REMEMBER WHEN - 11TH OCTOBER 1980

1980
Week 41
WEEK ENDING 11TH OCTOBER 1980

TOP 40 SINGLES

TW	.......	LW	.......		.......
1		1		Police		Don't Stand So Close To Me
2		3		Ottawan		D.I.S.C.O.
3		4		Madness		Baggy Trousers
4		2		Stevie Wonder		Masterblaster (Jammin')
5		6		Diana Ross		My Old Piano
6		25		Specials		Stereotype / International Jet Set
7		20		Odyssey		If You're Looking For A Way Out
8		5		Randy Crawford		One Day I'll Fly Away
9		10		Black Slate		Amigo
10		18		Thin Lizzy		Killer On The Loose
11		NEW		Sweet People		Et Les Oiseaux Chantaient (And The Birds Were Singing)
12		7		Kelly Marie		Feels Like I'm In Love
13		11		Change		Searching
14		22		Gillan		Trouble
15		38		Matchbox		When You Ask About Love
16		8		Queen		Another One Bites The Dust
17		17		Bob Marley & The Wailers		Three Little Birds
18		12		Split Enz		I Got You
19		29		Coffee		Casanova
20		9		Elvis Presley		It's Only Love / Beyond The Reef
21		13		Shalamar		I Owe You One
22		NEW		Barbara Streisand		Woman In Love
23		23		Linx		You're Lying
24		14		Hazel O'Connor		Eighth Day
25		28		Nolans		Gotta Pull Myself Together
26		NEW		George Benson		Love X Love
27		NEW		Status Quo		What You're Proposing
28		16		Billy Joel		It's Still Rock And Roll To Me
29		15		Sheena Easton		Modern Girl
30		19		Black Sabbath		Paranoid
31		NEW		Air Supply		All Out Of Love
32		21		Cliff Richard		Dreamin'
33		NEW		Kate Bush		Army Dreamers
34		NEW		Gap Band		Party Lights
35		NEW		OMD		Enoila Gay
36		40		Gilbert O'Sullivan		What's In A Kiss
37		24		Nick Straker Band		A Walk In The Park
38		NEW		Bad Manners		Special Brew
39		27		Splodgenessabounds		Two Little Boys / Horse
40		31		Sheena Easton		9 To 5

Police

Don't Stand So Close To Me

After all those re-issues, the boys in blue were back with a brand new song. No more sillyness about legs breaking on the moon, being shipwrecked, or even female newscasters (Sue Lawley). This time Sting was having fantasies about going back to teaching, and having a crush on one of his female pupils (whom also had a crush on him). If you thought that was a strange subject for the most popular band in the land to sing about, listen to the B side. "Friends" told how they liked to eat their friends (and make no bones about it).
This single was the second one this year to debut on the chart at number one. It stayed there for four weeks, and was number one of the year on the year end countdown.

Ottawan

D.I.S.C.O.

This song did not stay in the top 40 for as long as you may think it did. This 11 week charting single quickly climbed for a three week stay at number two, but wasn't around for too long afterwards. I think one of the reasons for people thinking that it was around for much longer, was that until it started falling, it was played in the background between songs on Top Of The Pops every week. On a Channel Four show called Disco Inferno that was broadcast in 1998, Ottowan were included in a small section of acts that were described as Disco Criminals. I feel that this was completely without justification. This (and their 1981 hit) were perfect disco singles that filled the dance floor every time that they were played. It appears that musical snobbery even found it's way into the place where you'd least expect to find it, the disco scene.

Madness

Baggy Trousers

I was going to be rude about this, but I can't because I like it really. It's just that I got so fed up of hearing it at the time, talk about overkill. It went on to spend two weeks at number three and become their biggest hit so far spending 11 weeks in the 40. If I remember correctly it was the ninth best selling single of the year.

Stevie Wonder

Masterblaster (Jammin')

After entering the chart at number 30, this single made a massive climb to number four. This didn't normally happen to Stevie Wonder singles, but in this case there is a simple explanation, it's because this song was pure class and just had to happen. A tribute to Bob Marley, this single peaked at number two a fortnight later. This was a great favourite on the jukebox at the Duke Of Wellington in Ruabon.

