Save A Prayer is an outstanding tune, my favourite by Duran Duran, and Nobody's Fool is the best Haircut 100 single.

Save a Prayer :wub: Duran Duran were absolutely great during the Rio era

I Eat Cannibals is my fav of the newbies <3 love it <3

and great to have a 2nd girlband of sorts after Bananarama

a bit like All Saints after Spice Girls :D

 

Save a Prayer is ok, I sure preferred Duran Duran to Spandau Ballet

but my biggest problem with them is that all their songs sound the same

for their big hits, it's like if they released the same song 7 times and people bought it 7 times

 

can't recall that Fame song and I was a big fan oops

 

that Soft Cell song sounds like bad karaoke, maybe sounds better on record but that live version sounds terrible

 

the H100 song sounds ok, nothing spectacular

 

 

4TH SEPTEMBER

 

 

No 1 in countries as diverse as Canada, Japan, South Africa and Norway, the UK finally succumbs to the power of Survivor's "Eye Of The Tiger" this week as the track deposes Dexy's Midnight Runners moving 2-1 after seeing 137,000 buyers part with their cash. The song actually falls from No 1 stateside to make way for the Steve Miller Band after 6 weeks of chart domination there but its just getting off the ground here and has already sold 403,316 copies as it hits the top

 

 

"Come On Eileen" ascends 3-2 on the YTD list overtaking Tight fit on a sale of 94,000 takes its tally to 863,155 copies making it the 4th best selling single of the 80s yet still behind "Fame" which remains the best seller of the year to date with 892,503 sales including 38,000 as it moves 7-10 this week. Both are chasing Soft Cell who bang on time ease pass the million mark this week with "Tainted Love" to become the decade's first million seller (current sales of 1,000,531) and it remains well clear of the field with "Fame" in second place, their current hit "What" can advance no more and trips 3-4 (76,000) despite increased sales.

 

 

Producer and DJ Arthur Baker is the man behind Rocker's Revenge who have scored a US Dance No 1 with "Walkin' In The Sunshine" which is now a transatlantic hit progressing 19-7 (53,000). It's the only new song in the top 10 week and features vocals by Donnie Calvin, it's also a cover of an Eddy Grant song which was the title track to his 1979 album but this is now a bigger hit than any of Grant's solo work though of course two Equals tracks have peaked higher "Viva Bobby Joe" (No 6, 1969) and of course "Baby Come Back" (No 1, 1968).

 

 

Other climbers this week include Duran Duran who leap 5-3 (81,000) without a TOTP appearance as the band are currently on tour supporting Blondie in the US, Kids From Fame turn in a good report and move 7-5 (64,000), Toto Coelo jolt 9-8 (49,000) and Haircut 100 surprisingly only move 10-9 (48,000).

 

BoysTown Gang reverse 4-6 (60,000) to complete the top 10.

 

 

 

1- EYE OF THE TIGER- Survivor (137,000)

2- COME ON EILEEN- Dexy’s Midnight Runners (94,000)

3- SAVE A PRAYER- Duran Duran (81,000)

4- WHAT- Soft Cell (76,000)

5- HI FIDELITY- Kids From “Fame” (64,000)

6- CAN’T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU- Boys Town Gang (60,000)

7- WALKING ON SUNSHINE- Rocker’s Revenge (53,000)

8- I EAT CANNIBALS- Toto Coelo (49,000)

9- NOBODY’S FOOL- Haircut 100 (48,000)

10- FAME- Irene Cara (38,000)

 

Not sure ‘Save a Prayer’ would have made the top spot even with TOTP?

 

Is that song by a band called zoo or danced to by them in TOTP?

Agreed that 'Save A Prayer' is the highlight from the past couple of charts :wub: it's my favourite song that Duran Duran put out in the 80s.

Not sure ‘Save a Prayer’ would have made the top spot even with TOTP?

 

Is that song by a band called zoo or danced to by them in TOTP?

It's Zoo dancing to the track. I can't find an official promo for it so it may be that there isn't one

Ah cheers thanks Gezza!

Liking the arrival of Save a Prayer. This is when Duran appeared on my radar.

 

Toto Coelo... Like the Spice Girls of 1982!!

 

Reminds me also of early Girls Aloud eg. 'No Good Advice' with the accents!

 

It's Zoo dancing to the track. I can't find an official promo for it so it may be that there isn't one

 

And there was a band called Blue Zoo also which had a hit in 1982 that I like, unfortunately didn't make top 10 though!

2 number ones for me in Happy Talk (great fun, and I have loved that song since I was a kiddie - but teh South Pacific movie version is still the definitive. Abracadabra goes one step further than Rock n Me did, both are fab but my preference these days is the 1976 hit. Leee John & Co still dropping fab Brit Soul singles, and The Beatles getting a not-been-a-hit-before record was both welcome and an introduction to some songs that werent singles.

 

Fame I bought first time round in 1980, and was annoyed it wasnt a big hit a the movie was very stark, dark and well-made. Unlike the fluff TV show. A Night To Remember is a great dancepop track, Shalamar were def peaking around this time. That Jam track was only really ever an album track and should have stayed that way. No Regrets is a great song, but I prefer the Walker Brothers version on balance. Da Da Da is still annoying.

 

Bucks Fizz OTOH have a fabulous affecting ballad, almost accapella-ish in its appeal, Mike's vocal is still moving. They were really impressing me in the variety of quality pop they were bringing out. Shy Boy was fun, but who knew the Nana's had so many pop gems ahead of them for the next 40 years!! Natasha's Iko was less annoying than the Belle Stars' version.

