2. 211 points

 

Pet Shop Boys - Left To My Own Devices

 

Chart peak: 4

 

Severin 14, King Rollo 25, Popchartfreak 29, Mango 30, AH Gold 25, dandy* 30, chartjack2 7, Jade 28, JulianT 23

 

Even as high as second place, we have a song that doesn't get a full house of voters with Jim leaving this out of his vote. It does get two top scores. Left To My Own Devices was the opening track on the 'Introspective' album and it's that eight minute version that is the one worth listening to the most. Trevor really did put Debussy to a disco beat eleven years later with the concept album by the Art Of Noise, 'The Seduction Of Claude Debussy'.

 

 

 

1. 215 points

 

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax

 

Chart peak: 1

 

Severin 27, King Rollo 9, Popchartfreak 30, Mango 11, jimwatts 19, AH Gold 26, dandy* 24, chartjack2 22, Jade 29, JulianT 18

 

And so Frankie Goes To Hollywood's debut single comes out on top. There was only a gap of twelve points from the fifth placed song to the winner. Relax sold more than 2 million copies and is the sixth best selling single of all time in the UK. While Holly Johnson and Paul Rutherford sang vocals on the record, none of the band contributed to the music.

 

Well that's a very fitting winner. Such a huge chart force and undoubtedly the most successful song he was involved in with a real narrative attached to its success.

 

Left To My Own Devices is my favourite of the two tracks, but that is largely down to the lyrics which I find to be brilliantly british and eccentric - the production is still top tier though with all the strings and drama. My favourite PSB track changes on a regular basis but this is always there or there abouts.

I was going to give 'Left To My Own Devices' a few points, but probably not enough to change the outcome, and I decided a couple of other songs would benefit more - I appreciate the production and can see how it could be considered Trevor's magnum opus in that respect, it's just that there are a number of Tennant / Lowe compositions I prefer. I thought it would be in the running, but I'd say it's done well to finish second. 'Relax' is a fitting winner I think, in the way Trevor created almost everything you hear on the record, and the era-defining legacy it created while becoming the biggest selling non-charity single of the 1980s.

 

Thanks Rollo for running the rate ^_^

I'd have much rather have had LTMOD as the winner - its production is nothing short of incredible - but I can't really begrudge 'Relax' getting it, after all it's one of the defining songs of the decade, even if it's not one of my favourites.

Thanks Rollo, that rundown is a masterclass of quality in pop music. The top 2 are clearly by two faves but they change position according to how I feel on the day, and Chris & Neil's top Strictly Hits-mix the other week mean I would have given LTMOD top spot this week.

Thanks very much Rollo! Must be the closest Top 5 we’ve had in a rate.

Thanks for voting and commenting everyone. I've listened to that playlist more than once, it's pretty flawless from the first song all the way through to Belfast Child. Until this rate, I had never listened to all of Trevor's top 40 hits consecutively like that.

Thank you so much Rollo - really enjoyed it!

If I'd voted All the Things She Said would have won.