Popular '84

It’s not a bad list of #1’s. The only ones I didn’t vote for are Stevie, McCartney and Jim Diamond and “Power of Love”.

Ten for me, though perhaps missing out ‘Hello’ is a little mean of me. I don’t think that its just because I was 12 at the time, but this does strike me as being one of the most memorable year’s songs. Only Pipes Of Peace and I Should Have Known better seem to have faded into relative obscurity.

The Melody Maker critics list is perhaps a bit more in tune with what general pop consumers of 1984 were actually listening to;

1. Frankie Goes To Hollywood: Two Tribes
2. Womack & Womack: Love Wars
3. Echo & The Bunnymen: The Killing Moon
4. U2: Pride (In The Name Of Love)
5 The Special AKA: Nelson Mandela
6. ZZ Top: Gimme All Your Loving
7. Orange Juice: What Presence ?!
8. Bronski Beat: Smalltown Boy
9. The SOS Band: Just Be Good To Me
10. The Human League: The Lebanon

usa #1’s 1984

paul mccartney & michael jackson – say say say (2 weeks)
yes – owner of a lonely heart (2 weeks)
culture club – karma chameleon (3 weeks)
van halen – jump (5 weeks)
kenny loggins – footloose (3 weeks)
phil collins – against all odds (take a look at me now) (3 weeks)
lionel richie – hello (2 weeks)
deniece williams – let’s hear it for the boy (2 weeks)
cyndi lauper – time after time (2 weeks)
duran duran – the reflex (2 weeks)
prince & the revolution – when doves cry (5 weeks)
ray parker jr – ghostbusters (3 weeks)
tina turner – what’s love got to do with it (3 weeks)
john waite – missing you (1 week)
prince & the revolution – let’s go crazy (2 weeks)
stevie wonder – i just called to say i love you (3 weeks)
billy ocean – caribbean queen (no more love on the run) (2 weeks)
wham! – wake me up before you go-go (3 weeks)
hall & oates – out of touch (3 weeks)
madonna – like a virgin (2 weeks)

except for wham! and stevie i’d go 6 or higher for all of them, 8 or higher for 7 of them (voted 6 for 6 or higher on uk list, would go 8 or higher for 3 – nena, chaka, frankie says relax).

#8 yup, they were all smashes here too, top 5 except for Van Halen, which was top 10.

#7 and of course there is Frankie in that list. I assume both Billy and I could look no further than Foetus Art Terrorism.

Why did the NME so wildly rate “I Wanna Be Loved”?

My first music-related feature wasn’t till 86: I’m sure I didn’t get a vote before then. I don’t know the answer to the Frankie question: my guess is conflict of interest — certainly there were pro-Frankie writers, the LP got a good-ish write-up (as event-pop) from R.D.Cook.

