20 hours ago, Jaz13music said:

Two brilliant synth classics at the top! Both quite dark and ‘detached’ in their delivery but wonderfully melodic. Very far ahead of their time, so much so that, as you described, it literally took years for the public to catch up to The Model! 

That’s a really fantastic top 10 Jade, I couldn’t argue with any of them.

Aside from the songs and artists you have highlighted I’ve tried to put together a list of 30 others I’d consider for my top 70s songs. I’m afraid I’m nowhere near as disciplined as you so I couldn’t put them in an order! 🫢

Walk on the Wild Side - Lou Reed

Pop Muzik - M & Robin Scott

All the Young Dudes - Mott the Hoople

Spirit In the Sky - Norman Greenbaum

Band On the Run - Paul McCartney & Wings

Message In A Bottle - The Police

Killer Queen - Queen

Brown Sugar - The Rolling Stones

Anarchy In the U.K. - Sex Pistols

Making Plans for Nigel - XTC

Hot Love - T. Rex

Blockbuster - Sweet

Superstition - Stevie Wonder

Teenage Kicks - The Undertones

Come and Get It - Badfinger

Across the Universe - The Beatles

Jive Talkin' - Bee Gees

Video Killed the Radio Star - The Buggles

It's Too Late - Carole King

I Fought the Law - The Clash

Boys Don't Cry - The Cure

Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) - Edison Lighthouse

Oliver's Army - Elvis Costello & The Attractions

December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night) - The Four Seasons

A Case of You - Joni Mitchell

Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division

That's the Way (I Like It) - KC and the Sunshine Band

Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me) - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel

I’m Not In Love - 10cc

Uptown Top Ranking - Althea & Donna

Dark and detached is a great way to describe both! I'd say I'm generally quite an upbeat person yet I'm attracted to a lot of dark, miserable synth music (complimentary) so that is interesting psychologically, haha.

Glad you liked my picks and there are sooooo many great ones in your list! You've reminded me that pretty much the whole of Unknown Pleasures should've been an honourable mention, what an album. Although 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' was released as a separate, standalone entity in early 1980 as far as I'm aware? So may still have a shot in the 1980s - we shall see. :o

15 hours ago, Chez Wombat said:

This is another case as with the 60s where I love nine of these and aren't very familiar with one! I remember the Serge Gainsbourg song from the retro song contest sounding quite interesting though.

I thought that would be number 1 but a fantastic one, Kraftwerk are still an act I need to explore deeper with, but all the songs I know are wonderful including that one, shoutout also to the wonderful double a-side that would top the charts next decade, Computer Love which definitely fit in well with the tech anxiety of the later 70s years.

Are Friends Electric is great too, for such an angry, mysterious sounding instrumental and sci-fi lyrics, there's definitely a lot of sadness in there too and indeed makes a lot of sense from an Autistic person. 1979 felt like a year that really ushered the innovative experimentation that would continue into the new decade, as well as being full of classic chart hits. So it's great to see some representation from there like Heart of Glass & Another Brick In The Wall Part 2.

Wuthering Heights is one I associate strongly with my A Levels as I was studying the book at the time, a wonderful song and incredible debut, I prefer the Hounds of Love era, but this is my overall favourite song from her.

I think the one here I don't think I knew you liked as much was Don't Fear The Reaper but a great choice! My rough top 10 is below, most of yours that aren't here would be just outside (I'd have Heroes over Life on Mars but obviously love both):

01. Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights

02. David Bowie - Heroes

03. Pink Floyd - Another Brick in the Wall Part 2

04. Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven

05. Lou Reed - Perfect Day

06. Electric Light Orchestra - Mr Blue Sky

07. Blondie - Heart of Glass

08. The Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star

09. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody

10. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run

(11. Donna Summer - I Feel Love

12. Goblin - Suspiria

13. Boston - More Than a Feeling

14. The Clash - London Calling

15. Kraftwerk - The Model)

Gosh that was hard to limit to 10, might have to expand going forward x

I'd highly recommend a Kraftwerk deep dive! Maybe starting with Autobahn and going all the way up to Computer World, as all five of those albums are essential. I know how much you also appreciate dark synths and there's a lot more tech anxiety where that came from, so think you'd have a good time with their stuff too.

