REMEMBER WHEN - 5TH SEPTEMBER1981

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1981
Week 36
WEEK ENDING 5TH SEPTEMBER 1981

TOP 40 SINGLES

TW	.......	LW	.......		.......
1		2		Soft Cell		Tainted Love
2		1		Aneka		Japanese Boy
3		6		Human League		Love Action (I Believe In Love)
4		5		Electric Light Orchestra		Hold On Tight
5		3		Royal Philharmonic Orchestra		Hooked On Classics
6		15		Gary Numan		She's Got Claws
7		10		UB40		One In Ten
8		4		Shakin' Stevens		Green Door
9		12		Genesis		Abacab
10		8		Lobo		The Caribbean Disco Show
11		27		Cliff Richard		Wired For Sound
12		7		Duran Duran		Girls On Film
13		28		Rolling Stones		Start Me Up
14		19		Ultravox		The Thin Wall
15		26		Nolans		Chemistry
16		29		Modern Romance		Everybody Salsa
17		16		Ten Pole Tudor		Wunderbar
18		9		Tight Fit		Back To The Sixties
19		11		Stevie Wonder		Happy Birthday
20		22		Randy Crawford		Rainy Night In Georgia
21		17		Bill Wyman		Si Si Je Suis Un Rock Star
22		13		Kim Wilde		Water On Glass / Boys
23		NEW		Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark		Souvenir
24		18		Startrax		Startrax Club Disco
25		21		Reo Speedwagon		Take It On The Run
26		14		Gidea Park		Beach Boy Gold
27		25		Enigma		I Love Music
28		NEW		Ottawan		Hands Up (Give Me Your Heart)
29		37		Pointer Sisters		Slowhand
30		40		Hi Gloss		You'll Never Know
31		32		Dollar		Hand Held In Black And White
32		33		Bucks Fizz		One Of Those Nights
33		NEW		Teardrop Explodes		Passionate Friend
34		23		Sheena Easton		For Your Eyes Only
35		20		Spandau Ballet		Chant No. 1
36		NEW		Hollies		Holliedaze
37		34		Siouxsie & The Banshees		Arabian Nights
38		NEW		Rex Smith & Rachel Sweet		Everlasting Love
39		35		U2		Fire
40		NEW		John Foxx		Europe After The Rain

Soft Cell

Tainted Love

Soft Cell turned this little known Gloria Jones Northern Soul track into the biggest single of the year. It only spent two weeks on top, and 13 weeks in the top 40. But, it was never very far from the top 40 until the following March. In all, it spent 36 weeks in the top 75. It's success in the year end chart defies all belief considering that TEN other singles spent more time on top of the pile. It did re-enter the top 40 in 1991, when it reached number five, but that was in a re-recorded version that just didn't pack the punch of the original.
It was some kind of record breaker in the US, where it reached number eight. Over there, it spent 43 weeks in the Hot 100.

Aneka

Japanese Boy

This was a Scottish woman (old enough to know better) dressed and made up to look like a Japanese woman, with one of those machines that go "poo, poo, poo,poo", just like the one Kelly Marie used a year previous. But, it was catchy, had novelty appeal, and spent a week at number one. At the time I was still helping out at the Chinese Restaurant that I've previously mentioned, and guess which song some of the punters used to get a kick out of selecting on the jukebox ?
What they didn't realise was that Andy (the Chinaman), liked this song. They probably didn't realise that China and Japan are different countries either.

Human League

Love Action (I Believe In Love)

At last, the Human League were having the success they deserved. They had been trying for three years before they had a number 12 hit with "Sound Of The Crowd" earlier in 1981. They had even got a mention in someone else's hit the previous year when the Undertones referred to them in "My Perfect Cousin". But this was the real breakthrough hit, and was coupled with the equally good "Hard Times" on the b side. It reached number three and spent 11 weeks in the top 40.

Electric Light Orchestra

Hold On Tight

E.L.O.'s final top ten hit didn't stall at number six as five of their previous singles had done. This last top ten hit for the band, went on to reach number four, a position that they had only bettered once (not including the ONJ collaboration). It was from their last truly great album 'Time', an album that was full of potential hit singles, all pieced together to form a concept album.
I remember on one of my then regular Mansfield trips being in a town centre pub where this playing on the jukebox. Two men were having an argument about who was performing this song. Eventually, one turned to me and asked who was singing, is it Alvin Stardust or Shakin' Stevens ?

