A Pop Fan’s Dream: The ’80s Box

A Pop Fan’s Dream: The ’80s Box has been over two years in the making. With a project like this, it’s impossible to assemble things in an orderly fashion. Instead, there are have been creative bursts every few weeks as ideas and tracks come to mind. After a productive weekend in early October, I’ve finally got to the end. This time, the box set runs to five imaginary compact discs with each one having its own theme. The title is self-explanatory – unlike Paul’s Hidden ’80s, this compilation is more immediate and recognisable with the occasional buried treasure. Some of the tracks are rarely compiled in their single versions and I have made every effort to try and include the correct 7″ mixes. Once again, I have decided to include sleeves and notes for every song. As this blog’s remit and primary focus was always on Various Artists compilation albums, you’ll also see some of the sources for these rare gems in their respective entries. Hope you enjoy the trip.

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Disc 1: Pop Injustice
01 Fine Young Cannibals – Don’t Look Back (Remix)
02 Breakfast Club – Right On Track (Local Mix)
03 ABC – How To Be A Millionaire (UK Single Version)
04 Living In A Box – Scales Of Justice (7″ Mix)
05 Ward Brothers – Cross That Bridge (7″ Mix)
06 Drum Theatre – Eldorado (7″ Mix)
07 Culture Club – The Medal Song (Single Version)
08 Big Sound Authority – This House (Is Where Your Love Stands)
09 Blancmange – The Day Before You Came (7″ Mix)
10 Berlin – Like Flames (7″ Mix)
11 Act – Snobbery & Decay (Single Mix)
12 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Watching The Wildlife (Animal Fur)
13 The Christians – Ideal World (Remix)
14 Jon & Vangelis – State Of Independence (Edited Version)
15 Jennifer Warnes – First We Take Manhattan (7″ Mix)
16 Swing Out Sister – Twilight World (Edit)
17 The Blue Nile – Tinseltown In The Rain (7″ Edit)
18 Black – Sweetest Smile (7″ Mix)
19 David Sylvian – Pulling Punches (7″ Mix)
20 Eurythmics – Julia (7″ Mix)

Disc 2: Dropping Bombs
01 Afrika Bambaataa & The Godfather Of Soul James Brown – Unity (Part 1)
02 Gary Byrd & The G.B. Experience – The Crown (Part 1)
03 Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew – The Show (7″ Mix)
04 Whistle – (Nothing Serious) Just Buggin’ (7″ Mix)
05 The Concept – Mr DJ (7″ Mix)
06 Oran “Juice” Jones – The Rain (7″ Mix)
07 Break Machine – Breakdance Party (7″ Mix)
08 Irene Cara – Breakdance (7″ Edit)
09 Zapp – Dance Floor (Part 1)
10 Sheila E – The Glamorous Life (7″ Mix)
11 Cameo – Single Life (UK 7″ Mix)
12 Janet Jackson – The Pleasure Principle (Shep Pettibone Mix)
13 Jellybean featuring Steven Dante – The Real Thing (7″ Mix)
14 Eddy & The Soulband – Theme From Shaft (Young & Strong Edit)
15 Eric B & Rakim – I Know You Got Soul (The Double Trouble Remix)
16 Steve Walsh – I Found Lovin’
17 2 Men A Drum Machine & A Trumpet – Tired Of Getting Pushed Around
18 Electra – Jibaro (7″ Mix)
19 Garden Of Eden – Garden Of Eden (7″ Mix)
20 The KLF – Kylie Said To Jason (Edit)

Disc 3: Night & The City
01 Dead Or Alive – Brand New Lover (Single Mix)
02 Michael Bow – Love & Devotion (Radio Edit)
03 Band AKA – Joy (7″ Mix)
04 The Real Thing – Can’t Get By Without You (Second Decade Remix)
05 Roger – I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Part 1)
06 Sherrick – Just Call
07 Eugene Wilde – Gotta Get You Home Tonight (7″ Mix)
08 Neneh Cherry – Inna City Mamma (Completely Re-recorded Version)
09 Stevie Nicks – Stand Back (7″ Mix)
10 Paul McCartney – Pretty Little Head (7″ Remix)
11 Hall & Oates – Method Of Modern Love (Single Version)
12 Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians – What I Am (7″ Mix)
13 Michelle Shocked – Anchorage
14 Tommy Keene – Places That Are Gone
15 Love & Rockets – So Alive
16 Blue In Heaven – Across My Heart (Martin Hannett Version)
17 The Bluebells – I’m Falling (7″ Mix)
18 Big Country – Harvest Home (Single Version)
19 The Proclaimers – Sunshine On Leith (7″ Mix)
20 Phil Collins – Take Me Home (Single Edit)

Disc 4: Driftwood
01 Pet Shop Boys – In The Night (7″ Edit Version)
02 Madonna – Spotlight (Single Edit)
03 Queen – Pain Is So Close To Pleasure (Remix)
04 Wham! – Where Did Your Heart Go? (7″ Edit)
05 Sam Moore & Lou Reed – Soul Man (7″ Mix)
06 Ryuichi Sakamoto featuring Iggy Pop – Risky (7″ Mix)
07 Peter Gabriel & Youssou N’Dour – Shakin’ The Tree (7″ Mix)
08 Glenn & Chris – Diamond Lights
09 Mel Brooks – To Be Or Not To Be (The Hitler Rap) (Part 1)
10 Harry Enfield – Loadsamoney (Doin’ Up The House)
11 Righeira – Vamos A La Playa (7″ Mix)
12 Raff – Self Control (Part 1)
13 O.K. – Okay! (7″ Mixed Media Edit)
14 Swimming With Sharks – Careless Love (7″ Mix)
15 Alphaville – Sounds Like A Melody (7″ Mix)
16 William Pitt – City Lights (7″ Mix)
17 Tracy Spencer – Run To Me (7″ Mix)
18 Stewart Copeland – The Equalizer Busy Equalizing (Edit)
19 Justin Hayward – It Won’t Be Easy (Theme From The BBC-TV Series Star Cops)
20 The Crowd – You’ll Never Walk Alone

Disc 5: A 12″ Celebration
01 Paul Simon – Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes (Extended Remix)
02 Ronny – If You Want Me To Stay (Dance Mix)
03 Thompson Twins – Make Believe (Special Extended Version)
04 Joe Jackson – You Can’t Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want) (Specially Remixed Version)
05 George Harrison – Got My Mind Set On You (Extended Version)
06 The Psychedelic Furs – Shock (Shep Pettibone Mix)
07 The Alarm – Rain In The Summertime (Thunder Mix)
08 Robert Palmer – You Are In My System (Remix)
09 Tina Turner – One Of The Living (Special Club Mix)
10 Lindsey Buckingham – Go Insane (Extended Remix)
11 INXS – Black & White (Extended Version)
12 Kraftwerk – The Telephone Call (Remix)
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DISC 1: POP INJUSTICE

01 Fine Young Cannibals – Don’t Look Back (Remix) (London 7″, 1989)

Single #4 from The Raw & The Cooked was released one week after I got my Leaving Cert results. It was an extremely hot summer and its forward-looking guitar-driven sound really struck a chord with me. A fabulous way to sign off the decade, wrap everything up, put it away and look towards the 1990s. The album’s longevity meant that its singles were released in four different years – 1987, 1988, 1989 & 1990. Has that ever been done since?

02 Breakfast Club – Right On Track (Local Mix) (MCA 7″, 1987)

Having formed in 1979, NYC’s Breakfast Club once had Madonna in their line-up. 1987 was the year that the finally got it together with their sole album getting released along with this top 10 Billboard smash that sadly could only reach #54 in the UK. It’s a most mesmerising pop tune with a great hook that still gets me up. The Local Mix was on the A-side of the 7″ single and was remixed by Michael Verdick and Stephen Bray.

03 ABC – How To Be A Millionaire (UK Single Version) (Neutron 7″, 1984)

After the surprise re-invention that was Beauty Stab, ABC changed image and style yet again for their third album How To Be…A Zillionaire! Lead single How To Be A Millionaire was released just before Halloween 1984 and sadly did not do the business chart-wise. The UK single version is the by far the best mix of the track as it was re-recorded for the album and loses much of its explosive impact, instead turning it a watery and weedy anti-climax.

04 Living In A Box – Scales Of Justice (7″ Mix) (Chrysalis 7″, 1987)

Another song that reminds me of exam time – albeit the less stressful Inter Cert. Living In A Box followed up their eponymous debut 45 with the thoughtful and some say almost philosophical Scales Of Justice. The 7″ mix is rare on CD, only turning up on one of the West German High Life compilations. Again it’s got a great groove and remains so 1987.

