTP performance, if it can continue to move upward it could pose problems in weeks to come. Not so for Spandau Ballet 4-5 (54,000), The Jacksons 7-8 (40,000) and Sheena Easton 8-10 (36,000) who all lose ground on the top.

 

 

 

1- GREEN DOOR- Shakin Stevens (87,000)

2- HOOKED ON CLASSICS- Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (66,000)

3- HAPPY BIRTHDAY- Stevie Wonder (64,000)

4- BACK TO THE SIXTIES- Tight Fit (58,000)

5- CHANT NO 1 (I DON’T NEED THIS PRESSURE ON)- Spandau Ballet (54,000)

6- GIRLS ON FILM- Duran Duran (47,000)

7- LOVE ACTION (I BELIEVE IN LOVE)- Human League (43,000)

8- WALK RIGHT NOW- The Jacksons (40,000)

9- HOLD ON TIGHT- E.L.O (38,000)

10- FOR YOUR EYES ONLY- Sheena Easton (36,000)

 

 

The original demo of "Girls On Film" which was demoed in 1979 pre Le Bon. Fair to say the band re-wrote the lyrics mainly and developed it under their own steam!

Not a big fan of 'Girls On Film', 'Planet Earth' is better imo.

 

Not the biggest fan of the Human League but 'Love Action' is very good. That's interesting that the band classed it as a dance song back then.

 

The ELO track is quite rock and roll retro revival in style like Shakin Stevens. The French part is interesting too.

Edited June 30, 20241 yr by TheSnake

Yes, I've always thought that Jeff sounds like Shakin' Stevens on Hold On Tight.

 

It's interesting that Duran Duran and the Human League made their top 10 debuts in the same week.

I'm also not that keen on 'Girls On Film' and prefer 'Planet Earth', but 'Love Action (I Believe In Love)' is an excellent Top 10 debut for The Human League - Phil's mostly one-note middle eight has been much sampled.

love Action is great yay

 

I do slightly prefer Girls on Film to Planet Earth, but none are amazing

'Love Action' is my favourite Human League song :wub:

The follow up Paint Me Down was funk too though I think?! Instinction is not one of my favourites if that's what your talking about but it sounds like it influenced sophistipop later in the 80s like Hue and Cry.

 

Yes Paint Me Down was funk too but the song wasnt great. Instinction had a great production, but my problems with Spandau were always the songs and Tony's bellowing. True & Gold were good, but suffer from over-exposure to the point I cant bear to hear them now :o :lol: Too many adverts! I'll Fly For You and Through The Barricades were both nice. :)

Green Door, not a fan, any version. Ditto Tight Fit, never keen on cheesy covers, but I do like the Hooked On Classics, mainly cos it meant I could put names to familiar tunes, and it was a real boost for classical music amongst pop fans, multi-composer classical compilations became quite a thing.

 

Hold On Tight, top ELO tune, topped my chart, they still had the knack, and Human League were rapidly becoming my next favourite band of the early 80's, Love Action is fab. Girls On Film and Walk Right Now are both decent, and Sheena's Bond theme is a good one - despite Sheena's thin vocal. I would happily pay to have heard Dusty sing it, now that would have been epic!

22ND AUGUST

 

 

Shaky is the word to sum up the whole of the situation at the top of the top of the charts this week as Stevens keeps hold of the No 1 spot for a fourth week but his lead looked tenuous all week and his winning total was 76,000, a decrease of 12% week on week, its tally now stands at 364,000 though it now looks like it won't match the overall total of either of his two previous hits, Nevertheless he;s now spent 7 weeks at No 1 in the 80s putting him level with John Lennon at the top of that chart.

 

 

Numbers 2-5 all finished within just 11,000 copies of each other such was the tightness of the chasing pack with only a TOTP performance enough to help Royal Philharmonic Orchestra stay at no 2 on a sale of 72,000, 6,000 ahead of Human League who leap 7-3- keep an eye on them for next week's No 1 unless...

 

 

Moving ominously from 19-4 (65,000) this week is Scottish singer Aneka who plucked her stage name from the phone book if popular rumour is to be believed. Born Mary Sandeman this is her debut single and shows distinct signs of challenging the weak Shakin Stevens next week, she is an established singer of Scottish and Gaelic folk songs who decided that she wanted to record a pop record and told her producer who played her a track he had lying around. She loved it and got a record deal and you see the result now!

 

 

 

Having failed to dent the charts with their first few releases a cover of a Gloria Jones b-side from 1965 which similarly failed to make an impression on the British public has now succeeded for Soft Cell. The duo's version of "Tainted Love" flies 26-9 (47,000) this week, the rumour that this was the band's last chance at recording a hit by Some Bizzare (if true) has proved that patience has paid off.

 

 

 

Speaking of the great British public clearly they haven't had enough of medley's yet as this week Imrich Lobo (using just his surname for chart purposes) sees his "Caribbean Disco Show" climb 14-10 (46,000). Not to be confused with the US singer who had a couple of top ten hits in the early 70s, this Lobo hails from Netherlands where the track has already spent 3 weeks at the No 1 position.

 

 

In other news Duran Duran climb 6-5 (61,000), ELO glide 9-6 (55,000), whilst Stevie Wonder slides 3-7 (49,000) and Tight Fit recede 4-8 (47,000)

 

1- GREEN DOOR- Shakin Stevens (76,000)

2- HOOKED ON CLASSICS- Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (72,000)

3- LOVE ACTION (I BELIEVE IN LOVE)- Human League (66,000)

4- JAPANESE BOY- Aneka (65,000)

5- GIRLS ON FILM- Duran Duran (61,000)

6- HOLD ON TIGHT- E.L.O (55,000)

7- HAPPY BIRTHDAY- Stevie Wonder (49,000)

8- BACK TO THE SIXTIES- Tight Fit (47,000)

9- TAINTED LOVE- Soft Cell (47,000)

10- CARIBBEAN DISCO- Lobo (46,000)

 

Oh 'Tainted Love' is one of the greatest singles of the year for me, genius cover version :wub: it has deservedly been enduring too with over 800,000,000 streams.

 

Pleased to see the arrival of the Human League too.

'Love Action' is great but 'Tainted Love' is the best thing to enter in a while now. Admittedly heard the Marilyn Manson version before Soft Cell's but you can't beat this version.