dandy*

I was so focused on beating the confirmation rush when I hosted last that I quickly went to fill the form in and only then realised that the confirmation thread hadn’t posted correctly… then when I sorted that the link didn’t work in the image! I think it’s fair though. One of the perks of hosting is that you know when the thread is coming and you can (usually!) get in first

Thanks, I assumed it must have been something like that. And thanks Chris too for the Lena explanation!

14 | The Police - Walking on the Moon Weeks at number one: 1 End of year position: ?? Rating: 6/10 Next up we have the first of two appearances for The Police and the first of three acts to have multiple number ones in 1979. The eagle eyed among you will notice that there's no end of year position for this one, I can't find any record of how well it sold sadly and it seems to me as though the songs that made #1 in December possibly haven't had their sales included as neither this, nor the eventual christmas number one feature in the published lists. I'm guessing that @Gezza will be able to tell us more about what went on here... This is actually a song I like less these days than I used to. I remember my dad buying the best of Sting & the Police back in the 90s and I was surprised by how many songs I knew and liked, and this was one of them. So I was quite surprised when I have been ranking these that I've dropped this down the list several times as I was expecting it to be top 10... but the more I've listened to this set of songs, the more I realised that I found myself getting a bit bored by this track. It seems to take a particularly long time to get to the chorus and that's emphasised by the verses essentially being variants on the same line set to the same tune over and over - the chorus does lift it and I do quite enjoy the generally relaxed vibe to the track, it's quite nice to listen to in the background. Also, I think that I've only just realised that Waking on the Moon was actually about just feeling happy and being light footed as a result of being in love (well I think it is anyway!) and that's quite a cool way of expressing that feeling. The interesting thing about the track is it really feels quite relaxed and kinda spacious in a year where most tracks are crammed full of production and soaring vocals. I can definitely see why the reggae-lite vibes would have stood out from the crowd at the time... but even so I do find this quite a surprising song to have topped the charts that year, I assume it got there largely out of who it was as the Police were becoming one of the most consistently successful bands of the times. This one only a spent a week at the top so it possibly was a little lucky and it didn't really have chance to deny anything from reaching #1, the nearest was No More Tears (Enough Is Enough) which was busy stalling at #3 for Donna & Barbra but I can't say I massively prefer that to this track either.

Hmmmm the characteristics of someone who would send album tracks by ABBA in early rounds

^^ That’s my logic too, plus I’m not sure who else would choose ace of base, possibly gooddelta may but I’m not sure anyone else would

She did multiple nights last time though so in theory she may be able to do it - although she only did London last time so those of us who travelled down could easily be spread elsewhere. Also I’m not sure if she’s quite as popular now as she was back then

I’m gutted as I’m away from 24th June to 8th July!

I think I can remember that, wasn't it won by Gorillaz with Feel Good Inc?

Not enough hats

15 | Cliff Richard - We Don't Talk Anymore Weeks at number one: 4 End of year position: 3 Rating: 6/10 Cliff can probably count himself a little unlucky to feature so soon as I really don't mind this track but it turns out that we're already up to songs that I don't mind now - there aren't many years where I'd be on board with the top 15. I'm not really a fan of many of Cliff's songs, some of his early ones are kinda okay for what they are, but after that there's only really this and Wired for Sound that I'd not turn off, with the latter probably being my favourite of his. Considering how successful he was, it's perhaps surprising that he had to wait until 1979 before getting a #1 in the 70s, and he did it in some style as it finished in the end of year top 3 to boot. I feel like this track was probably a shift in direction for him as the production definitely feels loosely inspired by the trend for disco and synths that was so prominent in the charts at the time - albeit it does somehow sound a little bit more tinny than the real classics from the era. I say 'probably a shift in direction' because I don't actually know and have definitely got no intention of subjecting myself to Cliff's earlier 70s singles to find out. But anyway, this one is okay - I think the bridge is the strongest bit and the bits that immediately follow the chorus, it also has the unexpected moment of Cliff suddenly going a bit falsetto out of nowhere - possibly because his clothing is far too tight in the video. I've had a look back at the charts that month whilst Cliff was on top and I can't make a case for any of the other songs that were realistically in with a shot to have made it instead... and I'm out of ideas for what to write about this one now, it's okay but as it happens nothing to write home to buzzjack about.

