In this post we have, an 80’s extended track that Billboard described as “another of this artists unfailingly effective universal-appeal ballads” and three songs from an 80’s album that Rolling Stone described as a big step up from previous album losers but it doesn’t hang together, either.” Whilst praising some of the singles it was felt the rest of the album suffered from poor lyrics.
(Click on song title for video and artist name for biography)
Let’s open with Romancing the Stone by Eddy Grant.
Released it from his 1984 album Going for Broke it was intended for the 1984 feature film of the same name, and announced by Casey Kasem on the 30 June 1984 edition of American Top 40 as the title song to the movie, but ultimately was used only briefly in the film.
It peaked at number 26 in the US and number 52 here in the UK.
2. Love In Itself – Depeche Mode
Love, in Itself by Depeche Mode was released on 19 September 1983 as the second and final single from their third studio album, Construction Time Again released the same year.
The song peaked at number 21 on the UK Singles Chart, the video was directed by Clive Richardson and features Martin Gore playing acoustic guitar.
3. Another Day In Paradise – Phil Collins
Another Day in Paradise written and recorded by Phil Collins was released as the first single from his number-one album …But Seriously in 1989.
The song was his seventh and final Billboard Hot 100 number 1 single, the last number 1 single of the 1980s and the first number 1 single of the 1990s.
It also saw out the 1980s and saw in the 1990s at the top of the German singles chart. The song had already reached number 2 here in the UK in November.
The 80’s album I’ve chosen for today’s show is Too Low for Zero the seventeenth album by Elton John, released in May 1983, it reached number 25 in the US and here in the UK it peaked at number 7, the album produced five singles.
The first track from Too Low for Zero I’ve chosen is …
4. I Guess Thats Why They Call It The Blues – Elton John
I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues by Elton John was released as the first single from John’s 17th studio album Too Low for Zero. It was the first single since 1975’s “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” to feature the classic lineup of the Elton John Band.
The song became one of John’s biggest hits of the 1980s in the US, holding at number 2 for four weeks on the Adult Contemporary chart, and reaching number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached the top ten in five countries, including the UK, peaking at number 5.
The song received largely favourable reviews, with Bill Janovitz of AllMusic declaring the song “likely to stand the test of time as a standard.”
5. Play the Game – Queen
Play the Game by Queen is the first track on the first side of their 1980 album The Game. It also appears on their album Greatest Hits.
The single was a hit in the UK, reaching number 14 and in the US it peaked at number 42.
Billboard considered “Play the Game” to be a return to Queen’s traditional “epic, rather grand sound” after deviating from that sound with the rockabilly of their prior single “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”. Cash Box said that this was a return to Queen’s “patented high tech, progressive pop sound” and they commented on “Freddie Mercury’s breathless falsetto and sweet piano work” and “Brian May’s soaring lead guitar”.
The extended version I’ve chosen for today’s show is …
6. Penny Lover (Extended) – Lionel Richie
Penny Lover is the fifth and final single released from Lionel Richie’s multi-platinum 1983 album, Can’t Slow Down. The song was written by Richie and his then-wife, Brenda Harvey Richie.
A top ten hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, the song reached an identical number 8 peak position on the Billboard R&B chart, while on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, the song reached number 1. On the UK Singles Chart, the song reached number 18 and in Canada, it peaked at number 12.
7. Valerie – Steve Winwood
Valerie by Steve Winwood was originally recorded for his third solo album, Talking Back to the Night released in 1982.
The single reached number 51 on the UK Singles Chart and number 70 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In 1987, a remix was included as a single from Winwood’s compilation album Chronicles. The remixed version of “Valerie” climbed to number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late December 1987, and also reached number 19 on the UK Singles Chart.
The second track from Too Low for Zero I’ve chosen is …
8. I’m Still Standing – Elton John
I’m Still Standing by Elton John is from 1983 studio album Too Low for Zero. It was the lead single from the album in North America, but released as the second single in the UK.
Helped by a video promoting the song on MTV, it became a big hit for John on both sides of the Atlantic, peaking at number 1 in Canada and Switzerland, number 4 in the UK and number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
9. Fade To Grey – Visage
Fade to Grey by Visage was released in November 1980 as the second single from their debut album, Visage released the same year.
The song was the band’s most successful single peaking at number 8 on the UK Singles Chart and reaching number 1 in West Germany and Switzerland. Steve Strange was on lead vocals; the French lyrics were spoken by Rusty Egan’s then girlfriend.
The music video for the song became one of the first videoclips that Kevin Godley and Lol Creme directed, before they became known for their works with the Police, Duran Duran and Herbie Hancock.
The third and final track from Too Low for Zero I’ve chosen is …
10. Kiss The Bride – Elton John
Kiss the Bride by Elton John is from his 17th studio album, Too Low for Zero. It was released as the album’s third single, the upbeat song was a top 40 hit in a number of countries.
It reached number 20 on the UK Singles Chart, number 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number 25 in Australia, number 37 in Canada, number 17 in Ireland, and number 32 in New Zealand. In Germany, the song peaked at number 58.
11. The Other Side of Love – Yazoo
Released in 1982 as their fourth single. The single peaked at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart, making it the band’s least successful single and the only one of their four singles to miss the top three in the UK.
John Shearlaw of Record Mirror considered it to be a “subtle grower and wonderfully skilful dive back into a smoky, twilit nightclub world”.
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