YEAR: 1992
PEAK POSITION: 1
VOTER: King Rollo- 23pts, Chartjack2- 22pts, Mango- 22pts, Dandy*- 20pts, Padamic Tension- 17pts, Jester- 16pts, Popchartfreak- 12pts, Gezza- 4pts, AHGold- 4pts

'

Released only 12” in 1981 thanks to resistance by the group over the single, Erasure turned it into a chart topper. Bell noted: I insisted on “”Voulez-vous”” and “”Lay All Your Love On Me”” while Vince insisted on “”SOS”” “Take A Chance On Me”” was just the next natural choice.” And it was our natural choice of the favourite track from the EP it seems.

YEAR: 2005
PEAK POSITION: 4
VOTER: Popchartfreak- 25pts, JulianT-24pts, Chartjack2- 20pts, Jimwatts- 19pts, AHGold- 18pts, Bjork- 17pts, Dandy*- 9pts, Mango- 6pts, Padamic Tension- 3pts



Some might say they were taking advantage of the traditional January sales slump back in the physical age, however a top 5 hit is a top 5 hit, and this was their first in 11 years, it also proved to be their last. The CD:Rom version of the single (remember those) allowed buyers to download elements of the track and create their own remixes of the track. It is by far our favourite Erasure single of the 21st century.

The top 15 all made my votes *.* I suppose LAYLOM was an inspired choice of cover as the original would have been fairly unfamiliar back then, but as with Blancmange's version of TDBYC, I'd choose the original every time.

 

I'd forgotten how good 'Breathe' was until doing this rate - I thought that and the 1994 singles were the most accessible of the last 30 years or so.

'Breathe' is absolutely stunning, I've been loving it more than ever lately.

“Breathe” :wub:

'You Surround Me' is just beautiful, would have loved to see that higher.

'Lay All Your Love On Me' is my personal favourite off the Abba-esque EP.

'Breathe' is quite nice but I couldn't justify giving it more than 6 points when there are so many others more deserving!

I Love Saturday is absolutely genius. I love its construction so much.

 

My second favorite single if theirs after Fingers and Thumbs.

I’m similar to Ally that I think I find it a little irritating, I feel like maybe it’s got a bit too much going on. When I hear it I do like it more than I anticipate I’m going to though

YEAR: 1987
PEAK POSITION: 7
VOTER: Gezza- 29pts, Padamic Tension- 16pts, Bjork- 15pts, Jester- 15pts, Jimwatts- 15pts, Chartjack2- 14pts, Dandy*- 13pts, King Rollo- 11pts, JulianT- 7pts, AHGold- 6pts, Mango- 1pt



Third single from “The Circus” and another top 10 hit.

YEAR: 1988
PEAK POSITION: 11
VOTER: Popchartfreak- 27pts, Bjork- 24pts, Padamic Tension- 19pts, King Rollo- 17pts, Dandy*- 16pts, Jimwatts- 16pts, Jester- 14pts, Chartjack2- 10pts, AHGold- 3pts, Mango- 2pts, JulianT- 1pt



Missing the top 10 by just over 500 copies in the summer of 1988, this was their debut release in the US and was their biggest hit stateside peaking at No 12. The song was a subtle plea by the duo for the acceptance of same sex love, very daring for the 80s

My 1- and 2-pointers consecutively :lol: both good songs, just that they've had loads better!

oh what a travesty Chains of Love out already :/ deserved top 10 for sure

A lot of middling scores there, mine included! I knew both songs pre-rate, but wasn't super-familiar and often confused them with each other.

Erasure have a got a few “XXX of XXX” songs.

Sorry i have missed alot of the countdown but i will go down through it all now, surprised Chains of Love didnt go top 10 as i thought it would but i think it ended up with a fairly fair result.

YEAR: 1985/ 1992
PEAK POSITION: 55/10
VOTER: Jimwatts- 28pts, Chartjack2- 26pts, JulianT- 25pts, AHGold- 25pts, Jester- 21pts, Padamic Tension- 15pts, Mango- 8pts, Bjork- 5pts



“There was a programme on Tele called “Evil Roy Slade” and that inspired the video. We started writing a spoof of a Western- I mean it’s got nothing to do with the song or anything but we thought it would be a giggle”- Vince Clarke

Debut single from the boys which missed the top 40 initially but generated sufficient interest to merit the duo being asked to produce an album. It was remixed in 1992 to promote “Pop- The First 20 hits” and became a top 10 single finally!

Bell recalled “It was one of the songs I did at my audition for Vince, and it needed quite a high vocal and so it was the first time I sang in falsetto”

YEAR: 1987
PEAK POSITION: 6
VOTER: Jimwatts- 26pts, JulianT- 26pts, King Rollo- 22pts, Jester- 22pts, AHGold- 20pts, Dandy*- 18pts, Mango- 7pts, Bjork- 6pts, Popchartfreak- 6pts



Erasure do politics! Well briefly at least. Lamenting the loss of the manufacturing base in the UK which occurred in the 80s, the song was interpreted as a critique of Thatcherism and was heavily edited down from its 5:30 album version to 3:50 for the single mix.

Ooft, two great ones just before the top 10. I was starting to think my votes were looking like the polar opposite of Dandy's, at least we sort of agree on 'The Circus'.

What an iconic top 10 *.* LTHY for #1!