2 absolutely electrifying records at the top here: I love them both.

9	The Cure	A Forest	Their 1st minor hit and they'll have some misses: this is a beautifully eerie and spellbinding track that takes you through the dark woods
9	Kate Bush	Breathing	The lead single from her 3rd album: not the most commercial but a stunningly artistic track about the effects of the world on a foetus
8	New Musik	This World Of Water	Another really sparkling track from them: the underwater effect is almost comical but does work and it's a real pleasure listening to this
7	The Beat	Mirror In The Bathroom	This is their biggest hit and it's clicked with me much more than "Hands Off She's Mine": a really successful piece of pop ska crossover
7	Hot Chocolate	No Doubt About It	The biggest '80s single for these prolific hitmakers curiously themed around a UFO sighting, but a very clever and well produced track
6	Billy Joel	All For Leyna	A minor hit before he'd had any Top 10s: not his very best song but good storytelling and I really enjoy the synths and early '80s feel to it
6	Narada Michael Walden	I Shoulda Loved Ya	Much bigger than his other recent hit and I much prefer this: a smooth disco track with a heartfelt falsetto chorus that works very well
6	Pete Townshend	Rough Boys	Only solo Top 40 for this former member of The Who: this has enjoyable guitar work throughout to accompany the homoerotic theme
5	Whitesnake	Fool For Your Loving	1st Top 40 for this band on their 3rd album: it's a good rock track with a strong melody and instrumental riff, albeit nothing mind blowing
5	The Average White Band	Let's Go Round Again	Last Top 40 for this Scottish funk group that has become something of a classic: it's a nice piece of disco funk but so can't say I love it
4	Motorhead	Golden Years EP	Their 1st big hit with an EP containing a quartet of live tracks: it's all very vigorously performed but I can't say it does all that much for me
4	Jimmy Ruffin	Hold On To My Love	Only post 1974 Top 40 hit for this US soul singer and it was a big one: it's pleasant enough but does feel a little out of place in 1980
3	Smokie	Take Good Care Of My Baby	I love the Bobby Vee original but it's not a song that needed resurrecting: this band give it a few interesting features but it isn't enough
3	Johnny Logan	What's Another Year	458th #1 and Eurovision winner for Ireland: not sure if Europe’s taste was behind the UK’s at this point but this sounds older than it is
2	Michael Jackson	She's Out Of My Life	Astonishingly a bigger hit than "Rock Your Body", also from "Off The Wall"; to me it's a cloying and overwrought ballad but nicely sung
2	Cockney Rejects	The Greatest Cockney Rip-Off	1st Top 40 for this punk rock group: this rather out of tune singing will be their trademark and the melody is a little grating; I'm not a fan

1980 Group 9:

#120	26/04/1980	Mystic Merlin	Just Can't Give You Up	20	66-41-30-24-24-23-{20}-24-33->9
#121	03/05/1980	Crown Heights Affair	You Gave Me Love	10	61-35-25-19-17-12-{10}-10-12-27-36-66->12
#122	03/05/1980	The Four Bucketeers	The Bucket Of Water Song	26	63-36-{26}-36-48-68->6
#123	03/05/1980	Junior Murvin	Police And Thieves	23	67-39-38-35-27-28-{23}-30-37->9
#124	17/05/1980	Roxy Music	Over You	5	18-7-6-6-{5}-9-17-31-50->9
#125	10/05/1980	The Mash	Theme From 'M*A*S*H' (Suicide Is Painless)	1	42-23-6-{1}-1-1-2-4-15-32-55-71->12
#126	10/05/1980	Jona Lewie	You'll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties	16	73-30-27-19-19-{16}-21-28-53->9
#127	10/05/1980	Matchbox	Midnite Dynamos	14	67-33-26-18-16-15-{14}-21-17-27-41-61->12
#128	10/05/1980	Jermaine Jackson	Let's Get Serious	8	61-37-23-21-9-{8}-8-9-18-38-65->11
#129	17/05/1980	UK Subs	Teenage	32	39-{32}-32-46-73->5
#130	10/05/1980	Don McLean	Crying	1	41-40-28-13-4-2-{1}-1-1-4-8-18-44-63->14
#131	24/05/1980	Gary Numan	We Are Glass	5	10-{5}-7-9-19-38-59->7
#132	24/05/1980	The Specials	Rat Race/Rude Boys Outa Jail	5	18-8-{5}-7-11-10-33-42-75->9
#133	17/05/1980	Lipps Inc	Funky Town	2	70-25-9-3-3-3-{2}-2-6-12-24-40-58->13
#134	17/05/1980	Roberta Flack With Donny Hathaway	Back Together Again	3	51-34-22-14-6-4-{3}-4-13-18-49->11
#135	10/05/1980	Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark	Messages	13	53-41-39-26-26-14-{13}-13-20-39-51->11

