The A to Z of my singles collection – Part 4

So, we start the 4th part of this look at my singles by polishing off the Cs. The gorgeous voice of Randy Crawford was often one I enjoyed listening to, but it was only Almaz that I bought because of it’s gorgeous, aching chorus. It is only through looking back at these singles that I realise how certain songs captured my imagination before fading into the back of my mind. Almaz was definitely one of them and it’s like being reunited with an old friend. Next is a song from the 60s which came back into the wider public consciousness thanks to An American Werewolf in London’s ground breaking transformation scene. Credence Clearwater Revival were a classic rock group who produced a strong body of work, but Bad Moon Rising will always be my favourite. Crosby, Stills and Nash come next with Teach Your Children, a slice of 60s melancholy that has become part of my musical landscape over the years. It is simple yet profound and a song that reflects the passing of time in a powerful way.

In 1985, there was a dreadful fire at Valley Parade, the ground of Bradford City, which killed 56 people and injured over 200 others. The Crowd’s You’ll Never Walk Alone was the first charity record I can really remember and it set the template for many others. Led by Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers, who became the first person to reach Number One with two versions of the same song, You’ll Never Walk Alone raised money for the new Bradford Royal Infirmary burns unit. The voice and look of Boy George were twin emblems of the early 80s and Karma Chameleon was, and remains, one of the catchiest records made during that era. It’s a record that has transcended its time to become a favourite of music lovers of all ages. The final C is, to put it very mildly, aural Marmite! Billy Ray Cyrus would later become far more well known for appearing with daughter Miley in Hannah Montana, but he had one Top 10 hit with the insanely catchy or incredibly irritating (delete as appropriate!) Achy Breaky Heart! Let’s be honest, even if you hated it, that tune is now going round in your head isn’t it?!

On to the Ds and I start off with the one single every non-Damned fan bought! They passed me by in their punk days, purely because I wasn’t yet ready for that type of music. Eloise, however, was a gem of a remake that had the advantage of being a great singalong track and a showcase for Dave Vanian’s marvellous voice. It may have been an anomaly in their output, but what an anomaly! Next is another of the records I picked up from Kidderminster Town Hall’s occasional jumble sales. Darts were a doo-wop group who ploughed a different furrow to the smoother Showaddywaddy with chaotic performances and a revolving cast of lead singers. The track Come Back My Love was my favourite of theirs and still rewards the odd listen, always bringing a smile to my face. It’s Hard to be Humble by Mac Davis is a humorous record in the vein of Ray Stevens that reflects the trials of a man who is ‘perfect in every way’! He bemoans the fact that people cannot understand how much of a burden it is. I originally bought it for my Dad as a birthday present because it was him to a tee! I know he found it funny and appreciated the tongue in cheek compliment. It is 28 years since he died, but this song brings his larger than life personality back every time.

Dead or Alive were perhaps the most atypical act in Stock, Aitken and Waterman’s entire history, so it is odd that it was this band that gave the label their first Number One single. The combination of the unique showmanship of Pete Burns and the SAW ear for a tune made this a nailed on chart topper from the first few notes and set the trio off on their run of success, whether people liked it or not! Of all their artists, Hazell Dean was my absolute favourite. How her first two tracks, Searchin’ and Whatever I Do (Wherever I Go) failed to follow Dead or Alive to Number One will remain, to me, one of the great mysteries of the 80s charts. These two tracks were great to listen to, great to sing to, great to dance to and practically perfect in every way. The sheer cheek of SAW taking the tune for Blue Monday and layering Hi-NRG pop on top of it was amazing. In these more litigious days it would be impossible to get away with! The third of her trio of tracks, Back in my Arms Once Again was another belter. If you have forgotten how good Hazell Dean was, I urge you to take another listen to her. As with the first set of songs above, I have ended up with another love it or hate it track. I spent the whole of summer in 1986 in Florida as an International Scout at Camp Shands. As a result, I had a number of tracks to catch up with on my return. Lady in Red was one of them, and possibly because I hadn’t heard it week after week during August in its long run in the top 10, I came to it as a fresh song and loved it. I still do, so it can’t be all bad in my view!

