Favourite Songs From 1980
RussellIan
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There's a bandwagon, let's shamelessly jump on it. We've so far musically defined 1981, 1983 and 1984. Let's put 1980 out of it's misery, starting here.
Despite being a nipper barely learning to talk at the time, these are the tracks I've come to love from that epochal year which presaged the decade of the most fantastic chart music IMO there has ever been. Feel free to castigate my absence of Jam, David Bowie, Madness and John Foxx's Underpass love by counteracting with your own memory-evoking favourites lists.
Top 40 hits only, by order of entry:
I'm In The Mood For Dancing - Nolans
Living By Numbers - New Musik
And The Beat Goes On - Whispers
Atomic - Blondie
Turning Japanese - Vapors
Cuba - Gibson Brothers
Echo Beach - Martha + The Muffins
Happy House - Siouxsie & The Banshees (amazing how many 'happy house' Italo dance tunes later nicked this)
January February - Barbara Dickson
Talk Of The Town - Pretenders
Call Me - Blondie (Blondie in 1980 IMO cocked a summing-up snook at disco and simultaneously ended the genre)
Breathing - Kate Bush
You'll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties - Jona Lewie (great electro unjustly maligned as 'novelty')
Funky Town - Lipps Inc (still sounds MASSIVE)
Christine - Siouxsie & The Banshees
Jump To The Beat - Stacey Lattisaw (still unbelievably funky; WHERE is it now DJs???)
Xanadu - ELO & Olivia-Newton John (film version so much better and less cheesey though)
Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
Babooshka - Kate Bush
Upside Down - Diana Ross
9 To 5 - Sheena Easton (spooky though that Dolly's same-titled 1980 ditty didn't even break the top 40)
The Winner Takes It All - ABBA (their best ever IMO)
Private Life - Grace Jones (one the most underrated tunes of the decade, from a still imperiously drop-dead-gorgeous lady)
Feels Like I'm In Love - Kelly Marie
Ashes To Ashes - David Bowie (started the threads!)
A Walk In The Park - Nick Straker Band (far exceeds its SAW remix)
Eighth Day - Hazel O'Connor
Generals And Majors - XTC
D.I.S.C.O. - Ottawan (yes, IMO it IS actually good )
Army Dreamers - Kate Bush
Enola Gay - OMD
Never Knew Love Like This Before - Stephanie Mills (sadly forgotten disco-ballad)
The Tide Is High - Blondie
Super Trouper - ABBA
To Cut A Long Story Short - Spandau Ballet (all hail the new romantics; trendsetting stuff then and still sounds cuttingly great 30 scary years on)
December Will Be Magic Again - Kate Bush
What a great year, and to think that at the time I had no idea at all it was even happening!
Despite being a nipper barely learning to talk at the time, these are the tracks I've come to love from that epochal year which presaged the decade of the most fantastic chart music IMO there has ever been. Feel free to castigate my absence of Jam, David Bowie, Madness and John Foxx's Underpass love by counteracting with your own memory-evoking favourites lists.
Top 40 hits only, by order of entry:
I'm In The Mood For Dancing - Nolans
Living By Numbers - New Musik
And The Beat Goes On - Whispers
Atomic - Blondie
Turning Japanese - Vapors
Cuba - Gibson Brothers
Echo Beach - Martha + The Muffins
Happy House - Siouxsie & The Banshees (amazing how many 'happy house' Italo dance tunes later nicked this)
January February - Barbara Dickson
Talk Of The Town - Pretenders
Call Me - Blondie (Blondie in 1980 IMO cocked a summing-up snook at disco and simultaneously ended the genre)
Breathing - Kate Bush
You'll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties - Jona Lewie (great electro unjustly maligned as 'novelty')
Funky Town - Lipps Inc (still sounds MASSIVE)
Christine - Siouxsie & The Banshees
Jump To The Beat - Stacey Lattisaw (still unbelievably funky; WHERE is it now DJs???)