Ah I didn't know you shared my opinion of liking Hounds of Love the most as a body of work but also consider 'Wuthering Heights' as your #1 Kate Bush song, love that <3

Yeah perhaps I haven't been too vocal about my appreciation of '(Don't Fear) the Reaper' on the forum until now but it's indeed a staple on my Halloween playlist *.*

'Heroes' is of course a great Bowie pick too ❤️ and some other strong choices there as well - particularly Queen, Lou Reed, The Buggles and The Clash.

Also, I totally hear you with the pain of limiting this to just 10 songs a decade. If I wasn't determined to write paragraphs for every song then I probably could've done a top 50 for each decade or something. Alas, at the moment I think I have the right level of hyper focus to actually get this finished with 10 a decade

11 hours ago, Severin said:

Sharing the love for Kraftwerk. A monumental band in my formative listening although strangely The Model isn't among my very top favourites.

Aw fair enough, what would you say your top favourite Kraftwerk songs are? What a catalogue!

9 hours ago, Julian_ said:

I really need to try and get back to my 1970s reviews which stalled in 1972. I’ve already given “Starman” a 10 but “Life On Mars?” is coming up in 1973. I’m don’t know if I can persuade others to cover them with me like with the ‘80s: that decade is of course a much easier sell for group projects.

Until then I don’t feel ready to do any meaningful lists but yours is of course brilliant, and it’s nice that you’ve found room for 1 obscure song. I don’t think “Cargo Culte” is even all that well known within Serge Gainsbourg’s discography, but it is beautiful and I ranked it either 2nd or 3rd in the ‘70s retro contest I think. The Rainbow track got my 12 in that and good to see one of the best heavy rock tracks ever represented here with “Layla”.

I really commend the scale of your projects! I'm thankful there's more of a retro co-hort on the forum these days as I remember it was a struggle to get enough interest for even '80s Now album plug.dj sessions back in the day. Although, as you say, pre-'80s is still a tougher sell. I'll aim to cheerlead 'Life on Mars?' amongst others if it does come back! 'Starman' is a worthy 10 too.

Thank you for the kind words! I remembered 'Cargo culte' just about avoiding the bottom 5, so double checked who gave it points the other day to see if it was anyone commenting along in this thread and you indeed awarded it a silver medal, taste 🤩 the accompanying soundtrack is so innovative in general and deserves more flowers indeed, even if the subject matter is controversial.

---

I shall start the '80s at the weekend! Very excited to get into this decade.

1 hour ago, Jade said:

Glad you liked my picks and there are sooooo many great ones in your list! You've reminded me that pretty much the whole of Unknown Pleasures should've been an honourable mention, what an album. Although 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' was released as a separate, standalone entity in early 1980 as far as I'm aware? So may still have a shot in the 1980s - we shall see. :o

Oops, yes of course you’re right, sorry! 🫢

At least that means I can now find room for

Van Morrison’s Brown Eyed Girl😅

And, in that case, I’ll probably catch up with Joy Division in the 80s then….

11 hours ago, Julian_ said:

Until then I don’t feel ready to do any meaningful lists but yours is of course brilliant, and it’s nice that you’ve found room for 1 obscure song. I don’t think “Cargo Culte” is even all that well known within Serge Gainsbourg’s discography, but it is beautiful and I ranked it either 2nd or 3rd in the ‘70s retro contest I think. The Rainbow track got my 12 in that and good to see one of the best heavy rock tracks ever represented here with “Layla”.

I’m curious now, which Rainbow song got your 12? I’d love to have a go at a 70s retro contest, maybe we’ll revisit it again one day?!

28 minutes ago, Jaz13music said:

I’m curious now, which Rainbow song got your 12? I’d love to have a go at a 70s retro contest, maybe we’ll revisit it again one day?!

“Stargazer”

My favourite Kraftwerk tracks would be - Radioactivity, Trans Europe Express, Europe Endless, Showroom Dummies, The Hall of Mirrors, Kometenmelodie 2. Then we'd get to Antenna, The Model, The Robots and Autobahn.

TEE is my favourite album of theirs and right up there for me

Its a good list you have for 70s. I don't know a massive amount about music from that decade. A big yes for Tubeway Army. I like The Model but Kraftwerk have better songs.

Life on Mars one of Bowie's, best a sad song though.

I would probably have Sparks - This Town Ain't Big Enough in my top 10 for that decade. Its up there with Wuthering Heights for unique art pop. Metal Guru by T Rex I would probably have top 10 probably too - best #1 of the early 70s.

1980s

Time to delve into what was acceptable in the eighties and still holds up now! I present to you my favourites from the final decade where I did not exist at all.

