THE CURE - A FOREST

"A Forest" is a song by the English band The Cure. it was released as a single from the band's second album “Seventeen Seconds” on 28 March 1980. It was their debut entry on the UK Singles Chart reaching #31. The track is representative of The Cure's 1980s gothic rock phase.

"A Forest," from The Cure's Seventeen Seconds album, tells a vague story of pursuit of a girl in a forest, which ends in loss. Many fans and critics regard this song in particular as a good example of The Cure's unique sound. Frontman Robert Smith described it as "a childhood dream (nightmare) that came true with adolescence." 

He also told Rockstar in 1984 that it was inspired by his experience of getting lost in the forest as a boy. "I try to capture that feeling of extreme fear I was being taken by and how - maybe in other ways - this type of unpleasant feeling can still be felt by anyone," he explained.

It was their first Top 40 hit on the UK singles chart, which garnered them their first appearance on the BBC's Top Of The Pops program. Also was the first Cure single to be released on the 12-inch single record format - the alternative 7-inch record single omits the initial guitar-and-keyboard introduction, skips a few bars between the verses, and it goes to a fade-out sooner in the guitar solo ending. All this makes it two minutes shorter on the smaller single.

This is one of The Cure's first hits, and certainly one of their most acclaimed songs. Today sounds as good as the first day.

ABC - THE LOOK OF LOVE

"The Look of Love" és una cançó de la banda de pop anglesa ABC, publicada el 7 de maig de 1982 com el tercer senzill del seu àlbum debut "The Lexicon of Love", un àlbum que es pot considerar una de les joies del pop britànic del anys 80. El senzill va ser l'èxit principal de la banda al Regne Unit, aconseguint el número 4, i també va arribar al número 1 a la llista Billboard Dance/Disco dels Estats Units i al número 18 al Billboard Hot 100.

Aquesta cançó va combinar una banda ambiciosa amb un productor ambiciós, i el resultat va ser una peça de música pop perfecta. Poques cançons evoquen l'esperit del 1982 de manera tan viva com "The Look Of Love" d'ABC. Trevor Horn diu avui sobre la cançó: "Així era com ho tenien al cap. Els nois d’ABC solien anar a un club de Sheffield i volien fer un disc que poguessin posar al club. Si hi penses bé, als anys 70, la producció disco era allò que ho va tirar tot endavant. Vull dir, la producció de rock també va ser molt bona... Però la manera com la gent feia discos de ball era molt diferent". Horn va aconseguir crear un so de pantalla panoràmica que combinava les immaculades produccions de Nile Rodgers i Bernard Edwards per a Chic amb les dramàtiques orquestracions de Nelson Riddle per a Frank Sinatra. Per a Horn, la visió musical d'ABC reflectia completament la seva en aquell moment, és a dir, crear produccions precises, imaginatives i d'última generació. "Estava intentant fer alguna cosa millor del que faries normalment. Suposo que estava intentant fer discos per competir amb Amèrica".

La lletra es va inspirar en una ruptura a la vida real que havia patit Martin Fry. Trevor Horn és un perfeccionista notori; va insistir que la veu femenina que responia "Goodbye" a Fry al segon vers hauria de ser cantada per la dona real  que l'havia abandonat. Martin Fry esmenta el seu nom a la lletra quan canta: "Diuen 'Martin, potser, un dia trobaràs el veritable amor'".

Publicat com a single i com a remix de 12", consta de quatre parts, anomenades "Parts One, Two, Three and Four". La primera part és la versió estàndard de l'àlbum, la segona part és una versió instrumental excel·lent, la tercera part és una versió vocal sense els overdubs orquestrals i Part Four és una breu part instrumental acústica de la cançó.

MTV va tenir un paper important en l'èxit nord-americà d'ABC, i el vídeo d'aquesta cançó va ser un dels favorits de la xarxa, que es va llançar al 1981. El clip va ser dirigit per Brian Grant i inspirat en antigues pel·lícules de Hollywood. Martin Fry ho descriu com un encreuament entre An American In Paris i The Benny Hill Show.

