A Concise Guide To Eighties' Music by Karl Vorderman (smallest ebook reader TXT) 📕

was slow to buy several classic Fleetwood Mac hits until 'Tango Of The Night' appeared in 1987.

The song of the month for October 1982
Ruby Baby by Donald Fagen (not released as a single)
Donald Fagen had previously decorated the sound of Steely Dan with his vocals and keyboard sounds before he pursued the new frontier of a solo record. The result was the forty-minute delight, entitled 'The Nightfly', which is one of the greatest albums of the 1980s. This long player consisted largely of feel-good music with a jazz-pop fusion. Amongst the eight jewels is the gem, 'Ruby Baby'. This re-working of an old Leiber and Stoller tune is not only an infectious dance song, but it ought to be a candidate for the best cover version of all time.

The song of the month for November 1982
Poor Tom by Led Zeppelin (not released as a single)
This recording had been completed a dozen years earlier, but it was criminally overlooked by rock's fearsome foursome until the band's lead guitarist and producer Jimmy Page included it in the 'posthumous' compilation, 'Coda', which was released in November 1982. The 8 tracks varied in quality, with 'Poor Tom' being the pick of the LP. Here Page goes all acoustic, Plant blows up a storm on mouth organ and Bonham's drums are superb.

The song of the month for December 1982
Beat Surrender by The Jam (peak chart position: No.1)
Paul, Rick and Bruce decided to quit while they were ahead by going their separate ways whilst their band were still supremely successful and popular. Woking's greatest trio clocked out with 'Beat Surrender' which was not a mournful goodbye but an up-tempo farewell which lit up the charts in December 1982, only to be eclipsed by the dreadful 'Save Your Love'. Ah yes, British record-buyers were expressing their sense of humour again.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR FOR 1982:
New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) by Simple Minds (released in September)
Side 1: Side 2:
1. Someone, Somewhere in Summertime; 4:36 1. New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84); 5:39
2. Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel; 3:49 2. Glittering Prize; 4:33
3. Promised You A Miracle; 4:28 3. Hunter and the Hunted; 5:55
4. Big Sleep; 5:00 4. King Is White and in the Crowd; 7:00
5. Somebody Up There Likes You; 5:02
This majestic recording occupies its very own niche. It is almost inconceivable that a bunch of working-class Glaswegian blokes could compose such ambient items, but Simple Minds proved to be anything but simple. Whilst Jim Kerr's vocals are frequently blurred, the music is of the highest quality. 'Somebody Up There Likes You' is a delicious instrumental, whilst the title track is equally impressive. The guitar outro on 'Hunter and the Hunted' is also a joy to behold. Kerr is actually to be heard at the end of the marvellous 'Promised You A Miracle' suggesting that "Anything is possible". I believe him. This is one of those records which is indescribably outstanding. In fact, the word enchanting does spring to mind. Before U2 delivered 'The Joshua Tree' with its sombre moods, Simple Minds had got there first - five years earlier.

1983
The song of the month for January 1983
Billie Jean by Michael Jackson (peak chart position: No.1)
'Wacko Jacko' scored his second British chart-topper when 'Billie Jean' paved the way for the enduring appeal of the epic 'Thriller' album. The song kick starts with that unforgettable drum beat that ushers in a dancefloor treasure that became a staple of many an eighties discotheque. Jackson was consolidating his reputation as the best male vocalist on the planet. His solo career was going into orbit, while his personality did likewise.

The song of the month for February 1983
Total Eclipse Of The Heart by Bonnie Tyler (peak chart position: No.1)
Bonnie Tyler was the latest singing sensation from the principality of Wales, following the hallowed footsteps of Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones. Bonnie had enjoyed a number of flirtations with the hit parade in the late 1970s but her finest five minutes came courtesy of the outstanding 'Total Eclipse Of The Heart'. This track was a reminder to detractors of the merits of eighties music, as it totally eclipsed all the other singles in the UK chart.

The song of the month for March 1983
Blue Monday by New Order (peak chart position: No.9)
The three surviving members of the far from joyful Joy Division eventually recovered from the shattering loss of Ian Curtis and subsequently instigated a new order of indie dance music, with the assistance of new recruit, Gillian Gilbert. Their first major triumph was 'Blue Monday' which spent dozens of weeks on the hit parade, thus rendering it the most successful single to be released by an independent label, namely Factory Records.

The song of the month for April 1983
Church Of The Poison Mind by Culture Club (peak chart position: No.2)
Culture Club's latest toe-tapper invited comparisons with the trademark Motown sound. This description did not by any means flatter this fine tune. It may not have reached the pop summit but it was at least as good as the huge-selling 'Karma Chameleon' that did arrive there several months later. The lyrics are fairly forgettable but the rhythm and the harmonica input from Jud Lander were a real joy for my own poison mind.

The song of the month for May 1983
Buffalo Soldier by Bob Marley And The Wailers (peak chart position: No.4)
Robert Nesta Marley had been firmly ensconced in his mausoleum at St.Ann's in rural Jamaica for the last three years, but the reggae superstar was still able to make his charismatic presence felt beyond the grave. 'Buffalo Soldier' was the key track from the posthumous compilation of unreleased material that comprised the 'Confrontation' album. Marley was able to successfully confront all chart competitors with this 'new' song which told the story of how black Americans were recruited to fight for the Union in the American Civil War.

The song of the month for June 1983
China Girl by David Bowie (peak chart position: No.2)
The ever-changing Bowie was now operating under the new alias of David Bowie. Casting off all his previous costumes and personas, the great Bowie showed that when it came to dance music, he could still cut it. Following on from the success of 'Let's Dance', Bowie covered his old mate Iggy Pop's 'China Girl' which had previously been performed in 1977. Not content with a majestic pop song, Bowie proceeded to trouble the censor with his nude re-enactment of 'From Here To Eternity' at the conclusion of the song's excellent video.

The song of the month for July 1983
Double Dutch by Malcolm McLaren (peak chart position: No.3)
Hardly one of the world's great vocalists, Malcolm McLaren nevertheless enjoyed chart success with 'Buffalo Gals' and the wonderful 'Double Dutch' which was a celebration of a new American dance craze. McLaren had previously sang 'You Need Hands', an old Max Bygraves number on 'The Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindle' soundtrack. After the success of 'Double Dutch', McLaren was embroiled in a losing battle with his old adversary Johnny Rotten in a protracted legal dispute arising out of the break-up of the notorious Sex Pistols.

The song of the month for August 1983
Gold by Spandau Ballet (peak chart position: No.2)
Spandau Ballet were one of the standard bearers of the New Romantics' pop craze. They peaked in the middle of 1983 with the impressive chart-topper, 'True'. Drawn from the same album was 'Gold' which was a worthy follow-up. Although 'Gold' had to settle for the silver medal position on the singles chart podium, it still stands the test of time as one of the great pop songs of the much-maligned 'eighties.

The song of the month for September 1983
Come Back And Stay by Paul Young (peak chart position: No.4)
Paul Young had previously served his musical apprenticeship alongside the Q-Tips, before he plotted what would be a successful solo path. Young's big breakthrough came with 'Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)' but I have a stronger liking for his next smash hit, 'Come Back And Stay' which benefited from backing vocals from female duo, Kim and Maz. This hit was written by Jack Lee, author of Blondie's 'Hanging On The Telephone'.