and yeah Freedom.. way too low!
― piscesx, Thursday, 22 September 2016 20:23 (seven years ago) link
I should here express my gratitude to the electorate - bar one ordering query, I never had to clarify any of the ballots.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 22 September 2016 20:29 (seven years ago) link
http://s19.postimg.org/yrhlrnihv/13_Cowboys.jpg
13. Cowboys and Angels185 points, eight votesfrom Listen Without Prejudice, vol.1, 1990
incredible song
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Thursday, 22 September 2016 20:34 (seven years ago) link
The bass
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 22 September 2016 20:35 (seven years ago) link
yeah you're right, it was a proper 'stop you in your tracks' record for me, never heard anything like it before or since. a flop single too; didn't go near the charts.
― piscesx, Thursday, 22 September 2016 20:36 (seven years ago) link
Freedom's single mix is ever-so-slightly different from the Make It Big mix; the piano in the verses etc. it pops more than the album version. there's no mention that i can see anywhere of the mixes being different but you can really tell. this was just 'a thing' in the mid to late 80s it seems; giving the radio mixes a lick and polish.― piscesx, Thursday, September 22, 2016 8:23 PM (eight minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― piscesx, Thursday, September 22, 2016 8:23 PM (eight minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
It's in mono, too.
― the hair - it's lost its energy (Turrican), Thursday, 22 September 2016 20:39 (seven years ago) link
Wow these all seem very low, but I guess we're left with mostly huge hits now.
Alfred I'll but the shots if you let me sing "Wake Me Up" with you.
― LeRooLeRoo, Thursday, 22 September 2016 20:43 (seven years ago) link
xp yeah i just read that.. weird. i wonder of that was 'a thing' too?
― piscesx, Thursday, 22 September 2016 20:44 (seven years ago) link
http://s19.postimg.org/gn9zt9vfn/12_Time.jpg
12. Praying for Time189 points, eight votesfrom Listen Without Prejudice, vol.1, 1990
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 22 September 2016 20:48 (seven years ago) link
xpost:
Nah, definitely not - if anything, the appearance of new monophonic recordings were very unusual at that time. In a way, it makes sense that the track is in mono, though, given how the song is stylistically.
― the hair - it's lost its energy (Turrican), Thursday, 22 September 2016 20:49 (seven years ago) link
"Praying for Time" was another shock when released: it zoomed up to #1 in the United States but plummeted quickly, whereupon programmers took to "Freedom '90" almost out of relief.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 22 September 2016 20:53 (seven years ago) link
I'm not fond of it as anything more than defiant gesture but given my increased political engagement I appreciate the resources that Michael pours into THE RICH DECLARE THEMSELVES POOOOAHH/THE REST OF US ARE NOT SUUURE
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 22 September 2016 20:54 (seven years ago) link
there's a bit on the 1990 South Bank Show docu where he goes through it line by line explaining each. i almost cringed myself inside out watching it.
― piscesx, Thursday, 22 September 2016 21:03 (seven years ago) link
I need to see that.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 22 September 2016 21:06 (seven years ago) link
What do you think about George's political engagement? I was a little bit surprised, running through the catalogue, at how big-themey he is. Religion appears a lot, there's economic stuff, they did miners' benefits ... even Young Guns or Wham Rap do kids' politics in their way. It seems a bit unfair that they had the reputation as being the epitome of vacuity.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 22 September 2016 21:12 (seven years ago) link
http://s19.postimg.org/59ngi2kwz/11_Waiting.jpg
11. Waiting for that Day228 points, ten votes from Listen Without Prejudice, vol.1, 1990
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 22 September 2016 21:13 (seven years ago) link
I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW YOU HEAR THESE WORDS THAT I SAY!
― Chantilly Bass, Thursday, 22 September 2016 21:17 (seven years ago) link
This song should've been #1 for three weeks.
And it's more poignant than "You Can't Always Get What You Want."
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 22 September 2016 21:18 (seven years ago) link
http://s19.postimg.org/8rzgeglsz/10_Christmas.jpg
10. Last Christmas231 points, eleven votessingle, 1984
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 22 September 2016 21:31 (seven years ago) link
THIS YEAR
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 22 September 2016 21:33 (seven years ago) link
i guess you can't argue with the political stuff even though the way he expressed it was often cack-handed. no more so than Ronnie Talk To Russia though or whatever.
that 1990 South Bank Show in question FYI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmcJnVi30KQ
― piscesx, Thursday, 22 September 2016 21:34 (seven years ago) link
He must make so much money from this song every year. In 100 years people will still be playing it.
― LeRooLeRoo, Thursday, 22 September 2016 21:43 (seven years ago) link
The only Xmas song to truly ever have my heart. I even find myself listening to the pudding mix year round.
― Chantilly Bass, Thursday, 22 September 2016 21:45 (seven years ago) link
http://s19.postimg.org/7ofc2i15v/9_Funky.jpg
9. Too Funky232 points, ten votes, one number one vote (mine!)single from Red, Hot + Dance, 1992
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 22 September 2016 21:45 (seven years ago) link
YESSSSSSS
― j. winters (josh), Thursday, 22 September 2016 21:47 (seven years ago) link
too high!