Diana Ross

My Old Piano

Diana had just had her biggest hit for nine years with "Upside Down", peaking at number two. The parent album had been written and produced by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers who had been responsible for all those Chic and Sister Sledge hits of the last couple of years. This set Diana up for another two year run of hits, before another fallow period followed.
"My Old Piano" was just more of the same and peaked at number five.

Specials

Stereotype / International Jet Set

Another great single by the Specials, and the third consecutive one to contain a message in his lyrics (4th if you want to be picky and include "A Message To You Rudy"). The Stereotype in question was someone who went out and got drunk every Saturday night. Funnily enough, I had been through that phase for a couple of months following the euphoria of turning 18, but just before this record was released I had come to my senses and realised that not only was I pissing my money up against a wall, but that pubs and the people who inhabited them were the most boring people in the world. I still went clubbing on occasions, but that was through a genuine love of the music. In hindsight, my train of thought back then was also a good one for health reasons.
The single was not exactly banned by Radio One, but they didn't play it very often. As it struggled to number 25, it looked as though their run of consecutive top ten hits was about to end. But it then surprisingly shot up to number six before falling back to number 22.

Odyssey

If You're Looking For A Way Out

And here's the one that remained on the chart for a week longer than Ottawan. This was a lovely song with beautiful vocals. After spending three weeks at number seven, it took a climb to number six, decided it didn't like it there so dropped back to seven before taking a steady slide down the chart.

Randy Crawford

One Day I'll Fly Away

And on to someone who could so easily have been as big as Whitney Houston, but instead spent the next six years grabbing the occasional slice of success. This was the biggest of them all, and was taken from the under-rated 'Last Night At Danceland album'. It spent two weeks at number two and has either already spawned a dance remix, or it will soon enough. Nicole Kidman covered this song on the "Moulin Rouge" soundtrack in 2001.

Thin Lizzy

Killer On The Loose

The last classic single by Thin Lizzy was also their last top ten entry (peaking at number ten). It did attract a lot of controversy though. It's lyrics were said to be about mass murderer 'The Yorkshire Ripper'.

Sweet People

Et Les Oiseaux Chantaient (And The Birds Were Singing)

This is one of those singles that surprised most by even charting at all. It comprised some of the most gentle music that you are ever likely to hear, with the whistling of birds thrown in. No one of your own age group would have liked it, but your parents and grandparents would have loved it. It's number four peak proves a point that Maizie Williams of Boney M once made,
"In Cold Facts, A Record Sale Is Equally Valid From Anyone"

Kelly Marie

Feels Like I'm In Love

On Channel Four's Disco Inferno broadcast in 1998, Kelly was included in a small section of acts that were described as Disco Criminals. The facts are, this Ray Dorset composition spent two weeks at number one, spent 12 weeks in the 40, was third best selling single of the year, sounded a lot like Tina Charles, and the 12 inch was bloody good. Sadly for Kelly she would not become a superstar for two reasons,
1: She did not look anything like Debbie Harry or Olivia Newton John
2: NO ONE was going to take her seriously while she had those two male dancers in tow (ask the Boystown Gang !)
2 1/2: Oh Yeh, she had fake bagpipes on her third hit.

Change

Searching

Another single that reminds me of my early clubbing days. I hadn't thought their previous hit "A Lover's Holiday" was anything to write home about, but this was different. It had something about it that just 'walloped you on the head and said "I'm a classy song" '. Sadly it only climbed to number 11.

Gillan

Trouble

Gillan released some good singles in the early '80s, this cover of the Elvis Presley hit wasn't one of them (actually, I don't like the original either). No matter what I thought, it still went to number 14.

Matchbox

When You Ask About Love

I didn't like the first three hits by Matchbox at all. So, I was pleasantly surprised when they released this cover of a 'Crickets' song. I'm not saying that it was one of the best singles of the year or anything like that, but it was a really pleasant song that peaked at number four and spent nine weeks in the top 40.

