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The best songs of 1986 (book extract)

Karl Vorderman — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:14:02 GMT

                         The song of the month for January 1986
          Chain Reaction by Diana Ross (peak chart position: No.1)
The great Diana Ross re-visited the British pop summit for the first time in more than fourteen years with the excellent 'Chain Reaction'. In the intervening decade and a half the talented chanteuse had unleashed a whole host of wondrous love songs and dance tunes for music lovers to feast themselves on, yet it took the likeable 'Chain Reaction' to land the popular lady back on once-familiar territory. 'Chain Reaction' was penned by the Bee Gees who also provided vocals.

                         The song of the month for February 1986
          Eloise by The Damned (peak chart position: No.3)
The Damned sold their punk souls for a slice of pop fame when they abandoned their usual repertoire in favour of an excellent cover version of Barry Ryan's 'Eloise'. The single narrowly missed out on a British Number One, but it was obviously one of the highlights of 1986, albeit from an unlikely source. Quite clearly Rat Scabies and the gang had bills to pay, hence their surprising choice of recording. 'Eloise' had previously climbed to Number 2 back in 1968.

                         The song of the month for March 1986
          A Kind Of Magic by Queen (peak chart position: No.3)
After the success of 'The Works', Queen were once more parading an exciting new array of tunes, that comprised the 'A Kind Of Magic' album. The long player was magical by name and magical by nature, with some of the songs forming the soundtrack to the new 'Highlander' movie. The singles from this LP were of the highest order, namely the poignant 'Who Wants To Live Forever' and the Top 10 hit 'One Vision'. However Roger Taylor's 'A Kind Of Magic' is in a class of its own.

                         The song of the month for April 1986
          Live To Tell by Madonna (peak chart position: No.2)
Madonna cemented the sensational success of her previous two years with more triumphant forays into the British singles chart in 1986, courtesy of her new 'True Blue' album. Nevertheless my own preference is for the tremendous 'Live To Tell' hit in which our Madge bares her soul and forsakes her customary dance repertoire, confirming that she was more than a one trick pony. As long as she continued to vary her output, Madonna was assured of a sustained chart career.

                         The song of the month for May 1986
          Bigmouth Strikes Again by The Smiths (peak chart position: No.26)
In an exercise of revisionism, the eminent historian Steven Patrick Morrissey made us all aware that Joan Of Arc had actually been the first proud owner of both a walkman and a hearing aid as well as being a temporary scourge of the English. Bigmouth himself, Mr Morrissey, was once more offering his alternate take on that old thing called love, as he sings from the point of view of an apologetic bloke who pleads with his "sweetness" that he was only joking when he said that by rights she "should be bludgeoned" in her bed. It did make a refreshing change from the "I'm lonely without you baby" drivel that usually invaded the charts.

                         The song of the month for June 1986
          Higher Love by Steve Winwood (peak chart position: No.13)
'Sixties legend Stevie Winwood made a welcome return to the upper echelons of the British hit parade with 'Higher Love'. Having previously tasted chart-topping glory with the Spencer Davis Group as a teenage prodigy as well as further success with Traffic , the grown-up Winwood was back in vogue, especially in the United States where this new recording leapt to the peak position of the Billboard Hot 100 listings towards the end of the summer.

                         The song of the month for July 1986
          Every Beat Of My Heart by Rod Stewart (peak chart position: No.2)
Scotland's greatest vocalist was back on the airwaves with another formidable composition, a mere three years after 'Baby Jane' had yielded him his fifth UK chart-topper. 'Every Beat Of My Heart' just failed to become Rod's sixth Number One, but it was a throwback to his seminal 'Sailing' recording as the old Mod gets all sentimental about his homeland with the accompaniment of bagpipes and forgets about his fun blondes for a few minutes.

                         The song of the month for August 1986
          Word Up by Cameo (peak chart position: No.3)
Cameo hardly enjoyed a durable career in the world of music but they did make one enormous splash with the dancefloor favourite 'Word Up'. This superb pop song was a welcome inclusion in the British Top Three in the autumn of 1986, and it will perhaps be best remembered for the group's appearances on BBC's 'Top Of The Pops' whereupon the lead singer cheekily displays an outfit that came seriously close to exposing his manhood, though I guess that was his intention.

                         The song of the month for September 1986
          True Colors by Cyndi Lauper (peak chart position: No.12)
'True Colors' is a truly towering piece from the colourful Cyndi Lauper. It perhaps surpasses the very different 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun' as her best recording. Here Miss Lauper shares words of wisdom and encouragement with a beautiful, uplifting track that found favour with American record buyers. Not for the first time, British music lovers took leave of their senses and failed to appreciate this stunning song. A plague on all their houses!

                         The song of the month for October 1986
          Always The Sun by The Stranglers (peak chart position: No.30)
Punk pioneers The Stranglers continued to invade the singles charts at various intervals, but not even the hugely popular 'Golden Brown' can quite compare with the musical treat that was 'Always The Sun'. Here Hugh and his comrades get all philosophical about the fact that no matter how much life sucks and doesn't go according to plan, "there's always the sun". This brilliant item also ought to have been embraced by more record-buyers, but it is still an 'eighties classic.

                         The song of the month for November 1986
          French Kissin' In The USA by Debbie Harry (peak chart position: No.8)
Debbie Harry might have expected to go from strength to strength after the break-up of Blondie but her initial solo effort 'Backfired' did precisely that and the ageing blonde bombshell had to jettison her solo career for a while as she nursed her partner Chris Stein back from a serious bout of ill health. Stein and Harry were eventually back on top form with the marvellous 'French Kissin' In The USA' which actually represented their first UK Top Ten hit in almost six barren years.

