1981
Week 52
WEEK ENDING 26TH DECEMBER 1981
TOP 40 SINGLES
0
1981
Week 52
WEEK ENDING 26TH DECEMBER 1981
TOP 40 SINGLES
| TW | ....... | LW | ....... | ....... | ||
| 1 | 1 | Human League | Don't You Want Me | |||
| 2 | 2 | Cliff Richard | Daddy's Home | |||
| 3 | 3 | Abba | One Of Us | |||
| 4 | 4 | Adam And The Ants | Ant Rap | |||
| 5 | 10 | Bucks Fizz | Land Of Make Believe | |||
| 6 | 5 | Madness | It Must Be Love | |||
| 7 | 8 | Godley And Creme | Wedding Bells | |||
| 8 | 12 | Status Quo | Rock 'N' Roll | |||
| 9 | 19 | Dollar | Mirror Mirror | |||
| 10 | 26 | Jon & Vangelis | I'll Find My Way Home | |||
| 11 | 23 | Rod Stewart | Young Turks | |||
| 12 | 13 | Police | Spirits In The Material World | |||
| 13 | 7 | Diana Ross | Why Do Fools Fall In Love | |||
| 14 | 6 | Julio Iglesias | Begin The Beguine | |||
| 15 | 14 | Duran Duran | My Own Way | |||
| 16 | 9 | Soft Cell | Bedsitter | |||
| 17 | 15 | Kim Wilde | Cambodia | |||
| 18 | 40 | Snowmen | Hokey Cokey | |||
| 19 | 30 | Foreigner | Waiting For A Girl Like You | |||
| 20 | 29 | Altered Images | I Could Be Happy | |||
| 21 | 36 | Chas & Dave | Stars Over 45 | |||
| 22 | 28 | Tweets | Birdie Song | |||
| 23 | 18 | Imagination | Flashback | |||
| 24 | 27 | David Bowie | Wild Is The Wind | |||
| 25 | 11 | Earth Wind And Fire | Let's Groove | |||
| 26 | NEW | Kool And The Gang | Get Down On It | |||
| 27 | 20 | Fun Boy Three | The Lunatics (Have Taken Over The Asylum) | |||
| 28 | NEW | John Lennon | Happy Christmas (War Is Over) | |||
| 29 | 22 | Toyah | Four More From Toyah | |||
| 30 | 31 | Meat Loaf | Dead Ringer For Love | |||
| 31 | 38 | Showaddywaddy | Footsteps | |||
| 32 | NEW | Slade | Merry Xmas Everybody | |||
| 33 | NEW | Brown Eyes | I Wanna Be A Winner | |||
| 34 | 17 | Pretenders | I Go To Sleep | |||
| 35 | 16 | Queen & David Bowie | Under Pressure | |||
| 36 | 35 | Olivia Newton John | Physical | |||
| 37 | NEW | Four Tops | Don't Walk Away | |||
| 38 | 21 | Modern Romance | Ay Ay Ay Ay Moosey | |||
| 39 | 34 | Bad Manners | Buona Sera (Don't Be Angry) | |||
| 40 | NEW | Holly And The Ivys | Christmas On 45 |
| 1 | Human League |
Don't You Want Me |
| Funny that the fourth single to be lifted from an album was the most successful, it spent five weeks at number one. Also, I didn't think that this sounded as 'modern' as their previous hits. I'd even go so far as to say that this had a Seventies feel about it. Then again, I've never been convinced that the Eighties happened as far as music is concerned. The Seventies seemed to carry over until around the end of '79, then the Nineties began. You're probably confused, but at least I know what I mean (honest). |
| 2 | Cliff Richard |
Daddy's Home |
| This single had flopped when recorded by 'Jermaine Jackson' in 1973, just as it had when recorded by 'Shep And The Limelites' 12 years before that (though both hit the US top ten). So it hardly had the pedigree to become a hit by Cliff or anyone else. But it was an enormous hit that was only kept from the top by the 'Human League' during it's four week stay at number two. |
| 3 | Abba |
One Of Us |
| As one reviewer commented at the time, it sounds as though Benny & Bjorn have been listening to Two Tone. Good job they made of it though, one of Abba's best songs lyrically. It spent three weeks at number three, and marked the occasion of their very 19th and last top twenty hit (save re-issues). |
| 4 | Adam & The Ants |
Ant Rap |
| Some were disappointed with us, but I liked it. In fact I liked it much more than his recent four week number one "Prince Charming". It came in a strange picture sleeve where bits pulled away like an advent calendar. It also had a highly entertaining video starring Lulu and Mary Stavin. It also ended with the rat tat with a drum that began "Ant Music". After debuting at number nine, it eventually peaked at number three in it's fifth week. It was the last new single by Adam & The Ants. |
| 5 | Bucks Fizz |
Land Of Make Believe |
| Yes it was a low new entry at 35, but I knew that this was going to be big. It was number five over Christmas, and had made it to the top by the middle of January, spending two weeks there. Good single, deserved it's success. |
| 6 | Madness |
It Must Be Love |
