Fun Boy Three have my favourite of that bunch another quirky hit.

The Charlene song I don't dislike, its nice enough but very MOR.

House Of Fun does what it says on the label, quirky, very British, and amusing. I doubt anyone but Madness could have made embarrassed laddiness so appealing, and fairground sounds to boot. 9/10. Torch has always been a Soft Cell chart-topping for me fave, sophisti-synth with a groove of 60's in it. 10/10. Temptation, yes New Order were at the bubbling under stage still, popping up with new stuff and finding their feet 7/10 though I havent heard this in years.

Fireworks not quite top notch Siouxsie but good, 8/10, The Back Of Love ditto really but with a promise of better things ahead 8/10. Cantonese Boy I liked the sounds but not so taken with the song 7/10. Toyah's Brave New World wasn't quite as catchy as usual but not bad, no-one else sounded like Toyah and she always had her own style! 7/10. The Telephone Always Rings not amongst their great tracks, but it was interesting enough 6/10.

Pinky Blue bit of a more of the same single, but it's a pleasant format 7/10. Goody Two Shoes a rip at the media looking for dirt and another good video - but really there was no need to retire the Ants brand it just looked more like an ego thing when it was more Marco getting fed up with the lifestyle 9/10. Paperlate was the Genesis lead track and it was so forgettable I'd forgotten about it - funny how it never turns up on pop quizzes yet Invisible Touch is on every week to continue taunting me of my Quiz shame. 7/10.

Kid Creole was fun and 40's bandleader referencing in style, plus Caribbean/salsa roots, Wonderful Thing was a goodie 8/10. Charlene has mystified me for over 40 years. A minor 1978 bland US ballad suddenly hits the top in the UK 4 years later, old-fashioned and annoying and remains that way for me. 4/10. And for heavens sake it's on Motown!! What on Earth....! UB40 is treading water on Love Is All Is Alright, must do better. "See me" would be on their exercise book. 5/10.

I have a bit of a soft spot for that Nicole song albeit moreso in 'Ein bißchen Frieden' form too. It's naïve in a wholesome way and pretty rousing.

Great top 3 - 'The Look Of Love' and 'Hungry Like the Wolf' are both defining pop classics for their respective acts. 'Forget Me Nots' a bit of an R&B staple itself, shown by its constant reinvention as an interpolation, even reaching two chart-toppers. 'Fastlove' is pure class and 'Men In Black' a bit of a nostalgic guilty pleasure, but I return to the original most nowadays.

That Blondie era felt very misguided in retrospect (even down to the album cover, it's some feat to present a woman as stunning as Debbie Harry in such an odd way ) but do admire their risk taking and genre blending nevertheless.

Love that you rate 'Torch' as well, as it feels a bit underrated nowadays despite its chart position, but is probably my favourite of their non-'Tainted Love' singles.

I didn't get into much of Adam Ant's solo career unfortunately but do enjoy 'Goody Two Shoes' (perhaps relating to some of its themes a little too much ) - the accompanying TOTP performance really stands out, thanks to incorporating multiple different sets.

'I've Never Been To Me' is a toe-curling record for me so I'm pleased to see it scoring as low as 3 here.

No absolute standouts here but A Flock Of Seagulls top the pack (and “I Ran” would be getting a 9 if it hadn’t missed).

