Ashes To Ashes with that amazing video was a bolt from the blue, Bowie reaping the rewards of his synth-based phase in the late 70's, 10/10 and sounding like nothing before, it knocked Abba from my top spot! My dad also bought a Philips 2000 videorecorder, the quality was amazing but the tape were £20 for 2 hours, a fortune in those days. So I bought a tape and taped Ashes to Ashes, the TOTP top 10 video rundown, and some Star Trek episodes. The future had arrived, though those Trek communicator/tricorders were still 20 years in the future.

Bow Wow Wow were OK, though the under-age lead singer was a decision some might have avoided. I never saw them as anything but an Adam Ant cash-in for Malcolm McLaren now the Sex Pistols had self-destructed. And I didnt like cassette tapes, reel-to-reel for me! 6/10 it was a bit of fun. I rated Bankrobber as the best Clash track to date, 8/10, A Walk In The Park was catchy and jolly but something about it seemed a bit annoying on repeat listen 6/10. It's Still RocknRoll To Me prob summed up the USA's bemusement with British records generally as they didnt proliferate like they once did in the Top 40 there, but that would change with MTV. The USA in 1980 had no video outlets, where the UK had loads of shows that aired them. 9/10.

Free Me is decent Daltrey, 7/10, but it's no I'm Free. Sue Wilkinson's has a quirky charm to it, but it got annoying after a while 5/10. All Over The World is ELO doing what they did well but falling slightly short on the classics - but not too much 9/10. I still feel like it was purpose-built for the movie. Welcome back Mike Berry, replacement star in Are You Being Served sit-com, I always loved the gentle sway of this ancient ballad, very old-fashioned but not sounding hopelessly dated like some songs from 1913 might! 9/10.

Start was still on-form Jam 9/10, though Weller's riff-nicking won't be the last time - see ELO's debut for another example. Tom Hark was Madness-vibes laddy fun updated fun-fifties tune, not hurt by one of the band going shirtless and greased up 9/10. My Guy/My Girl an obvious idea for a mash-up that everyone had avoided until now - both Smokey Robinson songs so he still gets all the royalties! 6/10. Feels Like I'm In Love is pure UK disco cheese, but great fun, Ray Dorset grabbing his 3rd UK number one and first outside Mungo Jerry as songwriter, and the two male backing dancers displayed in leotards that you couldnt get on TV these days, oops! 8/10.

The Village People lead singer had left by this point and this was plugging a very very gay movie with some scenes that appealed to some young boys of the time, so I'm assured by one of them, but this record was rubbish in comparison to YMCA 4/10. Modern Girl is a great little record that was a minor debut until the Esther Rantzen Big Time show screened. It's way better than 9 To 5, 8/10. John Peel was a huge fan of Sheena, had 2 copies of 9 To 5 in his very elite singles-box that he carried to gigs. She had way better records later in the 80's though, including one obscure Prince classic. Burnin' Hot was a follow-up hit pretty much, Jermaine rarely getting hits in the UK. S'OK 6/10.

Can't argue with a top 2 of 'The Winner Takes It All' and 'Upside Down' in the first batch, those being the actual Top 2 for a couple weeks too! The former is widely recognised as one of the all-time greats, I'm in awe of how close to home the lyrics must have felt and Agnetha's delivery to pull it off. 'Sleepwalk' would also make my top 10 of 1980 and is probably my favourite Ultravox single of all, there's a real momentum to it with the production swelling a little more in each verse.

From the next batch, Bowie seemed to be setting a marker for the decade early on, and 'Ashes To Ashes' ushered in what was for me his last truly great album era for multiple decades, while 'Bankrobber' is The Clash at their most assured in full-on reggae. 'You Gotta Be A Hustler...' is my favourite new discovery from either batch, a wonderfully quirky one-off.

7 minutes ago, jimwatts said:

'You Gotta Be A Hustler...' is my favourite new discovery from either batch, a wonderfully quirky one-off.

I'm glad that you like Sue single.

No huge classics that everyone knows in this group and a bit of a mixed bag, but some lovely discoveries all the same.

