Some great stuff popping in the last page. 'Smalltown Boy', 'Dancing in the Dark', 'Wake Me Before You Go Go', 'Two Tribes', I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me' 'Jump (For My Love)', What's Love Got To Do With It', 'Young At Heart', 'Love Resurrection' and then 'When Doves Cry' which is probs my fave Prince track and 'Time and Time' is excellent and my fave Cyndi song so would likely put that on top there as well!

So many highlights in the last 3 batches as others have mentioned - 'Smalltown Boy' and 'White Lines (Don't Do It)' hugely sampled and lyrically sharp, 'Dancing In The Dark' which in 1985 would become Bruce's first and best UK Top 10 hit, 'When Doves Cry' (whose chart entry week I had to move on a session, partly because of time constraints and partly as it was already so heavy on quality), the emotive 'Time After Time', one of The Smiths' definitive song titles for a Top 10 breakthrough, and as if the 80s songs weren't enough, the gorgeous 'Thinking Of You' from 1979 getting a belated single release.

Of the lesser mentioned / rated songs, 'Perfect Skin' is wonderfully poetic storytelling, and 'Breakin'... There's No Stopping Us' the best of the many breakdancing adjacent hits of 1983-84.

Both Laura Branigan’s big hits had originals done by Italian singers. Her “Self Control” version I find incredibly rousing and it tops this group ahead of a beautiful discovery from Billy Idol.

9	Laura Branigan	Self Control	She's essentially a 2 hit wonder and both are excellent covers, but this one I particularly find a majestic rendition
9	Billy Idol	Eyes Without A Face	1st solo Top 40 for this UK singer: I find this a really beautiful and tender song with interesting instrumental parts
8	Mighty Wah!	Come Back	The last hit under this "Wah!" name, championed by John Peel and it's a great song with an almost Britpop sound
8	Echo And The Bunnymen	Seven Seas	A lovely jangly and lyrically very surreal and intriguing track with nautical imagery about escaping emotional pain
7	Queen	It's A Hard Life	This feels like a return to their earlier and simpler sound, but it's a lovely song and a great vocal performance
7	Hazell Dean	Whatever I Do (Wherever I Go)	Her highest peaking hit and a SAW production, but a very effective and powerful song in the "I Will Survive" style
6	The Kane Gang	Closest Thing To Heaven	1st and biggest Top 40 for this UK trio: it isn't game changing but a really atmospheric piece of sophisti-pop
6	Divine	You Think You're A Man	1st Top 40 for this US singer and drag queen: the vocals are slightly raucous but it's a good song and gay anthem
5	neil	Hole In My Shoe	A spoof cover of the psychedelic song: it does bring a smile to my face and retain some of the original's beauty
5	Blancmange	The Day Before You Came	A fun and quirky cover, and I like some of the details like lyrical changes, but overall their original hits are better
4	Windjammer	Tossing And Turning	Only hit for this US soul group with an unremarkable but competently made and sung post disco style track
4	Phil Fearon And Galaxy	Everybody's Laughing	Their 3rd Top 10: I haven't hugely enjoyed any of them, but this is another very harmless and funky pop song
3	Shakatak	Down On The Street	Their last Top 40: overall I find that this one fades into the background, despite being one of their biggest hits
3	Black Lace	Agadoo	Biggest hit for this novelty act: it's well remembered and has some merit even if it's also a rather grating listen
2	Jeffrey Osborne	On The Wings Of Love	His 2nd and last Top 40: I thought the other wasn't bad but this is very much in the syrupy and clichéd ballad lane