Queen

Another One Bites The Dust

Seven of the previous eight Queen albums had all spawned a maximum of two single releases (Day At The Races belatedly spawned a third after the second failed to make the top thirty), but 'The Game' now boasted four top 20 hits. With this John Deacon written song, Queen had finally joined people like the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney & David Bowie in trying their hand at disco. This song laid the foundations for their under-rated 1982 album 'Hot Space'. Freddie and the boys would always bring the house down when performing this number seven peaking song live. But even though I'm a big Queen fan, I have to admit that the bass line owes more than a little to Chic's "Good Times".

Bob Marley & The Wailers

Three Little Birds

This was a strange release. Bob had just had his biggest hit to date with "Could You Be Loved" taken from his latest album 'Uprising'. But this single was taken from his 1977 album 'Exodus', quite a strange choice. It spent three weeks at it's peak of number 17 and proved to be Bob's last hit during his lifetime, he was diagnosed with Lung Cancer during the single's chart run.

Split Enz

I Got You

People may be surprised to learn that this single used to get played a lot in Clubs (at least in the ones that I frequented). It was the only hit for the band that contained the Finn brothers of later Crowded House fame. After a long climb it eventually peaked at number twelve and was very good.

Coffee

Casanova

This peaked at number 13, but I always thought of it as being a much bigger hit. It's probably due to hearing it so often on the radio. To be honest, I found this quite a boring record too. I quite liked their follow up "Slip And Dip", but that only got as high as number 57.

Elvis Presley

It's Only Love / Beyond The Reef

If we discount "Way Down" on account of the fact that it was a single going nowhere until it shot to number one after Elvis died, then this was Elvis's first proper top three hit since "The Wonder Of You" had been at number one in 1970. I'm not sure where or when it actually came from, but it peaked at number three and was rather a nice song. Don't know about "Beyond The Reef", I've never bothered to listen to it.

Shalamar

I Owe You One

We could do with more like Shalamar around today. All of their singles were aimed at the clubs, but they were also good to just listen to. There was no aggression in them, it wouldn't annoy the neighbours too much if you played them too loud. Jody, Howard and Jeffrey were Angels sent from above to brighten up our little lives. They had amazingly failed to hit the top 40 earlier in the year with "The Second Time Around" & "Right In The Socket". But now they were having their biggest hit to date with this number 13 peaking single. They had to wait a further 18 months before they reached the top ten for the first time.

Barbra Streisand

Woman In Love

Barbra had been around making music and taking it into our chart since she first hit with "Second Hand Rose" back in 1966. It's number 14 peak wasn't bettered until she reached number 3 with "Evergreen" 11 years later. 1978 and 1979 had seen her have two more top five singles with duets (one with Neil Diamond, one with Donna Summer). In 1990 she turned to the successful songwriting and production skills of the Bee Gees, and this single was the first glimpse of the resulting album, 'Guilty'. After entering at number 22, it climbed to number nine and then to the very top, to become her biggest ever hit, spending three weeks on top. Strangely, the promo film seemed to consist entirely of clips from her 1977 film 'A Star Is Born'.

Linx

You're Lying

What a boring song. This was the debut hit for David Grant's band and peaked at number 15. The best was yet to come.

Hazel O'Connor

Eighth Day

The trend for making music orientated films that had followed Saturday Night Fever and Grease continued into 1980 with 'Xanadu', 'Can't Stop The Music' and the best of the bunch 'Breaking Glass', from which this song came. The principle characters were Phil ("Park Life") Daniels and the singer of this song, Hazel O' Connor. It made an instant star out of Hazel, and she deserved it for this number five peaking single alone. Some kind of rivalry grew between Hazel and Toyah, but one year and just two more hits later, most had forgotten about Hazel. She was still performing in the mid 90s and we had tickets to see her at Notts County football club's social club. But we had a really bad day with lots of expense and so didn't bother going.