                         The song of the month for December 1986
          Hymn To Her by The Pretenders (peak chart position: No.8)
Chrissie Hynde survived the double trauma of losing half her band to drug abuse to re-group and return with the occasional jewel of a recording. The new look Pretenders sneaked back into the British Top Ten with the commendable 'Hymn To Her'. It was refreshing for Hynde to have a musical success story to crow about, away from regular tabloid coverage of her dalliances with the singers Ray Davies of the Kinks, Jim Kerr of Simple Minds, and then Ali Campbell of UB40.

The best songs of 1985 (book extract)

Karl Vorderman — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:13:56 GMT

                         The song of the month for January 1985
          I Know Him So Well by Elaine Paige And Barbara Dickson (peak chart position: No.1)
This Anglo-Scottish duet were responsible for the second-biggest selling single in the British chart in 1985. Their admirable effort had its origins in the West End musical, called 'Chess'. The composers were none other than Tim Rice and Abba's songwriting duo, Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, whose songwriting royalties were boosted by this tune's four week sojourn at the top of the UK pop summit.

                         The song of the month for February 1985
          How Soon Is Now? by The Smiths (peak chart position: No.24)
Morrissey was at his melancholy best with this tour de force which had originally featured on the group's 'Hatful Of Hollow' long player. 'How Soon Is Now' was hardly happy-go-lucky chart material but the Smiths had accumulated a cult following that compensated for a lack of radio airplay. This opus included such joyous lines as:"You shut your mouth/How can you say I go about things the wrong way/I am human and I need to be loved."

                         The song of the month for March 1985
          Easy Lover by Philip Bailey With Phil Collins (peak chart position: No.1)
Philip Bailey's outstanding voice had decorated many successful efforts from Earth, Wind & Fire, but this Transatlantic collaboration with Phil Collins yielded him his only British chart-topper. Collins, a percussion man as well as a vocalist was experiencing more commercial success outside of his Genesis projects. This fine dance song failed narrowly to also climb to the peak of the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.

                         The song of the month for April 1985
          We Are The World by USA For Africa (peak chart position: No.1)
Not to be outdone by the heartwarming response to Band Aid's Christmas smash hit, a plethora of American singing stars belatedly followed in the footsteps of Bob Geldof and Midge Ure and issued their own fundraising single. Featuring the likes of Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, and Huey Lewis, this superstar gathering not surprisingly found favour with music lovers on both sides of the Atlantic, and all in a worthwhile cause.

                         The song of the month for May 1985
          19 by Paul Hardcastle (peak chart position: No.1)
Paul Hardcastle may not have provided the vocals but his keyboard wizardry underpinned this most unusual hit single. For the uninitiated, this song dwelt on the fact that the average age of the American combat soldier in the Vietnam military debacle was nineteen. The accompanying video footage of the world's first televised conflict reinforced this. Hardcastle was also the author of the 'Top Of The Pops' new signature tune.

                         The song of the month for June 1985
          Crazy For You by Madonna (peak chart position: No.2)
Louise Madonna Ciccone had quickly joined the megastar league with several terrific pop hits in quick succession. However, 'Crazy For You' was something of a departure for the American icon as she excelled at a slow, romantic number that demonstrated her adaptability in terms of subject matter. Although this fine single was soon eclipsed by the chart-topping 'Into The Groove', it remains one of the best love songs of the 1980s.

                         The song of the month for July 1985
          There Must Be An Angel by Eurythmics (peak chart position: No.1)
The Eurythmics enjoyed their only week at the summit of the British hit parade courtesy of the radio-friendly 'There Must Be An Angel', featuring the harmonica of the great Stevie Wonder. Annie and Dave had already managed to savour chart-topping glory in the United States with 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)' but this tune represented their peak, although they followed up with the admirable 'Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves.'

                         The song of the month for August 1985
          Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush (peak chart position: No.3)
Kate Bush re-appeared on the airwaves with a vengeance with a number of impressive singles that reminded everyone of her unique talent. 'Running Up That Hill' ran up the British and even American hit lists thanks to a memorable double drum sound to this dark piece. Bush had been absent from the public domain since she issued 'The Dreaming' album in 1982. 'Running Up That Hill' was a welcome return for the south London prodigy.

                         The song of the month for September 1985
          Something About You by Level 42 (peak chart position: No.6)
There was certainly something about this superb pop song which appealed to the music-buying public, as Mark King and his team stayed on the Top 75 for a noteworthy seventeen weeks. 'Something About You' is something which merits inclusion on any 'eighties compilation disc. The keyboards, guitar and vocals all join ranks to cultivate a feel-good track. Level 42 released several decent singles but this was surely their best effort.

                         The song of the month for October 1985
          Uncle Sam by Madness (peak chart position: No.21)
Now a sextet, Madness were experiencing something of an identity crisis as the decade unfolded. They perhaps felt they could only project their nutty image for so long, and they were keen to record music which was a bit more subtle than their early material. Consequently, the group lost some of their charm, yet they still contrived to offer very listenable items. 'Uncle Sam' revealed the band's political leanings as they poked fun at the gung-ho militarist nature of some American citizens. The accompanying video makes for amusing watching.

                         The song of the month for November 1985
          West End Girls by The Pet Shop Boys (peak chart position: No.1)
A new sensation was coming to the surface towards the end of the year as the duo of Neil Tennant and the po-faced Chris Lowe launched a brilliant pop career with the tremendous dance song, 'West End Girls'. This techno-pop classic had to wait until the Yuletide season ran its course before it climbed to the top of the British singles chart in January 1986. From then on, the Pet Shop Boys proceeded to nourish their followers with a constant diet of outstanding and innovative recordings that remain worthy of mention many years later.

                         The song of the month for December 1985
          The Sun Always Shines On T.V. by A-ha (peak chart position: No.1)
A-ha had exploded on to the television screens with a memorable video for 'Take On Me' which switched between animation and 'reality'. Norway's finest musical trio then built on this triumph with another marvellous pop song which topped the UK hit parade in early 1986. Morten Harket and his colleagues were also regarded as pin-up material, but this should not detract from the decent quality of 'The Sun Always Shines On T.V.'

