REMEMBER WHEN - 29TH MARCH 1980

1980
Week 13
WEEK ENDING 29TH MARCH 1980

TOP 40 SINGLES

TW	LW
1	1	Jam	Going Underground
2	2	Fern Kinney	Together We Are Beautiful
3	4	Vapors	Turning Japanese
4	5	Liquid Gold	Dance Yourself Dizzy
5	8	Detroit Spinners	Working My Way Back To You-Forgive Me Girl
6	3	Marti Webb	Take That Look Off Your Face
7	9	Rainbow	All Night Long
8	10	Captain And Tennille	Do That To Me One More Time
9	6	Peter Gabriel	Games Without Frontiers
10	15	Martha And The Muffins	Echo Beach
11	14	Brothers Johnson	Stomp
12	27	Lambrettas	Poison Ivy
13	16	Rush	Spirit Of Radio
14	12	Gibson Brothers	Cuba / Better Do It Salsa
15	13	Beat	Hands Off She's Mine
16	11	Police	So Lonely
17	26	Squeeze	Another Nail In My Heart
18	7	Blondie	Atomic
19	29	Barbara Dickson	January February
20	40	UB40	King / Food For Thought
21	23	Siouxsie And The Banshees	Happy House
22	20	Stiff Little Fingers	At The Edge
23	25	Genesis	Turn It On Again
24	31	Bodysnatchers	Let's Do Rock Steady
25	NEW	Judas Priest	Living After Midnight
26	24	Shakin Stevens	Hot Dog
27	28	Secret Affair	My World
28	NEW	B.A. Robertson	Kool And The Kaftan
29	30	Dooleys	Love Patrol
30	35	Leon Hayward	Don't Push It Don't Force It
31	NEW	Sad Cafe	My Oh My
32	NEW	John Foxx	No One Driving
33	17	Whispers	And The Beat Goes On
34	NEW	Bad Manners	Ne-Ne-Na-Na-Na-Na-Nu-Nu
35	NEW	Monkees	The Monkees EP
36	NEW	Stranglers	Bear Cage
37	34	Narada Michael Walden	Tonight I'm Alright
38	NEW	Dr. Hook	Sexy Eyes
39	18	Kenny Rogers	Coward Of The County
40	NEW	Dexy's Midnigt Runners	Geno

Jam

Going Underground / Dreams Of Children

This was the first single to enter the chart at number one since Slade had done it in 1973 with "Merry Xmas Everybody". With the exception of the very first number one in 1952, this was the very first time that a new entry at the top had been by a band that had achieved no previous number ones at all. Having said that, this was only the tenth single to enter the chart at the top since the UK charts began, and the Jam were only the seventh act to do it. The first eight Jam singles had all failed to reach the top ten, while the ninth had made number three, this was the tenth.
So why did it go straight into number one, after all there always used to be a very good reason when a single did that ?
The popular theory would be that the Jam were loved by the 'new mods', and so were hugely popular enough to get all those mods running to the shops at the weekend to send it soaring straight to the top (the extra disc with the live recordings may have helped too). This would be partly true, but there is a bigger reason. It was common practice for singles to be released towards the end of the week, Thursdays & Fridays. So, they only had 2-3 days sales in their first chart week. That's why so many big hit singles entered at a low chart position and then took a massive climb the following week, look at how many of Abba's top five singles entered below number 20.
Polydor normally released all of their singles on Fridays, but switched to Mondays at the time of this release. This ensured optimum first week sales and a higher chart debut debut. I doubt that they expected a debut so high though. At the time, Music Week, BMRB, Polydor, and the daily newspapers and TV all reported that this single was the first to enter at number one since Gary Glitter's "I Love You Love Me Love" in November 1973. Very embarrassing for Polydor considering that the Slade single in December 1973 had been released by them !
These events seemed to be quickly forgotten about, but I assure you that they are true, even down to Record Mirror (who got their facts right) predicting that Monday releases would become standard procedure.
Anyway, it spent three weeks at number one, which was still at that time the minimum number of weeks that any number one debuting single had stayed on top.
In fact, the Jam themselves would have the dubious distinction of having the first new entry at number one not to last longer than two weeks, with the fourteenth single to debut at the top.
Three years later it was back with a more modest debut at 37. It reached number 21 that time.

