spoiler from me too (not a huge one obv to most folk I should think).

I know one single sold well, no idea about the rest...

12TH DECEMBER

 

 

A very slender lead for Cliff Richard was soon dispensed with after a well received performance on TOTP by Human League which today sees "Don't You Want Me" leap 9-1 (99,000) to become their first chart topper and has surprised many in the industry in becoming such a big single given that it is the fourth release from "Dare", and album which has already been No 1 and generated three top 12 hits.

 

 

Cliff may very well not have expected "Daddy's Home" to become such a hit as he is off touring at present and therefore not available for TOTP, a unhappy co-incidence that he may live to regret if the song progresses no further, it does clock in at No 2 this week on a sale of 90,000 enough for No 1 in 4 of the last 6 weeks. Julio Iglesias sees his sales drop to 77,000 copies last week despite TOTP and the publicity of being No 1 as he still slides 1-3 this week proving that the song was past its retail peak even before it hit the top.

 

 

Originally a 1971 No 14 hit for Labi Siffre, "It Must Be Love" has been covered by Madness which this week transforms into their 9th straight top 10 hit. It doesn't feature on their album "7" which was only released two months ago, the rate at which the band move on may provide the key to their high top 10 ratio. It accelerates 24-7 (54,000) this week and maybe worth an outside punt for the festive No 1.

 

 

 

Firm favourite with the bookies to be the Christmas No 1 Adam & The Ants arrive this week at No 9 with "Ant Rap" (48,000) this time around they've also recruited Lulu into the video for that extra splash of celebrity. It becomes the 13th (and almost definitely the last) track of 1981 to soar straight into the top flight and all eyes are on how this performs next week! The group are about to embark on their "Revue" set of concerts next week- a 2 hour extravaganza which promises a full theatrical performance from the band, the single meanwhile comes with an advent calendar=esque cover as a gimmick- you can't say they aren't going for it

 

 

 

Sprinting 21-10 (44,000) this week Godley and Crème get a second top 10 hit on the trot with "Wedding Bells". Parent album "Ismism" has failed to dent the top 20 so far a situation they must hope to remedy especially given the comparatively high sales in the album market over the next few weeks.

 

 

We don't normally venture outside the top 10 but given its rate by the bookies in terms of its ability to make No 1 in 2 weeks time, some are surprised by the entry of Abba's "One Of Us" at No 11 this week especially as the previous two albums' lead singles all debuted inside the top 10 ("Chiquitita", and "The Winner Takes It All" specifically) but this can be accounted for given the proximity of Christmas and that the album "The Visitors" is due out this week- some fans may be waiting.

 

Back to the top 10 and climbers include a still buoyant Diana Ross 5-4 (69,000) but otherwise three tracks are falling, Earth Wind & Fire 3-5 (61,000), Soft Cell 4-6 (59,000) and David Bowie & Queen slip badly 2-8 (49,000)

 

In a side issue the BMRB and the BPI this week made a decision to alter the chart compilation period from Monday- Saturday to a Saturday- Friday to enable the shops to return their chart logs to the BMRB by post instead of using couriers on a Saturday which is more costly. The move is expected to save up to £100,000 in costs. The first chart to cover this period will be W/E 09.01.1982 to minimise the disruption to the chart given that no chart will be compiled the week prior and would have consisted of only a few days returns in any event given the festive period.

 

1- DON’T YOU WANT ME- Human League (99,000)

2- DADDY’S HOME- Cliff Richard (90,000)

3- BEGIN THE BEGUINE (VOLVER A EMPAZAR)- Julio Iglesias (77,000)

4- WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE- Diana Ross (69,000)

5- LET’S GROOVE- Earth Wind & Fire (61,000)

6- BEDSITTER- Soft Cell (59,000)

7- IT MUST BE LOVE- Madness (54,000)

8- UNDER PRESSURE- David Bowie & Queen (49,000)

9- ANT RAP- Adam & The Ants (48,000)

10- WEDDING BELLS- Godley & Creme (44,000)

 

I wasn't sure if it would go straight up to #1 or not but yay that it has, definitely one of the definitive number one singles of the 1980s - it's just so distinctive

 

 

I'm really intrigued to see the weeks until the end of the year now, I make it three more weeks left to reveal?

Madness' cover of the fab It Must Be Love is equally as fab as Labi Siffre's original, but in a very different mood and style, and Antrap may well be my fave Adam Ant record, though opinion at the time was very much against it and pretty much anything with rap in it - being not seen as a valid new genre, more of a novelty. Oops, wrong! The video with Lulu was great fun, and who knew it would be the last Ants-featuring new single! Wedding Bells was almost as wonderful as Under Your Thumb, Godley & Creme getting their 70's mojo back just as Stewart & Gouldman seemed to have lost theirs. Not to worry Paul McCartney and Andrew Gold would pop up to help.