8	Hazel O'Connor	Eighth Day	1st and biggest hit for this UK singer: it's a thrilling powerhouse of a song with a fun "Frankenstein" style lyrical theme
8	Peter Gabriel	Biko	An anti apartheid song about Steve Biko's death: it's a great track that has a suitably African and ritualistic feel to it
7	Gary Numan	I Die, You Die	His 4th straight Top 10: this has a lovely sparkly keyboard riff and the usual futuristic synth feel and slightly robotic vocals
7	Skids	Circus Games	Last Top 40 for the Scottish group: it's a really interesting track and the stompy chorus with the children's choir works well
7	Split Enz	I Got You	Only Top 40 for this long standing band from New Zealand, and a really strong and well performed piece of new wave pop
6	Olivia Newton-John	Magic	Another from the "Xanadu" soundtrack and a US chart topper but less successful here: this has a really endearing melody
6	The Selecter	The Whisper	Their last hit aside from a '90s collaboration: this feels more explicitly reggae than it's predecessors and it's a good tune
5	Randy Crawford	One Day I'll Fly Away	This feels like it's from a Disney film and I can only give it so many points but it is sweet and an excellent vocal performance
5	The Beat	Best Friend/Stand Down Margaret (Dub)	"Best Friend" is really enjoyable and vigorous track; the other side is about the Prime Minister and isn't quite so punchy
4	Cliff Richard	Dreamin'	A step down from the darkly interesting "Carrie" and back to standard easy listening, but it's a perfectly pleasant track
4	Elvis Presley	It's Only Love/Beyond The Reef	"It's Only Love" is a very nice song, albeit it's quite similar to the BJ Thomas original, but "Beyond The Reef" is very plodding
3	Shakin' Stevens	Marie Marie	This very much feels like an Elvis cover but in fact it's a not very exciting original song in the old rock 'n' roll style
3	The Barracudas	Summer Fun	Only hit for this UK rock revival group including a 1960 advert excerpt: it's a jolly but not a very interesting song
2	Shalamar	I Owe You One	Biggest hit yet for them: this is one of those soul disco  tracks that doesn't have much of a hook or really go anywhere
2	Judas Priest	United	This seems like a football team anthem, presumably intentionally, but it doesn't move me and I find it tedious and turgid
1	Ian Dury And The Blockheads	I Want To Be Straight	Ian and his band have had some excellent stuff but I find this one terrible, with silly lyrics and a grating melody

1980 Group 16:

#231	06/09/1980	Queen	Another One Bites The Dust	7	54-18-10-{7}-8-16-23-36-58->9
#232	13/09/1980	Stevie Wonder	Master Blaster (Jammin')	2	30-4-3-{2}-4-6-14-24-34-54->10
#233	30/08/1980	Gladys Knight And The Pips	Taste Of Bitter Love	35	69-46-{35}-37-45-75->6
#234	13/09/1980	Madness	Baggy Trousers	3	36-21-5-4-{3}-3-5-7-13-23-38-45-58-66-70-67-67-53-54-66->20
#235	06/09/1980	Change	Searching	11	63-38-27-24-{11}-13-16-21-36-46->10
#236	06/09/1980	XTC	Generals And Majors/Don't Lose Your Temper	32	53-39-{32}-33-37-45-54-74->8
#237	06/09/1980	Splodgenessabounds	Two Little Boys/Horse	26	60-40-{26}-27-27-39-44->7
#238	13/09/1980	Ottawan	D.I.S.C.O.	2	66-28-8-3-{2}-2-2-3-10-21-27-34-52-65-74-73-73-72->18
#239	13/09/1980	Odyssey	If You're Lookin' For A Way Out	6	56-34-29-20-7-7-7-{6}-7-10-16-24-37-61-71->15
#240	13/09/1980	Bob Marley And The Wailers	Three Little Birds	17	73-35-25-{17}-17-17-22-39-55->9
#241	20/09/1980	Diana Ross	My Old Piano	5	36-13-6-{5}-8-11-28-42-73->9
#242	13/09/1980	AC/DC	You Shook Me All Night Long	38	45-39-{38}-53-54-72->6
#243	27/09/1980	The Police	Don't Stand So Close To Me	1	{1}-1-1-1-3-10-16-31-49-73->10
#244	20/09/1980	The Specials	Stereotype/International Jet Set	6	50-31-25-{6}-22-23-53-63->8
#245	20/09/1980	Black Slate	Amigo	9	52-35-10-{9}-11-16-23-32-58->9
#246	27/09/1980	Thin Lizzy	Killer On The Loose	10	37-18-{10}-12-18-27-59->7

Eighth Day from Breaking Glass film, Hazel was in it I think, one I liked but never loved 7/10. Biko was quite stark, 6/10. I Die You Die was more to my taste, Gazza still good, 9/10. Circus Games was an under-rated goodie, The Skids were always fun, 8/10. The best record here, though, is my recent BJSC entry. Split Enz' fab I Got You, kicking off a great run of singles, none of which were big hits in the UK. Future Finn brothers Crowded House of course. 10/10.