I agree with that top 3 but would put This World Of Water and Breathing above A Forest. No Doubt About It is the other good song there.

Our favourite song snap streak continues as I adore 'A Forest' 😍

I'm a sucker for that post-punk kind of sound anyway but love how particularly dark and atmospheric this song is.

#31 isn't the best U.K. peak but time has been kind to it in general with over 170 million streams at the time of posting *.*

Pleased to see you rating 'A Forest' so highly, it's definitely my favourite across all the weeks so far and will take some beating x

Although starting to diverge a little more on some of your low rated songs as I've playlisted both Saxon and Cockney Rejects! (The latter I get the dislike for but I thought it was fun, I seemed to be on my own in enjoying the Saxon song though and not so sure why on that one, nothing particularly innovative but as far as classic metal hits go I thought it was a pretty good one, certainly better than the recent Iron Maiden and AC/DC offerings).

Also I don't think I had heard this Kate Bush song before and unfortunately found it to be going over my head a little on first listen - might have to give it a second chance some time as I do usually like her and I see this seems to be quite a highly regarded song so not sure what wasn't clicking for me.

'Call Me' is another sparkling hit from Blondie and ensured the general standard of #1s in 1980 remained high. 'Talk Of The Town' continued a great streak for The Pretenders albeit a more vulnerable follow-up to 'Brass In Pocket', and 'My Perfect Cousin' is an engaging tale of social divide, namechecking Subbuteo and The Human League as well as University Challenge. The hypnotic guitar of 'A Forest' is my highlight of the last batch, a captivating Top 40 debut for The Cure. I wonder if you're about to give the first 1/10 score of the year in the forthcoming batch.

A Forest was a goodie I liked but it's grown with the years, along with The Cure, 8/10, and Breathing I also liked in a dark sort of way, but it was my least fave Kate track to date, an odd choice for a single - which of course never really bothered her. 7/10. This World Of Water is a third New Musik gem and fresh as a daisy 9/10. Mirror In The Bathroom is peak The Beat, great track, 9/10 still exciting. Hot Chocolate go full synth and sci-fi and an obvious number one for me, their 3rd, fabulous 10/10.

All For Leyna is fine Billy Joel, 5/10, but he'd had better tracks fall short of the top 40 like Piano Man and She's Always A Woman. I Should Loved Ya is another good dance soul track, or disco using a bigger umbrella term 7/10. Rough Boys was also decent enough 6/10 but Townsend's follow-up was more interesting and this one is not a patch on Roger Daltrey's orchestral version of Townsend's I'm Free. Oops!

Whitesnake showing themselves to be more AOR radio friendly than Deep Purple, but they were rarely exciting 6/10. Average White Band were always classy, and Let's Go Round Again a good record that spurred a hit cover from Dannii I think. Or was it Louise? (It was Louise). 8/10. Live tracks usually leave me unimpressed, Motorhead 4/10.

Jimmy Ruffin had re-located to the UK by 1980 and left Motown a decade earlier, but Robin Gibb gifted him a hit song as The Bee Gees became Persona Non Grata overnight courtesy of the Disco backlash. Yes, they had 4 disco hits (count 'em, Jive Talking is funk not disco and even then Tragedy is arguably not disco) but that was enough for them to get the blame. Lucky Jimmy, the latest of many many many acts to have a Bee Gees'-written hit over the next 6 years and previous 3. 6/10.

Smokie at the tail-end of a long run of hit singles, and resorting to a cover. The Original is the best, not even close. 6/10. What's Another Year was pleasant enough for Mr.Eurovision's debut, but it was very old-fashioned even in 1980 6/10 and it got on my nerves quite quickly. I love She's Out Of My Life, it came over as sincere and emotional and under-stated 9/10. The video helped. Cockney Rejects: I'm also not a fan 2/10.