Nolans

Gotta Pull Myself Together

It really bugs me when people ridicule the Nolans. Many of these people would have been humming along to their songs Twenty years ago, but would no doubt deny it now. The Nolans recorded some of the best pop songs of the early '80s, and even though they didn't write their own material, they had the voices that made them such big hits. I have met and chatted to Linda Nolan on three occasions, and she is a lovely person, certainly no prima donna. My wife, as well as meeting Linda, has also met Bernie, Anne, Maureen and Colleen and teels me that they are nice too.
Since the heady days of this reaching number nine in the chart, a lot has happened to the sisters. Linda left soon after the hits dried up and spent nine consecutive summer seasons starring on Blackpool's Central Pier, before moving to the South Pier for a couple of seasons. During that time, she also made regular appearances on James Whale's late Friday night TV show. Since then, she has continued to work the summer holiday circuit at various venues (usually near to her home town of Blackpool), and also appeared in Panto. Bernie and Colleen stayed with the group until the mid '90s, before Colleen retired from the business to be a full time mother. Bernie did some solo shows and appeared in the magnificant musical 'Oh What a Night' alongside Kid Creole (as well as other musicals, I think). Then in 2000 she joined the cast of the popular soap 'Brookside'. Hopefully, this will not be for long and she will get back to singing, as she is one of the best vocalists in the UK.
As for Anne and Maureen, they are part of a new Nolans line up that also includes Anne's daughter 'Amy' and their niece 'Julia Sinclair' (Amy & Julia are also two thirds of a new group called 'Third Base' who are tipped for stardom). I was fortunate enough to see the new look Nolans at the Grand Theatre in Blackpool last Monday evening. The thing is, it was a new new look. Anne was unwell, so Colleen came out of retirement for the night. The new girls fitted in very well, Maureen is as beautiful as she ever was, and Colleen still has that cuteness about her that she had twenty years ago (she's my favourite).

George Benson

Love X Love

Another song that very much reminds me of the Erbistok club that I used to frequent so often in the early '80s. A good disco single, but I feel that it was a little too similar to the title track of it's parent album "Give Me The Night". It peaked at number ten.

Status Quo

What You're Proposing

Another winner for the Quo in chart terms, but not so in the lyric stakes (they really shouldn't have rhymed "Proposing" with "Runny Nosing")
Anyway, it quickly sped up the chart to number two where it was kept off the top by Ms. Streisand for 2 weeks.

Billy Joel

It's Still Rock And Roll To Me

It was very rare that Billy could get more than one big UK hit single from any of his albums, and this was his hit from the excellent 'Glass Houses' album. In the words of this song, Billy seemed to be saying that it doesn't matter what you call it, Punk, New Wave, Hard Rock or whatever, it's still Rock & Roll. I wonder what he thinks these days. Billy peaked at number 14.

Sheena Easton

Modern Girl

Sheena hit the big time after being the subject of a TV show titled 'The Big Time'. Her first single had been this one, but it had only managed to get as high as number 56. But after the success of the second single, it had been re-promoted and had entered the top 40 the same week that "9 To 5" had reached number three. It went on to peak at number eight.

Black Sabbath

Paranoid

Brilliant ! One of the best singles of not only the 70's, but (thanks to this re-issue) the 80's too. One of the most recognisable set of opening bars to a song ever, and a true classic. Yes, it's one of my favourite songs of all time, sitting right up there alongside "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Blue Monday", "The Message" & "A Day In The Life". It had originally been a number four hit in 1970, but had now been re-released to cash in on the new wave of heavy metal, and the renewed interest in the band that were now without the sacked Ozzy Osbourne. This time around it reached a creditable number 14, and it's 12 weeks in the chart took it to a total of 30 weeks. Black Sabbath were featured on 'Rock Family Trees' a few years back, and I was surprised to learn that they'd appeared on 'Live Aid'. This is news to me as I didn't see them and I thought I had it all on tape. I wonder if by any chance they appeared right after The Who while technical difficulties were being experienced. Something that made me laugh but in retrospect also sad, is that on a 1998 edition of 'Never Mind The Buzzcocks', current Radio One DJ Chris Moyles failed to recognise the opening bars to this song. Where do Radio One get these people ?

Air Supply

All Out Of Love

A good single that peaked at number eleven was the only hit this Australian band had in the UK, despite massive success in the USA. For some reason, this song reminds me of maintaining the shrub beds at a small housing complex called 'Meifod Place' in the Pen-Y-Bryn area of Wrexham. It also reminds me of Paul Burnett playing it on his Radio One lunchtime show, and then following it with his 'Fun At One' feature where he played a Barron Knights track called "Barron's Fun 40". This was a spoof on Tony Blackburn counting down the top 40, with plenty of "Sensational"s in there, and make believe singles such as "You Need Hands" by the Stranglers, "Turning Japanese" by Paul McCartney, and "Breathing" by Air Supply.