― piscesx, Thursday, 22 September 2016 21:49 (seven years ago) link
pfft nah
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Thursday, 22 September 2016 21:54 (seven years ago) link
it is def too funky though
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Thursday, 22 September 2016 21:56 (seven years ago) link
Not high enough more like
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 22 September 2016 22:03 (seven years ago) link
It's fantastic and actually made me discover "Somebody Else's Guy" back in the day.
― LeRooLeRoo, Thursday, 22 September 2016 22:04 (seven years ago) link
http://s19.postimg.org/do3365lyb/8_Faith.jpg
8. Faith235 points, ten votesfrom Faith, 1987
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 22 September 2016 22:04 (seven years ago) link
One thing about Too Funky - is the sound at the start lifted from the Pet Shop Boys' One More Chance? It's only a piano drag, but they sound identical to me.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 22 September 2016 22:06 (seven years ago) link
I like 'Too Funky', but not only is it too high but it isn't funky enough. 'Faith' also too high!
― the hair - it's lost its energy (Turrican), Thursday, 22 September 2016 22:18 (seven years ago) link
I had to compare, and it's higher pitched in "Too Funky". (x-post)
― LeRooLeRoo, Thursday, 22 September 2016 22:19 (seven years ago) link
Faith, Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go and Freedom are songs I've heard so many times I take them for granted how good they are. I didn't even consider voting for them.
I was hoping Cowboys & Angels would sneak into the top 10. Such an incredible song. Shame it was the first song he released that missed the top 40 in the UK.
I didn't have Praying For Time on the first list I made but after listening to LWP a couple of times it ended up going in my top 10. Not an obvious lead single at all.
I hope there's never a Christmas when I don't love hearing Last Christmas. That song is absolute perfection.
― Kitchen Person, Thursday, 22 September 2016 22:20 (seven years ago) link
I don't believe I've ever heard a busker playing Faith. It feels like I should've. I heard one playing some Steely Dan a few weeks ago; I'd be surprised if they didn't keep a bit of George in their repertoire.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 22 September 2016 22:20 (seven years ago) link
Primal Scream's Movin On Up ripped Faith off but Faith *blates* ripped off Close To Me by The Cure.
― piscesx, Thursday, 22 September 2016 22:23 (seven years ago) link
Just realised that Freeek probably isn't going to place now is it?
― Kitchen Person, Thursday, 22 September 2016 22:25 (seven years ago) link
http://s19.postimg.org/4rsb27vc3/7_Corner.jpg
7. A Different Corner246 points, eleven votes, one number one votesingle, 1986
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 22 September 2016 22:26 (seven years ago) link
I love Waiting For That Day.. Not sure if this clip was posted earlier https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNS4xJRlMlMGreat dancing too
― video2000, Thursday, 22 September 2016 22:26 (seven years ago) link
I can think of 7 songs that are a lock and yeah "Freeek" isn't one of them. (x-post)
― LeRooLeRoo, Thursday, 22 September 2016 22:29 (seven years ago) link
what do y'all think of "A Different Corner" as confession by a gay man in love with a friend?
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 22 September 2016 22:31 (seven years ago) link
I tend to forget how unusual "Faith" was in 1987. One of the shorter #1s too.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 22 September 2016 22:32 (seven years ago) link
A Different Corner is one of the most beautiful number one singles ever. I love it more and more as the years go by.
― Kitchen Person, Thursday, 22 September 2016 22:35 (seven years ago) link
My mother-in-law and I were singing it together at the weekend. It'd've been her no.1, had she voted.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 22 September 2016 22:38 (seven years ago) link
"Faith" really *was* unusual at the time, especially after "I Want Your Sex". Great at karaoke too! (x-post)
― LeRooLeRoo, Thursday, 22 September 2016 22:40 (seven years ago) link
ADC as confession - it might well be that, but there are some songs that demand that sort of reading and I wouldn't say it was one of them. It *does* sound very specific though.
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 22 September 2016 22:41 (seven years ago) link
http://s19.postimg.org/pan77a99f/6_Fastlove.jpg
6. Fastlove312 points, fourteen votes, one number one votefrom Older, 1996
― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 22 September 2016 22:42 (seven years ago) link
I didn't think so either; it was a suspicion based on the longing. It didn't seem particularly...masculine? Hetero?
Anyway, Marcello:
The giveaway comes in the lines, “I would promise you all of my life/But to lose you would cut like a knife/So I don’t dare.” In other words, he loves his best friend (“‘Cos I’ve never come close in all of these years/You are the only one to stop my tears”) but he loves him that way also, and he is tortured because he cannot bring himself to tell him (his “I’m so scared” is the reddest of excoriating wounds) – the same subtext compelled to remain within the shadows of “Johnny Remember Me” and “Have I The Right?” The music’s careful placidity is a striking counterpart to his agonised voice – and where does that “And if all that there is, is this feeling of being used” come in, when really it’s the paralysing fear of rejection that prevents him from getting close to his desired Other but also stops him from moving away; the torture of lifelong compromise – “I should go back to being lonely and confused/If I could…I would…I swear.” Then his unheard pledge also echoes into the far horizon, just as the man retreats into the greenery, walking away…in silence.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 22 September 2016 22:45 (seven years ago) link