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Post by Epworth Hatter on Apr 15, 2024 19:28:09 GMT
And so we reach the 80s.
First day back after a holiday is always a Blue Monday, so a bit of CHUMY is here to cheer me up.
Ain't Nobody going to find this easy but we Just Can't Get Enough of the brilliant songs in this era. So, Get Down On It and let us know which songs we should consider [Your] The Best Thing. And Relax, the Temptation might to rush it; it could even take you All Night Long to decide.
Here are a few (more 😁) to get us started...
Ultravox - Vienna
Tainted Love - Soft Cell
Town Called Malice - The Jam
Who's That Girl - Eurythmics
Purple Rain - Prince & the Revolution
As before, post as many songs as you like from 1980 - 1984. Either in one go or as a longlist and then a shortlist, and dont forget your comments - you do get extra marks for showing your working 😊 However you want to do it, don't forget to indicate your top song for the vote.
Right, what's on Your Cassette Pet?
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Post by hatter_in_macc on Apr 15, 2024 21:03:17 GMT
I have an abundance of Tapes 'n' Tapes, Eppers - although more about them, possibly, 20 years later...! Narrowing it down to a fave five again this time, after Week 4's A-Z, which means leaving out a host of pop and post-punk nuggets - but here you go: 1980Altered Images: Dead Pop StarsTheir debut single, with its obvious hints of Siouxsie & The Banshees (whom they supported on tour, early doors), was very unlike anything Clare Grogan and the Images-blokes would ever turn out again, before finding greater comfort and profit in cutesy, chart-friendly songs. But this - and particularly its bass-heaviness and vocal shrieks - was a great, great record. The Teardrop Explodes: TreasonPsychedelic pop anthem that only enjoyed chart joy on the back of later single Reward's success, and after undergoing a re-mix, in 1981. Far superior was the original 45 from the previous year - in which, by way of a minor claim to fame, I enabled a TTE gig to go ahead after persuading my mate on the door, Big Eugene, to let in a rather stoned Julian Cope, whose claims of "I'm with the band, man" had fallen on deaf bouncer ears! 1982Wah!: The Story of the BluesLike TTE, from Liverpool - and masterminded by Cope's fellow 'Crucial Three' member, Pete Wylie - this was passionate post-punk with gospel backing. County should run out to it and get EP really rocking - but Chester, alas, have claimed it for themselves... the Devas!  Mari Wilson: Baby It's TrueMiss Beehive. The Neasden Queen of Soul. Aw - I would marry Mari if she ever she would have asked me. Not a hit, this one - but it should have been, with its spoken intro, jaunty middle and climactic end. Perfect pop. 1983The Smiths: Reel Around the Fountain [Peel Session]As this quinquennium passed its halfway-point, and some of its bright, shiny pop began to lose a little lustre, a Manchester band emerged with guitar, bass, drums, vocals of whimsy, and a clear, strong identity that resonated. This early effort of theirs should have been a single - but instead was overdone with too much piano as a debut-album track. Thankfully preserved in its raw purity from a Peel session on the Hatful of Hollow compilation. Toughest choice of all to decide on an ultimate nomination for the ballot paper, but will go with The Story of the Blues. |
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Post by archie on Apr 16, 2024 8:37:12 GMT
Only twelve on this list:
1980
Dire Straits - Romeo and Juliet - everyone recognises the intro.
Jackson Browne - Of Missing Persons - written about Lowell George for his young daughter.
1981
Journey - Who's Crying Now.
Steely Dan - Hey Nineteen - representing the whole Gaucho album.
1982
Alan Parsons Project - Eye In The Sky.
Vangelis - Chariots Of Fire.
Joe Jackson - A Slow Song - again, representing an album. In this case, Night And Day.
1983
Mark Knopfler - Going Home (Theme from Local Hero).
Tom Robinson - Listen To The Radio: Atmospherics - from memory, the original song on our Musical Connections thread.
Police - Every Breath You Take.
1984
Don Henley - The Boys Of Summer.
Bruce Springsteen - Dancing In The Dark.
More straightforward for me this time. Helped by a splendid video and the line,
"Out on the road today I saw a Deadhead sticker on a Cadillac"
my top pick is The Boys Of Summer.
