4th December 1988
It’s criminally just the one-week on top for the classic Left To My Own Devices as a 1974 ballad classic follows where He Ain’t Heavy trod topping my charts belatedly for The Hollies. Albert Hammond’s fab The Air That I Breathe is reissued and is an instant chart-topper after peaking top 5 first time round. It’s also known as Creep in Radiohead circles, and now give the proper songwriting credit after a court-case. Michael Jackson is trying for another Bad chart-topper, at 3 with Smooth Criminal, and the oldies go mad as Buddy Holly gets his biggest posthumous hit in my charts to date with True Love Ways entering at 5. Buddy died when I was a baby, but that never stopped him having a massive career from then on for over a decade, and occasionally beyond that.
Bill Withers also follows in his 1988 remix footsteps as Ain’t No Sunshine gets remixed and is back at 6, the song having already topped my chart in 1972 for Michael Jackson’s definitive take. Bill is fab, but pre-puberty Michael Jackson is unbeatable vocally. My jaw drops now as I see Mistletoe And Wine shooting up to 9, Cliff’s top 10’s spanning 19 years in my charts, and this once must have sounded delightful and fresh. These days the mistletoe has turned to mush and the wine has gone right off. Plus side Phil Collins fab Two Hearst is at 10, and his Four Tops production for the Buster movie is in for The Four Tops – Loco In Acapulco at 71.
Yet more oldies at 14, as Phil Spector’s Xmas classics get a megamix treatment, 14 years before they started making my charts for The Ronettes with Sleigh Ride. Loads of them have charted since, but this was the highest-charting to that date. It’s Bros’ Festive-sounding effort (not) as they throw The Cat Amongst The Pigeons. Cruelty on 3 counts: to the cat; to the pigeons; to the listener. Gloria Estefan’s 1-2-3 drops out as Rhythm Is Gonna get You sways in at 36. Mike + The Mechanics opine Nobody’s Perfect: Billy Wilder would have been overjoyed to hear the Some Like It Hot classic line in a great song. This one will have to do though.
Quo are back, never burning their bridges behind them, with one of the better hits they did in the 80’s, and in my album tracks of the week – thus grabbing bonus slots where in reality Hand To Mouth would have been competing for top spot – George Michael returns for a 4th time, and Pet Shop Boys drop Introspective allowing me to list my two early fave album tracks, previous B side, I Want A Dog, in remixed form, and It’s Alright (future single in remixed form).
1 ( NEW ) THE AIR THAT I BREATHE The Hollies
2 ( 1 ) LEFT TO MY OWN DEVICES Pet Shop Boys
3 ( 6 ) SMOOTH CRIMINAL Michael Jackson
4 ( 5 ) DOWNTOWN ’88 Petula Clark
5 ( NEW ) TRUE LOVE WAYS Buddy Holly
6 ( NEW ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE ’88 Bill Withers
7 ( 4 ) KISSING A FOOL George Michael
8 ( 2 ) I WISH U HEAVEN Prince
9 ( 30 ) MISTLETOE AND WINE Cliff Richard
10 ( 17 ) TWO HEARTS Phil Collins
11 ( 3 ) HEART OF STONE Bucks Fizz
12 ( 12 ) SAY A LITTLE PRAYER Bomb The Bass featuring Maureen
13 ( 7 ) ORINOCO FLOW Enya
14 ( NEW ) PHIL SPECTOR’S CHRISTMAS MIX The Ronettes, The Crystals and Darlene Love
15 ( 9 ) LOVE IS ALL THAT MATTERS Human League
16 ( 11 ) BREATHE LIFE INTO ME Mica Paris
17 ( 14 ) DENIS (DENEE) ’88 Blondie
18 ( 8 ) TWIST IN MY SOBRIETY Tanita Tikarim
19 ( 10 ) NEED YOU TONIGHT (MENDOHLSON MIX) INXS
