REMEMBER WHEN - 23RD APRIL 1983

1983
Week 17
WEEK ENDING 23RD APRIL 1983

TOP 40 SINGLES

TW	.....	LW	......		......
1		1		David Bowie		Let's Dance
2		2		Culture Club		Church Of The Poison Mind
3		5		Michael Jackson		Beat It
4		8		F.R. David		Words
5		4		Tracey Ullman		Breakaway
6		23		Eurythmics		Love Is A Stranger
7		6		JoBoxers		Boxerbeat
8		7		Kajagoogoo		Ooh To Be Ah
9		12		Tracie		The House That Jack Built
10		NEW		Spandau Ballet		True
11		3		Duran Duran		Is There Something I Should Know
12		14		New Order		Blue Monday
13		9		Kenny Everett		Snot Rap
14		37		Cliff Richard & L.P.O.		True Love Ways
15		10		Big Country		Fields Of Fire
16		NEW		Human League		(Keep Feeling) Fascination
17		13		Nick Heyward		Whistle Down The Wind
18		19		Twisted Sister		I Am (I'm Me)
19		36		Toto		Rosanna
20		28		Sunfire		Young Free And Single
21		40		Thompson Twins		We Are Detective
22		20		Dexy's Midnight Runners		The Celtic Soul Brothers
23		11		Style Council		Speak Like A Child
24		38		Kids From Fame		Friday Night (Live)
25		15		Eurythmics		Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
26		35		Bauhaus		She's In Parties
27		16		Bonnie Tyler		Total Eclipse Of The Heart
28		NEW		Iron Maiden		Flight Of Icarus
29		32		Kissing The Pink		The Last Film
30		34		Men At Work		Overkill
31		NEW		Heaven 17		Temptation
32		18		Orange Juice		Rip It Up
33		17		Altered Images		Don't Talk To Me About Love
34		NEW		Sweet Dreams		I'm Never Giving Up
35		26		Leo Sayer		Orchard Road
36		25		Michael Jackson		Billie Jean
37		39		Chill Fac-Torr		Twist (Round And Round)
38		27		Mari Wilson		Cry Me A River
39		NEW		Galaxy		Dancing Tight
40		21		Bananarama		Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye

David Bowie

Let's Dance

It was quite a surprise when this entered the chart at number five. His four previous solo singles had failed to reach the top 20. Ok, one of them had been the fourth to be lifted from the 'Scary Monsters' album and one had been a five year old album track. But "Baal" and "Cat People" had been new songs (even if one had been on a different record label, and the other had seemed unusual coming from Bowie, but that was nothing new).

He had now turned to the 'Chic organization' for help and it resulted in not only his most commercially successful album in ten years, but also the first Bowie album to produce three top two singles. In fact, very few (if any) albums by anyone could boast such a feat prior to this. This single reached number one on both sides of the Atlantic and revitalized what many thought was a flagging career. I like it, but I didn't think that it was much better than a very ordinary song. Safe ground from someone who normally took risks.

Culture Club

Church Of The Poison Mind

Much better than both of their number one singles in my opinion. Helen Terry's screeching being one of the high points of it. The worst thing about it was the video, now didn't they all look a sorry state in that Plane and car ?

It reached number two.

Michael Jackson

Beat It

Much better single than "Billie Jean" was this glorious effort, even if I did get sick of being told that it featured the guitar of Eddie Van Halen, and the genuine street gangs video was boring by the third time I watched it. It reached number three.

FR David

Words

One of those Euro crossover hits that I should have found extremely annoying, but instead was just a little indifferent towards. There was another version of it by the Tremeloes that was doing the rounds, but this is the one that hit the top 40, spending two weeks at number two.

Tracey Ullman

Breakaway

Tracey Ullman had been having a successful career as a comedienne in the shows 'A Kick Up The Eighties' and 'Three Of A Kind', before she decided to try her hand at singing. "Breakaway" was her first hit, and reached number four, and she followed it with five further hits by the end of 1984. She then went back to comedy with the sit com 'Girls On Top'. Unfortunately, she then gave up the UK to star in US sitcoms that I didn't find particularly amusing.

