Everett True’s Favourite Singles of 1980
It seems the obvious follow-up to yesterday’s post, Everett True’s Favourite Albums of 1980. I have all the information contained within this slim blue hardback diary in front of me. I’d imagine these charts are based on actual plays of my Dansette. Much more variable, this chart – and showing a heavy Factory Records bias, doubtless influenced by my mate Paul Cross from St. Helens. Lot of love for The Freshies here (the track listed is from ‘The Men From Banana Island Who’s Stupid Ideas Never Caught on in the Western World’ EP).
I recall listening to that Lennon single, with the borrowed and stolen covers pulled up over my head, on my dad’s tinny old transistor radio, miserable and freezing in my New Cross Gate squat. I didn’t care it sounded like ELO, it filled me with such hope. And then Lennon got shot a week later, one of the most miserable days of my life – for many reasons.
Shocked to see the lack of females represented, but my favourite gigs of 1980 (to come) makes up for that.
I stopped listening to Joy Division a couple of years after this. I was becoming too obsessed. The first time I listened to ‘Atmosphere’ again was 20 years later, when I heard my dad had three months left to live.
SINGLES ’80
Jan: Dexys Midnight Runners – Dance Stance
Feb: The Freshies – Amoco Cadiz
For the life of me, I can’t find this seven-minute epic slice of powerpop anywhere on the Internet, so I’ve posted another brace of songs instead, which give a great indication of Chris Sievey’s pre-Frank Sidebottom’s brilliance.
Mar: The Jam – Going Underground
Apr: Girls At Our Best! – Warm Girls
May: Crass – Bloody Revolutions
Jun: Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart
Jul: A Certain Ratio – All Night Party
Aug: The Jam – Start!
Sep: Joy Division – Atmosphere
Oct: Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Enola Gay
Nov: John Lennon – (Just Like) Starting Over
Dec: The Specials – Do Nothing
I originally had Au Pairs (Diet/It’s Obvious!) down for December. They sound so good in 2014.
And now the overall chart.
SINGLES ’80 OVERALL
1. Joy Division – Atmosphere/Crass – Bloody Revolutions
2. The Freshies – Amoco Cadiz/Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart
3. A Certain Ratio – All Night Party/Young Marble Giants – Final Day
4. The Jam – Going Underground/Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Enola Gay
5. The Fall – How I Wrote ‘Elastic Man’/Ramones – Baby I Love You
6. John Lennon – (Just Like) Starting Over/The Barracudas – Summer Fun
Of course, with such strong showing from Joy Division and The Jam in these charts, this was one of my favourite TV shows ever.
