This is a day for endings.
20 - "The Tide is High," Blondie
Debbie and Co. go reggae, hit #1 on both sides of the Atlantic. Well, she said right in the song "I'm gonna be your Number One," so...
19 - "Over the Rainbow," Matchbox
The fifth and last hit for these Middlesex retro rockers was this doo-wop cover of the signature song from The Wizard of Oz. They throw in a bit of the pop standard "You Belong to Me" in the middle, but that's the only halfway interesting thing about this.
18 - "Love on the Rocks," Neil Diamond
Maybe the best thing to come out of that whole "Let's remake an Al Jolson movie with Neil Diamond and cast Lucien Arnaz as his love interest" experiment. Cocaine is a helluva drug...
17 - "Never Mind the Presents," The Barron Knights
Our second encounter with these guys comes with their last hit, a Christmas-themed parody medley. The first part spoofs "Another Brick in the Wall Part II," The other two I don't recognize and don't care to look up. Bland, inoffensive comedy.
16 - "To Cut a Long Story Short," Spandau Ballet
The first hit for these New Romantic stalwarts was this synthpop bouncer about paranoia and insanity. It is kind of a shame that these guys are only known around my way for "True."
15 - "Flash," Queen
One of the band's campier hits was this theme to the film version of the space-set comic strip Flash Gordon. Could there be a better fit to score a tongue-in-cheek sci-fi epic? Absolutely not. Ah-aaaaah!
14 - "Lady," Kenny Rogers
The Lionel Richie-penned ballad was K-Rog's first American #1, but didn't even reach the Top Ten here. But he had already topped the British list twice, with "Lucille" and "She Believes in Me." I like both better than this. Brittania rules again.
13 - "Rabbit," Chas and Dave
Charles Hodges and David Peacock made their name with their distinctive "rockney" sound, which combined rock with Cockney accents and rhyming slang. Their first Top Ten was this piano driven romp about an otherwise attractive lady who speaks too much ("rabbit" being short for "rabbit and pork," which is Cockney for "talk"). Fun song, and the whole Cockney slang thing fascinates me.
12 - "Lies," Status Quo
The Brit institution had another hit with this straight ahead rocker about not trusting gossip about you lover. I think that's it. Good stuff. Sadly, the band's guitarist Dave Parfitt died on Christmas Eve. 2016 has been absolutely brutal.
11 - "Banana Republic," The Boomtown Rats
The Irish band's fourth and last Top Five was this reggaefied portrait of their homeland as a "septic isle" full of repression and corruption. They were so outspoken about the country's issues that they had been banned from performing there. Bob Geldof was never shy about making bold statementstatement, as the world would soon learn.
10 - "Runaway Boys," The Stray Cats
This Long Island trio moved to England in 1979 and became the targets of a major label bidding war. They scored their first hit with this rockabilly groove that's like the pop-single equivalent of a 1950s juvenile delinquent novel. It would be two more years before the group broke through at home, but this song was never released as a single there. Too bad. I think it's better than their other hits.
9 - "Imagine," John Lennon
The iconic 1971 anthem wasn't released as a single in Britain until 1975, when it reached #6. It returned to the charts after Lennon's December 8 murder, and would become his second U.K. #1 in January. A poignant song gained even more meaning that day, for better or worse.
8 - "Embarrassment," Madness
The fifth hit for the Camden Town skasters was this song written by saxophonist Lee Thompson about his family's negative reaction to his teenage sister becoming pregnant by a black man. A powerful depiction of shame and fear. Happily, in real life, the family came around.
7 - "Antmusic," Adam and the Ants
The band's second hit was this jaunty invitation for music listeners to "unplug the jukebox," turn away from disco, and "try another flavor," namely their own brand of new wave. Fun, bopping stuff.
6 - "De Doo Doo Doo, De Da Da Da," The Police
One of their sharper songs has a nonsensical title. As a wise man once said, the ironing is delicious.
5 - "Super Trouper," ABBA
The Swedes' ninth and final U.K. Number One was this deceptively bouncy pop song about the loneliness of a touring musician (the song's title is a type of spotlight used in large concert venues). I had that album as a kid, and while it's still well behind the majesty of "The Winner Takes it All," it's grown on me over the years. "Su pah-PAH, Trou pah-PAH."