The best songs of 1984 (book extract)

Karl Vorderman — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 12:43:59 GMT

                         The song of the month for January 1984
          What Difference Does It Make? by The Smiths (peak chart position: No.12)
A new pop phenomenon invaded the airwaves in 1983 when the Smiths reached out to the disillusioned youth with their own jangly guitar anthems which were frequently provocative, sometimes humorous, and never dull. The frontman Morrissey projected himself as the very antithesis of the teen pop idol, selling himself as a celibate and loveless individual. Against this background the Smiths issued the typically downbeat 'What Difference Does It Make?' In actual fact, Manchester's fab four did make a big difference over the next 4 years.

                         The song of the month for February 1984
          Michael Caine by Madness (peak chart position: No.11)
Ever since 'The Prince' had wandered into the British Top Twenty in the autumn of 1979, Madness had been a constant presence in the UK hit parade with their fast-paced observations of the modern world, helped by eye-catching videos that revealed their own playfulness and sense of humour. By their own high standards, the admirable 'Michael Caine' was something of a commercial failure, even though the great man contributes a spoken part in the hit. Unfortunately for Madness, Mike Barson, their main songwriter, had departed the group and the remaining six soldiered on with decreasing success without him until they too decided to become sane.

                         The song of the month for March 1984
          Nelson Mandela by The Special AKA (peak chart position: No.9)
Aside from being a fine dance track that deservedly sneaked into the British Top Ten, this historic anti-apartheid anthem was firm proof that music can change the world. Who in the youth market after all had ever heard of Nelson Mandela, incarcerated twenty years earlier? Not only did this commendable song bring renewed attention to the plight of Mandela, but the assembled cast of musicians including Elvis Costello and Dave Wakeling from The Beat were a prototype Band Aid several months before it too impacted upon the world.

                         The song of the month for April 1984
          I Want To Break Free by Queen (peak chart position: No.3)
Scarcely a year elapsed without Queen making their considerable presence felt in pop world. 1984 was especially fruitful for Freddie and his gang as first 'Radio Ga Ga' climbed into the British Top Three and then not to be outdone, the memorable 'I Want To Break Free' did likewise. This belting tune profited from a superb instrumental break as well as a video in which the foursome camp it up in drag as a spoof of Coronation Street.

                         The song of the month for May 1984
          Wake Me Up Before You Go Go by Wham! (peak chart position: No.1)
George Michael and the apparently less talented Andrew Ridgeley succeeded in becoming the new heart-throbs of planet pop and were consequently guaranteed a large volume of record sales from young females. As a result Wham! achieved a string of hits on both sides of the Atlantic as they acted as the perfect antidote to the artists who took themselves too seriously. The duo peaked with the popular 'Wake Me Up Before You Go Go.'

                         The song of the month for June 1984
          Two Tribes by Frankie Goes To Hollywood (peak chart position: No.1)
If 1976 belonged to Abba, and 1981 was the year of Adam And The Ants, then 1984 was the twelve months when Frankie Goes To Hollywood could do no wrong. First they had the supreme good fortune of having their single 'Relax' banned by the BBC thus guaranteeing it Number One status and a lengthy residence in the charts and then Liverpool's latest sensations sat at the singles summit for a mere nine weeks with 'Two Tribes' which was their own tongue-in-cheek assessment of the Cold War. Such was their phenomenal success that the rest of us had to suffer the 'Frankie Says' tee-shirts for many months thereafter, so they had a lot to answer for.

                         The song of the month for July 1984
          A Hole In My Shoe by Neil (peak chart position: No.2)
While the formidable 'Two Tribes' fought off all comers, some British record buyers found relief in yet another novelty record. 'A Hole In My Shoe' had originally appeared in the British singles chart in the late 'sixties for Traffic. This time around it was re-interpreted by Neil, alternatively known as Nigel Planer. Neil formed one quarter of the cult comedy outfit, 'The Young Ones' as the conscientious but morose hippie. What a pop idol!

                         The song of the month for August 1984
          Careless Whisper by George Michael (peak chart position: No.1)
If Frankie's Holly Johnson and Paul Rutherford were dominating the UK singles chart in 1984, George Michael was staking his own valid claim to superstardom. George stepped away from his collaboration with Andrew and promptly delivered not only one of the great love songs of its era but also one of the best chart-toppers of the 1980s. It was clear from this offering that George could deliver mature, soulful ballads which would enable him to extend his musical career a long way beyond the limitations of Wham's no nonsense pop formula.

                         The song of the month for September 1984
          Purple Rain by Prince (peak chart position: No.8)
This was a giant recording from a tiny man. The album version weighs in at more than eight and a half minutes and it is a fitting finale to an epic long player. Rarely has the electric guitar and the more conventional stringed instruments functioned better in unison than they did on 'Purple Rain'. The single did manage to find its way into the Top Ten of the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, and rightly so. Did the 'eighties produce a better track than this work of art?

                         The song of the month for October 1984
          I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down by Paul Young (peak chart position: No.9)
The hugely likeable Paul Young built upon the success of his 'No Parlez' long player with his next album, entitled 'The Secret Of Association'. Again this fine soul singer drew upon other material from the likes of Hall And Oates for the splendid 'Everytime You Go Away' but he also had a bash at releasing a song of his own, namely the lively 'I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down'. Yet again, young Paul was aided by the backing vocals of Kim and Maz, 'the fabulous wealthy tarts'.

                         The song of the month for November 1984
          All Through The Night by Cyndi Lauper (peak chart position: No.64)
British record-buyers spectacularly failed to pay due recognition to this wondrous single, which enjoyed better success on the other side of the 'big pond'. In my semi-humble opinion 'All Through The Night' ranks alongside 'Cruel Summer' by Bananarama and 'Take On Me' by A-ha for the imaginary prize of the best pop song of the decade. I remain perpetually puzzled why disc jockeys seem more smitten with the monotonous and infinitely inferior 'Time After Time'.