 

Abba at 11, I was SO hoping it would be a number one, loved it. Happy/sad video too, and the album was very much a more sober/adult mood than all previous albums. Not to worry, eh, I was sure their next one would be a bit more varied in tone, and I still did love the album, it just seemed kinda sad on the whole bar a couple of jolly tracks which hopefully wont be singles and they'll go for the grown-up When All Is Said And Done as the next single. :o :cry:

Yes 3 charts left for 1981

I am bored of Madness' version of 'It Must Be Love', way overplayed on adverts and radio. Prefer Madness' faster songs.

 

'Wedding Bells' sounds way more retro. or if being mean way more dated, than 'Under Your Thumb'

 

Antrap is interesting and good, yes rap music was much more of a chart trend in the late 80s. The bit in Antrap about 'the naughty North and the

sexy south' must have been sampled in a 1996 top 20 euro dance hit by E-motion (but I am guessing Adam Ant sampled it from an earlier rap hit?)

 

Julio Iglesias reminds me of Demis Roussos in the 70s - Mediterranean holiday-reminding easy listening!

Edited July 17, 2024Jul 17 by TheSnake

Ant Rap really isn’t particularly good, a huge comedown from the first two singles from the album

19TH DECEMBER

 

 

Well it was this week or bust for many of the contenders for Christmas No 1 this year and in the end they all either faltered in the wake of, or left it too late to, mount a challenge to the Human League whose "Don't You Want Me" not only holds the No 1 position but stretches its lead! It sold 121,000 last week to lift its total to 258,000 after just three weeks, an impressive feat in 1981.

 

 

 

A frantic scramble for the remaining top 4 places ended up with just 14,000 copies separating Cliff's "Daddy Home" which holds at No 2 (97,000) and Adam & The Ants at No 4 but in reality the three tracks could have ended in any order. In that mix then are two favourites for the Christmas No 1 slot which must now be expected to fail in that mission- Adam & The Ants "Ant Rap" only climbs 9-4 (83,000) whilst Abba are more in favour as "One Of Us" rockets 11-3 (85,000) and in doing so becomes the Swedes 18th straight Top 10 hit in a list that stretches back to 1975. Only three Abba singles have failed to make the top 10 since "Waterloo" became their breakthrough hit at Eurovision 1974 and the group are already assured a place among the top flight of acts to grace the UK charts since its inception almost 30 years ago. On the album charts "The Visitors" duly debuts at No 1 this week and should have no trouble in allowing the band to claim the biggest seller in the Christmas market for a second year on the trot though it may impact on sales of "One Of Us".

 

 

The top 5 is rounded off by the still improving Madness who inch 7-5 (67,000).

 

 

Drawing many comparisons to Abba since they too won Eurovision this year, Bucks Fizz join their spiritual mentors in the big 10 today with "Land Of Make Believe" which arrives today 24-10 (50,000). With former King Crimson co-founder Peter Sinfield on co-writing credits the track has gained critical favour in formerly hostile quarters like NME and the child like theme through the lyrics might help to pick up some extra Christmas sales for the song after the previous two releases failed to make the top 10.

 

 

One climber still to note, Godley & Crème move 10-8 (57,000) whilst Julio Iglesias (3-6, 60,000), Diana Ross (4-7, 58,000) and Soft Cell (6-9, 57,000) all drop.

 

Next week is the big one- the Christmas Chart- can anyone upset the Human League?

 

1- DON’T YOU WANT ME- Human League (121,000)

2- DADDY’S HOME- Cliff Richard (97,000)

3- ONE OF US- Abba (85,000)

4- ANT RAP- Adam & The Ants (83,000)

5- IT MUST BE LOVE- Madness (67,000)

6- BEGIN THE BEGUINE (VOLVER A EMPAZAR)- Julio Iglesias (60,000)

7- WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE- Diana Ross (58,000)

8- WEDDING BELLS- Godley & Creme (57,000)

9- BEDSITTER- Soft Cell (57,000)

10- LAND OF MAKE BELIEVE- Bucks Fizz (50,000)

 

Well now I'm even more intrigued!

Land of Make Believe is one of the sings from my early childhood that I remember loving!

Guessing there are some huge Christmas week sales to come...