1984 Group 14:

4	04/08/1984	George Michael	Careless Whisper	1	12-2-{1}-1-1-2-2-3-5-11-18-20-26-34-38-52-60->17
#1455	28/07/1984	Rod Stewart	Some Guys Have All The Luck	15	42-32-25-20-19-{15}-20-25-42-55->10
#1456	28/07/1984	Tracey Ullman	Sunglasses	18	51-36-26-19-{18}-21-30-42-68->9
#1457	14/07/1984	Band Of Gold	Love Songs Are Back Again (Medley)	24	67-43-41-39-30-{24}-27-27-35-50-71->11
#1458	21/07/1984	Trevor Walters	Stuck On You	9	68-55-44-23-15-{9}-10-16-22-35-50-61->12
#1459	11/08/1984	Howard Jones	Like To Get To Know You Well	4	33-10-{4}-4-4-5-12-20-31-40-59-75->12
#1460	04/08/1984	AC/DC	Nervous Shakedown	35	49-{35}-35-39-49->5
#1461	04/08/1984	The S.O.S. Band	Just The Way You Like It	32	45-37-{32}-37-48-55-74->7
#1462	14/07/1984	A Flock Of Seagulls	The More You Live, The More You Love	26	68-64-53-43-40-29-28-{26}-31-36-62->11
#1463	18/08/1984	Iron Maiden	2 Minutes To Midnight	11	27-{11}-14-25-39-65->6
#1464	11/08/1984	Miami Sound Machine	Dr Beat	6	41-28-16-7-7-7-{6}-11-18-26-35-43-55-69->14
#1465	11/08/1984	Elton John	Passengers	5	52-30-15-6-{5}-6-10-22-30-39-54->11
#1466	11/08/1984	The Pointer Sisters	I Need You	25	43-34-29-{25}-29-30-43-52-75->9
#1467	18/08/1984	David Sylvian	The Ink In The Well	36	37-{36}-58->3
#1468	18/08/1984	Tears For Fears	Mothers Talk	14	38-22-17-{14}-18-30-40-70->8

Divine and Hazell Dean high energy dance is very welcome! Yeah it took me a while to come round to liking Divine's vocal style.

I am a big fan of Italo disco (we will get a fee more hits from it over the next few years of this) and Self Control is very good in both versions but Laura is the better singer than Raf obviously.

On the Wings Of Love is cheesy but I actually quite like as a early example of an 80s power ballad.

Edited August 6Aug 6 by TheSnake

Self Control is fabulous, dramatic, classy and has current appeal too thanks to that advert, and the spiritual predecessor to Sandra's non-top-40 Maria Magdalena both tracks 10/10. Eyes Without A Face is Billy Idol's greatest track, it's sad and odd and unexpected, love it, topped my chart at the time where Laura B peaked at 2 10/10. Even better Billy's great flop UK hits got a second chance to hit big in the UK as well as the USA.

Come Back was a singalong goodie. Pete Wylie always good, and occasionally brilliant (Story Of The Blues). 8/10. Seven Seas unusually jaunty for Echo & The Bunnymen, but it's not in the same class as Killing Moon 7/10. It's A Hard Life continuing the Queen comeback, in the vibe of Play The Game 1980 period singles 7/10. Hazell Dean a Boystown smash, upping the bpm's and probably her best track 8/10.

The Kane Gang were always stylish and pleasantly classy, and had a run of good singles that largely fell short of the 40 later in the decade, sadly, but Closest Thing To Heaven is melodically lovely and their best moment 9/10. You Think You're A Man one of those iconic TOTP performances that brought in a clutch of complaints to the BBC. It was always a Boystown-synth bit of a tongue-in-cheek fun, Divine not the greatest singer in the world, but I loved the next hit single way more. 6/10.

Hole In My Shoe brought back 60's nostalgia, but in an amusing fashion, The Young Ones being the break-out anarchic troupe of that generation. The latest Marx Brothers for anyone of a previous vintage, but less puns and more cartoon violence. Both are anti-establishment 7/10. Blancmange's cover was interesting, but it also annoyed me that it outpeaked the ABBA masterpiece original that was too dour to sell, tragically. 7/10.