20 ( 20 ) FOUR LETTER WORD Kim Wilde
21 ( 13 ) REAL GONE KID Deacon Blue
22 ( 49 ) ENCHANTED LADY The Pasadenas
23 ( 31 ) KOKOMO The Beach Boys
24 ( 18 ) PUT A LITTLE LOVE IN YOUR HEART Annie Lennox/ Al Green
25 ( 19 ) JE NE SAIS PAS POURQUOI Kylie Minogue
26 ( 22 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles
27 ( 27 ) BABY I LOVE YOUR WAY/ FREEBIRD Will To Power
28 ( 21 ) WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND (PURE ENERGY) Information Society
29 ( 37 ) RADIO ROMANCE Tiffany
30 ( 15 ) WILD WILD WEST The Escape Club
31 ( 16 ) SUNSHINE ON LEITH The Proclaimers
32 ( 39 ) JACK TO THE SOUND OF THE UNDERGROUND Hithouse
33 ( 28 ) HE AIN’T HEAVY…HE’S MY BROTHER The Hollies
34 ( 23 ) LET’S STICK TOGETHER ’88 Bryan Ferry
35 ( NEW ) CAT AMONGST THE PIGEONS Bros
36 ( NEW ) RHYTHM IS GONNA GET YOU Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
37 ( 29 ) DOMINO DANCING Pet Shop Boys
38 ( 42 ) NOTHING LESS THAN BRILLIANT Sandie Shaw
39 ( 51 ) HE AIN’T NO COMPETITION Brother Beyond
40 ( 53 ) TILL I LOVED YOU Barbra Streisand & Don Johnson
41 ( 36 ) DOWNTOWN One 2 Many
42 ( 62 ) A WORD IN SPANISH Elton John
43 ( 43 ) LITTLE LIES Fleetwood Mac
44 ( 44 ) SUGAR SUGAR (CANDYFLOSS MIX)/(ORIGINAL VERSION) The Archies
45 ( 38 ) LOVELY DAY (SUNSHINE MIX) Bill Withers
46 ( 40 ) ONE BAD APPLE The Osmonds
47 ( 48 ) DEAR GOD Midge Ure
48 ( 24 ) GIRL YOU KNOW IT’S TRUE Milli Vanilli
49 ( 45 ) YOU CAME Kim Wilde
50 ( 67 ) LET THERE BE DRUMS Boss Beat
51 ( 32 ) NEVER TRUST A STRANGER Kim Wilde
52 ( 33 ) NATHAN JONES Bananarama
53 ( 35 ) LOVE NEVER DIES Belinda Carlisle
54 ( 26 ) SHE MAKES MY DAY Robert Palmer
55 ( 25 ) HANDLE WITH CARE Traveling Wilbury’s
56 ( 52 ) WHAT HAVE I DONE (TO DESERVE THIS) Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield
57 ( 63 ) IN YOUR ROOM The Bangles
58 ( NEW ) NOBODY’S PERFECT Mike + The Mechanics
59 ( 58 ) HELLO GOODBYE The Beatles
60 ( 55 ) MONKEY (REMIX) George Michael
61 ( 47 ) DECEMBER ’63 (OH WHAT A NIGHT) ’88 The Four Seasons
62 ( 60 ) YOU WIN AGAIN The Bee Gees
63 ( 59 ) HEART Pet Shop Boys
64 ( 73 ) YOU ARE THE ONE a-ha
65 ( NEW ) DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Chris Rea
66 ( 57 ) YOU’RE MY WORLD Nick Heyward
67 ( 34 ) BIG GIRLS DON’T CRY The Four Seasons
68 ( 69 ) ANGEL OF HARLEM U2
69 ( NEW ) HUMANOID Stakker
70 ( 65 ) MAN IN THE MIRROR MIchael Jackson
71 ( NEW ) LOCO IN ACAPULCO The Four Tops
72 ( NEW ) BURNING BRIDGES (ON AND OFF AND ON AGAIN) Status Quo
73 ( 54 ) TEARDROPS Womack & Womack
74 ( 61 ) DON’T WORRY BE HAPPY Bobby McFerrin
75 ( NEW ) ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE Monty Python
76 ( RE ) HAND TO MOUTH George Michael
77 ( NEW ) I WANT A DOG Pet Shop Boys
78 ( NEW ) IT’S ALRIGHT Pet Shop Boys
11th December 1988
It’s up to top spot for Petula’s remix of classic 60’s song Downtown. In terms of sheer imagery and powerful memories of being a child, Downtown has it in spades. We lived in Chesham, we went Downtown on the Tube to 60’s Swinging London, where it was at, and just before we moved to Liverpool, where it was also musically at. I was there! Music that evokes that period is a bit like a misplaced joy at a world long-gone. So anyway, 24 years late she finally gets her number one. Guess what? It’s Christmas, and it’s not Xmas without a deluge of oldies. 60% of the top 10 in fact, I was SO ahead of my time in personal charts terms!