Cliff Richard

Dreamin'

Since "We Don't Talk Anymore" had taken Cliff to number one 12 months previous, he had again become a chart regular. This was just a run of the mill Cliff song that received loads of airplay on both Radios One & Two and peaked at number eight. I got fed up of hearing it at the time, but it seems OK now.

Kate Bush

Army Dreamers

Kate's third single to be taken from the 'Never Forever' album, and it was another good 'un. A song that 'got at' people who joined the army. The video caused a little concern to it's explosions and apparent death scenes. Something of a slow climber, it peaked at number 16 and spent seven weeks in the top 40.

Gap Band

Party Lights

After the huge "Oops Upside Your Head" with it's novelty appeal, the Gap Band were soon back with a straight disco track. Very good it was too, even though it only reached number 30.

OMD

Enola Gay

A song about a plane that caused so much suffering. Seems sick in retrospect, but not as sick as the act itself. Sad as it seems, most who bought the single probably didn't have a clue what it was about anyway.
Even though O.M.D. had already had a smaller hit with "Messages", this was the one that really broke them and reached number eight.

Gilbert O'Sullivan

What's In A Kiss

A nice comeback for Gilbert after five years away from the top 40. He'd now broken free from Gordon Mills' management and production, and was also in the process of sueing Gordon for unpaid royalties. This was his only hit on the CBS label and peaked at number 19. Gilbert won his court case, but never made the top 40 again. The closest he came was when his "So What" became a popular club record and made number 70 in 1990.

Nick Straker

A Walk In The Park

I have only seen one other act looking so chuffed with themselves that they were appearing on Top Of The Pops, that was Bass-O-Matic who hit with "Fascinating Rhythm" in 1990. Funny how neither act managed another top 40 hit. This was a good single that spent three weeks at number 20 and nine weeks inside the top 40. I preferred his follow up "Leaving On The Midnight Train" (I Know - yet another bloody midnight train).

Bad Manners

Special Brew

I think that after their first two hits, Bad Manners were seen as a cheap imitation of Madness by many. Maybe some thought the same after this, but I changed my mind. It was one of the catchiest songs of the year and spent two weeks at number three, spending nine weeks in the top 40, dropping out in the week that the follow up "Lorraine" debuted. Buster Bloodvessel has said that he got the inspiration for this song from a can of the foul tasting 'Special Brew' lager, and composed it in a matter of minutes.

Splodgenessabounds

Two Little Boys / Horse

A punk cover of the Rolf Harris number one from 1969. For what it was, it was quite good in a bizzarre kind of way and peaked at number 26. Splodge never made the top 40 again, despite putting a medley of Cowboy themes together for their June 1981 single "Cowpunk Medlum".

Sheena Easton

9 To 5

Sheena Easton was having one of the biggest hit singles of the year with her number three peaking first hit single. This was retitled "Morning Train" when released in the USA, where it sped to number one. A strange bit of trivia about Sheena is that John Peel used to regularly play her new singles as they were released right in the middle of all his Indie stuff, and Christened himself and his listeners the 'Sheena Barmy Army'.

These were in the top 50 this week, but failed to reach the top 40.

Barron Knights

The Sit Song

I've a lot of time for the Barron Knights, they are the masters of the parody and I find most of it still amusing over twenty years after the event. Unfortunately, their non-parody songs don't have the same effect on me. This is one of those and is a song about dog trainer 'Barbara Woodhouse' and her famous "Sit" command. The B side "Barron's Fun Forty" was much better. But even better was their previous non-charting single "We Know Who Done It", a parody of Gary Numan's "Cars" discussing who shot J.R. Ewing. "The Sit Song" made number 44.

Teardrop Explodes

When I Dream

Just plods along, but I think I prefer it to their singles that actually became hits. This reached number 47.

Some MP3s

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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