Windjammer is one I havent heard in 40 years, but I think I found it mildly pleasant 6/10. Everybody's Laughing another Galaxy/Phil Fearon upbeat dance tune as Phil is about to go full-on headliner 7/10. Down On The Street is Shakatak's best track for me, the melody is strong and it had a bit more oomph than earlier singles 8/10. Bill Sharpe still had one gem up his sleeve still to come in a most unexpected collab.

Agadoo was everywhere and annoying at the time because it wouldnt go away, but it was half-amusing before the OD airplay ruined it. Put it on at a party with plenty of booze though, and watch people have a laugh. 4/10. On The Wings Of Love dangerously MOR for me, it could easily have been sung by name balladeers of the time, or the soon-to-break Whitney, who would shortly be gifted one of his songs but she could easily have covered this one in an alternate universe. 5/10 His best single was a 1989 duet with Dionne Warwick, Love Power, flop in the UK, annoyingly.

The haunting 'Eyes Without A Face' is my favourite of that latest batch so I'm delighted it was a good discovery for you did quite well in the U.S. but criminal that it only made #18 here. Still, it seems to have found a new audience in the streaming era. It entered the U.K. Spotify chart for the first time last year although I do remember someone saying it was an autoplay favourite. Laura Branigan would be my next choice with that fantastic cover so can't begrudge that top pick nevertheless!

Speaking of cover versions, 'The Day Before You Came' suits Blancmange well (and Pulp too in recent times) but the original is too special to top. I'm not sure how to feel about Neil's 'Hole In My Shoe' outpeaking the wonderful, psychedelic Traffic original, but a fun chart oddity nevertheless. The production on that version has no right to be as good as it is, I see Dave Stewart was responsible, with 'It's My Birthday' partner in crime Barbara Gaskin on backing vocals too.

I remember listening to the 1984 EOY top 50 back to front so was immediately assaulted with those Hazell Dean synths, as it snuck in at #50! I agree it's the better SAW production here over the Divine song, although the latter an important moment in SAW history, as their first top 40 hit. BuzzJack not so keen though as it bombed in BJSC!

'Agadoo' a school disco / Haven holiday classic

“Careless Whisper” is perilously close to a 10: it’s one of not a huge number of ballads that you’d expect to hear on a late night Mellow Magic local radio show that I love.

9	George Michael	Careless Whisper	537th #1: his 1st solo hit but still co-written by Andrew, and an exquisite saxophone aided heartbreak ballad
8	Miami Sound Machine	Dr Beat	1st hit for this Latin American group with lead vocals from Gloria Estefan, and a timeless dance-pop song
8	David Sylvian	The Ink In The Well	A very moody and bluesey track with intriguing lyrics and instrumental parts: I've found this a real grower
7	Tears For Fears	Mothers Talk	A rather stark and harsh sounding track that sounds quite different from most of their hits, but I really like it
7	A Flock Of Seagulls	The More You Live, The More You Love	The lead from their 3rd album and their last Top 40: this has a lovely warmth and wistful feel to the performance
6	Elton John	Passengers	This borrows from a South African piece from the 1960s and I like the whistled riff: it's an interesting track
6	AC/DC	Nervous Shakedown	I like the big dramatic riff at the start: otherwise it's a fairly standard song in their style but pretty enjoyable
5	Tracey Ullman	Sunglasses	Her last Top 40 and another cover; this time a Skeeter Davis song: it's not bad with her usual rich production
5	The Pointer Sisters	I Need You	This doesn't have anything like the impact of their last couple of big hits, but it's still a nice and well sung track
4	Iron Maiden	2 Minutes To Midnight	After a stong run of hits I find that this is back to their more standard sounding songs, which all blend into one
4	Howard Jones	Like To Get To Know You Well	He's back in the Top 5 with this: it's an unremarkable hit for me though and not interesting like his 1st couple
3	Trevor Walters	Stuck On You	A cover of the Lionel Richie song that was a hit only last month: I find this version very slightly more interesting
3	The S.O.S. Band	Just The Way You Like It	A rather weak follow up to "Just Be Good To Me": this is one of those rather long and repetitive soul tracks
2	Rod Stewart	Some Guys Have All The Luck	Originally a 1973 soul song, but this version is quite limp and removes everything that had been soulful about it
2	Band Of Gold	Love Songs Are Back Again (Medley)	Only hit for this Dutch group, with a curious medley of soul ballad chunks that doesn't make a satisfying listen