6 hours ago, jimwatts said:

I wonder if you're about to give the first 1/10 score of the year in the forthcoming batch.

Indeed, though it’s good going to have got this far into 1980 without a 1.

Another brilliant timeless winner here.

9	Lipps Inc	Funky Town	A 1 hit wonder US group which was a US #1 but #2 here: a fantastic funky track with a timeless riff that still sounds just as good today
8	Jona Lewie	You'll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties	1st hit for this UK singer songwriter: I love the slightly awkward storytelling with his striking baritone voice over a synth pop track
8	The Mash	Theme From 'M*A*S*H' (Suicide Is Painless)	459th #1:  for the 1970 film "M*A*S*H" and a 1 hit wonder, this track has a beautiful seductive aura to it and lovely blend of voices
7	Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark	Messages	1st hit for this UK electronic band: a lovely track establishing their sound with slightly trippy and dark synths and melancholy lyrics
7	Junior Murvin	Police And Thieves	Another 1 hit wonder for a Jamaican performer: this is a really striking and different reggae track with lovely scatted falsetto vocals
7	Roxy Music	Over You	Part of a run of 4 straight Top 5 hits for them, and a rich synth pop track with layers of production and soulful reverb heavy vocals
6	Gary Numan	We Are Glass	His 3rd hit after hitting #1 with his debut "Cars": this feels like a typical Gary track and is still really good but doesn't quite stand out
6	Crown Heights Affair	You Gave Me Love	Last Top 40 and biggest hit for the US disco group: the catchy "ooh ooh" vocal riff is my favourite part of this; otherwise it's standard
6	The Specials	Rat Race/Rude Boys Outa Jail	Their 3rd double A Top 10 hit: I prefer "Rat Race" but both are enjoyable and bouncy ska tracks with good instrumental contributions
5	Mystic Merlin	Just Can't Give You Up	Originally a magical act who became a serious band, this is there only hit and it's a nice chilled out saxophone heavy dance soul  track
5	Matchbox	Midnite Dynamos	Following their Freddy Cannon cover this is actually an original rockabilly style song: it's a jolly and vibrant old fashioned number
4	Jermaine Jackson	Let's Get Serious	MJ's brother's 1st and biggest solo hit written by Stevie Wodner, and indeed sounds like a fairly typical but unremarkable Stevie track
4	Don McLean	Crying	460th #1: the Roy Orbison original is heartbreakingly beautiful and this cover is fine but doesn't really do anything that Roy's doesn't
3	Roberta Flack With Donny Hathaway	Back Together Again	Donny had died last year but Roberta recorded an album of duets with his vocals: this was big but is quite a forgettable soul song
2	UK Subs	Teenage	Again it's the raucous punk style which isn't entirely to my taste anyway, but I can't find much charm in this football chant style track
1	The Four Bucketeers	The Bucket Of Water Song	This group was from the ITV children's programme "Tiswas": maybe it's amusing in context but it's a not very listenable and grating song

1980 Group 10:

#136	24/05/1980	The Lambrettas	D-a-a-ance	12	48-20-21-{12}-15-22-25-49->8
#137	24/05/1980	Electric Light Orchestra	I'm Alive	20	47-25-22-{20}-20-26-26-53-69->9
#138	17/05/1980	The Manhattan Transfer	Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone	25	59-49-29-31-{25}-25-33-68->8
#139	24/05/1980	The Korgis	Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime	5	61-31-27-19-6-{5}-5-8-14-35-51-67->12
#140	10/05/1980	Peter Gabriel	No Self Control	33	58-44-41-{33}-54-56->6
#141	17/05/1980	Cockney Rejects	I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles	35	52-45-{35}-55-69->5
#142	24/05/1980	Stiff Little Fingers	Nobody's Hero/Tin Soldiers	36	57-{36}-36-46-70->5
#143	24/05/1980	Thin Lizzy	Chinatown	21	63-37-30-30-23-23-22-{21}-29->9
#144	10/05/1980	The Detroit Spinners	Body Language	40	69-46-43-{40}-45-50-74->7
#145	07/06/1980	Judas Priest	Breaking The Law	12	23-18-{12}-18-28-67->6
#146	31/05/1980	Teena Marie	Behind The Groove	6	62-29-17-7-{6}-10-15-30-44-69->10
#147	31/05/1980	Liquid Gold	Substitute	8	52-32-21-16-{8}-13-19-37-62->9
#148	24/05/1980	Elton John	Little Jeannie	33	62-44-{33}-37-38-43-65->7
#149	07/06/1980	Iron Maiden	Sanctuary	29	34-{29}-36-49-67->5
#150	07/06/1980	Siouxsie And The Banshees	Christine	22	35-{22}-27-24-24-26-24-56->8
#151	31/05/1980	Surface Noise	The Scratch	26	59-38-28-{26}-35-40-62-73->8

