11 May 1985 Bono and Adam had been part of Band Aid, but this is the first actual U2 Irish number one single: not the more obvious 'I Will Follow' or 'New Year's Day' or 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' or even 'Pride (In The Name Of Love)', but the second single from the album of the … Continue reading U2 – ‘The Unforgettable Fire’
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USA for Africa – ‘We Are The World’
13 April 1985 Who is the only person who sang on Band Aid's 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' and on USA for Africa's 'We Are The World'? Answer at the end. Band Aid was essentially a snapshot of the '80s UK singles charts: there are no Beatles, Stones, Bowies or other heritage acts there. Its … Continue reading USA for Africa – ‘We Are The World’
The Concerned – ‘Show Some Concern’
30 March 1985 Like the local versions of Bake Off or Strictly that are never as good as the real thing, when Band Aid's 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' became such a huge UK chart hit, other countries had to have their go. Of this global Eurovision of copycat charity singles, we'll come to the … Continue reading The Concerned – ‘Show Some Concern’
Philip Bailey and Phil Collins – ‘Easy Lover’
23 March 1985 Ugh. Not another whiny, passive-aggressive Phil Collins song about some contrived no-good woman making nice guys like him suffer. Even the video, with its behind-the-scenes concept, is another vehicle for Collins' usual cheeky-chappie, down-to-earth-bloke shtick, the cloaking device for his sour misogyny. Bailey, by contrast, is an actual singer from a decent … Continue reading Philip Bailey and Phil Collins – ‘Easy Lover’
Dead or Alive – ‘You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)’
16 March 1985 Hurrah, it's Stock, Aitken and Waterman! Here's the first-ever SAW UK or Ireland number one single, and while they certainly ruled the late-'80s pop scene, culminating in the final chart-topper of the decade, 'You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)' doesn't really foreshadow the nature of that reign. For one thing, it's … Continue reading Dead or Alive – ‘You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)’
Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson – ‘I Know Him So Well’
9 February 1985 Really this is your fault. You, with your fawning adulation for 'The Winner Takes It All' far beyond its merits, turning Bjorn and Benny's heads so that they forgot about making glam-disco-pop masterpieces and instead charged off with Tim Rice down the road of blustery West End musicals. Thanks for that. As … Continue reading Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson – ‘I Know Him So Well’
Foreigner – ‘I Want To Know What Love Is’
26 January 1985 Help me out here. These US soft rock bands of the late '70s and '80s are all short, squat men in blue jeans and leather jackets, throwing rawk shapes and making macho grimaces. Yet their actual sound is bland, simpering romantic balladry with a squealing guitar solo or loud snare for some … Continue reading Foreigner – ‘I Want To Know What Love Is’
Band Aid – ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’
22 December 1984 U2's first appearance at number one in the Irish singles charts: I was going to add a 'surprisingly' there, but every true Irish person is fairly cold towards U2. We do have the deathless gag about the two people on 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' who sing their own name: Sting's "bitter … Continue reading Band Aid – ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’
Jim Diamond – ‘I Should Have Known Better’
1 December 1984 Its title is the same as a line from the chorus of 'Careless Whisper', plus it's also about a man who "fooled around" and got caught out. There's a whiff of 'Against All Odds'-style male midlife-crisis angst from it too. So, you have a good idea of what's being aimed at here … Continue reading Jim Diamond – ‘I Should Have Known Better’
Chaka Khan – ‘I Feel For You’
17 November 1984 Apparently it happened by accident during production. It was probably clear to everyone involved, though, that they had struck gold. And that's how we have one of the great iconic pop moments of the entire '80s: a human record scratch of the singer's name—"Ch-ch-ch-chaka KHAN! Chaka KHAN! Chaka KHAN!" This was a … Continue reading Chaka Khan – ‘I Feel For You’
