Silver discs(May 1980) [A monthly look back at the top singles of 25 years ago]
The three best records from the Top 10 (7th May 1980) Dexy's Midnight Runners - Geno: Before Eileen (and well before dustman chic gave way to dungarees) there was Geno. This song was a heartfelt tribute to soul legend Geno Washington, recalling dark sweaty nights spent in 60s soul clubs popping dexedrine (or Dexys) to stay awake. From the opening horns to Kevin Rowland's passionate vocal, this was a record that leapt out of the radio like nothing else around at the time. Kevin recently tried to make a comeback, but was far too leftfield to succeed, whereas soulman Geno still performs regularly all over the country (Poole last weekend, Birmingham next).
"Oh the crowd they all hailed you and chanted your name, but they never knew that me and you were the same. And now you're all over, your song is so tame. You fed me, you bred me, I'll remember your name " Blondie - Call Me: The middle one of three chart toppers for Blondie in this year, co-written by Giorgio Moroder and as heard in the film American Gigolo. You probably don't remember all those facts because at the time you were more likely obsessed either by being Debbie Harry or by wanting to shag her. I'm surprised no mobile phone company has yet used this in an advert.
"Cover me with kisses, baby, cover me with love. Roll me in designer sheets, I'll never get enough. Emotions come, I don't know why, cover up love's alibi, call me. " Undertones - My Perfect Cousin: Two minutes of vitriol aimed at smug, stuck-up, bookish relatives - perfect so long as you weren't called Kevin. I certainly never saw anyone at school wearing a fur lined sheepskin jacket after Feargal & Co appeared on Top of the Pops performing this little monster. This was the Undertones' biggest hit (Teenage Kicks only reached 31) and quite probably the only song ever to namecheck both Subbuteo and the Human League.
"Oh my perfect cousin, what I like to do he doesn't. He's his family's pride and joy, his mothers little golden boy. He's got a degree in economics, maths, physics and bionics. He thinks that I'm a cabbage cos I hate University Challenge."
My three favourite records from May 1980 (at the time) Sky - Toccata: Sky were a group of clasically trained session musicians whose forte was rehashing popular classics with a synthesiser bent - cousin Kevin would have loved them. More of an album band really, and my Dad must have ended up with the entire discography by the time sufficient birthdays and Christmases had passed by. Four Bucketeers - The Bucket Of Water Song: On Saturday mornings back in 1980 you'd either have been swapping old toys with Keith Chegwin or drooling uncontrollably over Sally James. The Tiswas gang hit the charts eighteen months before their BBC rivals with this silly (but adorable) march, penned by John Gorman (previously of the Scaffold). Novelty records were so much better in those days. Jona Lewie - You'll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties: This is more like it. A plaintive anthem for all us wallflowers who hate the enforced sociability of parties and would rather hide out of the way close to the fridge. The record would have flopped had Dave Lee Travis not overheard it while walking down a Radio 1 corridor and made it his record of the week. See, he wasn't all bad. Jona wrote some fantastic off the wall tracks during his career, but it's this classic that still claims a place on my iPod Shuffle.
20 other hits from 25 years ago: Coming Up (Paul McCartney), Silver Dream Machine (David Essex), Don't Push It Don't Force It (Leon Haywood), The Groove (Rodney Franklin), I Shoulda Loved Ya (Narada Michael Walden), Wheels Of Steel (Saxon), Ne-Ne Na-Na Na-Na Nu-Nu (Bad Manners), Breathing (Kate Bush), Fool For Your Loving (Whitesnake), A Forest (Cure), Mirror In The Bathroom (Beat), She's Out Of My Life (Michael Jackson), Police And Thieves (Junior Murvin), Midnite Dynamos (Matchbox), We Are Glass (Gary Numan), Rat Race (Specials), Messages (Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark), No Self Control (Peter Gabriel), I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles (Cockney Rejects), Nobody's Hero/Tin Soldiers (Stiff Little Fingers)
Silver discs (May 1980) [A monthly look back at the top singles of 25 years ago]
Dexy's Midnight Runners - Geno: Before Eileen (and well before dustman chic gave way to dungarees) there was Geno. This song was a heartfelt tribute to soul legend Geno Washington, recalling dark sweaty nights spent in 60s soul clubs popping dexedrine (or Dexys) to stay awake. From the opening horns to Kevin Rowland's passionate vocal, this was a record that leapt out of the radio like nothing else around at the time. Kevin recently tried to make a comeback, but was far too leftfield to succeed, whereas soulman Geno still performs regularly all over the country (Poole last weekend, Birmingham next).