Eurythmics

Love Is A Stranger

I'd heard and bought this when it was originally released in November of the previous year. This was thanks to 'Whistle Test' showing the video. At a time when there was a higher than usual amount of fresh sounding music around (TFF, Blancmange, Talk Talk), this was one of the freshest. Strange that Dave and Annie had previously hit teh chart as members of the Tourists, a band that seemed to adopt a deliberate '60s sound. But this only made number 54 on that original release.
Now after the success of the inferior "Sweet Dreams", it was re-promoted and became a deserved hit. It even looked a possible chart topper as it shot from it's debut number 23 position to number six. But surprisingly, it then dropped to number seven and then twelve.

JoBoxers

Boxerbeat

Jo Boxers were having the first of three hits and quickly reached number three. A year later we had all forgotten about them, and I'm still confused as why this was a hit.

Kajagoogoo

Ooh To Be Ah

Had it not been for the huge success of "Too Shy", I don't think that this single would have charted at all. It wasn't exactly anything above very ordinary. But, Kajagoogoo were big news, they filmed an entertaining video that featured Kenny Everett and a shadow character following Nick Beggs around and a hit it was. But it peaked in only it's second chart week at number seven. They released their debut album "White Feathers" on April 18th, my 21st birthday.

Tracie

The House That Jack Built

She said that WE own the house that Jack built. I can't say that I care really. I found it a really boring single, and were it not for the Paul Weller connection, I don't think that it would have got as high as number nine. The song's composer 'Alan Price' had taken it to number four in 1967.

Spandau Ballet

True

They'd already failed with one ballad "She Loved Like Diamond", but they were never going to fail with this one. Out went the silly clothes and in came the suits for this smoochy ballad, the title track from their third album. Easily one of the best singles of the decade, I just wonder why they left it so late to release it (the third track to be lifted from the album). Had it been released before Christmas, Renee & Renato would have been completely forgotten about by now and would not be featured in various top ten shows. After entering at the extremely high position of ten, it went straight to the top where it reigned for four weeks.

I bought the 12 inch of this in the week that I was discharged from hospital. I noticed straight away that the words "Pill on my tongue" were printed on the back. I wasn't the only one to notice this. The day after my discharge, Marcia and Richard called and I noticed Marcia pick up the record and point to the words as she showed it to Richard. She told me that the night I'd been taken into hospital, my Dad had gone to her house and asked if she knew what I had taken and what they had said to me. She said that he seemed very upset. Either both of them together or Marcia on her own came to see me quite often over the next few weeks.

It was my 21st birthday on the 18th April and Claire came to see me with a card and a bottle of wine. She was going to babysit for a woman named Sue (of all the names !), who lived just around the corner from me, and she asked if I would like to go along. I thanked her for the invitation and said I may do. After a while I decided that I would, and after going to the garden gate, had a good look around to ensure that there was no one around, and then walked around the corner to Sue's as fast as I could without drawing attention to myself should someone be looking out of their window or coming out of the door. We spent a pleasant evening drinking wine and chatting, though she did drop a bombshell by telling me that the following week she would be going to France grapepicking and would be gone for a few months. I was quite distressed by this (though I didn't let it show). Claire was a really good friend, I felt really close to her. Even though Sue was the most important person to me at that time, I felt that Claire was the second most important person in my life, I loved her and used to tell her so (as she did me). I hoped that we'd always be close no matter what happened in our lives, I felt I really needed her to be around. But I couldn't tell her could I ?

So, on the following Monday evening, Claire called to say goodbye, and it would be over a year before I next saw her. I then continued my meaningless existence, and the next dramatic event was just a few weeks away.

To be continued with 'The Best' - "Can't Get Used To Losing You"-entering week ending 7th May 1983.

I realise that some people may come to this page and wonder what the hell has happened and why I'm going through the things that I'm describing. So, I've put all relevant episodes onto one easy to read page here

Duran Duran

Is There Something I Should Know

Duran Duran had their first number one single with this. I personally thought it was weaker than the singles that had been lifted from the 'Rio' album the previous year, and that it was one of those rare pre-90s occasions that an undeserving single entered the chart at the top. But Duran Duran were so huge that whatever new material they released just had to hit number one.

There was something in that title that seemed to relate to me personally. I still didn't know why Susan had ended it with me, save for a suspicion that her friend Joanne had something to do with it. I had began to buy large bottles of Paracetemol and had been taking them regular for headaches I had, and headaches that I pretended to have. I can't remember the exact date that I stopped going to work, but I think it must have been the 28th March. It was probably the 4th April when I visited the doctor and told him that I was having dizzy spells and having trouble sleeping. He very kindly prescribed a course of sleeping tablets for me along with something that I think was called Stematol and some green capsules. My preparations were almost complete.

