I’ve decided to include all the Yazz records (with the exception of “Doctorin The House” where she is only featured) as the Plastic Population were in reality made up. 1989’s “Fine Time” was officially a sole credit anyway, and was in my opinion her finest moment. Far more down tempo than previous hits this was her final top 10 hit of her brief career, still for the ex model who was once George Michael’s hairdresser she didn’t do badly all told.
169. BETTE DAVIS EYES- Kim Carnes (142,000)
RELEASED: 1981
PEAK POSITION: 10
WKS ON CHART: 9
Originally a jazz-esque single by Jackie DeShannon in 1974, this did nothing much at all until covered in 1981 by Kim Carnes who turned into an electro ballad (that might be a new genre I made up). It was Carnes who spent 9 weeks at No 1 stateside with this, but it barely scrapped the top 10 here, and once again it proved fruitful for the samplers, this time appearing on Mylo’s top 20 hit “In My Arms” back in 2005. As for Carnes she never again made the top 40 here.
Despite peaking at No 65 in 1985 this song was given another chance the following year with more success, just missing the top 10. She reverses the general trend of the female singers in this thread, her productions with S/A/W were lesser hits in 1985 and she found the top of the pop's studio only with the track that they didn’t produce, one of their productions “Getting Closer” ended up as a Kylie B-Side.
167. I NEED YOUR LOVIN- Alyson Williams (144,000)
RELEASED: 1989
PEAK POSITION: 8
WKS ON CHART: 11
US R N B singer Williams is up next. She was only really a hit maker within the confines of 1989 when this was her biggest hit making No 8 that summer. Her style of music perfectly suited the “Soul II Soul” vibe of that summer though now of course I think most people would struggle to recall this one off the top of their head.
174. LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD- Pat Benitar
177. NOTHING'S GONNA STOP ME NOW- Sam Fox ( not apsolute sure!!!)
178. CIRCLE IN THE SAND- Belinda Carlise
182. I'M COMING OUT- Diana Ross (
185. I'M EVERY WOMAN (REMIX)- Chaka Khan
186. TRUE COLOURS- Cyndi Lauper
197. DOWNTOWN 88- Petula Clark ( without 88)
I only discovered the song 5 years ago and it's really sub-par. Can't believe it was such a big hit in the States--glad the UK didn't give in to the hype.
I only discovered the song 5 years ago and it's really sub-par. Can't believe it was such a big hit in the States--glad the UK didn't give in to the hype.
Radio stations in my country still played this song
The inspired choice to get Lulu to cover this 1959 Isley Brothers Song provided her with her first ever hit in 1964! Come 1986 and Lulu re-recorded the song for her new label Jive and released it, old record company Decca however were keen to get in on the new found popularity for the track and re-issued the original 60s version. For once Gallup did the sensible thing and combined the sales of both versions and saw the single back in the top 10 after a 22 year absence. It was the singer’s sole top 10 appearance between 1974 and 1993! Though honourable mention goes to her cameo in the video to Adam & The Ants “Ant Rap”.
165. ON THE INSIDE (THEME FROM “PRISONER: CELL BLOCK H)- Lynne Hamilton (144,000)
RELEASED: 1989
PEAK POSITION: 3
WKS ON CHART: 11
With production values that could make you laugh the Aussie soaps was clutched to our hearts in the 80s, beside the obvious ones “Sons & Daughters”, “Young Doctors” and “Prisoner: Cell Block H” all achieved cult status over here, and taking the theme for the latter soap and scribing words was enough to give Hamilton a top 3 hit in the summer of 1989. Mind you it took its time, the song had been a hit in Australia in 1979 when the programme was launched but the decision to show the series in the UK was taken only after “Neighbours” had been a hit and the appetite for Aussie soaps seemed insatiable. Its late night slot on ITV generated large numbers (for its time slot) and so the decision to make the single available was taken, Hamilton had to be tracked down and convinced to fly to the UK for promo but it was worth it in the end.
Back in 1989 Cherry was hip (hey it’s an 80s thread I’m allowed to use 80s phrases) VERY hip indeed. After the success of “Buffalo Stance” Cherry gave birth to her first child and that’s more or less the subject of “Manchild”. It followed its predecessor into the top 5 in mid 1989 whilst parent album “Raw Like Sushi” racked up sales of over 400k during the year. She never regained the momentum captured by her debut album sadly.
163. ALL THE LOVE IN THE WORLD- Dionne Warwick (146,000)
RELEASED: 1982
PEAK POSITION: 10
WKS IN CHART: 10
Those Bee Gees are back, in the process helping Warwick to resurrect a career which had ground to a halt in the UK at any rate. Before helming her “Heartbreaker” album the singer hadn’t been in the top 10 for some 14 years but they assisted in this about face for the 60s star.
After a chance meeting with Willy Russell, Dickson’s career really took off in the 70s starring in several musicals making her a household name by the decade end. In 1980 “January February” marked her move into a more mainstream pop market aided by the fair hand of Alan Tarmey who had only recently steered Cliff Richard back to the top with “We Don’t Talk Anymore”. She spent the majority of the 80s and 90s back in the theatre and of course made No 1 in 1985 with Elaine Paige.
161. D-DAYS- Hazel O’Connor (148,000)
RELEASED: 1981
PEAK POSITION: 10
WKS ON CHART: 9
Gaining mainstream recognition after her starring role in the film “Breaking Glass” (Imagine a kind of “Bodyguard” for 1980 but much better) O’Connor got BAFTA nominations for her leading role and wrote the songs for the movie. It was an all too short chart career for the Coventry born singer comprising just 3 top 40 singles all of which made the top 10, but it was all over in under 2 years.
Her first solo hit after that David Grant hit proved to be a big hit for the Birmingham born lass. Her main claim to fame in the US is getting to the top of the Billboard Hot club play chart in 1994 with her version of “Ain’t Nobody” a song which made only No 44 here, her 80s output being entirely overlooked.
159. FAST CAR- Tracy Chapman (150,000)
RELEASED: 1988
PEAK POSITION: 5
WKS ON CHART: 12
Famously launching her career after an appearance at the 70th birthday bash for Nelson Mandela in 1988 “Fast Car” rocketed up the charts to make No 5. A tale of poverty and entrapment it helped Chapman to fantastic sales of her debut album which easily exceeded the 2 million mark in the UK, it re-entered the charts last year on the back of “Britain’s got talent” and re-peaked at No 4.
This was something of a comeback for Simon who had had 5 years out of the charts before this track returned her to the limelight. In its original album version it’s fused with the children’s nursery rhyme “Itsy Bitsy Spider” which amazingly works, she is, a bit like Sinitta, also famed for her high profile relationships and can count Warren Beatty, James Taylor and Mick Jagger (the subject of her most famous hit “You’re so Vain” though this changes in various interviews) as former partners.
157. SUPERWOMAN- Karyn White (152,000)
RELEASED: 1989
PEAK POSITION: 11
WKS ON CHART: 13
Another hit that I bet most don’t recall. Once married to big US Producer Terry Lewis. This is produced by L A Reid/ Babyface, an early example of their work and saw the track just miss out on the weekly top 10, incidentally there are only 2 tracks that garnered bigger sales without hitting the top 10. I’m rather fond of this track, in a kind of lazy Sunday morning way- a fantastic voice.