4 - "Happy Xmas (War is Over)," John Lennon and Yoko Ono
As Lennon's death happened in December, it was natural that another of his old songs that attracted devastated fans was his and Yoko's 1971 Christmas plea for peace and unity. It's an attractive concept, that war can be eradicated "if you want it," but I guess people think it too good to be true. And maybe it is. But what if...?
3 - "Stop the Cavalry," Jona Lewie
Southampton's Lewie began as a blues musician in the late 60s, but found his biggest success with this deceptively peppy synthpop antiwar song. The line about wishing to be home for Christmas helped its popularity for sure, but it's interesting enough that it would have likely made an impact anyway.
2 - "(Just Like) Starting Over," John Lennon
Of course, one of the many tragedies of John's death was that he had just released his first new music in five years, this rockabillyish number about wanting to restore intimacy to a relationship. As of December 8, it had peaked at #8 in Britain and was on the way down, but after that, it reversed course and became his first U.K. charttopper. It deserved to do so without that tragic circumstance. It's a simple yet masterful love song.
And the winner of this particular holiday race was...
1 - "There's No One Quite Like Grandma," St. Winifred's School Choir
The children's chorus from this Stockport Catholic primary school had impacted the charts two years earlier when they backed up Brian and Michael's #1 "Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs." This year, record producer Gordon Lorenz had the choir perform his maudlin ode to grandmothers as a tribute to the Queen Mother on her 80th birthday. It's insanely sappy, and the lead child sounds almost Chipmunk-esque, buy apparently that's what Britain longed for at the time. Myself, I'm just going to give it the Uneasy Rider and then never listen to it again.
Well there we go. Hope you all had a merry Christmas, all the best for 2017, and I will be back with more of this kind of thing very soon.
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Friday, December 23, 2016
GATW: UKT40 January 3, 1981
It's been a while, but I'm back, and I'm taking my first look at a Christmas chart. Having the U.K. #1 single at Christmas carries a certain amount of prestige in Britain, and so I thought I'd take a look at one of those contests. So here we gogo to Yuletide 1980. British music was reeling from the murder of John Lennon earlier in the month, and his presence was certainly felt on the charts. Plus there was ska. Plenty of ska.
40 - "Runaround Sue," Racey
The last major hit for this Somerset group was a straight cover of Dion's 1961 hit about a serially unfaithful young lady. Certainly up there among the most pointless cover versions I've ever heard.
39 -"Never Knew Love Like This Before," Stephanie Mills
Her biggest hit on both sides of the Atlantic. And, as I may have mentioned before, she once dated Michael Jackson.
38 - "The Earth Dies Screaming, UB40
Their third hit was this deceptively gentle reggae tune about some sort of apocalyptic event that leaves in its wake desolation, abandoned cars, and death. Lots and lots of death. And a merry Christmas to you gentlemen as well. Aside from that, one of their better songs.
37 - "If I Could Only Make You Care," Mike Berry
This Northampton actor and singer had his greatest success in the 60s aping Buddy Holly. He came back with a couple hits this year, including this limp country tune. Suffice it to say, he doesn't get what he hopes from me.
36 - "Lorraine," Bad Manners
This London ska band, fronted by flamboyant singer Buster Bloodvessel, had nine Top 40s in the early 80s. The fourth of these was this bouncy tale of Bloodvessel falling in love with a girl who ends up stealing all of his possessions, which causes him to say "When I find her, I'm gonna kill her." Then he finds Lorraine, they exchange blows, talk things out, and then have sex, which eliminates all homicidal thoughts toward her from Buster's mind. Silly, but catchy.
35 - "I'm Coming Out." Diana Ross
Miss Ross comes out of her shell. Remember before when she was shy and retiring and faded into the background? You don't? Wonder why?
34 - "Blue Moon," Showaddywaddy
The Leicester group's last four chart hits failed to crack the Top 30, a trend that began with this cover of the Rogers and Hart standard that is used as a theme not by their hometown Foxes, but rather Manchester City. Wonder if that was part of the problem. As for the version, my thoughts on Racey's entry here can be applied to this as well.
33 - "Looking for Clues," Robert Palmer
Palmer had already had two Top 40s in America when he scored his first one at home with this stuttery rocker about trying to understand a relationship. Nice little xylophone solo. This only got this high here, and didn't chart well in the U.S., but it did go Top Ten in Canada. My homeland for the win, for once.