Xanadu - ELO & Olivia-Newton John (film version so much better and less cheesey though)
Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
Babooshka - Kate Bush
Upside Down - Diana Ross
9 To 5 - Sheena Easton (spooky though that Dolly's same-titled 1980 ditty didn't even break the top 40)
The Winner Takes It All - ABBA (their best ever IMO)
Private Life - Grace Jones (one the most underrated tunes of the decade, from a still imperiously drop-dead-gorgeous lady)
Feels Like I'm In Love - Kelly Marie
Ashes To Ashes - David Bowie (started the threads!)
A Walk In The Park - Nick Straker Band (far exceeds its SAW remix)
Eighth Day - Hazel O'Connor
Generals And Majors - XTC
D.I.S.C.O. - Ottawan (yes, IMO it IS actually good )
Army Dreamers - Kate Bush
Enola Gay - OMD
Never Knew Love Like This Before - Stephanie Mills (sadly forgotten disco-ballad)
The Tide Is High - Blondie
Super Trouper - ABBA
To Cut A Long Story Short - Spandau Ballet (all hail the new romantics; trendsetting stuff then and still sounds cuttingly great 30 scary years on)
December Will Be Magic Again - Kate Bush
What a great year, and to think that at the time I had no idea at all it was even happening!
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Comments
I'll just post this fantastic obscure track and then do a runner;).............
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzDh1cfSTpc
Apologies OP for hi-jacking your thread.:o
The Police - Don't Stand So Close To Me
The Police - De Do Do Do De Da Da Da
George Benson - Give Me The Night
The Clash - Bankrobber
Wow, no apologies necessary OP that is great stuff, fantastic to 'discover' and it being obscure just goes to show that, even back in the superior hit parade days of the 80s, you still couldn't rely wholly on the GBP where taste is concerned
Glad you like.:) Don't miss out on their other track "Send Me An Angel" a gem of a song imo.
Got A Flock Of Seagulls playing at the moment. Great stuff.:D
With regard to a lot of your superb 'forgotten' disco gems, I believe a lot of DJs wrongly assume people won't remember them and thus don't play them. I used to work with a DJ of some 30 years' experience that had that particular mindset. :rolleyes:
Speaking of disco, what is your opinion of 'The Groove' by Rodney Franklin? I've included it in my list though was surprised that it wasn't a chart hit until 1980 as I always thought it was a mid-70s hit.
From the list, I particularly love 'Living By Numbers' (New Musik), 'Generals And Majors' (XTC) and the hugely underrated 'You'll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties' (Jona Lewie) and cannot believe they don't get the airplay they truly deserve. However, I've been glad to pick up three compilations in the last year that have had You'll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties' on them - light at the end of the tunnel!
As for the SAW remix of 'A Walk In The Park,' I think it is a good example of a point you made in one of the other threads about being unable to find the original versions of songs on CD these days; the SAW remix seems to crop up on compilations far more often, which is a real pity!
My selections for favourite songs from 1980:
Robert Palmer - Looking For Clues (the original version rarely appears on 'best ofs' () *)/ Johnny And Mary
Tom Browne - Funkin' For Jamaica (class!)
Change - A Lover's Holiday (hugely overlooked but one hell of a bassline)
Change - The Glow of Love (famously sampled by Janet Jackson and along with 'Searching,' some of Luther's finest vocals)
Change - Searching
Rodney Franklin - The Groove (what an instrumental!)
New Musik - This World of Water (couldn't believe my ears when Steve Wright played it on his show a few weeks ago!)