On April 9th (9 days before my 21st birthday), the Pink Floyd film "The Wall" had been released on video. I just had to see it again before I did what I had to do, and so I rented it out. I watched it in the afternoon, along with my Dad. My brother was visiting us for a few days and he also watched some before he went out to see some of his old friends. He was supposedly staying out that evening. My Dad went out quite early that evening, but just before he went out Susan's brother Richard and his fiance Marcia called to see me. It was now five weeks since I had seen Susan, so I don't think that they thought it would trouble me too much if they told me that Sue was now seeing someone else. I tried to act perfectly normal as though it didn't bother me, but I did notice Marcia looking at the bottles of tablets on the sideboard. I told her that I'd been having dizzy spells and lots of headaches. I learnt that she'd later told Richard she was concerned about all the tablets I seemed to be taking. They left after an hour or so and said they'd call again during the week.

I watched "The Wall" again and then switched to some big concert celebrating 25 years (I think) of "American Bandstand". Then I did it. While Stevie Wonder was performing "Masterblaster", I swallowed over 25 sleeping tablets, 43 Stematol, 18 of the green capsules and 200 Paracetemol. I continued to watch the show for a while before deciding that I was hungry, and so made myself some toast. I normally just had butter or Marg on toast, but on this occasion decided to put strawberry jam (jelly) on it. By now I was feeling quite strange and realised what it was I was feeling. I was feeling "Comfortably Numb", hardly any feeling at all, but comfortable. I lay on the floor and watched as the Beach Boys played a medley of their hits.

There was white everywhere, what had happened ?

Was this where you go when you die ?

Wait, I'm in a bed and they are white curtains around me. There was something on my wrist. It's some kind of band and it says Overton. That's a place about five miles from my home village of Ruabon.
"Am I in Overton hospital ?"

"No, you bloody fool, you're in Overton ward at the War Memorial hospital".

Oops, I'd survived and my Mum was by the bedside with my sister. My sister's boyfriend had driven them from Mansfield to Wrexham through the night. The story goes that my brother had decided to come back to my dad's after all that night. At first, he had sat watching TV, thinking that I had just fallen asleep on the floor with a half eaten Jam sandwich at my side. But after a while, he had noticed all of the empty tablet bottles on the table and realised that I wasn't just asleep. He had knocked on the door of Anne and Dave next door and called an ambulance. Apparently the ambulance arrived as people were walking home from the pub and a crowd gathered as I was taken out on a stretcher. Oh the shame of it !

Upon arriving at hospital, my stomach was pumped out, and as I was taken to the ward, I attacked the doctors and nurses. I have no recollection of that, and other patients later told me that they thought I was drunk.

Continues with Toto's "Rosanna", entry date week ending 16th April.

I realise that some people may come to this page and wonder what the hell has happened and why I'm going through the things that I'm describing. So, I've put all relevant episodes onto one easy to read page here

New Order

Blue Monday

Were it not for this single, New Order may never have advanced beyond cult status. I'd liked their previous three singles, and even bought "Temptation", but there was nothing there to make me want to go out and buy an album by them. But then came this one. It sounded very familiar the first time I heard it, and that can mean one of two things. Either, it's a cover version or contains elements from another song, or, it's an extremely good song that is going to be massive. I've always had a feeling that both are true of this song, the second one certainly was. It just so happens to be one of my favourite ten singles of all time.

It climbed to number 12, then come back six months later and reached number nine. Some doing, considering that it was only available on 12 inch single, but it is the biggest selling 12 inch single in the UK ever. It finally got a seven inch release courtesy of a 1988 remix that reached number three. Yet another re-mix reached number 17 in 1995, but neither of the remixes could compare to the original.

Kenny Everett

Snot Rap

And it was all done "In the best possible taste". Amusing for anyone who regularly watched his BBC show, but possibly confusing for anyone else. Kenny's humour was best described as 'Zany'. Funny if you liked that sort of thing, but nothing more than stupid for anyone else (see 'The Young Ones'). I liked him, but can also see why some would not. It's a similar thing with American sit coms where I sit in the opposite camp (see Tracey Ullman). Kenny reached number nine.

