26 February 1983 How you feel about 'Too Shy' is a good indication of how you feel about '80s chart music in general. Fab pop? Meaningless fluff? In a way, it's both. As a song, 'Too Shy' wouldn't stand up in a light breeze, but as a record it sounds great, carefully recreating the sophisticated … Continue reading Kajagoogoo – ‘Too Shy’
Men At Work – ‘Down Under’
29 January 1983 I remember seeing the video for 'Down Under' when I was small and thinking that the bit where the guy drinks out of a flower vase while his mates chug beer was the most hilarious thing ever. The song's chirpy flute and bouncy reggae beat probably reinforced my childhood belief that Men … Continue reading Men At Work – ‘Down Under’
Phil Collins – ‘You Can’t Hurry Love’
22 January 1983 Two of the negatives of an '80s pop childhood in one track: Phil Collins, and encountering a song as an inferior cover version without knowing the original. Phil Collins' modus operandi was to use his cheeky-chappie persona to gain media attention for himself and his bland, middle-aged passive aggressive tracks. Here, he … Continue reading Phil Collins – ‘You Can’t Hurry Love’
Renée and Renato – ‘Save Your Love’
11 December 1982 Just when the Italian community were probably thinking the radiation cloud of 'Shaddap You Face' was finally dissipating, 1982 brought the Cornetto ice cream ad in which an operatic gondolier sings "Just one Cornetto / Give it to me" to the tune of 'O Sole Mio'. This became cultural shorthand for Italy … Continue reading Renée and Renato – ‘Save Your Love’
The Human League – ‘Mirror Man’
4 December 1982 'Mirror Man' made it to number one for a week in Ireland but was kept off the UK top spot by 'Beat Surrender', The Jam's farewell single. Neither track shows these bands at their best. This was The Human League's first new music since 'Don't You Want Me' a year earlier; few … Continue reading The Human League – ‘Mirror Man’
Eddy Grant – ‘I Don’t Wanna Dance’
20 November 1982 This was my first experience of the classic Top of the Pops water cooler moment; 'I Don't Wanna Dance' was shown and then the next day everyone in my class seemed to be singing it. You can see how a stompy, grumpy-sounding song about not wanting to do something would appeal to … Continue reading Eddy Grant – ‘I Don’t Wanna Dance’
Culture Club – ‘Do You Really Want To Hurt Me’
6 November 1982 An '80s icon arrives. I was far too young at the time to be aware of any controversy, prurience or debate: for me, Boy George was Boy George, as fundamental a part of the '80s pop ecosystem as Top of the Pops. About his band, I had no strong views either; there … Continue reading Culture Club – ‘Do You Really Want To Hurt Me’
The Kids from Fame – ‘Starmaker’
30 October 1982 Aside from 'Fame' the theme song, I also remember a Fame single called 'High Fidelity' but I don't know this 'Starmaker'. So, as I did with 'Stars On 45', I will listen to this LIVE for the first time as I write this. What am I expecting? Well, even though the title … Continue reading The Kids from Fame – ‘Starmaker’
Musical Youth – ‘Pass The Dutchie’
16 October 1982 It wasn't the case in my family, as our parents didn't listen to pop music radio, but one friend of mine and her siblings spent many '80s mealtimes handing each other condiments to the air of "pass the ketchup on the left hand side" with no notion of what a 'dutchie' was. … Continue reading Musical Youth – ‘Pass The Dutchie’
Chicago – ‘Hard To Say I’m Sorry’
2 October 1982 The most popular type of music in the world is soft rock. We can see that today with the stadium-filling success of Coldplay, Ed Sheeran and The Script, acts who draw heavy influence from U2. The word 'bland' immediately comes to mind, if only because they seem to try to appeal to … Continue reading Chicago – ‘Hard To Say I’m Sorry’