                         The song of the month for December 1984
          Do They Know It's Christmas? by Band Aid (peak chart position: No.1)
Bob Geldof and Midge Ure had both visited the top of the British singles charts before, but this time they were so moved by the television news coverage of the deteriorating famine in Ethiopia that they launched a new musical venture in a ploy to raise funds for famine relief. Consequently they hastily summoned the top names in British pop to form the most famous choir in the history of music, modern and classical. 'Do They Know It's Christmas' is not only a well-intentioned recording, but its lyrics are thought-provoking. The song had such a colossal impact that it remained the biggest-selling tune in the history of the British charts until the death of Princess Diana almost 13 years later. This Band Aid smash hit was one glorious occasion when planet pop changed the world for the better.

The best songs of 1983 (book extract)

Karl Vorderman — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 12:41:40 GMT

                         The song of the month for January 1983
          Billie Jean by Michael Jackson (peak chart position: No.1)
'Wacko Jacko' scored his second British chart-topper when 'Billie Jean' paved the way for the enduring appeal of the epic 'Thriller' album. The song kick starts with that unforgettable drum beat that ushers in a dancefloor treasure that became a staple of many an eighties discotheque. Jackson was consolidating his reputation as the best male vocalist on the planet. His solo career was going into orbit, while his personality did likewise.

                         The song of the month for February 1983
          Total Eclipse Of The Heart by Bonnie Tyler (peak chart position: No.1)
Bonnie Tyler was the latest singing sensation from the principality of Wales, following the hallowed footsteps of Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones. Bonnie had enjoyed a number of flirtations with the hit parade in the late 1970s but her finest five minutes came courtesy of the outstanding 'Total Eclipse Of The Heart'. This track was a reminder to detractors of the merits of eighties music, as it totally eclipsed all the other singles in the UK chart.

                         The song of the month for March 1983
          Blue Monday by New Order (peak chart position: No.9)
The three surviving members of the far from joyful Joy Division eventually recovered from the shattering loss of Ian Curtis and subsequently instigated a new order of indie dance music, with the assistance of new recruit, Gillian Gilbert. Their first major triumph was 'Blue Monday' which spent dozens of weeks on the hit parade, thus rendering it the most successful single to be released by an independent label, namely Factory Records.

                         The song of the month for April 1983
          Church Of The Poison Mind by Culture Club (peak chart position: No.2)
Culture Club's latest toe-tapper invited comparisons with the trademark Motown sound. This description did not by any means flatter this fine tune. It may not have reached the pop summit but it was at least as good as the huge-selling 'Karma Chameleon' that did arrive there several months later. The lyrics are fairly forgettable but the rhythm and the harmonica input from Jud Lander were a real joy for my own poison mind.

                         The song of the month for May 1983
          Buffalo Soldier by Bob Marley And The Wailers (peak chart position: No.4)
Robert Nesta Marley had been firmly ensconced in his mausoleum at St.Ann's in rural Jamaica for the last three years, but the reggae superstar was still able to make his charismatic presence felt beyond the grave. 'Buffalo Soldier' was the key track from the posthumous compilation of unreleased material that comprised the 'Confrontation' album. Marley was able to successfully confront all chart competitors with this 'new' song which told the story of how black Americans were recruited to fight for the Union in the American Civil War.

                         The song of the month for June 1983
          China Girl by David Bowie (peak chart position: No.2)
The ever-changing Bowie was now operating under the new alias of David Bowie. Casting off all his previous costumes and personas, the great Bowie showed that when it came to dance music, he could still cut it. Following on from the success of 'Let's Dance', Bowie covered his old mate Iggy Pop's 'China Girl' which had previously been performed in 1977. Not content with a majestic pop song, Bowie proceeded to trouble the censor with his nude re-enactment of 'From Here To Eternity' at the conclusion of the song's excellent video.

                         The song of the month for July 1983
          Double Dutch by Malcolm McLaren (peak chart position: No.3)
Hardly one of the world's great vocalists, Malcolm McLaren nevertheless enjoyed chart success with 'Buffalo Gals' and the wonderful 'Double Dutch' which was a celebration of a new American dance craze. McLaren had previously sang 'You Need Hands', an old Max Bygraves number on 'The Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindle' soundtrack. After the success of 'Double Dutch', McLaren was embroiled in a losing battle with his old adversary Johnny Rotten in a protracted legal dispute arising out of the break-up of the notorious Sex Pistols.

                         The song of the month for August 1983
          Gold by Spandau Ballet (peak chart position: No.2)
Spandau Ballet were one of the standard bearers of the New Romantics' pop craze. They peaked in the middle of 1983 with the impressive chart-topper, 'True'. Drawn from the same album was 'Gold' which was a worthy follow-up. Although 'Gold' had to settle for the silver medal position on the singles chart podium, it still stands the test of time as one of the great pop songs of the much-maligned 'eighties.

                         The song of the month for September 1983
          Come Back And Stay by Paul Young (peak chart position: No.4)
Paul Young had previously served his musical apprenticeship alongside the Q-Tips, before he plotted what would be a successful solo path. Young's big breakthrough came with 'Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)' but I have a stronger liking for his next smash hit, 'Come Back And Stay' which benefited from backing vocals from female duo, Kim and Maz. This hit was written by Jack Lee, author of Blondie's 'Hanging On The Telephone'.

                         The song of the month for October 1983
          Uptown Girl by Billy Joel (peak chart position: No.1)
Billy Joel came along with an unlikely dancefloor favourite which succeeded in terminating Karma Chameleon's six week occupation of the British Number One position. In the process, Joel found he had created the second biggest-selling UK single of 1983. Not just a great reason for swaying your feet and hips to, 'Uptown Girl' featured Joel's model girlfriend Christie Brinkley in a video that included a brilliant choreography routine.