8	A Flock Of Seagulls	Space Age Love Song	1st Top 40 for this UK group after the even better "I Ran" only made #43, but this is a great futuristic sounding and wistful track
8	Bow Wow Wow	I Want Candy	Their last Top 40 and by far their best remembered song: another great track and I love the beat and minimalist production
7	Stevie Wonder	Do I Do	A very strong chorus that will later be sampled by Ja Rule, and a really strong track with a 10 minute version including rapping
7	Roxy Music	Avalon	A very slow and understated ballad here but it's in fact rather beautiful, with backing vocals from Haitian singer Yanick Étienne
7	Queen	Las Palabras De Amor	A much better follow up to "Body Language": the partly Spanish lyrics feel special and it's a very grand, rich and soulful track
6	Odyssey	Inside Out	Their 2nd highest peaking hit, which I think feels more stripped back than their others and is a rather lovely and tender song
6	The Cars	Since You're Gone	Their 1st hit of the decade and a small one: it's quite a jolly feeling track despite the break up subject matter, with a nice flow
6	Midge Ure	No Regrets	Originally a 1960s song covered masterfully by The Walker Brothers, but is a good effort with very Ultravox-like production
5	Gary Numan	We Take Mystery (To Bed)	He'll have many more hits but this is his last Top 10: it has the usual synth style but overall grabs me less than most of his hits
5	Shalamar	A Night To Remember	Another well remembered song from them and their most streamed on Spotify: it's very well done but I can't get excited by it
5	The Belle Stars	Iko Iko	A '50s folk tune made a hit in the '60s by The Dixie Cups and now the 1st hit for this UK group: it's a nicely produced version
4	The Rolling Stones	Going To A Go Go	A live cover of a Motown track by The Miracles, done in a very typical Stones way and quite enjoyable, but definitely not essential
4	Natasha	Iko Iko	Only Top 40 for this Scottish singer and the more successful of the covers of this here, but I think the other one is slightly better
3	The Beatles	The Beatles Movie Medley	Their worst hit through no fault of theirs, though more pleasant than most of the 1981 hit medleys thanks to the original tracks
3	Diana Ross	Work That Body	Her 1st self written track apparently but it's something of a head scratcher with its fitness class theme and quite little else to it

1982 Group 11:

#782	12/06/1982	Status Quo	She Don't Fool Me	36	53-37-{36}-40-66->5
#783	19/06/1982	The Steve Miller Band	Abracadabra	2	38-12-4-{2}-2-3-8-12-28-41-63->11
#784	19/06/1982	Cheri	Murphy's Law	13	39-28-21-18-{13}-18-22-36-71->9
#785	26/06/1982	Imagination	Music And Lights	5	31-{5}-5-6-12-18-37-55-70->9
#786	26/06/1982	Captain Sensible	Happy Talk	1	33-{1}-1-3-16-30-50-74->8
#787	19/06/1982	Bucks Fizz	Now Those Days Are Gone	8	65-37-20-13-{8}-11-16-24-35->9
#788	19/06/1982	Leo Sayer	Heart (Stop Beating In Time)	22	73-38-26-27-23-{22}-35-28-33-49->10
#789	19/06/1982	Dollar	Videotheque	17	51-39-30-29-26-21-{17}-18-29-44->10
#790	19/06/1982	Shakatak	Streetwalkin'	38	56-40-{38}-39-55-75->6
#791	03/07/1982	The Jam	Just Who Is The 5 O'Clock Hero	8	13-{8}-16-33-40->5
#792	03/07/1982	AC/DC	For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)	15	25-{15}-15-24-31-59->6
#793	19/06/1982	Lynyrd Skynyrd	Free Bird	21	48-43-28-22-{21}-23-29-42-63->9
#794	26/06/1982	Visage	Night Train	12	59-34-21-14-13-{12}-16-24-53-72->10
#795	03/07/1982	Irene Cara	Fame	1	51-4-{1}-1-1-2-2-3-6-10-20-29-37-40-61-75->16
#796	03/07/1982	Bananarama	Shy Boy	4	41-20-9-{4}-6-7-10-19-39-52-71->11

Yep 'Inside Out' defintely the best of Odyssey's songs it just stands out great deeper vocal and I like the darker disco production!

I really like the Gary Numan 'We Take Mystery...' song, production wise it's very good and fast and quite dancey synthpop with the great bassline.

Diana Ross 'Work That Body' song reminds me of Spacedust - Gym and Tonic which sampled it!

What will you think of the wicked fun of 'Murphy's Law'....?

Edited January 16Jan 16 by TheSnake

I Ran is great, should have been a big hit 9/10, Space Age Love Song less so but it has some catchy riffs 8/10. I Want Candy is 60's Bubblegum for the 80's, tasty at first then it gets a bit bland as you chew on it 😇The beats are good though 7/10. Stevie still classy, but not quite at his top-notch best 8/10, and Avalon was just a little too understated for me at the time 6/10.

