Best Song: Talking Heads - Road To Nowhere
Talking Heads have several well known records but this was the only one to make the Top 10 and one of just three to make the Top 40. It's a record I've known for as far back as I remember but not one I really appreciated until I got into electronic music.
Worst Song: Dionne Warwick And Friends - That's What Friends Are For
The "friends" on this record were Stevie Wonder, Elton John and Gladys Knight. Not a bad line up by any means, but this is such a cringeworthy record. It's something I could imagine being sung by the Zack Attack on Saved By The Bell. Maybe they did sing it.
Top 40 Review
In 1984 Shakin Stevens had the Christmas song "Merry Christmas Everyone" but decided to postpone releasing it for a year because of Band Aid. In 1985 it was Christmas number one, but Band Aid also re-entered the charts.
The other big Christmas song of 1984, "Last Christmas" by Wham! also returned to the charts. Wham! also had "I'm Your Man" in the Top 40 at the same time.
Other Christmas hits were "Walking In The Air" by Aled Jones and "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" by Bruce Springsteen which was part of a double a-side with "My Hometown".
Wham! weren't the only ones to have 2 records in the Top 40. The others were Paul McCartney, Elton John, Jennifer Rush and A-ha. The latter was with their big 2 records "Take On Me" and "The Sun Always Shines On TV" which both get full marks.
Pet Shop Boys were making their Top 40 debut with "West End Girls" which also gets full marks. That makes it a full house for the synth pop records in this Top 40.
Soul music is often a reliable source of points, but not in this Top 40. Just half points for "See The Day" by Dee C Lee. Funk music provides a couple of points via Cherrelle With Alexander O'Neal and Cameo. Also contributing a point is the only rap hit of this Top 40 "The Show" by Doug E Fresh And The Get Fresh Crew.
There's some questionable records in the lower reaches of the Top 40 which were probably released due to Christmas which are "The Hokey-Cokey" by Black Lace, "Mr DJ" by Concept and "Abide With Me" by The Inspirational Choir.
Given the amount of crap we have in there though, the final score isn't too bad.
Score: 14
Table
The consistency of the 80s is back again:
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