I'm an early '80s girl through and through, with new wave / post-punk continuing to thrive and the new romantics movement also blossoming. I do love a good synth, but moreso a dark one, rather than the SAW direction that invaded the charts during the second half of the decade. Although some get a pass, especially 'You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)', what a tune. That's not to say this top 10 is completely devoid of late '80s songs though, as some exciting movements were counteracting that. It's just largely dominated by those first few years.

My parents introduced me to a lot of '90s music growing up but I'd say it was the Now! That's What I Call Music series that increased my interest in the '80s. This franchise began with the first U.K. edition in 1983 and still runs to this day, currently boasting 124 volumes here. My parents kindly bought me the first ten volumes on vinyl for my 17th birthday, back when it was a bit cheaper to do such a thing, before the modern vinyl boom really took off. Listening to those records was a valuable exercise in expanding my '80s music knowledge and it took off from there. I've since completed that numbered Now collection on vinyl, right up to the 35th volume from 1996.

But back to the '80s... I do like bright colours, but can't say I'm too gutted to have missed out on the shoulder pads and perms! A part of me does wish I could have experienced the music as it was happening, though. Forever jealous that my mum's first concert was The Jam before they made the decision to go out on a high. As for film, I could certainly mention a third Kubrick movie in a row as The Shining is right up there, but I'll swerve and say the gut wrenching animated film Grave of the Fireflies, from Studio Ghibli, is my favourite of the decade.

Let's get into a pretty synthtastic top 10 then...

#10 ABBA - 'Lay All Your Love On Me' (1980)

#09 The Primitives - 'Crash' (1988)

ABBA are commonly associated with the '70s - as their output was most prolific during this time, the decade housed their Eurovision Song Contest win and also their signature song 'Dancing Queen'. However, I'm more of a 1980s ABBA fan as my holy trinity were all released then: 'One Of Us', 'The Winner Takes it All' and of course, 'Lay All Your Love On Me'.

This song was a track on the group's seventh album Super Trouper and wasn't originally pencilled in as a single. However, it later received a limited release on the 12" vinyl format, which became the best selling 12" single to date until New Order's 'Blue Monday' snatched the title a couple of years later.

'Lay All Your Love On Me' was written by ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. Fellow group member Agnetha Fältskog takes the reins on lead vocal, with Anni-Frid Lyngstad backing her on the most gorgeous, choral harmonies during the chorus - some of which were fed through a vocoder. Andersson and Ulvaeus went with this stylistic choice as they felt the chorus sounded like a hymn. Another notable effect is the descending vocal that builds momentum just before that chorus.

Fältskog plays the part of the narrator so well as she powerfully nails the unravelling thought process of a woman madly in love. I particularly enjoy the third verse that explores the back story of what has lead to her possessive insecurity. Rounding off those sentences with: "...love affairs" / "...pretty scarce" / "...that was sensible" / "it makes the truth even more incomprehensible" is really standout and gripping drama.

I of course enjoy the electro-disco production of this song too! There's an upbeat, melodic groove throughout that is mixed with a darker urgency, much like the lyrics and vocals. The keyboards, synths, guitars and drums all shine while creating this haunting effect - especially coming together on that final chorus with extra oomph.

'Lay All Your Love On Me' reached #7 based on that limited 12" release which was the group's 19th U.K. top 10 hit overall and penultimate one of the 20th century.

...

My introduction to 'Crash' was a rather silly one as I first knew it through the 2007 cover by Busted member Matt Willis, from the soundtrack to Mr Bean's Holiday! I thought this song was catchy in any form but the original vocals and instrumentation from the Primitives' version truly completes the experience.

This track could easily slot into the 1990s with its timeless indie pop sound. I love the jangly guitar opening (played by main songwriter Paul “PJ” Court) that soon launches into a sudden loud burst of guitar static, appropriately crashing. This then turns into a more driving, percussive sound along with the bass (played by Steve Dullaghan) and actual drumming (provided by Tig Williams). The hand claps are a fun addition later on too.

Lead singer Tracy Tracy (or Tracy Cattell) gives a wonderful vocal performance throughout. She pulls off a cool mixture of both calm and concern while singing about a reckless relationship. The song has quite a breezy feel to it yet some of the words are pretty brutal, such as: "shut your mouth, 'cause I'm not listening anyhow". My favourite little touch in the song is the stop-start effect just before that line, when she says the word "shut..." for a first time before launching into the line in full, love that shift in momentum.