1984 Group 15:

#1469	25/08/1984	Stevie Wonder	I Just Called To Say I Love You	1	3-2-{1}-1-1-1-1-1-2-4-9-14-19-25-28-34-35-34-21-23-24-49-70-73-67R(47)-64->26
#1470	25/08/1984	Spandau Ballet	I'll Fly For You	9	23-11-{9}-12-15-26-36-46-64->9
#1471	11/08/1984	Break Machine	Are You Ready	27	51-44-40-29-{27}-31-52-66->8
#1472	25/08/1984	Ray Parker Jr	Ghostbusters	2	56-18-6-3-{2}-2-2-4-8-14-19-27-32-46-46-43-33-15-7-6-8-7-16-20-26-32-35-31-50-60-71->31
#1473	18/08/1984	Alphaville	Big In Japan	8	71-43-22-11-9-{8}-9-14-23-31-38-58-64->13
#1474	01/09/1984	The Smiths	William, It Was Really Nothing	17	23-{17}-21-38-43-59->6
#1475	01/09/1984	Depeche Mode	Master And Servant	9	24-12-11-{9}-14-24-33-50-69->9
#1476	01/09/1984	Malcolm McLaren	Madam Butterfly (Un Bel Di Vedremo)	13	32-15-{13}-13-18-23-31-46-66->9
#1477	25/08/1984	Bucks Fizz	Talking In Your Sleep	15	66-34-21-{15}-16-23-35-49-73->9
#1478	01/09/1984	Level 42	Hot Water	18	37-26-19-{18}-21-27-32-45-58->9
#1479	01/09/1984	Heaven 17	Sunset Now	24	39-28-{24}-31-44-60->6
#1480	11/08/1984	Michael Jackson	Girl You're So Together	33	62-50-41-40-{33}-37-50-67->8
	08/09/1984	Sister Sledge	Lost In Music {1984}	4	32-14-7-{4}-5-11-17-24-31-36-50-57->12
	25/08/1984	Kraftwerk	Tour De France {1984}	24	47-41-37-28-{24}-28-37-44-57-73-73->11
#1481	08/09/1984	The Jacksons	Torture	26	38-{26}-26-30-41-65->6
#1482	01/09/1984	Aztec Camera	All I Need Is Everything/Jump	34	61-39-{34}-37-42-67->6

Quick catch up on the previous group!

Love Self Control’s big vocals.

Eyes Without A Face is wonderfully moody.

Come Back is great, deserved a bigger hit.

Seven Seas is probably my favourite of these

It’s A Hard Life is good if not one of my Queen songs in that era.

Whatever I Do is epic.

You Think You’re A Man is one of a kind.

Hole in My Shoe always brings a smile

Edited Monday at 16:435 days by Jaz13music

Your top 2 there are big classics, I do prefer the 2005 Doctor Pressure to the original Dr Beat though, but it is still a good song with some iconic lyrics!

Howard Jones I'd Like To Get To Know You Well I like, it is a bit synth reggae, quite Ace of Base sounding ahead of time.

Edited Monday at 19:065 days by TheSnake

Careless Whisper was the moment George started to be taken seriously as a songwriter and singer, lush, though I can't listen to it these days due to sad memories related to it. Still a 10/10 though. Dr Beat is great fun, and who would have guessed Gloria would be a big star of the 80's and 90's! 8/10. The Ink In The Well, I have no memories of whatsoever!! I do remember horrific primary school lessons having to use bloody inkwells and blotting paper to learn to write with blobby ancient dip-tem-in ink pens, what a mess for a skill that was already dead and buried in the 60's in relevance thanks to biros. Maybe I blotted out the memory of David Sylvian, arf!