Chris De Burgh’s other Top 10 hit came a couple of years later with the rather lovely Missing You. If you just listen to the song and somehow separate it from any views on De Burgh himself, I feel confident that you will agree with me. Three Depeche Mode singles are next in view, with See You being my favourite ever track of theirs. It is a gorgeous love song with just a hint of an uncomfortable edge when you listen to some of the lyrics, but it is the track that had me heading down to Strood Record Centre on the Saturday morning after I first heard it. My favourite album of theirs is Some Great Reward from 1984 and from that album comes one of the finest Double A Sides imaginable. Either ‘Somebody’ or ‘Blasphemous Rumours’ on their own would have made a really good single, but the two together had me rushing out to buy the cassette. The 7″ EP version I have includes live versions of Everything Counts and Told You So and it is four tracks of genius. I have the album on CD, and at some point I hope to find it on vinyl in a charity shop or record shop, to play it as it was meant to be played! It’s Called a Heart is another radio friendly track with great synth work that in some ways bridges the gap between their poppier music and the increasingly darker turn their music took that was hinted at in Some Great Reward.

What can I say about the summer hit of 1982, apart from the fact that it is one of the finest floor fillers ever recorded. I hear Come on Eileen and want to get on the dance floor, reliving my teenage years, every single time. Given that I haven’t danced in public for 6 or 7 years and that my ‘dancing’ at home is of the tapping my feet variety, the sheer rush of euphoria that this track gives me is incredible. Now on to three records that are Diamonds in their own right! The first two, by Jim of that ilk, are a welcome reminder of one of the most individual voices of that era. I Should Have Known Better is a gorgeous song, full of regrets and pathos but his piercing falsetto style tones add another layer to it and make it a puzzle that it’s a somewhat overlooked ballad these days. The second of his songs, by contrast is a rocking TV theme clearly inspired by Dennis Waterman’s I Could Be So Good for You. Hi Ho Silver has much less recognition these days, but it’s a decent track, once again raised to a different level by Jim Diamond’s delivery. The final Diamond is Neil, and it’s not that one! It is the tune from the Jazz Singer, which he starred in, called Love on the Rocks. His voice is, in its own way, just as recognisable as Jim’s, but it is a much more mainstream voice. That’s not damning with faint praise by the way, because in the type of company he kept in US singing at the time, the fact that you recognise him after a couple of notes is testament to the quality he has.

Finally, we come on to two of my favourite artists. Barbara Dickson is quite simply the possessor of one of the finest voices in music. She can sing folk, pop, rock, showtunes and ballads to make you stop in your tracks. The two examples here are Answer Me from the 70s and January February from the 80s. Both are excellent songs in their own right, both Top 10 hits and both delivered with breath taking quality. I saw Barbara Dickson live in 2019 and she was still incredible, as my review attests to https://www.subba-cultcha.com/reviews/2599

Dire Straits, who I never saw live, much to my disappointment were, of course, famous for their 1980s album Brothers in Arms. I had first discovered their music a few years previously via the fantastic Romeo and Juliet from their Making Movies album. It is a song of class and insouciant style, delivered with panache by the brilliant Mark Knopfler. From Brothers in Arms, my favourite song was the first track and first single So Far Away, a reflection on being split up from those you love that I returned to many times during solitude in Japan and Saudi Arabia when I didn’t have my family with me. Did it make me feel any better? Probably not! Did it make me feel as though someone else understood? Most definitely! Money for Nothing was a massive favourite on MTV during the afore mentioned summer of 1986 and is one of the tunes that takes me right back there. The final single that I bought from that album, Walk of Life, is noteworthy for one main reason. It was also the B Side of So Far Away!! D’oh as Homer might say!

See you next time when we’re sorted for Ds and Es!