Overall, this song is a compact adrenaline rush and ridiculously catchy, especially those "na-na-na"'s during the chorus.

'Crash' was a smash and made #5 in the U.K. singles chart, the band's only top 20 result here.

Yeah I prefer the early 80s too specificially 1981 and 1982, but yeah there are a few great for their time dance songs from the end of the decade like Inner City - Good Life.

Another fabulous top 10 and commentaries for the 70s! Very happy to see 'The Model' at #1, the fact it topped the UK chart 4 fast-moving years later and still sounded ahead of its time goes to show how visionary Kraftwerk were! 'Are 'Friends' Electric?' is a fantastic runner-up too, again lyrically intiguing and wouldn't have been out of place in the 80s.

I'd have to give some thought to my full top 10 for the decade, but I think I'd have 'The Model' here (for sure if not in the 80s) as well as 'Life On Mars?', so at least two in common! I think 'Dreaming' would be my Blondie pick just ahead of 'Atomic' for the 80s, but they had so many great songs and 'Heart Of Glass' is up there.

I guess you feel similarly to 'Cargo culte' as I do with 'Do The Strand' (which perhaps wouldn't be far away from my 70s top 10, even if it doesn't quite make it!) I remember that 2023 contest as I was away for half of the voting period and also had BJSC / RotD going on in the other half, so voted fairly quickly and didn't give a lot of time for growers, which this may have been after giving it another listen now. Great to see a few leftfield picks in these lists though!

Much love for the Kate Bush and Pink Floyd picks here too, plus '(Don't Fear) The Reaper' - a rock classic, glad to see some shared appreciation for it!

(started writing this before the last 2 posts )

My main takeaway from reading all your 70s commentaries and relistening to the songs is that I have severely underrated '(Don't Fear) The Reaper' - I've always been a fan of it but as per usual for me I don't really pay much mind to lyrics / the meaning behind the song, I'm not sure how I never realised what that song was about but now that I know it gives the song a real beauty and a sort of calming aura despite the morbid subject matter. I don't think I've ever heard another song from them but they hit it out of the park with their one hit. Funny that Jaz commented about it sounding ahead of its time as I can see that but I also saw a comment in a review of the song on RateYourMusic saying the vocal harmonies sound straight out of Woodstock and I can totally see that as well, a very timeless song! I don't think I'd have guessed you were a big enough fan of the song to include it here but very glad it crept in to allow me to gain this new appreciation <3

Otherwise - the top 3 are of course all rock solid early synth classics so you won't find me slandering your #1 pick this time (although I think I marginally prefer the other half of the 'The Model'/'Computer Love' double A-Side, what a pair of songs though <3). The guitar riff of 'Layla' is forever burnt into my memory as it was my mum's ringtone (much like The Tamperer's 'Feel It' for being my dad's ringtone, though I'm going to predict that's less likely to make an appearance here ), obligatory boo to Eric Clapton's politics but he did make something special with that song. The piano part is less familiar to me but also lovely. Your picks for Bowie, Bush and Blondie are not the ones I'd have gone with (that'd be 'Starman', 'Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)' and 'Atomic' respectively) but all undeniably great songs as well, was a moment to see 'Wuthering Heights' sneaking back into the top 40 this year despite not even being used in the new film. Coincidentally commenting on this just as another similarly young British woman has got her first #1 of course! And much love for 'Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 2' as well, great choice from Pink Floyd to release a rare actual single there, one of the most standout Christmas #1s, excellent use of the children's vocals.

Serge Gainsbourg definitely sticks out a bit on the list being otherwise full of #1s and/or rock classics so wow at that working its way into your list as a more recent underground discovery! I gave it 7 points in the retro contest but haven't revisited it since (I reeeeally need to get around to making some playlists of my favourites from non-BJSC contests as I keep meaning to), still sounding very good now.

(I'll most likely continue to just dump thoughts on the songs after you finish each decade's writeups as I am quite enjoying listening through the top 10s back-to-back but will just say now I'm glad you decided to move Kraftwerk back to the 70s as could not be having 'Lay All Your Love On Me' missing out!!)

Another two great ones to start the decade.

I was thinking you might be having an ABBA song in your 80s list, having not seen them in the 70s. Lay All Your love On Me is fantastic, I especially love the bridge into the chorus bit. One Of Us is another one I love and both would challenge Dancing Queen for my ABBA favourite.

