prussianblue

He's also the one playing the harmonica in Chaka Khan's I Feel for You!

Seems fitting that Mick Jagger's contribution has had such staying power.

A child with exquisite taste.

The tastes of the mid-80s record-buying public were nothing if not diverse. Into the Groove, an upbeat, enduring classic was (rightfully) no.1 for four weeks, but that achievement was equalled by the dreary, utterly forgettable Frankie.

42 George Michael — Careless Whisper 42 Nena – 99 Red Balloons 39 Madonna – Into The Groove +2 34 Feargal Sharkey – A Good Heart 27 Frankie goes to Hollywood – Relax 27 Philip Bailey & Phil Collins – Easy Lover 26 Eurythmics – There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart) 24 Dead or Alive – You spin me round (like a record) +1 23 Midge Ure – If I Was 23 Phyllis Nelson – Move Closer -3 22 Frankie Goes to Hollywood – Two Tribes +1 21 Frankie goes to Hollywood – The power of love 21 Duran Duran – The Reflex 21 Chaka Khan – I feel for you 21 Foreigner – I want to know what love is 21 Wham - Wake me up before you go go 20 Jim Diamond – I should have known better 19 Shakin´ Stevens – Merry Christmas everyone 18 Wham – I`m your man 17 Wham – Freedom 15 UB40 & Chrissie Hynde – I got you babe 11 Whitney Houston – Saving all my love for you 11 Paul Hardcastle – 19  9 Jennifer Rush – The power of love 9 Sister Sledge – Frankie -3 7 David Bowie & Mick Jagger – Dancing in the street

Afraid for me it's only really effective at making me nauseous, which I'm guessing wasn't Stevie's intention. It's another example of the massive commercial successes not surviving the poll. Only Band Aid outsold it. Incidentally re. Good Frankie, Relax and Two Tribes were the 3rd and 4th best-selling of 1984.

Some enviable genetics in the Bruce family!

Just finished listening to them all. Very much falling into binary love/hate categories for me. Most of the stuff I really rate is already pulling away, so bumping a few others up to help isolate the freaks at the bottom (Stevie Wonder vocoder! ) 29 George Michael – Careless Whisper 28 Madonna – Into the groove 28 Nena — 99 red balloons 26 Eurythmics – There must be an angel (playing with my heart) 24 Midge Ure - If I Was 23 Frankie goes to Hollywood – Relax 22 Feargal Sharkey — A good heart 22 Paul Hardcastle – 19 21 Dead or Alive – You spin me round (like a record) 21 Duran Duran — The Reflex 21 Philip Bailey & Phil Collins – Easy Lover 21 Frankie goes to Hollywood – The power of love 21 Chaka Khan – I feel for you 21 Foreigner – I want to know what love is +1 21 Jennifer Rush – The power of love +1 20 Wham – Freedom 20 Phyllis Nelson – Move closer 20 UB40 & Chrissie Hynde – I got you babe 20 Shakin´ Stevens – Merry Christmas everyone 20 Wham — I`m your man 19 Wham – Wake me up before you go go 18 Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Two Tribes +2 18 Elaine Paige & Barbara Dickson – I know him so well 18 Sister Sledge – Frankie  18 Paul McCartney - Pipes of Peace 18 Jim Diamond – I should have known better -2 16 Whitney Houston – Saving all my love for you 16 Lionel Richie – Hello 12 David Bowie & Mick Jagger – Dancing in the street 12 Stevie Wonder – I just called to say I love you -2 10 The Crowd - You'll Never Walk Alone -2

That's the best-selling single of the whole decade now binned.