32 - "December Will be Magic Again," Kate Bush
The ethereal girl put her own twist on the holiday song, combining Bing Crosby and Oscar Wilde while just being all floaty and Bushy. It's all her, and all wonderful.
31 - "Who's Gonna Rock You," The Nolans
Our second encounter with these Irish sisters is this tepid disco number about lamenting a dying relarionship while people around you are apartying. Dressed- up blandness at its meh-est.
30 - "I Could be So Good for You," Dennis Waterman
London-born actor Waterman had built a steady career through the 60s and 70s, but it was around this time when he landed his most famous role as the bodyguard lead character in the TV series Minder. The show's popularity was such that its Waterman-sung theme tune became a Top Five hit. It's a nifty little piano boogie, and Waterman sounds a bit like Billy Joel on it. I enjoy it.
29 - "It's Hard to be Humble," Mac Davis
The biggest of Davis' two Brit hits was this live recording of an ode to egotism. "I can't wait to look in the mirror," he sings, "'cause I get better looking each day." A fun little singalong, and good for an ego boost.
28 - "This Wreckage," Gary Numan
Numan's fifth U.K. solo hit was this dark, icy midtempo tune about alternatively craving and fearing isolation. That seems pretty quintessential for this guy. There are definitely moods where I would feel the need to hear a song like this.
27 - Rock n' Roll Ain't Noise Pollution," AC/DC
The most successful U.K. single from the massive Back in Black LP was this good, loud rock song about good, loud rock music. Brian Johnson's voice is more growly than screechy on a lot of this, which works perfectly. An appropriate album-closer.
26 "Don't Walk Away," Electric Light Orchestra
The band's fourth Xanadu single (not released in the U.S.) was this ballad that accompanied an animated sequence in the film where Olivia Newton-John and Michael Beck's characters turn into fish and birds.. Again I say this is a weird-ass movie surely crafred with much chemical assistance. And again I admit I saw this in a theater as a youngster crushing on ONJ.
25 - "Celebration," Kool and the Gang
Every time you buy one of Al Gore's books, he plays this song. I have this on very good authority.
24 - "Do Nothing," The Specials
More ska, this time in the form of the sixth Top Ten by this Coventry band. It's a loping track about feeling life is meaningless and searching for purpose in rhe wrong places. A good song thT will certainly always be meaningful to someone.
23 - "Too Nice to Talk To," The Beat
Another ska hit, this one by the Birmingham band who had to add "English" to their name in America. This is a rollicking groove about romantic shyness. It's among their best. Not much more to say.
22 - "Lonely Together," Barry Manilow
The big BM (wait, that's not good) missed the 40 at home but made it here with this ballad about trying to hook up with a fellow reboundee. Just him, doing what he does.
21 - "Do You Feel My Love," Eddy Grant
The second solo hit by the Guyana-born ex-Equal was this electro-reggae heartbreak number. Pretty damn good. It's too bad that for years all I was exposed to of him was "Electric Avenue" and "Romancing the Stone."
In Part Two: sci-fi, insects, and of course, the song that became immortalized as a Christmas Number One. Is it a classic? A comedy novelty? Or something else entirely? We shall see.
40 - "Runaround Sue," Racey
The last major hit for this Somerset group was a straight cover of Dion's 1961 hit about a serially unfaithful young lady. Certainly up there among the most pointless cover versions I've ever heard.
39 -"Never Knew Love Like This Before," Stephanie Mills
Her biggest hit on both sides of the Atlantic. And, as I may have mentioned before, she once dated Michael Jackson.
38 - "The Earth Dies Screaming, UB40
Their third hit was this deceptively gentle reggae tune about some sort of apocalyptic event that leaves in its wake desolation, abandoned cars, and death. Lots and lots of death. And a merry Christmas to you gentlemen as well. Aside from that, one of their better songs.
37 - "If I Could Only Make You Care," Mike Berry
This Northampton actor and singer had his greatest success in the 60s aping Buddy Holly. He came back with a couple hits this year, including this limp country tune. Suffice it to say, he doesn't get what he hopes from me.
