More Popular comments. I’ve skipped Rod Stewart’s “Baby Jane” because it went nowhere in the Australian charts, and it was a struggle to remind myself how it went, even after watching the video.
Paul Young, “Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home)”, 23 July 1983
I remember Ian “Molly” Meldrum, the compere of Australia’s Countdown, being unusually enthusiastic about this, but I’m not sure if that was relative to his usual level of enthusiasm for new releases (which always hovered around 9.8 out of 10) or to my own surprise that anyone could be enthusiastic about such a limp record. The bass was just too lugubrious, and I never really saw the appeal of Young’s vocal. All hat and no cattle, as them Texans say.
Worse, no matter how bouffant his hair, Young seemed like just some bloke, and being everyman didn’t work in his favour; pop stars should surely be larger than life. How did we get from Adam Ant to this so quickly? The same couldn’t have been said of many acts of the preceding few years, not even Sting, but Young headed a veritable parade of Blokes of Pop (coughRickAstley). Okay, maybe Phil Collins got there first, but at least he’d been in a Proper Band.
This was and is pretty much the definition of average for me. 5.
KC and the Sunshine Band, “Give It Up”, 13 August 1983
It’s an eye-opener how readily I can slot these 1983 tracks into the categories “Mine” and “My Brother’s”; he played a bigger part in my earlier musical history than I’d suspected. This one was “his”, even though I don’t think he ever owned it, because something about the “Nana-nana-nanananananaNOW!” makes me think of him singing it. Which is a happy effect, given that we’ve washed up on opposite sides of the world. A cheery 6 for you, Mr C.
UB40, “Red Red Wine”, 3 September 1983
UB40 had earlier singles, though I was oblivious to them—but then the same was true of Dexy’s Midnight Runners: one-hit wonders and established acts finally breaking through all look the same to the teenage pop-newbie. “Red, Red Wine” certainly felt like a one-hit wonder, because I can’t remember any other hits for UB40 in Australia, although the album was pretty ubiquitous for a while. (Oops, hang on. There was another one; their only Australian number one, in fact.)
I lumped this at the time with Paul Young’s “Wherever I Lay My Hat” in the slow and dull category, and I’m not sure which I would give the edge. I’m instinctively thinking a 4 for this, so I suppose Young wins by a red, red nose.
Now there’s a thought. “Rudolph” sung to this tune, I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue style: Red, red nose / Shout out with glee / You will go do-ow-own / In history...
7 July 2009