Maybe I should watch the film in that case - I can imagine it suiting the story well I can hear the David Essex one, quite a similar vibe in a way... more surprised by the Wombles!!! 😂

Oh! I have no recollection of this at all but yes I am easily bought

I know and like the David Bowie one, I can remember the George Michael one existing even if I can't recall how it goes, and I suspect I'll recognise Fred Again when I hear it - but everything else is unknown to me too I'm actually surprised that people in the other groups who did really well in round 1 haven't just gone for songs that are more unknown as quite a few seem to have still gone for really popular choices

Agreed - great choice from whoever is behind Haim. I also feel the need to shout out whoever is behind ABBA for sending songs that aren't completely obvious - they're still not my favourite band in the world, but ABBA singles are so omnipresent in society that I very much appreciate them not sending songs that I already know incredibly well.

Haha, fair point! I actually think it's something to do with how often I type the word 'poster' on here that my mind sort of just expects it to have an e there

Queen of Peace!!! That's one of mine and Mr D*'s favourite songs, lots of memories attached to it for us <3

I struggle with it too tbh - although the best way to remember it is that it's such a fitting word to not look quite right when spelled correctly

I think the twist was a good idea, it's nice to find a way that gives everyone who entered a chance to send more than one song by their act without making the first round totally pointless either.

Woo hoo! I got that one! Although not from the clue directly, instead I got it because when I first looked at the groups thread I thought "Who in their right mind would send A1 to a contest with more than one round?!!!"

That is episode one of Masked Singer levels of clue difficulty 😂 Jonathan Ross: What was the clue about the aubergine about? Natalie Cassidy: Oh that referenced episode 1346 of Eastenders when I walked past the market stall that sold vegetables Jonathan Ross: Oh of course! Can't believe we didn't spot that!

Who Is It is my favourite Michael Jackson song, I absolutely love it <3 The production in the bass and rhythm is just amazing and very inventive. The single had a really good Brothers in Rhythm mix on it as well, the one that's titled 'The Most Patient Mix' - it's not aged quite as well as the original but at the time I loved it as much as the album version.

16 | Art Garfunkel - Bright Eyes Weeks at number one: 6 End of year position: 1 Rating: 5/10 Next up we have the biggest selling single of the year and it falls in a comparatively lowly 16th. I'm not sure there are many songs about death that you'd also describe as twee, but here we are with this one. It starts off quite well as the orchestration floats in before Art's voice delivers a sensitive verse, but the song peaks there for me as it doesn't really go anywhere different from that moment on and I find it just drags and drags. I assume that the Watership Down film had a big influence over the success of this track, something I've never seen now I think about it even though I know the story well. It's difficult to think that it's the type of song that would have been so successful without it, although maybe people could have been just missing Simon & Garfunkel seeing as they were hugely popular - again, happy for anyone who remembers it from the time to shed some light on whether the film did make a big difference or not. My mum often mentions that this song seemed to be on the radio all the time when I was born and that she used to love looking into my eyes as it played... which, you know, should be a lovely sentiment but I can't help but feel that she was very much seeing what she wanted to from those lyrics!! Anyway, I've always been very glad that I was a late birth, I like to think I was holding on in there until I knew there was a better #1 to be born to (which will come up a little bit later!) Not a lot more to say on this one really as I just find it all a bit dull... and to counter that dullness, I'll mention that Pop Muzik by M sadly stalled behind this one and I'd definitely have liked to see that bag a week or two in place of this as that remains one of the most distinctive and fun songs of the year.

Oh no! Sorry that I can't share your love of the Dr Hook song. Do you mind me asking if you remember it from the time? Thanks for the extra info about the Lena Martell track, it makes sense that it was originally an American artist.

That Jimmy Nail track was very popular for a period before it got annoying... I can remember on the school bus everyone would be like "she's lying" as a comeback to people, but it always did feel a little gimmicky. Since I last commented there's been a few decent tracks arrive. Rhythm is a Dancer is an obvious classic, although like Pandemic_Tension above, I too like it more now than I did at the time and I didn't actually buy - although that could have been influenced by me buying my first Now album (Now 22) that contained it on cassette(!) one. The Perfecto mix of the U2 track was a good one, although I do also like the original too. And I liked the return of the Shamen with LSI, that's one I definitely bought. I also bought Electronic's 'Disappointed' and 'Hazard' from the other ones that have appeared, both were really good.

I'm not sure if I know Sylvia's Mother - it kind of sounds familiar but I definitely can't sing it... A Little Bit More, that's the one that 911 covered isn't it? That also probably would have been pretty low down for me I think, although it is definitely better than this one.