36 - "Lorraine," Bad Manners
This London ska band, fronted by flamboyant singer Buster Bloodvessel, had nine Top 40s in the early 80s. The fourth of these was this bouncy tale of Bloodvessel falling in love with a girl who ends up stealing all of his possessions, which causes him to say "When I find her, I'm gonna kill her." Then he finds Lorraine, they exchange blows, talk things out, and then have sex, which eliminates all homicidal thoughts toward her from Buster's mind. Silly, but catchy.
35 - "I'm Coming Out." Diana Ross
Miss Ross comes out of her shell. Remember before when she was shy and retiring and faded into the background? You don't? Wonder why?
34 - "Blue Moon," Showaddywaddy
The Leicester group's last four chart hits failed to crack the Top 30, a trend that began with this cover of the Rogers and Hart standard that is used as a theme not by their hometown Foxes, but rather Manchester City. Wonder if that was part of the problem. As for the version, my thoughts on Racey's entry here can be applied to this as well.
33 - "Looking for Clues," Robert Palmer
Palmer had already had two Top 40s in America when he scored his first one at home with this stuttery rocker about trying to understand a relationship. Nice little xylophone solo. This only got this high here, and didn't chart well in the U.S., but it did go Top Ten in Canada. My homeland for the win, for once.
32 - "December Will be Magic Again," Kate Bush
The ethereal girl put her own twist on the holiday song, combining Bing Crosby and Oscar Wilde while just being all floaty and Bushy. It's all her, and all wonderful.
31 - "Who's Gonna Rock You," The Nolans
Our second encounter with these Irish sisters is this tepid disco number about lamenting a dying relarionship while people around you are apartying. Dressed- up blandness at its meh-est.
30 - "I Could be So Good for You," Dennis Waterman
London-born actor Waterman had built a steady career through the 60s and 70s, but it was around this time when he landed his most famous role as the bodyguard lead character in the TV series Minder. The show's popularity was such that its Waterman-sung theme tune became a Top Five hit. It's a nifty little piano boogie, and Waterman sounds a bit like Billy Joel on it. I enjoy it.
29 - "It's Hard to be Humble," Mac Davis
The biggest of Davis' two Brit hits was this live recording of an ode to egotism. "I can't wait to look in the mirror," he sings, "'cause I get better looking each day." A fun little singalong, and good for an ego boost.
28 - "This Wreckage," Gary Numan
Numan's fifth U.K. solo hit was this dark, icy midtempo tune about alternatively craving and fearing isolation. That seems pretty quintessential for this guy. There are definitely moods where I would feel the need to hear a song like this.
27 - Rock n' Roll Ain't Noise Pollution," AC/DC
The most successful U.K. single from the massive Back in Black LP was this good, loud rock song about good, loud rock music. Brian Johnson's voice is more growly than screechy on a lot of this, which works perfectly. An appropriate album-closer.
26 "Don't Walk Away," Electric Light Orchestra
The band's fourth Xanadu single (not released in the U.S.) was this ballad that accompanied an animated sequence in the film where Olivia Newton-John and Michael Beck's characters turn into fish and birds.. Again I say this is a weird-ass movie surely crafred with much chemical assistance. And again I admit I saw this in a theater as a youngster crushing on ONJ.
25 - "Celebration," Kool and the Gang
Every time you buy one of Al Gore's books, he plays this song. I have this on very good authority.
24 - "Do Nothing," The Specials
More ska, this time in the form of the sixth Top Ten by this Coventry band. It's a loping track about feeling life is meaningless and searching for purpose in rhe wrong places. A good song thT will certainly always be meaningful to someone.
23 - "Too Nice to Talk To," The Beat
Another ska hit, this one by the Birmingham band who had to add "English" to their name in America. This is a rollicking groove about romantic shyness. It's among their best. Not much more to say.
22 - "Lonely Together," Barry Manilow
The big BM (wait, that's not good) missed the 40 at home but made it here with this ballad about trying to hook up with a fellow reboundee. Just him, doing what he does.
21 - "Do You Feel My Love," Eddy Grant
The second solo hit by the Guyana-born ex-Equal was this electro-reggae heartbreak number. Pretty damn good. It's too bad that for years all I was exposed to of him was "Electric Avenue" and "Romancing the Stone."
In Part Two: sci-fi, insects, and of course, the song that became immortalized as a Christmas Number One. Is it a classic? A comedy novelty? Or something else entirely? We shall see.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)