| The Ninth successive top ten hit for Madness was a cover version of Labi Siffre's 1971 number 14 hit. They even persuaded Labi to appear in the video. Unfortunately, TOTP refused to play the video on account of it featuring members of the band playing electric guitars in a swimming pool. Apparently, it may have influenced children so much that they may have taken to swimming with a toaster or something. It reached number four this time around, and then number six ten years later. |
| 7 | Godley And Creme | Wedding Bells |
| Kevin Godley and Lol Creme had left '10CC' in 1976 and as well as pursuing a not too successful recording career, had a parallel career as very successful video directors. In September of 1981 they had a shock number three hit with "Under Your Thumb", and it was that much of a shock that they had ironically not produced a video for it. This time around they had a video, and it helped the song to number seven during a nine week chart run. |
| 8 | Status Quo |
Rock 'N' Roll |
| This was a strange state of affairs. Over a year previous, the Quo had released "What You're Proposing" followed by "Lies", both from the "Just Supposin' " album. They had since released another album "Never Too Late" and it's offspring single "Something 'Bout You Baby I Like". But now, they had lifted another single from the one year old album "Just Supposin' ". It was a good choice though, this was the best Status Quo single for some time and peaked at number eight. |
| 9 | Dollar |
Mirror Mirror |
| Good single, but I didn't rate it as highly as "Hand Held In Black And White". In fact I was quite surprised when it peaked at number four in the middle of January. |
| 10 | Jon & Vangelis |
I'll Find My Way Home |
| 'The Friends Of Mr Cairo' was the name of the album, and this was the outstanding track on it (ok, there was another one, but I won't go into that now). The music had a kind of 'nice' quality about it, and the vocals, well, they wouldn't have sounded right had they been by someone with a deep voice. All in all, a perfect single. It gave them a number six hit. |
| 11 | Rod Stewart |
Young Turks |
| Rod certainly was back in form, this made it two great singles entering the chart in eight weeks. I didn't think that it was quite as good as "Tonight I'm Yours", but it was thereabouts. It peaked at number 11 in only it's second week, but it held on to chart status for a total of eight weeks. |
| 12 | Police | Spirits In The Material World |
| Very iffy single by the Police who seemed to be releasing singles very quickly in the last few months of 1981. Their reputation was so high that I expected it to at least creep into the top ten, but it failed to do so. It peaked at number 12 in Christmas week. The prompt releasing of new singles as the previous ones began to falter meant that the Police were in the top 40 continously from September 22nd 1981 until26th January, 18 weeks. |
| 13 | Diana Ross |
Why Do Fools Fall In Love |
| The 1980-82 period was a good one for Diana. The preceding four years had not produced a top twenty single for her, but suddenly she never seemed to be away from the chart. This was her first single on 'Capitol Records' having just left 'Motown', and in reaching number four became the third highest charting single of her solo career. It was of course a cover of the 'Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers' number one from 1956 that had also been a hit for Alma Cogan. In the US chart it peaked at number seven. |
| 14 | Julio Iglesias |
Begin The Beguine |
| At
the time this entered the chart I was shocked to hear
that Julio was CBS-Columbia Records' biggest selling
artist in the World at that time (I'd never heard of the
bloke !). After hearing it a few times, this single grew
on me and I think it was yet another fully deserved
number one single (whatever it all meant). Julio's
success in the singles chart then tapered off with just
the odd hit here and there, but I believe he still sells
a colossal amount of albums now. I don't like his son's music much though. |
| 15 | Duran Duran |
My Own Way |
| The Fourth hit of the year for Duran Duran wasn't as instantly appealing as the previous three, and could only climb as high as number 14. They needn't have worried though, as they were about to have ten consecutive top ten hits and become one of the top bands of the decade. A different version of this track appeared on their album 'Rio', but it was inferior to the single version. |
| 16 | Soft Cell |
Bedsitter |
| The follow up to the best selling single of the year and a worthy successor it was (better in my opinion). It only attained a week at number four, but managed an eleven week run in the top 40. |