05 Ward Brothers – Cross That Bridge (7″ Mix) (Siren 7″, 1986)

Keeping the sophisti-pop sound alive, The Ward Brothers one hit wonder emerged in December 1986 before slowly climbing the UK charts to a peak of #32 in February 1987. Nevertheless this was enough to secure the closing slot on Now That’s What I Call Music 9. A fond memory with its AOR groove strongly reminiscent of the last series of MT USA.

06 Drum Theatre – Eldorado (7″ Mix) (Epic 7″, 1985)

Eldorado got two bites at the chart cherry – 1985 and then a reissue at the start of 1987. #44 was the unjust reward as it’s a hugely enjoyable slice of programmed synth pop that hits all the right places. The singer Kent Brainerd and his wife Claire spent £6,000,000 converting an old Manor House into a spectacular hotel. Sadly he died of cancer in 2014.

07 Culture Club – The Medal Song (Single Version) (Virgin 7″, 1984)

The Medal Song was taken from the album third Culture Club album Waking Up With The House On Fire. The superior single mix is slightly longer and remains one of my favourites of the year. It’s based on the true story of American actress Frances Farmer, accused of being a communist and then institutionalised. Marilyn showed Boy George the 1982 film Frances which moved the latter so much that he had to write a song about her.

08 Big Sound Authority – This House (Is Where Your Love Stands) (MCA 7″, 1985)

One of the sleeping giants of forgotten chart pop. If you haven’t heard or can’t remember the storming mod stomp of This House (Is Where Your Love Stands) then you’re in for a treat. Julie Hawden’s powerful vocal and a memorable Top Of The Pops appearance during January 1985. Immortalised on The Hits Album 2 and mostly ignored since then. While a #21 chart position wasn’t bad, this classic banger deserved to go all the way to #1.

09 Blancmange – The Day Before You Came (7″ Mix) (London 7″, 1984)

One of my favourite covers. The Day Before You Came – one of ABBA’s darkest songs – was the closing track on Blancmange’s second LP Mange Tout. In the lyrics for this version, Marilyn French was changed to Barbara Cartland. “Pinnacle of parody. I adore the original but keep coming back to this. Brilliant literal clips to accompany the video (especially the Linn Drum fill) and random Gharbar on the TV.” (Mark Wright)

10 Berlin – Like Flames (7″ Mix) (Mercury 7″, 1987)

The second follow-up to the massive Take My Breath Away, Like Flames crashed at #47 during the spring of 1987. It’s a total anthem while the desert scenery in the music video is very evocative. Terri Nunn has blamed the lack of success to the sudden change of style for the band, which alienated their established fanbase of their synth-pop albums, and failing to gain new fans from their new-found fame with the Top Gun tune.

11 Act – Snobbery & Decay (Single Mix) (ZTT 7″, 1987)

Act were a short-lived ZTT project made up of solo artist Thomas Leer and Propaganda’s Claudia Brücken. One album and two singles, of which Snobbery & Decay was the first. It’s a fabulous pop single, bursting with a sense of drama and theatre. Numerous mixes were released at the time – a common ZTT marketing ploy – but the 7″ mix remained elusive on CD for many years. Sadly it didn’t get past #60 in the UK, a tragic underperformance.

12 Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Watching The Wildlife (Animal Fur) (ZTT 7″, 1987)

All good things come to end. The final Frankie single, released during the spring of 1987 and peaking at a disappointing #28. Unlike Rage Hard & Warriors Of The Wasteland, it was not released on CD single so the 7″ mix – known as Animal Fur – has remained an extremely tough pull on CD ever since with no inclusion on any UK discs. You’ll find it on Super Power – Die Starken Hits, a useful West German compilation from the same year.

13 The Christians – Ideal World (Remix) (Island 7″, 1987)

Ideal World was the fourth single from The Christians and rounded off a successful 1987 for the Liverpool band. That first album works really well with the formula being slick sophisti-pop arrangements & socially conscious lyrics. A gentle form of protest music that still resonates today. I love that the opening line is “Before you point the finger”, a wry nod to the previous single, When The Fingers Point. My favourite release of theirs is still the Japanese mini album Trinity released there to coincide with the summer 1988 tour.

14 Jon & Vangelis – State Of Independence (Edited Version) (Polydor 7″, 1984)

Originally recorded by Jon & Vangelis for their 1981 album The Friends Of Mr Cairo, State Of Independence was released as a single the same year but failed to chart. I have no recollection of this nor have I ever seen a copy. The song subsequently became better known when Donna Summer released a cover version a year later. Jon & Vangelis issued the single again in 1984 where it reached #67 in the UK charts. This is the version that I picked up in a bargain bin that Christmas. A life-affirming anthem that still hits hard.

15 Jennifer Warnes – First We Take Manhattan (7″ Mix) (RCA 7″, 1987)

The first Leonard Cohen album I heard was a neighbour’s copy of The Songs Of Leonard Cohen. They also had Songs From A Room and Songs Of Love & Hate. I still have the C90s with them on it. That was 1988 and by the end of the year I had purchased his new LP I’m Your Man. Go back two years to late 1986 when Jennifer Warnes recorded First We Take Manhattan for Famous Blue Raincoat, an LP of Leonard Cohen songs. It features a very distinctive driving lead guitar played by Stevie Ray Vaughan and is quite different to the rather funkier, synth based version of its writer. Find the 7″ mix on this great compilation.

16 Swing Out Sister – Twilight World (Edit) (Mercury 7″, 1987)

Swing Out Sister’s stunning debut album It’s Better To Travel remains one of my most-played records. The closing track, Theme (From – ‘It’s Better to Travel’) sounds very like a premonition for the mid-90s lounge revival, all sweeping & orchestral. The CD version was one of my early purchases on that format and still sounds magnificent, a classic example of proper mastering with plenty dynamic range. Twilight World is my favourite of the LP’s five singles and while its 7″ edit was omitted from the original reissue, it was included on last year’s 8CD box set. Incredible strings & horns – so yes, strongly recommended!

17 The Blue Nile – Tinseltown In The Rain (7″ Edit) (Linn 7″, 1984)

The Blue Nile’s first LP, A Walk Across The Rooftops, was released at the end of April 1984 – when I was close to finishing my primary school education. The follow-up, the even more sublime Hats didn’t emerge until October 1989 – when I started third level. Both records had a mere seven songs and sounded fantastic on both vinyl and CD. Tinseltown In The Rain is sublime and deeply melancholic but could only reach #87 in the UK (Stay did even worse – #97). The rare 7″ edit can be found on Dutch CD The Sound Of Today.

18 Black – Sweetest Smile (7″ Mix) (A&M 7″, 1987)

Black on Sweetest Smile: “It’s me singing me story of everything that happened to me in 1985, which was a rotten year. Basically my heart was broken. I was… erm, I’m technically married. Er… I’ve got an imminent divorce – I’ve been separated for two years. Er… I’ve never told anyone that, I shouldn’t have said it! Er… yeah, so that was 1985, along with lots of other things, me family falling ill and me friends going through all sorts of stuff… I’m alright now though. Just about.” I first heard the song while sitting in The Coffee Dock. It sounded fantastic with a custard slice & a copy of The Irish Times.

19 David Sylvian – Pulling Punches (7″ Mix) (Virgin 7″, 1984)

While it was released during the hot summer of 1984, David Sylvian’s wondrous debut album Brilliant Trees always reminds me of autumn. Possibly it’s because I didn’t hear it until October, around the same time that Pulling Punches was released as a single. Prior to that I had discovered the joys of Red Guitar on Now That’s What I Call Music 3. The guitar play and drumming on Pulling Punches are excellent and while two minutes are excised from the album version, this tighter cut really works – an amazing performance.

20 Eurythmics – Julia (7″ Mix) (Virgin 7″, 1984)

For many years my favourite Eurythmics single has been Sexcrime. The extended mix particularly and the highlight of Gerry Ryan’s The Twelve Inches Of Christmas radio show of 25 December 1984. Julia was the second single from the soundtrack album and is aptly summarised as “Fragile, crystalline, ghostly and beautiful. The Eurythmics excelled at this kind of ethereal electronica like no one else.” (Lord Of The Reedy River). Another great nugget from Aaronc4899 – “It’s about anyone who has lived their life alone, but once had a special, but ultimately doomed, relationship.” The single version has only been on CD once – find it on Woman In Love Volume 6; thanks again to our Dutch friends.

DISC 2: DROPPING BOMBS
01 Afrika Bambaataa & The Godfather Of Soul James Brown – Unity (Part 1) (Tommy Boy 7″, 1984)

This was a big deal at the time – James Brown’s first collaboration with a hip hop artist, who had been heavily influenced by The Godfather’s enduring funk sound. It’s got a nice electro tinge and despite a fair amount of MTV airplay at the time, now seems to be a faded memory. I had just been introduced to Planet Rock that summer and was blown away. Many years later, I saw Afrika Bambaataa DJ in Andrew’s Lane Theatre and he dropped Guns N’ Roses Sweet Child O’ Mine into his set. What a performer!