Crash is a lovely blast of indie pop, energetic and catchy, part of the lineage of bands from the ‘Spector sound’ girl groups of the 60s, through Blondie in the 70s/early 80s. Great stuff!

Some of my faves of the 60s there too.

Paint It Black, Whiter Shade of Pale.

My favorite Beach Boys song is I Get Around. Favorite Beatles is Here Comes the Sun.

Stand By Me is a song that I thought I liked until I had to rank it in my ranking of Top 10 of 1987.

8 hours ago, TheSnake said:

Yeah I prefer the early 80s too specificially 1981 and 1982, but yeah there are a few great for their time dance songs from the end of the decade like Inner City - Good Life.

The weekly '80s SyncTube sessions have reminded me how strong both 1981 and 1982 are, so great picks there!

7 hours ago, jimwatts said:

Another fabulous top 10 and commentaries for the 70s! Very happy to see 'The Model' at #1, the fact it topped the UK chart 4 fast-moving years later and still sounded ahead of its time goes to show how visionary Kraftwerk were! 'Are 'Friends' Electric?' is a fantastic runner-up too, again lyrically intiguing and wouldn't have been out of place in the 80s.

I'd have to give some thought to my full top 10 for the decade, but I think I'd have 'The Model' here (for sure if not in the 80s) as well as 'Life On Mars?', so at least two in common! I think 'Dreaming' would be my Blondie pick just ahead of 'Atomic' for the 80s, but they had so many great songs and 'Heart Of Glass' is up there.

I guess you feel similarly to 'Cargo culte' as I do with 'Do The Strand' (which perhaps wouldn't be far away from my 70s top 10, even if it doesn't quite make it!) I remember that 2023 contest as I was away for half of the voting period and also had BJSC / RotD going on in the other half, so voted fairly quickly and didn't give a lot of time for growers, which this may have been after giving it another listen now. Great to see a few leftfield picks in these lists though!

Much love for the Kate Bush and Pink Floyd picks here too, plus '(Don't Fear) The Reaper' - a rock classic, glad to see some shared appreciation for it!

(started writing this before the last 2 posts )

Thank you for the kind words <3 I was especially looking forward to your take on my #1 pick as I had remembered both me and you giving Kraftwerk top marks in that 1980s #1 singles rate on here *.* glad your appreciation extends to some of the other songs in this top 10 too.

'Dreaming' has really crept up on me over the last few years so I approve of that Blondie favourite! I wish I had got far enough in Pop Factor to send it there. Here's hoping to do a bit better in the third edition, think I have my three potential acts in mind now.

Poor brave 'Do the Strand', that song is burnt into my brain as I hosted that contest so replayed each entry many times when creating the recap videos!

3 hours ago, Bror said:

My main takeaway from reading all your 70s commentaries and relistening to the songs is that I have severely underrated '(Don't Fear) The Reaper' - I've always been a fan of it but as per usual for me I don't really pay much mind to lyrics / the meaning behind the song, I'm not sure how I never realised what that song was about but now that I know it gives the song a real beauty and a sort of calming aura despite the morbid subject matter. I don't think I've ever heard another song from them but they hit it out of the park with their one hit. Funny that Jaz commented about it sounding ahead of its time as I can see that but I also saw a comment in a review of the song on RateYourMusic saying the vocal harmonies sound straight out of Woodstock and I can totally see that as well, a very timeless song! I don't think I'd have guessed you were a big enough fan of the song to include it here but very glad it crept in to allow me to gain this new appreciation <3

Otherwise - the top 3 are of course all rock solid early synth classics so you won't find me slandering your #1 pick this time (although I think I marginally prefer the other half of the 'The Model'/'Computer Love' double A-Side, what a pair of songs though <3). The guitar riff of 'Layla' is forever burnt into my memory as it was my mum's ringtone (much like The Tamperer's 'Feel It' for being my dad's ringtone, though I'm going to predict that's less likely to make an appearance here ), obligatory boo to Eric Clapton's politics but he did make something special with that song. The piano part is less familiar to me but also lovely. Your picks for Bowie, Bush and Blondie are not the ones I'd have gone with (that'd be 'Starman', 'Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)' and 'Atomic' respectively) but all undeniably great songs as well, was a moment to see 'Wuthering Heights' sneaking back into the top 40 this year despite not even being used in the new film. Coincidentally commenting on this just as another similarly young British woman has got her first #1 of course! And much love for 'Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 2' as well, great choice from Pink Floyd to release a rare actual single there, one of the most standout Christmas #1s, excellent use of the children's vocals.

