27TH FEBRUARY

 

 

Claiming a third week at the top The Jam are holding up pretty well with double A-Side "Town Called Malice/ Precious", it was helped by a double performance on TOTP which is unusual indeed (if not unprecedented) and assisted in selling another 106,000 copies last week to bring its 3 week tally to 407,000, a very impressive 21 day total and one that could indicate a million seller were it not for the fact that this is the Jam we're talking about and the record took a 40% cut in sales though last week wasn't exactly a normal week.

 

 

It was only after TOTP that the Jam made their surge, until that point Tight Fit were leading as they ultimately rise 6-2 (104,000) with "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" and are due for a TOTP performance themselves this week.

 

 

No 1 in the US for the last 4 weeks "Centerfold" makes its mark in the UK this week charging 17-3 (95,000) today on its way to replicating its Stateside feat, one has to suspect that in 7 days time this could very well be top of the tree. The band have only had one hit here before "One Last Kiss" peaked at No 74 in 1979.

 

 

 

Debut album "Pelican West" is released this week and contains the hit single "Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)" (No 4, 1981) and now "Love Plus One" which shoots 11-4 (70,000) for the band Haircut 100. Already amassing considering interest in the UK teen mags, and press in general, the photogenic lads are shaping up to be one of the biggest acts of the year, their first hit set a high benchmark selling 326,000 copies.

 

 

 

Hall & Oates have long been a big name in the US where they've racked up 10 top 20 hits including 4 No 1 hits there, that count encompasses "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)" which follows fellow US chart topper "Centerfold" into the top 10 in the UK this week rushing 12-8 (50,000). Previously the duo's biggest UK hit was 1980's "Kiss On My List" which peaked at No 33 but they'll be hoping to recreate that US magic touch with their current track.

 

 

 

The new entries keep on coming with Fun Boy Three who are of course formed of Terry Hall, Neville Staple and Lynval Golding formerly of the Specials who all left after the group splintered last summer. Their debut hit "The Lunatics "Have Taken Over The Asylum)" peaked at No 20 last year but their cover of a 1939 track "It Ain't What You Do (It's The Way That You Do It" rises 36-9 (45,000) today to easily become their biggest hit in their current reincarnation. It's actually credited as a duet between them and Bananarama, three girls from London whose first single "Aie a Mwana" narrowly missed out on being a hit last year but did bring them some media attention and an article in "The Face" magazine which brought them to attention of Hall who got them in to record this track.

 

 

 

Following the shock departure of Vince Clarke, the band's main songwriter, Depeche Mode show they can do it alone with a new single "See You" which this week proceeds 31-10 (43,000) to give them their second top 10 hit in a row, It's written by lead singer Gore and will be the first single from their as yet untitled second album due in the autumn.

 

 

Three fallers left to discuss, Soft Cell surprisingly drop back 3-5 (68,000), The Stranglers look spent as they fall 2-6 (54,000) and OMD fall back 4-7 (52,000) sales buoyed by half-term.

 

1- A TOWN CALLED MALICE/ PRECIOUS- The Jam (106,000)

2- THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT- Tight Fit (104,000)

3- CENTERFOLD- J Geils Band (95,000)

4- LOVE PLUS ONE- Haircut 100. (70,000)

5- SAY HELLO WAVE GOODBYE- Soft Cell (68,000)

6- GOLDEN BROWN- The Stranglers (54,000)

7- MAID OF ORLEANS- O.M.D (52,000)

8- I CAN’T GO FOR THAT (NO CAN DO)- Hall & Oates (50,000)

9- IT AINT WHAT YOU DO IT’S THE WAY THAT YOU DO IT- Fun Boy Three & Bananarama (45,000)

10- SEE YOU- Depeche Mode. (43,000)

 

Another week of big sales and quality among the new entries, 1982 is really spoiling us. The Haircut 100, Hall & Oates and Depeche Mode songs are all very good. Not so keen on 'Centerfold' but it wasn't far away from #1 with those sales!

