Showing posts with label 80s. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 80s. Show all posts

Saturday, March 02, 2024

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 84 - Depeche Mode - Everything Counts

This is a great song by Depeche Mode, released back in July 1983 from their third studio album "Construction Time Again".  

It entered the UK charts at number 41 before peaking at number 6 just four weeks later.  It's one of my favourite DM tunes after Vince Clarke left the band a few years earlier, with this song being written by Martin Gore.  

Personally, I will always prefer the more upbeat, pop/disco songs from their first album Speak and Spell, but then I'm a sucker for anything written by Vince Clarke and his electronic wizardry with analogue synthesizers.  Still, this song along with a few others (People are People, See You, and Enjoy the Silence) proved that Depeche Mode could still pump out some memorable and catchy tunes without VC.

Enjoy...

Saturday, November 11, 2023

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 82 - Erasure - Oh L' Amour

Considering Erasure are one of my all-time favourite bands, they haven't been featured much in my list of favourite songs so far.

Oh L'Amour was Erasure's third single from their debut album Wonderland, and it was released on the 21st April 1986 to a very luke-warm reception where it only managed to reach 85 in the UK Singles Charts.  Fortunately, time has been kind to the track, and when it was re-released in 2003, it managed to peak at a much more respectable (and well-deserved) 13th position.

I've been meaning to include this one in my list for quite some time but with the song being featured in Renaults' television advertisement for their Clio model car, I thought now would be a good time.

Sit back and enjoy the incredible synths of Vince Clarke, along with the ever-flamboyant Andy Bell and his amazing voice.

Thursday, October 12, 2023

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 81 - Kim Wilde - Kids in America

There are a few songs that instantly take me way back to my very young childhood, and Kim Wilde's Kids in America is one of them.  Specifically, this one reminds me of a local club my parents were members of and frequented often as a family (The Bluehouse Club, in Laindon). I guess they must have played it during one of our visits and that moment has been stuck in my head ever since.

Released way back on the 26th of January 1981, it was the debut single from Kim Wilde, taken from her self-titled first album, and peaked at number 2 in the UK Charts for two weeks

A great track, and another reminder of how great the music was in the 1980s.

Saturday, September 09, 2023

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 79 - Nik Kershaw - I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me

Today's song is a real feel-good track from 1983 by Nik Kershaw.  I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me was released exactly 40 years ago today, on Friday 9th September 1983 and was a single taken from his debut album Human Racing.  Initially, it didn't sell very well and only reached number 47 in the UK Top 100 charts.  However, following the success of Kershaw's next two singles (Wouldn't It Be Good and Dancing Girls), the song was re-released in June 1984 where it peaked at a rather impressive number 2.

As with previous Nik Kershaw tracks, listening to this song always brings back good memories of my childhood as it was quite often heard many times due to my sister being a big fan of his. 

I've got to admit though..,  Saying it's been 40 years since its release really makes me feel old.


Monday, July 10, 2023

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 77 - The Human League - Don't You Want Me

Here's another banger from the 1980s, Don't You Want Me was a chart-topping hit for The Human League back in 1981.  Released on the 27th of November of that year, it entered the charts at number eight before shooting to number one for the following five weeks, thus becoming the Official UK Christmas Number One of 1981.  It also became the biggest-selling hit of the year too, and possibly their best-known track.  Crazy considering lead singer Phil Oakey wasn't particularly pleased with it and had the song as the last track on side two of the album it came from - Dare.

It's a true electronic-synth classic and one of the early 1980s' most defining songs.  It definitely makes it on my list of favourite tracks.

Enjoy!



Sunday, June 25, 2023

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 76 - Fiction Factory - (Feels Like) Heaven

(Feels Like) Heaven was a one-hit-wonder for Scottish new-wave band Fiction Factory back at the tail end of 1983.  It always surprised me that the band didn't go on to better things but their other releases were either flops or just not popular enough to get anywhere in the charts.  Such a shame because they were more than capable of producing good songs, and (Feels Like) Heaven proves it.  

It only managed to reach number 6 in the UK Top 40 on the 14th of January 1984, but I include it here in my list of favourite songs because it really is a great 1980s synth-pop track that deserved much more recognition than it received.


Thursday, April 06, 2023

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 75 - A-ha - The Sun Always Shines on TV

Ranking alongside Take On Me as one of my all-time favourite 80s tracks.  It was A-ha's follow-up single and third from their album "Hunting High and Low".  Despite not being as popular as Take on Me, it still managed to perform really well, achieving number 1 in the UK charts on the 28th of December 1985 where it remained for 2 weeks.