The Face’s Top 60 singles for 1984:
01. Free Nelson Mandela – The Special AKA
02. When Doves Cry – Prince
03. I feel for you – Chaka Khan
04. No sell out – Malcolm X
05. Cockney Translation – Smiley Culture
06. Ain’t nobody – Chaka Khan
07. Venceremos – Working Week
08. Breakin’ Down – Sugar Samba
09. Wood beez – Scritti Politti
10. What difference would it make – The Smiths
11. Somebody else’s guy – Jocelyn Brown
12. Small town boy – Bronski Beat
13. Don’t look any further – Dennis Edwards
14. Two Tribes – FGTH
=15. Dr Mabuse – Propaganda
=15. Automatic – Pointer Sisters
=15. What Presence – Orange Juice
18. We need money – Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers
=19. I wanna be loved – Elvis Costello
=19. Caught you in a lie – Louisa Marks
21. Change of Heart – Change
=22. You’re the best thing that ever happened – Style Council
=22. The Glamorous Life – Sheila E
24. Stay with me tonight – Jeffery Osbourne
=25. Renegades of Funk – Afrika Bambaataa
=25. Todos Menina Bahiana – Gilberto Gil
27. Love Resurrection – Alison Moyet
28. Love Wars – Womack and Womack
29. Rockbox – Run DMC
30. The Medicine Song – Stephanie Mills
31. Don’t go loose it baby – Hugh Masekela
32. The Girl from Ipanema – Astrud Gilberto
=33. Why? – Bronski Beat
=33. Small Town Creed -Kane Gang
=33. Ave Maria – The West India Company
36. Room 123 (She’s so strange) – Cameo
=37. Long enough – The Last Poets
=37. It’s raining men – The Weather Girls
39. Lip Service – Beatmaster
40. (Return to the valley of) Out come the Freaks – Was not was
=41. Hello – Lionel Richie
=41. Diorella de Fontaine – Lightnin’ Rod
=41. Re-Ron – Gil Scott-Heron
44. Give me tonight – Shannon
45. You think you’re a man – Divine
46. Hand in Glove – The Smiths
47. Let’s stay together – Tina Turner
48. Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now – The Smiths
49. Perfect Skin – LLoyd Cole & the Commotions
50. Let it Blow – The Dazz Band
51. Smooth Operator – Sade
52. Your love is King – Sade
53. Menergy – Sylvester
54. The Reflex – Duran Duran
55. Master and servant – Depeche Mode
56. The Day before you came – Blancmange
57. Me God, Me King – Papa Levi
58. Slippery People – The Staple Singers
59. Strike – The Enemy Within
60. Praxis – Bill Laswell

It’s an interesting list with a strong soul/dance emphasis. Looking at how many of these records in this list (and the NME one too) I either owned or at least had a strong opinion on makes me realise how significant the year was to me musically and the extent to which The Face shaped my tastes.
It’s good to remember some forgotten (by me) gems like ‘The medicine song’ which is part of a long line of innuendo laden R&B/Soul/Dance hits.

The video of ‘I Wanna Be Loved” helped it connect with me, wasn’t too keen on it at first but that pushed its emotional directness (still preferred the b-side ‘Turning The Town Red’ though)

Nice to see ‘What Presence?’ on so many of those lists, that might be my favourite OJ single.

I do remember being surprised at the NME making ‘Love Wars’ single of the year (didn’t the album top that chart too?) I mean, it’s a terrific record and all but not sure if it was the best of the year, especially the album. Have the writers of a pop paper ever been further away from the tastes of their readers?

The Face’s end of year list is well-nigh immaculate, and (any number of belting Hi-NRG floor fillers excepted) bang in line with my own listening pleasures of 1984.

This was my own Top 20 at the time:

1. relax – frankie goes to hollywood
2. rocket to your heart – lisa
3. two tribes – frankie goes to hollywood
4. why? – bronski beat
5. strike – the enemy within
6. beat box / diversions 1-4 / moments in love – art of noise
7. i feel for you – chaka khan
8. rock box – run dmc
9. lost in music (1984 remix) – sister sledge
10. holiday – madonna
11. let the music play – shannon
12. william, it was really nothing / how soon is now? – the smiths
13. somebody else’s guy – jocelyn brown
14. song to the siren – this mortal coil
15. unity – afrika bambaataa & james brown
16. slippery people – the staple singers
17. hip hop bommi bop – the incredible t.h. scratchers starring freddie love
18. give me tonight – shannon
19. you think you’re a man – divine
20. cockney translation – smiley culture

Oh, and a word for the elephant in the 1984 singles living room: “Upside Down” by the Jesus and Mary Chain.

NME Readers’ Poll 1984. Best single;

1. Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Relax
2. The Special AKA – Nelson Mandela
3. Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Two Tribes
4. U2 – Pride
5. Cocteau Twins – Pearly Dewdrop Drops
6. The Redskins – Keep On Keepin’ On
7. Bronski Beat – Smalltown Boy
8. The Smiths – What Difference Does It Make?
9. Echo & The Bunnymen – The Killing Moon
10. The Style Council – You’re The Best Thing
11. New Order – Thieves Like Us
12. The Smiths – Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now
13. Elvis Costello & The Attractions – I Wanna Be Loved
14. The Men They Couldn’t Hang – The Green Fields Of France
15. Bruce Springsteen – Dancing In The Dark
16. Band Aid – Do They Know It’s Christmas?
17. The Smiths – William It was really Nothing
18. Loyd Cole & The Commotions – Forset Fire
19. Wah! – Come Back
20. This Mortal Coil – Song To The Siren