"The Bucket Of Water" song is my favourite and "Funkytown" is the worst from that songs selection.

A couple of years back I decided to go through the charts of the 80s to work out what my personal chart #1s would have looked like - obviously it's with the benefit of hindsight and taste but so far your rankings are extremely similar... my first few are probably still charting from 1979 as they don't feature in your reviews at all, but every one since has featured in the top 2 of your lists <3 All of the past six at the top of your lists made it, with the two others being Breathing and Underpass.

Great top three there, all pretty quirky in their own ways.

'Funkytown' felt like a welcome burst of joy when it turned up in the listening session last week. What an iconic riff.

I only discovered 'You'll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties' a few years ago but immediately fell in love with its relatable awkwardness and synthtastic production.

'Suicide Is Painless' fascinates me - both the backstory of how it came to be and in its musical execution. The composition is stunning, the choral backing vocals shine and knowing those lyrics were written by a teenager makes it all the more haunting. An interesting moment in chart-topping history there thanks to Noel Edmonds.

Possibly my favourite batch of the year, so far at least - 'Funkytown' is such a joy, rooted in disco but with that unmistakeable synth riff and lots of neat effects in the production, while '...Kitchen At Parties' (RIP old Buzzjack spam filter), 'Messages', 'Police And Thieves' and 'Rat Race' would also make my top 40 of the year, and the others rated 6 and above are really good too.

Agreed with your top pick there as well and back to being a little more in sync with your ratings in general although I'd rate 'We Are Glass' much higher, that was one of my top 5 of last week - Gary Numan seems to be an artist who can't really do much wrong for me x (also am not really too keen on the M*A*S*H song but I can see the appeal). 'The Bucket Of Water Song' has haunted my nightmares since hearing it x

Messages would be my favourite, just, followed by Funky Town, We Are Glass and You'll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties

Funkytown is still a banger, my days at Uni were all drawing to a close with assignments and exams and exhibitions of work, so a lot going on, but these all take me back to happy times. Pseudo Echo did a decent cover, but Lipps Inc is still the best 9/10. Jona Lewie was an old fave in his earlier Terry Dactyl Seaside Shuffle retro vibe, but he was back full-on synth and modern with the fab Kitchen At Parties - the lyrics I totally related/still relate to. I still do all the cups of teas when my comic fanzine friends get together in London every 2 months 😄9/10.

I bought the MASH theme at the time, though it peaked at 2 in my charts - mostly it was because of the TV series, still a massive classic serious sitcom, but the movie version had an old-fashioned Easy Listening dark charm to it. I don't like it so much these days as I now object to the lyrics - yes it was supposed to be about a scene from the movie, a dentist named Painless, but most aren't aware of that and suicide is anything but painless for those left behind 5/10. My top track of the time was Messages, OMD arrived sounding exciting and manic and the future, love it 10/10.

Junior Murvin having some social comment is a great forgotten track, 9/10. Roxy at this stage straying too much into pleasant and undemanding for my tastes, early stuff is the dogs b*llocks, but they still had 2 great tracks still to come. 7/10. We Are Glass is still gazza on synthpop form before he went more experimental and industrial 9/10. Crown Heights is indeed a song of two parts, but that hook is euphoric, the whoops and the guitars make for mega-excitement. If ever a record needed sampling.... 9/10

Rat Race was decent, and socially relevant for all but the 3 million out of work, but I wouldnt call it a happy listen 7/10. The other side never got played. Midnite Dynamos is great fun, the sound of Rockabilly future for the early 80's 8/10. Mystic Merlin another fave of mine, I love how the hook is varied at times. 8/10. Jermaine Jackson's Stevie gift was pretty good, but Stevie wisely keeping the best tracks for his next album 8/10.