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Hooked On Classics

You're going to see the word 'medley' mentioned a lot this week. Since 'Star Sound' had kicked it all off in April, the charts had become medley crazy, and the whole thing seemed to be at it's peak in August. This one was different to most of the others in that it used pieces of classical music set to the obligatory drum machine. Conducted by Louis Clark from E.L.O., this spent two weeks at number two, and had a quite amusing video made up of old film clips arranged so that they fitted in with the music 'Old Grey Whistle Test' style.

Gary Numan

She's Got Claws

I thought this was a very disappointing single from Gary, and the video didn't do much to ignite my enthusiasm either. I think that Gary ought to consider himself lucky to have made it as high as number six with this.

UB40

One In Ten

UB40 were still making good music in those days, and this was one of their best, peaking at number seven. The hits dried up a little for a couple of years after this, until they resorted to cover versions. Eleven years later, they re-worked this song with '808 State', but even though '808 State' were making quite decent music at the time, it just didn't work for me.

Shakin' Stevens

Green Door

Shaky had already been around forever before he had his first hit in early 1980. What happened in 1981 was just unbelievable. Considering that Showaddywaddy had been experiencing a decline in fortunes, it seemed that no one wanted 50's style songs anymore. But then, Shaky released "This Ole House", "You Drive Me Crazy" and "Green Door", three of the biggest singles of the year. He also built up a teen idol status, which was surprising considering he must have been near 30 years older than some of those teens. This single spent four weeks at number one. On it's first week at the top, it had the biggest climb up the chart to number one for Twenty years. The only other single to have ever climbed from a lower chart position to the top was Elvis Presley's "Surrender, which jumped from number 27 to number one in in 1961. Even though two singles made bigger jumps to the top in 1982, Shaky's climb from 22 to number one is still the fourth biggest climb to the top ever.
Even though this was far from my favourite single in the chart, I didn't begrudge Shaky his success after all those years of hard work, including his time with the TV show 'Oh Boy' and with his band 'The Sunsets'. In fact, in my most unworthy of opinions, he got better as the 80's wore on, apart from the odd dodgy single here and there.

Genesis

Abacab

By now firmly established as a singles band, not just albums, this became one of their highest charting singles ever, when it rose to number nine. This, in a year when vocalist Phil Collins had released his first solo album and had three top 20 hits by himself, including the number two "In The Air Tonight". The singles from the last Genesis studio album to not sound like a Phil Collins solo album, didn't do quite as well though, and this was the only one to climb past number 33. Great track.

Lobo

The Caribbean Disco Show

No, this isn't the same Lobo who hit with "You And Me And A Dog Named Boo", and "I'd Love You To Want Me". This was a gentleman from Holland, and was one of the most annoying records of the good half of the 80's. It was a medley of stuff like
DAYO, DAYO O O O O,
and climbed all the way to number eight, before going down the chart again very slowly.

Cliff Richard

Wired For Sound

This is where Cliff was promoting the use of Sony Walkmans and the like. I think it was a few more years before they finally caught on big time, but while it was obviously easier to walk around with a cassette player attached to your person than a record deck, I'm still amazed that pre-recorded cassettes became as popular as they did and later survived the CD age at the expense of vinyl. I mean why buy a tape, a device so easy to accidentally break, when you can buy a vinyl recording, record it onto a tape and have both ?
I could never understand why people didn't seem to think of that.
This was a big hit for Cliff reaching four. I remember that my Dad made a comment on how bad this song was, which was quite surprising, because even though he often said when he liked something, he rarely said anything about a song that he didn't like.

Duran Duran

Girls On Film

This was Duran Duran's third hit of the year, but first to make the top ten, peaking at number five. This is the one with the banned video, even though the only exposure it would have got would have been on Top Of The Pops, Swap Shop and Tiswas anyway (unless The Old Grey Whistle Test was still Duran Duran friendly).

Rolling Stones

Start Me Up

Quicker than usual return for the Stones, and a return that saw them achieve their final top ten hit (as of November 2001). It reached number seven, but I preferred every single that had gone before it, and most since.

Ultravox

The Thin Wall

A disappointment after the greatness of their previous two singles, and a number 14 peak. It came from their equally disappointing follow up to the 'Vienna' album, 'Rage In Eden'. I doubt that many non 'Ultravox' fans will even remember this one.

Nolans

Chemistry

There's nothing wrong with the Nolans, it's just unfortunate that they were stuck with being named 'The Nolan Sisters' at the beginning of their career. Because of that, they never seemed to get any credibility. Chemistry was their seventh hit in less than two years, and climbed to number 15.

Modern Romance

Everybody Salsa

The first of eight hits for a band who specialized in 'good feeling' songs reached number eleven. They sailed dangerously close to being labelled a 'Wally' band at times, but just about managed to steer clear of the territory that Black Lace would jump straight into a couple of years later.

