Decade II: 1983

Side 2 of a mixtape, compiled circa March 1990, lost along the way, reimagined and recreated 12th August 2024.
 
I hope you've brought your cardboard, there's some electric boogaloo ahead...
 

Again, as the cassette, sleeve and track listing are lost in the car fumes of history, I've recreated this from scratch, a dozen songs culled from my collection in spring 1990, when I originally recorded this thing.

I'll acknowledge the elephant in the room and say that yes, Temptation by Heaven 17 got to #2 in May 1983 and even that wasn't enough to secure a place in this collection, much as I love it. 

Was swapping it out for Kissing With Confidence by Will Powers (a mere #17 in Oct 1983) a step too far? Not for me, it's not. Besides, it's got Carly Simon on vocals and it's produced by Todd Rundgren! And the video's lots of fun.

At the expense of other contemporary classics, I've also given a nod to the fact that though I'd been blown away by The Message and Buffalo Gals, The Rock Steady Crew were the ones that my mates at school were more interested in. Whilst I didn't feel particularly inclined to wear a Sergio Tacchini tracksuit or start body popping behind the Science block, I did enjoy the music. 

I do remember that the original 1983 cassette started with Burning Down The House by Talking Heads, which is an obvious choice, perhaps. What's more surprising is that when released as a single in the UK in July 1983, it failed to chart. It took 16 years, Sir Tom Jones leathery lungs and The Cardigans' polish to take the song into the Top 10.

 

More debuts on this side, including Cocteau Twins with the beautiful (but non-charting) Sugar Hiccup. I perhaps should have picked something from the equally wonderful Sunburst And Snowblind EP as the record buying public at least managed to get that release to #86, but it's all good.

Talk Talk, Siouxsie & The Banshees and Depeche Mode are all back, with debuts from Aztec Camera, Shannon, Wall Of Voodoo, Fun Boy Three and an up-and-coming band from Manchester, with a striking lead singer and lyricist. Sadly now a complete twit, but made a big impression on me as a 12-year old.

 

More from this decade next weekend. Don't miss it, Big Brother is watching....

1) Burning Down The House (Album Version): Talking Heads
2) Oblivious (Album Version): Aztec Camera
3) (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew (Vocal) (Single Version): The Rock Steady Crew
4) Let The Music Play (Radio Edit): Shannon
5) Kissing With Confidence (12" Mix): Will Powers ft. Carly Simon
6) Everything Counts (Single Version): Depeche Mode
7) This Charming Man (Manchester): The Smiths
8) Mexican Radio (UK Extended Mix): Wall Of Voodoo
9) My Foolish Friend (Extended Version): Talk Talk
10) Sugar Hiccup (Single Version): Cocteau Twins
11) Dear Prudence (Single Version) (Cover of The Beatles): Siouxsie & The Banshees
12) Our Lips Are Sealed (Singles Version): Fun Boy Three

Side Two (46:00) (KF) (Mega)

#InspireInclusion

Celebrating International Women's Day and Carole Bayer Sager, who is marking 80 years on this planet, most of which have been spent providing us with wonderful songs.

 

For obvious reasons, I'm going to skip her marriage to Burt Bacharach and unforgettable hits like A Groovy Kind Of Love, When I Need You and Arthur's Theme and dozens of other global smashes that she has written and produced. Instead, six selections from iconic women, including herself.

 

For obvious reasons, today's post is for Mrs. K and Lady K. 

I'd also like to dedicate it to Alyson and C. I was late to discovering What's It All About? and Sun Dried Sparrows in the musical blogosphere and both have been an inspiration on so many levels since. Thank you!

 

Heartbreaker: Dolly Parton (1978)

Nobody Does It Better: Carly Simon (1977)

Break It To Me Gently: Aretha Franklin (1977)

Need A Little Faith: Patti LaBelle (1989)

One Hello: Randy Crawford (1982)

I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love: Carole Bayer Sager (1977)

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Only Knew The Cat And Dog In My Life

The title of today's selection is a line from the opening song by Suzi Lane, not a phrase that you'd necessarily expect to find in a disco tune, but there you have it.

Here's just over an hour of glitter ball grooves to set up the weekend. A few familiar names: Giorgio Moroder, Carly Simon, François Kevorkian, Shirley Bassey, Tom Moulton, Meco (who discofied the Star Wars theme tune) and Tony Bongiovi (Meco's co-conspirator on one of the greatest Christmas albums of all time and second cousin to this poodle-permed rocker).

 

A couple of other artists are lying low: Carly co-wrote Tranquillo (Melt My Heart) with producer Arif Mardin and then-husband James Taylor; Ain't Nothing Gonna Keep Me From You by Teri DeSario was written by and features backing vocals from Barry Gibb.

 

The common theme with all of these songs is that, with the exception of Fly, Robin, Fly by Silver Convention (#28 between 29th November and 12th December 1975), none of them troubled the UK singles chart. In fairness, several of them weren't even released as singles in the UK. Don't let that put you off. Bin your inhibitions, hit the dancefloor (or kitchen floor, if you're at home) and party!

 

1) Harmony (Long Version By Giorgio Moroder): Suzi Lane (1979)

2) Fly, Robin, Fly (12" Promo Version): Silver Convention (1975)

3) In The Forest (Extended 12" Version): Baby'O (1979)

4) Tranquillo (Melt My Heart) (Disco Mix By Arif Mardin): Carly Simon (1978)

5) Free Man (A Tom Moulton Mix) (Unreleased Acetate 12" Version): South Shore Commission (1976)

6) A-Freak-A (Disco Version By François Kevorkian): Lemon (1978)

7) This Is My Life (Disco Remix By Meco Monardo & Tony Bongiovi): Shirley Bassey (1979)

8) Fantasy (12" Version): Bruni Pagan (1979)

9) Ain't Nothing Gonna Keep Me From You (12" Version): Teri DeSario (1978)

I Only Knew The Cat And Dog In My Life (1:02:12) (Box) (Mega)