Win Nick’s Esteem [Extended]

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Thank Andy it’s Friday.

Overwhelmed by your response to the ending of Golden Discs’ sponsorship of the Friday music competition, we decided to carry on anyway until a new sponsor can be found.

So until further notice, there’s no pot of gold at the end of this rainbow… there’s not even a voucher! You all OK with that?

Then let’s face the music and dance like Kevin Bacon.

This week, in tribute to cherished reader Andy Pipkin, our theme is one chosen by Andy: What’s the most underrated 1980s song?

Here’s mine.

Reply below just for the craic.

Please include a video link if possible, thanks.

Lines stay open until Saturday Midday.

Nick says: Well, you did ask!

Monday: Lifting The Needle

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Related posts:

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129 thoughts on “Win Nick’s Esteem [Extended]”

    1. CapernosityandFunction

      Great to have an other The The advocate on a Friday. You could choose any one of dozens of The The tracks and it would fit the bill. I will throw this in as a bonus:

      From Soul Mining I give you “Giant”:

      https://youtu.be/unVf6EUX2GU

  5. Slightly Bemused

    I think mine has to be The RAH Band and Clouds Across The Moon from 1985. I always loved the song. I can do without the video, and to be honest, the idiotic ‘Intergalactic Operator’ vocals too. Strip the song down to the wonderful vocals of the singer, whose name I cannot find, and a wonderful tune, and I think it is a great song.

    First piece of sheet music I ever bought, from Walton’s on Parnell Square.

    I hope you enjoy it

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL8AgEzg5fI

    1. Slightly Bemused

      I always love to come across Paul Simon songs, especially ones not constantly on the radio. It is such a credit it to him that even his lesser played songs are still masterpieces1

      Wonderful song, thanks

  14. Slightly Bemused

    Kirsty MacColl and There’s A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He’s Elvis.

    This clip I find really funny.as the presenter is talking to a phenomenal singer/songwriter, and all he wants to talk about is her dad. Her face says that she gets this all the time and is starting to get fed up of it.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DbjPkVf82M

  15. Slightly Bemused

    Another Kirsty number, this time her version of Billy Bragg’s A New England. Billy was so impressed with her alterations that he used them in all his future times he played his own song.

    I am going to stop now. I just realised that it is probably a bad idea to set me loose on 1980s songs with no restraint :-)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnzpg5GgQCo

  16. Ronnie Maher

    Criminally underrated. Didn’t trouble the higher echelons of the charts much at the time. Although it should have.
    Written and sung by an Irish woman, This is superb. Do yourselves all a favour and take a few minutes to listen to this.

    The Passions. I’m in love with a German film star.

    Enjoy.
    You’re welcome.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLn_oMd1DQU

  17. Slightly Bemused

    Another Kirsty number, this time her version of Billy Bragg’s A New England. Billy was so impressed with her alterations that he used them in all his future times he played his own song.

    I am going to stop now. I just realised that it is probably a bad idea to set me loose on 1980s songs with no restraint :-)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnzpg5GgQCo

  22. eamonn

    Here is one more from 1985, Working Week, their take on – Inner City Blues
    What a tune, What a version. Probably posted this before on a different topic.
    https://youtu.be/L15woAZ8yjU
    Not one you will be hearing at your local 80’s night I think.

    1. H

      Missed this when I was going through the comments yesterday, I absolutely loved Japan back in the day – another excellent shout Bertie

        1. Fergalito

          Just about in the 80s and from one of the greatest albums ever to hold a sample, “Shadrach” from the still incredible Beastie Boys second album “Paul’s Boutique.”

          Those of a certain vintage will recall the outrage and chest-thumping as the media and guardians of public morals lost their minds to the manafactured outrage churned out when the Beasties first emerged with their frat-racket debut “Licensed to Ill.” Yep this was back when the devil could be heard speaking directly to you, the innocent music consumer, when yer vinyl records were played backwards.

          After the outrage and furore the BBs went off and hoovered up a wedge of samples they integrated illegally into this album masterpiece. Blows me away to this day. All hail the Beasties, pioneers, true artists and keepers of the real!

          https://youtu.be/H6nrmFdlXc0

    1. Fergalito

      Galaxie 500….incredible band, debut album still holds up extremely well. Better than that even!

  35. SOQ

    This track is cited as the most influential early 80’s dance track- it’s hard to believe it’s from 1982 as it sounds so recent.

    A comment below this YouTube video states- “”Body Talk proved to be an enduring album, with the tracks “So Good, So Right” and “Burnin’ Up” being cited as influential and ahead of their time (the latter has been acknowledged by Frankie Knuckles as a key track in the development of house music) -Source: Wikipedia –“

    Imagination – Burnin’ Up

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JWuzu3gQz8

  37. Rosette of Sirius

    As a German track. it never really made it up the UK charts at all – for whatever the reason. Interestingly it peaked at 22 in the Irish charts. It got a more recent lease of life as the theme song on Deutschland 83. Think I’ll blame 80s rib-tickler(yeah, right) Stan Boardman and his long running gag that the Germans bombed his chippie….

