The Christmas Charts - 1981

For the 2nd year in a row "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" by John And Yoko And The Plastic Ono Band re-entered the Top 40. It would only make number 28 on this occasion but that's not bad considering the number of people who would have bought it the previous year.

Also re-entering the Top 40 was "Merry Xmas Everybody" by Slade. This was the first time it re-entered the Top 40 and made number 32 on this occasion.

1981 was the year of the medley with the likes of "Stars On 45" and at Christmas time we had the record "Christmas On 45" by Holly And The Ivys which made number 40.

Also Christmas related we had "Hokey Cokey" by Snowmen. Not technically a Christmas song but given it's by the Snowmen and came out around Christmas time it was clearly one for the Christmas market.

The Christmas number one was "Don't You Want Me" by the Human League. They had made their Top 40 debut earlier on in the year and this was their 4th Top 40 hit and final single to be taken from their "Dare" album.

UK Number 40s: Marc Almond - Bitter Sweet (1988)

 

Marc Almond is best known for being the lead singer of Soft Cell who are best known for the chart topper "Tainted Love". Unfortunately for Marc Almond, "Tainted Love" was a cover as was the B-side so it wasn't quite the money maker it could have been.

Soft Cell called it a day in early 84 and Marc Almonds solo career began. He failed to reach the Top 40 with any of his singles that year. The following year he was featured singer on Bronski Beats cover of "I Feel Love". He also managed to crack the Top 40 on his own for the first time with "Stories Of Johnny" which made number 23.

Several more singles would follow but he didn't make the Top 40 again until 1988 with "Tears Run Rings" which made number 26. That was also his only solo effort to date to make the Billboard 100. Then came this.

It was the 2nd single from his "The Stars We Are" album and was written by Marc Almond himself. Given the quantity of solo singles that never made the Top 40 this could be considered a success as it was his 3rd most successful solo effort to this point.

He followed this up in early 1989 with a cover of "Somethings Gotten Hold Of My Heart" featuring Gene Pitney which topped the charts. His follow up to that "Only the Moment" failed to make the Top 40 though.

Since then he's only reached the Top 20 twice as a solo artist with "Jacky" and "The Days Of Pearly Spencer" which are both covers. He has written all his Top 40 hits that didn't make the Top 20. As a songwriter that's probably quite annoying for him.

UK Number 40s: Wonder Stuff - It's Yer Money I'm After Baby (1988)

 

We've now reached the 40th act to have both a number 1 and a number 40 to their name. This was the Top 40 debut for the group and was once a debut hits question on Popmaster so either this record isn't that obscure or it was a really harsh question.

The Wonder Stuff are perhaps more regarded as an early 90s group than an 80s one. What surprises me though is how few people I know actually remember The Wonder Stuff. They had a number one with "Dizzy" with Vic Reeves and had what I consider well known hits with "The Size Of A Cow" and "Welcome To The Cheap Seats" which both made the Top 10.

This record was the only Top 40 hit from their debut album "The Eight Legged Groove Machine". They were one of the 3 big groups of the era from Stourbridge, a small town in the West Midlands. The other 2 were Pop Will Eat Itself and Ned's Atomic Dustbin. 

UK Number 40s: The Mac Band - Stalemate (1988)

The Mac Band were best known for the 1988 hit "Roses Are Red" which made the Top 10. They did have another Top 40 hit with this.

Both songs came from their debut album "The Mac Band featuring The McCampbell Brothers". The band consisted of 8 members, 4 of which were brothers with the surname McCampbell who were the vocalists of the group. 

The song was also written by brothers, David Lewis and Wayne Lewis who were both members of Atlantic Starr who had their biggest Top 40 hit "Always" the previous year. It failed to chart in America and didn't even make the R&B charts which "Roses Are Red" had topped prior to this.

Two more albums and several non charting singles followed before the group called it a day in 1991.

UK Number 40s: Nick Kamen - Tell Me (1988)

 

On a personal level, we have a new first. This is the first number 40 I actually remember charting at the time. Remembering this record proved to be a disadvantage for me when I was on Champions League Popmaster though. The question was what was Nick Kamen's only Top 5 hit? That's quite a reasonable question given it was Champions League, but I just couldn't get this record out of my head when asked the question which stopped me from thinking of the correct answer, which is "Each Time You Break My Heart". I knew this only got to 40 so therefore was the incorrect answer.

Nick Kamen was a model who was best known for appearing on the Levi's advert. A year later he began a music career and his debut hit was written by Stephen Bray, who's written several songs with Madonna, and Madonna herself. His follow up was a cover of "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever" by Four Tops.

Then a little over a year later came his second album "Us" and this, the lead single from it. This song was written by Patrick Leonard, co-writer of 4 of Madonna's number ones and David Williams who previously had a hit as member of Chanson with "Don't Hold Back". Madonna provided backing vocals to this record.