Las Palabras De Amour a step up indeed but still not a patch on anything up to and including Under Pressure, bar Tie Your Mother Down 6/10. Inside Out is nice enough but it's nowhere near as great as Native New Yorker or Back To My Roots 7/10. Since You're Gone not heard in a long time, still don't have a copy of it but I liked it at the time so prob a 6/10. No Regrets was a good version of a great song 8/10.

We Take Mystery wasnt too bad for Gary Numan's later stuff, 7/10, but A Night To Remember is a goodie, sticks in the mind in a fashion most of these tracks don't. 9/10. Michael Jackson of course was about to nick the Moonwalking from Jeff. Iko Iko I can tolerate the 60's hit version at a pinch, but the song just grates, and the Belle Stars are no exception to the consequences 5/10. Natasha's version was more interesting, but only marginally 5/10. It just meant both songs got more annoying more quickly.

Going To A Go Go another song I've little time for, though The Miracles original is OK, this was formulaic and mystifying considering the endless numbers of great 60's songs they could have strangled. 4/10. The Beatles Movie Medley was worth it for giving some chart action to non-singles that deserved to be better known, and it was very disjointed flipping from one to the next, but it still sounds better than most of the competition so 9/10 for the originals getting to shine a bit. Work That Body is pretty bad, even for her post-Motown standards, but she prob made more money off this than her big hits before. Hey ho 3/10.

Around this time I was getting driving lessons from my dad, mum, (who otherwise lived on an army base in Winchester) grandad, brother and sister in law's dad as I had no money for formal ones, as I needed to pass to get a better chance of getting a job. 2nd time lucky! It worked I was headed for a photo lab factory in Mansfield and owning dad's old car. Consequently I'm not especially nostalgic about 1982's music scene of the middle of the year, but it picked up in the autumn and the next batch coincides with my first Betamax video recorder and wage and me seriously taping quite a lot of Top Of The Pops videos and performances to replay. Night Train may even have been the first!

Yeah I find 'I Want Candy' and to a lesser extent 'Iko Iko' irritating in any form unfortunately, both have been overplayed in media.

Edited January 17Jan 17 by TheSnake

How did Bucks Fizz's Now Those Days Are Gone fall out of the Top 100 from #35?

That really is an off-the-cliff drop.

57 minutes ago, ChrisJK said:

How did Bucks Fizz's Now Those Days Are Gone fall out of the Top 100 from #35?

That really is an off-the-cliff drop.

Yes I'd never noticed that before, and My Camera Never Lies only had an 8 week run, so I'd assume they were fanbase appealing at this stage and weren't convincing anyone new to jump on - either that or RCA let existing copies run-down and didn't bother pressing any new ones so they just werent available to buy (though I can ruin that one as I bought Now Those Days Are Gone as an ex-chart reduced price - the risk with that was you might not get a picture sleeve and I think I did get one, though there may not have been that much competition for me in Rockabilly-loving Mansfield)...

I only really knew Bucks Fizz by their chart toppers until recently, and I certainly didn’t expect that I would be giving one of their tracks a 9 but this is a very special ballad indeed. However it just loses out to a more long standing favourite.