Cliff Richard & The London Philharmonic Orchestra

True Love Ways

Good rendition of the old Buddy Holly 1960 minor hit by Cliff. It quickly soared to number eight before descending.

Big Country

Fields Of Fire

Big Country were having their first hit, it eventually crawled to number ten, and two more hits would follow during 1983. Vocalist Stuart Adamson had previously had five top 40 hits as lead guitarist of the Skids.

Human League

(Keep Feeling) Fascination

A new single from the Human League was always an event in those days, such was the irregularity of the releases. This was something of a grower and it showed in it's chart performance. After entering at 16, it climbed to four, then to three and then to it's number two peak. But in all, it only spent seven weeks on the top forty, a surprisingly short time for a disc that was standing at two in it's fourth week. And i wonder how many people checked that their turntable was operating correctly after putting it on for the first time.

Nick Heyward

Whistle Down The Wind

Still locked in a court battle with his former Haircut 100 bandmates, Nick Heyward had released this first solo single. Had a nice sound to it and came in a nice gatefold sleeve. Wasn't too bad a start for his solo career reaching number 13. It looked promising for him, but he would never hit the top ten solo, despite releasing some great singles. He did manage to hit number seven in 1987 as a member of 'Boogie Box High' with their cover of "Jive Talkin' ". No, I don't know who the other members of that band were, but it probably didn't include George Michael as many people believe.

Twisted Sister

I Am (I'm Me)

I was well aware of this band for almost a year before they debuted on the UK chart. For a start they had made their live UK debut supporting Motorhead at Wrexham FC's "Racecourse Ground" in 1982. Then they had appeared on the Tube in the previous November performing their rendition of the Rolling Stones' "It's Only Rock And Roll". I think that they were supposed to be some kind of heavy metal band, but to me they always came across as a Glam Rock band. Still, they weren't bad whatever they were supposed to be. This spent two weeks at number 18 amongst it's seven week top 40 residency. But the burning question is, does anyone else think that lead singer Dee Snider body doubled for Christine Aguilera in the "Lady Marmalade" video ?

Toto

Rosanna

This was the big winner at that year's Grammies. It had originally been released in April 1982, but had failed to chart here, despite hitting number two in the States. Following the success of "Africa" it was issued here as a Grammy shaped disc and reached number 12. It's subject matter was said to be actress Rosanna Arquette (so were tracks on Peter Gabriel's 1992 album 'Us').

This is one song that I clearly remember hearing in the early hours of the morning while lying in bed at Wrexham's War Memorial hospital. The other that I remember is Clannad's "I See Red", a really atmospheric piece when heard in those circumstances. I also remember listening to some show about the history of Reggae, but can't remember who hosted it.

Once I'd found my bearings after waking up in that bed on Sunday April 10th, I realised that I had a drip connected to me and a machine that made a bleeping sound. Not long after my sister and disgusted mother had left the hospital, the bleep machine was taken away. I had a sore throat, and when I mentioned it to a porter, he said that he wasn't surprised, but on the plus side, I shouldn't get a headache for a while. I felt embarrassed that I recognised the porter as someone from Ruabon who I often used to see in the pub. I think his name was Jimmy.

Through the day I was asked lots of questions about what I'd actually taken besides Paracetemol, why I'd done it, all the usual stuff. The man in the next bed was very elderly, and late in the afternoon his family came to visit and the curtains were drawn around the bed. Not long afterwards, he was covered over and taken away. He had died and I thought that if his family had known why I was there, they would hate me.

Later in the evening, the drip was disconnected. The needle part of it was left in and a stopper put over the part where the drip had been attached. I was the only patient still awake on the ward as I listened to the radio on headphones. That was when I heard "Rosanna" & "I See Red". The bed was getting damp after a while and I looked at the hand. Then I did see red !

There was blood pouring out from one of the holes in the contraption that didn't have a stopper on it. I thought about saying nothing, after all, it didn't hurt, so bleeding to death didn't seem to be bad a option. I put my arm back under the covers and continued to listen to the radio for 20 minutes or so. But then I realised that someone would get into serious trouble if I did bleed to death because of a Nurse's innocent mistake. That wouldn't have been fair becuase all of the nurses were very nice and I've always liked nurses anyway. So I got out of bed and went to the office where the night nurse was sitting reading a book. Blood was dripping from my hand onto the cold floor as I stood in the doorway and said,

"Is blood supposed to be dripping like this ?"