Squeeze - Another Nail In My Heart
Squeeze - Pulling Mussels (From A Shell) (all-time favourite Squeeze single)
OMD - Messages (my favourite OMD single)
Joe Jackson - It's Different For Girls
Jon & Vangelis - I Hear You Now
Styx - Babe
Kool & The Gang - Too Hot
Michael Jackson - Rock With You
George Benson - Love X Love
Peter Gabriel - Games Without Frontiers (good video too)
The Beat - Mirror In The Bathroom
The Police - Don't Stand So Close To Me
The Police - So Lonely (charted in 1980)
The Jam - Going Underground/ Start/ Dreams Of Children
The Clash - Bankrobber
Junior Murvin - Police And Thieves (originally recorded in the mid-70s and brilliantly covered by the Clash)
Adam & The Ants - Antmusic
Boomtown Rats - Banana Republic
Madness - Night Boat To Cairo
Madness - Baggy Trousers
Paul McCartney - Coming Up
John Lennon - (Just Like) Starting Over
Narada Michael Walden - I Shoulda Loved Ya
Genesis - Turn It On Again
Mystic Merlin - Just Can't Give You Up
Crown Heights Affair - You Gave Me Love
Tina Marie - Behind The Groove
Korgis - Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime
Elton John - Little Jeannie
Elvis Costello - New Amsterdam (another overlooked gem)
Queen - Play The Game
Black Slate - Amigo
Billy Joel - It's Still Rock 'n' Roll To Me
Randy Crawford - One Day I'll Fly Away
Randy Crawford - Last Night At Danceland
Jona Lewie - Stop The Cavalry
GUILTY PLEASURES:
Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb - Guilty (aptly titled!)
Captain and Tennille - Do That To Me One More Time
Liquid Gold - Dance Yourself Dizzy (Yomanda's 'Synth 'N' Strings' inspired me to check this one out)
Fern Kinney - Together We Are Beautiful
Olivia Newton-John - Magic
* I complain about the original version of 'Looking For Clues' not appearing on a great deal of Robert Palmer 'best ofs' but in comparison to other Palmer songs (Every Kinda People being a prime example), the version of 'Clues' that tends to show up in place of the original isn't the worst by any means. However, if you listen to the two recordings, the differences are clear.
And The Beat Goes On - The Whispers
Bob Marley - Could You Be Loved
SOS Band - Take Your Time (Do It Right)
The Isley Brothers - Don't Say Goodnight
Another brill year for great tunes. Variety of styles in those days in the chart.
Magic by Olivia should have been a giant hit, got to number 1 in the US.
Also loved
Cwying - Don McLean
Winner takes it all - Abba - their best song
Take that look off your face - Marti webb
Going Underground - Jam
Woman in love - Streisand
Turning Japanese - Vapors
Dreams - Grace Slick
At the edge - stiff little fingers
Living in the plastic age - Buggles
Total Control - The motels
Masterblaster - Stevie wonder
Twilight zone - Manhattan Transfer
On the radio - Donna Summer
Sing out love is easy - Voyager ( a radio hit)
No doubt about it - Hot Chocolate
News at ten - Vapors
Enola gay - OMD
Generals and majors - XTC
More love - Kim Carnes
Dancing with myself - Generation x
Lies through the 80's - Manfred mann
King/Food for thought - Ub40
Stupid guy - Paranoids
Tonight - Gloria Gaynor
I got you - Split Enz
and loads loads more.
Jam - Going Underground
Sheila & Black Devotion - Spacer
Dexy's Midnight Runners - Gino
Barbara Streisand - Woman In Love
Abba - Winner Takes it all
Some songs you can't understand how they got to number one.
Use it up and wear it out....how on earth did that make it i wonder,must have been a bad week for sales !!
Couldnt stand Feels like i'm in love by Kelly MArie either
2. Dexys Midnight Runners - Dance stance
3. Teardrop Explodes - When i dream
4. Kate Bush - Breathing
5. Dexys Midnight Runners - There there my dear
6. Undertones - Wednesday week
7. Spandau Ballet - Too cut a long story short
8. Adam and the Ants - Dog eat dog
9. Eurythmics - Never gonna cry again
10. Martha and the Muffins - Echo beach
11. Squeeze - Pulling mussels (from a shell)
12. Vapours - Turning japanese
13. Pretenders - Talk of the town
14. David Bowie - Ashes to ashes
15. Kate Bush - Army dreamers
16. Regents - 7 Teen
17. Cure - A forest
18. Beat - Mirror in the bathroom
19. Hollies - Soldiers song
20. Genesis - Duchess
21. Motorhead - Ace of spades
22. John Foxx - Underpass
23. UB40 - Food for thought
24. Madness - Night boat to cairo
25. Joy Division - Love will tear us apart
Xanadu
Too Much too Young
Woman In Love
Atomic
Working My Way Back To You
Going underground
This was the first single for seven years to enter the charts at number one. YEs in those days it was rare. This took everyone by suprise and no one could believe it.