02 Gary Byrd & The G.B. Experience – The Crown (Part 1) (Motown 7″, 1983)

First heard on Chart Hits ’83 where the notes stated: “The song is a brilliant rap, complete with a terrific chorus, and the unmistakeable voice of Stevie Wonder. The song has the most interesting and pertinent lyrics of any single this year.” The single was 12″ only in the UK but a 7″ mix did appear in European markets. For the sake of rarity, I’ve included the shorter version here but have to say that it slightly pales in comparison to the full 10:35 take. In Gary’s words “The idea is not that black, white or anyone is better, but that we all have our place. We’ve all made contributions – and mistakes too. Wearing the crown is reaching the top of your potential. You could be a writer or you could be a mechanic, but you can still wear the crown.”

03 Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew – The Show (7″ Mix) (Cooltempo 7″, 1985)

While I remember the original release with fondness, The Show really clicked with me when I heard it on Hip Hop And Rapping In The House, a snazzy compilation on the Stylus Music. The tune was named Spin magazine’s top rap single of the year, and in Europe it broke the record for the best selling rap single of all time. Despite peaking at #7 in the UK, it remains a little under the radar. Breakin’, poppin’, snares & phenomenal scratching combine to make this City Slicker production a true beat box classic.

04 Whistle – (Nothing Serious) Just Buggin’ (7″ Mix) (Champion 7″, 1986)

Jazzy Jazz, Kool Doobie, and DJ Silver Spinner…often dismissed as silly and frivolous, Whistle’s Just Buggin’ remains one of my most-loved mid-80s hip hop jams. How can you not like these wonderful rapping – “Peter Parker picked up his gold pen, put it on the pedestal then pursued his friend. His plot to ploy the polluted punk persisted to prohibit so the plotter’s plan plunked.” Forever preserved on side 2 of the excellent Hits 4.

05 The Concept – Mr DJ (7″ Mix) (4th & Broadway 7″, 1985)

Mr DJ is a strange funk oddity based on a radio show phone-in that’s best listened on headphones late at night. Features the unforgettable Liz (with nothing on). I remember Gerry Ryan playing it on his late night Radio 2 show in December 1985. The 7″ mix doesn’t turn up too often – at the time it was compiled on Telstar’s innocuous The Dance Chart .

06 Oran “Juice” Jones – The Rain (7″ Mix) (Def Jam 7″, 1986)

And now for a proper one hit wonder – The Rain – a righteous tale of infidelity. The 7″ features the Short Version while the longer album take allowed for a long recitation which was written by Vincent Bell, who also composed the music. It was a Billboard smash on the new Def Jam label and also earned the singer a feature in the NME. And who can forget those immortal wise words – “So instead….I chilled.” – so apt, 37 years on.

07 Break Machine – Breakdance Party (7″ Mix) (Record Shack 7″, 1984)

Bring out the lino and mirrors – it’s Break Machine. Breakdance Party is the killer follow-up to Street Dance. Slick, catchy and sweet. An era of day glo t-shirts shining brightly, massive ghettoblasters and colourful headbands. Popular in clothes stores, I remember hearing it in a Killarney Shopping Centre during summer 1984 and within seconds after it coming on over the speakers, I just wanted to cut some rug. “Because B-boys never stop.”

08 Irene Cara – Breakdance (7″ Edit) (Epic 7″, 1984)

Breakdance was written by Giorgio Moroder, Bunny Hull, and the song’s performer, Irene Cara. It was heavily influenced by Herbie Hancock’s Rockit & the street performers Cara saw growing up in the South Bronx. AKA breakdancers. Released in March 1984, it was the third single lifted off her What A Feelin’ LP. I love the addictive beats and soulful singing that really captures the spirit of the age. Irena Cara also starred in D.C. Cab, a hilarious comedy from 1983 – that turned up at the Ritz cinema later that year. Same bill as Yentl.

09 Zapp – Dance Floor (Part 1) (Warner Brothers 7″, 1982)

Let’s take it right back – and it’s a family affair. Zapp were an American funk band that emerged from Dayton, Ohio in 1977. Particularly influential in the electro subgenre of funk, they were known for their trademark use of the talk-box effect. Their sophomore album Zapp II yielded the epic Dance Floor and was described as “the party record of the month” by Robert Christgau. The 11 minute album version was edited down to a super funky 7″ that topped the Billboard R&B singles chart for two weeks in 1982.

10 Sheila E – The Glamorous Life (7″ Mix) (Warner Brothers 7″, 1984)

Frequently confused with Sheena Easton, Sheila E. started out as a percussionist for the George Duke Band. One of her uncles was a member of Santana while another founded San Diego punk outfit The Zeros. She initially met Prince in 1977 but it wasn’t until the Purple Rain sessions that they recorded together – she provided vocals to Erotic City in 1984. He produced her debut album later that year. The Glamorous Life has lyrics which reflect a cynicism for the decadence and materialism of the song’s protagonist and is brilliant memory from that summer, mainly played by Gerry Ryan on Radio 2. He would also cane the super follow-up, The Belle Of St Mark. Songs from under the bedclothes.

11 Cameo – Single Life (UK 7″ Mix) (Club 7″, 1985)

Single Life is so much fun – the funk is solid but not too serious, a most interesting combination of pop, funk, groove, and dance. Savage bass and an infectious bass. I have great memories of the Top Of The Pops performance. There is only one digital source for the UK 7″ Mix (which is different to the US one) – it’s The Rhythm Of The Night, a late period K-Tel compilation from 1987. All together now – “I just like having fun.”

12 Janet Jackson – The Pleasure Principle (Shep Pettibone Mix) (A&M 7″, 1987)

37 years on, Janet Jackson’s Control still amazes me and will never go out of style. Her collaboration with the songwriters & producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis resulted in an unconventional sound: a fusion of R&B, rap vocals, funk, disco & synthesised percussion. Like her brother’s Thriller, it yielded seven singles and a remix album which had three separate variants. Its 7″ mixes were compiled across a variety of European compilations at the time with The Pleasure Principle ending up on The Hit Academy Volume 1.

13 Jellybean featuring Steven Dante – The Real Thing (7″ Mix) (Chrysalis 7″, 1987)

As well as being a hotshot remixer and producer, Jellybean Benitez also had success with his own records – The Mexican, Sidewalk Talk, Who Found Who, Jingo and Just A Mirage all spring to mind. My absolute favourite remains The Real Thing. When I started going to discos in earnest (October 1987), it was riding high in the charts. A classic dance track and very polished house production. Good groove & strong vocals by Steven Dante – top notch.

14 Eddy & The Soulband – Theme From Shaft (Young & Strong Edit) (Club 7″, 1985)

First heard on the seminal Now Dance – The 12″ Mixes, Eddy & The Soulband’s blistering cover of Isaac Hayes’ Theme From Shaft blew my mind in 1985. The bass is sensational and mixes (both 12″ versions and this 7″ take) all still sound awesome today. Seriously great funk and a way in to more exotic sounds like the original soundtrack LP, Shaft In Africa, Black Caesar, Superfly, Mothership Connection, Hot Buttered Soul etc.

15 Eric B & Rakim – I Know You Got Soul (The Double Trouble Remix) (Cooltempo 7″, 1988)

Paid In Full was one of my early hip hop purchases and will always remind me of tennis and summer 1987. A highlight of the golden age and loaded with Rakim’s pioneering rhyming patterns. I Know You Got Soul was first released towards the end of the year but made little impression on the charts. Then came the inevitable remix by Danny D & Norman Cook under the pseudonym Double Trouble & it took the UK by storm, complete with I Want You Back sample. The track gets housed-up with complimentary beats, a filtered intro and chunky percussion that really moved the crowd. “The story continues…”

16 Steve Walsh – I Found Lovin’ (A1 7″, 1987)

King of the pirates, Steve Walsh was another that left us long before his time. His 1987 version of the Fatback Band’s I Found Lovin’ was archetypal of the genre of South London Soul and is still one of my favourite dance tunes of the decade. Reaching #9 in the UK charts (the same week that The Fatback Band’s version hit #7), he went on to release two more singles before his untimely death in July 1988. The single mix still hasn’t made it to CD and all that’s ever been compiled seems to be an edit of the 12″ mix. Even so, it was too good to omit. The big man at his best. “One day there WILL be a party for the world.”

17 2 Men A Drum Machine & A Trumpet – Tired Of Getting Pushed Around (London 7″, 1987)

I’ve said many times before that side 4 of Now That’s What I Call Music 11 changed my life. As a result, I could have picked all seven tracks from it to be included here. The 2 Men are David Steele and Andy Cox , both at the time members of Fine Young Cannibals. They first recorded together as members of The Beat. The Trumpet is Graeme Hamilton. 35 years on, it’s got a classic vibe. “Now do you wanna talk business, or do ya wanna play house?”

