Music to My Years: 1979

This week I am going back to 1979 on Music to My Years. I was continuing with my love of Smash Hits. I now had 2 sisters and a brother and we lived in Horsell. My major memories this year was playing in our garden and pretending my space hopper was a horse called Candy. I also had a tape player and would regularly play the mix tapes which my Uncle would put together for me.

It is even harder to choose the music now so, instead of just choosing my favourite tracks, some of them will be the ones which I have specific memories to.

Once again any of the honourable mentions could have been put into my chart. Here are this weeks:

Cliff Richard – We Don’t Talk Anymore
Dr Hook – When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman
The Boomtown Rats – I Don’t Like Mondays
The Police – Message in a Bottle
Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall
The Bee Gees – Tragedy
Anita Ward – Ring my Bell
Squeeze – Cool for Cats
The Buggles – Video Killed the Radio Star
The Police – Walking on the Moon
Lene Lovich – Lucky Number
Abba – Gimme Gimme Gimme
Abba – Voulez Vous/Angel Eyes
The Tourists – I Only Want to Be With You
Roxy Music – Angel Eyes
Edwin Starr – Contact
Dave Edmunds – Girls Talk
Boney M – Hooray, Hooray, It’s a Holi-Holiday
The Police – Can’t Stand Losing You
ELO – Don’t Bring Me Down
The Shadows – Theme From ‘the Deer Hunter’ (Cavatina)
McFadden & Whitehead – Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now
Rainbow – Since You’ve Been Gone
Amii Stewart – Light My Fire
Darts – Duke Of Earl
Supertramp – The Logical Song
Sister Sledge – He’s The Greatest Dancer
Queen – Don’t Stop Me Now
Dire Straits – Sultans Of Swing
M – Pop Muzik
B.A. Robertson – Bang Bang

As I am now a radio presenter on Radio Ninesprings, and I will be sharing my Top 10 all week and sharing 1 track from the list each day, Monday to Friday, on my show from 3pm. Plus, there is now a compilation show on Sunday’s at 6pm.

So, from the year I was born taking me right up to 2021, I am going to be sharing my top 10 chart songs from the year in question.

Table of Contents

10. Born to Be Alive By Patrick Hernandez

This song was one I used to sing (in a really funny voice) AT rather than TO my younger sisters and brother. I can really remember starting to become aware of being alive when I listened to this song – and became a little bit fascinated about being a living, breathing person. I don’t know if you have ever felt what I mean, but it is the feeling of wonder of being alive.

The song was written by French singer Patrick Hernandez and it became a worldwide hit, reaching number one on the US Disco chart.

9. Olivers Army By Elvis Costello

This song totally belong to my brother, Oliver. I can remember him being totally convinced that the song was written for him and he would go around singing it EVERYWHERE! It also started a complete fascination and appreciation for me of Elvis Costello and his songs. He is far bigger than people give him credit for and has written tracks for Squeeze (also on this chart!) as well as Paul McCartney – and has even duetted with him.

8. Some Girls By Racey

I used to go around singing this song ALL of the time! And, when I rediscovered on the research for this years tracks, it originally wasn’t in the top ten. BUT I have found myself, yet again, going around singing it in my head! It is SUCH a catchy tune!

It may not be so PC as a song these days but it is very catchy, a great tune and doesn’t take itself too seriously. I think that is the same for much of the music back in the 70’s!

Racey were a pop group who were formed in 1976 in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. Quick fact for you – their 1979 song “Kitty” was reworked into the song ‘Mickey’ in 1981 for Toni Basil which became an international hit.

7. Knock On Wood By Amii Stewart

I utterly LOVED this song. I wanted gold tight trousers and I wanted to be the popstar who sang this song. It was upbeat and another one always re-wound on my mixtape. It was the perfect disco song to me at the time.

Little bit of trivia for you. Amii Stewart is Sinitta’s Auntie!

6. Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick By Ian Dury

This was a song that I DEFINITELY learned the words to from my Smash Hits magazine. I can really recall being ill on the sofa, watching Top of the Pops and desperately trying to follow along with the lyrics (I am sure that Smash Hits really developed my reading skills!).

This song was inspired by Ian Dury’s disability. He contracted polio when he was seven years old. Even though he was not confined to a wheelchair, his body was still deformed by the disease, and he used a walking stick for the rest of his life. The song reached number one, was named the 12th best single of the year by the writers of British music magazine NME, and by September 2017, it had sold over 1.29 million copies in the UK, making it the 114th biggest selling single of all time.

5. Bright Eyes By Art Garfunkel

Now, this is the first song that I can really remember taking to heart and crying to. For my eighth birthday, my parents arranged for me to have a small disco in our lounge. My Uncles brought round their gear the night before my party – and I can recall my father coming up to see if I was still awake. I was wide awake in the bottom bunk and he didn’t see that I was, so I called out to him. He came back to get me and I can remember being allowed downstairs to have a glass of lemonade and lime (a very special treat!) and to watch my Uncles set up.

The next day, my friends came to my party and one of my presents was this very single! We put it on quite a few times and all swayed along to it. It made me want to see the film ‘Watership Down’ which the track was written for, so I was allowed to go and watch it at the ABC cinema in Woking with my sister. I have to admit to being rather traumatised by the film!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGyQmH9NZcw

4. Every Day Hurts By Sad Cafe

This is still a fantastic song to this day! I love the way it has a slightly slow verse and then really packs a punch during the chorus. I can’t remember much about it at the time – but I do know that I still love it now.

The song reached No. 3 in the UK and spent a total of 12 weeks on the chart. It was among the top 20 best-selling singles for the year and outsold quite a few number ones that year. One of the band members also managed 10CC and you can really hear the connection.

Years and years later, the band name started to become synonymous for me with the cafe which the losing team from the Apprentice went to!

3. Crazy Little Thing Called Love By Queen

This was the song that really caught my attention and started my appreciation for Queen. I think I was too young to understand before but the music and the performance – especially from showman, Freddie Mercury, was incredible! I can remember him being on Top of the Pops dressed in leather and singing this. I can also recall how much he reminded me of my Uncle Martin! And continued to until Freddie grew his moustache. I am not sure if I ever told my Uncle that. He sadly passed away at the age of 39 and I was 20 years old at the time. But this song will always fondly remind me of him!

2. Does Your Mother Know By ABBA

This was another mixtape track. I can remember being suitably impressed that one of the men was actually singing on the track. At first I could not believe that this was ABBA as I was so used to female voices – and then I remember thinking ‘Is there no end to these people’s talents’?! I still think that over 40 years on!

1. Shine A Little Love By ELO

The second week in a row for ELO as my number one. Originally this track wasn’t even in the top ten but, I felt a massive error had been made in leaving it out. I went across to listen to it again and it is SO infectious. Not quite as big a grin on your face as with Mr Blue Sky but it is still a very happy song and, yet again, you can’t help but be uplifted by listening to it.

I have to just add a little fact here for you. On my 40th Birthday Ross surprised me by taking me out for the evening. I had no clue where we were going but he actually took me to Camberley theatre to see the tribute band ELO Experience. It was brilliant!