Another defining music track from the 1980s.

Thursday, March 09, 2023

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 74 - Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen

A classic track from 1982 makes it to number 74 on my list of favourite music.  Come on Eileen was released on the 25th of June 1982 and was Dexy's Midnight Runners 2nd UK number one following Geno in 1980.  Released as a single from their second studio album Too-Rye-Ay, it did pretty well in America too, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

Whenever I hear this song, it always takes me back to a childhood memory of visiting some sort of fate with my grandma and I vividly remember a stall that had a game where I had to place a toy car in a slot, and then let it roll down.  Whoever's car reached the bottom first won the game.

Happy memories from a simpler time.  Enjoy.


Wednesday, December 28, 2022

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 71 - A-ha - Take On Me

Probably one of the most memorable music videos from the 1980s, and definitely one of the best songs from that decade, Take On Me actually had a troubled start when the first version of the song failed to chart in the UK in 1984.  It failed to generate much attention for a second time when it was released again in a slightly different form in early 1985.  It wasn't until the third release in September of the same year that the song gained popularity and plenty of air time on the radio which resulted in the song reaching an impressive number 2 on the UK singles charts in October.

This song ranks highly in my list of all time favourite songs and hopefully a whole new generation will get to experience the song thanks for its use in the trailer of the new The Last of Us TV series.  Players of the game TLOU Part 2 will know that Ellie finds a guitar whilst exploring a devastated Seattle and plays (and sings) an acoustic version of Take on Me.

Monday, October 10, 2022

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 68 - Electric Light Orchestra - Calling America

Here's a cracker from 1986 that I had nearly completely forgotten about, but last night I decided to stick on some Electric Light Orchestra, and in between classics like 'Mr Blue Sky' and 'Sweet Talking Woman' this beauty came on, and the memories hit me.

I loved this song when it came out.  Released in the UK as a single from their album 'Balance of Power' on 21st February 1986, it only managed to peak at number 28.

It's a really upbeat, happy and bright song that really lifts your mood (well, it did mine).  Enjoy!



Monday, May 23, 2022

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 57 - New Order (Blue Monday)

Blue Monday is an amazing piece of 80s electronic synth-pop music and has to be included in my list of favourite songs.  Released in 1983, it peaked at number 9 and spent 38 weeks in the top 75.  It fared slightly better when it was re-released in 1988, and reached a much better number 3 in the UK charts.

As soon as this song comes on in the car, the volume goes straight up!

A small bit of personal trivia - Blue Monday was one of the very first songs I attempted to 'track' on my Commodore Amiga in the early 90s due to its simplistic bassline.

Enjoy

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 54 - Tears For Fears (Everybody Wants to Rule the World)

Here's another song from Tears for Fears, and probably one of their most well-known tracks.  I loved this song when growing up in the 80s and it will always remind me of a great 80s comedy flick called "Real Genius" that starred a young Val Kilmer and featured the song playing over the credits at the end (and a house full of popcorn!)

The song was released in March 1985 as a single from their second studio album "Songs from the Big Chair" and peaked at number 2 on the UK charts a month later.

This song is one of the defining new-wave/synth-pop tracks of the 1980s and is one of my all-time favourite songs.

Enjoy.

Friday, April 15, 2022

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 53 - Tears For Fears (Mad World)

Today's song is a favourite of mine from 1982 by Tears For Fears.  Mad World was a single from their debut album "The Hunting", and it reached a pretty good number 3 in the UK charts.

A classic 80's track, and definitely one of my favourites.


Thursday, April 07, 2022

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 52 - El DeBarge (Who's Johnny)

Today's track is from one of my favourite 1980s movies - Short Circuit.  Who's Johnny by El DeBarge was released in 1986 and reached number 3 in the US Billboard Top 100 Charts.  

I remember the song not being as widely available in the UK (I don't think it even charted here), and this was in a time before the internet, so opportunities to listen to it were rare.  As I recall, the song only appeared a few times in the film (incomplete) - in a short scene when Stephanie Speck, played brilliantly by Ally Sheedy, is showing Johnny 5 around her home, and later when Johnny 5 has commandeered a Nova Robotics van.

A great tune, from a great movie.


Thursday, March 31, 2022

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 48 - Erasure (Sometimes)

So here we are with my 48th track, and it's surprising that I've only had one Erasure song on the list so far considering how much of a fan I am of the synth-pop duo.  Well, here we are with track number two!