So, back again at 5, it’s my late hero John Lennon with a Xmas-pack of CD tracks, Imagine topped my chart in 1981 and is on its 3rd run, Jealous Guy topped for Roxy and hit 7 in 1985, and Happy Xmas War Is Over topped my charts in Christmas 1972, 1974, 1975, 1980, and is attempting to become the first Xmas song or oldie to top my charts for a 5th occasion. Place your bets now. Boney M hit 2 in 1978 and have a 10th anniversary remix of Mary’s Boy Child entering at 6.
Kim Wilde is the only new track grabbing a top 10 spot with Four Letter Word, while Sandie Shaw is Nothing Less Than Brilliant at 16 – she so is, too. Gloria’s also top 20 bound, while a forgotten Xmas movie track from Annie Lennox & Al Green also hits 19. Boy Meets Girl debut at 22 with Waiting For A Star To Fall, a decent track, Fleetwood Mac get the fab flop As Long As You Follow in at 24, a typically tuneful Christine McVie song, Bananarama shoot up where The Supremes first went, with Nathan Jones into the 30, and it’s here: Kylie & Jason’s fab Xmas loveyfest is here Especially For You at 32.
The even-fabber Keeping The Dream Alive is also debuting for Freiheit – if ever a Xmas record sounded like, but wasn’t, a Paul McCartney song it’s this one. It’s back in my charts again this week – but at least I waited 32 years rather than an annual bloody event like the UK charts! Mory Kante’s back with Tama, Rick Astley’s still popping in, Alexander O’Neal has a christmas non-classic version with The Christmas Song (it’s still Nat King Cole for me), and Erasure say Stop! Too much Festivity no doubt. In at 67. God knows how, but Sam Fox & Angry Anderson manage to enter my chart. I must have been feeling charitable as in those days I still loved Christmas. Down the bottom-end Inner City and New Order have a rather modest debut for rather good tracks.
1 ( 4 ) DOWNTOWN ’88 Petula Clark
2 ( 1 ) THE AIR THAT I BREATHE The Hollies
3 ( 2 ) LEFT TO MY OWN DEVICES Pet Shop Boys
4 ( 5 ) TRUE LOVE WAYS Buddy Holly
5 ( NEW ) IMAGINE/ JEALOUS GUY/ HAPPY CHRISTMAS (WAR IS OVER) John Lennon / John & Yoko
6 ( NEW ) MARY’S BOY CHILD ’88 Boney M
7 ( 6 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE ’88 Bill Withers
8 ( 20 ) FOUR LETTER WORD Kim Wilde
9 ( 10 ) TWO HEARTS Phil Collins
10 ( 3 ) SMOOTH CRIMINAL Michael Jackson
11 ( 7 ) KISSING A FOOL George Michael
12 ( 9 ) MISTLETOE AND WINE Cliff Richard
13 ( 8 ) I WISH U HEAVEN Prince
14 ( 14 ) PHIL SPECTOR’S CHRISTMAS MIX The Ronettes, The Crystals and Darlene Love
15 ( 12 ) SAY A LITTLE PRAYER Bomb The Bass featuring Maureen
16 ( 38 ) NOTHING LESS THAN BRILLIANT Sandie Shaw
17 ( 11 ) HEART OF STONE Bucks Fizz
18 ( 36 ) RHYTHM IS GONNA GET YOU Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
19 ( 24 ) PUT A LITTLE LOVE IN YOUR HEART Annie Lennox/ Al Green
20 ( 23 ) KOKOMO The Beach Boys
21 ( 15 ) LOVE IS ALL THAT MATTERS Human League
22 ( NEW ) WAITING FOR A STAR TO FALL Boy Meets Girl
23 ( 13 ) ORINOCO FLOW Enya
24 ( NEW ) AS LONG AS YOU FOLLOW Fleetwood Mac
25 ( 18 ) TWIST IN MY SOBRIETY Tanita Tikarim
26 ( 16 ) BREATHE LIFE INTO ME Mica Paris