Serge Gainsbourg definitely sticks out a bit on the list being otherwise full of #1s and/or rock classics so wow at that working its way into your list as a more recent underground discovery! I gave it 7 points in the retro contest but haven't revisited it since (I reeeeally need to get around to making some playlists of my favourites from non-BJSC contests as I keep meaning to), still sounding very good now.

(I'll most likely continue to just dump thoughts on the songs after you finish each decade's writeups as I am quite enjoying listening through the top 10s back-to-back but will just say now I'm glad you decided to move Kraftwerk back to the 70s as could not be having 'Lay All Your Love On Me' missing out!!)

Oh your comment about '(Don't Fear) The Reaper' made me smile so much!! Really happy the commentary gave you a new perspective on the song :) can see the Woodstock thing also!

'Computer Love' is great too, I re-listened to the accompanying album in full earlier and admire how they fit so many songs with the word 'computer' on there. I guess 'The Model' is darker in sound which is probably why it appeals to me that bit more. Honestly both of those ringtones are tunes, taste! The only parental ringtone I recall was my mum having 'Perfect Stranger' by Magnetic Man/Katy B as hers for years, the intro of that song still makes me think her phone is ringing Those Bowie, Bush and Blondie picks are great too tbf, all amazing artists.

I wasn't sure what you'd think of 'Cargo culte' when I sent it as I know French vocals are quite hit-or-miss for you, so was relieved you were a fan!

Fair, thank you for commenting after each decade is done nevertheless :D thought you might approve of 'Lay All Your Love On Me' hanging on!!

2 hours ago, Jaz13music said:

Another two great ones to start the decade.

I was thinking you might be having an ABBA song in your 80s list, having not seen them in the 70s. Lay All Your love On Me is fantastic, I especially love the bridge into the chorus bit. One Of Us is another one I love and both would challenge Dancing Queen for my ABBA favourite.

Crash is a lovely blast of indie pop, energetic and catchy, part of the lineage of bands from the ‘Spector sound’ girl groups of the 60s, through Blondie in the 70s/early 80s. Great stuff!

Yes that descending note is such a cool way to transition into the chorus! Glad you're also a fan of 'One Of Us', it's so moving <3

Ooh I love that Spector sound lineage comparison! That definitely helps to explain part of the reason why 'Crash' appeals so much to me, I'm clearly a sucker for that sound.

2 minutes ago, Colm said:

Some of my faves of the 60s there too.

Paint It Black, Whiter Shade of Pale.

My favorite Beach Boys song is I Get Around. Favorite Beatles is Here Comes the Sun.

Stand By Me is a song that I thought I liked until I had to rank it in my ranking of Top 10 of 1987.

Oh no poor 'Stand By Me'! I suppose it's an odd one to compare against the actual '80s songs from that year

Glad we do share some favourites though :) and I love how appreciated 'Here Comes the Sun' is in the streaming era despite merely being an album track.

---

Thanks all for the comments since I last posted :) <3

Wuthering Heights

Chiquita

I Feel Love

Starman

Jolene

Le Freak

Rock Lobster

I'm Not In Love

right now these would be my 70s picks

Edited September 12Sep 12 by Colm

1980s

#08 Pet Shop Boys - 'West End Girls' (1985)

#07 Frankie Goes To Hollywood - 'Two Tribes' (1984)

Pet Shop Boys are the first act to drop out that I've had the pleasure of seeing live! My parents took me and my brother to Take That's Progress tour when we were 12 and 13, which was a big 5-piece spectacle at Wembley Stadium, with Pet Shop Boys as the support act. It was a great time! I could have picked from a multitude of songs in their catalogue and my favourite has shifted several times over the years, but right now it is 'West End Girls' that I'm most fond of.

'West End Girls' has existed on record in some form since 1984 but the version most known and loved today was first released the following year.

Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe first met each other by chance in a hi-fi shop where Tennant was having the wires of his keyboard welded to his sound system. Lowe struck up a conversation about synths and then ended up going to Tennant's house to check out the keyboard. They would soon start writing songs together. Tennant then tracked down underground dance producer Bobby Orlando while he was in New York to interview Sting as a journalist for Smash Hits magazine, another very cool part of his CV. Orlando agreed to work with them and produced early versions of several Pet Shop Boys songs, including: 'Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)', 'Rent', 'It's a Sin' and of course, 'West End Girls'.