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Post by hatter_in_macc on Apr 16, 2024 11:56:28 GMT
Tom Robinson - Listen To The Radio: Atmospherics - from memory, the original song on our Musical Connections thread. Close, archie - it was War Baby, the single immediately preceding it!  |
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Post by gazz on Apr 18, 2024 13:03:31 GMT
1980
The Specials - Too Much Too Young EP - The Special A.K.A. Live! - An incredible piece of vinyl from beginning to end, which is arguably (nah, definitely) the greatest EP ever made. 'Skinhead Symphony' is the pick for me, a medley of Ska standards that must surely have almost lifted the roof off at Tiffany's in Coventry where it was recorded. As the MC rightly says at the end: "f***ing magic...." - perfectly put.
The Beat - Mirror In The Bathroom
The Beat - Best Friend
The Selecter - Three Minute Hero
The Selecter - Missing Words
The Jam - Going Underground
Elvis Costello & The Attractions - I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down - As much for the story behind its withdrawn pressing on the 2 Tone label as for the track itself.
Dexys - Geno
Bowie - Ashes To Ashes
Madness - Baggy Trousers
Madness - Night Boat To Cairo (Work, Rest & Play EP)
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Enola Gay
I could go on...
1981
The Specials - Ghost Town - Monumental number one single from Coventry's finest that not only reflected a country in turmoil, but also signalled the end of The Specials - well, for the best part of 30 years, anyway.
Fun Boy Three - The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum - just a few months after their appearances on TOTP 'performing' Ghost Town, Terry, Neville and Lynval had left The Specials and popped up with this gem.
Ultravox - Vienna - the fact that a pi**-take song by Joe Dolce kept this incredible piece off the number one spot is, in itself, a pi**-take. The greatest record never to reach number one? Probably
Adam & The Ants - Antmusic - I can't not put this one in
The Human League - Love Action
Haircut 100 - Favourite Shirts
Depeche Mode - Just Can't Get Enough
Teardrop Explodes - Reward
Hall & Oates - I Can't Go For That
1982
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five - The Message - along with 'Rapper's Delight', the greatest rap record of all time
Prince - 1999
The Stranglers - Golden Brown
The Human League - Don't You Want Me (it straddled 81 & 82)
Dire Straits - Private Investigations
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Maid Of Orleans - epic!
The J Geils Band - Centrefold
Blancmange - Living On The Ceiling
ABC - All Of My Heart - All of THAT album too, in fact!
Soft Cell - Say Hello Wave Goodbye
1983
Paul Young - Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)
The Police - Every Breath You Take
Yazoo - Nobody's Diary
Duran Duran - Is There Something I Should Know
Malcolm McLaren - Double Dutch
The Beat - Can't Get Used To Losing You - Dave Wakeling really nailed this cover
The Style Council - Long Hot Summer - There's no better Summer tune, in my opinion
The Thompson Twins - Love On Your Side
Fun Boy Three - Our Lips Are Sealed
1984
Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Two Tribes (Annihilation mix) with the rarer Hibakusha mix (Yes, I have both on 12"!) a close second
Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel - White Lines
Nena - 99 Red Balloons - armpits aside, she was smoking hot!
Prince - Let's Go Crazy
Prince - When Doves Cry
Chaka Khan - I Feel For You
Captain Sensible - Glad It's All Over ("Submarines in the harbour, incognito") - aimed at you know who for you know what
Howard Jones - Pearl In The Shell - I recently received the US Promo remix of this and it's absolutely fantastic
Queen - I Want To Break Free
I'm going to shock you all with my first choice here, but there's a reason behind it. The Specials had two number ones, whereas Ultravox didn't even have one, and it's a bloody travesty that 'Vienna' didn't get over the line for them - so Vienna it is for me as my favourite choice here!
Cheers, thank you!
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Post by Epworth Hatter on Apr 19, 2024 22:36:17 GMT
My long list. It's a mixture of classic tunes and some slightly more obscure stuff. The late 80s / early 90s is where I formed my musical tastes and some of these band span into that time, or were some the bands in NME, Sounds and Melody Maker at the time.
