Mark Wyman
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markwyman.bsky.social
Mark Wyman
@markwyman.bsky.social
Former pop chart aficionado, slowly recreating my 400-track singles chart from 1980 via Spotify. Used to know lots about (and write stuff on) television. Now back in London after a spring/summer in Vancouver. Once produced a CD-ROM for Oliver Postgate.
Pinned
Here's Part 5 of my personal pop chart from 1980. Forty more tracks (well, two omissions for now) to get me to the halfway point in this aural odyssey. I see 7 acts with a pair of tracks in this section: Flying Lizards, Billy Joel, Gillan, The Jam, Steve Forbert ...
open.spotify.com/playlist/56r...
My top 400 singles of 1980: #240 to 201
open.spotify.com
Track 210 of 400: “LIES” by Status Quo
The higher of two entries from the Quo in this countdown, “Lies” was listed as a double-A side with “Don't Drive My Car”, but the former is my track of choice. The band would chart with no fewer than 55 singles in the 20th Century; this was the 21st of those.
Status Quo - Lies. Top Of The Pops 1980
YouTube video by memorylane1980s
www.youtube.com
December 22, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Track 211 of 400: “YOU'LL ALWAYS FIND ME IN THE KITCHEN AT PARTIES” by Jona Lewie
Probably the longest title in this 400-track countdown, so space to comment is at a premium. This was Lewie's breakthrough hit by that name, although by 1972 he had written and performed on #2 smash “Seaside Shuffle”.
Jona Lewie - You'll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties
YouTube video by WiggyOfStHelens2008
www.youtube.com
December 19, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Track 212 of 400: “SARTORIAL ELOQUENCE” by Elton John.
As song titles go, the irony is this one doesn't trip off the tongue. From a fallow period in Elton's six decades of hits, this was his 27th single to reach the UK charts but (by a short head) the least successful up to 1980 in chart placement.
Elton John - Sartorial Eloquence [Top Of The Pops]
YouTube video by Elton John Playlists
www.youtube.com
December 19, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Track 213 of 400: “BRING IT ALL HOME” by Gerry Rafferty
This and the next four songs on my 1980 countdown all represent the highest placing I gave their respective artists that year. Released as the lead single from Rafferty's LP “Snakes and Ladders”, it reached the dizzy heights of #54 in the UK.
Gerry Rafferty - Bring It All Home (Official Video)
YouTube video by Gerry Rafferty
www.youtube.com
December 19, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Well baste my steaming puddings, I've been too busy to post about any #SongsFrom1980 for almost a fortnight. Finally reached the end of term yesterday, though, so here I am back at it. Let's see how far I get by 31 December. I once intended to complete the whole countdown by then. That won't happen!
December 19, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Reposted by Mark Wyman
New upper class dickhead name just dropped
December 15, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Track 214 of 400: “INHERIT THE WIND” by Wilton Felder
I could write you paragraphs about all the connections hidden under this tune's bonnet: credited to Felder for his gorgeous #jazzfusion saxophone lines, its lead vocals are by the great Bobby Womack, no less. Here's a live version with them both:
Wilton Felder ft Bobby Womack - Inherit The Wind.avi
YouTube video by acespectruments
www.youtube.com
December 6, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Track 215 of 400: “I'M SO ATTRACTIVE” by The Photos.
More #powerpop from the quartet fronted by Wendy Wu who previously appeared in this countdown way back at #344 with “Irene”. This ironically narcissistic song was their debut single but somehow didn't appear on their successful debut LP in the UK.
The PHOTO'S - I'm so attractive (1979)
YouTube video by FLUIDE BACK
www.youtube.com
December 5, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Track 216 of 400: “BREAK IT TO ME GENTLY” by The Planets
Not to be confused with Aretha Franklin's 1977 US Soul #1 of the same title, this gem is firmly in new wave/ #powerpop territory. The Planets reached the Top 40 in 1979 with their reggae-flavoured “Lines” but couldn't repeat that success.
Break It to Me Gently
YouTube video by The Planets - Topic
www.youtube.com
December 5, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Track 217 of 400: “ALABAMA SONG” by David Bowie
Now, ladies and gentlemen, here's #Bowie to sing Brecht and Weill! I doubt glam-rock era fans ever saw this coming—a strident number from the Germans' sung-play collab “Little Mahoganny”, first performed back in 1927—yet Bowie was a real #Brecht fan.
