Best Song: Tears For Fears - Shout
I have no memories of 1984 at all let alone the music that was coming out during it. At the same time though something tells me I was hearing this song and enjoying it a lot in 1984 even though I was too young to have any idea of what was going on. It could also explain my early music memories of having a liking for "shouting songs".
Worst Song: Stevie Wonder - I Just Called To Say I Love You
I'm told this was a song my young self would get up and sing at the time, so clearly music was having an influence on me even back then. When I learned of this fact though I questioned why because it's a terrible song. It was Stevie Wonders only solo number one which didn't do much for his credibility, I've known a lot of people around my age to regard him as a bit of a joke based on this song without considering he made some pretty decent music earlier on in his career.
Top 40 Review
1984 is arguably the most famous Christmas chart of them all. It was the year of Band Aid and of perhaps the biggest Christmas number 2 "Last Christmas" by Wham!
We also had Wizzard returning to the Top 40 with "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day" and there were Christmas hits from Gary Glitter, Queen and Alvin Stardust. Slade were also in the Top 40 with "All Join Hands" which could be described as a New Year song.
We had the song you always hear at Christmas that isn't a Christmas song in "The Power Of Love" by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. Then there was the long forgotten charity record by the Paul Weller assembled Council Collective which is terrible.
In terms of novelty hits we have "We All Stand Together" by Paul McCartney And The Frog Chorus which I've mentioned in another review that I actually like. There was also "Do the Conga" by Black Lace which I can't say I do like. Then there was a punk version of "Nellie The Elephant" by the Toy Dolls which again is a bit crap but that's the point.
Another record that I also consider a novelty record is "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker Jr.
Former Christmas number one holders The Human League had the Christmas number 28 in 1984 with "Louise" which is one of the best records I've heard from them and much better than their chart topper.
Sticking with the synth pop music we have "The Riddle" by Nik Kershaw and "Lay Your Hands On Me" by The Thompson Twins which both get full marks.
Other highlights of the Top 40 include Grandmaster Melle Mel And The Furious Five with "Step Off (Part 1)", the one with the "Chaka Khan" intro. Then there was the actual Chaka Khan song they contributed to "I Feel For You".
Without looking at the actual charts if you asked me which 80s Top 40 chart was most likely to nosedive at Christmas I would have said 1984. That's what has happened.
Score: 13
Table
One of the best chart years of the 80s has one of the worst Christmas charts of the decade:
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