She jumped up with a look of horror on her face and said "God No !"

She rushed to sort me out and changed all of the bed linen. I then got back into bed and she made us both a cup of tea. She sat on the bed and we chatted for over 90 minutes. I told her what had happened, why I'd done what I had, and she was very sympathetic. She told me that she had recently gone through the breakup of a relationship and she had felt pretty much the same as I had for a while. She was a really nice person and considering what had pushed me to do what I had done, I thought it was strange that I fancied her, almost hoping that I had the nerve to ask her if she'd like to go out sometime. After the second cup of tea, she left so that I could get some sleep, but not before telling me that she had a night off the following night, but would have another chat with me on Tuesday evening. I was looking forward to that, but when she gave me a smile and said "See you tomorrow night" just before 8:00am the next morning, that was the last time I saw her.

That morning, I was able to get out of bed and go to the table in the middle of the ward for my meals, so I got talking to the other patients, all quite older than me. They were a friendly bunch and one of them was a smoker and gave me a few cigs in the TV room as I didn't have any until my 'calmed down' Mum arrived. A psychiatrist came to see me that day. She was Egyptian and gorgeous. She asked me the questions that you would expect, "Why did you do it", "How was your childhood", "Have you taken drugs" (yes, I more or less lied about the drug thing, thought I may get in trouble). But I didn't expect her to ask "Do you masturbate ?". Here was this very attractive woman with lovely eyes and great legs asking if I played with myself. I meekly replied "Sometimes" and probably blushed while trying to look anywhere but at her face or legs (fight it, do not get aroused). She asked would I be willing to go and see her at the Maelor Hospital. Of course I said Yes, can you blame me ?

That night, I sat in the TV room and the TV film "The Day After" was on. I chatted to my new but short term friends and one in particular (a man in his mid 50's or possibly older) told me that I should never do what I'd done again. I sometimes wonder whether he is still alive. Strange how people go in and out of your life.

The next morning a doctor came and said that I could go home. I felt like saying "Do I have to ?". I was quite enjoying being in hospital and was so looking forward to my favourite nurse coming back on duty that night. I even wouldn't have minded if I was still there for my 21st birthday on the 18th. But no, I had to go home. I really didn't want to go back to normality.

This story continues with Spandau Ballet's "True" which entered in week ending April 23rd.

I realise that some people may come to this page and wonder what the hell has happened and why I'm going through the things that I'm describing. So, I've put all relevant episodes onto one easy to read page here

Sunfire

Young Free And Single

Nice except for one thing, it gave Radio One DJ Gary Davies a catchphrase that I wouldn't be surprised he still uses (wherever he is). Nice summery sound that made number twenty and I have every intention of digging out and playing sometime over the next few weeks. The thing is, I was "Young Free And Single" and not very happy about it at the time !

Thompson Twins

We Are Detective

It was a bigger hit than "Love On Your Side" (the Thompson Twins single that it replaced at number forty in it's debut week). It climbed two places higher to number seven. But I always thought that it was vastly inferior. Different though, I suppose.

Dexy's Midnight Runners

Celtic Soul Runners

They released this really good single called "Come On Eileen" in the summer of 1982 and it went on to become the best selling single of that year. We ought to be grateful for that, as it did stop "Eye Of The Tiger" taking the honours. But, the single gave me the impression that the album "Too Rye Ay" would be good, so I bought it and was very disappointed. It's another one that I couldn't have listened to more than twice. But it did include this little gem, a sort of prequel to "Come On Eileen" as it was originally issued as a single in March 1982 when it reached number 45. This time around it reached number 20, though it was a re-recording.

Style Council

Speak Like A Child

The Style Council were Paul Weller's new creation after the break up of the Jam, and were having their first hit. Such had been the popularity of the Jam that many expected this to be a number one. But after shooting straight in at number six, it surprisingly only climbed a further two places. The Style Council never did make it to number one with any of their singles.

Kids From Fame

Friday Night (Live)

Never very keen on this one, though I normally had no problem with Kids From Fame singles. This was released at around the same time that the Kids were over here. If I remember correctly, BBC even broadcast one of their concerts. It reached number 13 and was their last hit.