Fern Kinney

Together We Are Beautiful

Always reminded me of Janet Kay's "Silly Games" this one did, even though it was nothing like it really. It was a cover of a song that Steve Allan had taken to number 67 just over a year previous, but believe me, Fern's cover was much better. She spent a week at number one with it, but can be considered very unlucky to be deposed so soon by the first new entry at number one for over six years.

Vapors

Turning Japanese

This song is said to be about masturbation, but not too many people noticed at the time. Indeed the BBC obviously didn't notice as they played it to death. The Vapors had been very lucky in that they got their big break by supporting the Jam on tour. This single spent nine weeks in the top 40 and peaked at number three. A few more singles followed, including the excellent "Jimmie Jones", but they never made the top 40 again.

Liquid Gold

Dance Yourself Dizzy

Liquid Gold peaked at two with "Dance Yourself Dizzy", the first of two top ten hits for them this year. They were very much towards the pop end of disco, and had been completely forgotten about 12 months later (despite some of their later singles being included on a few K.Tel compilations).

Marti Webb

Take That Look Off Your Face

I liked this a lot, it had a certain quality about it. It was from a musical titled "Tell Me On A Sunday", and I may be wrong about this, but I seem to recall it being a Television Musical rather than a stage show. It spent three weeks at number three.
Marti later blotted her copybook with me when she took her cover of Michael Jackson's "Ben" to number five in 1985, it wasn't very good.

Peter Gabriel

Games Without Frontiers

Very different and very good was my opinion of this single. It took a while, but finally reached number four. In turn this helped his third album to (titled 'Peter Gabriel', just as the previous two were) reach number one.
Am I the only person to think that when he sings the name "Lottie" on this, he sounds like 'Ken Dodd' ?

Detroit Spinners

Working My Way Back To You - Forgive Me Girl

I was surprised to learn that this was The Detroit Spinners, it was a big change in direction for them. It gave them their only number one hit (2 weeks of course) with their first top 40 entry in three years, and first top ten hit since 1973. They would soon be back in the top five with yet another disco styled cover.

Rainbow

All Night Long

A second good single from what I think was the first heavy album I bought 'Down To Earth' (well, people called it heavy at the time). It had a slow start to it's chart run, but eventually peaked at number five.

Captain And Tennille

Do That To Me One More Time

This was the hit that "You Never Done It Like That" should have been in 1978. But this was the only one of their singles that even came close to repeating the success they enjoyed in the States, it reached number seven.
It was ok, but sounded as if you had heard it before.

Martha And The Muffins

Echo Beach

I've always thought that this sounds like a track Blondie decided to drop from the 'Plastic Letters' album. That's not to take anything away from it, I thought that it was a really good single and still do. It quickly reached number ten, but only stayed on the top 40 for seven weeks.
Toyah covered it in 1987, but failed to make the top 40.

Brothers Johnson

Stomp

A classic disco song that couldn't fail to become a big hit. If I remember correctly, it was on top of the disco chart for six weeks. As for the pop chart, it peaked at number six.

Lambrettas

Poison Ivy

The Lambrettas peaked at number seven with their revival of "Poison Ivy". It has been alleged that this song is about 'Veneral Disease', but not having had the symptoms I can't comment. They were to later release a single about page three girls. But they were a bunch of tits anyway.

Rush

Spirit Of Radio

Rush had already released eight albums, but I'd heard nothing at all by them until this single entered the chart. It was different to most of the rock music of the day, it sounded as though a lot of thought had gone into it. It was a winner with me straight away and is still one of my all time favourites.
It also reminds me of the time I turned 18 in April 1980, as it was on the jukebox at the Duke Of Wellington. I almost always selected both this and it's excellent B Side "The Trees".
It went to number 13 giving them their only UK top 20 hit, and by the summer I had four of their albums in my collection.

Gibson Brothers

Cuba / Better Do It Salsa

A re-release of their number 41 hit from a year previous coupled with a similar sounding track called "Better Do It Salsa". It wasn't as good as their recent two hits, that's probably why it wasn't a top 40 hit first time around. This time it peaked at number 12.

Beat

Hand's Off She's Mine

The second hit for the Beat, and the first to be released on their own 'Go Feet' label. It kind of sounds better now than it did then, it reached number nine.

Police

So Lonely

This had failed to chart when originally released in October 1978, but just like "Roxanne" & "Can't Stand Losing You" it had been re-issued. This time it went to number six and gave them an excuse to film a pointless video on a train in Japan.
Yes, I know about the Sue Lawley thing !