9	The Steve Miller Band	Abracadabra	They formed in 1966 and their few hits are very spread out: this is a wonderful, gentle but mesmerising electronic rock track
9	Bucks Fizz	Now Those Days Are Gone	An astoundingly good largely a capella ballad with an orchestral build; Mike Nolan leads this and he sells it really beautifully
8	Dollar	Videotheque	Their 4th Trevor Horn produced hit, and the least commercial but most musically interesting with special backing vocal effects
8	Irene Cara	Fame	505th #1: the film was in 1980 but this was re-released with the TV series and it's a stonking, very powerful and uplifting song
7	Visage	Night Train	Already the last of their 5 Top 40 hits: this isn't as synth heavy as the others but nonetheless very enjoyable with a strong riff
7	Lynyrd Skynyrd	Free Bird	Their 2nd and last Top 40: the album version is 9 minutes and this has excellent guitar work and an epic, timeless feel to it
7	Captain Sensible	Happy Talk	504th #1: it originates from "South Pacific" in 1949, and this lovely version is the 1st hit for this musician from The Damned
6	Bananarama	Shy Boy	Their 3rd Top 5 hit and 1st on their own: the Fun Boy Three hits had slightly more bite but this is catchy and I like the vocal blend
6	Imagination	Music And Lights	I think their hits suffer a little from sounding too similar, and they will struggle after this but it's another well constructed one
5	The Jam	Just Who Is The 5 O'Clock Hero	They're in a hugely successful period so #8 is relatively poor, and I think it's nice but has little distinct from their usual sound
4	Leo Sayer	Heart (Stop Beating In Time)	This was written by the Gibb brothers: he sings it very well with plenty of feeling, but I don't find it an exciting ballad in any way
4	Shakatak	Streetwalkin'	This has a jazzy feel to it and it's a pleasant track, but very much background hotel style music rather than for active listening
3	Cheri	Murphy's Law	Only hit for this Canadian pop dance duo: it has promising production but scratchy vocals and some chipmunk style noises
3	AC/DC	For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)	They do have some classic singles but also plenty of not very good ones: this is lyrically fairly turgid and overall not enjoyable
2	Status Quo	She Don't Fool Me	A small hit by their standards: it's very throwaway and similar to the previous one, and I can't pinpoint any distinctive featur

1982 Group 12:

#797	03/07/1982	Trio	Da Da Da	2	54-30-7-{2}-5-6-13-22-44-60->10
#798	03/07/1982	Japan	I Second That Emotion	9	56-31-20-14-{9}-9-11-20-38-50-73->11
#799	26/06/1982	David Essex	Me And My Girl (Night-Clubbing)	13	61-42-32-28-20-15-{13}-17-32-36->10
#800	03/07/1982	Paul McCartney	Take It Away	15	47-33-30-25-20-{15}-15-23-33-62->10
#801	10/07/1982	Hot Chocolate	It Started With A Kiss	5	36-12-8-7-{5}-5-5-12-17-35-48-65->12
#802	26/06/1982	The Clash	Rock The Casbah	30	68-43-38-33-31-32-{30}-32-40-59->10
#803	17/07/1982	Yazoo	Don't Go	3	24-5-{3}-3-3-4-8-22-30-42-53->11
#804	03/07/1982	Dexys Midnight Runners And The Emerald Express	Come On Eileen	1	63-41-31-9-2-{1}-1-1-1-2-3-9-14-20-36-52-66->17
#805	17/07/1982	Cliff Richard	The Only Way Out	10	35-17-14-{10}-14-25-34-59-74->9
#806	10/07/1982	Brat	Chalk Dust - The Umpire Strikes Back	19	47-36-30-24-20-{19}-30-37->8
#807	10/07/1982	Junior	Too Late	20	64-37-28-25-25-{20}-29-35-73->9
#808	10/07/1982	Donna Summer	Love Is In Control (Finger On The Trigger)	18	67-38-32-27-22-{18}-24-23-30-36-72->11
#809	10/07/1982	Patrice Rushen	I Was Tired Of Being Alone	39	46-{39}-40-45-74->5
#810	10/07/1982	Pigbag	The Big Bean	40	58-{40}-44->3

'Abracadabra' one of the catchiest songs ever I think. As with J. Geils Band - Centerfold, its a bit misogynistic which ruins my enjoyment of the tracks a bit.

'Happy Talk' as a song I find rather irritating unfortunately. Between that Charlene and Goombay would have to choose Goombay but three below par #1s for me in 1982! 'Fame' in comparison is good.

And oh dear, but I like Cheri - Murphy's Law - it does tell a story and have a good bassline.

Night Train is very Spandau Chant No 1 influenced.

