SMASH HITS singles 19th of August '82.

Gloria by some distance imo

Several faves here but it has to be The Flirts.

I spent too long figuring out why "Vacation" wasn't included in the poll. Damn bifocals. I don't know many of these, but I'm voting for the only one I actually bought as a 45: Frida.

Branigan's cover of "Gloria" by a mile. one of my favorite songs as a kid and an adult.

WHY ISN'T ANYBODY CALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLING?

there sure were a lot of covers of 'Runnin' Away' in the 80s - The Raincoats, Paul Haig (also 1982), Tamao Koike (1983), the Colourfield (1987), any others?

Came here to rep for the original Umberto Tozzi version of "Gloria" but listening to the Laura Branigan version now it's way better than I remember it. Donna Summeresque for sure. A theoretical connection between the two would be Harold Faltermeyer, who cowrote "Hot Stuff" and produced material by both singers.

I vote for The Flirts though. Did Neil Tennant know Bobby O personally at this point? Evidently they first worked together in late '83 and I vaguely recall the story that Tennant was covering The Police's Synchronicity tour in NYC when he first sought out Bobby O, so maybe "Passion" was simply one of the records that solidified Tennant's fandom.

can't justify it but voting for Love Shadow, decision perhaps 30-40% due to Amanda Pays being in the video

Neil Tennant otm about Joe Jackson.

He's really good at these capsule reviews.

I hadn't heard Private Lives - Memory Of Your Name until today and it's good. Lovely production and I like the vocal.

he's also right about "Walking On Sunshine"

xp

btw it's Matumbi (UK reggae band), not "Martumbe". the correct song title is "In Daylight" - was curious to hear it, but sadly it's not on YouTube, only Discogs mentions it.

Bill Nelson is an option? Voting for ole Bill, this period of his is unimpeachable, not overly fussy at all.

I sent that Matumbe single to you, breastcrawl. send you a webmail through the ilx contact function.

oh wow, that’s so sweet of you!

(manages to unlock rarely used mail account)

those songs are nice, but they won’t sway my vote

but thanx to this I remembered the Matumbi (yes, it really is Matumb*i*!) song I really liked back in the day - that’s “Point Of View (Squeeze A Little Lovin’)”, from 1979:

this is the 12” version/dub, real groovy stuff:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgJn7HeADHQ

big thank you, jed!

You are welcome! That track is great, much better than the one from tgis week.

that Takahashi album review is a travesty. "It's difficult to know why these YMO boys bother making solo albums"? Yeah why not give Sakamoto a call and ask him wtf

was interested in hearing that Pola Henreid song but it's a bit sub-Lene Lovich. sounds more like a 70s song than an 80s one?

Matumbi was Dennis Bovell's band.

only thing i really know by matumbi is the theme tune to empire road

Alas, my personal charts from 1982 were lost a long time ago, but “Walking On Sunshine” was definitely a number one. Bought on the same day as “Planet Rock” and “The Message” - and what a personal paradigm shift that moment marked - it was initially my favourite of the three, and the first 12” I’d encountered with multiple mixes of the same track. Oddly, it hasn’t retained classic status in the way that the other two records have, but it did absolutely get played to death, with its acappella endlessly recycled in other tunes, so it must have fallen victim to its instant popularity.

The other two big favourites were “Breaking Us In Two” and “Passion”. I loved Night & Day-era Joe Jackson (and have recently been playing 1984’s “You Can’t Get What You Want” a lot), and saw him live around this time… my gaydar was also twanging hard in his direction, although this wasn’t publicly confirmed for several more years.

The first Bobby O production I heard, thanks to two trips to France over the summer where it was a big hit (along with Lime’s “Babe We’re Gonna Love Tonight”), was Roni Griffith’s cowbell-crazy “The Best Part Of Breaking Up”, the second being his own “I’m So Hot For You”. I fell for both tunes so hard, that “Passion” fell rather in their slipstream at the time.

Much as I grew to love it later, I didn’t think much of “Gloria” at the time: too brash and naff and cheesy. But I was still a few months away from discovering the gay scene, where it would doubtless have made more impact in its proper context.

Some strong choices but voted for Fashion, peak sophisto-pop white funk crossover, which dated very quickly and was then done better by Scritti but have fond memories of this.

Their album ‘Fabrique’ was recently rereleased but only as an eye wateringly expensive deluxe box set.

These Smash Hits reviews are an absolute time capsule, it’s amazing how so many of these songs have totally faded into obscurity.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Fabrique is a cool album! Love this bside extended instrumental mix thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIoM6S1TY50

I love Walking On Sunshine

who doesn't? show them?

voted Passion JUST ahead of Rockers Revenge

As ever, loads of these which I don't know, but no time post-holiday to play them all through, dammit!

It's funny how Duran Duran have almost no cultural relevance now. I used to be annoyed at the time by how frequently they were on the cover of SH, which seemed like every other week and sometimes it would just be John Taylor on the cover. Even a group like Spandau Ballet who were much less successful seem to be more highly valued.

I think they still have some cachet. There’s just been a 33 1/3 book on ‘Rio’ published and a bit of buzz anou their new album. Though tbf that may be more for Graham Coxon’s involvement.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcqiswAZfVPrelbvFs5Swp06ILOWW7Cdc

less complete:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6HwZ0LyLQRY1jn8MTj99MI?si=e4da2fa4c4ee4fa9

I like Duran Duran WAY more than Spandau Ballet.

Save A Prayer intro is all time too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvlyYgSTS0I

i do love the first few Spandau Ballet singles though.

Rockers Revenge, easy

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Spent some time listening to this playlist today to the clear joy of my appropriately aged partner. More please

Got another lined up, forks.

I voted for Memory of your Name, which I had only just heard, because I was sure the Flirts didn't need my vote ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

That Save a Prayer sampling track stir posted is fantastic.

No one on the thread vouched for Duran and they came second. I guess my idea that they are irrelevant was bollocks, it wouldn't be the first time. I like Save a Prayer. I like Wild Boys and The Chauffeur, too. "sing blue silver" is etched in my mind. It seems profound somehow but isn't at the same time.

"sing blue silver" seems all surface, no feeling, which, I guess, may be quintessential 80s.

what the fuck does that mean, and how is surface not felt?

sorry, it's so weird to me we're STILL having these authenticity discussions almost 40 years after synths and Ferry-esque mannerisms fucked everyone

The DD Night Versions are huge faves too.

Growing up just about all my best girl friends were HUGE Duranies. I was in denial for a long time but i think all that exposure eventually seeped in there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1DAUuLeEOw

No idea why Alfred is being cunty to my comment when he's generally so genial. and how is surface not felt? is my point. wtf, alf?

The Hot Tracks "Gloria In 3D" remix from 1984 is insane:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD3Ym9viJ8o

lol, you're not kidding

jed, do you mind if i do september 82?

Absolutely dying at "Gloria In 3D" as remixed by Spike Jones, thanks!

feel free, forks!

The Hot Tracks "Gloria In 3D" remix from 1984 is insane:

That's absolutely mental.