borneoman
Member
love is tough, when enough is not enough
Posts: 34,344
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Post by borneoman on Sept 18, 2013 7:44:11 GMT 1
some of my favourites from the last pages... I really liked Darling Buds, well, I really liked all those girl-fronted indie guitar bands from the late 80s like Transvision Vamp, Primitives, etc... Darling Buds were good, but I actually cannot remember any other song from them besides Hit The Ground Pixies' Here Comes Your Man is an absolute classic, I still remember buying Doolitle when I was a kid, like 14 or something, and all my friends were into Madonna and I was buying the Pixies Really like what Cohen said about Buckley or kdLang being able to interpret "the song's lyrics", that's exactly what those XF people aren't doing!!
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Post by Shireblogger on Sept 18, 2013 10:14:43 GMT 1
Chas & Dave. I've yet to meet a true connoisseur of quality music who doesn't admire Chas & Dave. Great musicianship, on-the-money lyrics, and proper integrity. Class.
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vastar iner
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I am the poster on your wall
Posts: 17,467
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Post by vastar iner on Sept 18, 2013 14:34:49 GMT 1
OK, it's now 2.34pm and time for me to throw out a random, near-forgotten single that I think will make the list:
Furniture - Brilliant Mind
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 18, 2013 14:46:30 GMT 1
930 Mel And Kim - Showing Out (Get Fresh At The Weekend) (1986)
This debut Italo House single produced by Stock Aitken & Waterman by sister duo Mel and Kim Appleby is an instant no nonsense party anthem about going out after the working week and having a good time. It made UK #3 and USA #78, and topped the national charts of Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. I personally much prefer it to their more successful follow up Respectable.
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 18, 2013 14:55:19 GMT 1
929 Bryan Ferry - Kiss And Tell (1988)
The Roxy Music frontman released this Patrick Leonard co-produced track as the 2nd single from his 7th album Bête Noire. The song only made 41 on the UK Singles Chart but faired better to reach 31 on the US Billboard 100. The video features Mandy Smith & Christine Keeler, and as you might guess the lyrics are about Fleet Street's pre-occupation of females who have stories to sell.
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 18, 2013 15:11:35 GMT 1
928 Madonna - Dear Jessie (1989)
The second track co-written by producer Patrick Leonard in a row, this children's lullaby was inspired by Leonard's daughter Jessie. Taking this neo-baroque tune which Leonard had written Madonna came back with a set of lyrics inspired by The Beatles psychedelic era. Taken from her Like A Prayer album this track shows a very different side to Madonna's persona and creativity that seems to have completely evaporated with her last two rank studio albums. Never released in the Americas, this track peaked at UK #5 as well as Ire #3 and was a Top 30 hit throughout Europe.
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 18, 2013 15:20:39 GMT 1
927 Pete Townshend - Let My Love Open The Door (1980)
Taken from his Empty Glass album, the second solo single by The Who's main songwriter/guitarist peaked at UK #46 and USA #9. Since then it has become a staple in US movie soundtracks such as Look Who's Talking, Jerry Maguire, Mr. Deeds, Jersey Girl and Along Came Polly due to the devotional love song eureka moment nature of the lyrics.
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 18, 2013 15:40:47 GMT 1
926 Hunters and Collectors - Throw Your Arms Around Me (1984)
The Melbourne based melodic rock act has been a hit in Australia three times (1984. 1986 & 1990) and in many ways has become the Australian equivalent of Joy Division's Love Will Tear Us Apart due to its lyrical nature relatable to many Australian generation X-ers, and is often performed or played at the end of concerts and parties alike Down Under by pub bands/performers as well as being a bit of a karaoke standard. It remained one of the most popular songs in Australia for years, being voted number 2 Triple J (Australian radio station most similar to Radio 6 Music) Hottest 100 of the 1980s (behind a song much higher up in my countdown) at the end of 1989. The band are fronted by singer-songwriter and guitarist Mark Seymour (brother of Crowded House's bass player Nick).
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 18, 2013 15:47:15 GMT 1
925 Genesis - Misunderstanding (1980)
This song by the British (former) progressive rockers was released on their 1980 album Duke. It reached #14 in the US and #42 in the UK, and topped the Canadian charts. Originally written by Phil Collins during the production of his debut solo album Face Value, the song ended up being donated (along with "Please Don't Ask") for their first UK chart topping album.
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 18, 2013 15:53:45 GMT 1
924 XTC - Sgt Rock (Is Going To Help Me) (1981)
Taken from Swindon's finest 4th album Black Sea produced by Steve Lillywhite, this Andy Partridge penned track reached UK #16 and Ire #20 early in 1981. The self explanatary lyrics are about how being in a band makes you more attractive to the opposite sex.