Bucks Fizz had a big kiddie following, which was ironic as each record they released got more and more sophisticated. I'd been converted with the previous single, One Of These Nights a change of pace, and bought Land Of make Believe as a chart-topper after ABBA had given up the throne. Still love it.

 

Spoilers!

yay at Don't you love me

not a big fan of ABBA in general or One of Us in particular, so rather happy Human League made it to #1

Buck Fizz is a big no for me

the Adam Ant Rap thing is rather a cacophony to my ears

Great to have 'Don't You Want Me' at the top :wub: I also adore 'One of Us' so yay for that rocketing into the top 5 now.

 

I enjoy the percussion on 'Ant Rap' but agree with Dandy that overall it's a big step down from the previous two singles. However, the Prince Charming Revue concert that was mentioned in Gezza's commentary for the song was a great watch for me on YouTube back in lockdown.

26TH DECEMBER

 

 

So here it is then the Christmas chart 1981 and as BMRB are on holiday next week the final chart announced this year which doesn't make it a dull week by any means with three new entries to cover. Firstly though the big news, Human League hold for a third week (and consequently a fourth) on a sale of 142,560 copies, only the 5th highest weekly tally of the year and partly explained by the singles availability on the massive selling "Dare" album and the sales period being so far away from Christmas day- not to mention the awful weather. Total sales are now lifted to 400,000

 

 

 

Curiously a third track to be released from their "Just Supposin" album which came out in 1980 and has already had a follow up album this year, Status Quo have only recently decided to release a re-edited version of the track "Rock N Roll" which was never intended as a Status Quo song, Rossi and Frost wrote it with a view to giving the song away, it ascends 12-8 (54,336) this week and is now their 14th top 10 hit in the UK.

 

 

 

It's been an interesting 2 years for Dollar who found success after they formed from the remnants of Guys and Dolls in the late 70s and hit the top 10 with "Love's Gotta Hold On Me" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand" before mis-firing with a second album and an absence from the top 40 (not to mention an engagement between the Van Day and Bazar which was later to be uncovered as a publicity stunt). That was until they hooked up with Trevor Horn (ex-Buggles) who had just left Yes to concentrate on production duties and he seems to have worked some magic into the band as "Hand Held In Black and White" peaked at No 19, and now the follow up "Mirror Mirror" goes even better rising 19-9 (52,488) this week.

 

 

 

Speaking of people who have left Yes, count as one Jon Anderson who is back in the top ten with his new musical partner Vangelis on "I'll Find My Way Home 26-10 (51,096) which is the follow up to "I Hear You Now" which peaked at No 8 last year, the duo have certainly taken their time to make the move but it seems to have paid off, though of course Vangelis was busy doing "Chariots Of Fire" which made the op 20 earlier this year.

 

 

Now we've dealt with the new entries let's see how those other Christmas big hitters faired in the end. First up well done to Abba who again have the festive No 1 album with "The Visitors" but can't progress beyond No 3 on the singles chart with "One Of Us" (112,632) though they won't be disappointed with the sales of the single which trip over 200,000 after 3 weeks, but they can't overhaul Cliff who keeps the No 2 spot for a third week in a row and creeps up sales wise to 124,068, he should sell his 400,000th copy sometime next week.

 

Adam & The Ants also remain locked in at the No 4 spot well off the pace in the end with a sale of 93,720, they could have expected more but it seems maybe a case of overkill for the group in the year, still 224,000 copies in 3 weeks is a still a notable success. Madness drop a spot to No 6 (89,184) though they post a sales increase but have to make way for Bucks Fizz who halve their weekly position 10-5 (90,324) and in the process slip past Godly & Crème who climb a place 8-7 (59,028)

 

1- DON’T YOU WANT ME- Human League (142,560)

2- DADDY’S HOME- Cliff Richard (124,068)

3- ONE OF US- Abba (112,632)

4- ANT RAP- Adam & The Ants (93,720)

5- LAND OF MAKE BELIEVE- Bucks Fizz (90,324)

6- IT MUST BE LOVE- Madness (89,184)

7- WEDDING BELLS- Godley & Crème (59,028)

8- ROCK N ROLL- Status Quo (54,336)

9- MIRROR MIRROR- Dollar (52,488)

10- I’LL FIND MY WAY HOME- Jon & Vangelis (51,096)

 

Oh that’s strange. So how come the Don’t You Want Me sales aren’t matching up with the end of year position then? :unsure:

We have one chart left in 1981. I'll do a post tomorrow with the explanation tomorrow about HL

Intriguing!

for once I like a Madness track, It must be love is the only one from them that I ever liked

of course it's a cover I didn't know :D