Squeeze

Another Nail In My Heart

After the previous seven singles, I was a little disappointed with his one. I still quite liked it, but not enough to buy it until it hit the bargain bin. It peaked at number 17.

Blondie

Atomic

After the failure of "Union City Blue" to make the top ten, it came as something of a surprise when this entered the chart at number three. Naturally it then went to number one and spent two weeks there. On first listen to this track, I thought that it sounded like something the Shadows would have done (until Debbie began singing of course).
This was the fifth consecutive number one to reign for two weeks in 1980 (the first by Pink Floyd had also clocked up three weeks in '79). A further ten singles spent two weeks on top during 1980, and only three dropped after one week on top.

Barbara Dickson

January February

Barbara Dickson, ahhh, this number 11 peaking single brings back memories. Both of my divorced parents listened to the easy listening 'BBC Radio Two' and it was always playing when I got up in the morning. This song ALWAYS seemed to be on in the mornings. I was sick of it. In later years though, I've come around to the idea of liking it. Even more to the point, I myself have now become a Radio Two listener. I just can't get over how GOOD that station has become. Many of the better Radio One presenters have made themselves at home there during recent years including 'Steve Wright', 'Alan Freeman', 'Johnny Walker', 'Andy Peebles', 'Paul Gambaccini', 'Bob Harris', 'Janice Long', 'Ed Stewart', and even 'John Peel' and 'Jools Holland' have presented shows on Radio Two. My work means a lot of late night driving and in the mid-90s I gave up with late night Radio One and had to content myself with tapes, but then the radio enjoyed a new lease of life thanks to Radio Two's late night programming.

UB40

King / Food For Thought

Over two decades later and UB40 have still not released a better single than this one have they ?
Even though "King" (about Martin Luther) was listed first, and was a damn good song, "Food For Thought" was the one that had most of the airplay. It took a while to decipher the lyrics (Ali Campbell has one of those voices, usually sounds as though he's crying), and discover that he wasn't singing "I Believe In Donna", but it was worth it in the end.
After entering at number 40, it halved it's position for the next three weeks and then climbed one place to number four for a two week stay (Now that's what I call a real chart run).
UB40 remained quite good for about three years, but they then went into the dodgy cover version business. As a result, their original material seemed to suffer and I don't like any of the original songs that they've released since 1986.

Siouxsie And The Banshees

Happy House

It seemed to take a long time to reach number 17, and they wouldn't get that high again with an original song until 1988. It was OK, but nothing special.

Stiff Little Fingers

At The Edge

"Back when I was younger they were talking at me".
So growled Jake Burns at the beginning of this, Stiff Little Fingers' biggest hit, a number 15 peak. For some reason, two months later, a friend of mine (Tony Waters) thought it highly amusing when I walked into the pool room of the Duke Of Wellington just as Jake uttered those immortal words.
The B.Side featured a rotten live version of "White Christmas" and a live version of Johnny Preston's "Running Bear" that was at least worth a listen.

Genesis

Turn It On Again

Another one that reminds me of 'coming of age'. On the jukebox at the Duke, those new fangled Dry Roast Peanuts made by 'Planters', thinking you're ok on a Saturday afternoon until you leave the pub, hit the sunshine and then feel giddy and begin slurring as you speak. The lads in their early twenties who thought it highly amusing that anyone would select a Police song on the jukebox, let alone buy their records.
Genesis were a different proposition, everyone liked this one. I was surprised by this one. I hadn't heard much by Genesis, but what I had heard, wasn't as lively as "Turn It On Again". It peaked at number eight, and from here on Genesis were commercially big right into the early nineties.

Bodysnatchers

Let's Do Rock Steady

The debut hit from Two Tone act the 'BodySnatchers'. Their "Let's Do Rock Steady" went as high as number 22. Their follow up single "Easy Life" failed to make the top 40 (even though it was pretty good),and they were never heard of again. At least the name 'Bodysnatchers' wasn't heard of again. But they did return as 'Amazulu', and had greater success.

Judas Priest

Living After Midnight

I don't suppose it's the done thing to admit to liking something like this nowadays. But yes, I did like this one and I even bought the "British Steel" album. It reached number 12 without the aid of backward messages.

Shakin' Stevens

Hot Dog

If Shaky was going to be the decade's most successul act, he sure started at the right time. This was his first hit, but wasn't that big, it only reached number 24. His next 22 hits all climbed higher before "Come See About Me" matched this peak in September 1987.