It's his final Top 40 hit to date in the UK and it topped the charts in Italy. He carried on releasing music until 1992 and passed away earlier on this year.

UK Number 40s: Mantronix - Who Is It (1987)

 

Rap music may dominate the Top 40 these days, but it got off to a pretty slow start from a chart perspective. It had been 8 years since Sugarhill Gang gave us the first rap Top 40 hit with "Rapper Delight". The number of rap records to hit the Top 40 over those 8 years were few and far between and included a number of records by non-rap acts and novelty records.

In 1987 we started to get more rap hits and acts making their debut included Beastie Boys, Eric B & Rakim, LL Cool J and Public Enemy. The first rap record to make the Top 40 in 1987 though was this.

Mantronix had made their debut the previous year with "Bassline" which made number 34. This was the follow up to that. Whilst these were their only 2 Top 40 hits of the 80s, they had a further 4 that failed to make the Top 40. 

The next time we'd see Mantronix in the Top 40 would be at the start of 1990 with "Got To Have Your Love" which was a complete change in direction, not being rap music at all.

This was the only single to peak at 40 in 1987.

UK Number 40s: Chris De Burgh - A Spaceman Came Travelling / The Ballroom Of Romance (1986)

 A Spaceman Came Travelling

The Ballroom Of Romance

We have another first. Whilst it's not unusual for an act to have both a number 1 and a number 40, this is the first time we've had someone make their Top 40 debut with a number 1 and follow it up with a number 40.

That number 1 single was "Lady In Red" which had topped the charts in August. This reached its number 40 peak at the end of December, just 4 months after he'd topped the charts. However, he actually failed to make the Top 40 "Fatal Hesitation", his follow up to "Lady In Red" which hit it's peak of 44 in September before "Lady In Red" had left the Top 40.

What is perhaps surprising though is that "A Spaceman Came Travelling" only made number 40 when it's a well known Christmas song that you still hear today. Despite this, it's yet to be amongst the Christmas records that now make a return to the Top 40 every year. Even if it did, it would effectively be a different single because it would appear as itself rather than as part of a double a-side.

The song originally appeared on his 1975 album "Spanish Train And Other Stories" and failed to chart when originally released as a single in 1976. It did however top the charts in his native Ireland.

It was following the success of "Lady In Red" that this got released. "The Ballroom Of Romance" was one of his current songs at the time, taken from his "Into the Light" album.

Making the Top 40 could be considered a success given that "A Spaceman Came Travelling" failed to chart the first time around. The way that "Lady In Red" divides opinion though means perhaps it's no surprise this got no higher than 40.

UK Number 40s: St John's College & The Band of Grenadier Guards - The Queen's Birthday Song (1986)

 

The first thing I remember about this record was it was the only 80s one hit wonder nobody had answered correctly on a Sporcle quiz. I then tried to listen to it on YouTube, but it wasn't there. Fortunately it is now there.

St Johns College is a school in Cambridge who's choir provided the vocals and The Band of Grenadier Guards is a band from the British Army. It was a charity single raising money for national children's charities, but this seemingly didn't help boost sales.

It was written by Tony Macaulay and Christopher Logue. Although it was the only Christopher Logue penned record to reach the Top 40, Tony Macaulay was no stranger to the charts as a songwriter.

To date he has 34 Top 40 hits as songwriter to his name including 6 number ones including his first two which are "Baby Now That I've Found You" by The Foundations and "Let The Heartaches Begin" by Long John Baldry.

By the time of this record he'd not had a Top 40 single as songwriter since 1978 which was "It Sure Brings Out The Love In Your Eyes" by David Soul. This would be his final original Top 40 hit as songwriter with just a cover of "Baby Now That I've Found You" by Lauren Waterworth to come after this.

UK Number 40s: Keith Harris & Orville - White Christmas (1985)

 

Keith Harris & Orville needs no introduction and the song "White Christmas" needs no introduction either. This record in particular perhaps does.

They were well known on the TV and in 1982 capitalised on their success by releasing a novelty record called "Orvilles Song" at Christmas time which made number 6.

The following year they did the same again with "Come To My Party" but missed the Top 40. They sat out 1984 but in 1985 had one last crack with this record.

It was the 4th version to make the Top 40, the other 3 came from Mantovani, Pat Boone and Bing Crosby. It reached its number 40 peak the week after Christmas and then afterwards they stuck with the TV.

UK Number 40s: Julian Lennon - Because (1985)

 

We have another first in our look at number 40s in the UK charts. The first father and son to score a number 40. First we had John Lennon score a number 40 in 1981 with "I Saw Her Standing There" and how here's his son Julian doing the same in 1985.