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 18, 2013 16:06:50 GMT 1
923 Bolland & Bolland - You're In The Army Now (1981)
Brothers Rob and Ferdi Bolland scored a Dutch, Norwegian & South African #1 hit which went top 10 all over Europe with this clear anti-war song message was of course re-recorded in 1986 by British rockers Status Quo whom in their best Jim Davidson inspired patriotism made subtle changes to the lyrics to completely change its message:
From: A vacation in a foreign land / Uncle Sam does the best he can To: You're on your way to a foreign land / Now's the time to do what you can
From: Smiling faces on your way to 'Nam" (as in Vietnam) To: Smiling faces on your way to land
From: Your finger's on the trigger but it don't seem right To: Your finger's on the trigger, now it's time to fight
Still Bolland & Bolland co-wrote and produced another track in my countdown.
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 18, 2013 16:14:40 GMT 1
922 Devo - Whip It (1980)
The American new wave band scored the biggest hit of their career with this self motivating lyric encouraging a working class desire to pull oneself up and to overcome adversity whilst being some what a paean to masturbation. Of course the memorable video had a more literal S&M theme to it. The song peaked at USA #14 & UK #51.
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 18, 2013 16:25:28 GMT 1
921 Tracey Ullman - Breakaway (1983)
This song was written by Jackie DeShannon and Sharon Sheeley about the protagonist's inability to find the strength to leave an abusive relationship and was first recorded by Irma Thomas in 1964. This Stiff records recording went to UK #4 for the former Three Of A Kind comedy actress with her debut effort. In North America,this was actually Ullman's second single, being released after her hit "They Don't Know". It charted at a modest #70 in the USA in 1984.
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vastar iner
Member
I am the poster on your wall
Posts: 17,467
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Post by vastar iner on Sept 18, 2013 16:43:27 GMT 1
The video for "Breakaway" was partly shot in Jake Riviera's house. Remember Tracey and her mates on TOTP miming into hairbrushes. A great single both in the original and cover; and TU's cover of Kirsty MacColl's "They Don't Know" a bona fide classic.
I didn't think Quo's changes to Army changed the meaning overall, they came across as sarcastic.
Don't remember the Aussies at all. I do one of Madonna's three singles that were any good.
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Post by Shireblogger on Sept 18, 2013 17:32:47 GMT 1
When Bolland & Bolland wrote "In The Army Now", were they aware that the Vietnam War had finished 6 years earlier ?
I'm pretty sure I know what their other track is. In some people's book it will fall into the "so bad it's good" category. Not for me.
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Post by greendemon on Sept 18, 2013 17:53:59 GMT 1
a really interesting thread so far. i'm only familiar with a handful of the entries so i have a lot of music to discover... incidentally the lisa stansfield song is one i remember from my very early childhood - i was about 3 when it came out and i remember my parents had it on tape. needless to say i totally missed the stalkerishness of the lyrics for years and thought that the nice lady in the song was singing about someone having kidnapped her child
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Post by greendemon on Sept 18, 2013 17:59:18 GMT 1
oh and top marks for including 'hallelujah' which i still prefer in the original version, but so low!
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borneoman
Member
love is tough, when enough is not enough
Posts: 34,344
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Post by borneoman on Sept 18, 2013 19:39:37 GMT 1
surprised you got Dear Jessie in there... not really a favourite, I can easily think of 10 better Madonna 80s singles
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Post by thehitparade on Sept 18, 2013 19:47:43 GMT 1
923 Bolland & Bolland - You're In The Army Now (1981) Brothers Rob and Ferdi Bolland scored a Dutch, Norwegian & South African #1 hit which went top 10 all over Europe with this clear anti-war song message was of course re-recorded in 1986 by British rockers Status Quo whom in their best Jim Davidson inspired patriotism made subtle changes to the lyrics to completely change its message: From: A vacation in a foreign land / Uncle Sam does the best he can To: You're on your way to a foreign land / Now's the time to do what you can From: Smiling faces on your way to 'Nam" (as in Vietnam) To: Smiling faces on your way to land From: Your finger's on the trigger but it don't seem right To: Your finger's on the trigger, now it's time to fight Still Bolland & Bolland co-wrote and produced another track in my countdown. I've actually made the sacrifice of listening to the 1986 Quo version, and they didn't change the lyrics except for the 'Nam but, which I assume was because it was a dated reference; they still rhyme it with "no-one gives a damn". It's still awful, obviously, but the sentiment is the same as the original. This version from 2010, however, does feature the reworked lyrics (and more). I presume the Bollands gave clearance because it was for charidee:
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Post by raliverpool on Sept 18, 2013 20:10:42 GMT 1
surprised you got Dear Jessie in there... not really a favourite, I can easily think of 10 better Madonna 80s singles Because I'm slightly anorak about these things there are 9 more Madonna songs to come but the ones bubbling under are in order: 10 Dear Jessie ---------------- 11 Holiday 12 Burning Up 13 Dress You Up 14 Who's That Girl 15 Open Your Heart 16 Crazy For You 17 Like A Virgin 18 Express Yourself 19 Causing A Commotion 20 Lucky Star 21 Everybody 22 Angel 23 True Blue 24 The Look Of Love So yes I have Gambler in my Top 10!!!!!
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