The Top 30 Best Selling UK Singles Part 1

Okay so after a brief hiatus from blogging, I’ll start up again with a bit of music! 

I don’t tend to buy many music magazines these days, having spent years thumbing through NME and MOJO back in the day. However I do tend to have more of a glimpse when they have their latest greatest songs of all time poll results. National newspapers have a crack at it too occasionally, and whilst there are some songs that regularly make the higher echelons of the lists, the variety and current trends always amaze me. Maybe that’s good though, as music should be ever evolving – after all, The Beatles wouldn’t have achieved immortality had they recorded ‘Love Me Do’ songs for ten years. 

I’m never satisfied with the lists when they come out though. For years I’ve craved a poll that truly reflects the greatest songs ever, and the only way I reckon that could be achieved would be to add it as a mandatory question in the National Census: 
Question 15: What is your favourite song?

Only then will it be definitive! 

It’s hard therefore to do a personal review of the greatest songs of all time as it provokes too much doubt and debate as to whether certain songs should be on the list in the first place. 

What IS definitive is a best SELLING singles list. 

To this end where else to go but Wikipedia to view the Top40 Best Selling UK Singles , and have a little play with that list. 
I’ve included double A-sides where they warrant a mention – note to kids: ask a grown up what a double A-side is… 

Strictly speaking blogs shouldn’t be more than 800 words to keep people vaguely interested, so I’ll do this one as a two parter to stop you getting bored, and restrict it to the top 30!

Curiously though, not one of these songs makes my own favourite top ten…

Part 1: 30 – 21

30.  Eye of the Tiger – Survivor

To me this is all about Rocky 3 (my favourite of the franchise I should add) – undoubtedly aided by being associated to the film, I wonder if it would be on this list, had Sly Stallone hung up his gloves after Rocky 2?

29.  Can't Buy Me Love – The Beatles

Unsurprisingly there are a few Beatles entries in this list. I love the Beatles to the n^th degree, but controversially I have to confess CBML is not amongst my favourites. Can't put my finger on why as I can rarely find fault in any of their catalogue.

28.  Three Lions (and 3 Lions ‘98) – Baddiel & Skinner & The Lightning Seeds

Hmm.. not sure the idea of the game is to combine two chart runs of a song that actually each has more than 50% different lyrics. Brilliant record which brings back memories galore of the summer of 1996 – but lucky to make the top 40 on this combined issue.

27.  Perfect Day – Various Artists for Children in Need

I bought the CD single of this primarily to hear the gender specific versions included therein – probably available on YouTube to have a listen to. The original composer Lou Reed (RIP) himself sings on this, so thankfully it wasn’t butchered. Seemed to linger in the charts for ages, and the accompanying video was pretty good too.

26.  I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston

Talking of lingering in the chart for ages. Poor Whitney (again RIP) gets a bad rap for this on the basis of it being overplayed, and by default of being a Christmas number 1 it has since become a Christmas playlist staple. I liked it in 1992, but a little less as each year goes by.

25.  Don't You Want Me – The Human League

I wonder if lead singer Phil Oakey knew how much this song would eventually be covered by millions due to his long lost cousin Carrie? A definitive 80’s classic though. Even the cover by The Farm wasn’t bad either – plus the video of the latter version featured one Rik Mayall (another RIP)

24.  Blurred Lines – Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams

Ah 2013 – the year Pharrell Williams became omnipresent. I shouldn’t really indulge, but the X-rated version of this catchy song is worth a view on YouTube (if you’re an adult) #cough

Even just a year later, where is Robin Thicke now?

23.  Two Tribes – Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Again another song accompanied by an interesting video. Worthy follow up to the other FGTH song that appears higher up this list…

22.  I'll Be Missing You – Puff Daddy featuring Faith Evans

I wonder how well this song would have fared had Diana POW not died. Songs often bring far more comfort in times of pain than we might realise, and this certainly benefitted from a nation in mourning. To be fair the song is a good sampler, as samplers go – and who could fail with that STINGing bassline?

21.  Summer Nights – John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John

I never really got into Grease as a child. I think because my dad didn’t like it much, and therefore nor did we as children. And then you grow up and change your mind! The less said about Grease 2 the better though.

Part 2

The 7 of Your Life

A bit of a break from the norm then – mainly as I’m dead busy this lunchtime!

I can’t take credit for the entirety of the below, and I’ve posted it before at some time… but I’ve tweaked it a bit from the original (source unknown) and quite like it, so thought I’d share.

Hopefully it’s not too preachy for some!

The 7 of Your Life

Be yourself

Don’t spend too much time concentrating on everyone else’s perception of you, or who they want you to be, or you’ll forget who you really are.

Don’t fear the judgements of others; you know in your heart who you are and what’s true to you. You don’t have to be perfect to impress and inspire people. Let them be impressed and inspired by how you deal with your imperfections

Create your own dreams

The greatest challenge in life is discovering who you are; the second greatest is being happy with what you find.  It’s your decision to stay true to your own goals and dreams. Disagree with people if it means standing your ground and walking your own path

Keep positive company

Don’t let someone who has a bad attitude get to you. Remember that keeping the company of negative people is a choice, instead of an obligation, so free yourself to keep the company of compassion instead of anger, generosity instead of greed, and patience instead of anxiety

Don’t be selfish and egotistical

A life filled with loving deeds and good character is the best epitaph.  Those who you inspired and shared your love with will remember how you made them feel long after your time has expired. What you have done for yourself alone dies with you; what you have done for others and the world remains

When the going gets tough, keep on going

There are no failures, just results. Even if things don’t unfold the way you had expected, don’t be disheartened or give up.  Learn what you can and move on

Resist analysing every little thing

Life should be touched, not strangled. Relax and let life happen without incessant worry. Take a deep breath.  When the dust settles and you can once again see the woods for the trees, take the next step forward. You don’t have to know exactly where you’re going to be headed somewhere great

Never settle for less

Sometimes you have to get knocked down lower than you have ever been to stand up taller than you ever were.

Sometimes your eyes need to be washed by your tears so you can see the possibilities in front of you with a clearer vision again

Those 'Child of the 80's' lists...

These babies must've been doing the rounds for years now.  Always worth a chuckle but I thought I'd give it a bit more context...

You know you're a child of the 80's when:

You remember when there was no breakfast TV and when TV shut down at midnight.

And Dad would open the window and turn the volume up so the neighbours could enjoy the National Anthem

There was nothing on TV in the middle of the day except for that test card girl with the clown and a blackboard.

Bless her heart she looked like a girl in my school moonlighting.

You can name at least half of the members of the elite Brat Pack.

They've never left the thoughts of this Man in Motion.

You remember when ATARI was a state of the art video game system.

I more recall the Commodore Vic 20 vs Commodore 64 vs ZX Spectrum 48k+ debate (the Speccy won)

You own any cassettes.

Of course...still have over 400. It's a collection dammit!

You remember dancing to Tiffany.

Yeah that was last week. I remember running just as fast as I can. Usually on the spot.

You were led to believe that in the year 2000 we'd all be living on the moon.

That is in fact what a bearded teacher told me in 1985. That all sadly changed in 1986.

You know who Max Headroom is. But did you ever find out if he was r-r-r-r-r-real?

Didn't get the joke in his name until years and years later when I had learnt how to drive.

You wore fluorescent, neon clothing.

Nope but my brother did.

You could breakdance, or wished you could.

Nope but my brother thought he could.

You Believed that 'By the power of Greyskull', you HAD the power.

I thought I would have power if I said it backwards. Evidently not. 

You remember David Hasselhoff when he wore clothes and talked to his car.

Here's some controversy...never liked Knight Rider. Never as good as the Dukes of Hazzard.

You carried your lunch to school in a Gremlins or an ET lunchbox.

No no.. forget that. Who else genuinely remembers ET biscuits?

You know the profound meaning of Wax on, Wax off.

I know that every kid called Daniel suddenly had an extra name.

You remember that spiky flat-tops were the rave after Top Gun.

Never.Seen.It.Like.Ever.

You used to get into the family car by sliding through the open window Dukes of Hazzard style.

No but my son has tried it recently

You saw Ghostbusters 7 times.

No but I saw Ghost at least 3 times.

You ran around the playground saying: "We came, we saw, we kicked ass!"

More like I hid in the corner praying for dear life during British Bulldog

Saturday was Multi Coloured Swap Shop day.

That bloke still has a tidy beard.

You wore leg-warmers (or knew someone who did)

Hated them as the girls always lent them to more popular boys than me.

You know the theme tune and the names of all the actors and characters in Dynasty.

Mmm Emma Samms / Fallon...

You remember watching a house inhabited by a jester, a pantomime horse, and a woman who sneezed, and thinking that this was perfectly normal.

No that was just rubbish.

Ooh, you could crush a Grape!

My mum took us to see that 'live'...and future friends of mine got to go on stage with Stu Francis and one of the Nolans.

The first time you ever kissed someone was at a dance during "Crazy for You" by Madonna.

My first kiss as an under 18, there was no music present. As an adult though it was actually to "La Bamba" by Los Lobos. Dead romantic.

You remember Now compilations that had the pig on the front cover (and ones in single figures...)

Yeah what WAS the idea behind the pig?

You owned, or wanted a "Frankie says..." T-shirt.

No but my Dad did.

You have ever danced (or even worse cried) to Kylie & Jason.

It WAS a beautiful wedding. 

Parachuting Action man was your favourite toy.

You mean those 3 inch plastic soldiers attached to a bit of string and a carrier bag that you lobbed into the air surely?

You thought ABBA were cool, the first time round!

Damn right they were.

You wore mismatched finger-less gloves.

Hell yeah

You remember when Betamax was at the cutting edge of technology.

Blank Betamax=195 minutes

Blank VHS=180 minutes

We had both!

Vimto / Dandelion & Burdock featured in your diet.

Every Christmas with every other Corona staple.

Fingermouse

How on Earth has that slipped under the radar?

You fantasised about those girls from that Robert Palmer video.

Nope just Cheryl Baker.

Your best mate had a Sodastream at home and you were jealous.

Everyone had one apart from us.

The expression "you sound like a broken record" means nothing to your children.

Basically this blog...!