Magic was under-rated in the UK, Olivia was always a bit random in which of her USA blockbuster hits made it in the UK - mostly I guess because her UK-base for promo had switched the USA and she only got hits when she popped back or had a huge movie out - Magic being more 70's Livvie than Xanadu. it's great though 9/10. The Whisper I dont think I recorded, and havent heard it hardly at all since, but I think I liked it 5/10. One Day I'll Fly Away was a touching jazz-vibed ballad, and it took off pretty quickly, though I dont love it quite as much these days 8/10.

Best Friend is def the best track of the 2, even though the sentiment of Stand Down appealed. 7/10. Dreamin' is Cliff on safe synthpop, catchy and likeable 8/10, Leo Sayer lyrics and Alan Tarney melody/production. It's Only Love was a minor US hit in 1970 that wasn't issued in the UK (or at least not a hit) but it was very early Vegas Presley and was a good one to push out again as sentiment for Elvis was still strong. It's a 6/10 really though I rated it much higher at the time. The other side got zero airplay. I have the 12-inch version of this release.

Talking of Elvis, the man who was playing him on stage is back with a better record than Hot Dog, but still not higher than a 5/10 from me. Summer Fun I rated a lot, I do sometimes like comic in music, and the intro tickled me, the track was upbeat 60's-surf-era-sounding fun 8/10. I Owe You One was Shalamar back for their annual minor hit but I never got hold of a copy so havent heard it that much since. Pleasant disco soul 7/10. United, as per Priest, was indeed turgid and annoying, 3/10. Ian Dury ditto, this lacked the charm of Reasons To Be Cheerful, let alone Hit Me or What A Waste. 2/10.

A fair sprinkling of classics in this group and it’s quite tough to order them. “Another One Bites The Dust” and “Three Little Birds” aren’t my favourite songs by either act but they come out on top for the sheer quality of every aspect of the songs.

9	Queen	Another One Bites The Dust	A US #1 and one of their biggest sellers worldwide, it's a wonderfully stark, simmering track which builds in infectious layers
9	Bob Marley And The Wailers	Three Little Birds	Another Spotify billionaire and one of Bob's most enduring tracks: a beautiful uplifting song possibly about his 3 backing singers
8	AC/DC	You Shook Me All Night Long	An astonishing 1.5 billion Spotify streams to date for this #38 hit: it's a majestic gritty genre defining and anthemic rock track
8	Stevie Wonder	Master Blaster (Jammin')	A worthy tribute from Stevie here: an explicitly reggae track with a great melody and various musical and lyrical nods to Marley
8	Madness	Baggy Trousers	The antidote to "Another Brick In The Wall" describing the chaos of life at a comprehensive school; a great hyperactive track
7	The Specials	Stereotype/International Jet Set	Both sides are great with fun lyrics: the backing vocal drone on "Stereotype" is compelling and the other has a spooky feel
7	Diana Ross	My Old Piano	The follow up to "Upside Down": a more laid back track without a relentless disco rhythm but it's a lovely song with strong lyrics
6	XTC	Generals And Majors/Don't Lose Your Temper	Their 2nd Top 40: "Generals And Majors" is great with its satirical lyrics and whistle along tune; the other side is less distinctive
6	Thin Lizzy	Killer On The Loose	Much more of a whirlwind than the introspective "China Town" and with controversial Jack The Ripper references, but it's good
6	Black Slate	Amigo	Only Top 40 for this UK reggae band with a Rastafarian rallying call: nice track and the way the "amigo" cry intensifies works well
5	Odyssey	If You're Lookin' For A Way Out	A surpising different style from them with a very soft ballad: it's a nice listen and a good performance but not very memorable
5	The Police	Don't Stand So Close To Me	467th #1: a creepy track about a teacher pupil relationship; musically it's a similar style to "So Lonely" and I do quite like it
4	Change	Searching	Luther Vandross sings for them again and very nicely, but it's another of those disco tracks that doesn't seem to go anywhere
4	Gladys Knight And The Pips	Taste Of Bitter Love	They're very much in their later years here but have signed to a new label, but this track plods rather and isn't at all compelling
3	Ottawan	D.I.S.C.O.	A big hit for this French disco duo: it's very cheesy and lacking in any real substance, but the acrostic lyrics are quite amusing
2	Splodgenessabounds	Two Little Boys/Horse	Their last double A was great fun but this one a miss: the "Two Litle Boys" cover feels unnecessary and the other is a joke track