                         The song of the month for November 1983
          Thank You For The Music by Abba (peak chart position: No.33)
The turbulent singing career of Abba drew to a close with the appropriate 'Thank You For The Music'. The fab four may have enjoyed phenomenal success, but they paid for it with the price of relationship turmoil. Thus when the greatest singles act of the 1970s took their bow, they were heartily sick of one another, and judging by the song's uncharacteristic failure in the hit parade, their once devoted public were tired of them too. Ironically, this is one of their best compositions sung by Agnetha, the "bit of a bore" "with the golden hair".

                         The song of the month for December 1983
          Many Rivers To Cross by UB40 (peak chart position: No.16)
Not content with treating British music lovers to the year's third biggest-selling single, 'Red Red Wine', UB40 returned in mid-winter with a less successful incursion into the Yuletide charts. 'Many Rivers To Cross' had previously been performed by Jamaican reggae legend Jimmy Cliff on the movie, 'The Harder They Come'. UB40 recorded a magnificent soulful version which deserved a much bigger splash in the hit parade than it achieved.

rockin out the new year

triplethreat781 — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 01:47:00 GMT

rockin it out

triplethreat781 — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 01:43:11 GMT

rockin out the new year

triplethreat781 — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 01:42:03 GMT

rockin out the new year

triplethreat781 — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 01:40:20 GMT

rockin out the new year

triplethreat781 — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 01:38:44 GMT

rockin it out

triplethreat781 — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 01:36:51 GMT

rockin it out

triplethreat781 — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 01:36:51 GMT

rockin out the new year

triplethreat781 — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 01:33:41 GMT

windows photo gallery

triplethreat781 — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 01:31:12 GMT

windows photo gallery

triplethreat781 — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 01:27:05 GMT

Look Closer.

Nashtashnash — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 18:19:37 GMT

I know you.

Nashtashnash — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 18:17:00 GMT

The best songs of 1982 (book extract)

Karl Vorderman — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 14:03:49 GMT

                         The song of the month for January 1982
          Golden Brown by The Stranglers (peak chart position: No.2)
Apparently this song is about drugs, which comes as no surprise, since lead vocalist Hugh Cornwell had 'form' where illegal substances were concerned. Regardless of whether or not this item dealt with heroin, many British record buyers were addicted to this single with its waltz sound. The Stranglers had clearly come a long way since 'Peaches' and their punk origins. A two week stay at Number 2 was the very least this tune merited.

                         The song of the month for February 1982
          See You by Depeche Mode (peak chart position: No.6)
Keyboardist Vince Clarke may have musically eloped with Alison Moyet for their Yazoo venture, but Depeche Mode kept the hits coming at regular intervals. 'See You' was a slightly different love song than the norm but it deservedly took Basildon's biggest export back to the British Top Ten. The Mode continued to carve out their own pop niche with the masterful 'Master And Servant' and the sensitive 'Shake The Disease' in ensuing years.

                         The song of the month for March 1982
          My Camera Never Lies by Bucks Fizz (peak chart position: No.1)
Bucks Fizz had emulated the likes of Sandie Shaw and the Brotherhood Of Man by providing the United Kingdom with a success at the Eurovision Song Contest. One year later and Britain's latest unconvincing answer to Abba had notched up three British chart-toppers. The best of this trio was arguably 'My Camera Never Lies'. It is a half-decent pop song which certainly found favour with record purchasers who helped it to Number 1 for a week.

                         The song of the month for April 1982
          I Love Rock 'N' Roll by Joan Jett And The Blackhearts (peak chart position: No.4)
In Jamaican rastafarian culture, blackhearts are dreads who are to be feared. Joan Jett's own particular Blackhearts managed to offer a slice of rock which had a crossover appeal both in rock and pop circles. This was one of those sing-along anthems that belonged in a pub jukebox. Americans were particularly impressed as Joan Jett and her gang were awarded with a seven-week stint at the summit of the Billboard chart.

                         The song of the month for May 1982
          I've Never Been To Me by Charlene (peak chart position: No.1)
This one-hit wonder was actually a product of the Motown hits factory, though it sounded nothing like Motown's typical dance tunes or soul records. Instead of which Charlene laments of her livelihood as a high-class hooker which prevented her from settling down and having a normal existence with a loving husband and doting children. Far from being sugary, this is a fantastic ballad with equally good music. More should have followed.

                         The song of the month for June 1982
          Avalon by Roxy Music (peak chart position: No.13)
Bryan Ferry appeared to have a twin track approach to the music business. On the one hand, he carved out a solo career based largely on cover versions. On the other hand, the ex-art teacher displayed his creative side in association with Roxy Music. The band's latest project was entitled 'Avalon'. The album featured the excellent 'More Than This' but my preference is for the title track which is one of the ultimate ambient pop recordings.

                         The song of the month for July 1982
          It Started With A Kiss by Hot Chocolate (peak chart position: No.5)
Hot Chocolate had been regular visitors to the British hit parade for the last decade, proving that they were everybody's cup of tea. Back in 1980, Errol and the team narrowly missed out on a Number One with 'No Doubt About It' but they were back in a lofty UK chart position again with the sweet 'It Started With A Kiss'. It was a testimony to the band's longevity that they varied their material from the raunchy to more sensitive items.

                         The song of the month for August 1982
          Save A Prayer by Duran Duran (peak chart position: No.2)
'Save A Prayer' is a definite front-runner for the award of 'the best song of 1982', but perhaps this wouldn't be difficult as pop world was inhabited by the likes of Renee And Renato, Musical Youth, the Goombay Dance Band, and Tight Fit. Nevertheless, this five and a half minute epic is the definitive New Romantics' single. The exotic video was filmed in Asia which the eye-catching Brummies passed through en route to world domination.