27 ( 52 ) NATHAN JONES Bananarama
28 ( 21 ) REAL GONE KID Deacon Blue
29 ( 19 ) NEED YOU TONIGHT (MENDOHLSON MIX) INXS
30 ( 26 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles
31 ( 22 ) ENCHANTED LADY The Pasadenas
32 ( NEW ) ESPECIALLY FOR YOU Kylie Minogue & Jason Donovan
33 ( 25 ) JE NE SAIS PAS POURQUOI Kylie Minogue
34 ( 35 ) CAT AMONGST THE PIGEONS Bros
35 ( NEW ) KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE Freiheit
36 ( 28 ) WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND (PURE ENERGY) Information Society
37 ( 30 ) WILD WILD WEST The Escape Club
38 ( 29 ) RADIO ROMANCE Tiffany
39 ( 33 ) HE AIN’T HEAVY…HE’S MY BROTHER The Hollies
40 ( 17 ) DENIS (DENEE) ’88 Blondie
41 ( 37 ) DOMINO DANCING Pet Shop Boys
42 ( 63 ) YOU ARE THE ONE a-ha
43 ( 65 ) DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Chris Rea
44 ( 34 ) LET’S STICK TOGETHER ’88 Bryan Ferry
45 ( 43 ) LITTLE LIES Fleetwood Mac
46 ( 44 ) SUGAR SUGAR (CANDYFLOSS MIX)/(ORIGINAL VERSION) The Archies
47 ( NEW ) TAMA Mory Kante
48 ( 72 ) BURNING BRIDGES (ON AND OFF AND ON AGAIN) Status Quo
49 ( 45 ) LOVELY DAY (SUNSHINE MIX) Bill Withers
50 ( 46 ) ONE BAD APPLE The Osmonds
51 ( 49 ) YOU CAME Kim Wilde
52 ( 71 ) LOCO IN ACAPULCO The Four Tops
53 ( 53 ) LOVE NEVER DIES Belinda Carlisle
54 ( 27 ) BABY I LOVE YOUR WAY/ FREEBIRD Will To Power
55 ( 55 ) HANDLE WITH CARE Traveling Wilbury’s
56 ( 55 ) WHAT HAVE I DONE (TO DESERVE THIS) Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield
57 ( 39 ) HE AIN’T NO COMPETITION Brother Beyond
58 ( 68 ) ANGEL OF HARLEM U2
59 ( 58 ) HELLO GOODBYE The Beatles
60 ( 32 ) JACK TO THE SOUND OF THE UNDERGROUND Hithouse
61 ( 61 ) YOU WIN AGAIN The Bee Gees
62 ( 59 ) MONKEY (REMIX) George Michael
63 ( NEW ) TAKE ME TO YOUR HEART Rick Astley
64 ( 62 ) HEART Pet Shop Boys
65 ( NEW ) THE CHRISTMAS SONG Alexander O’Neal
66 ( 42 ) A WORD IN SPANISH Elton John
67 ( NEW ) STOP Erasure
68 ( 51 ) NEVER TRUST A STRANGER Kim Wilde
69 ( NEW ) LOVE HOUSE Samantha Fox
70 ( NEW ) SUDDENLY Angry Anderson
71 ( NEW ) I LIVE FOR YOUR LOVE Natalie Cole
72 ( 70 ) MAN IN THE MIRROR MIchael Jackson
73 ( NEW ) IF LOVE WAS A TRAIN Michelle-Shocked
74 ( NEW ) FINE TIME New Order
75 ( NEW ) GOOD LIFE Inner City
76 ( 76 ) HAND TO MOUTH George Michael
77 ( 78 ) IT’S ALRIGHT Pet Shop Boys
Playlist oldies and album tracks of that week
1 HAND TO MOUTH George Michael
2 IT’S ALRIGHT Pet Shop Boys
3 FATHER FIGURE George Michael
18th December 1988
it’s a huge climb to the top for the fabulous Keeping The Dream Alive, a christmassy-McCartney-sounding perennial that is back big-time this christmas (2020) in a cover and the original version as Christmas songs do a Lockdown take-over of the whole world (or at least singles charts) as everyone goes stir-crazy desperate for something to take their mind off Covid-19. Another Xmas classic at 2, and Sandie Shaw gets her 4th top 10 in almost 20 years of sporadic charting – the bulk of her classics predate my charts but would have featured a guaranteed 3 chart-toppers in 1964/5 and 1967.