 

1980 Group 17:

#247	13/09/1980	The Nolans	Gotta Pull Myself Together	9	75-43-40-28-25-14-{9}-9-11-16-24-41-73->13
#248	04/10/1980	Gillan	Trouble	14	22-{14}-20-25-40-75->6
#249	20/09/1980	Linx	You're Lying	15	71-43-23-23-{15}-17-18-28-42-55->10
#250	27/09/1980	Coffee	Casanova	13	74-29-19-{13}-13-15-24-38-54-70->10
#251	27/09/1980	Matchbox	When You Ask About Love	4	60-38-15-10-6-{4}-6-11-17-28-44-67->12
#252	27/09/1980	Gilbert O'Sullivan	What's In A Kiss	19	61-40-36-29-27-{19}-26-29-63->9
#253	04/10/1980	The Sweet People	Et Les Oiseaux Chantaient (And The Birds Were Singing)	4	51-11-{4}-8-14-27-41-71-73R(353)-74->10
#254	04/10/1980	Barbra Streisand	Woman In Love	1	48-22-9-{1}-1-1-2-3-6-14-27-43-48-48-54-64->16
#255	04/10/1980	George Benson	Love X Love	10	45-26-21-{10}-12-20-27-58->8
#256	11/10/1980	Status Quo	What You're Proposing	2	27-5-4-{2}-2-5-10-21-32-59-72->11
#257	27/09/1980	Air Supply	All Out Of Love	11	75-43-31-24-20-{11}-12-19-21-37-61->11
#258	04/10/1980	Kate Bush	Army Dreamers	16	57-33-26-26-{16}-17-25-29-68->9
#259	27/09/1980	The Gap Band	Party Lights	30	68-42-34-32-32-{30}-35-46->8
#260	04/10/1980	Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark	Enola Gay	8	59-35-18-12-{8}-9-8-9-13-26-39-51-65-65-63->15
#261	27/09/1980	Bad Manners	Special Brew	3	58-41-38-25-15-5-{3}-3-7-14-25-49-67->13
#262	04/10/1980	The Rolling Stones	She's So Cold	33	62-42-{33}-35-44-61->6

 

Another One Bites The Dust is Chictastic, nice to see the writing credits for hit songs shared about with John Deacon this time. 9/10. Three Little Birds was a minor sweet little Bob Marley track at the time, it would sound poignant within months at its cheerful optimism in the face of oncoming cancer. 8/10. Masterblaster was about Bob Marley, and I'm guessing Stevie already knew about his health condition hence the great tribute 9/10.

AC/DC version 2 just oddly didn't gel for me, despite drafting in Brian "Geordie hitmaker" Johnson who I had fondness for, You Shook Me 4/10. Baggy Trousers is track of the week for me, love it, and the album, it captures schoolboy energy days in a way few others ever have in song. 10/10. The Specials back on form with added 60's musak vibes, Stereotypes is a good 'un 8/10 and International Jet Set nice 7/10. My Old Piano is another Chic-tastic moment, and an actual one, though Ms. Ross is too far up in her mix, and the Chic rhythm too low. 8/10.

seemed

Generals & Majors is fine, 6/10, but it's no Making Plans For Nigel. Killer On The Loose is the last great Thin Lizzy single, ominous and dark 9/10. Amigo is under-rated and forgotten these days, but what a fab tune 9/10 top reggae vibes. Odyssey is nice, but it's no Native New Yorker! 6/10. Don't Stand So Close To Me was my chart-topper of the day. Creepy and troubling, as intended, but not sounding like The Moment it did at the time as The Police hit Peak popularity. 8/10.