ABC - THE LOOK OF LOVE

"The Look of Love" is a song by English pop band ABC, released on 7th May 1982 as the third single from their debut album “The Lexicon of Love”, an album that can be considered one of the jewels of British pop from the 80s. The single was the band's highest charting hit in the UK, peaking at #4, and also went to #1 on the US Billboard Dance/Disco chart and #18 on the Billboard Hot 100.

This song paired an ambitious band with an ambitious producer, and the result was a perfect piece of pop music. Few tracks evoke the spirit of 1982 as vividly as ABC’s ‘The Look Of Love’. Trevor Horn says today of the track, “That was kind of how they had it in their heads. The guys in ABC used to go to a club up in Sheffield, and they wanted to make a record that they could play in the club. If you think about it, in the ‘70s, disco production was the thing that pushed everything forward. I mean, rock production was pretty cool too... But the way that people made dance records was so different.” Horn managed to create a widescreen sound that blended Nile Rodgers’ and Bernard Edwards’ immaculate productions for Chic with Nelson Riddle’s dramatic orchestrations for Frank Sinatra. For Horn, ABC’s musical vision completely mirrored his own at the time, namely to create precise, imaginative, state-of-the-art productions. “I was trying to make something better than you would normally make. I suppose I was trying to make records to compete with America.”

The lyrics were inspired by a real-life break-up Martin Fry had gone through. Trevor Horn is a notorious perfectionist; he insisted the female voice replying "goodbye" to Fry in the second verse should be sung by the actual woman in the relationship who had jilted him. Martin Fry mentions his forename in the lyric when he sings: "They say 'Martin, maybe, one day you'll find true love.'"

Released as a single and as a 12" remix, it consists of four parts, referred to as "Parts One, Two, Three and Four". Part One is the standard album version, Part Two is an excellent instrumental version, Part Three is a vocal version without the orchestral overdubs and Part Four is a short acoustic instrumental part of the song.

MTV played a big role in ABC's American success, and the video for this song was a favorite on the network, which launched in 1981. The clip was directed by Brian Grant, and inspired by old Hollywood movies. Martin Fry describes it as a cross between An American In Paris and The Benny Hill Show.

 

 T. Rex were one of the pioneering groups of Glam Rock, and made it grow vigorously in the UK to top the charts for a few years. In Elton’s week we remember them with this song that they performed together on TV. 

T. REX - GET IT ON

In the UK, “Get it On” hit #1 on July 24, 1971, giving T. Rex their second chart-topper there, following "Hot Love." The band's American record company, Reprise, dragged their feet on the song and didn't release it until January 1972. It went to #10 in March, but ended up being the group's only significant hit Stateside. In the UK, they had two more #1s, "Telegram Sam" and "Metal Guru", and a total of 11 Top 10s.

This is a great example of "glam rock," which was characterized by outrageous, often effeminate costumes, nonsensical lyrics, driving beats and very theatrical stage shows. The songs low slung groove, cosmic lyrics and Marc Bolan's cool vocal delivery is pure glam rock gold. This is one of the true glam anthems.

This song was written and recorded when T. Rex was touring America in 1971. The group had made inroads in their native UK with their 1970 self-titled album, but were little-known in the US. Marc Bolan wanted to change that by coming up with something that would strike to the heart in America. He wrote this song that is all about sex, but with imagery so comically vague it would be hard for even the most prudish listeners to take offense. Bolan's delivery is feral, and he does keep calling the girl "dirty and sweet," but you really have to stretch to find sexual connotations in a "hubcap diamond star halo" or a "cloak full of eagles." The biggest suggestion is in the title. Everything fits here, the provocative title, that sinuous, slinky-irresistible riff, the organ fills, the high-pitched backing vocals, the breakdown to let the guitars, drums and saxophone kick-start it again and of course that so-simple gong-banging chorus. All this and Bolan's crazy-sexy lyrics, which anticipate Prince's "Cream" by about 35 years, there's a doff of the cap to inspiration Chuck Berry over the fade. 

