REMEMBER WHEN - 3RD OCTOBER1981

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1981
Week 40
WEEK ENDING 3RD OCTOBER 1981

TOP 40 SINGLES

TW	.......	LW	.......		.......
1		1		Adam And The Ants		Prince Charming
2		9		Police		Invisible Sun
3		3		Ottawan		Hands Up (Give Me Your Heart)
4		5		Alvin Stardust		Pretend
5		4		Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark		Souvenir
6		11		Godley & Creme		Under Your Thumb
7		8		Tweets		Birdie Song
8		2		Soft Cell		Tainted Love
9		7		Diana Ross & Lionel Richie		Endless Love
10		22		Madness		Shut Up
11		10		Pointer Sisters		Slowhand
12		24		Depeche Mode		Just Can't Get Enough
13		12		Hi Gloss		You'll Never Know
14		6		Cliff Richard		Wired For Sound
15		18		Linx		So This Is Romance
16		21		Imagination		In And Out Of Love
17		36		Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin		It's My Party
18		17		Starsound		Stars On 45 (Volume 3)
19		19		Dollar		Hand Held In Black And White
20		14		Electric Light Orchestra		Hold On Tight
21		13		Aneka		Japanese Boy
22		29		Electronicas		The Original Bird Dance
23		16		Rolling Stones		Start Me Up
24		20		Bucks Fizz		One Of Those Nights
25		27		Teardrop Explodes		Passionate Friend
26		39		Japan		Quiet Life
27		23		Modern Romance		Everybody Salsa
28		30		Gidea Park		Seasons Of Gold
29		15		Human League		Love Action (I Believe In Love)
30		NEW		Bad Manners		Walkin' In The Sunshine
31		NEW		Slade		Lock Up Your Daughters
32		NEW		Toyah		Thunder In The Mountains
33		26		UB40		One In Ten
34		NEW		Creatures		Mad Eyed Screamer
35		NEW		Barry Manilow		Let's Hang On
36		31		Randy Crawford		Rainy Night In Georgia
37		40		Sheena Easton		Just Another Broken Heart
38		NEW		Tight Fit		Back To The Sixties Part 2
39		33		Gary Numan		She's Got Claws
40		25		Ultravox		The Thin Wall

Adam & The Ants

Prince Charming

I liked most of what Adam Ant did in his successful era, but I thought that this was a little on the weak side. I think that I expected some kind of excitement on an 'Ant' single, and this had none. It entered at number two on the strength of his popularity, so it was no surprise that it took the step up to the top, where it stood for four weeks. If my memory isn't deceiving me, it was number three on the year end countdown.
On the day that it entered the chart (8th September), I went to London with Andy from the Chinese. His son from his first marriage had been staying for a few weeks, and he was now returning to his mother. This was the first time that I'd been to London since the school trip to the Science museum in March 1974, and I didn't go again until a football trip in early 1988.

Police

Invisible Sun

Looked a sure fire bet to reach the top after crashing in at number nine. But the content of the promo was considered too controversial for TV as it dealt with the troubles in Northern Ireland, so it had to settle for number two. Pity, it was a great single.

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.

Alvin Stardust

Pretend

Nice comeback for Alvin. It was his biggest hit since his March 1974 number one "Jealous Mind", and his first hit of any description since the Summer of 1975. This number four peaking hit, had reached number two for Nat King Cole in 1953.

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.

Godley & Creme

Under Your Thumb

This was very different from anything else around at the time, and deserved to be the number three peaking hit that it was. Since leaving 10CC a few years previous, Kevin and Lol ahd released a couple of albums, but had also got into video work, and had directed promos for many acts. Unfortunately, they didn't get around to making a video for their own first hit single. Having said that, it was entertaining to watch Kevin Godley performing this in any case, his expressions were very strange.

Tweets

Birdie Song

If you know someone who bought the 1997 hit "Tubthumping" by 'Chumbawamba', look at their parents (or maybe their older brother/sister). You are now looking at someone who probably bought this single, helping it to spend two weeks at number two and a total of twenty weeks in the top 40. They probably spent their Summer holiday in Spain that year and did the stupid dance to this record every night of their holiday. They probably woke up every morning and spent time practicing the said dance, so that they would be sure of getting it right that evening. They probably spent the following six months forcing people to view their holiday snaps. They probably got nowhere in life.

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.