Searching Is good, but not as good as Lover's Holiday, 7/10. Taste Of Bitter Love, well Gladys is never bad, she's incapable of not sounding classy, but it's not her most memorable track. 6/10. D.I.S.C.O. is cheese, but it's fun cheese on a dancefloor 8/10. Splodgenessabounds minus the social observations amusement, but everyone of a certain age loved Two Little Boys the song at the time and the piss take prob seemed a good idea. It wasnt really. 5/10.

By coincidence both my top 2 here are anti-war songs. Some guilty pleasure middle of the road classics below and a lovely discovery from fellow Swiss Alain Morisod.

9	Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark	Enola Gay	About the Hiroshima bomb: I think "Messages" was great but it felt like a warm up to this, one of the archetypal synth tracks
9	Kate Bush	Army Dreamers	This has a beautiful lilting waltz rhythm and it's a gorgeous wistful track about a mother whose son has been killed going to war
8	The Sweet People	Et Les Oiseaux Chantaient (And The Birds Were Singing)	Only hit for this group formed by Swiss musician Alain Morisod: it's a unique and beautiful lullaby style track with birdsong
8	Air Supply	All Out Of Love	Only Top 40 for this soft rock group and it's surprising that this classic love song missed the Top 10: it is an excellent track
7	Barbra Streisand	Woman In Love	468th #1: her 4th straight Top 5 and a very fine song written by the Bee Gees which she gives a very fine dramatic performance
7	Bad Manners	Special Brew	Inspired by a trip to the local off licence, this is by far their biggest hit to date and I think their most successful, with a good flow
7	Linx	You're Lying	1st hit for this UK soul funk band: this is great and has a really striking and strong hook missing from some similar style records
6	The Rolling Stones	She's So Cold	This feels more like a typical Stones track than "Emotional Rescue": not a classic but very enjoyable with an infectious rhythm
6	Coffee	Casanova	Only Top 40 for this US disco trio: the "it's all over Casanova" part is repetitive but very catchy, and it's a fun and energetic track
5	George Benson	Love X Love	Another Top 10 on the back of his signature hit: this isn't as good but well performed and has a strong chorus with nice backing
5	The Nolans	Gotta Pull Myself Together	This took them back into the Top 10 and I do think it's a very well constructed, flowing and catchy pop song well led by Bernie
4	Gilbert O'Sullivan	What's In A Kiss	As ever there is a certain unique charm to his records and the humble way he performs, but this song is quite sugary sweet
4	Status Quo	What You're Proposing	It's the Quo alright with one of their #2s (they never reached the top): it's a catchy melody but similar to many of their others
4	Gillan	Trouble	Ian Gillan had fronted Deep Purple and this is the 1st Top 40 for this hard rock band: this one just doesn't really grab me
3	The Gap Band	Party Lights	At least "Oops Upside Your Head" is recognisable: this follow up funk track is inoffensive but blends into the background
3	Matchbox	When You Ask About Love	Another early rock 'n' roll cover from them, this time of a Crickets 1959 hit: competent but the original has more character

#263	11/10/1980	Teena Marie	I Need Your Lovin'	28	55-34-{28}-32-36-48->6
#264	11/10/1980	Earth, Wind And Fire	Let Me Talk	29	64-35-{29}-35-56->5
#265	27/09/1980	Showaddywaddy	Why Do Lovers (Break Each Other's Heart?)	22	62-47-41-36-24-{22}-23-28-37-65->10
#266	11/10/1980	Adam And The Ants	Dog Eat Dog	4	50-37-19-13-{4}-7-8-19-28-48-63-72-72-66-56-65->16
#267	18/10/1980	XTC	Towers Of London	31	41-{31}-33-57-65->5
#268	18/10/1980	Stephanie Mills	Never Knew Love Like This Before	4	68-33-26-18-9-6-{4}-7-13-20-39-39-46-67->14
#269	18/10/1980	Kelly Marie	Loving Just For Fun	21	70-37-{21}-22-24-28-32->7
#270	25/10/1980	Sheena Easton	One Man Woman	14	38-17-{14}-18-25-30->6
#271	18/10/1980	The Tourists	Don't Say I Told You So	40	57-{40}-46-50-71->5
#272	01/11/1980	David Bowie	Fashion	5	20-8-6-{5}-5-12-24-42-56-56-56-75->12
#273	25/10/1980	Olivia Newton-John And Cliff Richard	Suddenly	15	43-25-{15}-17-20-27-53->7
#274	25/10/1980	The Jacksons	Lovely One	29	53-{29}-31-36-48-63->6
#275	25/10/1980	Dennis Waterman	I Could Be So Good For You	3	54-31-19-4-4-{3}-6-14-26-30-30-48->12
#276	01/11/1980	UB40	The Earth Dies Screaming/Dream A Lie	10	34-25-14-11-{10}-11-18-22-38-38-44-55->12
#277	25/10/1980	UK Subs	Party In Paris	37	51-{37}-40-52->4
#278	01/11/1980	Motorhead	Ace Of Spades	15	38-21-{15}-15-22-18-30-37-42-42-51-66->12

