Yeah, I was suckered. I bought them. I don't need to justify that decision. My money, my time.
Gloria by Laura Brannigan; Zoom - Fat Larry's Band; Walk This Way - Run DMC (always remind me of someone special from Uni days); Ride on Time - Black Box (actually a really crap record but always remind sme of my first disco at my first 'proper' job, hanging out in the bar with the lads and ladettes*; Tarzan Boy - Baltimora, which for a time always played just before the lads ran out onto the pitch at Old Trafford, all belong in that category of songs that are far from great, but are definitely pleasant, and, because of an association with memories of a time and place, create a personal internal frisson.
And then there is the glorious verging on greatness of The Stranglers Golden Brown (only ever musical tribute to a Chancellor of the Exchequer) and the utterly great Video Killed the Radio Stars by the Buggles.
Imagination's Just an Illusion was one of the best songs of 1982, and one that I like more now than then. If it was just that grinding bass, I would love it. Add to that the funky beat, reasonably good words, the keyboard line. They simply don't make pop music like this any more.
Not to mention Charlene's I've Never Been to Me. I have decided that the next time I do a karaoke (okay never) I shall sing this. Basically is a perfect example of Flawed Genius. The big flaw is the speaky bit in the middle. Take that away and it's a really rather good song. Great tune, powerful words. I am now on a one-woman mission to rehabilitate "I've Never Been TO Me" from the depths of naffness.
The Nolans I'm in the Mood for Dancing is an ignored and underrated classic. Don't you just want to get up and, well, dance when you hear that?
I will confess now that I adore Barry Manilow's Copacabana. Don't tell my sister or my old schoolfriend, Andrea, because I really don't like Manly Barrilow. Except for Copacabana. Also worth mentioning is the only Cliff Richard song I can tolerate - Summer Holiday.
I also like Britney Spears' Baby One More Time. Nevertheless, I regard her as a one hit wonder...
It's nice listening to Y Viva España just twenty-four hours after booking a long weekend in Barcelona.
Deadringer for Love - Meatloaf; Cuba - Gibson Brothers; Cruel Summer - Bananarama; Baby I Love Your Way/Freebird - Will To Power; Dizzy - Vic Reeves and the Wonder Stuff; Africa - Toto; Music - John Miles, which I really like, even though I think maybe I oughtn't...
And I think we have to take our hats off to some genius, somewhere who had the brilliant idea of including such gems as Cat Stevens' 'Morning Has Broken'. Hands up everybody who sang Morning Has Broken in Junior One?
And then there is the utterly fabulous Rupert the Bear by Jackie Lee, which I am going to confess is actually one of my favourite songs, ever...! Not because I became familiar it in early childhood - Ed 'Stewpot' Stewart's Junior Choice. Or because it's about a cute ickle teddy bear. But because it's just a truly great song.
But the discs do contain a fair proportion of turkeys - Maneater; Safety Dance; Everything Counts (I never liked Depeche Mode *then* and I don't like them now - sorry, Depechies, but I have tried...); I Can Make you Feel Good; In the Summertime - Mungo Jerry, quite possibly the worst song ever written, recorded, covered, played and compilation-included ad nauseam
It's taken me about three months to write this post...
* I started writing the 'best bunch of people, collectively, ever. But then I thought who do I mean - just the Thirteen that formed my induction group; do I add the dozen or so from the next induction group that with us formed a big section Group C for GCC. Or do I mean the entirety of Group C? Or the entire CETC 1989 intake? But then, there were all those fab people in the 1990 intake with whom we merged when so many of us failed P1. /digression.