18 Electra – Jibaro (7″ Mix) (FFRR 7″, 1988)

Check out Paul Oakenfold pretending to play an upside down guitar on Electra’s Jibaro video – a solid cover of Elkin and Nelson’s Balearic classic, albeit they were not properly credited on the sleeve. Produced by Phil Harding & Ian Curnow, this banger perfectly encapsulates The Summer Of Love ’88. If you like it, then you should definitely pick up the absolutely fantastic compilation Balearic Beats – The Album Vol. 1 from the same year. Note the dedication on the Electra cover – to the memory of Steve Walsh.

19 Garden Of Eden – Garden Of Eden (7″ Mix) (Pepper 7″, 1988)

“We don’t need, no need, no E, Ecstasy is you and me.”
The Garden Of Eden are: Pam Hogg, Steve Jackson, Darrell Lockhart, Angela McCluskey, Mark Tinley (brother of Adamski). This self-titled track was their only official release (aside from two other promo singles) and can only be found in one place on CD – the essential House ’89. I first encountered it on The Evil Acid Baron Show VHS tape in 1988 – “40 non stop minutes of brain bending technicolour graphics by Stakker provide a moving backdrop for the most exciting & innovative dance music around…” – which had a handful of promo videos at the end of the main feature. This takes me back to carefree squats and the feeling that nothing was impossible. A haunting artifact of lost youth.

20 The KLF – Kylie Said To Jason (Edit) (KLF Communications 7″, 1989)

And now for one of the great profound pop records – where pastiche is only part of its repertoire. It sounds like a homage to Stock, Aitken & Waterman and the Pet Shop Boys’ Left To My Own Devices. There are stories of indie shop staff turning up their noses at it because Kylie and Jason are mentioned in the title; nothing would surprise me when it comes to anti-pop neckbeards. “We wore our Pet Shop Boys infatuations brazenly on our sleeves while we recorded this track and we are proud of it. As for Kylie & Jason, the lyrics are not some attempt at a clever critique on our current soap idols.” (The KLF)

DISC 3: NIGHT & THE CITY
01 Dead Or Alive – Brand New Lover (Single Mix) (Epic 7″, 1986)

My first exposure to Dead Or Alive was on K-Tel’s ace Hungry For Hits – That’s The Way I Like It. Youthquake and its four banging singles are closely associated with first year in the “old” school. But my favourite single remains the uplifting Brand New Lover, the zenith of Pete Burns creativity and a high energy classic. Sadly a dispute with their record label Epic meant that the single failed to reach its potential in the UK with #31 a scant reward.

02 Michael Bow – Love & Devotion (Radio Edit) (CBS 7″, 1987)

Michael Bow was a disco act, produced by Fonny De Wulf. It’s the opening track on one of my favourite ever compilations, ’87 Right On Track, a killer Australian CD. It’s an old skool high energy classic with an absolutely infectious rhythm. Ken Cramer: “This song came and went without much fuss. Listening to it again & againmakes my head swim momentarily at the chorus & the catchy tune. How can you describe a euphoric feeling which apparently comes from combining the perfect notes to make the perfect tune?”

03 Band AKA – Joy (7″ Mix) (Epic 7″, 1983)

A thoroughly uplifting song with a powerful spiritual element, Joy is aptly named. The Band AKA were an American male vocal and instrumental group of session musicians based in Los Angeles. The membership of the group was fluid throughout their existence and essentially they were creation of their producer and songwriter Jaeson James Jarret. The 7″ version has only been compiled once – on The 80s Collection Made In The USA.

04 The Real Thing – Can’t Get By Without You (Second Decade Remix) (PRT 7″, 1986)

Time for some Liverpool soul. Formed in 1970, it wasn’t until 1976 that The Real Thing hit paydirt with a 1-2 double whammy of You To Me Are Everything & Can’t Get By Without You. While purists will pine for the originals, I was too young to experience them and my introduction came via the Second Decade Remixes of 1986. These were released on the PRT label & remixed by Bob Mallet. Simple and joyous disco grooves – forever young.

05 Roger – I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Part 1) (Warner Bros 7″, 1981)

Roger Troutman (1951-1999) was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist and the founder of the aforementioned Zapp (see Disc 2) who helped spearhead the funk movement and influenced West Coast hip hop due to the scene’s heavy sampling of his music. A 10:45 cover of Marvin Gaye’s I Heard It Through The Grapevine kicked off his solo album The Many Facets Of Roger and was a huge hit on the Billboard Dance Chart. It’s here in 7″ form, just as funky and dig those horns!

06 Sherrick – Just Call (Warner Bros 7″, 1987)

Sherrick (1957-1999) got his first professional break way back in 1985 when Raynoma Gordy Singleton (ex-wife of Berry Gordy) got him – as lead singer of the Motown group, Kagny – to record a song for the Motown movie, The Last Dragon. His one and only solo album was released two years later with Just Call as its key single. A really well-produced soul jam with impeccable playing and ace guitar licks alongside an amazing sax solo.

07 Eugene Wilde – Gotta Get You Home Tonight (7″ Mix) (4th & Broadway 7″, 1984)

Gotta Get You Home Tonight is a smooth and romantic jam that many people encountered during Christmas 1984 as it was the closing number on Now That’s What I Call Music 4. The song later hit #1 on the US R&B chart for a week in early 1985, a testament to its excellent production, gut-wrenching bass and prestigious sound. A go-to chill out tune.

08 Neneh Cherry – Inna City Mamma (Completely Re-recorded Version) (Circa 7″, 1989)

The 7″ mix of Neneh Cherry’s radical reworking of Inna City Mamma was always difficult to track down. I eventually picked it up on one of the ALF’s Super Hit Parade volumes (which also has a great Chris De Burgh single – a story for another day). A classic case of the CD single not containing the hit version (it just had the 12″ mix). My favourite track of hers, truly inspiring.
“New York – just like I pictured it – skyscrapers and everything
Inna city love, you crushed me into a pulp – I trusted you”

09 Stevie Nicks – Stand Back (7″ Mix) (WEA 7″, 1983)

Stand Back was the lead single from Stevie Nicks’ second solo LP Wild Heart. She was inspired by Prince’s Little Red Corvette, especially its lush synthesisers. On the studio recording of the track, Prince actually plays synth but was uncredited. “He just got up and left as if the whole thing happened in a dream.” The rare single mix tends to have more of a “collapsed” or mono sound to it and the electronic drum programs are mixed rather dry and flattened, especially in the song’s intro bars; whereas the drum tracks on the album version are accentuated by a generous amount of reverb effect and harder compression. Find the 7″ mix on the Time Life disc Sounds Of The Eighties 1983.

10 Paul McCartney – Pretty Little Head (7″ Remix) (Parlophone 7″, 1986)

Pretty Little Head was co-written by McCartney and 10cc guitarist Eric Stewart and appeared on his rather underwhelming Press To Play LP. The 5:14 album mix meanders quite a bit but the 7″ Remix – which clocks in at 3:50 – is much different beast. The music features a girl running away from home after she witnesses her parents in an argument; she then finds herself in a big city. The girl is actress Gabrielle Anwar. Her father is played by Roger Lloyd-Pack, by then a familiar face in Britain for his role as Trigger in the sitcom Only Fools and Horses. The beginning of the video contains an excerpt from She’s Leaving Home. Definitely one of 1986’s more unheralded gems, a dreamy and abstract trip.

11 Hall & Oates – Method Of Modern Love (Single Version) (RCA 7″, 1984)

Another MT USA memory. Method Of Modern Love was released in December 1984 and was the second single from Big Bam Boom. The music video is quite surreal – Hall & Oates going onto a roof where a band are performing. Hall falls off & then dances on the clouds.
“Dreams are made of a different stuff
Emanating in a method of modern love
Present tense, past time behind
Don’t fall for the same old line.”

12 Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians – What I Am (7″ Mix) (Geffen 7″, 1988)

What I Am was beamed into my sitting room via Top Of The Pops. Sometimes described as “the most 90s sounding 80s song of all time”, Edie Brickell’s nifty jam manages to capture that whole Natalie Merchant (solo), Fiona Apple & Tori Amos vibe some years before it actually happened. Hearing it now takes me back to Wednesday night meetings of the English Literary Society in UCD 1992-1994. Drinks in the Bar after & those Fosters tokens.