This track was covered by The Power Station in 1985. Their version, referred to as "Get It On (Bang a Gong)" in the US, was a strong hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, where the single peaked at #9 (one place higher than the original) in the summer of 1985. 

During a December 1971 Top of the Pops performance, our artist of the week, Elton John played a piano on the song.

As a curious fact we want to say that Marc Bolan took his name from Bob Dylan... BO from Bob and LAN from Dylan.

 Best Selling Singles of the 1980's

Based on Worldwide Sales

  1   Pink Floyd - Another Brick in the Wall (part 2) - 1980

  2   Irene Cara - Flashdance... What a Feeling - 1983

  3   Michael Jackson - Billie Jean - 1983

  4   The Police - Every Breath You Take - 1983

  5   Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes - 1981

  6   Madonna - Like a Prayer - 1989

  7   Survivor - Eye of the Tiger - 1982

  8   Stevie Wonder - I Just Called to Say I Love You - 1984

  9   Barbra Streisand - A Woman in Love - 1980

10   USA For Africa - We Are the World - 1985

11   George Michael - Careless Whisper - 1984

12   John Lennon - (Just Like) Starting Over - 1980

13   Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - I Love Rock 'n' Roll - 1982

14   Culture Club - Karma Chameleon - 1983

15   Lipps Inc - Funkytown - 1980

16   Diana Ross - Upside Down - 1980

17   The Human League - Don't You Want Me - 1982

18   Phil Collins - Another Day in Paradise - 1989

19   Prince - When Doves Cry - 1984

20   Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance With Somebody - 1987

21   Michael Jackson - Beat It - 1983

22   Los Lobos - La Bamba - 1987

23   Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up - 1987

24   David Bowie - Let's Dance - 1983

25   Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - 1984

26   Culture Club - Do You Really Want to Hurt Me? - 1983

27   Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder - Ebony & Ivory - 1982

28   Men At Work - Down Under - 1982

29   A-Ha - Take On Me - 1985

30   Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes - (I've Had) the Time of My Life - 1987

31   Blondie - Call Me - 1980

32   U2 - With Or Without You - 1987

33   Berlin - Take My Breath Away - 1986

34   Dexys Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen - 1982

35   Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy - 1988

36   Starsound - Stars On 45 - 1981

37   Phil Collins - A Groovy Kind of Love - 1988

38   Falco - Rock Me Amadeus - 1986

39   The Bangles - Eternal Flame - 1989

40   Diana Ross & Lionel Richie - Endless Love - 1981

41   Steve Miller Band - Abracadabra - 1982

42   Bon Jovi - Livin' On a Prayer - 1987

43   Madonna - Papa Don't Preach - 1986

44   Soft Cell - Tainted Love - 1981

45   Richard Marx - Right Here Waiting - 1989

46   J Geils Band - Centrefold - 1982

47   Nena - 99 Red Balloons - 1983

48   Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart - 1983

49   UB40 - Red Red Wine - 1983

50   Tina Turner - What's Love Got to Do With It? - 1984

51   The B52s - Love Shack - 1989

52   George Michael - Faith - 1987

53   Roxette - The Look - 1989

54   Wham! - Wake Me Up Before You Go Go - 1984

55   Olivia Newton-John - (Let's Get) Physical - 1981

56   Queen - Another One Bites the Dust - 1980

57   Foreigner - I Want to Know What Love Is - 1985

58   Guns n' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine - 1988

59   Fine Young Cannibals - She Drives Me Crazy - 1989

60   Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas? - 1985

61   The Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls - 1986

62   Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax - 1984

63   Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes - Up Where We Belong - 1982