| 17 | Kim Wilde |
Cambodia |
| Kim's fourth hit of the year and, for me at least, her best so far. It boasted a promo where Kim had snakes crawling over her in a jungle and reached number 12. |
| 18 | Snowmen |
Hokey Cokey |
| I
don't think that this lot ever came out and revealed who
they really were. The popular theory at the time was that
it was Ian Dury handling the vocals. I still think that's
a good bet (or maybe Jona Lewie). Not a brilliant single,
but neither was it as irritating as it should have been. On New Years Eve, I let a friend stay at our place with his girlfriend and use my Dad's bed. I also let a few other friends stay and we all watched my 'Music Videos' and listened to the radio until the last of us fell asleep in the living room. Sometime during the night (3am or something), "Hokey Cokey" came on the radio. So I picked up my portable radio, tuned it in to the station playing the song, we all crept up to the bedroom door, and turned up the volume at the same time as throwing the door open. Two people were not amused :-) |
| 19 | Foreigner |
Waiting For A Girl Like You |
| Another late in the year release that seemed to be around forever in the early months of 1982. They'd been having minor hits for over three years, never rising above number 24. That number 24 peak was achieved by their first classic "Cold As Ice". Here was their second. In the States, this spent ten weeks at number two. It didn't do quite as well over here, peaking at number eight, but it's parent album 'Foreigner 4' sold by the bucketload. |
| 20 | Altered Images | I Could Be Happy |
| Well I was when I listened to this. Not quite as good as "Happy Birthday", but damn good anyway. Full of nonsensical lyrics about being in a tree and going on holiday, but that's why it still sounds good today. A reminder that music doesn't have to be serious, political or suicide invoking, it can also be full of fun. It should have shot straight to number one for Christmas. Instead, it reached number seven in January. |
| 21 | Chas And Dave |
Stars Over 45 |
| I'm glad that I'm not a real record reviewer. If I was, then I would have to listen to this again. It was a medley of songs from the 40s and beyond and peaked at number 21. It ended with quite a long segment that went "Oh What A Rotten Song" over and over again. I don't really need to add further comments. |
| 22 | 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. |
| 23 | Imagination |
Flashback |
| Many bands release uptempo tracks as their first two singles followed by a slow smoochy song for the third. Imagination did things the opposite way around. After having hits with "Body Talk" and "In And Out Of Love", they ventured into disco territory for their third hit. It reached number 16 and spent 10 weeks inside the 40. |
| 24 | David Bowie |
Wild Is The Wind |
Not a very good single. It was originally on David's mediocre 1976 album "Station To Station", and was now also on his 'Changestwobowie' compilation. It struggled to number 24. |
| 25 | Earth Wind And Fire |
Let's Groove |
| Ironic that the biggest hit in the career of Earth Wind And Fire should also be their last major hit. It even looked as though it was going to make number one at one point. But Julio and Queen/Bowie kept it at bay the following week and it then started it's chart decline. It peaked at number three on both sides of the Atlantic. |
| 26 | Kool And The Gang | Get Down On It |
| Another Kool And The Gang single that hardly impressed me. The vocals were good (as usual), but the song didn't do it for me. It became their biggest hit to date by reaching number three. |
| 27 | Fun Boy Three |
The Lunatics (Have Taken Over The Asylum) |
| This first hit for the former members of the 'Specials' peaked at number twenty. The title of course referred to the ruling Conservative Part. If they were to have reformed and re-recorded this song in the late '90s, they could call it "A Slightly Different Set Of Lunatics Have Now Kicked The Other Lunatics Into Touch". |
| 28 | John Lennon |
Happy Christmas |
| This
1972 number four peaking single had stopped eight places
short of the top 40 when re-issued in 1975, and then
following the death of John Lennon, re-entered the chart
in style by leaping from just outside the top 40 to match
that number four peak at the end of 1980 before climbing
to number two in the first new chart of 1981. Then, in
the very last chart of 1981, it re-entered at number 28.