The Escape Club literally shoot up to 16 with the Wild Wild West, Kylie & Jason close-behind, and Inner City find 49 places climbing is the Good Life! Highest new entry is a debut for Neneh Cherry, and the rap-tastic Buffalo Stance at 28. She’ll be big in the 90’s, and so will her brother, briefly, and then her daughter Mabel in the 2010’s. Diana Ross joins in the oldies remixes at 40 with a not-nearly-so-good version of the hot, brilliant Love Hangover from 1976, in at 40. Erasure leap into the 40, Stop! U2 and The Four Tops also go where both, and Erasure, have gone many times before.
David Grant uses his Intuition to remix his 1981 goodie, from when he was in Linx, Bon Jovi were Born To Be My Baby, with another 32 years ahead of ’em and still featuring in my charts. Yes, Bobby McFerrin did have another decent single, it’s in at 70, Londonbeat debut with 9 a.m., notably for me going “Hey that’s Jimmy Helms!” when they did Top Of The Pops – apart from being backing vocalists to various popstars, Jimmy had a 70’s solo career including the fab Gonna Make You An Offer You Can’t Refuse in 1973, which was a hit in the UK for the American with the great voice. Finally Shaky has another Xmas effort, his version of Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly’s 50’s crooner classic True Love, inspiring Elton & Kiki to do the same in a few years.
1 ( 35 ) KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE Freiheit
2 ( 5 ) IMAGINE/ JEALOUS GUY/ HAPPY CHRISTMAS (WAR IS OVER) John Lennon / John & Yoko
3 ( 1 ) DOWNTOWN ’88 Petula Clark
4 ( 16 ) NOTHING LESS THAN BRILLIANT Sandie Shaw
5 ( 8 ) FOUR LETTER WORD Kim Wilde
6 ( 2 ) THE AIR THAT I BREATHE The Hollies
7 ( 3 ) LEFT TO MY OWN DEVICES Pet Shop Boys
8 ( 4 ) TRUE LOVE WAYS Buddy Holly
9 ( 6 ) MARY’S BOY CHILD ’88 Boney M
10 ( 17 ) HEART OF STONE Bucks Fizz
11 ( 14 ) PHIL SPECTOR’S CHRISTMAS MIX The Ronettes, The Crystals and Darlene Love
12 ( 7 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE ’88 Bill Withers
13 ( 9 ) TWO HEARTS Phil Collins
14 ( 24 ) AS LONG AS YOU FOLLOW Fleetwood Mac
15 ( 10 ) SMOOTH CRIMINAL Michael Jackson
16 ( 37 ) WILD WILD WEST The Escape Club
17 ( 32 ) ESPECIALLY FOR YOU Kylie Minogue & Jason Donovan
18 ( 18 ) RHYTHM IS GONNA GET YOU Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
19 ( 19 ) PUT A LITTLE LOVE IN YOUR HEART Annie Lennox/ Al Green
20 ( 12 ) MISTLETOE AND WINE Cliff Richard
21 ( 11 ) KISSING A FOOL George Michael
22 ( 13 ) I WISH U HEAVEN Prince
23 ( 21 ) LOVE IS ALL THAT MATTERS Human League
24 ( 22 ) WAITING FOR A STAR TO FALL Boy Meets Girl
25 ( 34 ) CAT AMONGST THE PIGEONS Bros
26 ( 75 ) GOOD LIFE Inner City
27 ( 15 ) SAY A LITTLE PRAYER Bomb The Bass featuring Maureen
28 ( NEW ) BUFFALO STANCE Neneh Cherry
29 ( 48 ) BURNING BRIDGES (ON AND OFF AND ON AGAIN) Status Quo