Ten Pole Tudor

Wunderbar

I don't want to seem unkind, but this was the pits, it really was. It's worse than "Tele Tubbies", worse than all of Radiohead's whingy ditties, not worse than "No Charge" but almost there, hell, it's even worse than quite a few of the singles in todays chart. Yes, after "Swords Of A Thousand Men", it was a little disappointing and after it climbed to number 16, they disappeared forever from the top 40 chart. Eddie later re-emerged as presenter of the TV show 'Crystal Maze'.

Tight Fit

Back To The Sixties

Tight Fit's very first hit reached number four but was not really the same Tight Fit who would have a number one in 1982. But, Jive records didn't want you to know that. The medley of song were recorded by session musicians, but when it became a hit, Steve Grant and Co were the faces for the Top Of The Pops appearances. Actually, Steve Grant wasn't really the singer on "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" either, but that's another story.

Stevie Wonder

Happy Birthday

A great song from Stevie that gave him a fourth number two hit as he chased that elusive first number one single. It was the fourth single to be taken from the "Hotter Than July" album. The album had been a huge success, and all four singles had made it into the top ten (the only time that Stevie has ever had four consecutive top ten hits).

Randy Crawford

Rainy Night In Georgia

Randy was following up "You Might Need Somebody" with this cover of a classic that had been previously recorded by Brook Benton in 1970. Randy climbed to number 18, and then didn't appear in the top 40 again until the back end of 1986.

Bill Wyman

Si Si Je Suis Un Rock Star

Bill had virtually no success with two solo albums that he released in the 70's. But the Rolling Stones Bassist, got it right with this one. There have been a few different stories claiming the song was about this or that woman, and the favourite is Bianca Jagger. It doesn't matter anyway, and the single was Bill's biggest solo hit reaching number 13.

Kim Wilde

Water On Glass / Boys

Another good single from Kim, that just failed to reach the top ten by one place. It was the third single from her debut album, and it's biggest fault was that it did resemble her previous single "Chequered Love" a little too much. "Boys" is listed as a double 'A' with "Water On Glass", and I must have listened to it as flip sides were often worth hearing then. But I couldn't have been over impressed, or I would have kept playing it and remember it now.

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark

Souvenir

The first single from OMD's most popular album, 'Architecture And Morality'. It went all the way to number three, a placing that they didn't manage to equal until 1991's "Sailing On The Seven Seas". I don't think that it was their best ever single, but it came damn close.

Startrax

Startrax Club Disco

This was one of the best releases of the 1981 medley craze, even though it climbed no higher than number 18. The title doesn't exactly give much away, but it was in fact a 'Bee Gees' medley and had been done quite well. That well in fact that I bought the album which comprised of a side long Bee Gees medley, with the other side a medley of well known disco hits. It was issued on CD under the title "Night Fever Disco Megamix" in 1999, but the second album, a medley of reggae songs, doesn't seem to have seen the light of day on CD.

Reo Speedwagon

Take It On The Run

The second hit for this band climbed no higher than number 19, which was sad considering that it was just as good as their previous hit. But, they would have to wait four years for their next hit, so with hindsight I suppose they're pleased.

Gidea Park

Beach Boy Gold

Gidea Park was Adrian Baker, who had hit number ten with "Sherry" as a solo act back in 1975. This dreary medley of Beach Boys hits peaked at number eleven, but the oddest thing is that Adrian later joined the Beach Boys. His first single with them "Come Go With Me" had a b.side entitled "Don't Go Near The Water". Before any more Beach Boys recordings were released, drummer Dennis Wilson drowned in his swimming pool, Spooky !

Enigma

I Love Music

Enigma were one of the few medley merchants to have more than one hit. After the number eleven success of "Ain't No Stopping", they released this follow up, another medley of recent disco hits. It got as high as 25, and they were never heard of again, apart from vocalist Tracy who teamed up with Massivo in 1990, to again peak at number 25 with "Loving You".

Ottawan

Hands Up (Give Me Your Heart)

I'll own up to this one, yes I did like it and bought the 12 inch, well, it was the same price as the 7 inch, so why not ?
It didn't do quite as well as their previous hit "D.I.S.C.O.", but it did spend two weeks at number three amongst a total of eleven in the top 40.

Pointer Sisters

Slowhand

Classy song that finally gave them the top ten hit they deserved whwn it hit number ten. They once performed this on Russell Harty's chat show and didn't hit the host, there again they didn't feel the need to as he didn't ignore them (who would ?).