This time it didn't climb any higher and dropped to
number 36 before disappearing. It had another attempt at charting the following Christmas when it reached number 56, and was one of the tracks on a triple A Side that reached number 45 in 1988. But as it's now two decades since this Christmas classic did last hit the forty, surely it's due for another re-issue next Christmas. |
| 29 | Toyah |
Four More From Toyah |
| After three good top ten hits Toyah came up with this single, with the featured track being the poor "Good Morning Universe". It rose to number 14 the week after entering at 23, but climbed no higher. As it transpired it was also Toyah's last top twenty hit, and she is now a presenter on 'VH1' as well as being a regular guest on Quiz shows. She also presents a sex guide show. |
| 30 | Meat Loaf |
Dead Ringer For Love |
| Meat
Loaf had little success in the singles chart before this
was released. We all know about the huge success of the
'Bat Out Of Hell' album. His follow up was supposed to be
'Bad For Good', but he lost his voice and Jim Steinman
recorded that instead. Then Jim came up with a new (not
quite as good) set of songs and Meat recorded the 'Dead
Ringer' album. A few weeks after the album release, the
first track to be lifted as a single was "I'm Gonna
Love Her For Both Of Us". I wasn't convinced of it's
pedigree, neither were the public, it only reached number
62. Then, come November, Tiswas showed a short clip of
Meat Loaf and Cher performing this one. I was surprised
because I'd not previously read anywhere that it was to
be released. So, it entered the chart in the first week of December at 36, but didn't move the following week. Two weeks after that, it had only got as far as number 30 for Christmas, and after seven weeks in the forty, it stood at number 26. Then came the the big climb to number seven, followed by a drop to nine and another climb to five in it's tenth week on the chart. It eventually dropped out in the middle of March after 14 weeks in the forty. Incidentally, the drop from 7-9 followed by the climb to 5 can be attributed to a change in the sample period used by BMRB in compiling the chart. They began using the period Saturday-Friday, instead of Monday-Saturday. This meant that most of the sales generated by TOTP appearances did not figure until the chart two weeks later. Many singles had strange chart movements in early 1982 because of this. BMRB soon reverted back to the old way of doing things, but lost the chart contract to Gallup at the end of the year after 14 years of compiling it. |
| 31 | Showaddywaddy |
Footsteps |
| Horrible. Reached number 31. |
| 32 | Slade |
Merry Xmas Everybody |
| You
need to look at my December 1973 for the
story on this one. There are a handful of singles that
are in the running when it comes to the best Christmas
single of all time. There's the afore mentioned John
Lennon track, Bing Crosby's "White Christmas",
Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas",
Wham's "Last Christmas", Wizzard's "I Wish
It Could Be Christmas Everyday" and this one from
Slade. Yes, we can all name another six (mine are
Squeeze's "Christmas Day", Eagles' "Please
Come Home For Christmas", Greg Lake's "I
Believe In Father Christmas", Run DMC's
"Christmas In Hollis", Waitresses'
"Christmas Wrapping", and Pogues with Kirsty's
"Fairytale Of New York"), but they dion't
really come close to the others. For me, it's the Slade
one that does it, it captures the essence of Christmas
more than any of the others, and until it starts booming
across the airwaves, Christmas is still a long way off. Although a live re-recording of the song had reached number 70 in 1980, this was the first time that the original recording had charted since it's original release in 1973 (despite claims by many that it used to chart every year). It only reached number 32 this time, and I'm not 100% certain on this, but I think this is when it finally passed a million sales in the UK. It charted at number 67 the following year, and then in 1983 it had it's most successful re-issue when it hit number 20 while the band were narrowly missing out on the Christmas number one with "My Oh My". It continued to make the top 75 in each of the following three years, and then returned to the top 40 via a remix in 1998 when the act was billed as 'Slade Vs Flush', but it's best we forget about that one. |
| 33 | Brown Sauce |
I Wanna Be A Winner |
| This was Noel Edmonds, Maggie Philbin and Keith Chegwin from Multi Coloured Swapshop. A fun single about winning awards that couldn't really fail to become a hit. The video was quite amusing in places, particularly the part where Noel did his take on pretentious synth wizards. It peaked at number 15 at the end of January. |
| 34 | Pretenders |
I Go To Sleep |
| After the failure of "Day After Day" to make the top 40, the Pretenders released this great ballad that eventually peaked at number seven. This was the last Pretenders single to feature James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon who both died from heroin overdoses shortly afterwards. |
| 35 | Queen & David Bowie |
Under Pressure |
| I think I
expected something better from a collaboration by two of
my favourite acts. After all these two acts had been
responsible for "Bohemian Rhapsody" and
"Ashes To Ashes", so naturally I expected the
best song ever recorded to hit the top of the chart and
stay there until the following Easter at the very least.