TPL update: the Big Music, the North’s proud and defiant response, as Scotland refuses to let pop, or rock, lie down and die: http://nobilliards.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/simple-minds-sparkle-in-rain.html

TPL examines a road not very well travelled: http://nobilliards.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/howard-jones-humans-lib.html

TPL reaches its 300th post; whoopee! But pop music is never just a matter of life and death. It’s much more important than that (where have I heard THAT before?): http://nobilliards.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/various-artists-now-thats-what-i-call_4.html

TPL on Big Country, Scotland and my relationship with both: http://nobilliards.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/big-country-steeltown.html

Another TPL update, and yes, this might actually be a worse record than Tonight.

On to TOTP ’84. 5th Jan, 20th anniversary edition with Peel and the Kid at the controls.

And it’s off to a roaring start with Frankie and a pre-ban “Relax”, in at #35. Tremendous excitement in the audience and no wonder – nothing like this had been seen or heard before. And it still sounds incredible.

Back down to earth with Rod Stewart’s “Surrender”. Harmless but dull.

“Fluff” Freeman appears briefly for a segue into a selection of clips from surviving ’60s/early ’70s episodes.

Quo – “Margarita Time”. Country-inflected MOR rock, almost Eagles-lite. Not a bad song – and a variation from their usual formula, at least – but spoilt. by nasty and tacky production values. Rick does an amusing pratfall across the drum kit, sending both he and the drummer to the floor.

More oldie clips, 70s-early 80s.

Charts 40-26.

Frank Kelly (later famous as Jack on ‘Fr. Ted’) performs “Christmas Countdown”. Not bad as such things go, but a real oddity for the UK charts.

Charts 25-11.

Video chart:
– Howard Jones – “What Is Love”. Still great synth pop.
– Macca – “Pipes of Peace”. Much maligned, but I like it.
– Thompson Twins, Kenny & Dolly, Billy Joel. Nowt wrong with any o’ them toons.
– Quo again.
– Culture Club – “Victims”. Decent,but a bit overwrought.
– Paul Young – “Love of the Common People”. Probably his finest hour.

Back to the studio and it’s Slade stuck at #2 with “My Oh My”. A singalong soft-rock ballad, badly dated by inelegant 80s-at-their-worst production “techniques”. A nostalgic early ’70s-styled approach would have suited the song far better and might even have helped it become something of a standard. Instead it’s utterly forgotten.

Flying Pickets (on video) still at #1. Hard to begrudge them, but the novelty wears off after a couple of listens. Purportedly acapella, but there’s a fair bit of synth in the background and lots of effect-heavy overdubs (some of which almost sound autotuned). Contrast with the simplicity and purity of sound in “Caravan of Love” by the Housemartins.

FGTH the only standout (but what a standout!) in an otherwise forgettable show.

19/01/1894 Top of the Pops

Powell and Bates host and we kick off with Whitesnake who had a fair few line ups; Coverdale the only ever present member at every reunion. In my memory they always had such mundane titles, or titles that were similar to other songs. Case in point, this is called “Give Me More Time” but he actually sings “give me just a little more time” The opening guitar riff sounds a bit Brian May, but I can’t place it. The guitar solo is not delivered at breakneck speed and the chorus is pure pop.His voice is much heavier than the song. Not awful but predictable.

Shall we get something new from Big Country? Well it’s not off The Crossing but could have been. Wonderland -On video and outside on location in – I’m guessing -Scotland. With snow underfoot Stuart braves it in a jumper, whilst the rest wimp out with thick coats.

Fiction Factory -(Feels Like) Heaven – total classic, but take it all in guys as this was it unfortunately. “High high new entry” says Peter, not that “high high” at 28 with four higher.

China Crisis- Would argue another classic if not a little more subtle. In 2017 appearing with Paul Young and Toyah, but not calling in at Prestatyn.
Part of a small group of acts where their biggest hit is the one where the usual lead vocalist took a back seat.

