July 11Jul 11 There are three songs that I think are absolutely fantastic, in no particular order:The Sun Always Shines On TV - A-haThe Final Countdown - EuropeRock Me Amadeus - FalcoThen the very good ones:West End Girls - Pet Shop BoysTake My Breath Away - BerlinThe Lady In Red - Chris de BurghPapa Don't Preach - MadonnaAnd the ok ones to complete top ten:Caravan Of Love - The HousemartinsWhen The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going - Billy OceanChain Reaction - Diana RossThanks for doing this.
July 11Jul 11 I entirely agree with your top 2 and the order, indeed they were well ahead of all the other songs. West End Girls is a fabulous song, moody synth magnificence, I love the ‘ticking clock’ like rhythm too, Neil’s talk/rap was great. What a calling card it was, and a US number one too!However the PSBs would have even better songs to come, so….. I also choose The Sun Always Shines On TV as my number one. I’ve always thought it is comfortably the best Aha song, though I do love Take on Me. That fantastic intro sets the scene with that anticipatory build to the explosion of sound. Talk about throwing everything but the kitchen sink at a song. Coming full circle, in many ways the intro to the PSBs It’s A Sin mimicked it.A gorgeous song with brilliant passionate vocals from Morton. You’re right, dramatic is certainly the word to use, a powerful wonderful song, a deserved number one! Edited July 11Jul 11 by Jaz13music
July 11Jul 11 Thank you Rollo for a fab countdown and your excellent commentary. I really enjoyed reading and contributing. Here’s my ranking of the 20:-The Sun Always Shines on T.V. – AhaWest End Girls – Pet Shop BoysPapa Don't Preach – MadonnaTake My Breath Away – BerlinReet Petite – Jackie WilsonCaravan of Love – The HousemartinsChain Reaction – Diana RossA Different Corner – George MichaelThe Final Countdown – EuropeSpirit in the Sky – Doctor and the MedicsTrue Blue – MadonnaDon't Leave Me This Way - The Communards with Sarah Jane MorrisRock Me Amadeus – FalcoWhen the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going – Billy OceanThe Edge of Heaven – Wham!I Want to Wake Up With You – Boris GardinerThe Chicken Song – Spitting ImageThe Lady in Red – Chris de BurghEvery Loser Wins – Nick BerryLiving Doll – Cliff Richard & The Young Ones ft. Hank Marvin
July 11Jul 11 Excellent choice of #1! I fully approve... will post my order later once I've had chance to listen to everything again
July 11Jul 11 Same top 2 but the other way round. Both essential 80's classics imo. Thanks for running this Rollo. My overall rank.20 Boris Gardiner - I Want To Wake Up With You19 Nick Berry - Every Loser Wins18 Spitting Image - The Chicken Spng17 Chris De Burgh - The Lady In Red16 Cliff Richard and Young Ones - Living Doll15 Madonna - True Blue14 Wham! - The Edge Of Heaven13 Diana Ross - Chain Reaction 12 Housemartins - Caravan Of Love 11 Billy Ocean - When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Gets Going 10 Jackie Wilson - Reet Petite09 Doctor and The Medics - Spirit In The Sky08 The Commundards Ft Sarah Jane Morris - Don't Leave Me This Way07 George Michael - A Different Corner06 Madonna - Papa Don't Preach 05 Berlin - Take My Breath Away04 Falco - Rock Me Amadeus03 Europe - The Final Countdown02 A-ha - The Sun Always Shine On TV01 Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls
July 11Jul 11 Good top 3 and yes that a-ha song is epic (but has a bit of sadness to it too) and better than Take On Me.
July 12Jul 12 Berlin's is a great track, a classic from a film Ive never seen. Oops! I always thought it would be between PSB or a-ha for the top spot here, quite rightly, and I would also put them in that order too, and also think it's a-ha's finest moment ahead of Take On Me. West End Girls is unique and brilliant too, though. Pop music at its most perfect for a January start to any year. That said, my top 3 would include A Different Corner for a trio of deliciousness I have never stopped loving. Other great 1986 tunes that didnt get to the top:Human - Human League (US number 1)New Beginning (Mamba Seyra) - Bucks Fizz mark 2Open Your Heart - Madonna (US number 1)E=MC2 - Big Audio DynamiteOpportunites - Pet Shop BoysCalling America - ELOSometimes - ErasureHounds Of Love - Kate BushSuburbia - Pet Shop BoysI'll Never Be Maria Magdalena - Sandra
July 12Jul 12 '(I'll Never Be) Maria Magdalena' is fab.'Hounds of Love' I prefer to 'Running Up That Hill".
July 12Jul 12 Both good songs in the top 2, although I'd have 'West End Girls' higher. Those spoken verses with Stephen Hague's backdrop evoking the noise of the city made for such a unique sound - I've just listened to the original Bobby Orlando production and it doesn't have nearly the same impact.I think my top 3 would be (1) 'Caravan Of Love', (2) 'Don't Leave Me This Way', (3) 'West End Girls', then it's difficult for me to separate the next few but 'The Sun Always Shines On TV' would be one of them, its big tall production and lyrics maybe give it the edge over 'Take On Me' I think too. Thanks Rollo for the countdown!
July 12Jul 12 Great thread Rollo!Same top 3 in the same order I would have so well pleased with your top tier selection.