Mothers Talk is their forgotten single of the early to mid 80's, but it was pretty decent 7/10. A Flock Of Seagulls' was a final fling at the charts, and a goodie 8/10. Passengers was Reg messing around with expectations and pretty catchy, but not one of his classics 7/10. Nervous Shakedown I wouldnt recognise of I heard it, AC/DC tended to bang into one ear and bang out of the other one making little impression on me.

Sunglasses not as top as previous Tracey singles but it was OK 6/10. I Need You not a memorable Pointer Sisters hit but I think it was around about a 7/10. 2 Minutes To Midnight I do remember, because it was very annoying production-line Maiden Metal 3/10. Like To Get To Know You Well was a pleasant catchy pop ditty, 7/10. Trevor Walters cover of Stuck On You was way better than Lionel's own 6/10.

SOS Band not quite such a great song, but the production carries it for me 7/10. Rod's version of Some Guys had already been a cover hit for Robert Palmer, so it was a bit of a mystery why he did it too, though it must be said it was quite different from Robert's more funky synth version, this was more rock dancefloor singalong, but the song is strong enough to carry it. 7/10. Band Of Gold was tail-end of the Medley craze and not one I recall at all. I expect it was rubbish.

Fantastic to see 'Careless Whisper' topping that group for you, what a classic. I have only become more fond of it over time and remember giving it top marks in that Pop Factor second chance round on here, was surprised and disappointed it didn't advance from that. A very accomplished record, made all the more impressive given George's young age at the time. Iconic sax usage too of course.

'Dr Beat' is my other main highlight of that group so a snap top 2. As aforementioned by Snake, this song was introduced to my by the 'Doctor Pressure' mash-up with Mylo, which I still love. It took me some time to get used to the tempo of the original but I'm far more accustomed to it now, as it's my go to version on streaming, since the Mylo mash-up is sadly not on there. One of Miami Sound Machine's best moments.

Of course Careless Whispers is fantastic and would be top of this group for me too. Just falling short of a 10 though, maybe due to overplay.

Love Dr Beat and its later versions, especially Mylo’s.

Ink In The Well is lovely, moody is the right word.

Passengers is pretty unique.

Mothers Talk and The More You Live… are both songs I’d forgotten but really enjoyed on playing back

I didn’t know “Madame Butterfly” before. I don’t always warm to songs that try to combine pop with classical music but this one really hits the sweet spot in a way that’s quite moving.

9	Malcolm McLaren	Madam Butterfly (Un Bel Di Vedremo)	A astonishing reimagination of Puccini's aria as an electronic track that shouldn't work but is very powerful
8	Ray Parker Jr	Ghostbusters	1st hit for this US singer written for the film, and a track that manages to be both catchy and genuinely excellent
8	Alphaville	Big In Japan	Only hit for this German synth pop band whose best known song failed to chart: that's better but this is great
7	The Smiths	William, It Was Really Nothing	Another excellent and melancholy piece of storytelling from Morrissey about his friendship with Billy MacKenzie
7	Depeche Mode	Master And Servant	At the time the S&M subject matter caused controversy: it's a very good song and the robust production suits it
6	The Jacksons	Torture	A big improvement on their Mick Jagger collaboration, and a strong and slightly rocky song giving them a late hit
6	Bucks Fizz	Talking In Your Sleep	A cover of a Romantics song: this adds some good synthpop elements to what was already an enjoyable track
6	Break Machine	Are You Ready	Their 3rd and last hit: I do also like this one but they've certainly arrived in quality as well as success level order
5	Heaven 17	Sunset Now	Not a stellar performance from a lead single and it's ordinary compared to their previous great run of hits
5	Spandau Ballet	I'll Fly For You	A 9th Top 10 although their hit machine will start to falter soon, and another that's quite nice but unremarkable
5	Stevie Wonder	I Just Called To Say I Love You	538th #1: I do have a soft spot for the tenderness of this, but most of his discography is more sophisticated
4	Aztec Camera	All I Need Is Everything/Jump	Sadly the "Jump" cover is very limp, but "All I Need Is Everything" is enjoyable with good instrumental parts
4	Michael Jackson	Girl You're So Together	His group has the edge over his solo effort this time: it's well produced but the chorus is rather saccharine
4	Level 42	Hot Water	This isn't bad by any means but it just sounds like a typical '80s record and is the worst of a very good bunch