Secret Affair

My World

The final part of Secret Affair's trilogy of top 40 hits came six months after the first. A very good song with a smoother sound than the previous two, and it reached number 16.

B.A. Robertson

Kool And The Kaftan

B.A. Robertson was having the smallest of his five hits with "Kool In The Kaftan". It seemed to be the 'in thing' to mention other acts in songs this month, as T.Rex were mentioned in the lyrics of this (crap) song.

Dooleys

Love Patrol

The Dooleys top twenty days were now behind them, in fact this was their last ever top 40 entry. Slightly different from their previous couple of singles, but it was never going to be a big hit. It peaked at number 29.

Leon Hayward

Don't Push It Don't Force It

Leon Hayward was someone else having his one and only hit, with "Don't Push It, Don't Force It". He peaked at 12 with yet another good disco sound, but lyrics that didn't tax the mind too much.

Sad Cafe

My Oh My

Sad Cafe were having their third hit in six months and peaked at number 14 with this very 'Rolling Stones' sounding song (or is that Inxs ?). Sadly for them, one hit at number 40 was all they could manage after this.

John Foxx

No One Driving

Was this an answer to Gary Numan's "Cars" ?
Gary had namechecked Ultravox as a major influence in quite a few interviews. This created interest in Ultravox, interest that would gradually pay off. The thing is, John Foxx had now left the band and so would not reap the full benefit of that publicity. This was the best of his solo hits , but only reached number 32. And if you're not convinced that he was having a go at Gary Numan, how about his next single "Burning Car" ?

Whispers

And The Beat Goes On

Long before Will Smith was "Going To Miami", that tune was this classic disco single. The Whispers had been having hits on the other side of the Atlantic since 1970, and their cover of the Bread hit "Make It With You" had turned up on one of my compilation albums 'Disco Direction'. But as well as being their first single to rise above number 50 in the US (reached number 19), this was their first British hit. It spent a week at number two.

Bad Manners

Ne-Ne-Na-Na-Na-Na-Nu-Nu

Bad Manners were having the first of nine top 40 hits they would have over a two year period, and peaked at number 28. It was predominantly an instrumental track with ne-ne etc. repeated many times by a bald fat bloke, complete rubbish really.

Monkees

Monkees EP

It was nice to see this in the chart as I'd missed the Monkees first time around and could only vaguely remember their TV series. This EP contained the tracks "I'm A Believer", "Daydream Believer", "Last Train To Clarksville" and "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You". Radio One decided to play "Daydream Believer" as the 'A' track, and it finally stumbled to number 33 amidst a five week chart run.

Stranglers

Bear Cage

Not one of their best, but I like it anyway. Just one week in the chart.

Narada Michael Walden

Tonight I'm Alright

I quite liked this one, but it hardly caught the imagination of the rest of the population. It peaked at number 34.

Dr. Hook

Sexy Eyes

Dr. Hook went to number four with their third top ten hit in 6 months. But after this they said goodbye to the top ten for good, as they never had a single advance any further than number 40 after this effort.

Kenny Rogers

Coward Of The County

A very worthy number one, and this highly listenable song spent two weeks there. It was Kenny's first major hit since his 1977 number one "Lucille", but he'd only have to wait 10 months for his next hit (his last solo).

Dexy's Midnight Runners

Geno

Dexy's Midnight Runners had been to number 40 in February with their previous single "Dance Stance". This time they made it to the opposite end of the top 40 and spent two weeks there. A strange fact about 1980 is that 14 of the 24 number ones this year resided at the top for two weeks.

This song was in the top 50 this week, but failed to reach the top 40.

That's The Way The Money Goes

Another one by 'M' that should have been a huge hit, but this time he didn't even make the top 40, settling for a number 45 peak. This single even had a great sleeve with a picture of a 'bandit' on the front, and a competition entry form on the back. The competition was offering one lucky winner seven nights in New York City. There were also 500 runners up prizes of M's "New York, London, Paris, Munich" album. The single was shrink wrapped, as to be eligible to enter the contest you had to hear the words "It's A Winner, It's Your Lucky Day" at the end of the song.

Disclaimer All comments concerning the quality of the songs in this and any other chart, are purely my opinion and not a statement of fact. I believe that we are all equal when it comes to deciding what makes a good song. I do not believe that good songs have to be serious or dull. I am of the opinion that if a single sells many copies, then many people like it, so it must be good whether I like it or not. Good music is everything YOU like, and it's also everything I like.

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Email: nige@innotts.co.uk

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