13 Michelle Shocked – Anchorage (Cooking Vinyl 7″, 1988)

I remember hearing Dave Fanning play tracks from The Texas Campfire Tapes on his nightly show sometime in 1987. These field recordings were totally alien to my ears but gradually they grew on me. The next one, Short Sharp Shocked emerged during August 1988 and was a more fully-fledged affair. The cover photo was taken by Chris Hardy of the San Francisco Examiner at a protest in San Francisco at the 1984 Democratic Convention. Anchorage was lead single, a bittersweet story of a letter to an old friend & the reply.

14 Tommy Keene – Places That Are Gone (Dolphin 12″, 1984)

Watching MTV’s 120 Minutes sometime in late 1991, I came across the video for Places That Are Gone. It seemed immediately familiar and I think Fab Vinnie may have snuck it into an MT USA show at some point during its run. The perfect power pop nostalgia trip. This is a terrifying thought – what does it mean when many / all of the people, places, traditions and customs you grew up with just completely disappear? Also recommended – his collaboration with Guided By Voices’ Robert Pollard called Blues & Boogie Shoes.

15 Love & Rockets – So Alive (Beggars Banquet 7″, 1989)

Inspiration: At a party one Saturday night, singer Daniel Ash saw a beautiful woman with long brown hair on the other side of a dark, shadowy room. He didn’t go and talk to her because he was married, but he was infatuated for the rest of the weekend. “It was like I’d known her in a different lifetime or something. It was just this thing that hit me like a ton of bricks. I couldn’t stop thinking about her.” Back then you’d hear So Alive in Richie’s or Cheers, an anthem for the hairspray & polka dot shirt-clad youth – pre-disco snakebites.

16 Blue In Heaven – Across My Heart (Martin Hannett Version) (Island 12″, 1984)

Dublin 1983-1985: Blue In Heaven played the support circuit to a number of touring indie acts. Having being signed by Island Records, they released Across My Heart as a single in 1984. It was produced by Hugh Jones but tucked away on the 12″ was a version produced by Martin Hannett. Sounding like a cross between Joy Division and The Smiths, Hannett was at the helm for their debut album All The God’s Men. Described as “bass-heavy doom mongers”, this lush tune remains a lost classic of Irish rock & comes highly commended.

17 The Bluebells – I’m Falling (7″ Mix) (London 7″, 1984)

The Bluebells’ debut album Sisters is inextricably linked with me starting secondary school. The photos on the front cover with its stained glass feel, give it a homespun vibe which gradually became more and more likeable the more I played it. However going back to late spring I was still in primary school and Dave Fanning was spinning I’m Falling, a wonderfully constructed yet simple pop song with wonderful harmonies. The 7″ mix remains a tough pull and is superior to the LP mix.

18 Big Country – Harvest Home (Single Version) (Mercury 7″, 1982)

Big Country released this, their debut single in September 1982 and while it failed to chart, the band shortly afterwars found themselves supporting The Jam on their farewell tour. At the beginning of the music video, the members of the band are shown having a picnic together in the bushes. They later abandon the picnic area and enter a large building. Their musical instruments are inside so the band walk in and start playing their instruments. Towards the end of the video, Stuart Adamson puts down his instrument and starts dancing. The song was re-recorded for The Crossing but lost a little bit of its magic in the process. “Enjoy lochs, green fields, heather, balls of steel, muscles and honesty.”

19 The Proclaimers – Sunshine On Leith (7″ Mix) (Chrysalis 7″, 1988)

Late 1988: the most frantic of times. All study and work. The latter had a self-imposed end date of New Year’s Eve. On the home stereo the chart sounds were now competing with the likes of Isn’t Anything and Daydream Nation. However in the shop, pubs and clubs it was Tell It To My Heart and never Destroy The Heart. I remember walking to school during those freeezing cold but oh-so-bright January mornings of 1989 with The Hits Album 9 on headphones. The comfort zone. And then it slips into Sunshine On Leith, The Proclaimers’ finest moment and another elusive 7″ version preserved for all time. No more spitting.

20 Phil Collins – Take Me Home (Single Edit) (Virgin 7″, 1985)

Closing track on the vinyl version of No Jacket Required, Take Me Home is a superb finale and inspired by One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. Great music video too. I bought the 7″ single during the wet summer of 1985, the time of moving statues and inspirational tennis. The track was used in the opening episode of Miami Vice’s second season, The Prodigal Son and subsequently included on the second soundtrack album – highly recommended.

DISC 4: DRIFTWOOD
01 Pet Shop Boys – In The Night (7″ Edit Version) (Parlophone 7″, 1987)

I first heard In The Night on the Disco LP, initially rented from my school’s music library in the dark winter of 1986. It’s about the subculture known as the Zazous, which appeared in France during the German occupation of the country during the second world war. They were distrusted by both sides as their primary concerns were fashion and music. So Neil Tennant, having read about the movement in David Pryce-Jones’ book by David Pryce-Jones, asks the question of whether this apathy essentially amounted to collaborationism. This 7″ single was scheduled for release in West Germany during March 1987 but was then withdrawn. The succinct Arthur Baker 7″ Edit Version remains exclusive to this release.

02 Madonna – Spotlight (Single Edit) (Sire 7″, 1988)

The single edit of Spotlight was an exclusive Japanese release and was the only 7″ single release by Madonna during 1988 and the only single to be taken from the album You Can Dance. Initially rejected during her True Blue album recording sessions, the song was written by Madonna, Stephen Bray and Curtis Hudson & remixed by John “Jellybean” Benitez. It was later used in a Mitsubishi VCR commercial in which Madonna was featured as coming out of a car and sitting down on a sofa, while watching a film on the VCR, as Spotlight is played in the background. One of my most cherished CDs is the You Can Dance: Single Edits Of Dance Mixes which remains the only digital source for this rarity.

03 Queen – Pain Is So Close To Pleasure (Remix) (EMI 7″, 1987)

Pain Is So Close To Pleasure was written by Freddie Mercury and John Deacon and was included on their 1986 album A Kind Of Magic, a key record for me during the very busy summer of 1986. In early 1987 it was released as a single in West Germany and Holland with import copies turning up in HMV Dublin. The version which appears on the single is a remix, rearranging much of the backing track from the original elements. Great falsetto!

04 Wham! – Where Did Your Heart Go? (7″ Edit) (Epic 7″, 1986)

Where Did Your Heart Go? was included on the final Wham! single, The Edge Of Heaven EP. In Europe, an edited version was released as 45 in its own right and for many years could only be found digitally on the West German CD Best Of Hit Album ’86, a foreign variant of the UK Hits series. Produced by Don Was and Dave Was, Where Did… is a brilliant vocal performance from George Michael and a clear sign of his stunning talent.

05 Sam Moore & Lou Reed – Soul Man (7″ Mix) (A&M 7″, 1986)

Back in good old days of VHS rentals, one film that hit the mark was 1986’s Soul Man, directed by Steve Miner. C. Thomas Howell stars as a nice white male law student who pretends to be a black man in order to qualify for a scholarship. Its title refers to the song of the same name by Isaac Hayes and David Porter; while the original soundtrack includes a version performed by Sam Moore and Lou Reed. The video featured Bruce Willis, Cybill Shepherd, Rae Dawn Chong, Ron Reagan Jr., George Segal, Jamie Farr, Ray Mancini and the children’s character Gumby, all lip synching to the song. And you get to see Lou smile!

06 Ryuichi Sakamoto featuring Iggy Pop – Risky (7″ Mix) (CBS 7″, 1987)

Neo Geo is a 1987 album by Ryuichi Sakamoto. The term “neo geo”, or “new world”, is derived from Sakamoto himself as a way to describe worldwide musical diversity in regard to genre. Iggy Pop created some perfect chemistry with Sakamoto on Risky, a beautifully subtle & meditative track from the golden age of pop. Meiert Avis directed two music videos, both dripping with big time sensuality. “But what is life without a heart?”

07 Peter Gabriel & Youssou N’Dour – Shakin’ The Tree (7″ Mix) (Virgin 7″, 1989)

Shakin’ The Tree was originally taken from the Youssou N’Dour album The Lion. The single was released in May 1989 and stalled at #61 in the UK. The following year, a “g” was added along with some new vocals to promote Peter Gabriel’s interesting Best Of. 12 or 16 Golden Greats depending on your choice of format. I have included the 1989 7″ mix and you can also find it on Polygram TV’s One Voice One Love. An uplifting & joyful classic.

08 Glenn & Chris – Diamond Lights (Record Shack 7″, 1987)

An ideal time for a slab of doom-laden synth pop. If this was by anybody else other than two “uncool” footballers, it wouldn’t have been dismissed. Uncool is in quotation marks as it wasn’t how I perceived them – rather it was the opinion of the music snobs and rockists of then and now. I remember the Top Of The Pops appearance – Glenn appeared more comfortable. In Smash Hits, Shane McGowan was reviewing the singles which included this. He said they should have named the song It’s A Doddle by Hoddle & Waddle.