 

Don't Go is Yazoo's best record I think, Driving In My Car oddly one of my least-fave Madness singles, and Hot Chocolate was a fab fave chart-topper for me with a sweet song, and Errol seemingly unstoppable after 12 years of being a fave UK soul/pop/rock/disco/funk/theatrical/synth band. They were always unpredictable and changeable genre-wise. Class.

 

And Dexy's get a second chart-topper for me too, singalong classic and career-direction change that worked for a while. I loved the John Peel story about them turning up at TOTP in normal street-clothes and switching to worn denim costumes :) Japan never clicked with me bar Ghosts, and Cantonese Boy, and this Motown cover was insipid. Stool Pigeon is OK, The Only Way Out is decent Cliff, and Eye Of The Tiger was another chart-topper for me, thumping rock rifftastic. Never seen any Rocky film though, Sylvester Stallone is a huge reason to avoid any film.

 

Strange Little Girl was a moody sweet dark track, and I was happy to see Bad Manners get another hit - but it's not a patch on Millie's ska original, still beloved by me 60 years on. Boystown Gang not exactly in the smae league as Frankie or Andy! But they did inspire the mash-up Pet Shop Boys brilliant single with U2's Streets, so all is camply forgiven.

 

What is a good Soft Cell track, Northern Soul can do no wrong for me, Save A Prayer a good ballad and change of direction for Duran, Hi-Fidelity was better than the TV series, quite catchy, and I never liked I Eat Cannibals despite the Barry Blue connection. Nobody's Fool another minor pop goodie from Haircut 100, but the top track amongst these is the Walkin' On Sunshine dance masterpiece, state of the art dance, clearly sounding exciting and brilliantly-produced, and better than Eddie's version.

 

 

Agree that 'Walking On Sunshine' is fantastic and sounds ahead of its time. Arthur Baker also produced the classic hip hop / dance crossover 'Planet Rock' by Afrika Bambaataa which was a minor hit at this time, and would later produce New Order's 'Confusion'.

 

'Save A Prayer' is my favourite Duran Duran song.

11TH SEPTEMBER

 

 

"Eye Of The Tiger" continues to impress at retail shifting a further 104,000 copies last week as it stretches away from all opposition this week and brings its total tally to 507,000 which is enough to place Survivor well inside the top 15 for the YTD. Indeed the track is the third No 1 in a row which has been flying off the shelves in something of a purple patch for the charts since "Fame" arrived two months ago. In fact this is the 8th consecutive week where the No 1 has sold in six figures- the longest run so far in the 80s.

 

 

"Come On Eileen" sells another 78,000 as it drifts 2-3 and now has cumulative sales of 941,000 which sees it become the biggest seller of the 1982 and under 100,000 of deposing "Tainted Love" as the biggest seller of the decade so far ("Fame" also moves past the 900,000 mark in tandem). It was only just overtaken by Duran Duran's "Save A Prayer" which slid past Dexy's at the death on a sale of 80,000 (actually down on last week), that track is now easily the biggest of the band's career and seems to be affirming their position as the nation's favourite pin ups thanks in part to numerous Smash Hits covers.

 

 

Dire Straits previous best showing in the UK charts was from "Sultans Of Swing" and "Romeo & Juliet" which both made No 8 but they smash that record this week with "Private Investigations" which accelerates 13-4 (75,000) in just its second week. It's the lead track from their fourth album "Love Over Gold" which will hit the record shops in three weeks, it takes, as inspiration, the novels of Raymond Chandler and is getting the firm support of Radio 1.

 

 

 

"The Lexicon Of Love" has justified the hype by becoming one of the biggest albums of 1982 and has now spawned a third top 10 for them in "All Of My Heart" which shoots 28-8 (44,000) this week. It's a change in pace for the band who demonstrating their more sensitive side in the song, the B-side is an orchestral medley of several album tracks just in case you haven't yet been tempted into buying the album yet!

 

 

The only other climber is Rocker's Revenge who nip up a couple of spots to No 5 (74,000) in a very strong top 5 sales wise, whilst the fallers include Kids From Fame 5-6 (54,000), Soft Cell 4-7 (46,000), Toto Coelo 8-9 (41,000) and Boys Town Gang 6-10 (37,000)

 

1- EYE OF THE TIGER- Survivor (104,000)

2- SAVE A PRAYER- Duran Duran (80,000)

3- COME ON EILEEN- Dexy’s Midnight Runners (78,000)

4- PRIVATE INVESTIGATIONS- Dire Straits (75,000)

5- WALKING ON SUNSHINE- Rockers Revenge (74,000)

6- HI FIDELITY- Kids From “Fame” (54,000)

7- WHAT- Soft Cell (46,000)

8- ALL OF MY HEART- ABC (44,000)

9- I EAT CANNIBALS- Toto Coelo (41,000)

10- CAN’T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU- Boys Town Gang (37,000)

 

Genuinely never heard of Toto Coleo

Private Investigations (the best thing Dire Straits ever did) and All Of My Heart are two of the highlights of the year.

 

Walking On Sunshine is also a great dance record.

Late but loving Save A Prayer :wub:

Nik Kershaw was such a snack!

'Walking on Sunshine' a few years ahead of its time very good.

 

Not as big a fan of that ABC track compared to the other two hits from the Lexicon. Its still a nice song which does stylistically sound like Spandau True in 1983 was influenced by it.

Edited November 3, 2024Nov 3 by TheSnake

Nik Kershaw was such a snack!

I'm assuming you mean Nick Heyward?

:lol: Thought I was in the 1984 thread for a moment there

I eat cannibals best song in the t10

 

the previous ABC top 10s were both great, this one does nothing for me, surprised it went top 10

 

same for Dire Straits, one of my lest fav bands ever