For me, 'Sometimes' is one of the defining synth songs of the mid to late 1980s.  It's amazing and deservedly sat in the UK charts for an impressive 23 weeks, peaking at Number 2 in December 1986, and only being beaten from the top spot by Europe's "The Final Countdown".

Guaranteed to cheer me up when I feel down (which is a lot these days, but hey ho),  

It does make me think back to a comment my son Kieran made a few weeks ago about how happy songs sounded in the 1980s compared to what is in the popular charts today.

"It's not the way you lead me by the hand into the bedroom
It's not the way you throw your clothes upon the bathroom floor
Been thinking about ya, I just couldn't wait to see
Fling my arms around ya as we fall in ecstasy"

You know the rest :)


Sunday, March 27, 2022

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 45 - The Piranhas (Tom Hark)

While searching for Zambezi by the Piranhas, their cover of Tom Hark popped up and instantly took me back in time to over 40 years ago.  Man, I forgot how much I loved this song when I was little.  It entered the charts in August 1980 (I was three years old), and remained there for twelve weeks, peaking at number six.  It was The Piranha's biggest hit.  Check the video out and enjoy the nostalgia.

"Does anybody know how long to World War III?
I wanna know, I gotta book me holiday
They want me in the Army but I just can't go
I'm far too busy listening to the radio"

What great lyrics!

Sunday, March 13, 2022

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 44 - The Piranhas (Zambezi)

Flipping heck... this is a blast from the past!  I remember loving it when I was a kid

A cover of Zambezi by Lou Busch and his Orchestra, this version was released back in 1982 by The Piranhas (and featuring Boring Bob Grover - The Man With The Golden Trumpet) where it entered into the UK Top 40 in September/October.  I was but a 5 year old lad with obviously no decent taste in music.






"Well if my bank should phone, tell them I ain't at home,
Just say I packed my plastic bag and went away.
As for the landlord's rent, I spent it on a tent,
So if he's asking questions, you'll know what to say.

 You don't get lyrics like that anymore.

Saturday, March 05, 2022

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 42 - Phil Collins (Don't Lose My Number)

Whilst reacquainting myself with Phil Collins's excellent "No Jacket Required" album, Don't Lose My Number has given me a massive flashback feeling.  Gosh, I forgot how much I love this song, and how good an album it is.

As already mentioned, the song comes from his excellent No Jacket Required album, but wasn't actually released as a single in the UK.  It did reach an impressive number 4 in the US, and ranked 64th in the US Top Pop Singles for 1985

Anyway, here's the music video.  Stick with it...  the song begins around the 1 minute and 30 seconds mark.

Wednesday, March 02, 2022

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 41 - Nik Kershaw (Dancing Girls)

As I've probably mentioned before in a previous post, my sister was a massive fan of Nik Kershaw, and quite often when I was a young lad in the mid-80s I would be able to hear his tunes coming through the wall between our two bedrooms.  At the time, I was not a fan but over the years I've grown to really like his music.

Whenever I listen to Dancing Girls, I have a vivid memory of helping my sister write a "Nik Kershaw" lyrics program on our Commodore Plus 4 computer in BASIC, a program I still have stored on one of hundreds of old cassettes to this day, named "Nik 16"


Released 38 years ago, on April 2nd 1984, Dancing Girls was a single from his excellent "Human Racing" album and peaked in the UK charts at No. 13 around the same time as classic favourites of mine such as Queen's "I Want To Break Free", Depeche Mode's "People are People" and Blancemange's "Don't Tell Me"

Enjoy!

Tuesday, March 01, 2022

Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 40 - Johnny Hates Jazz (Shattered Dreams)

There are a large number of songs that constantly remind me of family walks from Leigh-on-Sea to Southend, mostly because we used to stop off at different pubs on the way, and most had the songs of the day playing over the speakers.  This was around the mid to late 1980's where we'd jump on a Class 302 from Laindon, get off at Leigh-on-Sea, and stop for a quick drink at the Peterboat, Ye Olde Smack, and then onwards towards Southend-on-Sea with a quick stop at the Cliffs Pavilion for another bevvy - or in my case, another pint of orange squash!.

Shattered Dreams by Johnny Hates Jazz is one of those songs that was played a lot in those pubs at the time.  It was released in March 1987 and went straight to number 97 in the UK charts.  Only through lots of airtime on the radio did it finally reach a deserving number 5 two months later.

An absolute stonker of an 80s track.  Enjoy.


And as a bonus for those like me who also like some classical/orchestral music, here is the track from the 80s Classical live event in 2019.