09 Mel Brooks – To Be Or Not To Be (The Hitler Rap) (Part 1) (Island 7″, 1983)

To Be Or Not To Be was recorded by Mel Brooks in 1983 for Island Records. The song appeared on the soundtrack album for the movie of the same name. It was derived from the burlesque show within the film but did not appear within it. Lampshade51 says “Not only is it absolutely hilarious, but all of the major historical points in the rap are 100% accurate (except for Hitler running away to Argentina). The song itself is pretty catchy & the dancers are great.” The 7″ mix has always been hard to track down and never appears on compilations due to “um, problematic” reasons. But take a look here and smile.

10 Harry Enfield – Loadsamoney (Doin’ Up The House) (Mercury 7″, 1988)

Channel 4’s Saturday Night Live moved to Fridays for 1988 & one of my favourite sketches was Harry Enfield’s obnoxious plasterer who kept boasting about how much money he earned. This took on a life of its own with a single release that April, going all the way to #4. The song contains a brief samples of ABBA’s Money, Money, Money as well as the song Money, Money from Cabaret, performed by Liza Minnelli and The Flying Lizards’ Money. There are also two brief references to the song Big Spender. While compiled at the time on Telstar’s The Greatest Hits Of 1988, you rarely hear it nowadays which is a real shame.

11 Righeira – Vamos A La Playa (7″ Mix) (A&M 7″, 1983)

Righeira were an Italian Italo disco duo formed in Turin in 1983. Their second single, the infectious Vamos A La Playa had universal appeal and despite its #53 chart placing, managed to get quite a lot of airplay that summer. I remember it from the strawberry drills. Despite its ostensibly innocuous beach theme, the song actually talks about the explosion of an atomic bomb. There’s pure surrealism in those beats. Hats off to them.
“We go to the beach
At last the sea is clean
No more stinky fish
But fluorescent water”

12 Raff – Self Control (Part 1) (Carrere 7″, 1984)

Raffaele Riefoli started his music career in 1984 with the Self Control single, a #1 hit in Italy & Switzerland. It started the explosion & dominance of Italo disco-style recordings in continental European charts during the 1980s. On RTE Radio 2’s Saturday European chart show, it was a regular feature. On the sleeve he was credited as Raff but in many other instances, the second “f” is dropped. This original has such a different tone than Laura Branigan’s subsequent cover version from later on that year. It’s amazing how an artist can use the same material and create a completely different mood. Both are masterpieces.

13 O.K. – Okay! (7″ Mixed Media Edit) (Westside Music 7″, 1987)

Hailing from Frankfurt, O.K. released Okay! in 1987, reaching #1 in Austria and #2 in West Germany. It’s crazy mutant robotic disco with some inventive sampling. Marcus Gabler is owner of the Total Recall online shop (CDs, DVDs, books) & also runs the Mille Plateaux label while Robin Otis owns Energized Records. The others: advertising & architecture. All together: “GERMANY – TEN POINTS / L’ALLEMAGNE – DIX POINTS”.

14 Swimming With Sharks – Careless Love (7″ Mix) (WEA 7″, 1988)

Next up are the Humpes – Inga and Anete – collectively known as Swimming With Sharks for the UK release of their wonderful single Careless Love. Elsewhere it was credited to Humpe & Humpe. Sadly peaking at #63, it’s heavy with emotion and zips along in tide of Eurovision-style melancholy. One of the most perfect pop songs of all time, I have fond memories of hearing it during the Easter holidays of 1988. A bargain bin buy for many.

15 Alphaville – Sounds Like A Melody (7″ Mix) (WEA 7″, 1984)

West German compilation series Hot And New commenced in 1983 with a 13 track LP of current hits. By the following summer, WEA had released four volumes on vinyl & tape. The first one to receive a CD release was the fifth, simply titled Hot And New, which came out in October 1984. It’s a highly sought-after disc nowadays and a cool selection of very evocative Euro pop. The main draw is the 7″ mix of Alphaville’s Sounds Like A Melody, an aptly-titled synth piece from the latter. Ecstasy, jealousy and the comedy of love.

16 William Pitt – City Lights (7″ Mix) (Sierra 7″, 1987)

Another hazy memory from 1986 (also see the next track), City Lights became a much bigger deal upon its reissue the following year. A moody slice of Italo with some Balearic undertones, it’s perfect for a midnight urban setting and oozes with atmosphere. On a separate note, I’d also recommend this classic darkness record – James Last – Seduction.
“Secret light, no reveries
Got no time for memories
Follow me, don’t be afraid
Don’t hide away.”

17 Tracy Spencer – Run To Me (7″ Mix) (CBS 7″, 1986)

“Run, run, run to me,
Come back and stay this time.”
I first heard Tracy Spencer’s classic on my school tour to Italy which took place in August 1986. Endless nights in the open air disco at Genazzano, which was located about 30 miles outside Rome and about 10 minutes walk from our monastery base. Run To Me was one of the few records that I brought home, another was Clio’s Faces. Mater boni consilii.

18 Stewart Copeland – The Equalizer Busy Equalizing (Edit) (I.R.S. 7″, 1987)

“Got a problem? Odds against you? Call the Equalizer: 212 555 4200.”
The Equalizer was absolutely gripping stuff, originally airing between 1985 and 1989 so soundtracking the majority of my secondary school years. Edward Woodward was perfect as Robert McCall, a former covert operations officer of an unnamed US government intelligence organisation. The theme was composed by The Police’s Stewart Copeland, a stark electronic composition that’s ideal for night driving. Find on IRS: The Singles.

19 Justin Hayward – It Won’t Be Easy (Theme From The BBC-TV Series Star Cops) (BBC 7″, 1987)

Blink and you probably missed it. Star Cops was broadcast by BBC2 during the summer months of 1987. It remains my favourite sci-fi series of all times, despite just consisting of nine episodes. It was devised by Chris Boucher, a writer who had previously worked on Doctor Who and Blake’s 7. The theme tune sung by The Moody Blues’ Justin Hayward was hated by many, including critic Kim Newman (“worst single tv theme tune of any tv show ever”). Not me – I think it’s sung perfectly and definitely the right choice for the show.

20 The Crowd – You’ll Never Walk Alone (Spartan 7″, 1985)

1985 was the era of charity records. The year started with Band Aid still at #1 while USA For Africa’s We Are The World would also get a slice of the action in the late spring. 11 May 1985 was the day Manchester City clinched promotion from Division 2. A great day; I was listening avidly to BBC Radio all afternoon. The previous few weeks were wobbly and I really thought they had blown it. Sadly that same day, 56 people died in shocking fire at Bradford City’s Valley Parade ground. In the weeks that followed, charity supergroup The Crowd released a version of You’ll Never Walk Alone that topped the UK charts in mid-June. It’s only ever got one CD release – on the Dutch compilation Hot Music Summer.

DISC 5: A 12″ CELEBRATION
01 Paul Simon – Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes (Extended Remix) (Warner Bros 12″, 1986)

At its core, Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes is a celebration of music and the power it has to connect people from different cultures and backgrounds. Paul Simon’s decision to collaborate with African musicians on the Graceland album was a bold move at the time, but it paid off over time. The lyrics touches on themes of loneliness and isolation with poignant lines like “Well, that’s one way to lose these walking blues.” The 12″ mix is sublime, extending the rhythms into a joyous ode to diversity and unity. Turn it up!

02 Ronny – If You Want Me To Stay (Dance Mix) (Polydor 12″, 1981)

“And that’s all the weather.”
If You Want To Stay was an inspired choice for this underrated new romantic number – era-wise, rather than in sound. On production duties were Midge Ure and Rusty Egan who met androgynous Parisian model Ronny in the French nightclub Privilege. The track has a strong European cabaret vibe with a cool spoken word interlude. Ronny also did a duet with Steve Strange called The Lady Is A Tramp but the single was never released.

03 Thompson Twins – Make Believe (Special Extended Version) (Arista 12″, 1982)

Make Believe dates back to the pre-trio era of 1982. Originally included on their 1981 post-punk debut A Product Of… (Participation), it was remixed a year later and this Special Extended Version remains a US exclusive that only surfaced on an Arista promo known as the Extra Special Tuneful Twosome. It’s now been over 15 years since the band’s back catalogue was reissued and there are still ahem, gaps. A comprehensive box set would really be welcome at this stage. Or even an entry in the Japanese Singles Collection series.

04 Joe Jackson – You Can’t Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want) (Specially Remixed Version) (A&M 12″, 1984)

While not coming anywhere close to the perfect Friday evening record that was Night & Day, Joe Jackson’s 1984 album Body & Soul remains a solid jazzy effort. I remember the LP coming out in March 1984 while the CD was delayed until October. The latter carried the SPARS code “DDD” signifying an album that had been recorded, mixed and mastered digitally, without an intermediate analogue conversion. This excellent Jellybean 12″ remix contains some fine horn solos and nifty breakdowns and is hugely evocative of that time.