64   Dionne Warwick & Friends - That's What Friends Are For - 1986

65   John Lennon - Woman - 1981

66   Jefferson Starship - Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now - 1987

67   U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - 1987

68   Queen - Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 1980

69   Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra - Xanadu - 1980

70   Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers - Swing the Mood - 1989

71   Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight - 1981

72   Phil Collins - Against All Odds - 1984

73   Prince - Batdance - 1989

74   Irene Cara - Fame - 1980

75   Van Halen - Jump - 1984

76   F R David - Words - 1982

77   Tears For Fears - Shout - 1985

78   Musical Youth - Pass the Dutchie - 1982

79   U2 - Desire - 1988

80   Madonna - Like a Virgin - 1984

81   The Bangles - Walk Like an Egyptian - 1986

82   Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer - 1986

83   Tiffany - I Think We're Alone Now - 1988

84   Ray Parker Jr - Ghostbusters - 1984

85   Billy Ocean - Get Outta My Dreams Get Into My Car - 1988

86   Lionel Richie - All Night Long (All Night) - 1983

87   Belinda Carlisle - Heaven is a Place On Earth - 1988

88   Kaoma - Lambada - 1989

89   Kenny Loggins - Footloose - 1984

90   Abba - The Winner Takes it All - 1980

91   Chicago - Hard to Say I'm Sorry - 1982

92   Lionel Richie - Hello - 1984

93   Kool & The Gang - Celebration - 1981

94   INXS - Need You Tonight - 1988

95   Michael Jackson - Thriller - 1984

96   Madonna - Who's That Girl? - 1987

97   The Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) - 1983

98   Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson - Say Say Say - 1983