Eurythmics

Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)

The Eurythmics were finally having themselves a hit after two years of trying, and wouldn't look back from here on. This peaked at number two, and it was Annie and Dave's first journey into the top ten since they had peaked at number eight with "So Good To Be Back Home Again" in early 1980 while with 'The Tourists'. Personally, I think that this song is very depressing. But maybe that's down to it reminding me of a particularly bad time in my life.

For anyone who ever went to see the band live, I sincerely hope that they were ten times better than their awful Brits 99 performance.

Bauhaus

She's In Parties

This one was unusually given a TV ad campaign, a very rare thing for a single. I quite liked the gothic sound of this one, but it was maybe a few years ahead of it's time.It only spent four weeks in the top forty, peaking at number 26.

Bonnie Tyler

Total Eclipse Of The Heart

Bonnie had been in the top ten twice before (1976 & 1978), and had last hit the top 40 in the summer of 1979 with "Married Men". But her record company (RCA) had been intent on pushing Bonnie towards Country music, and Bonnie wasn't overjoyed about that, in fact she didn't even like the songs that she'd been recording. She was a fan of JIm Steinman's work with Meat Loaf, and came up with the ridiculous idea of Jim producing an album for her. Jim declined, saying that he was too busy, but eventually gave in. He produced the album, and wrote the two standout tracks himself. What resulted, was one of the best albums of a year that was flooded with great albums. Her decision to decline representing the UK in the Eurovision song contest and to also decline singing the latest James Bond theme had been a good one. This first single from the album sprinted to number one for a two week stay.

Iron Maiden

Flight Of Icarus

Maiden were producing a high standard of rock music at this time and this was no exception to the rule. Not that I bought it of course, but I liked listening to it, and the video was quite entertaining too. Reached number eleven it it's second week, but only spent a total of five weeks in the forty.

Kissing the Pink

Last Film

I know very little about this band. But I do know that this was a song I liked a lot. It also had an original sound to it, probably one of the last ever singles to have that. An educated guess would be that they got their name from Snooker commentary, as snooker was very popular and hardly off the TV in the early 80's (if it had been as popular in the '50s and '60s, then my Grandad would have been very famous because he was brilliant, but I didn't like it much). The single spent it's 5th, 6th & 7th week in the chart at it's number 19 peak. But it's 8th week was spent at number 36 and to prove to be the last they ever spent in the top forty.

Men At Work

Overkill

Best single they ever released in my opinion. It didn't have the novelty appeal of "Down Under", but seemed a very well written song to me. True that Colin Hay acted strangely in the video again, but maybe he WAS strange and that's all there was to it. The fact that it came in a limited edition shrink wrapped double pack with their US number one single "Who Can It Be Now" (mine are still attached to each other), should have guaranteed another top five hit. But it climbed very slowly, reaching a peak of number 21 in it's 6th chart week. It only had one more week in the top 40 after that.

Heaven 17

Temptation

I thought it was criminal that their previous single "Let Me Go" had not been a top forty hit. But here was where Heaven 17 came into their own, with help from Carol Kenyon of course. One of those truly great singles that could be a hit at any time. Indeed, it's 1992 remix reached number four. This first time around, it displaced rivals Human League at number two and spent ten weeks in the top 40.

Orange Juice

Rip It Up

This lot seemed to have a thing about giving their songs the same titles as already very familiar songs. This was just one of those very ordinary songs that no one hated, no one particularly liked enough to go out and buy it, but it still hit the top ten, number eight in fact. Lead singer Edwyn Collins decided to write a song called "A Girl Like You" and have a massive hit in the mid 90s (The Troggs version was better even if it was a different song).

Altered Images

Don't Talk To Me About Love

Altered Images were back with a mature image, and with a song that sounded tailor made for Blondie (not surprising considering the Mike Chapman influence).
They'd decided to take a well deserved break after releasing two albums and six singles in six months. During that time, they's spend the bulk of the day in the recording studio, fly to somewhere like Germany to do a TV show, and then fly back to carry on recording the 'Pinky Blue' album. They couldn't say "No" because they had waited so long for recognition that they didn't want to turn anything down. But the pressure told, half of the band left, and was replaced by one new member Guitarist/Drummer Steven Lironi.