05 George Harrison – Got My Mind Set On You (Extended Version) (Dark Horse 12″, 1987)

This was written and composed by Rudy Clark and originally recorded by James Ray in 1962. George Harrison first heard it the following year but waited until 1987 to record and release it. October 1987 was when I started going to discos in earnest and for a few weeks it was played every Friday. An simple yet addictive dancefloor smash. The extended mix with punchier drums on the intro is fabulous, a textbook example of a perfect 12″ single that doesn’t outstay its welcome. A triumphant return for the Beatle and an enduring classic.

06 The Psychedelic Furs – Shock (Shep Pettibone Mix) (Columbia 12″, 1987)

I remember Shock being played by Dave Fanning during June 1987 while taking breaks from studying AKA cramming. It was a decent tune and the third release from their Midnight To Midnight album. But it’s the 12″ mix where everything really comes together – a fantastic mix from Shep Pettibone that expertly combines the Furs’ atmospheric rock grooves with a serious dance beat. This is definitely a track that fully deserves a regular place on the ubiquitous 12″ mix collections but always misses out.

07 The Alarm – Rain In The Summertime (Thunder Mix) (I.R.S. 12″, 1987)

“Well, the Jacks are back. And what an All-Ireland we have for you tonight.”
So announced Bono as U2 took to the stage on 29 June 1985. Retold by Colm O’Callaghan here. My first concert and prior to the headliners, I saw sets from In Tua Nua, R.E.M., The Alarm and Squeeze. Rain In The Summertime reached #18 on the UK singles chart and was lifted from The Eye Of The Hurricane LP. The stunning Thunder Mix was attributed to Steve Thompson & Michael Barbiero and was exclusive to the US & Japanese 12″s.

08 Robert Palmer – You Are In My System (Remix) (Island 12″, 1983)

Unfairly maligned by hipsters as an AOR dinosaur on the strength of one unrepresentative track (Addicted To Love), Robert Palmer’s rich back catalogue is full of musical jewels. You Are In My System was originally recorded by The System in 1982. Palmer had finished recording his Pride album when he heard the track plating at a night club. He quickly went back and cut his own version within 24 hours. It remains an electro-funk masterpiece.

09 Tina Turner – One Of The Living (Special Club Mix) (Capitol 12″, 1985)

This is everything that a 1980s opening scene soundtrack should be. Tina’s vocal just soars, like blasting through concrete. The track was one of two songs Turner recorded for the soundtrack for the Australian post-apocalyptic film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (in which she also co-starred alongside Mel Gibson). The song was written by Holly Knight who also wrote The Best and Better Be Good To Me. It’s mixed by Steve Thompson & Michael Barbiero and still sounds amazing, especially this exclusive Special Club Mix.

10 Lindsey Buckingham – Go Insane (Extended Remix) (Mercury 12″, 1984)

Billboard described Go Insane as “aggressive, electronic dance-rock.” In later years, Buckingham has stated that the song was actually written about his seven-year-old (at that time) post-break up relationship with former lover, Stevie Nicks. It was used in The Great McCarthy, an excellent season 1 episode of Miami Vice which is how I first heard it. The track failed to chart on this side of the world so was a cheapie. This 12″ mix is just savage.

11 INXS – Black & White (Extended Version) (ATCO 12″, 1983)

I was aware of INXS from seeing What You Need & Original Sin on MT USA but otherwise they were pretty unknown in Ireland. That all changed in October 1987 when Kick was released. I first heard Need You Tonight followed by Mediate in the Crosbie Motor Hotel. Life-changing. One of my holy grails when tracking down their back catalogue was the 1983 Australia only 12″ Dance which contains an extended version of the single Black & White from their wonderful LP Shabooh Shoobah. Deluxe editions urgently needed now!

12 Kraftwerk – The Telephone Call (Remix) (EMI 12″, 1987)

“To me, Electric Café sounds like it was influenced by the artists that they themselves influenced.” (Esteban Rincon). My first Kraftwerk album and one that took me months to get my head around. So this is where the future was. The music video always makes me emotional with its beautiful melodies and perfectly sung lyrics. But it’s the 12″ version that’s really shines – what a bassline! Techno pop at its best for eight glorious minutes.

Promo Disc
Instead of the usual selection of highlights, I’ve compiled a promo disc made up of tracks that don’t feature on The ’80s Box.

01 Kate Bush – Breathing (Single Mix)
02 Huang Chung – Dance Hall Days (1982 Single Version)
03 The Beat – Can’t Get Used To Losing You (1983 Remix Version)
04 The Style Council – The Lodgers (7″ Mix)
05 Hipsway – Ask The Lord (A New Version)
06 Feargal Sharkey – You Little Thief (7″ Mix)
07 Gino Vannelli – Wild Horses
08 The Kinks – How Are You (7″ Mix)
09 Mike & The Mechanics – Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground) (7″ Mix)
10 Farley Jackmaster Funk – Love Can’t Turn Around (7″ Mix)
11 The Housemaster Boyz & The Rude Boy Of House – House Nation (Remix Edit)
12 M/A/R/R/S – Pump Up The Volume (Original 7″ Version)
13 Run DMC – It’s Tricky (Remix)
14 Mory Kante – Yé Ké Yé Ké (7″ Mix)
15 Matia Bazar – Ti Sento
16 Fancy – Bolero (Hold Me In Your Arms Again)
17 The Commentators – N-N-Nineteen Not Out
18 Jim Diamond – Hi Ho Silver (7″ Mix)
19 Ennio Morricone – Chi Mai (Theme From The BBC-TV Series The Life & Times Of David Lloyd George) (7″ Mix)
20 The Concerned – Show Some Concern

PROMO DISC
01 Kate Bush – Breathing (Single Mix) (EMI 7″, 1980)

Breathing is the story of a worried foetus, frightened by nuclear fallout. The lyrics also refer to the unborn baby absorbing nicotine from the mother’s smoking. Bush later described the song as her “little symphony”, adding that the information within the song mostly came from a documentary she had seen about the effects of nuclear war, while the tone of the song was inspired by Pink Floyd’s The Wall. On the Greenpeace compilation, we are treated to the single mix which is otherwise unavailable on CD.

02 Huang Chung – Dance Hall Days (1982 Single Version) (Arista 7″, 1982)

Dance Hall Days screams early 1984 for me and will always be associated with that period. Its unique melody and somewhat incomprehensible lyrics – “We were so in phase” will always sound like “We was up in the vias” to me. But the song and band had an earlier incarnation – in 1982, Huang Chung released the track in its original form. While it’s less polished that the later re-recorded take, it possesses a vitality that’s hard to pin down.

03 The Beat – Can’t Get Used To Losing You (1983 Remix Version) (Go-Feet 7″, 1983)

Can’t Get Used To Losing You was written by Jerome “Doc” Pomus and Mort Shuman. It was first made popular by Andy Williams in 1963. The Beat originally recorded their cover as a track on their 1980 album I Just Can’t Stop It. It was not released as a single until three years later, just as the band announced that they were breaking up. This 1983 remix runs for about 20 seconds longer than the 1980 version and is a lot harder to find digitally. Smash Hits Years 1983 is your friend. 40 years later, the song takes me right back to then.

04 The Style Council – The Lodgers (7″ Mix) (Polydor 7″, 1985)

1985 is my favourite year for albums ever. There were at least 50 or 60 decent LPs released in those 12 months of which the Style Council’s Our Favourite Shop is my second favourite after Dexys Midnight Runners’ masterpiece Don’t Stand Me Down. Also known as The Lodgers (Or She Was Only a Shopkeeper’s Daughter), Paul Weller sings “No peace for the wicked, only war for the poor.” The 7″ mix runs 20 seconds short of the album version and finally appeared on the great Long Hot Summers – The Story Of The Style Council.

05 Hipsway – Ask The Lord (A New Version) (Mercury 7″, 1986)

Scottish pop combo Hipsway were formed in 1984 with ex-Altered Images bassist Jon McElhone and Graham Skinner on vocals. They signed to to Mercury and Ask The Lord was their second 45 reaching #72 in October 1985. The breakthrough came with The Honeythief during spring ’86 but it’s the former that’s the better tune; sprawling sophisti-soul with a driving rhythm. A heavenly pop hit that got a new remix in 1986 (climbing to #50 in the UK the second time around) & can be found on High Life – Bärenstark!.