Edited January 20Jan 20 by TheSnake

Abracadabra is a good 'un, 9/10 though my fave Steve Miller is Rock'n'Me from 1976, the Fly Like An Eagle era was peak Steve, but I did get in early on The Joker too. Now Those Days Are Gone sounds even better now than it did at the time and it was a brave choice of single, but what a song and performance 10/10. Videotheque not quite as catchy as previous Horn singles, but the production is impeccable 9/10. Fame topped my charts second time round but over-saturation tarnished it a bit 9/10.

Night Train I liked, and images in my head of the first Betamax video tape I bought, light blue and white sleeve 8/10. Free Bird had already been around in 1976 but another that didnt really get much radio play until its reputation took off proper 8/10. Happy Talk another chart-topper for me, largely cos it was a fun cover of one my kiddie fave musical songs, the clip on TV from the film was a regular. The original is still the best, but the Captain does it proud 8/10.

Shy Boy is catchy enough and decent 7/10. Music And Lights was a goodie too 8/10, five o'clock Hero was an import I think, as opposed to an official single, and I never saw it as anything other than fanbase 5/10. Heart is one of Leo's best latter hits, helped by the lush melody - the GIbbs never lost that knack 9/10. Streetwalkin' was laid back pleasant but not one I hear much these days 7/10.

Murphy's Law is merely an obscure memory, but I didnt love it I think 5/10. AC/DC ho hum 3/10. Quo's was By The NUmbers 5/10.

^ Yeah John is correct, I had a huge Jam hyperfixation last year and read a lot of facts about them, which included 'Just Who Is the 5 O'Clock Hero?' being the highest charting import single ever, with that #8 position. It was only officially released in The Netherlands but they were huge enough here to make such an impact on import alone. I agree that it's not one of their best musically, though.

I think 'Abracadabra' is my favourite of that section as well. In an alternate timeline that would've been their chart-topper instead and Deee-Lite would've got a turn too at least 'Abracadabra' got to #1 in the U.S. and sort of here via that Eminem song a couple of years ago.

I was shocked when I first found out that Captain Sensible was a member of The Damned, as I associate them with goth music. But there we go! I have a soft spot for that off-kilter version of 'Happy Talk'. 'Fame' is also a classic even if I do prefer 'Flashdance... What A Feeling'.

"Flashdance" is the worst song from last selection.

“Come On Eileen” is one of those songs that I could happily never hear again, but objectively I do feel I have to give it a high score as it’s wonderfully crafted. The other two in that brace of three consecutive classics are my top two picks here.

9	The Clash	Rock The Casbah	It will reach the Top 20 in 1991: the drummer composed it which makes sense as it's a very instrument driven, brilliant song
9	Yazoo	Don't Go	Very different to "Only You", this is rather a synth pop masterclass with the commanding riff and sharply delivered drama
8	Dexys Midnight Runners And The Emerald Express	Come On Eileen	506th #1: a hugely streamed  transatlantic chart topper that's a little brash and overplayed but still a brilliant piece of writing
7	Trio	Da Da Da	Only hit for this German band: it's a very simple record but delightfully silly and captivating with an infectious rapped hook
7	Hot Chocolate	It Started With A Kiss	The last time they'll reach the Top 5 and one of their most enduring hits: a very emotive and well performed piece of soul pop
6	Pigbag	The Big Bean	The only follow up to their smash hit: this isn't catchy enough to be a big success, but it's a really delightful instrumental
6	Cliff Richard	The Only Way Out	This is definitely among the superior Cliff hits which crop up periodically: nothing extraordinary but a lovely feel good song
5	Donna Summer	Love Is In Control (Finger On The Trigger)	Her 1st Top 40 of the decade: she has moved in a funk direction with this and while not entirely my thing it is quite dynamic
5	Paul McCartney	Take It Away	Certainly a big improvement on "Ebony And Ivory", this is fairly typical Macca with its warmth and nice well crafted melody
4	Japan	I Second That Emotion	An interesting choice for this band to cover a Motown song: I don't think it quite works and the whole thing feels a little flat
4	Junior	Too Late	He'll have 6 more Top 75s but no further Top 40s: this doesn't have the hook of "Mama Used To Say" but is pleasant enough
3	Patrice Rushen	I Was Tired Of Being Alone	Her 2nd and last Top 40: one of those songs that's no nondescript you can listen to 10 times and still not remember a thing
2	David Essex	Me And My Girl (Night-Clubbing)	An odd reggae flavoured track: musically it isn't bad but the lyrics about a heavy night out with the girlfriend are terribly naff
1	Brat	Chalk Dust - The Umpire Strikes Back	Only hit for this act making a rap style record based on John McEnroe's umpire interactions: this is an utterly ghastly listen