Charts – notable for the first appearance of Madonna at 40 with Holiday.

Gloria Gaynor – “I Am What I Am” -from the Tony Award winning score the La Cage Aux Folles. Too much eye shadow and eyeliner on Glors but it doesn’t matter anyway. Anthem with many fans.

Charts again. John Lennon – Nobody Told Me – on video (really) another archive clips edited production. Pipes of Peace- Paul McCartney. I know there’s not much love for this one and it has it shortcomings, but it is undoubtedly well crafted and put together. It has the alternate tune like Uncle Albert and Live and Let Die. These two back to back tonight and I don’t know if John and Paul are so far apart. John out of his mind about the future and questioning what kind of world we have to look forward to, and Paul begging for people to stick together. (pre Heather obvs)

Out to King of Pain- No video from the Police for this one and after a 32 to 17 climb last week it took a dive to 21 and that was it. We were denied seeing Stewart drumming some furniture too.

Not my favourite but there has been worse.
Wiki says there was a vid for King Of Pain. No memory of this. You Tube suggests it may not have been available Jan 1984. Pass.

2/2/84 – John and the Kid host. We’ve skipped a week due to Smitty so missed the Smiths and Joe Fagin; that’s a dictionary definition of swings and roundabouts.

Kid introduces Musical Youth with”Sixteen” as a toe tapper- move over Grandad. The song’s not awful, but the instruments sound terrible. Plinky plunk.

Queen Radio Ga Ga- on video. I first heard this down the phone, on a Sunday in a phone box on Wakefield Road. Waiting for a lift to some freezing cross country run. I don’t know if this was a thing for a while and don’t remember where I got the number from, but I was quite excited. My other memory of this was Gary Davies comparing the cost of this video to that of the Weather Girls “Its Raining Men” and basically bashing Queen a bit. Anyway we all enjoyed the Weather Girls at Live Aid so all’s well.

Matthew Wilder -short career, big hit, twktc. – John Deacon and Matthew Wilder same haircut. A plug for the British Rock and Pop Awards with Kid hosting.

Fiction Factory (Feels Like) Heaven -back again. The Manics covered this quite recently.

Thomas Dolby on video. Entertaining video and no doubt a bit of main stream leap back then. Thompson Twins – Doctor Doctor- nmcot.

Duran Duran- first viewing on video. I like this song but the chorus lets it down a little. Video not their finest, luckily we don’t get to see them dancing at the end.

No FGTH obvs. Both John and Kid were playing them well before Relax came out.

Not my favourite but there has been worse

23/02/1984 Janice and Michael introduce the action tonight on TOTP.
Hot Chocolate – I Gave You My Heart (Didn’t I) – Mike informs us that it’s their thirtieth hit. So they’re no amateurs, but with that jinx from Read they had no more new hits after this.

Rockwell – on video – he references the shower scene from Psycho. Michael Jackson gets credited (on the album at least) for vocals on this track. I don’t know how much that got pushed at the time.

Back in the studio for Marilyn- Cry and Be Free- was surprised when I found out he wrote this, was convinced it was a cover. I don’t know if it is that good but if you’re soft like me, to summarise it sounds like his version of “I’m just a girl standing in front…”

Joanna – Kool and the Gang- his new thing in the video is a leather shirt -which can’t be comfortable. Nmcot but made No2 here, and the States.

Nik Kershaw- in the studio and cut with the video for the pretty long instrumental bit. Sporting a matching lime green snood.

Charts and then Carmel- More More More – the more you know, the more you know you don’t know. Carmel the name of a lead singer and the band – didn’t know that last week – or I would have mentioned it.

Howard Jones – Hide and Seek- rather a strange choice for a single; much slower than previous hits. Did ok mind.

Charts top ten run down and uneven length clips- we get almost a minute of the Style Council and Thompson Twins. Janice mentions Jacko’s input on “Somebody’s Watching Me” so scrub that bit earlier. Nena at No2 and a week in the language lab and 99 Luftballoons became 99 Red Balloons. No Relax and out to the Politics of Dancing- lead singer has a Pat Sharpe wig, keyboard player has a Nick Beggs wig. We’re all finished here.