                         The song of the month for September 1982
          Gypsy by Fleetwood Mac (peak chart position: No.46)
The self-styled gypsy Stevie Nicks succeeded in mesmerising Fleetwood Mac followers with the marvel called 'Gypsy' which was a highlight of the supergroup's new long player, Mirage, which had the unenviable task of living up to the commercial and critical heights of the quintet's three previous studio albums. For some bizarre reason, Britain was slow to buy several classic Fleetwood Mac hits until 'Tango Of The Night' appeared in 1987.

                         The song of the month for October 1982
          Ruby Baby by Donald Fagen (not released as a single)
Donald Fagen had previously decorated the sound of Steely Dan with his vocals and keyboard sounds before he pursued the new frontier of a solo record. The result was the forty-minute delight, entitled 'The Nightfly', which is one of the greatest albums of the 1980s. This long player consisted largely of feel-good music with a jazz-pop fusion. Amongst the eight jewels is the gem, 'Ruby Baby'. This re-working of an old Leiber and Stoller tune is not only an infectious dance song, but it ought to be a candidate for the best cover version of all time.

                         The song of the month for November 1982
          Poor Tom by Led Zeppelin (not released as a single)
This recording had been completed a dozen years earlier, but it was criminally overlooked by rock's fearsome foursome until the band's lead guitarist and producer Jimmy Page included it in the 'posthumous' compilation, 'Coda', which was released in November 1982. The 8 tracks varied in quality, with 'Poor Tom' being the pick of the LP. Here Page goes all acoustic, Plant blows up a storm on mouth organ and Bonham's drums are superb.

                         The song of the month for December 1982
          Beat Surrender by The Jam (peak chart position: No.1)
Paul, Rick and Bruce decided to quit while they were ahead by going their separate ways whilst their band were still supremely successful and popular. Woking's greatest trio clocked out with 'Beat Surrender' which was not a mournful goodbye but an up-tempo farewell which lit up the charts in December 1982, only to be eclipsed by the dreadful 'Save Your Love'. Ah yes, British record-buyers were expressing their sense of humour again.

The best songs of 1981

Karl Vorderman — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 13:48:17 GMT

                         The song of the month for January 1981
          Vienna by Ultravox (peak chart position: No.2)
The British record-buying public have been known to let themselves down on a number of occasions. One such notable instance was when they allowed the rather silly novelty song 'Shaddap Your Face' to occupy the Number One position ahead of the magnificent 'Vienna'. Dear oh dear. It is actually quite ironic but 'Vienna' actually sold more copies than the masterpiece from the Joe Dolce Music Theatre. Anyhow, this is unquestionably Ultravox's finest track and it is a strong candidate for the accolade of best song of 1981, although it was actually recorded the previous year. Its black and white video is as memorable as the song itself.

                         The song of the month for February 1981
          Jealous Guy by Roxy Music (peak chart position: No.1)
The tragic death of John Lennon not surprisingly prompted the release of much of his esteemed material into the public domain as record companies and other artists both cashed in on his death and paid their own unique tribute. For example, George Harrison stepped forth with the admirable 'All Those Years Ago', Elton John released 'I Saw Her Standing There', Phil Collins recorded a formidable version of 'Tomorrow Never Knows' and Roxy Music finally made it to the top of the hit parade with their re-working of a song that had first surfaced on the 'Imagine' album. To be fair to Roxy Music, their own effort improves on Lennon's solo original.

                         The song of the month for March 1981
          Just A Feeling by Bad Manners (peak chart position: No.13)
Maybe it's just a feeling on my part, but the crazy bunch of Bad Manners never received the kudos that they perhaps merited. 'Just A Feeling' narrowly missed out on the British Top Ten, which is regrettable given the terrific harmonica of Winston Bazoomies. Bad Manners with their cartoon frontman, Buster Bloodvessel, were responsible for many oddball tunes which are nothing if not interesting. This fine single was a product of the aptly-titled 'Loonee Tunes' album, which also contained such gems as the hit single 'Lorraine', 'El Pussycat', and the energetic 'Undersea Adventures Of Ivor The Engine.' Now that's what I call a bit of culture.

                         The song of the month for April 1981
          Flowers Of Romance by Public Image Limited (peak chart position: No.24)
Don't be fooled by the song title folks. There was nothing remotely floral or romantic about this John Lydon composition. The punk legend was enjoying a new lease of life, free from the manoeuvrings of the dastardly Malcolm McLaren, and with Public Image Limited he now had the opportunity to express his own art and individuality. 'Flowers Of Romance' is short and to the point. It builds with an awesome drumbeat before young Johnny unleashes his cynicism:"I can't depend on these so-called friends." The tune sounds a bit sinister, revealing John's wicked sense of humour and it certainly stood out from all the other songs in the Top 40.

                         The song of the month for May 1981
          One Day In Your Life by Michael Jackson (peak chart position: No.1)
Michael Jackson had previously visited the top of the British singles lists in collaboration with the rest of his family on the dancefloor classic 'Show You The Way To Go'. The former infant prodigy subsequently decided that the way to go was on his own, away from any family assistance. It was slightly ironic that whilst Jackson had enjoyed new critical acclaim and increased record sales with the tremendous 'Off The Wall' album of 1979, the song which propelled him to the summit of the British charts had been recorded long before 'Off The Wall'. 'One Day In Your Life' is a beautiful item, and only a heart of stone could fail to agree.

                         The song of the month for June 1981
          Friday Night, Saturday Morning by The Specials (peak chart position: No.1)
It's seems rather strange that the hugely popular Specials should choose to go their separate ways at the very time when they ought to have been dining out on the glory of their most successful single, 'Ghost Town'. Unfortunately group disharmony decreed that this would be the last outing for Coventry's finest septet. It probably seems rather sacrilegious of me but I have a preference for the flip side of 'Ghost Town'. Here one finds Lynval Golding's 'Why' which addresses a recent racist knife attack on him. However, I am especially keen on 'Friday Night, Saturday Morning'. Terry Hall's travails about a night on the pull are most amusing.