1982 Group 13:

#811	24/07/1982	Madness	Driving In My Car	4	6-{4}-4-4-8-18-42-51->8
#812	24/07/1982	Kid Creole And The Coconuts	Stool Pigeon	7	26-11-8-{7}-9-17-38-45-75->9
#813	24/07/1982	The Stranglers	Strange Little Girl	7	35-19-11-8-{7}-13-23-39-61->9
#814	17/07/1982	The Belle Stars	The Clapping Song	11	66-36-23-19-12-{11}-16-27-43->9
#815	17/07/1982	Elkie Brooks	Nights In White Satin	33	43-38-{33}-33-49->5
#816	17/07/1982	The Firm	Arthur Daley (E's Alright)	14	56-39-28-17-16-{14}-25-35-66->9
#817	24/07/1982	The Cure	The Hanging Garden	34	42-{34}-45-69->4
#818	24/07/1982	Talk Talk	Today	14	49-37-35-36-28-26-15-{14}-14-16-23-31-35->13
#819	10/07/1982	Wavelength	Hurry Home	17	68-47-41-38-27-27-{17}-21-21-32-39-74->12
#820	24/07/1982	Blondie	War Child	39	56-{39}-44-66->4
#821	31/07/1982	Bad Manners	My Girl Lollipop (My Boy Lollipop)	9	42-21-{9}-10-15-31-56->7
#822	24/07/1982	Haysi Fantayzee	John Wayne Is Big Leggy	11	71-43-26-22-16-{11}-11-18-26-49->10
#823	31/07/1982	Survivor	Eye Of The Tiger	1	54-29-6-2-2-{1}-1-1-1-4-11-19-32-45-63->15
#824	31/07/1982	Fun Boy Three	Summertime	18	56-31-26-{18}-24-26-34-71->8
#825	07/08/1982	Associates	18 Carat Love Affair/Love Hangover	21	34-25-{21}-27-24-33-35-75->8

Don't Go, and its synth riff is great ; a template for later synthpop and 90s dance.

I like the Hot Chocolate track's Vangelis style production and accusatory 'You Don't remember me do you'.

Rock The Casbah is catchy!

Rock The Casbah has a great best indeed, and of their best Clash singles 8/10. Come On Eileen is overplayed and it was the bane of my Aunty Eileen's life for a while, but it is a classic, and I miss my Aunty so 10/10. I think Don't Go has weathered better than Only You, still exciting 9/10.

Trio was amusing on one listen, but Da Da Da for weeks on end is too much for anyone to deal with and the Police had already gone there with De Doo Doo, albeit rock-reggae not synth. 7/10. It Started With A Kiss is a very sweet ballad, albeit another one I've overdosed on over the years, but my fondness for Errol & the gang hasnt dimmed since 1971, and it duly topped my charts at the time 9/10.

The Big Bean I have no memory of! Cliff's was pretty good synthpop 8/10, Love Is In Control was a welcome return from Donna 8/10, and Take It Away was top 10 of the time for me, then it seemed catchy but unremarkable, but I'm back on board in recent years, it's subtle and full of great little riffs and melodies 9/10.

I Second That Emotion got on my nerves very quickly, it's no Smokey Robinson version and it's very dull. 5/10. Too Late is another Junior goodie, havent it in yonks but the hook is still in my head. 8/10. Patrice Rushen I dont recall at all, so confirming your theory! Me & My Girl made a change to have David moving away from the Musicals and ballads again, though it's not quite in his early/mid 70's class 6/10. Ghastly is a good word for The Brat. Hearing it week after week was cruel and unusual torture. 1/10

I’m glad that The Stranglers have another hit that I love after the big one. Quite a lot of very good stuff particularly in the first part of this group.