30 ( NEW ) LOVE HANGOVER ’88 Diana Ross
31 ( 20 ) KOKOMO The Beach Boys
32 ( 30 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles
33 ( 47 ) TAMA Mory Kante
34 ( 67 ) STOP Erasure
35 ( 23 ) ORINOCO FLOW Enya
36 ( 27 ) NATHAN JONES Bananarama
37 ( 42 ) YOU ARE THE ONE a-ha
38 ( 58 ) ANGEL OF HARLEM U2
39 ( 28 ) REAL GONE KID Deacon Blue
40 ( 52 ) LOCO IN ACAPULCO The Four Tops
41 ( 43 ) DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Chris Rea
42 ( 36 ) WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND (PURE ENERGY) Information Society
43 ( 39 ) HE AIN’T HEAVY…HE’S MY BROTHER The Hollies
44 ( 33 ) JE NE SAIS PAS POURQUOI Kylie Minogue
45 ( 41 ) DOMINO DANCING Pet Shop Boys
46 ( 29 ) NEED YOU TONIGHT (MENDOHLSON MIX) INXS
47 ( 45 ) LITTLE LIES Fleetwood Mac
48 ( 46 ) SUGAR SUGAR (CANDYFLOSS MIX)/(ORIGINAL VERSION) The Archies
49 ( 25 ) TWIST IN MY SOBRIETY Tanita Tikarim
50 ( RE ) DECEMBER ’63 (OH WHAT A NIGHT) ’88 The Four Seasons
51 ( 26 ) BREATHE LIFE INTO ME Mica Paris
52 ( 74 ) FINE TIME New Order
53 ( 51 ) YOU CAME Kim Wilde
54 ( 49 ) LOVELY DAY (SUNSHINE MIX) Bill Withers
55 ( 50 ) ONE BAD APPLE The Osmonds
56 ( 56 ) WHAT HAVE I DONE (TO DESERVE THIS) Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield
57 ( 44 ) LET’S STICK TOGETHER ’88 Bryan Ferry
58 ( NEW ) INTUITION ’88 David Grant
59 ( 55 ) HANDLE WITH CARE Traveling Wilbury’s
60 ( 63 ) TAKE ME TO YOUR HEART Rick Astley
61 ( 59 ) HELLO GOODBYE The Beatles
62 ( 65 ) THE CHRISTMAS SONG Alexander O’Neal
63 ( 61 ) YOU WIN AGAIN The Bee Gees
64 ( 64 ) HEART Pet Shop Boys
65 ( 62 ) MONKEY (REMIX) George Michael
66 ( 38 ) RADIO ROMANCE Tiffany
67 ( 31 ) ENCHANTED LADY The Pasadenas
68 ( 40 ) DENIS (DENEE) ’88 Blondie
69 ( NEW ) BORN TO BE MY BABY Bon Jovi
70 ( NEW ) THINKING ABOUT YOUR BODY Bobby McFerrin
71 ( RE ) MINNIE THE MOOCHER Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra
72 ( 53 ) LOVE NEVER DIES Belinda Carlisle
73 ( NEW ) 9 A.M. Londonbeat
74 ( 72 ) MAN IN THE MIRROR MIchael Jackson
75 ( NEW ) TRUE LOVE Shakin’ Stevens
Playlist oldies of the week
1 PRETTY WOMAN Roy Orbison
2 ONLY THE LONELY Roy Orbison
3 IT’S OVER Roy Orbison
25th December 1988
It’s John & Yoko back on top – Image and Jealous Guy are really just along for the ride on the CD, though Imagine topped my chart in 1980, hit 2 in 1975, and Jealous Guy topped for Roxy Music in 1981. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) was the first Xmas record I ever bought, in December 1972, and hit my number one for Xmas. And in 1976. 1980. 1982. So a 5th time on top, and a 7th year in the top 10. Boney M, meanwhile, almost match their 1978 peak of 2. Phil Collins rounds of a good year with another top 10, Two Hearts, and Kylie & Jason make a late spurt for the top (or not) at 7. Not. They peak at 2.