66 Kraftwerk – The Model / Computer Love 54 Madness – House of Fun 44 Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse of the heart 31 Men at Work – Down Under 26 The Jam – Town called Malice / Precious -6 23 The Police — Every breath you take +4 13 Irene Cara — Fame

66 Kraftwerk – The Model / Computer Love 62 Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse of the heart 56 Madness – House of Fun 30 The Jam – Town called Malice -6 29 Men at Work – Down Under 22 The Police – Every breath you take 15 David Bowie – Let's Dance 11 Duran Duran – Is There Something I Should Know? +4 10 Irene Cara – Fame 

57 Kraftwerk – The Model / Computer Love 52 Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse of the Heart 47 Madness – House of Fun 37 Men at Work – Down Under 34 The Jam — Town called Malice 28 David Bowie – Let's Dance 28 The Police – Every breath you take +2 26 Duran Duran – Is There Something I Should Know? 24 Culture Club – Do you really want to hurt me? 22 Flying Pickets – Only You -3 20 Eddy Grant – I Don't Wanna Dance -3 16 Irene Cara — Fame +2 08 KC & the Sunshine Band – Give It Up

You mean Arlene Fraser. A murder plot involving Arlene Foster would be quite a different scenario! On this topic, I'd mention an interest in the other two notable Scottish murder cases with convictions but no body, those of Suzanne Pilley: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Suzanne_Pilley and Margaret Fleming, which is my favourite true crime case, if one can have such a thing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Margaret_Fleming. The BBC documentary about the latter case is fascinating.

Just wanted to thank those playing along on the '80s UK no.1s thread. It's been a source of entertainment and distraction at a very difficult time. My father-in-law died on the 5th, after getting ill just after Christmas and being hospitalised on the 2nd. Flu and strep A. Very much an unexpected death, as he was strong as an ox. He was also more of a father to me than my biological one, so it's a heavy personal blow. The funeral is tomorrow, so I might not be around to deduct points from Phil Collins et al!

47 Kraftwerk – The Model / Computer Love 46 The Jam – A town called Malice 42 Bonne Tyler — Total eclipse of the heart 40 Men at Work – Down Under 40 Madness – House of fun 33 Eddy Grant - I Don't Wanna Dance 32 Flying Pickets – Only you 31 The Police – Every breath you take +2 31 Culture Club – Do you really want to hurt me? 30 Duran Duran – Is There Something I Should Know? 30 KC & the Sunshine Band – Give it up 27 Spandau Ballet – True +2 26 David Bowie – Let's Dance 22 Irene Cara — Fame 16 Kajagoogoo – Too shy 15 Paul Young – Wherever I lay my hat (that's my home) 10 Phil Collins – You can´t hurry love 4 Captain Sensible - Happy Talk -6 Happy to help send Happy Talk on its way, as it’s fucking atrocious. Much like the film of South Pacific.

Arguably more conspiracy theory than mystery, but I have a fascination for the Lost Cosmonauts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Cosmonauts (Not to be confused with the lostprophets...)

I have the dimmest memory of news coverage of Gene Kelly dying. I would have been 7 (February '96). Slightly stronger memory of James Stewart (July '97), and then shortly after that the indelible one of Diana's death. My shocked parents broke the news, but I had no idea who she was, and was completely indifferent.

I prefer Karma Chameleon to Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?, but the people have spoken. That's now everybody in contention with just one entry each.

Spent yesterday listening to all of them to familiarise myself with the ones that were unknown to me, or I just hadn’t heard in years. Thank Christ New Edition didn’t last! Computer Love was my pleasant surprise. Given their current position, interesting to note that Karma Chameleon and Uptown Girl were respectively the best and 2nd best-selling singles of 1983. 43 Kraftwerk – The Model / Computer Love +2 41 The Jam – Town called Malice 39 Madness – House of fun 37 Men at Work – Down Under 33 Bonnie Tyler — Total ellipse of the heart 31 The Police – Every breath you take 30 Culture Club – Do you really want to hurt me? 30 Duran Duran – Is There Something I Should Know? 28 David Bowie – Let's Dance 28 Flying Pickets – Only you 27 Spandau Ballet – True 25 KC & the Sunshine Band – Give it up 25 Eddy Grant – I don´t wanna dance 25 Irene Cara – Fame 24 Kajagoogoo – Too shy 23 Captain Sensible – Happy Talk -2 18 Survivor – Eye of the tiger +1 16 Paul Young – Wherever I lay my hat (that's my home) -2 15 Phil Collins – You can´t hurry love 12 Musical Youth – Pass the Dutchie -2 11 Bucks Fizz – The Land of Make Believe 06 Billy Joel – Uptown Girl 05 Culture Club – Karma Chameleon +1 02 Adam Ant — Goody two shoes