9	The Stranglers	Strange Little Girl	This beautiful psychedelic song was written in 1974, and gives them another big hit after their last single missed the Top 40
8	Talk Talk	Today	1st one for this UK group who will often miss the Top 40: a great piece of synth pop with a power to it and a soaring melody
8	The Cure	The Hanging Garden	Only their 2nd Top 40 2 years after the 1st: the furious drumming on this is wonderful and reminiscent of Siouxsie and group
8	Survivor	Eye Of The Tiger	507th #1: this was for "Rocky III" with a riff designed to fit boxing scenes: it's overused but still a very powerful rock song
7	Madness	Driving In My Car	This uses actual car sounds like horns and robbing as part of the instrumental: it's a really fun, cheeky and energetic track
7	Associates	18 Carat Love Affair/Love Hangover	All their remaining efforts will miss the Top 40:  both tracks in this have good storytelling and strong and dramatic vocals
7	Kid Creole And The Coconuts	Stool Pigeon	I enjoy this one far more than its predecessor though it has their usual Latin style: a compelling track about gangster culture
6	Blondie	War Child	Their last new Top 40 hit until 1999 and this one only scraped in: it's a good hard hitting track about growing up with conflict
6	Sheena Easton	Machinery	Her last solo hit for a while and a small one, but it's rather good with a driving rhythm and punchy Bucks Fizz style chorus
5	Fun Boy Three	Summertime	Their own tracks are better, but an interesting version of the jazz standard with rich backing vocals and a violin interlude
4	Elkie Brooks	Nights In White Satin	Covering such an all time great is never easy, and while this is competently done the key moments don't hit as they should
4	The Firm	Arthur Daley (E's Alright)	The novelty band's other hit will be much bigger: this bewildering slapstick style song is based on Arthur Daley from "Minder"
3	The Belle Stars	The Clapping Song	Their 2nd hit, again covering an old song: the original is really enjoyable with its rhythmic style and this adds quite little to it
3	Haysi Fantayzee	John Wayne Is Big Leggy	1st hit for this group: it's a strange combination of social commentary, humour and nursery rhyme style that's quite baffling
2	Wavelength	Hurry Home	Only hit for this group: it has something of a Bee Gees flavour but the very most syrupy and plodding version of that sound
2	Bad Manners	My Girl Lollipop (My Boy Lollipop)	There have been several versions since the 1950s and the object has switched sex, but this is not good and their last Top 40

1982 Group 14:

#827	31/07/1982	Boystown Gang	Can't Take My Eyes Off You	4	66-39-21-6-{4}-6-10-19-20-41-64->11
#828	07/08/1982	Sylvian Sakamoto	Bamboo Houses/Bamboo Music	30	40-{30}-38-50->4
#829	07/08/1982	Kool And The Gang	Big Fun	14	47-23-15-{14}-14-23-30-69->8
#830	07/08/1982	Toto Coelo	I Eat Cannibals	8	70-34-12-9-{8}-9-13-21-35-53->10
#831	07/08/1982	Pink Floyd	When The Tigers Broke Free	39	43-{39}-42-62-74->5
#832	07/08/1982	Tom Tom Club	Under The Boardwalk	22	69-40-35-29-25-{22}-25-27-55->9
#833	21/08/1982	Soft Cell	What	3	13-{3}-4-7-15-23-37-59->8
#834	14/08/1982	The Kids From 'Fame' Featuring Valerie Landsberg	Hi Fidelity	5	46-26-7-{5}-6-7-13-21-48-71->10
#835	21/08/1982	Duran Duran	Save A Prayer	2	27-5-3-{2}-3-7-18-34-62->9
#836	14/08/1982	Sting	Spread A Little Happiness	16	51-31-30-18-{16}-21-29-69->8
#837	21/08/1982	Haircut One Hundred	Nobody's Fool	9	33-10-{9}-12-16-24-45->7
#838	14/08/1982	Modern Romance Featuring John du Prez	Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White	15	57-34-22-16-{15}-20-28-59->8
#839	14/08/1982	Captain Sensible	Wot	26	56-36-31-29-{26}-41-59->7
#840	14/08/1982	Rockers Revenge Featuring Donnie Calvin	Walking On Sunshine	4	67-37-19-7-5-{4}-4-6-12-17-34-44-55->13
#841	28/08/1982	Gary Numan	White Boys And Heroes	20	{20}-20-25-37->4
#842	21/08/1982	Shakin' Stevens	Give Me Your Heart Tonight	11	58-28-12-{11}-11-11-22-23-47-68->10