All good new entries to the top 10 and that is a lot for one week.

 

Not a fan of the lyrical themes but musically 'Centerfold' is my favourite I think - such a classic, very catchy upbeat tune with the na na na singalong bit.

 

'I Can't Go For That' is probably my second favourite, good mix of soul and synthpop and of course later sampled for a decent Simply Red song in 2003 too.

 

'Ain't What You Do' I remember first hearing on a biscuit advert in the late 90s/early 00s. Its quite ambient compared to most of the other hits of the time.

 

I think that Haircut 100 song is good too, they go a bit more indie pop for it compared to their previous Britfunk track.

 

'See You' is catchy too, perhaps musically their first foray into a darker sound with the intro but the lyrics are still very poppy.

 

What a great bunch of new entries again and top 10 as a whole - that’s my favourite Haircut 100 song, an absolute classic, also like ‘Centrefold’ another song still played 40 years later and another great one from Depeche Mode. Also wonderful to see the first hit for Bananarama and a chart history that would go on for over a decade!

 

Sales really were quite up and down per week in them days.

See You is my favourite of those five new entries followed by It Ain't What You Do (It's The Way That You Do It) and Love Plus One.

the first Bananarama! they look so young in the clip! but kinda super annoying song, kinda reminds me of the lion sleeps tonight in a way

 

the Depeche Mode one is the newbie I like the most, but still it's only 2nd league Depeche Mode, not top tier.

 

that Centerfold song is one of the worst and most annoying US hits of the 80s. The Hall & Pates one is much better in comparison, but not by much...

 

the Haircut 100 one doesn't do much on 1st listen...

Love Plus One is ace!

 

A Town Called malice is my favourite Jam song, The Lion Sleeps Tonight was a childhood favourite and Fun Boy Free is a fun track.

 

Loving 1982 so far.

6TH MARCH

 

 

Experiencing a 43% increase in sales this week Tight Fit seem to have finally clicked with the British public as "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" powers to No 1 by some margin to give the act (or more correctly the producers given that the act themselves don't sing on the track) their biggest hit. Vocals actually come from former City Boy Roy Ward ("5-7-0-5" #8, 1978). It's already sold 401,465 copies and is shaping up to be one of 1982's biggest sellers.

 

 

 

 

The nearest challenger to Tight Fit actually came from Toni Basil's "Mickey" which stormed from 11-2 (96,000) after an electrifying TOTP performance. Known best for her choreographic skills she has worked on tours for David Bowie and the promo video for Talking Heads "Once In A Lifetime" and now finds herself in the limelight with this cover. The original composition was called "Kitty" and was recorded by Racey in 1979 for their debut album and comes from the fair hand of Chinn/ Chapman with a few extra bits added by Basil. It narrowly missed the top 75 when released last year but still sold just over 30,000 copies regardless in its original release.

 

 

 

 

 

There aren't any other new entries in the top 10 this week but that doesn't mean there isn't any action. Two tracks continue to impress, Fun Boy Three and Bananarama leap 9-6 (66,000) and Depeche Mode climb 10--8 (46,000), meanwhile Haircut 100 hold No 4 on a marginally increased sale of 71,000.

 

Five tracks all fall most importantly The Jam who give up the ghost as they tumble 1-3 (90,000) but take their total to 497,156 copies and charges to No 2 on the YTD list, it also becomes the groups biggest selling single ever, reason to celebrate. After being widely tipped for No 1 last week (not least by me) "Centerfold" shifts into reverse and dips 3-5 (70,000), Soft Cell also fall 5-7 (51,000) and completing the fallers are The Stranglers 6-9 (41,000) and OMD ebb 7-10 (40,000). Incidentally The Jam should take over the YTD list from "Golden Brown" which has now sold 497,582 copies and is therefore just 426 copies ahead of "Town Called Malice/ Precious"- a situation which should be rectified next week.