    Anyways, here’s Peter Schilling’s Major Tom (Völlig Losgelöst), or (Coming Home) in English however it directly translates as (completely detached)

    https://youtu.be/wO0A0XcWy88

    Also, while waiting for a sponsor, the ‘winner’ should be afforded the honour of setting the theme for the next week’s competition!

  40. TheFerg

    Got give an auld shout to Germany’s #1 punk rockers, Die Toten Hosen, (“The Dead Trousers” – erectile disfunction basically).

    ‘Hier Kommt Alex’, (Here Comes Alex) is from their ‘88 big breakout album. It was the opening track of the album written as a musical for A Clockwork Orange, the protanogist being Alex.

    “Here comes Alex, curtains up for a bit of horror show!”
    It’s a thumper!!

    https://youtu.be/6z8o7qAIlIU

  41. TheFerg

    Got give an auld shout to Germany’s #1 punk rockers, Die Toten Hosen, (“The Dead Trousers” – erectile disfunction basically).

    ‘Hier Kommt Alex’, (Here Comes Alex) is from their ‘88 big breakout album. It was the opening track of the album written as a musical for A Clockwork Orange, the protanogist being Alex.

    “Here comes Alex, curtains up for a bit of horror show!”
    It’s a thumper!!

    https://youtu.be/6z8o7qAIlIU

  42. SOQ

    OK this is from 1979 but I think really took off in the next couple of years on the disco scene. Produced by Giorgio Moroder- a driving sound which really feels like it is going somewhere.

    The Three Degrees- The Runner.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj7V-P2g5LM

    They were stunning looking women and so full of energy- absolutely beautiful.

    1. SOQ

      The making of that video probably cost more than the annual health care budget of a small country at the time.

      God the hair- so much work to make it look like you’ve just fell off a long spin motor bike ride.

  48. CapernosityandFunction

    Go Betweens – Streets of Your Town

    https://youtu.be/8M_P_xX9Cmw

    Forget about underrated song (which this is, by the way) this is the most underrated band of the 80s with the most underrated album of the 1980s (16 Lovers Lane)

    This is the epitome of what a perfect pop song should be. Great melody, short, an ear worm that joyfully circles around your head all day.

    Round and round
    Up and down
    Through the streets of your town

  49. CapernosityandFunction

    Japan – Quiet Life

    https://youtu.be/xhm-EqcPta0

    Based on previous contributions this is turning into a bit of a Japan retrospective, which I am all for.

    Japan were so of their time. Like a cross between Duran Duran and Throbbing Gristle. Their music manages to span the 40 years since and this one is my favourite.

    Mick Karn shows how 80s slap bass should be done.

    1. H

      Excellent choice, I treat the neighbourhood to this one if it comes on the radio when I’m out driving :-)

  55. CapernosityandFunction

    Yazoo – Situation

    https://youtu.be/bs4T7kZ_Uog

    Vince and Alf create a piece of 80s synth gold. if this doesn’t get you on to the dance floor with the Blitz Kids you have very definitely shuffled off this mortal coil (cue 8os reference)

  58. CapernosityandFunction

    U2 – Surrender

    https://youtu.be/XWJ2-XyXaMo

    Can a U2 song be underrated? Well, fun fact about this one is that backing vocals on this track are courtesy of the Coconuts from Kid Creole and the Coconuts. They happened to be in Dublin when this track was being recorded back in the day. One of three they contributed to on War.

  63. CapernosityandFunction

    Virgin Prunes -Caucasian Walk

    https://youtu.be/y5d6yy7F3U0

    It is just so wonderful that Ireland of the late 70s and early 80s could produce a band like this when you consider the state we were in. Coming from Lypton Village they went very much the other way than their confreres in U2 and the world is a better place for it. I love this live version (even though it cuts off at the end) Guggi looks born to be in that skirt and heels.

  66. CapernosityandFunction

    The Fall – Big New Prinz

    https://youtu.be/wygQmJ59E4Q

    Those of us old enough to remember will recall that 80s independent music existed in a parallel universe with its own charts. These guys were indie flagbearers. I love this performance as The Fall’s classic line up intersect with another 80s legend Tony Wilson. I love the fact that this song was from an album that was intended as the soundtrack for the ballet I Am Curious, Orange, produced by contemporary dance group Michael Clark & Company, and loosely based on the 300th anniversary of William of Orange’s ascension to the English throne. Is that Mark E Smith’s Lambeg impression at the start of the video?

  74. H

    I thought of an absolute cracker but I can’t find the original version anywhere, only the re-released remixed version. The B-side of Matt Bianco’s ‘Don’t blame it on that girl’ was ‘Wap-Bam-Boogie’ which was later remixed and turned into a lame dance version of itself.

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