The Escape Club’s fab Wild Wild West goes top 10, too, Buffalo Stance top 20 on the way to a top 10, and Chris Rea makes my top 20 for the first time, and def not the last – the track has charted more times than any other Xmas record I think, and over 5 consecutive decades. Highest new entry at 22 is the late Roy Orbison and his new lead track off his comeback album, Jeff Lynne’s terrific gift to him, You Got It. Had I been charting in 1964, Pretty Woman would have been the first chart-topper giving Roy 24 years of number ones – You Got it will hit the top in January.
Fine Young Cannibals return with a revamp, She Drives Me Crazy kick-starting a golden year, in at 40, as Yello are Tied Up at 43. In the real world I went to see Boy George in concert. Sadly Mr. Dowd had gone all hippy-trippy, and seemed to be going through a trial run for Jesus Loves You with extended jamming versions of tracks that gave a new meaning to the phrase “self-indulgent”. He paid no attention to finishing times, and in the end people started leaving to catch the bus home or just out of sheer boredom. I persevered, figuring eventually he’d have to do a short sharp Greatest Hits section for an encore. And on he plodded with his band, boring the shit out of everyone even further. In the end I couldn’t take it anymore. The only “moment” had been a restrained version of Victims, and a cover of T.Rex’s Life’s A Gas. So I also left. When Culture Club reformed in 1998, I did go to see them, as it was a hits tour as well as to promote the new stuff over Christmas, and it was much better. George got hit by something from the audience at one point, and a hanging big ol glitterball hanging above fell on his head at another point. I did wonder if there were other people in the audience and backstage crew who’d decided to take revenge for the 1988 gig…..!
1 ( 2 ) IMAGINE/ JEALOUS GUY/ HAPPY CHRISTMAS (WAR IS OVER) John Lennon / John & Yoko
2 ( 1 ) KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE Freiheit
3 ( 9 ) MARY’S BOY CHILD ’88 Boney M
4 ( 3 ) DOWNTOWN ’88 Petula Clark
5 ( 5 ) FOUR LETTER WORD Kim Wilde
6 ( 13 ) TWO HEARTS Phil Collins
7 ( 17 ) ESPECIALLY FOR YOU Kylie Minogue & Jason Donovan
8 ( 7 ) LEFT TO MY OWN DEVICES Pet Shop Boys
9 ( 16 ) WILD WILD WEST The Escape Club
10 ( 6 ) THE AIR THAT I BREATHE The Hollies
11 ( 4 ) NOTHING LESS THAN BRILLIANT Sandie Shaw
12 ( 8 ) TRUE LOVE WAYS Buddy Holly
13 ( 11 ) PHIL SPECTOR’S CHRISTMAS MIX The Ronettes, The Crystals and Darlene Love
14 ( 14 ) AS LONG AS YOU FOLLOW Fleetwood Mac
15 ( 28 ) BUFFALO STANCE Neneh Cherry
16 ( 18 ) RHYTHM IS GONNA GET YOU Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
17 ( 12 ) AIN’T NO SUNSHINE ’88 Bill Withers