                         The song of the month for July 1981
          Girls On Film by Duran Duran (peak chart position: No.5)
With the demise of Two Tone and British ska, a new fad stepped into the vacuum. It was now the turn of the New Romantics with their synthesizers and their melodrama to capture the attention of the teenage market. Birmingham's Duran Duran were certainly bedroom poster material, but they were also responsible for many great singles. After 'Planet Earth' had introduced them to the music industry, the group really found their feet with the admirable 'Girls On Film'. Critics may have scoffed at what they perceived as escapist, make believe nonsense, but Duran Duran and their glamorous videos certainly struck a chord with Britain's 'yoof'.

                         The song of the month for August 1981
          Day After Day by The Pretenders (peak chart position: No.45)
Day After Day was the least successful of the four tracks issued from the Pretenders' second album, yet it is arguably the most impressive. It took me a while to warm to this tune, but its piano and the heavier guitar sound distinguishes it from the rest of the group's jangly guitar repertoire. This was one of the last occasions when music enthusiasts would have the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the product of a band that soon descended into turmoil in June 1982 when bass player Pete Farndon was sacked for excessive drug use literally days before the talented guitarist James Honeyman-Scott died from a drugs overdose.

                         The song of the month for September 1981
          Prince Charming by Adam And The Ants (peak chart position: No.1)
How appropriate that the flamboyant Adam Ant should sing that "ridicule is nothing to be scared of". In 1981, Adam and his insects, having fled from their punk origins, were the flavour of the month, for just about every month. Previously 'Stand And Deliver' with its amusing tale of a highwayman (no laughing matter for his victims) had climbed to the top of the British charts, and the Ant colony colonised the pop summit again in the autumn with another large dollop of tongue-in-cheek lyrics. 'Prince Charming' was indeed a charmer of a single, but hereafter vocalist Stuart Goddard would slowly slide from fame into the oblivion of depression.

                         The song of the month for October 1981
          Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic by The Police (peak chart position: No.1)
I must confess to being more lukewarm than most to the 'great' Police. However, 'Every Little Thing' was a deserved chart-topper. This particular love song was a far cry from a previous one of twelve months earlier when 'Don't Stand So Close To Me' was a tale of a schoolgirl crush. More recently, the Police had dipped their toes in the stormy waters of political controversy with the outstanding 'Invisible Sun', but this time the trio abandoned the armalite in favour of the more conventional formula of a romantic tune. Sting's lyrics are unashamedly a celebration of being in love. There were clearly enough record-buyers who empathised.

                         The song of the month for November 1981
          Under Pressure by Queen And David Bowie (peak chart position: No.1)
It was only to be expected that two of the great heavyweight acts of the previous decade should deliver an item of pure class. This song kicks off with that memorable John Deacon bass line, 'borrowed' thereafter by the likes of Vanilla Ice on 'Ice Ice Baby'. However, here is one occasion when neither Queen nor Bowie were under any pressure. The Fab Four were after all basking in the growing triumph of their 'Greatest Hits' album which went on to reside in the album charts for several years. I do so like the Bowie line about "Keep coming up with love/When it's so slashed and torn." They just don't make them like this anymore.

                         The song of the month for December 1981
          Don't You Want Me? by The Human League (peak chart position: No.1)
The Yuletide season had become notorious for attracting a plethora of novelty acts who made logic-defying progress up to the top of the charts. Such formidable rock acts as Clive Dunn, Benny Hill, St. Winifred's School Choir, and Little Jimmy Osmond had all been there and done that. It was therefore something of a pleasant surprise when Sheffield's Human League helped themselves to an unlikely Christmas chart-topper with the far from merry 'Don't You Want Me'. The song benefits from trademark synthesizers as well as an interesting story. Phil Oakley might no longer have been 'wanted' but his song was wanted in large quantities.

The best songs of 1980 (extract from my book)

Karl Vorderman — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 23:43:56 GMT

 
                      The song of the month for January 1980
  Guns Of Navarone by The Specials (peak chart position:No.1)
The Specials can lay a credible claim to recording the most successful
 'extended player' in British chart history, as their live E.P. (featuring
'Too Much Too Young') somersaulted to the top of the U.K. hit parade
in early 1980. This mini-album contained five frantic interpretations of
previous classic ska recordings from the likes of the Pioneers. However,
my preference is for the hugely danceable 'Guns Of Navarone' which is a
cover of an old Skatalites tune, which itself was borrowed from the epic
movie of 1961. Here the veteran Anglo-Jamaican trombonist Rico
Rodriguez blows up a storm. Is it possible to sit still to this energetic
delight?
 
          The song of the month for February 1980
          Atomic by Blondie (peak chart position:No.1)
'Atomic' had been previously recorded almost a year ago for the
'Eat To The Beat' project. Remarkably it was the third selection for
release as a single in Britain after 'Dreaming' had narrowly failed to
reach Number One and 'Union City Blue' had mysteriously failed to reach
the Top Ten. This awesome tune had no such misfortune. Co-written by the
keyboardist Jimmy Destri, this four and a half minute treat benefited from an
accompanying video which envisaged the group playing at a post-nuclear holocaust
concert. The trademark interplay of guitars and Debbie Harry's vocals never
sounded better. What a sensational start to the 1980s!
 
          The song of the month for March 1980
          King by UB40 (peak chart position: No.4)
'King' formed part of a double A-side with the equally popular
'Food For Thought' and became one of the great stories of the
independent music labels' scene when this Graduate Records product climbed
into the British Top Five in the spring of 1980. This tribute to Martin Luther
King from a multi-racial Birmingham outfit had most peculiar origins. This
strapped-for-cash reggae group had to record this seminal track at their
producer Bob Lamb's bedsit, which also doubled up as a home-made recording
studio. This home-made hit was the humble origin of a popular bunch who became a
British musical institution in the ensuing three decades.
 
