The last of the last.
20 - "Wrap Her Up," Elton John
Elton and George Michael sing about famous women they'd like to take home with them. But in this case, what they intend to do with them isn't obvious.
19 - "Don't Look Down," Go West
The duo's fourth hit was more funk-lite about telling a woman that she has more reason to be confident than fearful. Okay, but it can't top "We Close Our Eyes."
18 - "A Good Heart," Feargal Sharkey
The ex-Undertone's only #1 was this pop-rock tune about the difficulty of finding true love, written by Maria McKee of American folk rocker band Lone Justice. It's good, but I don't love it as much as I did at the time.
17 - °Don't You Just Know It," Amazulu
These ska poppers seemed to specialize in covers, and their second hit was a version of a 1958 it by the New Orleans group Huey "Piano" Smith and His Clowns. You may not know the song by title, but you've possibly heard its call-and-response, "Ha Ha Ha Ha!, Hey-ay-oh! A-Gooba-Gooba-Gooba-Gooba!" chorus. Disposable nonsense pop, without the original's R&B grit.
16 - "Spies Like Us," Paul McCartney
Paul's dumb rock song from a Dan Aykroyd/Chevy Chase Cold War comedy. I still don't know what all the fuss was.
15 - "Girlie Girlie," Sophia George
Jamaican singer George had her biggest international success with this reggae toastfest about a man who has the proverbial "girl in every port." The lesson: don'the "flash it round the worldie." Good advice.
14 - "Say You, Say Me," Lionel Richie
The smash ballad from another Cold War film, White Nights, was denied a Triple Crown by the Brits. Naturally.
13 - "Hit That Perfect Beat," Bronski Beat
Though named for keyboardist Steve Bronski, this openly gay synth band originally attracted attention mostly for the distinctive falsetto of singer Jimmy Somerville. Somerville left in early '85, but the group managed one more Top Five with new singer John Foster in the form of this celebration of gay nightlife. Foster's voice sounds like a cross between Somerville and Pet Shop Boy Neil Tennant, so it fits right in to the group's sound. Unfortunately the group lost steamy after one more hit, while Somerville would continue having hits for another ten years.
12 - "We Built This City," Starship
Another smash denied the Triple Crown by Britain. Maybe if they had done a version with a Radio 1 DJ doing the bit in the middle...
11 - "My Hometown," Bruce Springsteen
This evocative number about economic devastation was the Boss' third Top Ten here. It was likely helped by the addition of his classic 1975 live version of "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" on the B side, That is one of rock's most joyous moments, and the polar opposite of the A.
The Top Ten Awakens.
10 - "See the Day," Dee C. Lee
A native of Balham in South London, Diane Catherine Sealy first had success singing backup for Wham!, then left to join future husband Paul Weller in The Style Council. In the midst of that, she scored a solo hit with this big ballad about learning to trust in love. Fine dramatic soul.
9 - "Dress You Up," Madonna
Madge's eighth Top Five. Sex as clothing. Leave it to her to make that connection. And we should be glad.
8 - "I'm Your Man," Wham!
Their third #1 was this boisterous Motown homage. By the end they had become a respectable pop act, making George's solo transition much smoother.
7 - "Separate Lives," Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin
Another case of the U.K. throwing up a block to a Triple Crown. This is probably the most justified incidence.
6 - "Last Christmas," Wham!
Their 1984 tale of holiday heartbreak has become a Yuletide perennial. This is the second of fourteen Top Forty runs the song has had, making it the best-selling single to have never hit Number One. It deserves to be what it's become.
5 - "Walking in the Air," Aled Jones
From Wales, Jones' childhood treble voice made him a British sensation, peaking at age 15 with this version of a song from a 1982 ITV animated holiday special called The Snowman. It's full of ethereal childlike wonder and such. Jones' career would hit a bump the next year when his voice broke, but he eventually rebounded to have a solid career performing in stage musicals and presenting on TV and radio.
4 - "West End Girls," Pet Shop Boys
Finally, a song that completed the Triple Crown. And I think I would put it no lower than Top 40 among the winners of this honour.
3 - "Do They Know it's Christmas," Band Aid
The grandaddy of all charity singles kept "Last Christmas" out of the top spot last year, and ironically is the highest of four George Michael appearancesing in the Top Twenty. Seek out the 12-inch version, which contains spoken messages from artists who sang on the record, and a few who didn’t. The highlights include a goofy Paul McCartney, a jokily threatening Holly Johnson, a deadly serious David Bowie, and a relieved-sounding Bob Geldof recorded at the end of the session.
2 - "Saving All My Love for You," Whitney Houston
Okay, this time it was Canada denying a song a Triple Crown. We were wrong. I'll say it.
And the song of British Christmas 32 years ago was...
1 - "Merry Christmas Everyone," Shakin' Stevens
Shaky's fourth and final Number One was this simple Yuletide pop song about all the traditional stuff like snow and mistletoe and trees. An okay addition to the holiday rotation, nothing more or less.
So there's my last look back of this year. A happy 2018 to you all, and if you decide to include this space in your new annum, I hope I'll make it pleasant for you.
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