GATW: UKT40 May 2, 1987

40 - "Shattered Dreams," Johnny Hates Jazz

Transatlantic Top Five for these Londoners.  Didn't hit #1, unlike singer Clark Datchler's father Fred, who did it twice in the 50s with the group The Stargazers.  Maybe matching his father's achievement is one of the dreams that got shattered.

39 - "Wishing I was Lucky," Wet Wet Wet

The breakthrough hit for these Scots was this bit of slick blue-eyed soul about having dreams but not doinguaranteed anything to realize them.  I actually like this quite a bit.  It's got a nice little groove.

38 - "Let Yourself Go," Sybil

New Jersey singer Sybil Lynch had just one Top 40 at home, a 1989 cover of the Dionne Warwick hit "Don't Make Me Over."  Here, she quintupled that total, beginning with this okay soul/dance come-on.  Of its time, not much now.

37 - "Real Fashion Reggae Style," Carey Johnson

The only major international hit from this Jamaican journeyman.  Not earth-shattering, but a solid, sunny listen.

36 - "Twilight World," Swing Out Sister

Third home hit for the Manchester smoothies.  Corinne Drewery is a voice that should be more well known than she is.  And you really shouldn't be fooled by love songs and lonely hearts.

35 - "Respect Yourself," Bruce Willis 

Ah, the days when this guy was just the star of Moonlighting who somehow thought he was the third Blues Brother.  At least June Pointer did a good enough chunk of the singing to make this Staples Singers cover somewhat listenable.  I wonder how much further he would have tried to carry on with this if Die Hard hadn't happened.

34 - "Still of the Night," Whitesnake

Though they hadn't cracked America yet, David Coverdale and company had their eighth hit here with lusty rocker that is very reminiscent of Led Zeppelin, right down  to a straight rip from "Whole Lotta Love."  There's a reason he acquired the nickname "David Coverversion."

33 - "The Irish Rover," The Pogues and The Dubliners

Formed in London by people of Irish extraction, and named for part of a Gaelic phrase meaning "kiss my ass," The Pogues combined punk attitude with traditional instrumentation to some success.  The first of their two Top Tens was this collaboration with folk veterans The Dubliners on a version of a traditional song about a doomed cargo ship.   Boisterous, rowdy fun that make you feel like you need a pint in your hand even if you don't drink.

32 - "Li'l Devil," The Cult

This Bradford's band evolved from a gothy group called Southern Death Cult, and they had their biggest U.K. hit when they went in a harder rock direction for their Rick Rubin-produced Electric LP.   This beat-heavy grinder on which Ian Astbury howls such Doorsy imagery as "scorpions child" and "lizard in a bottle" showcases arguably their best incarnation.  It warrants a solid 4 on the Headbangometer.

31 - "Let My People Go-Go," The Rainmakers 

This Kansas City band had their biggest success in the English-speaking world with this soul-rocker that entangles the Negro spiritual "Go Down Moses" with classic R&B lyrics.  Catchy fun.  Apparently they're still big in Norway.   Good for them.

30 - "Back and Forth," Cameo

The Atlanta funk stars' second-biggest U.K. hit (behind, of course, "Word Up") was this cool groove about love's unpredictability.  Bonus points for the guitar shredding near the end.

29 - "Boops (Here to Go)," Sly and Robbie 

Drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare emerged in the 70s as a powerhouse rhythm section and production team, to the point where Tina Weymouth mentioned them in the lyrics of Tom Tom Club's "Genius of Love."  Their biggest success  under their own name came with this slinky dance track that features rapper Shinehead performing, among other things, a Howard Cosell impression and a bit from the Rossinight opera The Barber of Seville.  So good, and so ahead of its time that I bestow an Uneasy Rider upon it.  It will awaken within you he desire to dance until you drop.

28 - "Alone Again Or," The Damned

The band's last Top 40 was this faithful cover of one of the best-known songs from  Love's 1967 album Forever Changes, a gorgeous loneliness lament.  Don't bother, just find the original.

27 - "Carrie," Europe

Big Swedish hair metal power balladry.  Only hit #22 here, where it was Top Five in America.  Also, "The Final Countdown" was #1 here, but only #8 there.  Huuuuuge win for the Brits.

26 - "Why Can't I Be You," The Cure

Their ninth Top 40 with this peppy, horn-drenched tune about being so attracted to someone you actually want to become them.  Fun song, and not surprisingly, their biggest hit in America to that point.

25 - "Keep Your Eye on Me," Herb Alpert 

The trumpeting mogul had his biggest U.K. hit to that point with this all-but-instrumental combination of jazz and the funk-pop style of producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

24 - "Meet El Presidente," Duran Duran 

Hit number 16 for the boys was this song about a woman who seems to be some combination of con artist, spy, and mercenary.  Okay,  but it's clear why it wasn't one of their bigger hits.

23 - "Never Take Me Alive," Spear of Destiny

The second of two hits for this London band was this acoustic ballad about a murderer on the run.  Pretty good.  I like the singer's voice in particular.

22 - "Ordinary Day," Curiosity Killed the Cat

The sophistipoppers' second hit was this mediocre bit of lite funk.  What the word "meh" was invented for.

21 - "Big Love," Fleetwood Mac 
A big-beated transatlantic Top Ten for the Mac.  Just behind "Tusk" on my list of post-Rumours favorites.

I'm Part Two:  cardboard housing, precious illumination, and a nice little island.