Don McLean's version of Crying just builds beautifully and gives him a second belated chart-topper, I bought it, it topped my charts, and made Crying famous after not really being one of Orbison's go-to classics in the UK up to that point. 10/10. This was the version I first got to know and love. Back Together Again made more sense at the time fresh from the tragedy of Donny Hathaway and his ongoing mental health issues - Roberta had started her hit career with Donny on the gorgeous Where Is The Love, and that all lent this one pathos that might not be obvious 8/10.

So it's a toss-up between UK Subs and Bucketeers for low-point, and I'm going for UK Subs 2/10, at least Bucket Of Water Song was mildy amusing once (and once only) after a showing on Tiswas, and Chris Tarrant was Saturday morning TV anarchy moving from a little-known regional obscurity in 1975 to those of us in the Midlands (I lived in Gloucester then) to national fame by 1980. Tarrant took the piss out of kids and guesting rock stars and was a huge breath of fresh air. The BBC cosy Swapshop rival was rubbish tame pap in comparison. Sort of like Blue Peter vs The Young Ones, soon to be a thing.... 2/10

Some more great stuff: I’d have expected The Korgis to top the bunch but the Gabriel track is a huge discovery. Interesting to read that he was inspired by Steve Reich’s minimalist classical composition.

9	Peter Gabriel	No Self Control	A much smaller hit than "Games Without Frontiers but every bit as brilliant: demonic and terrifying with various experimental effects
9	The Korgis	Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime	Biggest hit for this UK band and a much covered and sampled track but this original is beautiful with its dreamy synths and simple lyrics
8	Siouxsie And The Banshees	Christine	"Now she's in purple, now she's a turtle": an excellent track about a lady with multiple personality disorder laden with synth effects
8	The Manhattan Transfer	Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone	Incredibly different from some of this US jazz group's early hits, this spooky track has a great aura to it, especially the instrumental parts
7	Judas Priest	Breaking The Law	Their signature hit and most streamed track on Spotify: it's a very enjoyable punchy track with much more impact than their last hit
7	Thin Lizzy	Chinatown	Phil Lynott is back with his band: I really enjoy the instrumental solos and the dark lyrics backed by suitably menacing swirling guitars
6	Electric Light Orchestra	I'm Alive	From the "Xanadu" film soundtrack: it's their usual big production and futuristic feel: it's lovely but I feel it lacks a touch of oomph
6	Surface Noise	The Scratch	Only Tip 40 for them and it's a very groovy instrumental led by an infectious flute melody: feels more like background music but fun
5	Stiff Little Fingers	Nobody's Hero/Tin Soldiers	"Tin Soldiers" is great fun with the raspy vocals and military style drums, so that's a 7 but "Nobody's Hero" is only a 3 so we end up at 5
5	The Lambrettas	D-a-a-ance	Only other Top 40 after their "Poison Ivy" cover: the "d-a-a-ante" chorus is catchy and it's a nice little song but not very memorable
4	The Detroit Spinners	Body Language	The "your body, my body" part sampeos "Let's All Chant" by the Michael Zager Band: that's the best part and otherwise it drags a little
4	Teena Marie	Behind The Groove	1st and biggest Top 40 hit for this US soul singer: I quite like the funky production but it lacks melody and sounds slightly forced vocally
3	Liquid Gold	Substitute	Another Top 10 for them: I quite enjoy the sad lyrical story, but this Iacks the fun factor of their other big hit and is a little forgettable
3	Elton John	Little Jeannie	This sounds quite similar to "Daniel" to me, but that has a lot of feeling whereas this rather plods and is lacking in interesting features
2	Iron Maiden	Sanctuary	It will be a while before they really break through with a big hit: this second minor one has a flurry of guitars but really nothing distinctive
1	Cockney Rejects	I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles	They'll have more releases but this is their 2nd and last Top 40 with West Ham references as they grimly groan out the classsic tune

