A fantasy retro UK Top 75

 

OK, I though about doing this for a while, but the idea behind it is that this chart will feature 75 songs (one song per artist) and the highest position a song peaked at in the UK. To show how low some amazing songs reached.

 

I will update this chart in this post.

 

#1 Elvis Presley - All Shook Up (1957)

#2 The Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane (1967)

#3 Queen - I Want To Break Free (1984)

#4 Robbie Williams - Angels (1997)

#5 Frank Sinatra - My Way (1969)

#6 Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence (1990)

#7 Elton John - Your Song (1971)

#8 Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal (1988)

#9 Cliff Richard - Devil Woman (1976)

#10 Aretha Franklin - Respect (1967)

 

#11 The Clash - London's Calling (1980)

#12 Kinks - Days (1968), Kirsty MacColl - Days (1989)

#13 Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart (1980)

#14 Patsy Cline - Crazy (1990)

#15 The Jam - Down In A Tube Station At Midnight (1978)

#16 Madonna - Oh Father (1996)

#17 Manic Street Preachers - Motorcycle Emptiness (1992)

#18 Eddie Cochran - Summertime Blues (1958)

#19 REM - Losing My Religion (1991)

#20 Adventures - Broken Land (1988)

 

#21 Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love (1997)

#22 Doors - Riders On The Storm (1971)

#23 Nilsson - Everybody's Talkin' (1969)

#24 David Bowie - Heroes (1977)

#25 Kate Bush - This Woman's Work (1989)

#26 The Smiths - Big Mouth Strikes Again (1986)

#27 Crowded House - Don't Dream It's Over (1987)

#28 Wilson Pickett - Mustang Sally (1966)

#29 Sam Cooke - You Send Me (1957)

#30 Eurythmics - When Tomorrow Never Comes (1986)

 

#31 Undertones - Teenage Kicks (1978)

#32 Abba - The Day Before You Came (1982)

#33 Sex Pistols - Anarchy In The UK (1992)

#34 ELO - Can't Get It Our Of My Head (1978)

#35 Bangles - In Your Room (1988)

#36 Sly & The Family Stone - Everyday People (1969)

#37 Jimi Hendrix Experience - Crosstown Traffic (1969)

#38 AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long (1980)

#39 Evelyn 'Champagne' King - Shame (1978)

#40 Beth Orton - She Cries Your Name (1997)

 

#41 The Who - The Kids Are Alright (1966)

#42 World Party - Ship Of Fools (1987)

#43 Nick Heyward - Kite (1993)

#44 The Cure - Let's Go To Bed (1982)

#45 Sundays - Can't Be Sure (1989)

#46 Otis Redding - Try A Little Tenderness (1967)

#47 Jesus And Mary Chain - Never Understand (1985)

#48 Carter USM - Bloodsport For All (1991)

#49 Suede - The Drowners (1992)

#50 Bonnie Raitt - I Can't Make You Love Me (1991)

 

#51 Devo - Whip It (1980)

#52 Julian Cope - The Greatness & Perfection Of Love (1984)

#53 Kraftwerk - Neon Lights (1978)

#54 Jeff Buckley - Last Goodbye (1995)

#55 U2 - Gloria (1981)

#56 New Order Bizarre Love Triangle (1986)

#57 Ash - Kung Fu (1995)

#58 Elvis Costello & Attractions - Man Out Of Time (1982)

#59 Talk Talk - Give It Up (1986)

#60 Pixies - Monkey Gone To Heaven (1989)

 

#61 Peter Gabriel & Youssou N'Dour - Shakin' The Tree (1989)

#62 Pogues - Dirty Old Town (1985)

#63 Carpenters - Rainy Days And Mondays (1993)

#64 Tom Petty - Free Fallin' (1989)

#65 Sugarcubes - Birthday (1987)

#66 This Mortal Coil - Song to the Siren (1983)

#67 Belinda Carlisle - Mad About You (1988)

#68 The The - Uncertain Smile (1982)

#69 Wendy & Lisa - Waterfall '89 Remix (1989)

#70 Aztec Camera - The Crying Scene (1990)

#71 XTC - The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead (1992)

#72 Alison Moyet - Wishing You Were Here (1991)

#73 Squeeze - Some Fantastic Place (1993)

#74 Prefab Sprout - Faron Young (1985)

#75 Terry, Blair & Anouchka - Missing (1989)

#75 Terry, Blair & Anouchka - Missing (1989)

 

 

This was the debut single by ex Specials & Fun Boy Three member Terry Hall's latest outfit that he formed after Colourfield and before he formed Vegas with Eurthmics' Dave Stewart.

 

The thing is this act are more famous for the follow up single that unbelievably failed to reach the UK Top75:

 

Terry, Blair & Anouchka - Ultra Modern Nursery Rhyme

#74 Prefab Sprout - Faron Young (1985)

 

 

Taken from their second album Steve McQueen, this was further proof what a great songwriter Paddy McAloon was. Their next single When Love Breaks Down gave them their Top 40 breakthrough.