The problem is all mine for having impossible
expectations, as this was in fact a very good single that
fully deserved it's two week stay at number one. This song was the victim of one of the worst crimes in the history of music, when in 1990 Vanilla Ice not only copied/sampled it, but also had the audacity to spend four weeks at number one with a shower of sh*te entitled "Ice Ice Baby". Not only that, he denied that it sounds anything like "Under Pressure", something to do with a "ding" being in a different place. |
| 36 | Olivia Newton John |
Physical |
| This spent Ten weeks at number one in the States, but had to settle for number seven over here. On this track and particularly the video, Olivia seemed to be trying to portray some kind of sexy image. Instead she came across as being about as exciting as February. The song itself was one that drilled into the mind, wouldn't go away and made you feel like cutting your ears off to avoid hearing it again. I can't begin to imagine how much our American friends suffered. The rest of the album was quite good though (my sister bought it). |
| 37 | Four Tops | Don't Walk Away |
| The best single that the Four Tops had released since the classic "Reach Out I'll Be There" back in 1966. This slowly climbed until peaking at number 16 in it's sixth week. |
| 38 | Modern Romance |
Ay Ay Ay Ay Moosey |
| The
second hit in quick succession for Modern Romance became
their first top ten hit when it reached number ten. Their
music wasn't to everyone's taste, but what they did, they
did well. |
| 39 | Bad Manners |
Buona Sera (Don't Be Angry) |
| This was Bad Manners' eighth consecutive top 40 hit, and they had all come since March 1980. The run was about to end though, as this very weak single could only climb to number 34, and then the follow up didn't chart at all. There was one further hit in the Summer of '82, but that was with a song that appealed to children more than die-hard fans (did Bad Manners have die hard fans ?). |
| 40 | Holly And The Ivys |
Christmas on 45 |
| A medley of Christmas carols. Spent three weeks at number forty. |
In the top 50 this
week, but failing to reach the top 40.
| Placido Domingo & John Denver | Perhaps Love |
| I don't remember hearing this, but I did know of it's existence. I remember one of the wardens in the Moss Valley (my work location at that time) talking about it. It reached number 46. |
A special case
of one that didn't even make the top 75.
| Lindisfarne | I Must Stop Going To Parties |
| The
only reason for my even knowing of this tracks' existence
is that the video was aired on Tiswas and I recorded it. It's an upbeat song about someone going to too many parties and needing some sleep, "I must stop going to parties of that there is no doubt next time to see me there will you kindly throw me out" By the time the Christmas and New Year period was over, that's exactly how I felt, even though I didn't actually go to any parties as such. For the second year running, I was on my own over Christmas due to my Dad going to stay with my Mum, brother and sister in Mansfield (NO, of course I didn't want to go). So, I spent every afternoon and evening in the pub, and then invited people back to my place. So, most nights I was up until past 4am, and then back in the pub by 11am for another session. It was like one long party (I no doubt saw it as a perfect Christmas at the time), but I was worn out by the time January 2nd arrived. I now frown on the excessive use of alcohol, but back in those days of youthful ignorance, we were brainwashed into believing that's what you had to do to have a good time. So we did have a good time, there's no denying it. And this song will always be special to me, as it reminds me of those good times. |
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.
THIS
WEEK IN 1973
THIS
WEEK IN 1975
THIS
WEEK IN 1976
THIS
WEEK IN 1977
THIS
WEEK IN 1978
THIS
WEEK IN 1979
THIS
WEEK IN 1980
THIS
WEEK IN 1982
THE
REMEMBER WHEN ARCHIVES
GOLDEN
DAYS INDEX
Email: nige@innotts.co.uk
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