Strange Little Girl is an under-rated track, it's oddness I guess stopping it from getting radio plays, but the band learned this format brings rewards - melodic and gentle 9/10. Today was a good debut with better to come down the line from Talk Talk 8/10. The Hanging Garden I cant rate, it didnt get radio one play at the time and I dont remember it! It's not on the Geatest Hits album still waiting to be played either.

Eye Of The Tiger is over-played, but that riff is attention-grabbing 9/10. Driving In My Car is quirky as always, and very very British, but it's not one of my Madness faves from that era 7/10. The Associates double I pretty much havent heard since it departed the chart, but they were both decent is my memory 7/10 for 18 carat, and 6 for the Diana Ross attempted cover, but the original is an enormous 10/10 under-rated classic.

Stool Pigeon is nicely retro and cheerfully unusual and catchy 8/10. War Child another I barely heard at the time and havent heard it at all since but as it's Blondie I'd expect a 6/10 as a minimum. Machinery was John Peel's fave Sheena track since 9 To 5, or so he said on Top Of The Pops (secret fan John was) and I agreed, it had a more updated pop sensibility about it 8/10.

Summertime is a top-notch standard from the 30's, and sounds good in almost any version, but Fun Boy 3's morose, downbeat rhythmic version worked at the time and fits in with the Depression era to boot. Always rated it 9/10. Elkie's covers are often hit and miss, and it's a losing-job attempting to do Nights In White Satin. Not as funny as The Dickies cover. 6/10. John Wayne Is Big Leggy topped my charts - love it, sounded like nothing else, they were amusing, naughty, political and Jeremy went on to have DJ success though obv using terms now banned (in fairness taking the piss out of the whole cowboy movie sterotypes) means it's unlikely to get played much, but it's OK for YMCA so go figure. 9/10

Didnt watch Minder, hated the theme tune, hated this even more 2/10. The Clapping Song was a playground tune from my childhood and is only pasably acceptable done by Shirley Ellis, this is just annoying 3/10. Hurry Home I rather liked at the time, nice tune but it's been forgotten with time passing 7/10. My Boy Lollipop was an early obsession for me, Millie's version was unique and ground-breaking for ska music, so it's quite logical they'd have a go at it, being the Royal Clown Jesters of ska-revival, but it never really worked for me, though I was happy to see the song back. 5/10.

'Rock The Casbah' still politically charged but sonically a bit more commercial than your average Clash song. Not complaining though, it's anthemic and the instrumental really stands out, especially that piano. The Rachid Taha version Brer unleashed to the retro song contest was an interesting take on it too. I think 'Don't Go' would narrowly edge 'Rock The Casbah' for me but a strong top 2 nevertheless. Love the desperation in Alison's vocals and the wonderful, much sampled synth riff.

I get what you mean regarding 'Come On Eileen', I'm sick of it nowadays (quite literally inescapable, just heard a clip of it on PopMaster!), but did once love it - so can appreciate its musical merits too.

Pleased 'The Hanging Garden' went down well on SyncTube I've always found it commandingly claustrophobic. Agreed it sounds very Siouxsie influenced! That would be my favourite of this batch but The Stranglers are a good shout too. Did not know that song dated back to 1974!

It's difficult to nail a cover of the perfectly evocative 'Nights In White Satin'. The Elkie Brooks version was... competent, but not quite hitting me in the same way. However, its existence is sticking with me, so will be useful for PopMaster at least, as I usually struggle with her!