18 ( 41 ) DRIVING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Chris Rea
19 ( 29 ) BURNING BRIDGES (ON AND OFF AND ON AGAIN) Status Quo
20 ( 10 ) HEART OF STONE Bucks Fizz
21 ( 15 ) SMOOTH CRIMINAL Michael Jackson
22 ( NEW ) YOU GOT IT Roy Orbison
23 ( 37 ) YOU ARE THE ONE a-ha
24 ( 26 ) GOOD LIFE Inner City
25 ( 34 ) STOP Erasure
26 ( 19 ) PUT A LITTLE LOVE IN YOUR HEART Annie Lennox/ Al Green
27 ( 23 ) LOVE IS ALL THAT MATTERS Human League
28 ( 22 ) I WISH U HEAVEN Prince
29 ( 33 ) TAMA Mory Kante
30 ( 40 ) LOCO IN ACAPULCO The Four Tops
31 ( 25 ) CAT AMONGST THE PIGEONS Bros
32 ( 21 ) KISSING A FOOL George Michael
33 ( 38 ) ANGEL OF HARLEM U2
34 ( 31 ) KOKOMO The Beach Boys
35 ( 30 ) LOVE HANGOVER ’88 Diana Ross
36 ( 32 ) HEY JUDE The Beatles
37 ( 27 ) SAY A LITTLE PRAYER Bomb The Bass featuring Maureen
38 ( 20 ) MISTLETOE AND WINE Cliff Richard
39 ( RE ) DOWNTOWN One 2 Many
40 ( NEW ) SHE DRIVES ME CRAZY Fine Young Cannibals
41 ( 24 ) WAITING FOR A STAR TO FALL Boy Meets Girl
42 ( 39 ) REAL GONE KID Deacon Blue
43 ( NEW ) TIED UP Yello
44 ( 43 ) HE AIN’T HEAVY…HE’S MY BROTHER The Hollies
45 ( 52 ) FINE TIME New Order
46 ( 35 ) ORINOCO FLOW Enya
47 ( 47 ) LITTLE LIES Fleetwood Mac
48 ( 45 ) DOMINO DANCING Pet Shop Boys
49 ( 48 ) SUGAR SUGAR (CANDYFLOSS MIX)/(ORIGINAL VERSION) The Archies
50 ( 50 ) DECEMBER ’63 (OH WHAT A NIGHT) ’88 The Four Seasons
51 ( 42 ) WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND (PURE ENERGY) Information Society
52 ( 36 ) NATHAN JONES Bananarama
53 ( 60 ) TAKE ME TO YOUR HEART Rick Astley
54 ( 53 ) YOU CAME Kim Wilde
55 ( 44 ) JE NE SAIS PAS POURQUOI Kylie Minogue
56 ( 58 ) INTUITION ’88 David Grant
57 ( 56 ) WHAT HAVE I DONE (TO DESERVE THIS) Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield
58 ( 46 ) NEED YOU TONIGHT (MENDOHLSON MIX) INXS
59 ( 54 ) LOVELY DAY (SUNSHINE MIX) Bill Withers
60 ( 69 ) BORN TO BE MY BABY Bon Jovi
61 ( 61 ) HELLO GOODBYE The Beatles
62 ( 49 ) TWIST IN MY SOBRIETY Tanita Tikarim
63 ( 55 ) ONE BAD APPLE The Osmonds
64 ( 63 ) YOU WIN AGAIN The Bee Gees
65 ( 57 ) LET’S STICK TOGETHER ’88 Bryan Ferry
66 ( 64 ) HEART Pet Shop Boys
67 ( 70 ) THINKING ABOUT YOUR BODY Bobby McFerrin
68 ( 62 ) THE CHRISTMAS SONG Alexander O’Neal
69 ( 65 ) MONKEY (REMIX) George Michael
70 ( NEW ) JOHN KETTLEY IS A WEATHERMAN Tribe Of Toffs
71 ( 71 ) MINNIE THE MOOCHER Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra
72 ( RE ) I LIVE FOR YOUR LOVE Natalie Cole
73 ( 59 ) HANDLE WITH CARE Traveling Wilbury’s
74 ( 75 ) TRUE LOVE Shakin’ Stevens
75 ( 74 ) MAN IN THE MIRROR MIchael Jackson
Playlist faves of that week
1 THE HARDER I TRY Brother Beyond
2 VICTIMS (LIVE AT POOLE ARTS CENTRE) Boy George
3 LIFE’S A GAS (LIVE AT POOLE ARTS CENTRE) Boy George
popchartfreak 