Silver discs(June 1980) [A monthly look back at the top singles of 25 years ago]
The three best records from the Top 10 (3rd June 1980) M*A*S*H - Theme from M*A*S*H (Suicide Is Painless): How cheerful - a sweet little ditty about the futility of life lifted from the 1970 movie version of M*A*S*H. The film's producer, Robert Altman, wanted a funny but stupid song to accompany the 'last supper' scene and so asked his teenage son Mike to write the lyrics. Result: one very rich son. The Manic Street Preachers returned the song to the Top Ten in 1992, alas presciently.
"The game of life is hard to play, I'm gonna lose it anyway, The losing card I'll someday lay, so this is all I have to say: Suicide is painless, it brings on many changes and I can take or leave it if I please" Lipps Inc - Funkytown: I don't think I fully appreciated this cheesy masterpiece back in 1980, probably because I wasn't frequenting disco dancefloors at the time. Or maybe I just hadn't spotted the desperately clever pun behind the name of the group. The tune may be basic and the lyrics may be trite but the overall effect is still as hooky as barbed wire, even today.
"Gotta make a move to a town that's right for me, town to keep me movin' keep me groovin' with some energy. Well I talk about it talk about it talk about it talk about it, talk about talk about talk about movin'" Specials - Rat Race: A well-aimed gobbet of anti-student vitriol, laid down in black and white by Jerry Dammers and his 2 Tone supergroup. The ska lads had emerged from Coventry the year before, rude boys all, and had yet to be eclipsed by labelmates Madness. Musical youth had rarely been so street, so angry and still yet so hip. Porkpie hat and loafers, anyone?
"You're working at your leisure to learn the things you'll need, the promises you make tomorrow will carry no guarantee, I've seen your qualifications, you've got a Ph.D. I've got one art O level - it did nothing for me"
My favourite record from June 1980 (at the time) Gary Numan - We Are Glass: Don't worry, I was never a card-carrying bleach-faced Numanoid, I just sort of liked his early music. This track, however, was the first indication (post Cars) that our Gary might not be immortal after all. It shot into the charts at number 10, unheard of in those days, but stalled well short of the expected number 1 slot and vanished from the charts in six weeks flat. Nowadays all records slam and plummet like this, but Gary was nothing if not ahead of his time.
"We are cold. We're not supposed to cry but it's all just a thought so here am I. We are glass."
20 other hits from 25 years ago: No Doubt About It (Hot Chocolate), Crying (Don Maclean), Over You (Roxy Music), Let's Get Serious (Jermaine Jackson), You Gave Me Love (Crown Heights Affair), Let's Go Round Again (Average White Band), Back Together Again (Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway), Just Can't Give You Up (Mystic Merlin), D-A-A-Ance (Lambrettas), I'm Alive (Electric Light Orchestra), Don't Make Waves (Nolans), Behind The Groove (Teena Marie), Twilight Zone - Twilight Tone (Manhatten Transfer), Substitute (Liquid Gold), Little Jeannie (Elton John), Christine (Siouxsie & the Banshees), Play The Game (Queen), To Be Or Not To Be (BA Robertson), New Amsterdam (Elvis Costello), The Scratch (Surface Noise) ...which one would you pick?
Silver discs (June 1980) [A monthly look back at the top singles of 25 years ago]
M*A*S*H - Theme from M*A*S*H (Suicide Is Painless): How cheerful - a sweet little ditty about the futility of life lifted from the 1970 movie version of M*A*S*H. The film's producer, Robert Altman, wanted a funny but stupid song to accompany the 'last supper' scene and so asked his teenage son Mike to write the lyrics. Result: one very rich son. The Manic Street Preachers returned the song to the Top Ten in 1992, alas presciently.