Julian Lennon's Top 40 career began in 1984 with "Too Late For Goodbyes". His following two singles however failed to reach the Top 40. This was his next.

It was originally recorded by the Dave Clark Five in 1964 and written by group members Dave Clark and Mike Smith. This Julian Lennon cover was recorded for the Dave Clark musical "Time". The other Top 40 hits from this musical were "Time" and "In My Defence" by Freddie Mercury.

Julian Lennon also recorded the songs "Time Will Teach You All" and "If You Only Knew" for the musical but neither were Top 40 hits. 

Two more albums and several singles followed before we'd see Julian Lennon again in the Top 40 with his final Top 40 hit to date "Saltwater" in 1991.

UK Number 40s: The Alarm - Strength (1985)

 

The next number 40 is so obscure that it isn't listed on everyhit.com. At the same time it is 1 of just 3 UK number 40s of the 80s to make the Billboard 100 and was the bands 2nd highest charting single in America.

The Alarms highest charting single in the UK was their debut "68 Guns" in 1983 which made number 17. They had 8 Top 40 hits overall with their final one coming in 2006, some 23 years after their debut. 

This was their 4th Top 40 hit and 2nd in 1985, the only year they had more than one Top 40 hit. It came from the album of the same name. The album reached number 18 which was higher than all of it's singles.

UK Number 40s: Blancmange - What's Your Problem? (1985)

 

A common pop career consists of a debut hit that becomes your anthem that will always be associated with you followed by a bunch of records few people remember no matter how successful they are, followed by years in the wilderness and then finally the comeback where nobody notices your new music because they're only interested in your one song.

This basically sums up the career of Blancmange. Their debut was "Living On The Ceiling" which made number 7. They would have a further 6 Top 40 hits including 2 Top 10s and ended with this record, a number 40.

It was the lead single from their 3rd and final 80s album "Believe You Me". It came at the time when several of the early 80s synth pop acts were either hitting the lower reaches of the Top 40 or not making the Top 40 at all. The other 2 singles from that album failed to reach the Top 40 and they called it a day shortly after.

They made a comeback in 2011 and have released 8 albums since.

UK Number 40s: Brooklyn Bronx & Queens (BB & Q Band) - Genie (1985)

 

Normally a singer starts out as part of a group and then goes onto a solo career. In the case of this group, it was the opposite. The singer in question was Curtis Hairston who had his only solo Top 40 hit earlier on in 1985 with "I Want Your Lovin' (Just A Little Bit)".

Behind BB & Q Band was Jacques Fred Petrus and Mauro Malavasi, the same people who were behind the group Change. Their self titled debut album came out in 1981 and they narrowly missed out on the Top 40, making 41 with the single "On The Beat".

By 1985 they were on their 4th album, also called "Genie", with a completely different line up which included Curtis Hairston. This was their debut Top 40 hit, but the band was coming towards the end of it's existence. 

They would have their 2nd and final Top 40 hit in 1986 with "(I'm A) Dreamer". The band ended in 1987 when Jacques Fred Petrus was murdered. Curtis Hairston died himself in 1996.

UK Number 40s: Marilyn - You Don't Love Me (1984)

 

Marilyn is probably best remembered as being mates with Boy George and having a pop career on the back of that. He debuted in 1983 with "Calling Your Name" which became his biggest hit reaching number 4.

His Top 40 career only lasted 6 months and 3 singles though, with this being the final one. He would appear on "Do They Know It's Christmas" by Band Aid at the end of the year, but his own singles failed to reach the Top 40. 

He released the album "Despite Straight Lines" which contained all his singles in 1985, but this failed to chart in the UK but had minor chart success in Australia.

UK Number 40s: Tina Turner - Help (1984)

 

We have another first, this was the first song to reach both number 1 and number 40 in different versions. The original of course was by The Beatles and topped the charts in 1965. It also becomes the 2nd and final Lennon/McCartney composition to date to peak at 40.

Tina Turner made her Top 40 debut the year after "Help" topped the charts as part of Ike & Tina Turner. They would have 2 Top 40 hits that year and a further one in 1973. Tina Turners solo career began in 1974 but she wouldn't have a Top 40 hit until 1983 with "Lets Stay Together".

This was her 2nd solo Top 40 hit and came from the same album, "Private Dancer". She fared much better with the follow up to this, "What's Love Got To Do With It" which reached number 3 and is jointly her highest charting single to date.

She's clocked up 31 solo Top 40 hits to date with her last one coming in 2020 in collaboration with Kygo in a remake of "What's Love Got To Do With It".

UK Number 40s: Roman Holliday - Motormania (1983)

 

This was the only Top 40 in 1983 to peak at number 40. Roman Holliday made their Top 40 debut a few months earlier with "Don't Try To Stop It" that made number 14. Earlier in the year they failed to reach the Top 40 with the single "Stand By" which reached 61 and did slightly better in America reaching 54, quite unusual for a British group.