July 12Jul 12 Nice rundown @King Rollo - your ranking fits in most parts very good with mine.My ranking:The Sun Always Shines On TV - A-haTake My Breath Away - BerlinWest End Girls - Pet Shop BoysRock Me Amadeus - FalcoThe Final Countdown - EuropeChain Reaction - Diana RossA Different Corner - George MichaelReet Petite (The Sweetest Girl In Town) - Jackie WilsonPapa Don't Preach - MadonnaCaravan Of Love - The HousemartinsThe Edge Of Heaven - Wham!When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going - Billy OceanThe Lady In Red - Chris de BurghTrue Blue - MadonnaI Wanna Wake Up With You - Boris GardinerThe Chicken Song - Spitting ImageDon't Leave Me This Way - The Communards with Sarah Jane MorrisSpirit In The Sky - Doctor and the MedicsLiving Doll - Cliff Richard and The Young Ones featuring Hank MarvinEvery Loser Wins - Nick Berry
July 12Jul 12 5 hours ago, Popchartfreak said:Berlin's is a great track, a classic from a film Ive never seen. Oops! I always thought it would be between PSB or a-ha for the top spot here, quite rightly, and I would also put them in that order too, and also think it's a-ha's finest moment ahead of Take On Me. West End Girls is unique and brilliant too, though. Pop music at its most perfect for a January start to any year. That said, my top 3 would include A Different Corner for a trio of deliciousness I have never stopped loving.Other great 1986 tunes that didnt get to the top:Human - Human League (US number 1)New Beginning (Mamba Seyra) - Bucks Fizz mark 2Open Your Heart - Madonna (US number 1)E=MC2 - Big Audio DynamiteOpportunites - Pet Shop BoysCalling America - ELOSometimes - ErasureHounds Of Love - Kate BushSuburbia - Pet Shop BoysI'll Never Be Maria Magdalena - SandraGenerally your list is great… but Human is awful! The bit where he says “whilst you were away I was human too” is one of the cringiest lyrics I’ve heard! 😂
July 12Jul 12 We have the same top 4 so great stuff!I thought your top 2 would be the other way round, but both are fantastic so either's a great outcome. The Sun Always Shines on TV has one of my favourite intros of any 80s song and gives a suitably dramatic intro to forecast what's to come. The lyrics are quite over the top, but there's such a great vocal performance and wall of sound is barely matters. I love Take on Me, but this is a suitable number 1 for them too. Not much else I can add to West End Girls, though I would personally rank it as my favourite PSBs song and is still as standout, lyrically relevant and beautifully atmospheric every time I listen.Take My Breath Away and The Final Countdown were some of my earliest 80s discoveries so have a soft spot for them and do still think they are really great songs, so cheesy and over the top but that's what the 80s were best for and the production is wonderful and they really sing those cheesy lyrics like they mean them which adds to it. Only one in the top 5 I don't really strong opinions on is Chain Reaction, it's fine I guess xThanks for doing another one of these, Rollo, this would be my top 10 ranking:Pet Shop Boys - West End GirlsA-ha - The Sun Always Shines on TVEurope - The Final CountdownBerlin - Take My Breath AwayFalco - Rock Me AmadeusJackie Wilson - Reet PetiteThe Housemartins - Caravan of LoveMadonna - Papa Don't PreachThe Communards - Don't Leave Me This WayBilly Ocean - When The Going Gets Tough (The Tough Get Going)11. Spitting Image - The Chicken Song
July 13Jul 13 16 hours ago, dandy* said:Generally your list is great… but Human is awful! The bit where he says “whilst you were away I was human too” is one of the cringiest lyrics I’ve heard! 😂Yes I remember how much you enjoy hearing that one! 😄Very much splits Human League fans I think. I just treat it like a missing Janet Jackson single, and the protagonists being a right pair, both shagging about, so deserving of each other...🤩
July 13Jul 13 Your Top 2 are probably my numbers 3 and 4. Whilst on a par with each other the A-ha song only has "Take On Me" to rival as the best of their songs but wins because it's not as overplayed. "West End Girls" on the other hand is far from my favourite Pet Shop Boys song but that's due to the high standards they set with other songs.
July 15Jul 15 Apologies, I'm late to the party with one of these threads concluding again, wasn't feeling very well for several days so playing catch-up now.'Take My Breath Away' is a wonderful start to your podium! I am a sucker for a slow burn synth and the vocals are also great as you pointed out. Interesting to read that it was originally offered to The Motels as they've just been entered to BJSC (with 'Suddenly Last Summer') but unfortunately DNQed. I didn't see Top Gun until the Maverick sequel came out in 2022, the first ever double bill I've done at the cinema - and ended up preferring the second film!'West End Girls' is a brilliant runner-up with quintessential Pet Shop Boys charm. Incredible that it was a Stateside chart topper too!Cannot complain about 'The Sun Always Shines on T.V.' coming out on top either love the build-up from that slow, dramatic opening chorus to the synthtastic instrumental break onwards. I can understand why it lives in the shadow of 'Take On Me' but I'm glad it does have a #1 position to its name at least. a-ha birthing two Quiz Master favourites in "which a-ha song reached #1?' and "which group got to #1 with 'Take On Me?'" Thank you for this fantastic countdown, Rollo!My own top 10 would look like this:01 Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls02 a-ha - The Sun Always Shines on T.V.03 George Michael - A Different Corner04 Berlin - Take My Breath Away05 Falco - Rock Me Amadeus06 Madonna - Papa Don't Preach07 Jackie Wilson - Reet Petite (The Sweetest Girl In Town)08 Doctor and the Medics - Spirit In The Sky09 Wham! - The Edge of Heaven10 The Housemartins - Caravan of LoveSo almost the same favourite.
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