#73 Squeeze - Some Fantastic Place (1993)

 

 

"Some Fantastic Place" was the second single released from Squeeze's tenth album of the same name, Some Fantastic Place. Both songwriters, Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, have stated multiple times that it is their favourite Squeeze song. Something that I whole heartedly agree with.

#72 Alison Moyet - Wishing You Were Here (1991)

 

 

This track was the second single from her third solo album Hoodoo, reflected a more sombre and melancholy sound than her first two albums, in line with her good friend Kirsty MacColl's material, to highlight her wonderful bluesy vocal skills.

#71 XTC - The Ballad Of Peter Pumpkinhead (1992)

 

 

The second single from the Swindon band's 11th album "Nonsuch", gave XTC their last UK & USA single chart entry. The Crash Test Dummies later covered the song from the movie Dumber and Dumber.

 

Incredibly their most famous song (certainly in America) failed to reach the top 75 in the UK:

 

XTC - Dear God (1987)

 

 

#70 Aztec Camera - The Crying Scene (1990)

 

 

Scottish singer-songwriter/guitarist Roddy Frame's band had a run of success for over 15 years, from which this lead single taken from their 4th album Stray was released.

#69 Wendy & Lisa - Waterfall '89 Remix (1989)

 

 

OK, a slight cheat here. The original debut single from the former members of Prince's Revolution reached UK#66 in 1987 (But I want to pick a better song for that position :D), so I've selected the remixed version released after the success of their only UK Top 40 hit "Satisfaction". Today they are more famous for providing TV soundtrack music for shows like Heroes.

 

Annoying they seem to have the same attitude to their videos being uploaded as Prince does.... :arrr:

#68 The The - Uncertain Smile (1982)

 

 

Matt Johnson's band debut single opened their chart account. On the original Soul Mining album version Jools Holland played the memorable piano part.

#67 Belinda Carlisle - Mad About You (1988)

 

 

Originally this song was written for the aborted 4th Go Gos album that never materialised. Instead it turned up on the lead singer's debut solo album Belinda and reached USA #3 in the summer of 1986. After the success of Heaven Is A Place On Earth is was reissued in the UK. This track features ex-Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor.

#66 This Mortal Coil - Song to the Siren (1983)

 

 

Featuring vocals by Elizabeth Fraser of the Scottish group Cocteau Twins. This was a cover of the Tim Buckley ethereal standard. Ironically Elizabeth went on to have a relationship with Tim's more famous son Jeff Buckley.

 

 

#65 Sugarcubes - Birthday (1987)

 

 

The Icelandic group that featured Bjork, got their break when John Peel picked up this track and played it on hois late night Radio 1 show. It topped the Festive 50 chart of 1987. It was released three times: originally in 1987 where it reached this position, it was re-recorded in 1988 and reached the same position; and finally remixed in 1992 after the band disbanded and reached UK#64.

#64 Tom Petty - Free Fallin' (1989)

 

 

This song may have been a US Top 10 hit, but the Jeff Lynne produced 3rd single from Full Moon Fever did not do so well in the UK for this Traveling Wilbury.

#63 Carpenters - Rainy Days And Mondays (1993)

 

 

Incredibly this USA #2 single failed to chart in the UK when originally released in 1971. It became a minor hit in 1993, after BBC1 showed the autobiographical movie The Karen Carpenter Story (1989) and a documentary on the duo.

 

#62 Pogues - Dirty Old Town (1985)

 

 

Taken from their second album Rum Sodomy & The Lash this Stiff track has become a bit of an anthem for the Irish folk, punk & rock band originally named Pogue Mahone.

#61 Peter Gabriel & Youssou N'Dour - Shakin' The Tree (1989)

 

 

This fantastic song originally recorded for Peter Gabriel's first Best of album in 1989, features fellow Real World artist & Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour who is most famous for the brilliant duet with Neneh Cheery on "7 Seconds".

#60 Pixies - Monkey Gone To Heaven (1989)

 

 

Boston's highly influential indie rockers led by Frank Black aka Black Francis & featuring bassist Kim Deal, scored their first UK Top 75 hit, with this classic track taken from their third & most commercial album "Doolittle".

#59 Talk Talk - Give It Up (1986)

 

 

Taken from their third album The Colour Of Spring, this was to be Mark Hollis' Liverpudlian based act's last original hit single (prior to a couple of remixes of It's My Life & Life's What You Make It). This shows the band in transition between their early synth pop sound and later more organic freeform style of songwriting.

#58 Elvis Costello & Attractions - Man Out Of Time (1982)

 

 

Taken from Declan MacManus' 7th album "Imperial Bedroom", this epic track was produced by the Beatles sound engineer Geoff Emerick for arguably Liverpool's greatest singer/songwriter outside of Lennon & McCartney.

#57 Ash - Kung Fu (1995)

 

 

This was the Northern Irish indie rockers chart debut. It eventually turned up on their #1 debut album 1977. The single cover famously features Eric Cantona's jump into the crowd to attack the "racist" Crystal Palace supporter.