Normally I'd be well up for a 1981 chart, but I've just heard these songs too many times in the past few weeks. Brownie points for going for a chart with Joe Dolce at No. 1 though!
Here's comments on some on the tracks I haven't commented on before in the 1983 chart:
February 12 1983
Top 20 tracks played -
15 TWISTING BY THE POOL - DIRE STRAITS - Not one of their hits that instantly springs to my mind, but quite enjoyable. A fun, upbeat song in the same vein as Walk Of Life.
13 NEW YEAR'S DAY - U2 - I prefer their earlier hits, and this was definitely the one that really broke them through. Their hits the following year were even better. I can understand why it's a love song to some people and not a political one.
08 YOU CAN'T HURRY LOVE - PHIL COLLINS - Totally and utterly love this, and its definitely my fave version of this song. I didn't buy this at the time, but did get a copy some years later from WH Smiths when they stocked old singles. The only way to get hold of old songs, in the days before itunes!
03 ELECTRIC AVENUE - EDDY GRANT - Poor Eddy, so close to getting 2 number ones in 4 months. On the ITV show Pop Gold they showed a fantastic long-forgotten performance of Eddy performance on Razzmatazz and I didn't release, until someone posted on facebook, that he never performed it on TOTP. Maybe he chose the wrong show to appear on, though I'm not sure it would've given him the 55K + sales to overtake Men At Work at the top.
Top 20 tracks skipped -
20 HOLD ME TIGHTER IN THE RAIN - BILLY GRIFFIN - Not one I could remember, though on listening I'm surprised that Tony didn't play it as it is right up his street. Billy has got such a distinctive voice, but the track doesn't really stand out. I heard Love Machine by the Miracles on the radio this morning, which is much better.
16 STEPPIN' OUT - JOE JACKSON - I can't now complain about this one not being played, as its a faller, but I think its such a good song and would never object to hearing it.
12 (07) THE STORY OF THE BLUES - WAH! - Don't know much about Pete Wylie, though in interviews I've read in old Smash Hits issues, he comes across as really full of himself. Having said that, this is quite good, and has a really big sound.
11 (08) THE CUTTER - ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN - Yet another Liverpool band cut from this week's POTP. Is there some sort of grudge going on? I had to listen to this to remind myself how it went and can't say I'm in a hurry to hear it again. The only one of their songs that sticks in my mind is Seven Seas.