Hi Gloss

You'll Never Know

Another one with class written all over it, and seemingly easily available for smoochy compilations for many years afterwards. It reached number 12 and spent nine weeks in the forty.

Dollar

Hand Held In Black And White

Excellent single that began Dollar's brief golden era. Available in a nice big white twelve inch size, it teased a little before spending two weeks at number 19, and eight weeks in the top forty. I always wondered if the Abba references in the lyrics ("Take A Chance" & "Winner Takes It All") were deliberate. This was also the first time that I noticed the mad drummer who seemed to appear with many acts throughout the eighties. Actually he looked not unlike a certain Kevin Turvey from 'A Kick Up The Eighties', later better known as 'Rik Mayall' star of 'The Young Ones' and 'The New Statesman'.

Bucks Fizz

One Of Those Nights

And this is where Bucks Fizz showed us that they could do something that didn't sound like "Making Your Mind Up part 2, part 3, part 4 etc". A much better song, and one that seemed all the better when looking at what Jay Aston was almost wearing on TOTP. It spent two weeks at number Twenty.

Teardrop Explodes

Passionate Friend

This seems a better sing now than it did at the time. Considering how popular this band seemed to be at the time, it's very surprising that this single only reached number 25. It did spend a total of seven weeks in the top forty though. They had no further top 40 entries.

Sheena Easton

For Your Eyes Only

Almost unheard of 12 months previous, here was Sheena being given the honour of recording the title song for the latest 'James Bond' film. Things had certainly moved quick for Sheena, five top 40 hits and one near miss in a year. This number eight peaking single had a good chart run lasting ten weeks, but was her last top ten hit ever. She did a great performance of this at the Oscars.

Spandau Ballet

Chant No. 1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On)

I wasn't particularly impressed with Spandau Ballet's first three singles, in fact "Muscle-Bound" had bored me to tears ("The Freeze" had been a grower though). But this one simply blew my mind, it was that good. They brought in the horn section from Beggar and Co., and gave us one of the best dance singles of the 80's (if not all time), what a refreshing change from what had preceded. It was also bigger than their previous three hits, reaching number three.

Hollies

Holliedaze

Always ready to jump on a bandwagon, the Hollies caught the medley craze with this compilation of former glories spliced together and foisted on an unsuspecting public. It reached number 28.

Siouxsie & The Banshees

Arabian Nights

Very different from their previous hit "Spellbound", this seventh top 40 hit for the band was bought by all the loyal fans and peaked at 32. I liked it and still do, but it didn't really sound like the type of single to gain a chart position much higher than the one it attained.

Rex Smith & Rachel Sweet

Everlasting Love

Rachel was quite a good singer really, but her choice of material and singing partner sometimes left a lot to be desired. I 'think' that Rex was some kind of teen heart throb actor, and he'd had a US top ten hit in 1979 with "You Take My Breath Away". Rachel had a minor UK hit with "B.A.B.Y." in 1978, but hadn't charted since (despite a good cover of "I Go To Pieces" in 1979). This was a cover of the Robert Knight/Love Affair hit that was also around at this time in the medley single "Everlasting" by 'Shampoo', and would later be covered by 'Sandra', 'Worlds Apart', 'Gloria Estefan' and 'Cast From Casualty'. This one reached number 35.

Fire

A rather modest start in chart land for U2. This first hit only climbed to number 35 for a band who some of us thought may have a couple more minor hits before disappearing. They certainly sounded very different then to what they do now, and their next two singles failed to make the top 40 at all. There was certainly nothing to suggest that they would suddenly become one of the biggest bands in the world just a few years later.

John Foxx

Europe After The Rain

It should have given John his biggest hit to date, a climb of ten places the following week was all that was required. But, it only had this one week in the chart, his last ever week as it turned out.

In the top 50 this week, but failing to reach the top 40.

Beach Boys

Beach Boys Medley

Now Come on !
We already had Gidea Park in the chart with "Beach Boy Gold". There was enough fun and surfing nonsense in that, without having the genuine article in the chart too. Thankfully, despite it becoming an American hit, it stalled at number 47 here.

The Look

Feeding Time

Their fifteen minutes of fame was already over. I don't even rememebr this being released, let alone actually hearing it. It reached number 50.

Some 1981 MP3s

Tony Capstick - Capstick Comes Home
Freeez - Flying High
Roger Taylor - Future Management

Some More 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.

ON TO THE FOLLOWING WEEK
BACK TO THE PREVIOUS WEEK
BACK TO THE 1981 INDEX
THE REMEMBER WHEN ARCHIVES
GOLDEN DAYS INDEX

Email: nige@innotts.co.uk

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