Claire was pleased that the single was actually played on the radio a dozen times in the week BEFORE it was released, imagine that !

It reached number seven, fully deserved too.

Sweet Dreams

I'm Never Giving Up

Not the Sweet Dreams that hit the chart with "Honey Honey" in 1974, but there is a loose connection. The 1974 Sweet Dreams (featuring Polly Brown) were covering a song by that year's Eurovision Song Contest winners 'Abba'. This Sweet Dreams were the UK's representatives in the 1983 contest. It was just an average what you would expect sort of thing really, and if I remember correctly, the two women and a man sat on stools for most of the song before getting up and dancing towards the end of the song. It was never going to win and finished sixth in what was quite a weak contest. The winner was the Luxembourg entry by Corrine Hermes titled "Si la Vie Est Cadeu". It got nowhere in our chart and was selling for 20p a copy in Woolies by the beginning of July. This set a trend for Eurovision winners. For the previous three years, the winner had reached the top of the UK chart. In fact, since 1970, only the 1977 winner "The Bird And The Child" by Marie Myriam had failed to reach the top 40 (it stalled at #42). But for ten contests from 1983 onwards only Johnny Logan's 1987 winning song "Hold Me Now" goit inside the top 40. Even in the contests from 1993 onwards, only one winner has made the UK top ten, and that was only because it was a British winning entry from Katrina And The Waves. Even the British entries went through something of a bad time in the UK charts. This single from Sweet Dreams only reached number 21, and it would not be until 1995 when the next British entry made the UK top ten. SAys a lot about the quality of the songs we were entering doesn't it ?

Leo Sayer

Orchard Road

Leo Sayer had been pretty much a chart regular during the previous nine years, but "Orchard Road" was to prove to be his last hit. It eventually reached number 16. At this time Leo had his own weekly show on BBC TV.

Michael Jackson

Billie Jean

Michael Jackson had his second UK number one single with this. His previous chart topper had been "One Day In Your Life" in 1981 (he had also hit the top in 1977 as one of the Jacksons with "Show You The Way"). It was the second single to be lifted from the 'Thriller' album, which after a slow start was now beginning to sell in vast quantities.

Chill Fac-Torr

Twist (Round And Round)

Interesting take on Hank Ballard's Twist, it was something of a soul version of Chubby Checker's big hit that was big in the clubs. In fact, Chubby himself liked this cover. I always think of it as a single that got into the low end of the top twenty. But no, it spent four weeks in the forty with a peak of number 37.

Mari Wilson

Cry Me A River

Mari Wilson was having her second hit (albeit just a minor one), with her version of the Julie London classic. Julie had sang it in the movie 'The Girl Can't Help It', Mari sang it on Top Of The Pops as she reached number 27.

Galaxy

Dancing Tight

Simple disco song by the Phil Fearon led group that you just couldn't help humming along to. It was never going to change the world, but it was err 'Nice' I suppose.It reached number five and spent nine weeks in the chart.

Bananarama

Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye

Bananarama reached a number five peak, with probably their most annoying song. It's not that I have anything against Bananarama as a rule, but this sounded like a group of schoolgirls singing on the back seat of the bus on their way home from a school trip. The same song had peaked at number nine for 'Steam' in 1970.

Bananarama repeated the back of the bus singing with their cover of "Nathan Jones" in 1988.

In the news this week

Nothing of much interest really.

Other Charts number ones

Album - David Bowie - Let's Dance
Indie singles - New Order - Blue Monday
Indie LPs - Conflict - It's Time To See Who's Who
12" single - New Order - Blue Monday
Cassette - David Bowie - Let's Dance
Nightclub - David Bowie - Let's Dance
Disco - Chill Fac-Torr - Twist (Round 'N' Round)
Boystown Disco - Azul y Negro - The Night
Video - Duran Duran - Duran Duran
US singles - Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen
US LPs - Michael Jackson - Thriller

Some very low down new entries on the singles chart;
78 - The Beat - Can't Get Used To Losing You
83 - Fleetwood Mac - Can't Go Back
95 - Roger Whittaker - Stranger On The Shore
98 - The Alarm - Stand

Big climbers on the Nightclub chart included the following,
10 - Culture Club - Church Of The Poison Mind
18 - Kajagoogoo - Ooh To Be Ah (Construction Mix)
27 - Robert Palmer - You Are In My System

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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