Christmas 1985. On the day, the Comic Relief charity was founded, spawning an annual telethon and, most relevant to this organ, several high-charting benefit singles. In fact, one was released in December 1987 to compete for that year's holiday #1. What were the contenders this year? Let's find out.
40 - "Because," Julian Lennon
John's son had his second Top 40 here with a cover of a 1964 Dave Clark Five song recorded for Time, a concept album version of a science-fictional stage musical Clark wrote for London's West End. It's a simple ballad that Julian does well by. Nothing more, nothing less.
39 - "The Sun Always Shines on TV," A-ha
The Norwegians' second hit would become their only U.K. #1. It still, well, shines.
38 - "Alice I Want You Just for Me," Full Force
The New York hip-hop crew actually had a hit without Lisa Lisa and/or Cult Jam, in the form of this funky plea to a lady which includes the line "Baby, I'm your carpenter, please let me lay your tile." How that hasn't become a timeless pickup line is beyond me.
37 - "Take On Me," A-ha
The 80s touchstone with the weird video. It will be gone from pop culture in a century or twoooooooooo! Maybe.
36 - "Abide with Me," The Inspirational Choir
Founded just a few years earlier as The Inspirational Choir of the Pentecostal First Born Church of the Living God, this London gospel group gained attention by singing backup on Madness' 1983 hit "Wings of a Dove," This led to their own record deal and a Top 40 version of an 1847 Scottish hymn. It's simple and indeed inspirational, and spiced up with a guitar solo that actually fits in. I like it.
35 - "That’s What Friends are For," Dionne and Friends
The charity smash took two thirds of the Triple Crown, yet only got to #16 here. That just doesn't make sense to me.
34 - "We All Stand Together," Paul McCartney and the Frog Chorus
In 1984, Macca released two passion projects. One was the feature film Give My Regards to Broad Street; the other was the animated short Rupert and the Frog Song, in which he himself voiced the popular cartoon bear. One of the biggest successes from these films was this song from the latter, which hit #3 at the end of '84 and was now charting again a year later. In the film, it's performed as a rare event when the frogs of the world gather to sing in solidarity. The song reflects that theme, and it features backing frog noises, a couple of meows, a kazoo, and heavy orchestration. A bigger WTF for Sir Paul than the time he put out "Mary Had a Little Lamb." And unquestionably an Uneasy Rider.
33 - "Ring of Ice," Jennifer Rush
Her follow-up to "The Power of Love," was this uptempo number about people being defensively cold to each other. It's not bad.
32 - "Mr. DJ," The Concept
Can't find out much about the group, but the song consists of a disc jockey from the fictional station WONE, taking requests and mentioning songs like "Crazy for You" and "We are the World." He even does a weather report and is propositioned by a female admirer. All over a dance/hip-hop beat. A fun little artifact.
31 - "Hokey Cokey," Black Lace
The last of four hits for these novelty popsters was a strait version of the song that accompanies the children's dance game that most of the rest of the world calls "The Hokey Pokey." Although apparently in New Zealand it's "The Hokey Tokey." What are they smoking up there?
30 - "Run to the Hills (Live)," Iron Maiden
A concert version of the band's 1982 hit, recorded that March in Long Beach, California. Not very different from the original.
29 - "Road to Nowhere," Talking Heads
David Byrne and crew had their only Top Ten here with this rolling rocker about going joyfully into the end of the world. It fits somewhere in my Heads Top 5.
28 - "After the Love Has Gone," Princess
Desiree Heslop was one of Stock/Aitken/Waterman's early hit makers, and her second single is generic pop about getting over someone. She would have been better off covering the Earth Wind and Fire song.
27 - "Don't Break My Heart," UB40
Their ninth Top Ten was this sad plea to leave a vital organ intact. Bland pop was becoming their default setting.
26 - "Russians," Sting
Shockingly, this dirge of nuclear fear is to date the Stinger's second highest-charting single. The usually impeccable British taste is a bit off in this case.
25 - "She's Strange," Cameo
The Atlanta funk stars with an ode to a woman who is both Larry Blackmon's Twilight Zone and his Al Capone. Strange doesn't do that justice.
24 - "The Show," Doug E. Fresh
Born in Barbados and raised in Harlem, Douglas Davis became known in his teens for his mastery of rhyming and beatboxing, and at 19 he scored an international hit with this cavalcade of hip-hop joy. Fresh and fellow Get Fresh Crew member Slick Rick rhyme with amazing flow and chemistry, Doug does some impressive sound effects, and the Inspector Gadget theme has never sounded better. Simply one of the greatest rap songs of all time.
23 - "Leaving Me Now," Level 42
Blah ballad about feeling that a lover was unjustified in leaving. These guys have not aged well.
22 - "The Power of Love," Jennifer Rush
Sometimes I am frightened that I'll never hear this song again. No, actually quite the opposite. I'm ready to learn to live without it.
21 - "Saturday Love," Cherrelle and Alexander O'Neal
A Top Ten teamup for the two American R&B stars. A good Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis warmup for the great stuff they'd go on to do with Janet Jackson.
In Part Two: an awful lot of George Michael, among other things.
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