Special Brew
Starting Over
Call Me
Crying
Theme From Mash
The Winner Takes It All
Ashes To Ashes
After Going Underground got to number one, people really wanted more from the band so all their singles were rereleased and charted again. Doesnt happen much unless someone dies!
Really enjoying these nostalgic threads though....can't wait to see which year is next!
Atmosphere
Kate Bush - Breathing/Babooshka/Army Dreamers/December Will Be Magic Again
Teena Marie - Behind The Groove/I Need Your Lovin'
Grace Jones - Private Life
The Clash - Bankrobber/The Call Up
Black Slate - Amigo
Jermaine Jackson - Let's Get Serious
Blondie - Atomic/Call Me/The Tide Is High
Abba - The Winner Takes It All
Martha & The Muffins - Echo Beach
Siouxsie & The Banshees - Happy House/Christine/Israel
Suicide - Dream Baby Dream
Japan - Gentlemen Take Polaroids
Crown Heights Affair - You Gave Me Love
The Teardrop Explodes - When I Dream
The Specials - Too Much Too Young/Rat Race/International Jet Set/Do Nothing
Bow Wow Wow - C30, C60, C90, Go!/Your Cassette Pet
The Jacksons - Lovely One/Heartbreak Hotel
The Beat - Best Friend/Stand Down Margaret/Too Nice To Talk To
Gibson Brothers - Cuba
Wah! Heat - Better Scream
Squeeze - Another Nail In My Heart/Pulling Mussels (From The Shell)
Michael Jackson - Rock With You
The Jam - Going Underground/Dreams Of Children/Start!
Echo & The Bunnymen - Rescue
Kurtis Blow - The Breaks
The Cure - A Forest
Adam & The Ants - Kings Of The Wild Frontier/Dog Eat Dog/Antmusic
Diana Ross - Upside Down/My Old Piano (the original Chic mixes are best )
Paul McCartney - Coming Up
John Foxx - No-One Driving/Burning Car/Miles Away/Underpass
Stevie Wonder - Masterblaster (Jammin')
Bob Marley & The Wailers - Could You Be Loved
Queen - Another One Bites The Dust
The Pretenders - Talk Of The Town
Change - A Lover's Holiday/Searching
Dexy's Midnight Runners - There There, My Dear
Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
Tony Rallo & The Midnight Band - Holdin' On
Young & Company - I Like What You're Doing To Me
Jermaine Jackson - Burning Up
The B-52s - Give Me Back My Man/Dirty Back Roads/Private Idaho
Visage - Fade To Grey
This is so much more interesting than work ... :eek:
tbh id lump 'fade to grey' in 1981, ok it was released in 80 but spent most of its chart run in 1981.
ABBA - Super Trouper
Barbra Striesand - Woman In Love
The Cure - Boys Don't Cry
David Bowie - Ashes To Ashes
The Jackson 5 - Can You Feel It
The Jam - Start
The Jam - That's Entertainment
John Lennon - Happy Xmas (war Is Over)
John Lennon - Woman
JOY DIVISION - CLOSER (THE ENTIRE ALBUM)
Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
Kate Bush - Babooshka
Meat Puppets - Plateau
Olivia Newton John - Xanadu
Queen - Another One Bites The Dust
Serge Gainsbourg - Dieu Est Un Fumeur De Havane
Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime
Great list...I'd completely forgotten about these two and love 'em!
Check out Jonah's dancing (if you can call it that)!:D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTns_N9NcMg
Was Lena Lovitch 'Lucky Number' 1980? That was a goodun too.
no m8, that was spring 79.