           The song of the month for April 1980
         A Forest by The Cure (peak chart position: No.31)
 Goth-rockers The Cure were too much of a cult act to ever expect much
commercial success in the singles chart. Having said that, this didn't deter
them from releasing several 45s which were considerably better than their chart
positions would indicate. Chief among them was the terrific 'A Forest'.
This atmospheric number with the slightly sinister guitar sound narrowly failed
to penetrate the British Top 30, but then it only succeeded in confirming that
some songs are just too good for the charts. The mesmeric 'A Forest' was
one such song.
 
                   The song of the month for May 1980
          Best Friend by The Beat (peak chart position: No.22)
The Beat had previously hit the ground running when their debut single, a
re-working of Smokey Robinson's 'Tears Of A Clown' reached the Top
Ten at the turn of the year. The group then followed up with two more Top Ten
forays courtesy of 'Hands Off...She's Mine' and 'Mirror In The
Bathroom'. Their fourth release was their least successful to date, and yet
it was arguably the best. 'Best Friend' has to be one of the great
jangly guitar songs of the 'eighties. It formed part of a double A-side with
the overtly political 'Stand Down Margaret'. Both songs first surfaced
when the excellent album 'I Just Can't Stop It' was issued in May.
 
                         The song of the month for June 1980
    Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division (peak chart position: No.13)
The appearance of 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' in the Top Twenty was
bitter-sweet for Joy Division. Having just lost their lead vocalist Ian Curtis
as a result of suicide, Manchester's finest new wave act were themselves
effectively dead. Nevertheless, this posthumous single was a reminder of the
soul-searching that afflicted the tormented psyche of Curtis. This poignant item
was later bravely covered by Paul Young, but this original is just too good to
imitate. The remaining members of the 'division' licked their considerable
wounds from the tragic loss of Curtis and promptly re-appeared in
the guise of the hugely respected New Order indie act.
 
                         The song of the month for July 1980
          Private Life by Grace Jones (peak chart position: No.17)
Jamaican chanteuse Grace Jones staked an early claim for the best cover version
of the decade when she expertly re-interpreted 'Private Life' which had
originally saw the light of day on the Pretenders' debut album. With the
notable assistance of Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, Jones unleashes a
reggae wonder. Chrissie Hynde's brutal lyrics were tailor-made for Jones
whose deadpan delivery does justice to such put-downs as "You ask my
advice/I say use the door/ But you're still clinging to somebody you
deplore." "I just feel pity when you lie/Contempt when you cry."
This insensitive item was included on the 'Warm Leatherette' long player.
 
                         The song of the month for August 1980
          Biko by Peter Gabriel (peak chart position: No.38)
The great Peter Gabriel was the latest artist to exploit the medium of popular
music as an outlet for political protest. The ex-Genesis vocalist commendably
decided to share his profound misgivings about the circumstances surrounding the
death of Steve Biko with the rest of the world via this landmark recording.
Gabriel recruited African vocalists as well as Phil Collins and even made use of
bagpipes on this remarkable single. Gabriel's revulsion at apartheid is best
summed in the following extract:"You can blow out a candle/ But you
can't blow out a fire/ Once the flame begins to catch/ The wind will blow it
higher." Superb stuff.
 
                         The song of the month for September 1980
          Three Little Birds by Bob Marley & The Wailers (peak chart position:No.17)
Marley's classic 'Three Little Birds' had originally been hatched
three years earlier when it appeared on the popular 'Exodus' album.
Eventually Island Records decided to issue it as a single. The simple but
effective lyrics were uplifting for all who had the good fortune to hear it:
"Don't worry about a thing/Cos every little thing is gonna be all
right." Ironically, while this fine reggae pop song was climbing the
British hit parade, the great man himself collapsed in Central Park in New York
whilst jogging. Inoperable cancer was soon diagnosed and Marley then fought a
losing battle against terminal illness for the last seven months of his life.
 
                         The song of the month for October 1980
          Woman In Love by Barbra Streisand (peak chart position: No.1)
Barbra Streisand had previously flirted with the top regions of the charts with
her collaborations with Neil Diamond and then Donna Summer. However, the Jewess
decided that 'enough is enough' and she proceeded to treat the airwaves
to a new solo recording, 'Woman In Love'. This romantic celebration
certainly found favour with record buyers on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean as
it became a deserved chart-topper. The song would also prove to be one of the
biggest-sellers of 1980.
 
                         The song of the month for November 1980
      (Just Like) Starting Over by John Lennon (peak chart position: No.1)
John Lennon had gone into a self-imposed retreat from stardom and from
recording music from early 1975 through to the summer of 1980 when he eventually
swapped his house-husband duties for his more familiar role of a performing
artist. The Beatle legend soon delivered a new album in collaboration with his
less musically gifted wife, thus yielding the 'Double Fantasy' project.
One highlight of this long player was the admirable rocker in which John states
"It'll be just like starting over." However, it proved to be a false start as the author
 of some of the world's best love and peace anthems was gunned down in early December.
 
                         The song of the month for December 1980
          The Call Up by The Clash (peak chart position: No.40)
The Clash were faced with the unenviable task of attempting to improve upon the
critically acclaimed 'London Calling' double album. They not surprisingly failed,
although they did themselves no favours by lumping all their new material
together onto a triple album, entitled 'Sandinista'. Nevertheless, this newly-
released long player did have a number of highlights, including 'Somebody Got
Murdered' and 'Bankrobber'. My own preference is for the anti-draft track, 'The Call Up'.
 This item features a wailing klaxon acting as a call to arms. What may have confused
some observers was that the seemingly belligerent Clash were actually pacifists!

oops I thought it was My Ex

triplethreat781 — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 02:35:32 GMT