Putting a bow on '86
20 - "Imagination," Belouis Some
The biggest of two hits for Londoner Neville Knightley was this tune about a sensuous woman. It sounds like a decent imitation of Let's Dance-erase Bowie. Worth a spin.
19 - "And She Was," Talking Heads
The Heads' third and last Top Twenty here was this about a woman who lies down in a field and starts flying out of her body and over the world below. Just a fantastic song about freedom and flights of fancy. My second favorite of their singles, behind only the criminally non-hit "This Must be the Place (Naive Melody),"
18 - "The Power of Love," Huey Lewis and the News
Their movie monster was denied a Triple Crown by the U.K. And I'm not going to be the one to find a repurposed DeLorean and try to change that.
17 - "The Captain of Her Heart," Double
The meh synth-piano ballad that was the only major international hit for the Swiss duo of Kurt Maloo and Felix Haug. Well, at least they still had their awesome names.
16 - "Turning Away," Shakin' Stevens
Shaky got hit number 21 with a rockabilly version of a song Crystal Gayle had a #1 country hit with. It's about not rejecting a good thing. Just more of him doing his thing.
15 - "Stripped," Depeche Mode
This one from the Mode is about two people laying each other bare, but beyond just physical nakedness. And the sound is partly created by manipulating motor vehicle noises. One of their defining songs.
14 - "Only Love," Nana Mouskouri
Born on the Greek isle of Crete, Ioanna Mouschouri has had a long international career that has seen her work with legends like Quincy Jones and Harry Belafonte, move to England to host a long-running variety series, and have hits throughout Europe in multiple language, all the while becoming known for wearing black-rimmed glasses. Her biggest hit here was a lyriced version of the love theme from the American miniseries Mistral's Daughter. It's a pretty voice singing suitably melodramatic lyrics. Pretty much what I expected her songs were like when I saw her albums advertised on TV. In that respect, she will always be linked in my mind with Roger Whittaker and Zamfir, Master of the Pan Flute.
13 - "Living in America," James Brown
The Godfather's biggest hit was the song Apollo Creed came out to before he was killed by Ivan Drago in Las Vegas. 32 years later, his son was killed by T'Challa in Wakanda. You know what should come next: Dolph Lundgren and Chadwick Bozeman in Black Panther vs. Drago. Featuring a Stan Lee cameo as a popcorn vendor. Make it happen, Hollywood.
12 - "Rise," Public Image Ltd.
The fifth hit for John Lydon's post-coital band wasn't their highest charter, but it is their most "pop" moment, with its jangly guitars and catchy chorus. But ol' Rotten is still at his snarly best, railing against apartheid and reminding us all that "Anger is an energy." It's brilliant.
11 - "Borderline," Madonna
Madge's finest moment finally got its due here nearly two years after its original release. It just had to keep on pushin'.
10 - "Manic Monday," Bangles
The Prince-penned breakthrough for these L.A. ladies was a #2 in all the countries we cover here, Call it a Triple...tiara?
9 - "System Addict," Five Star
The Pearson siblings' first Top Ten was this dance-popper about being hooked on technology. Hmm. If they were that adversely affected by Commodore 64s and NES games, whatever would they do now?
8 - "Don't Waste My Time," Paul Hardcastle
The multi-instrumentalist behind the Vietnam news reports-meet-dance music charttopper "19" had his only other Top Ten with this more straightforward track about a woman who dumps a guy. Fine, but not memorable.
7 - "Love Missile F1-11," Sigue Sigue Sputnik
The first and biggest hit by the band that tried to merge punk, glam and synthpop. It sounded futuristically exotic then, with its sound and its references to bombs and rockets and sex acts. Now, it's exotic for how dated it sounds. Either way, it gets an Uneasy Rider.
6 - "How Will I Know," Whitney Houston
Her second straight single to capture two-thirds of a Triple Crown. This time, Britain threw up the block. They just wouldn't take this to the clouds above.
5 - "Burning Heart," Survivor
Britain bought into Cold War bombast, too.
4 - "Eloise," The Damned
The prolific punks were in the heart of their Goth phase when they released their biggest hit, a cover of a 1968 Barry Ryan hit about being madly in love with a woman who may actually be a ghost. I think that's it. Anyway, it gets a suitably epic old-school horror treatment here.
3 - "Starting Together," Su Pollard
Born in Nottingham, Susan Georgia Pollard was mainly a television actress, but she did score one hit song with this pop-rock number that served as the theme to a documentary series called The Marriage, which followed a couple throughout their first year as man and wife. Nice for what it is, and bonus points for Pollard's fabulous glasses. Women with specs were big on this chart.
2 - "Chain Reaction," Diana Ross,
Miss Ross had her only U.K. #1 of the decade by teaming up with the Bee Gees on this song that has a retro Motown sound, but much more suggestive lyrics. It probably was the best thing she did in the 80s.
And 32 years ago, this was on top:
1 - "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going," Billy Ocean
Billy's theme to The Jewel of the Nile got two-thirds of the Triple Crown, with only America stopping at #2. That is too bad. It's one of the best moments for the "Mutt" Lange production formula.
There's another one. Got something a little different for next time, so stay tuned.
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