Diana Ross & Lionel Richie

Endless Love

The theme from the film of the same name, a film that attracted a lot of publicity at the time, due to it's star, a young (and tall) Brooke Shields. I don't normally mind this sort of thing, but I was never too keen on this. However it spent nine weeks at number one in the States, and reached a creditable number seven over here.
A cover by Mariah Carey & Luther Vandross reached number three here, and two over the water in 1994.

Madness

Shut Up

Another good one from Madness, and one that was promoted by one of their best promos. It reached number seven.

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 ?).

Depeche Mode

Just Can't Get Enough

"New Life" had sounded to me like the kind of thing that would give a band their one and only hit. This one proved me wrong and peaked at number eight. Twenty years later, Depeche Mode were still having hit singles.

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.

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.

Linx

So This Is Romance

Best single they released in my opinion. It was a listening song, one with a story to it, a little like "Intuition" in that respect. It reached number 15 and was the last time that Linx featured in the top forty. Singer David Grant did chart when he slimmed down and launched his solo career in 1983.

Imagination

In And Out Of Love

Very similar to "Body Talk", but a good track all the same. I think we were already coming to the conclusion that we'd always know Imagination singles as soon as we heard them, but they did change their sound after this one. It reached number 16.

Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin

It's My Party

A cover of the Leslie Gore number nine from 1963, this version went all the way to number one and spent four weeks on top. It was very different to the original, and was recorded in the style that the lyrics suggested. The lyrics depict someone being very upset about their current situation, yet the original was sang as though the singer was the happiest girl in the world. So yes, this cover is one of those rarities that I consider to be much superior to the original.

Starsound

Stars On 45 (Volume 3)

My favourite of all the Stars On 45 singles. This one consisted of intros from familiar hit songs, including "Layla", "Eve Of The War"and "Baker Street". It peaked at number 17 in it's second week.

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'.

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 ?

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.

Electronica

The Original Bird Dance

It's that Birdie thing again !
Apparently, this was the original version, it reached number 22.

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.

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.

Japan

Quiet Life

I still find it difficult to believe that Japan were held in such high regard by so many people (or was it just the Music press ?). I did like their cover of "I Second That Emotion", but that was a great song anyway. This was more than mildly irritating and reached number 19.

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.

Gidea Park

Seasons Of Gold

Better than the Beach Boys medley from him that dropped out of the forty in the week that this one entered. I wouldn't have minded if this one had made the top ten. But it peaked at number 28.

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.

Bad Manners

Walkin' In The Sunshine

Quite a good single, even if it is one that's usually forgotten. It was also a little late for sunshine, but it was still a fun video that had the band splashing about in the sea. Just the kind of thing you need as winter begins to set in. It peaked at number ten.

Slade

Lock Up Your Daughters

Not one of my favourite Slade singles, they were going too near the metal scene for my liking, not the Slade I know and love. It quickly peaked at number 29.

Toyah

Thunder In The Mountains

The best single ever from Toyah. Great video too where she rode along on a chariot in 'Mad Max' style, while going on about motorways being monuments. It peaked at number four, after which her music career went downhill.

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.

Creatures

Mad Eyed Screamer

I thought that it sounded like Siouxsie & The Banshees, then lo and behold, when this was on TOTP, it was Siouxsie and her drummer Budgie. It was actually the lead track on an EP titled "Wild Things". Peaked at number 24.

Barry Manilow

Let's Hang On

The 'Four Seasons' and 'Johnny Johnson And The Bandwagon' had both had hits with this song in the '60s. Then 'Darts' had their very last hit with this song in 1980 when they took it to number 11. Now just 18 months later, Barry Manilow had his biggest hit in six years as he took it to number 12. Mildly entertaining video too.

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.

Sheena Easton

Just Another Broken Heart

I liked this one a lot, a good piece of pop music. But Sheena's top ten days were over, this struggled to number 33.

Tight Fit

Back To The Sixties Part 2

I could take it or leave it. So could many others judging by it's number 33 peak.

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.

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.

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

Iron Maiden

Maiden In Japan

Bit on the noisy side, but I quite liked it. Much sooner these getting heavy than Slade trying to do it. Made number 43.

Heaven 17

Play To Win

Great band, but still searching for their first top forty hit. Once again, they got close, this one made number 46.

Evelyn KIng

If You Want My Lovin'

Great disco track and there's a bit in it that sounds like a lot of D Train's "You're The One For Me" from shortly afterwards. It reached number 43.

Donald Byrd

Love Has Come Around

Formerly of the Blackbyrds ("Walking In Rhythm"), Donald had a massive club hit with this one. Unfortunately, it didn't cross over that well and peaked at number 41.

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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