The original version of 'West End Girls' has a faster paced, grittier sound on the whole and even lifts a drum part from Michael Jackson's 'Billie Jean'. The lyrics are largely the same but I noticed some differences, such as the inclusion of "all your stopping, stalling and starting, who do you think you are, Joe Stalin?" which is removed in the later version. The earlier iteration got some attention in certain LA and San Francisco clubs, as well as becoming a minor dance hit in Belgium and France, but was only available in the U.K. as a 12" import.

In 1985, after long negotiations, Pet Shop Boys cut ties with Orlando and hired manager Tom Watkins, who signed them to EMI. They now worked with producer Stephen Hague instead to re-record and rearrange 'West End Girls', turning it into the hit version we know today. This American producer had previously worked with Brits like Malcolm McLaren and OMD. I can see some underground charm in the original version of 'West End Girls' but do prefer the sleek makeover that Hague gave it.

Tennant was inspired by T.S. Eliot's narrative shifting poem 'The Waste Land' and also the pioneering rap track 'The Message' by Grandmaster Flash, when writing 'West End Girls'. He wanted to create a socially conscious rap song of his own. Tagging 'West End Girls' as 'rap' is a questionable categorisation but Tennant's delivery is largely spoken-word nevertheless. This narrator style voice feels particularly effective coming off the back of his own editorial background.

'West End Girls' is a commentary on class in 1980s London, although some less specific lines can be more broadly interpreted as finding connection in this messy world. The "west end girls" in the story are posh while the "east end boys" are representing the less privileged, who may want the attention of these girls to climb socially. Tennant was inspired by the real life east end Kray twins and the psychology behind "west end girls" who involve themselves with these crime-related men. I enjoy the contrast of Tennant's soft spoken vocals with the darker lyrics. "Sometimes you're better off dead" is quite the intense opener! 'West End Girls' is also the first track in this countdown to reference another that has appeared before, as "you've got a heart of glass or a heart of stone" is a direct reference to the Blondie song, in addition to the Rolling Stones' 'Heart of Stone'.

'Heart of Stone' is not the only Mick Jagger-adjacent connection to this song! In addition to Tennant, a female vocalist named Helena Springs was also brought in to perform backing vocals for 'West End Girls', adding an echoey layer to the song. Springs has also performed backing vocals on Mick Jagger and David Bowie's version of 'Dancing in the Street'.

The track opens with atmospheric traffic noise and continues to walk us through the streets of London at a leisurely pace, much like the music video. I love the dark, layered, synthesised production - including that electro bassline, trumpet flourishes and the strings also added by Hague, which stood out to me more than ever after comparing with the original version. The 'Billie Jean' drum part was taken out for the final product but I'm still satisfied with the drum machines here.

Overall, this feels accomplished, intelligent and with a lot of British charm.

'West End Girls' got a re-release in 1985, now with its Hague makeover and topped the U.K. chart for two weeks. Impressively, the song also made #1 in the U.S., riding the wave of the second "British invasion" thanks to the explosion of MTV earlier in the decade.

'West End Girls' was later covered by East 17 in the 1990s (where it reached #11) and was also performed at the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics, further cementing its legacy.

...

My earliest specific memory related to Frankie Goes to Hollywood was taking it upon myself to create a project about banned songs for school, which lead me to research 'Relax' in detail. I think that song is fantastic, in fact all three of the Frankie #1s achieved in their banner year were, but 'Two Tribes' ended up becoming my favourite long-term.

'Relax' wasn't going to be easy to follow but Frankie Goes to Hollywood took the bull by the horns and released another in-your-face stomper. There was still some hedonism on offer (with lines such as: "are we living in a world where sex and horror are the new Gods?") but the focus had largely shifted to war this time.

'Two Tribes' is a ballsy endeavour lyrically, production-wise and visually, hitting the nail on the head from every angle. This anti-war anthem does have themes that can be applied broadly, like friction between any two people, but is quite obviously referencing then-U.S. president Ronald Reagan both lyrically and visually, while a likeness to then-Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Konstantin Chernenko also appears in the music video, directed by Godley & Creme. The two characters are seen sparring while the band are onlooking reporters. The match descends into the destruction of the world.

I wasn't around to experience any of the Cold War, or the looming fears of nuclear war specifically related to that, but the lyrics continue to hit hard in a world that remains messed up and still with conflict. Ultimately... the "an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind" sentiment present in the song and video is evergreen.

