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

Rain by Prince (peak chart position: No.8)
This was a giant recording from a tiny man. The album version weighs in at more than eight and a half minutes and it is a fitting finale to an epic long player. Rarely has the electric guitar and the more conventional stringed instruments functioned better in unison than they did on 'Purple Rain'. The single did manage to find its way into the Top Ten of the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, and rightly so. Did the 'eighties produce a better track than this work of art?

The song of the month for October 1984
I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down by Paul Young (peak chart position: No.9)
The hugely likeable Paul Young built upon the success of his 'No Parlez' long player with his next album, entitled 'The Secret Of Association'. Again this fine soul singer drew upon other material from the likes of Hall And Oates for the splendid 'Everytime You Go Away' but he also had a bash at releasing a song of his own, namely the lively 'I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down'. Yet again, young Paul was aided by the backing vocals of Kim and Maz, 'the fabulous wealthy tarts'.

The song of the month for November 1984
All Through The Night by Cyndi Lauper (peak chart position: No.64)
British record-buyers spectacularly failed to pay due recognition to this wondrous single, which enjoyed better success on the other side of the 'big pond'. In my semi-humble opinion 'All Through The Night' ranks alongside 'Cruel Summer' by Bananarama and 'Take On Me' by A-ha for the imaginary prize of the best pop song of the decade. I remain perpetually puzzled why disc jockeys seem more smitten with the monotonous and infinitely inferior 'Time After Time'.

The song of the month for December 1984
Do They Know It's Christmas? by Band Aid (peak chart position: No.1)
Bob Geldof and Midge Ure had both visited the top of the British singles charts before, but this time they were so moved by the television news coverage of the deteriorating famine in Ethiopia that they launched a new musical venture in a ploy to raise funds for famine relief. Consequently they hastily summoned the top names in British pop to form the most famous choir in the history of music, modern and classical. 'Do They Know It's Christmas' is not only a well-intentioned recording, but its lyrics are thought-provoking. The song had such a colossal impact that it remained the biggest-selling tune in the history of the British charts until the death of Princess Diana almost 13 years later. This Band Aid smash hit was one glorious occasion when planet pop changed the world for the better.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR FOR 1984:
Purple Rain by Prince And The Revolution (released in June)
Side 1: Side 2:
1. Let's Go Crazy; 4:39 1. When Doves Cry; 5:52
2. Take Me with U; 3:58 2. I Would Die 4 U; 2:49
3. The Beautiful Ones; 5:17 3. Baby I'm A Star; 4:24
4. Computer Blue; 3:56 4. Purple Rain; 8:41
5. Darling Nikki; 4:13
"Ladies and gentlemen we are gathered here today, to get through this thing called" 'Purple Rain'. This long player is an obvious candidate for the accolade of the best album of the decade. Side One is flawless, right from the mock pulpit introduction of the pseudo-spiritual 'Let's Go Crazy' through to the risque 'Darling Nikki'. The temptress Nikki inspired a spoof version on 'The Fast Show' when a George Formby character performs his own 'interpretation'. It is surreal in the extreme. Meanwhile back in the real world, Prince and his Revolution pull off a successful coup with the fabulous 'When Doves Cry'. However, the fairest of them all is the title track which spectacularly brings the curtain down on the proceedings. It is not hard to comprehend why this LP is universally held in high regard. It is the glowing example of 'eighties pop music. 'Swinging 'sixties', eat your heart out!

1985
The song of the month for January 1985
I Know Him So Well by Elaine Paige And Barbara Dickson (peak chart position: No.1)
This Anglo-Scottish duet were responsible for the second-biggest selling single in the British chart in 1985. Their admirable effort had its origins in the West End musical, called 'Chess'. The composers were none other than Tim Rice and Abba's songwriting duo, Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, whose songwriting royalties were boosted by this tune's four week sojourn at the top of the UK pop summit.

The song of the month for February 1985
How Soon Is Now? by The Smiths (peak chart position: No.24)
Morrissey was at his melancholy best with this tour de force which had originally featured on the group's 'Hatful Of Hollow' long player. 'How Soon Is Now' was hardly happy-go-lucky chart material but the Smiths had accumulated a cult following that compensated for a lack of radio airplay. This opus included such joyous lines as:"You shut your mouth/How can you say I go about things the wrong way/I am human and I need to be loved."

The song of the month for March 1985
Easy Lover by Philip Bailey With Phil Collins (peak chart position: No.1)
Philip Bailey's outstanding voice had decorated many successful efforts from Earth, Wind & Fire, but this Transatlantic collaboration with Phil Collins yielded him his only British chart-topper. Collins, a percussion man as well as a vocalist was experiencing more commercial success outside of his Genesis projects. This fine dance song failed narrowly to also climb to the peak of the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.

The song of the month for April 1985
We Are The World by USA For Africa (peak chart position: No.1)
Not to be outdone by the heartwarming response to Band Aid's Christmas smash hit, a plethora of American singing stars belatedly followed in the footsteps of Bob Geldof and Midge Ure and issued their own fundraising single. Featuring the likes of Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, and Huey Lewis, this superstar gathering not surprisingly found favour with music lovers on both sides of the Atlantic, and all in a worthwhile cause.

The song of the month for May 1985
19 by Paul Hardcastle (peak chart position: No.1)
Paul Hardcastle may not have provided the vocals but his keyboard wizardry underpinned this most unusual hit single. For the uninitiated, this song dwelt on the fact that the average age of the American combat soldier in the Vietnam military debacle was nineteen. The accompanying video footage of the world's first televised conflict reinforced this. Hardcastle was also the author of the 'Top Of The Pops' new signature tune.

The song of the month for June 1985
Crazy For You by Madonna (peak chart position: No.2)
Louise Madonna Ciccone had quickly joined the megastar league with several terrific pop hits in quick succession. However, 'Crazy For You' was something of a departure for the American icon as she excelled at a slow, romantic number that demonstrated her adaptability in terms of subject matter. Although this fine single was soon eclipsed by the chart-topping 'Into The Groove', it remains one of the best love songs of the 1980s.

The song of the month for July 1985
There Must Be An Angel by Eurythmics (peak chart position: No.1)
The Eurythmics enjoyed their only week at the summit of the British hit parade courtesy of the radio-friendly 'There Must Be An Angel', featuring the harmonica of the great Stevie Wonder. Annie and Dave had already managed to savour chart-topping glory in the United States with 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)' but this tune represented their peak, although they followed up with the admirable 'Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves.'

The song of the month for August 1985
Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush (peak chart position: No.3)
Kate Bush re-appeared on the airwaves with a vengeance with a number of impressive singles that reminded everyone of her unique talent. 'Running Up That Hill' ran up the British and even American hit lists thanks to a memorable double drum sound to this dark piece. Bush had been absent from the public domain since she issued 'The Dreaming' album in 1982. 'Running Up That Hill' was a welcome return for the south London prodigy.

The song of the month for September 1985
Something About You by Level 42 (peak chart position: No.6)
There was certainly something about this superb pop song which appealed to the music-buying public, as Mark King and his team stayed on the Top 75