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It is Saturday night, which means ‘date night’ where we kick the kids off to watch a movie, drink a bottle of champagne and listen to Pick of the Pops.

 

What is this shit?

1983 gives us this boppy little synth bass line with lyrics infested with dung beetles. Trust me, I know my cowpats and this song has that smell of digested lucerne and fescue. 

The video has plenty of 80s retro-cool going on, though.

 

How long did it take to find a good song in the November 1963 chart?

Any time before 1967 is a risk for having a crappy chart. It is nearly as bad as the late 80s! But 1963 did fine tonight. The first great song was The Supremes with Where did our love go? [With Jennifer Hudson, I mean Florence Ballard singing backing vocals out there with Mary Wilson. I like how Florence is a way from the mic so her power doesn’t destroy Diana’s cute sound.]

They all show up again later with Baby Love.

 

Song that generates the most hatred

The Cure played songs for boys, like A Forest, Hanging Garden and the amazing Primary. Then they went all girly, matching two cute girl words together to create Lovecats. I already whined about it a couple of years ago. I hate it. I won’t embed the video.

 

Best song played from 1964

All Day and All of the Night by The Kinks. When a song has been covered by both The Stranglers and Alvin and the Chipmunks it has to be good.

I’d never seen that video before. It is a bit of a shock. The song sounds so modern that the video seems out of sync with it.

 

Best song played from 1983

A slice of pop perfection from Tracy Ullman – They don’t know about us. What a great song we had both totally forgotten, but could sing along with once it started. Aren’t networked neurons amazing?

I’m telling Jean how much she sounds like the fabulous Kirsty MacColl when Tony Blackburn tells us it was written and recorded by her. Oh yeah, so it was.

 

WTF happened here?

Some Canadian brothers got together and made this song called Safety Dance. On the radio it has no redeeming feature, but the video is jolly. Seven and a half million folk have watched it on YouTube and now you can, too. It isn’t quite up there with Working for the Weekend but a fine performance nonetheless.

 

Which year won?

A split decision. Jean picks 1983 because she knew the songs and it was an era that meant a lot to her, but how could I go past 1964 with its two Supremes songs, The Searchers’ When You Walk in the Room, All Day and All of the Night, Oh, Pretty Woman and Sandie Shaw singing this Bacharach/David number:

 

1964 playlist

Joe Loss — March Of The Mods

Gene Pitney — I’m Gonna Be Strong

Tommy Quickly & the Remo Four — The Wild Side Of Life

Freddie & The Dreamers — I Understand

The Hollies — We’re Through

Jim Reeves — There’s A Heartache Following Me

The Shangri-Las — Remember (Walkin’ In The Sand)

The Pretty Things — Don’t Bring Me Down

The Supremes — Where Did Our Love Go

Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers — One Way Love

Cliff Richard — The Twelfth Of Never

Helmut Zacharias — Tokyo Melody

The Searchers — When You Walk In The Room

The Nashville Teens — Google Eye

The Mindbenders — Um Um Um Um Um Um

The Kinks — All Day & All Of The Night

The Rockin’ Berries — He’s In Town

The Supremes — Baby Love

Matt Monro — Walk Away

Manfred Mann — Sha La La

Sandie Shaw — Always Something There To Remind Me

Roy Orbison — Oh, Pretty Woman

 

1983 playlist

Aztec Camera — Oblivious

Eurythmics — Right By Your Side

The Rolling Stones — Undercover Of The Night

Limahl — Only For Love

George Benson — In Your Eyes

Donna Summer — Unconditional Love

Status Quo — A Mess Of Blues

Tracey Ullman — They Don’t Know

The Cure — The Love Cats

Madness — The Sun & The Rain

Men Without Hats — Safety Dance

Adam Ant — Puss N Boots

Shakin’ Stevens — Cry Just A Little Bit

Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson — Say Say Say

Lionel Richie — All Night Long (All Night)

Billy Joel — Uptown Girl