36 Madness – House of fun 35 Kraftwerk – The Model / Computer Love 31The Jam – Town called Malice 29 David Bowie – Let´s Dance 28 Captain Sensible – Happy Talk 28 Bonnie Tyler – Total eclipse of the heart 28 Irene Cara – Fame 28 Men at Work – Down Under 27 Police – Every Breath You Take +1 25 Eddy Grant – I don´t wanna dance 24 Flying Pickets – Only you 24 Culture Club – Do you really want to hurt me 24 Kajagoogoo – Too shy 23 Musical Youth — Pass the Dutchie 23 Spandau Ballet – True +1 22 Duran Duran – Is There Something I Should Know 22 Survivor – Eye of the tiger 21 Billy Joel — Uptown Girl +1 20 Phil Collins – You can´t hurry love 20 Paul Young – Wherever I lay my hat (that's my home) 20 KC & the Sunshine Band – Give it up 18 The Jam – Beat Surrender 17 Adam Ant – Goody two shoes 17 Bucks Fizz – The Land of Make Believe 16 Nicole – A little peace 15 Culture Club – Karma Chameleon +1 14 Rod Stewart – Baby Jane 13 New Edition – Candy Girl 10 Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come on Eileen -6

This list is where my intense loathing for Come On Eileen competes against my burning hatred for UB40.

This list seems HUGE! 24 David Bowie – Let´s dance 24 Kraftwerk – The Model / Computer Love 22 Bonnie Tyler – Total eclipse of the heart 22 Madness – House of fun 22 Musical Youth – Pass the dutchie 22 Spandau Ballet – True +2 22 Police – Every breath you take +2 20 Bucks Fizz – The land of make believe 20 The Jam – A town called Malice 20 Tight Fit – The lion sleeps tonight 20 Goombay Dance Band – 7 tears 20 Bucks Fizz – My camera never lies 20 Nicole – A little peace 20 Adam Ant – Goody two shoes 20 Captain Sensible – Happy Talk 20 Irene Cara – Fame 20 Survivor – Eye of the tiger 20 Culture Club – Do you really want to hurt me 20 Eddy Grant – I don´t wanna dance 20 The Jam – Beat Surrender 20 Renee & Renato – Save your love 20 Phil Collins – You can´t hurry love 20 Men at Work – Down Under 20 Kajagoogoo – Too shy 20 Michael Jackson – Billie Jean 20 Duran Duran – Is there something I should know 20 New Edition – Candy Girl 20 Rod Stewart – Baby Jane 20 Paul Young – Wherever I lay my hat (that's my home) 20 KC & the Sunshine Band – Give it up  20 UB40 – Red red wine 20 Culture Club – Karma Chameleon 20 Billy Joel – Uptown Girl 20 Flying Pickets – Only you 16 Charlene – I´ve never been to me 14 Shakin´ Stevens – Oh Julie 12 Dexy´s Midnight Runners – Come On Eileen -6 8 Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder – Ebony and Ivory

49 Soft Cell — Tainted Love 37 The Human League — Don`t You Want Me +2 33 David Bowie — Ashes to Ashes +2 32 Blondie — Atomic 12 The Specials — Ghost Town 3 Blondie — Call Me -6 Needs the coup de grâce.

58 Soft Cell — Tainted Love 38 The Human League — Don't You Want Me +2 36 The Specials — Ghost Town 31 David Bowie — Ashes to Ashes +2 28 Blondie — Atomic 18 Blondie — Call Me -3 17 The Pretenders — Brass in Pocket -3 Fascinating to see the rise and fall of some of these. The days of Xanadu riding high are long gone, and now Brass in Pocket tanking.