Not my favourite but there has been worse.

1/3/84. Jensen/Peel in yellow tartan jackets and they both have a bit of a topical go at the French; football, drivers and farmers.

Matt Bianco return- She’s still taller than him. A fair few of the crowd are wearing black trilbys; what’s to come? Sax player didn’t turn up and we get a brief clip crowbarred in at the appropriate solo.

Van Halen- Jump. The keyboard bit of the video was such an after thought and we only get a clip for the solo despite its constant presence. The drummer’s got more drums than you can shake a stick at. I briefly shared a house with a guy who wanted to be Dave Lee Roth including trying to sound American which makes me ffwd this stuff still. You can judge a book by the cover.

Alexei Style with “Ullo John! Gotta New Motor” The tight suited Marxist-Leninist with his biggest hit. Still performing on Radio 4 now, a little less political and a little less angry, which is a good thing.

Soft Cell- “Down in the Subway” On video. A more soulful cover of the original by Jack Hammer who we lost last year, goodnight Jack.

Street Dance- nmcot. And lightning stuck twice when they re recorded this but called it Break Dance Party for another top 10. Chart countdown and they sneak a couple of lines from the still banned Relax into their banter. Elbow Bones and the Racketeers fail to make it five weeks at no 33.

Dance Hall Days- Wang Chung- the lead singer couldn’t look anymore German. The lyric sounds clumsy enough to be a translation but no, all British. It’s ok. Countdown.

Slade at 10 on video- They make a fun video which is very un-American with Noddy gurning thoughout but it must have gone down well.

Top 10 countdown and Billy Joel at No8 still fails to get an appearance.

Out to Nena and 99 Red Balloons climbing to Number 1.

Not my favourite but there has been worse.

22/3/1984. We’ve missed a week and we’re back with Janice (big hair) and Pete (double denim) introducing tonight’s mix of winners and also rans. Pete can’t stop himself with his three word title pauses. People….Are….People..

Depeche Mode -the original cool kids of death all dressed in black, open with People Are People. This industrial pop mix is for me, nudging perfection. They have never looked more confident on Top of the Pops, and this seems far removed from their earlier rather nervous and serious performances. They all crack a smile, knowing this is something special. Indeed their first hit in the US, and No1 in Germany where this was the start of great and prolonged success over there. Girl in the leopard print top is playing to the cameras. Gold Medal.

The Weather Girls on video. nmcot. Fell at the first.

Shakin Stevens – “A Love Worth Waiting….. For” I think Pete’s got a bet on with someone. Stevens wearing white shoes. Written by Slush and Leathwood. The lyric is cliche ridden nothingness. They wrote a Song for Europe entry for a group called Midnite which is even worse lyrically. If it took more than five minutes to pen I’d be surprised. Great bunch of guys though. Plucky fourth.

Culture Club ‘It’s A Miracle” the beginning of the end for me. Compared to some of their earlier output this was so disappointing. DNF.

Video. Bananarama on video this week. Qualified fourth, finished third.

UB40- doing what they do. This time, a faithful cover of Eric Donaldson’s original adds little for me. It’s no longer in their hands.

Countdown. Sade- in the studio again but not a repeat.twktc. Highly commended.

Countdown then the new No1.
Lionel Ritchie – Hello- we get the full video with the acting at the beginning and talking snippets throughout. The bust looked nothing like him, but then again she was blind so fair enough really. Will have to wait and see if they are one of the two fastest losers.

Out to “Do What I Do” and unusually we get a video (rather than the crowd dancing and balloons falling) Second in the group so will face one of the tougher teams in the semi final.

Not my favourite but their has been worse.

Wow, Speedwell, I never realised that about “Work To Survive”! I presume you’d be able to give an authoritative view on whether it was a conscious or sub-conscious influence on Fieldbeat? Or were you just joking / pointing out a coincidence? I reckon Fieldbeat must have been playing “Work” from the outset, but AFAIK it really was 1986 before it was given its full release.