1984 Group 16:

#1483	15/09/1984	U2	Pride (In The Name Of Love)	3	8-4-{3}-4-8-13-19-25-34-55-61->11
#1484	15/09/1984	Shakin' Stevens	A Letter To You	10	23-11-{10}-12-19-28-37-57->8
#1485	08/09/1984	Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark	Tesla Girls	21	48-33-{21}-25-26-36-42-54->8
#1486	15/09/1984	Nik Kershaw	Human Racing	19	38-20-{19}-20-30-44-59->7
#1487	18/08/1984	Animal Nightlife	Mr Solitaire	25	72-49-46-41-40-36-32-{25}-27-32-36-60->12
#1488	22/09/1984	David Bowie	Blue Jean	6	17-{6}-7-17-27-39-54-75->8
#1489	22/09/1984	Queen	Hammer To Fall	13	19-{13}-19-28-37-53-72->7
#1490	22/09/1984	Bronski Beat	Why?	6	22-7-{6}-7-11-16-27-31-58-66->10
#1491	22/09/1984	Prince And The Revolution	Purple Rain	8	25-16-{8}-10-14-21-33-43-69->9
#1492	22/09/1984	Freddie Mercury	Love Kills	10	27-12-{10}-14-18-28-41-58->8
#1493	22/09/1984	Adam Ant	Apollo 9	13	28-15-{13}-15-21-33-44-65->8
#1494	22/09/1984	UB40	If It Happens Again	9	33-17-{9}-12-16-27-37-48->8
#1495	15/09/1984	Sade	Smooth Operator	19	45-34-29-22-22-{19}-20-30-40-62->10
#1496	15/09/1984	Stephanie Mills	The Medicine Song	29	59-39-33-{29}-29-29-35-46-71->9
#1497	29/09/1984	Big Country	East Of Eden	17	27-{17}-24-34-49-66->6
#1498	29/09/1984	Dio	Mystery	34	36-{34}-43-67->4

'Big In Japan' is very good how the production builds. Its a pity Alphaville only had one hit in UK but the riff near the end of 'Sounds Like A Melody' was sampled by Cappella in 'Got 2 Let The Music' so thats another good gateway betwen 80s synthpop and 90s eurodance. And of course 'Forever Young' had a happy hardcore cover by Interactive and a dreary acoustic cover by Becky Hill.

Yeah I don't like the subject matter of 'Master and Servant' but the production is just brilliant - great industrial beats.

Edited Friday at 18:151 day by TheSnake

Oh Madam Butterfly is absolutely gorgeous. Like you say, it shouldn’t work but it does. Goosebumps!

Ghostbusters is great fun, though I fell out of love with it at the time.

I actually think Big In Japan is the best Alphaville song.

William.. is one of the best early Smiths singles. With, IMO, the greatest two ‘b’ sides ever How Soon Is Now and Please Please Please…. Incredible! Even as a huge Smiths fan I never knew it was about the wonderful Billy MacKenzie though, so big thanks for that!

Master and Servant is good but not among the best DM songs.

I Just Called…. Is something I disliked at the time but I’ve definitely mellowed for, maybe that’s an age thing!