Woman In Love - 9.5 / 10 (my second favourite single from 1980, only behind Sue Wilkinson's masterpiece).

yes 2 9/10 anti-war tracks there, Messages still has the edge over Enola Gay for me as it was "more of the same" sound-wise rather than a "what is that!?" moment, and Army Dreamers is just sad and lovely, and a unique female viewpoint on the futility and waste of war. Sweet People is quite sweet, 7/10, not heard it in yonks though. Air Supply's previous single was a US hit but flopped in the UK, and Lost In Love is just gorgeous 9/10, which led me into buying All Out Of Love and topping my chart, but it's a tad too OTT these days to outdo the first one 8/10 - they will perfect that sound with a little help from Jim Steinman though!

Woman In Love is Babs at her best, and the Bee Gees bio I'm reading makes it plain that it was Barry Gibb behind pretty much everything at this stage - post Disco Sucks, which basically crucified the Gibbs for what was a grand total of (count 'em) 5 disco tracks, 4 off Saturday Night Fever, one off Spirits Having Flown - as Robin was busy doing the Jimmy Ruffin album and Mo was into soundtracks and alcoholism. Bazza recognised they would have to adapt to the back scenes and Robin was about to resurrect his solo career and great songs that had been largely on hold since the early 70's. 9/10.

Special Brew is the most friendly Bad Manners single to date 8/10, but they had their greatest in the wings for 1981. You're Lying is fabulous and under-rated Brit-soul, Linx were shortlived but good ahead of David Grant's solo career. 9/10. She's So Cold, Stones-by-numbers but they hadnt deteriorated too much yet 6/10. George Benson sounding more and more like a jazz-easy-listening version of Heatwave, unsurprisingly, 7/10, Casanova is OK, 6/10, Gotta Pull Myself Together a proper pop tune 8/10.

What's In A Kiss, nice to see Gilbert back, but he was very out-dated by this time and it's a bit twee, 5/10, Quo though in rousing form, play loud and headbang along 8/10. Gillan, great on Black Night and Fireball, but his ex-Purple career never grabbed me much, and this cover ditto 4/10. Party Lights leaves no real memory to hook onto, I'm sure it was a 5/10 or so though. Matchbox getting their big hit, and it had a period charm to it, very Buddy Holly-era 7/10.

'Enola Gay' would be the leader of the pack here for me as well It juxtaposes that hard-hitting subject matter (which has been on my mind a fair bit recently due to the 80th anniversary of those final days of World War II) and such an uplifting, classic synth riff so well. I think I'd give it a 10 but 9 is of course still nothing to be sniffed at!

That Sweet People song apparently passed me by when trawling the '80s archives in the past, but glad to know it now, what a beauty.

Many of my favourites of the year appear now, including the three songs rated 8 in the batch before last, especially 'Baggy Trousers' which encapsulates Madness with their lively ska influences while lyrically harking back to simpler times. 'Stereotype' is very good too and The Specials barely put a foot wrong at their most commercial, even with the sonic shift of their second album.

In the last batch, 'Enola Gay' is easily my favourite and one of the essential synth-based tracks of the era with its instantly memorable riff and subject matter. 'Special Brew' is another fun ska song and Bad Manners' best I think. The biggest discovery for me was in finally hearing The Sweet People's #4 hit, quite beautiful and a marvel that it could chart so high.