 

 

 

1- THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT- Tight Fit (148,000)

2- MICKEY- Toni Basil (96,000)

3- A TOWN CALLED MALICE/ PRECIOUS- The Jam (90,000)

4- LOVE PLUS ONE- Haircut 100 (71,000)

5- CENTERFOLD- J Geils Band (70,000)

6- IT AINT WHAT YOU DO IT’S THE WAY THAT YOU DO IT- Bananarama & Fun Boy Three (66,000)

7- SAY HELLO WAVE GOODBYE- Soft Cell (51,000)

8- SEE YOU- Depeche Mode (46,000)

9- GOLDEN BROWN- The Stranglers (41,000)

10- MAID OF ORLEANS- O.M.D (40,000)

 

 

Arthur's Theme nowhere near as good as Ride Like The Wind and Saiing, 2 Christopher Cross non-hits in the UK, it's a bit of a simperer in comparison. XTC ditto, Making Plans For Nigel was brilliant, and later singles into the 90's were great, but Senses just got on my nerves and still does. Tight Fit's morph into a 60's pop cover band was unexpected (and with a new line-up natch) but it was a decent cover of Wimoweh/The Lion Sleeps Tonight, which I knew best in the 1972 hit versions by Robert John (USA hit) and Dave Newman (UK). To be fair this is the best version since the Tokens. Fun.

 

Soft Cell's Say Hello is brilliant and peaked at 2 in my chart, but it's a classic, love the broken vocal from Marc, pure emotion which some people moaned about being off-key, so much so that he decided to re-record it in the 90's with a technically better vocal performance, but devoid of the affecting emotion of the original. Sometimes feeling is better than being note perfect...

 

Centerfold is great fun, still a singalong great, Love Plus One another one that just missed out on my top spot, Haircut 100 look very different in the video for their fab indiepop current single The Unloving Plum, which is classic-sounding Haircut 100 via Lightning Seeds. Nick is still cute, too. He knew how to bung out 3 pop hooks in 3 minutes, value for money.

 

Hall & Oates were great, and it was frustrating that US classics like She's Gone were only minor hits, and their slick 80's pop sound had been fab right through 1981 without a proper hit in the UK. This funky-rhythmed delight topped my charts, holding off the contenders, still love it (I Can't Go For That) Yes Can Do. My other fave of the time was also just a minor UK hit, Lindsey Buckingham's Trouble, a fab melody that one and very Fleetwood Mac of course.

 

Fun Boy 3 and Bananarama had already charted for me when this oddity turned up - a Depression-era song was not on the cards! Again, Fun is the key word, while with Depeche the jollity had all gone, much to my approval, See You was way better than Vince's catchy ditties to date.

 

OMD BTW have finally got around to releasing the best track off their current album, it's very 1982/4-ish and fab, Look At You Now would have been a big hit during that era.

 

 

I never know Tight Fit didn’t do any of their singing.

 

It’s like Milli Vanilli and the guy from Boney M!

Those three did actually sing the vocals on their next single and they are still currently performing as Tight Fit.

Yeah I agree popchartfreak that Ride Like The Wind was Christopher Cross' best song although I know it more from the East Side Beat version.

 

I never really liked Mickey it was annoying and even in the late 90s on some music channels like VH1 way too much.

 

Centrefold yeah is such a singalong anthem until you realise the lyrical themes. As for See You yes the lyrics are still jolly and poppy but the music is darker.

Edited October 5, 2024Oct 5 by TheSnake

that Mickey song is all kinds of bad, terrible terrible single

Mickey is very much a chantalong track. It's in the Racey formula-sound, but it was nice seeing Chinn-Chapman still having hits in the 80's, surprised they missed out on issuing it as a single for Racey. Tight Fit's next single is way better than the big hit...but I didnt know City Boy vocalist sung lead, makes sense he had quite the range on 5-7-0-5!