99   Europe - The Final Countdown - 1986

100 Lionel Richie - Say You, Say Me - 1985

Best Selling Albums of the 1980's

Based on Worldwide Sales

  1   Michael Jackson - Thriller - 1982

  2   Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms - 1985

  3   U2 - The Joshua Tree - 1987

  4   Bruce Springsteen - Born In The USA - 1984

  5   Michael Jackson - Bad - 1987

  6   Prince - Purple Rain - 1984

  7   The Police - Synchronicity - 1983

  8   Paul Simon - Graceland - 1986

  9   Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston - 1986

10   Phil Collins - No Jacket Required - 1985

11   Guns n' Roses - Appetite For Destruction - 1987

12   Lionel Richie - Can't Slow Down - 1983

13   George Michael - Faith - 1987

14   Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet - 1986

15   Original Soundtrack - Dirty Dancing - 1987

16   Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman - 1988

17   Def Leppard - Hysteria - 1987

18   AC/DC - Back In Black - 1980

19   Madonna - True Blue - 1986

20   U2 - Rattle & Hum - 1988

21   Whitney Houston - Whitney - 1987

22   John Lennon - Double Fantasy - 1980

23   Madonna - Like A Prayer - 1989

24   Original Soundtrack - Flashdance - 1983

25   Phil Collins - ... But Seriously - 1989

26   Madonna - Like A Virgin - 1984

27   Prince - Sign 'O' The Times - 1987

28   Culture Club - Colour By Numbers - 1983

29   Tears For Fears - Songs From The Big Chair - 1985

30   The Rolling Stones - Tattoo You - 1981

31   Bryan Adams - Reckless - 1985

32   Peter Gabriel - So - 1986

33   Barbra Streisand - Guilty - 1980

34   Bruce Springsteen - The River - 1980

35   Men At Work - Business As Usual - 1982

36   Paul McCartney - Tug Of War - 1982

37   The Police - Ghost In The Machine - 1981

38   Bob Marley - Legend, The Best Of Bob Marley - 1984

39   Bruce Springsteen - Tunnel Of Love - 1987

40   The Beastie Boys - Licensed To Ill - 1986

41   Phil Collins - Face Value - 1981

42   Sting - The Dream Of The Blue Turtles - 1985

43   Original Soundtrack - Footloose - 1984

44   Sting - ...Nothing Like The Sun - 1987

45   U2 - The Unforgettable Fire - 1984

46   Toto - Toto IV - 1982

47   David Bowie - Let's Dance - 1983

48   Wham! - Make It Big - 1984

49   Fine Young Cannibals - The Raw & The Cooked - 1989

50   Roxy Music - Avalon - 1982

51   INXS - Kick - 1988

52   ZZ Top - Eliminator - 1983

53   U2 - War - 1983

54   Asia - Asia - 1982

55   Tina Turner - Private Dancer - 1984

56   The Human League - Dare! - 1981

57   The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead - 1986

58   Billy Joel - Glass Houses - 1980

59   Foreigner - 4 - 1981

60   Bon Jovi - New Jersey - 1988

61   Queen - Queen's Greatest Hits I - 1981

62   The Police - Zenyatta Mondatta - 1980

63   Terence Trent D'Arby - Introducing The Hardline - 1987

64   Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual - 1984

65   Pink Floyd - The Final Cut - 1983

66   The Cure - Disintegration - 1989

67   Traveling Wilburys - Volume I - 1988

68   Original Soundtrack - Top Gun - 1986

69   REO Speedwagon - Hi Infidelity - 1981

70   Foreigner - Agent Provocateur - 1985

71   Sade - Promise - 1985

72   Janet Jackson - Control - 1986

73   Prince - Batman - 1989

74   Prince - Lovesexy - 1988

75   Sade - Diamond Life - 1984

76   Rick Astley - Whenever You Need Somebody - 1988

77   The Eurythmics - Be Yourself Tonight - 1985

78   Kate Bush - Hounds Of Love - 1985

79   Dire Straits - Love Over Gold - 1982

80   Bruce Springsteen - Live 1975-1985 - 1986

81   Van Halen - 5150 - 1986

82   The Rolling Stones - Emotional Rescue - 1980

83   Paula Abdul - Forever Your Girl - 1989

84   Van Halen - 1984 (mcmlxxxiv) - 1984

85   Genesis - Genesis - 1983

86   Janet Jackson - Rhythm Nation 1814 - 1989

87   Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra - Xanadu - 1980

88   Queen - The Game - 1980

89   Paul Young - No Parlez - 1983

90   Billy Joel - An Innocent Man - 1983

91   Prince - Around The World In A Day - 1985

92   Fleetwood Mac - Tango In The Night - 1987

93   Abba - Super Trouper - 1980

94   Dire Straits - Making Movies - 1980

95   Prince - 1999 - 1982

96   Electric Light Orchestra - Time - 1981

97   Simon & Garfunkel - The Concert In Central Park - 1982

98   The Eurythmics - Touch - 1983

99   Genesis - Invisible Touch - 1986

100 Huey Lewis & The News - Sports - 1984

Top 50 Music Artists of the 1980's

Based on Worldwide Sales

  1: Prince

  2: Madonna

  3: U2

  4: Michael Jackson

  5: Bruce Springsteen

  6: Phil Collins

  7: Dire Straits

  8: Queen

  9: The Police

10: The Rolling Stones

11: Billy Joel

12: The Eurythmics

13: The Cure

14: David Bowie

15: Whitney Houston

16: Elton John

17: Duran Duran

18: Iron Maiden

19: Barbra Streisand

20: The Smiths

21: Lionel Richie

22: Paul McCartney

23: AC/DC

24: Van Halen

25: Depeche Mode

26: Genesis

27: Bon Jovi

28: Rod Stewart

29: Simple Minds

30: Culture Club

31: Tina Turner

32: John Lennon

33: Talking Heads

34: REM

35: Diana Ross

36: John Cougar Mellencamp

37: Foreigner

38: George Michael

39: Elvis Costello

40: Tears For Fears

41: The Pet Shop Boys

42: Pat Benatar

43: Def Leppard

44: Peter Gabriel

45: Stevie Wonder

46: Abba

47: Kiyoko Matsuda

48: Wham!

49: Guns n' Roses

50: Pink Floyd