06 Feargal Sharkey – You Little Thief (7″ Mix) (Virgin 7″, 1985)

Feargal Sharkey’s solo career was rather unremarkable on the face of it. But dig inside and there are gems. The first was non-album single Loving You, released during mid-1985, all big-time sensuality and a lovely melody. The second was You Little Thief, the follow up to the AOR #1 single A Good Heart. “Absolutely brilliant song. The video is fantastic. Double drummers, dancing brass sections and hundreds of people walking up and down stairs for no obvious reason. It doesn`t get any better than that.” (David Eaton). And there’s one more for you – the languid 1991 sleeper I’ve Got News For You. Maybe on a ’90s set…

07 Gino Vannelli – Wild Horses (Polydor 7″, 1987)

Gino Vannelli was born to an Italian family in Montreal, Quebec. His father sang with the Montreal dance bands of trumpeters Bix Belair and Maynard Ferguson. His early ambition was to be a drummer. On Wild Horses, Vannelli serves up a dark concoction that reminds me of Martin Scorsese’s After Hours. The song is about a man’s nightmarish journey to Santa Fe, New Mexico where he frequently loses his bearings on his way to see a shaman.

08 The Kinks – How Are You (7″ Mix) (London 7″, 1986)

The Kinks’ regretful and sad How Are You remains one of their most undiscovered tracks. It originally appeared on Think Visual and the 7″ edit can be found on High Life – Da Geht Die Post Ab! It got as far as #86 in the UK and was their last charting single. A far cry from the hit-packed days of the 1960s. Think Visual remains an interesting LP – according to Ray Davies, it was originally going to be a concept album where his “spiv” character from the Come Dancing music video was put in the environment of a video shop. Fascinating.

09 Mike & The Mechanics – Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground) (7″ Mix) (WEA 7″, 1985)

Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground) comes from the same era as You Little Thief and (Nothing Serious) Just Buggin’ – the Hits 4 era. The opening track on their self-titled first album, it was also their debut single and features a strong vocal from Paul Carrack. Banned during The Gulf War, its spacey feel can be put down to the lyrics – “The song is about a guy who’s travelled light-years away, out in space somewhere, and he’s ahead in time. Therefore he knows what’s going to happen to his wife and kids back home, on Earth. And he’s trying to get the message to them to say what’s going to happen, the kind of anarchy, the breakdown of society, to tell them to be prepared.” (Mike Rutherford)

10 Farley Jackmaster Funk – Love Can’t Turn Around (7″ Mix) (D.J. International 7″, 1986)

September 1986: Love Can’t Turn Around on Top Of The Pops. If you saw it, you never forgot it. Such flamboyance and joy! For most people in UK and Ireland, it was their first exposure to house music. Daryl Pandy’s freestyle performance was amazing – “How y’all doin'” – and his six octave vocal range. The House Remix 12″ was later included on the fantastic Now Dance ’86 – The 12″ Mixes, which ended up under many a Christmas tree.

11 The Housemaster Boyz & The Rude Boy Of House – House Nation (Remix Edit) (Magnetic Dance, 1987)

The Housemaster Boyz hammer it home with House Nation. In some settings it sounds almost primitive. MJB says “The production quality is atrocious. It’s recorded in mono, mastered with almost no bass, and the tape has numerous dropouts. Even by house music standards, it’s awfully repetitive and simplistic.” But on a club system, it smokes. Watch everybody dance. As far as I know the only place to find the UK 7″ remix on CD is on Telstar’s wonderful The Greatest Hits Of 1987. It’s produced by the legendary Farley “Jackmaster” Funk, House Nation followed Love Can’t Turn Around into the UK top 10.

12 M/A/R/R/S – Pump Up The Volume (Original 7″ Version) (4AD 7″, 1987)

Time for a one hit wonder of rare influence. A 4AD dust-up with AR Kane vs Colourbox. And a Grammy nomination. Spot the sample. Finished at #1 on my top 50 1987. Colourbox were already a favourite as I had bagged the debut album, the World Cup Theme 12″ along with the the mini LP that has the horse on the cover. The title comes from an Eric B. & Rakim sample off I Know You Got Soul. As the record climbed the charts, the single ran into legal difficulties. When it had reached #2, an injunction was obtained against it by pop music producers Stock Aitken Waterman, who objected to the use of a sample from their hit single Roadblock. The Dutch preserved it on Formel Eins – Space Hits.

13 Run DMC – It’s Tricky (Remix) (London 7″, 1987)

It’s Tricky was lifted from Raising Hell, Run DMC’s massive third LP. The cassette version of the album was available from our school’s music library and was a constant play during lunchtimes. The song sampled The Knack’s My Sharona and 20 years later, the latter sued on the basis that no permission was sought. A #16 chart hit, the 7″ version (remixed by Shep Pettibone) was always er, tricky to find on CD but once again, the West Germans have your back – you can find it on the excellent High Life – Die Heißen Nummern.

14 Mory Kante – Yé Ké Yé Ké (7″ Mix) (Barclay 7″, 1987)

Probably one of the most positive and upbeat feel-good tracks ever, Yé Ké Yé Ké was described by Music & Media as “a festive and very rhythmic chant, with stirring vocals wrapped in an unbridled, energetic production”. It was a massive European hit in 1988 and that’s when I first heard it. In Ireland it reached #10 while UK buyers could only propel it to #29. In 1994 it was remixed by Hardfloor & caned by Tom & Emma in the bedsits of Beechwood Avenue. Also huge in the UFO / Alien club, Columbia Mills.

15 Matia Bazar – Ti Sento (Ariston 7″, 1986)

Ti Sento topped the charts in Belguim, Holland and Italy during 1986. It’s another track that brings back holiday flashbacks – opera meets Italo and a magnificent synth screamer. The lung-busting vocal was provided by Antonella Ruggiero. Chris Lowe would later include it on his disc of the Pet Shop Boys – Back To Mine. “I’ve chosen a few records to play. Songs about love, friendship, sex, religion, hope and despair. Starting with early 80s electro and Italian disco, through rock, gospel and ending with classic Dusty.”

16 Fancy – Bolero (Hold Me In Your Arms Again) (Delta 7″, 1986)

“We can still survive,
Driftwood on the stream of life.”
Another fond memory from my Italian holiday of 1986. If you haven’t already heard it, Fancy’s Bolero will break your hearts; the ultimate Italo disco tune with its oh so-sad melodies and truly haunting keyboard sounds. The best of the best and a true piece of art. “Come into the twilight zone.”

17 The Commentators – N-N-Nineteen Not Out (Oval 7″, 1985)

Which brings us to Rory Bremner. The Commentators was a one-off name used for N-N-Nineteen Not Out which was a parody of Paul Hardcastle’s 19 (a UK #1 for five weeks during April & May 1985). Bremner impersonates a series of BBC cricket commentators and replaces Hardcastle’s Vietnam war references with quips about the 1984 Test series between England and the West Indies. In that contest the England captain David Gower achieved and average of how many runs? 19. A shadowy memory from pop’s fun box.

18 Jim Diamond – Hi Ho Silver (7″ Mix) (A&M 7″, 1986)

If he did nothing else, Jim Diamond would be immortalised for his stirring vocal on PhD’s sublime I Won’t Let You Down. In 1984, he came from out of nowhere with I Should Have Known Better. 83-40-13-3-2-1. It stayed at the summit for one week before being deposed by Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s The Power Of Love. In 1986 he released the jaunty Hi Ho Silver, which became the theme tune for Central TV’s Boon, hugely entertaining viewing. The 7″ mix has only appeared on CD once – on Musikladen Eurotops where it’s listed as 4:14 (incorrect) but the actual playing time is 3:59 which matches my original 7″ single.

19 Ennio Morricone – Chi Mai (Theme From The BBC-TV Series The Life & Times Of David Lloyd George) (7″ Mix) (BBC 7″, 1981)

Chi Mai is Italian for whoever. It was composed by Ennio Morricone back in 1971 and was first used in the film Maddalena and also appeared in Le Professionnel (1981) as well as in the television series An Englishman’s Castle (1978). In 1981, Chi Mai was used as the theme music for the BBC series The Life & Times Of David Lloyd George and went all the way to #2 in the UK. It reminds me of The Good Room, as told in my review of Reflections.

20 The Concerned – Show Some Concern (Revolving 7″, 1985)

Show Some Concern was written by Paul Cleary of The Blades for the Irish charity Concern with the purpose being to assist with famine relief in Ethopia & Sudan. Clannad, Twink, Stockton’s Wing, Toy with Rhythm, The Golden Horde, Those Nervous Animals, Mary Black, Maxi, Flo McSweeney, Linda Martin, Christy Moore, Freddie White, Ray Lynam, Red Hurley, Johnny Duhan were all involved. It bumped Easy Lover off the #1 spot for three weeks in March 1985, before being itself toppled by We Are The World. And 38 years on, Ireland’s Greatest Hits is the only place where it can be found on CD. Dig that sax!