13TH MARCH

 

 

Tight Fit continue to impress at the No 1 spot selling a further 106,000 copies last week which brings its total sales to 507,000 copies, the third biggest hit of 1982 behind only the Stranglers and The Jam. The latter move to No 1 on the YTD list despite hurtling 3-11 on the weekly charts and also debut at No 1 on the album charts with "The Gift", it's the group's sixth album but their first chart topper- they certainly seem to be on a roll at present.

 

 

Out of the top 6 only Toni Basil went without TOTP and it shows, the track held No 2 but loses 8,000 sales week on week to 88,000, it was still well clear of Haircut 100 who despite improving 4-3 lost sales as they register 69,000 buyers last week.

 

 

Formed in 1975 Iron Maiden have been chart regulars since 1980, since when they have accrued 6 hit singles none peaking higher than No 29 but new single "Run To The Hills" finally provides them with their breakthrough single. Climbing 11-7 (49,000) it is the lead track to the bands third album "The Number Of The Beast" which is due next month and will be the first to feature new lead Vocalist Bruce Dickinson, they are also one of the foremost groups in the new wave of UK heavy metal which has undergone a resurgence in recent years.

 

 

 

Named after a small bay in St Lucia, Goombay Dance Band are up next with "Seven Tears" which this week accelerates 39-8 (47,000) as it becomes their first UK hit. The band are already a big name in Europe with their song "Sun Of Jamaica" topping charts all over the place in 1980.

 

 

 

How appropriate is this? In the week when Adam & The Ants rumours of a split swirl around ("Deutscher Girls" holds at No 13 and a rush released "Antmusic EP" arrives at No 60 as a farewell if true) Matthew Ashman, Leigh Gorman and David Barbarossa formerly of the band arrive in the top 10 along with Annabella Lwin as Bow Wow Wow. They were lured away from Adam Ant back in 1980 by Malcolm McLaren to form Bow Wow Wow and must have feared they had missed out on the big time until "Wild In The Country" which this week continues to expand 16-9 (43,000). It's their first release for RCA after EMI dropped the band after allegations of exploitation of lead singer Lwin along with the idea that their single "C30,C60, C90 Go" promoted home taping and thusly EMI refused to promote despite the fact it was the first single to be released on new format the Cassingle. That's all behind them now, interestingly it is their first release not to be produced Malcolm McLaren.

 

 

 

It's second time lucky for ABC whose debut single "Tears Are Not Enough" peaked at No 19 last year but go considerably better with "Poison Arrow" (15-10, 40,000) and is the precursor to their debut album which is due in the summer. This single is produced by Trevor Horn who has been working his magic on Dollar in recent months and revamped their fortunes, he's the man with the golden touch at present.

 

 

Elsewhere Bananarama and Fun Boy Three haven't stopped yet as they climb 6-4 (63,000) but it's illusionary in some respects as its sales are off, and neither have Depeche Mode who are northbound with "See You" (8-6, 54,000) meanwhile J Geils Band hold at No 5 on a sale of 59,000 thanks in the main to TOTP.

 

 

 

1- THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT- Tight Fit (106,000)

2- MICKEY- Toni Basil (88,000)

3- LOVE PLUS ONE- Haircut 100 (69,000)

4- IT AIN’T WHAT YOU DO IT’S THE WAY THAT YOU DO IT- Fun Boy Three & Bananarama (63,000)

5- CENTERFOLD- J Geils Band (59,000)

6- SEE YOU- Depeche Mode (54,000)

7- RUN TO THE HILLS- Iron Maiden (49,000)

8- SEVEN TEARS- Goombay Dance Band (47,000)

9- GO WILD IN THE COUNTRY- Bow Wow Wow (43,000)

10- POISON ARROW- ABC (40,000)

 

Ugh, Seven Tears is one of the worst songs of the 80s :puke:

Kinda agree :D

 

the ABC one I do like but the rest of newbies is not for me, especially Iron Maiden, never ever would get the appeal

ABC love them ❤️

ABC love them ❤️

 

What on earth was the appeal of Goombay Dnace??

'Poison Arrow' is easily my favourite addition this weekend.