Late August 1983. London was going through a heatwave. Let's see what was burning up the charts. (Sorry, they can't all be winners.)
40 - "Baby Jane," Rod Stewart
Rod's sixth and last #1. And the worst. But at least it's not "Love Touch."
39 - "It's Over," Funk Masters
This amalgamation of British funk musicians and singer Juliet Roberts teamed up for this Top Ten hit, a smooth groove about getting over a breakup. Very good for what it is.
38 - "Do it Again/Billie Jean," Club House
The first of a few scattered hits for this Italian dance group was one of the first popular "mash-ups," which seamlessly combines elements of Steely Dan's 1973 breakthrough and Michael Jackson's more recent smash. Well-blended, and as it turned out, ahead of its time. I wonder if they ever did this on Glee. If not, they should have.
37 - "Don't Cry," Asia
The prog-to-pop supergroup's only Top 40 here. How did they miss on "Heat of the Moment?" A rare big whiff for the U.K.
36 - "Red Red Wine," UB40
The Neil Diamond cover hit #1 here the first time around, not five years later like in the States. I guess justice was done, but I'm so familiar with this I don't care.
35 - "Bad Boy," Carmel
Led by Lincolnshire singer Carmel McCourt, this band had their first of two hits with this retro torch-soul ballad of perseverance. It's the kind of song on which Adele has built a career, but McCourt is more of a belter than a singer. And that works.
34 - "Flashdance...What a Feeling," Irene Cara
Britain prevented this from the Triple Crown, only making it a #2. I guess she couldn't have it all.
33 - "Disappearing Act," Shalamar
Their tenth Brit hit was this Jody Watley showcase about about an absentee lover. One of their best.
32 - "Don't Try to Stop It," Roman Holiday
This English band combined new wave, ska and swing on their biggest hit, a song about how they will not be restrained from making their music. It's a good tune, but they did eventually stop. Their guitarist is now a professor of Russian history at a university in Ohio. Appropriate, since the title of this song seems to be the basic message of every statement Vladimir Putin makes these days.
31 - "Guilty of Love," Whitesnake
The sixth hit for the Coverdale crew was this fast rock affection confession. They were getting a little slicker, but still very far from synths and Tawny Kitaen.
30 - "Walking in the Rain," Modern Romance
This band's tenth and final hit was this blah take-me-back tune. Even the eccentric Brits could sometimes let raw boredom sneak into the Top Ten, apparently.
29 - "Come Dancing," The Kinks
Ray Davies memories of his sister's teenage dating life missed the Top Ten here, but made #6 in the States. I think I'll give it to America.
28 - "Tour de France," Kraftwerk
The German duo's sixth hit was this evocative electronic tribute to the annual July bicycle race later made infamous by Lance Armstrong. The sounds of chains, brakes, and riders groaning with exertion make you feel like you're in the middle of the pelloton. It may have surpassed "Autobahn" as their most famous song.
27 - "Come Live with Me," Heaven 17
The Sheffield duo of Martyn Ware and Ian Marshall formed Human League in the late 70s, but they left thegroup in late 1980 to form their own synth outfit with singer Glenn Gregory. While they weren't as big as their old group became, they managed a couple Top Fives, the second being this number about a thirtysomething man pursuing a doomed romance with a teenager. It's colder and more sterile-sounding than their old band's biggest hits, but it fits the subject matter.
26 - "Wrapped Around Your Finger," The Police
The second Synchronicity single here, the fourth in the States, Top Ten in both countries. For better or for worse, I believe this is what gave Sting the idea that more flowery and obscure lyrical references were the way to go.
25 - "Freak," Bruce Foxton
While Jam singer Paul Weller moved in the soul-R&B direction with the Style Council after the group's breakup, guitarist Foxton stayed with rock on his only solo hit, a song inspired by the film The Elephant Man. It's a little more polished than The Jam, but still, a pretty good effort.
24 - "Give it Some Emotion," Tracie
Speaking of The Jam, Tracie Young was discovered by Paul Weller in the band's waning days, and after performing backing vocals on both Jam and Style Council singles she managed two hits of her own, the last being this electronically enhanced girl-group tribute about wanting to get a reaction out of her lover even if it requires drastic measures. It's cool and catchy, and makes one wish there were even more to hear from her.
23 - "Love Blonde," Kim Wilde
The Wilde child's sixth hit was this jazzy strut about an alluring lady. I like it better than most of her more conventional hits. She was more than just a voice to plug in over synthesized beats.
22 - "It's Late," Shakin' Stevens
Shaky's tenth hit was a cover of a 1959 Ricky Nelson hit that’s basically a rewrite of "Wake Up Little Susie." He does his thing, and I spend the whole three uminutes wondering how much better the original is. Pretty much my experience with most of his hits.
21 - "The Sun Goes Down (Living it Up)," Level 42
Their first Top Ten was typical synthetic funk about having fun and, uh, not wanting to go to war. It's becoming clearer to me that everything this band did except "Running in the Family," is interchangeable.
In Part Two: some are flying, some are skipping, and some are just happy that they're remaining upright.
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