1980 Group 11:

#152	31/05/1980	Rod Stewart	If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don't Want To Be Right)	23	51-40-27-24-31-{23}-23-33-45->9
#153	14/06/1980	The Police	Six Pack	17	31-{17}-34-50->4
#154	14/06/1980	Queen	Play The Game	14	34-18-16-{14}-17-22-30-72->8
#155	07/06/1980	Elvis Costello	New Amsterdam	36	47-{36}-43-39-42-66->6
#156	07/06/1980	The Stranglers	Who Wants The World?	39	57-{39}-44-65->4
#157	31/05/1980	B.A. Robertson	To Be Or Not To Be	9	71-44-40-28-25-{9}-12-11-27-37-57->11
#158	14/06/1980	Splodgenessabounds	Simon Templar/Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps Please	7	42-22-{7}-7-10-15-40-71->8
#159	14/06/1980	UB40	My Way Of Thinking/I Think It's Going To Rain	6	72-29-19-8-7-{6}-10-14-34-52->10
#160	14/06/1980	Stacy Lattisaw	Jump To The Beat	3	57-31-11-6-{3}-3-4-8-17-32-53->11
#161	14/06/1980	The Sex Pistols	(I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone	21	43-35-29-34-28-{21}-34-42->8
#162	31/05/1980	Darts	Let's Hang On	11	61-49-44-37-36-29-24-16-{11}-13-18-21-46-68->14
#163	21/06/1980	Olivia Newton-John And Electric Light Orchestra	Xanadu	1	39-14-3-{1}-1-2-4-13-20-35-47->11
#164	21/06/1980	Saxon	747 (Strangers In The Night)	13	40-27-19-14-{13}-15-35-55-71->9
#165	21/06/1980	Paul McCartney	Waterfalls	9	53-20-11-11-{9}-16-25-45->8
#166	21/06/1980	Odyssey	Use It Up And Wear It Out	1	56-30-12-2-2-{1}-1-3-9-18-31-52->12

Not heard No Self Control in a looong time, my memory had it down as a 7/10, and it's one of those elusive tracks from 1980 I didnt manage to get a copy of until I got a hits compilation. It starts off well and then gets a bit disjointed for me. The Korgis track I love as much as I love If I Had You, they were always under-rated 10/10. Christine was Siouxsie's second top 10 from me, after Hong Kong Garden 9/10. Manhattan Transfer were always unpredictable, which I appreciated as much as the retro 40's revival stuff, stylish, and Twilight Zone was a homage to the 60's TV show theme - still a great show in glorious spooky black and white 8/10.

Breaking The Law is Priest's least-annoying single, but that's still only worth 4/10 for me, Lizzy always worth a listen and Chinatown was fine, 7/10. I'm Alive was the first blip in the mighty ELO singles (and albums) juggernaut since 1974, it was a bit formulaic when compared to the stunning variety of 1979 singles peak-ELO - but still an 8/10 cos it's ELO. Probably had to be that way for the film. It's happened - I have no memory of The Scratch, not even sure if it got played on the radio! Pleasant jazz-funk, Shakatak without the lyrics. 6/10 sounds about right.

Nobody's Heroes is the main side that got played, and that is a Stiff Little Fingers 3/10. The Lambrettas was fun enough 7/10. Body Language came and went fairly quickly 6/10, but Behind The Groove is a feisty pounding disco-funk track, needs to be played loud, 8/10. Substitute was an OK follow-up hit for Liquid Gold 7/10, Little Jeannie was as per usual for Elton in those days, bigger in the US than the UK - it had that classic US radio laid-back vibe but tended to get a bit lost in the more eclectic and fast-moving UK pop scene. Nice though. 7/10.

I'm also going with the 2 and 1 rate for Iron maiden and Cockney Rejects....

No Self Control is one of my favourite songs from Peter Gabriel. With Phil Collins on drums and Kate Bush on backing vocals, that's quite a supergroup on that one. Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime is a timeless gem so I agree that they should be the top 2. Next, I would put I'm Alive. ELO had the same 7 member line-up from 1975 to 1979 but Jeff Lynne has just fired the two cello players by sending them letters in the post so they are now down to five and I'm Alive is a bit of a transition from the orchestral pop of the 70s to the synthpop of 1981's Time album. Louis Clark's orchestra can still be heard on the song but not quite as prominent.