This single failed to chart in American though. It was one of those 50s style records in the 80s, but by this point Shakin Stevens was the only other one still doing it and reaching the Top 40.

The band split in 1985 and songwriter Brian Bonhomme left the music industry all together, moving to America and becoming a professor in Russian History. Perhaps the biggest success story music wise after the breakup of the group is Adrian York who has written music for commercials amongst other things. 

UK Number 40s: Young Steve & The Afternoon Boys - I'm Alright (1982)

 

This was the first of 3 charting singles by former Radio 1 DJ Steve Wright, but it was the only one to make the Top 40. It's a novelty record done in the style of Chas & Dave.

Young Steve was 28 at the time of this record which isn't very young in pop music terms. This was the time he was doing the afternoon show on Radio 1.

Years later a member of his Radio 1 show posse would have greater success in the charts with a novelty record called "I'll Be Back" by Arnee & The Terminators which made the Top 5. 

UK Number 40s: Evelyn 'Champagne' King - Back To Love (1982)

 

When I hear the name Evelyn 'Champagne' King the song I think of is "Shame" which was her 1978 debut. That wasn't her biggest hit though, it only just missed out on being a number 40 but managed one place better at 39.

It took her until 1981 to follow up with another Top 40 hit with "I'm In Love" which made 27 and was an American number 40. Then in 1982 came her biggest hit "Love Come Down" which was her only Top 10 hit.

This was the follow up to that, written by the same songwriter, Kashif. It was also from the same album, "Get Loose". It was the only one of her UK Top 40 hits not to make the Billboard 100. 

She had one more Top 40 hit with the number 37 "Your Personal Touch" in 1985, though she'd have several more singles chart outside the Top 40 with the last of those to date coming in 1996.

UK Number 40s: The Who - Athena (1982)

 

The Who are a band that need to introduction. Quite surprisingly though they aren't a band who have also had a number one and are one of the biggest bands never to top the charts.

They made their debut in 1965 and had at least one Top 40 hit up to 1973. They'd have just 4 more original Top 40 hits after 1973 with this being the final one.

Original drummer Keith Moon had died 4 years earlier and the band themselves were on the verge of splitting up, they did a farewell tour around the same time this record came out and called it a day in 1983, although they have reunited many times ever since and even recorded new material.

It was the only single from the album "It's Hard" to chart in the UK.

UK Charts Best Year Search: 1989

What's this all about?

Top 40

Best Song: Public Enemy - Fight The Power

You may be surprised to hear I've picked a Motown record as best song. It's a Motown record because that's the label the soundtrack to the film "Do The Right Thing" is on which includes this record. It had some close competition but this just about edges it, maybe it's the line "Elvis was a hero to most but he never meant shit to me" that does it.

Worst Song: Transvision Vamp - The Only One

One band I could never tolerate as a kid was Transvision Vamp and my opinion hasn't changed. This is them following up to their biggest hit "Baby I Don't Care" with a record that sounds the same so equally as shit.

Top 40 Review

I'm pretty sure I taped this Top 40 at the time. I certainly remember listening to some of the songs in this Top 40 from taping it.

Anyway, just narrowly missing out on best song in this Top 40 is the record at 40 "Voodoo Ray" by A Guy Called Gerald, one of the all time classics that really is a classic. At the other end of the charts is "Back To Life" by Soul II Soul which has got better with age, though I did also like it at the time.

As a primary school kid at the time I had no knowledge of underground music, but I gave my best shot at trying to know record others didn't. The best I could do was "Waltz Darling" by Malcolm McLaren which was at its peak of 31 this week but unfortunately there was someone else at school who knew it, but a record I like nonetheless.

Guns N Roses have 2 records in this Top 40. There's "Sweet Child O Mine" which I still like despite hearing it far too many times. The other is "Patience" which I remember finding a bit soft for Guns N Roses at the time and I'm still not overly keen but good enough for half marks. 

We also have "Breakthru" by Queen who's video was recorded at Nene Valley Railway not long after I visited it myself so it grabbed my attention. The song gets full marks too. 

We have half the Beatles in the Top 40, kind of. The record is "I Won't Back Down" by Tom Petty which features George Harrison on guitar and Ringo Starr on the drums in the video. This was one of the stand out record to me at the time and I still listen to it now.

Despite these fond childhood memories of this Top 40, there's a lot of crap in there as well. It was the year of Stock Aitken & Waterman after all. It's not just that though, there's music outside of that is bland pop music that hasn't aged very well.

The combination of the good and bad results in a very 80s score.

Score: 15

Table

At the end of the 80s, 7 of the years are separated by just 1 point so you'd have to say it was a pretty consistent decade: