DJ Punctum
@djpunctum.bsky.social
"Modern medicine is not a line where you left your fossils." Married to an American so watch it. Co-author of the now completed Then Play Long blog (https://nobilliards.blogspot.com).
yeah, it should be "Lying TO "The Holdovers" shurely?
November 30, 2025 at 7:53 PM
yeah, it should be "Lying TO "The Holdovers" shurely?
Not on my copy it wasn't - the B-side was a band original called "Gone Straight."
November 30, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Not on my copy it wasn't - the B-side was a band original called "Gone Straight."
Because new at #1 - not even bothering to climb the charts (why should they have been expected to?) - it's the Jam with their farewell single "Beat Surrender." Thanks for watching and listening, and I'll be back with a different year next Sunday!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHP0...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHP0...
The Jam - Beat Surrender
YouTube video by TheJamVEVO
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Because new at #1 - not even bothering to climb the charts (why should they have been expected to?) - it's the Jam with their farewell single "Beat Surrender." Thanks for watching and listening, and I'll be back with a different year next Sunday!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHP0...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHP0...
Non-moving for the second of three weeks at #2, and so nearly a number one (if only the biggest band in the country hadn't decided to split up) - "Mirror Man" by Human League Gold:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMu1...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMu1...
The Human League - Mirror Man
YouTube video by TheHumanLeagueVEVO
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Non-moving for the second of three weeks at #2, and so nearly a number one (if only the biggest band in the country hadn't decided to split up) - "Mirror Man" by Human League Gold:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMu1...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMu1...
We enter the top three, as do Wham! - climbing one place to a peak of #3 with "Young Guns (Go For It!)":
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_Mh...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_Mh...
Wham! - Young Guns (Go for It!) (Live from Top of the Pops 1982)
YouTube video by WhamVEVO
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:29 PM
We enter the top three, as do Wham! - climbing one place to a peak of #3 with "Young Guns (Go For It!)":
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_Mh...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_Mh...
There's a change at the top because, after three weeks at number one, Eddy Grant comes down three places to #4 with "I Don't Wanna Dance":
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9de6...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9de6...
Eddy Grant - I don't wanna dance
YouTube video by RazMami
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:28 PM
There's a change at the top because, after three weeks at number one, Eddy Grant comes down three places to #4 with "I Don't Wanna Dance":
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9de6...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9de6...
Ominously moving up four to #5 - thanks to Wogan and my mum, among others, it will become the year's Christmas number one, Renee and Renato with "Save Your Love." They sang at my cousin's wedding four months after this so shut up:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7En...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7En...
Renée & Renato - Save Your Love 1983
YouTube video by fritz51316
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Ominously moving up four to #5 - thanks to Wogan and my mum, among others, it will become the year's Christmas number one, Renee and Renato with "Save Your Love." They sang at my cousin's wedding four months after this so shut up:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7En...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7En...
Leaping eleven places to enjoy the first of three weeks at its peak position of #6, it's Lionel Richie with his first solo hit "Truly" - apologies for both DLT and the TOTP Orchestra:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxqY...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxqY...
Lionel Richie - Truly Live (1982)
YouTube video by TheSoulKings
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Leaping eleven places to enjoy the first of three weeks at its peak position of #6, it's Lionel Richie with his first solo hit "Truly" - apologies for both DLT and the TOTP Orchestra:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxqY...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxqY...
Enjoying the second of three weeks at its peak position of #7, the normally annoying Blancmange with their best single by a country mile, "Living On The Ceiling":
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL0N...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL0N...
Blancmange - Living On The Ceiling (Official Video)
YouTube video by Blancmange
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Enjoying the second of three weeks at its peak position of #7, the normally annoying Blancmange with their best single by a country mile, "Living On The Ceiling":
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL0N...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL0N...
Coming down five to #8, having peaked at two (her biggest UK solo hit), Dionne Warwick with the lyrical maze that is the Gibb brothers' "Heartbreaker":
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xHQ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xHQ...
Dionne Warwick - Heartbreaker (Official Video)
YouTube video by DionneWarwickVEVO
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Coming down five to #8, having peaked at two (her biggest UK solo hit), Dionne Warwick with the lyrical maze that is the Gibb brothers' "Heartbreaker":
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xHQ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xHQ...
At #9 it's the biggest climber of 25 places, heading for number three; Culture Club making their second appearance with "Time (Clock Of The Heart)," one of the best British soul records ever. Sax solo by Wizzard's Nick Pentelow:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tI1...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tI1...
Culture Club - Time (Clock Of The Heart)
YouTube video by CultureClubVEVO
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:17 PM
At #9 it's the biggest climber of 25 places, heading for number three; Culture Club making their second appearance with "Time (Clock Of The Heart)," one of the best British soul records ever. Sax solo by Wizzard's Nick Pentelow:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tI1...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tI1...
Top Ten Time, and it's a massive leap of one place to #10 (it will peak one massive place higher) for Felt, sorry Duran Duran, with "Rio" IT WAS MEANT TO BE SATIRICAL AND IRONIC:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTiz...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTiz...
Duran Duran - Rio (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by DuranDuranVEVO
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Top Ten Time, and it's a massive leap of one place to #10 (it will peak one massive place higher) for Felt, sorry Duran Duran, with "Rio" IT WAS MEANT TO BE SATIRICAL AND IRONIC:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTiz...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTiz...
And JUST BEFORE we get to that All-Important Top Ten, there's a new entry at #42 you ought to know about; it will become the decade's second biggest-selling non-Top 20 single - the holy Patrick Cowley Mega Mix of Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" in all its glory:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ocq...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ocq...
Donna Summer - I Feel Love (Patrick Cowley Remix) - Remastered, HQ
YouTube video by HD_AUDIO
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:12 PM
And JUST BEFORE we get to that All-Important Top Ten, there's a new entry at #42 you ought to know about; it will become the decade's second biggest-selling non-Top 20 single - the holy Patrick Cowley Mega Mix of Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" in all its glory:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ocq...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ocq...
Up three to #11, to peak at ten, "Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)" by A Flock Of Seagulls, which I sometimes think is the best pop single:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=opkz...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=opkz...
A Flock Of Seagulls - Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You) (Video)
YouTube video by AFlockOfSeagullsVEVO
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Up three to #11, to peak at ten, "Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)" by A Flock Of Seagulls, which I sometimes think is the best pop single:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=opkz...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=opkz...
Coming down seven to #12, having peaked at four, Marvin Gaye with the song that the BBC routinely called "Healing." But it was "Sexual Healing" as writTEN on the laBEL ten points Dignified Don #hypocrisy:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjlS...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjlS...
Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing (Official HD Video)
YouTube video by MarvinGayeVEVO
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Coming down seven to #12, having peaked at four, Marvin Gaye with the song that the BBC routinely called "Healing." But it was "Sexual Healing" as writTEN on the laBEL ten points Dignified Don #hypocrisy:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjlS...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjlS...
Climbing three to a peak of #13 we find Musical Youth with their rather less cuddly follow-up "Youth Of Today":
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsPi...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsPi...
musical youth - youth of today
YouTube video by fanqueen82
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Climbing three to a peak of #13 we find Musical Youth with their rather less cuddly follow-up "Youth Of Today":
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsPi...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsPi...
Up six to #14 but will only get one place higher, Yazoo with the literally thrown-together "The Other Side Of Love" ("Ode To Boy" was the B-side and yes it should have been flipped):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ82...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ82...
Yazoo - The Other Side Of Love (Official Video)
YouTube video by Yazoo / Yaz - Official
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Up six to #14 but will only get one place higher, Yazoo with the literally thrown-together "The Other Side Of Love" ("Ode To Boy" was the B-side and yes it should have been flipped):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ82...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ82...
Floating down nine to #15, having peaked at three, Tears For Fears with "Mad World." Well, it's how a lot of us impressionable student types felt at the time:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1Zv...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1Zv...
Tears For Fears - Mad World (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by TearsForFearsVEVO
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Floating down nine to #15, having peaked at three, Tears For Fears with "Mad World." Well, it's how a lot of us impressionable student types felt at the time:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1Zv...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1Zv...
Zooming up twelve to #16 (to peak at 12), the new one from Slik - er, Ultravox - and the "Enola Gay"-quoting "Hymn." Produced by George Martin at his daughter's request:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXLk...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXLk...
Ultravox - Hymn (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by UltravoxOfficialVEVO
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Zooming up twelve to #16 (to peak at 12), the new one from Slik - er, Ultravox - and the "Enola Gay"-quoting "Hymn." Produced by George Martin at his daughter's request:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXLk...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXLk...
Charging up fifteen to #17, heading for number five, Madness with "Our House," one of the saddest "happy" songs I know. Strings arranged by David Bedford:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwIe...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwIe...
Madness - Our House (Official 4K Video)
YouTube video by Madness
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Charging up fifteen to #17, heading for number five, Madness with "Our House," one of the saddest "happy" songs I know. Strings arranged by David Bedford:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwIe...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwIe...
Up three to #18, heading for a career peak of four (and produced by Tony Visconti - !!??), the inescapable Modern Romance, who here clearly think they're Haircut One Hundred, with Bullingdon Club anthem "Best Years Of Our Lives":
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7vJ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7vJ...
Modern Romance - Best Years Of Our Lives (1982)
YouTube video by DiscoBar80
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Up three to #18, heading for a career peak of four (and produced by Tony Visconti - !!??), the inescapable Modern Romance, who here clearly think they're Haircut One Hundred, with Bullingdon Club anthem "Best Years Of Our Lives":
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7vJ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7vJ...
Down four to #19, having scandously only managed a peak of 14, Donna Summer with Quincy Jones and an inadvertent rehearsal for USA For Africa, and the also quite political when you think about it (and I'm certain Jon and Vangelis did) "State Of Independence":
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYW2...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYW2...
Donna Summer - State of Independence (Official HD Music Video)
YouTube video by Donna Summer
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Down four to #19, having scandously only managed a peak of 14, Donna Summer with Quincy Jones and an inadvertent rehearsal for USA For Africa, and the also quite political when you think about it (and I'm certain Jon and Vangelis did) "State Of Independence":
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYW2...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYW2...
On to the Top 20, and down 12 to #20, having peaked at five (four places too low), Clannad, featuring my wife's distant relative Moya Brennan, and their bucket of cold rationalist water over post-New Pop forced merriment, "Theme From Harry's Game":
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zHT...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zHT...
Clannad - Theme from Harry's Game (Official HD Video)
YouTube video by ClannadVEVO
www.youtube.com
November 30, 2025 at 1:45 PM
On to the Top 20, and down 12 to #20, having peaked at five (four places too low), Clannad, featuring my wife's distant relative Moya Brennan, and their bucket of cold rationalist water over post-New Pop forced merriment, "Theme From Harry's Game":
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zHT...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zHT...