1980
Love Will Tear us Apart - Joy Division
Going Underground - The Jam
Ashes to Ashes - David Bowie
Geno - Dexys Midnight Runners
Rescue - Echo and the Bunnymen
Fiery Jack - The Fall
Enola Gaye - OMD
Call Me - Blondie
Kids in America - Kim Wilde
Ultravox - Vienna
Do the Du (The Graveyard) - A Certain Ratio
1981
Ghost Town - The Specials
Just Can't Get Enough - Depeche Mode
Can You Feel It? - The Jacksons
Ceremony - New Order
Don’t You Want Me? - The Human League
Tainted Love - Soft Cell
I Love Rock 'n' Roll - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
1982
Town Called Malice - The Jam
Temptation - New Order
Get Down on It - Cool and the Gang
The Message - Grandmaster Flash
Mad World - Tears for Fears
Do You Really Want to Hurt Me? - Culture Club
I Can Make You Feel Good - Shalamar
Golden Brown - The Stranglers
Back on the Chain Gang - The Pretenders
1983
Blue Monday - New Order
Bad Seed - The Birthday Party
All Night Long - Lionel Richie
This Charming Man - The Smiths
Who's That Girl - Eurythmics
Song to the Siren - This Mortal Coil
Blister in the Sun - Violent Femmes
Africa - Toto
1984
You're the Best Thing - Style Council
What Presence? - Orange Juice
Relax - Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Ain't Nobody - Rufus & Chuka Khan
Pearly Dewdrop Drops - Cocteau Twins
Pride (In The Name Of Love) - U2
Take On Me - Aha
Purple Rain - Prince & the Revolution
Like a Virgin - Madonna
Ghostbusters - Ray Parker Jr.
Dark Streets Of London - The Pogues
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Post by dudleyhatter on Apr 20, 2024 10:42:17 GMT
This is going to be an almost impossible choice, I recall someone saying in the sixties we could do a song a year, my provisional shortlist for this would probably be 100 songs long!
Almost making the list would be my old primary school St Winifred’s School choir with grandma (fortunately I had moved from Heaton Mersey to Hazel Grove 18 months earlier!)
I think I shall go straight to my choice which is a song that has always lifted my spirits and takes me instantly back to my youth
Together in Electric dreams
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Post by gazz on Apr 20, 2024 11:09:52 GMT
This is going to be an almost impossible choice, I recall someone saying in the sixties we could do a song a year, my provisional shortlist for this would probably be 100 songs long! Almost making the list would be my old primary school St Winifred’s School choir with grandma (fortunately I had moved from Heaton Mersey to Hazel Grove 18 months earlier!) I think I shall go straight to my choice which is a song that has always lifted my spirits and takes me instantly back to my youth Together in Electric dreams Can't beat a bit of Phil Oakey, Duds - the 80s personified. |
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Post by bringbacklenwhite on Apr 20, 2024 18:55:30 GMT
A shorter long list from me this week. 1980 -84 I was busy bringing up 3 children, paying a large mortgage at 17% (thank you Maggie), and holding down a full time teaching post with 2/3 part-time jobs in maths tutoring, fencing coaching and bar work.
1980 -
Pretenders - Brass in Pocket
Air Supply - All Out of Love
ELO - All Over the World
1981
ELO - Hold on Tight
John Lennon - Imagine
SOFT Cell - Tainted Love
1982
Survivor - Eye of the Tiger
Dexys Midnight Runners - Come on Eileen
1983
Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart
Police - Every Breath You Take
Billy Joel - Uptown Girl
ELO - Rock and Roll is King
1984
Yes - Owner of a Lonely Heart
Springsteen - Dancing in the Dark
My favourite of all time (words on my gravestone please) - Hold on Tight to Your Dreams ELO
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Post by dudleyhatter on Apr 20, 2024 22:01:43 GMT
That’s a great song Lennie.
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Post by bringbacklenwhite on Apr 21, 2024 8:11:28 GMT
That’s a great song Lennie. Bizarre video though ! |
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Post by Epworth Hatter on Apr 22, 2024 11:00:45 GMT
Our vote for 80-84 is open...
Here are the songs we chose:
The Story of the Blues - Wah!
The Boys of the Summer - Don Henley
Vienna - Ultravox
Together in Electric Dreams - Giorgio Moroder and Phil Oakley
Hold on Tight to your Dreams - ELO
As usual, PM me your 1st and 2nd choice by close of play Friday 26th and the next song (or songs!) for our Compilation will be announced on Saturday
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Post by Epworth Hatter on Apr 27, 2024 8:49:59 GMT
Last call for votes. It's close at the top again. I'll publish the results later today.
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Post by Epworth Hatter on Apr 27, 2024 20:44:18 GMT
And the result of the vote for 80-84 is:
In joint 2nd place is:
Vienna - Ultravox
Hold on Tight to Your Dreams - ELO
And the winner is:
The Boys Of Summer - Don Henley
Thanks to all who shared their songs and voted.
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Post by gazz on Apr 27, 2024 20:59:05 GMT
An excellent addition to the album, which is definitely starting to take shape!
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