Holly Johnson holds his own vocally, with commanding snarl, which is no mean feat when he is up against such standout production.

'Two Tribes' opens with a rather delicate and beautiful piano solo before taking a very maximalist turn, which swiftly blows the doors down. Such OTT production could've been a turn off but instead Trevor Horn masterfully created an exhilarating back-drop, especially that charging bassline. The additional guitar and percussive work also does a great job evoking a battleground atmosphere.

'Relax' laid the groundwork for Frankie's unforgettable 1984 and 'Two Tribes' built on this momentum, when it debuted at #1 in the U.K. Singles chart. It spent an incredible 9 weeks at the top, aided by a campaign of remix releases, which was the longest run at #1 during the 1980s. Incredibly, 'Relax' climbed back up to #2 at one point while 'Two Tribes' was sitting at the top - a rare feat for any act.

Again, I can’t argue with those two, both absolutely brilliant songs!

West End Girls was a wonderful calling card for the best duo of the 80s (maybe all time?!) It all just sounds so cool, and I especially love the percussion that sounds like a ticking clock, which I find so satisfying! At this stage, with artists as fantastically great and consistent as the PSBs I usually say I can’t choose a favourite. But since they made, IMO, probably the greatest pop song ever in the absolutely perfect What Have I Done To Deserve This, I don’t have to be a cop out as usual 😆!

FGTH had such an unbelievable triad of singles in 1984, and as I mentioned in Julian’s 80s thread, it depends on my mood which one I prefer at any particular time. Two Tribes is certainly the most exhilarating, with its driving rhythm, brilliant baseline, and ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ production. Welcome To The Pleasuredome in its full album version is also fantastic, almost to the level of the three number ones.

Really looking forward to your top six!

West End Girls is my least favorite PSB single until perhaps Where The Streets Have No Name.

I feels oddly emotionally unengaging.

'Crash' sonically could equally be from 1980, with its post-punk sound, or from the 90s as you say.

'Lay All Your Love' is like 70s and early 80s mixed. 'West End Girls' is also good, more like 80s and 90s mixed, the female backing vocal bits sound more 90s. 'Two Tribes' is the best track though just for the dance-rock energy.

Edited September 13Sep 13 by TheSnake

17 hours ago, Jaz13music said:

Again, I can’t argue with those two, both absolutely brilliant songs!

West End Girls was a wonderful calling card for the best duo of the 80s (maybe all time?!) It all just sounds so cool, and I especially love the percussion that sounds like a ticking clock, which I find so satisfying! At this stage, with artists as fantastically great and consistent as the PSBs I usually say I can’t choose a favourite. But since they made, IMO, probably the greatest pop song ever in the absolutely perfect What Have I Done To Deserve This, I don’t have to be a cop out as usual 😆!

FGTH had such an unbelievable triad of singles in 1984, and as I mentioned in Julian’s 80s thread, it depends on my mood which one I prefer at any particular time. Two Tribes is certainly the most exhilarating, with its driving rhythm, brilliant baseline, and ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ production. Welcome To The Pleasuredome in its full album version is also fantastic, almost to the level of the three number ones.

Really looking forward to your top six!

'What Have I Done To Deserve This' has really crept up on me so I rate that as a favourite pick! My top PSBs song has changed so many times, what a discography.

Agreed 'Welcome To The Pleasuredome' is fantastic in addition to their triple whammy of chart-toppers, they were on fire that year 🤩

Yay! Looking forward to sharing #6 and #5 later tonight ❤️

14 hours ago, Colm said:

West End Girls is my least favorite PSB single until perhaps Where The Streets Have No Name.

13 hours ago, Colm said:

I feels oddly emotionally unengaging.

Oh wow 😮 although I've just reminded myself of what they released in that period, what a run. I can see why you'd feel that way - especially considering some of the lyrical content they touch on elsewhere in their discography. But I'm evidently attracted to this detached synth sound if my '70s top 2 is anything to go by

9 hours ago, TheSnake said:

'Crash' sonically could equally be from 1980, with its post-punk sound, or from the 90s as you say.

'Lay All Your Love' is like 70s and early 80s mixed. 'West End Girls' is also good, more like 80s and 90s mixed, the female backing vocal bits sound more 90s. 'Two Tribes' is the best track though just for the dance-rock energy.

I agree 'Two Tribes' has a strong energy to it. I'm happy to be more well acquainted with Trevor Horn's work in general since his rate on the forum :)