Alabama Song (2017 Remaster)
YouTube video by David Bowie - Topic
www.youtube.com
December 2, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Track 218 of 400: “ROSSMORE ROAD” by Barry Andrews
Quite the obscurity, this (it's not on Spotify): a noodling evocation of a quite ordinary London road and its surroundings. Andrews played keyboards on XTC's first two albums but moved on in 1979, the year before I compiled this chart.
#Forgotten80s
Barry Andrews - Rossmore Road
YouTube video by Pete Crunchy
www.youtube.com
December 1, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Track 219 of 400: “PARANOID” by Black Sabbath
Not of course a brand-new track in 1980, this early heavy metal classic was re-released that August. Back in 1970, this debut had reached #4 in the UK chart; 10 years after, it reached a respectable #14. To date, #Paranoid has spent 35 weeks as a hit.
BLACK SABBATH - "Paranoid" (Official Video)
YouTube video by Black Sabbath
www.youtube.com
November 29, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Track 220 of 400: “THE BED'S TOO BIG WITHOUT YOU ” by The Police
“But this wasn't a single for them”, I hear you cry (possibly). Technically, that's true, but of the six Police A-sides in the compilation of 45s that reached #17 in the UK chart as “Six Pack”, only this one had not been a hit earlier.
The Police - The Bed's Too Big Without You (Official Visualiser)
YouTube video by ThePoliceVEVO
www.youtube.com
November 28, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Track 221 of 400: “YOUNG BLOOD” by UFO.
From an album produced by #GeorgeMartin, no less, this was the 4th UK Top 40 hit accumulated since 1978 by a hard-rock band with a slow-burn career. “No Place to Run”, the LP in question, was their 8th album but it proved to be the top seller in a long career.
UFO - Young Blood - TOTP
YouTube video by Zed Tee
www.youtube.com
November 27, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Track 222 of 400: “WHEN I'M WITH YOU” by Sparks
Here's a solitary appearance in my 1980 chart for the prolific and long-running outfit centred on brothers Ron and Russell #Mael. This feels very much towards the poppier end of their range of quirky #art-rock; those synth lines are pretty hypnotic.
Sparks - When I'm With You (Official Video)
YouTube video by S P A R K S
www.youtube.com
November 27, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Squeeze (farewell gig, 1982)
Pretenders (1984 and 2024)
First Aid Kit (twice)
Paul Simon / James Taylor (Hyde Park)
Thomas Dolby (thanks again, @senrabnala.bsky.social)
Kate Bush
The Michael Nyman Band
Violent Femmes
Pet Shop Boys
Kylie Minogue
Introduce yourself with 5 concerts you’ve seen

Tori Amos
Deacon Blue
Nana Mouskouri
The Spinners
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
November 27, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Track 223 of 400: “STOP THE CAVALRY” by Jona Lewie.
Talking of songs that are popular at Christmas, this wistful anti-war song—Lewie's second and final chart hit—doesn't just hold the rare distinction of being #3 in the UK for five consecutive weeks in December 1980 (and new year '81).
#80sChristmas
Jona Lewie - Stop The Cavalry
YouTube video by JonaLewieVEVO
www.youtube.com
November 19, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Track 224 of 400: “ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL” by Pink Floyd
A song held over from 1979, this unlikely Christmas No. 1 still held pole position on the UK chart until mid-January 1980. Not exactly a singles band ('tho "See Emily Play" went Top 10 in 1967) the #Floyd would never reach the Top 20 again.
Pink Floyd - Another Brick In The Wall, Part Two (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by Pink Floyd
www.youtube.com
November 18, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Track 225 of 400: “COMING UP” by Paul McCartney
The lead track from his album “McCartney II”, this was a massive success both sides of the Atlantic—but while the studio version made it a #2 hit in the UK, a live version with Wings (the UK B-side) got the airplay that took it to #1 in the US.
#80sPop
Paul McCartney - Coming Up (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by PaulMcCartneyVEVO
www.youtube.com
November 17, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Track 226 of 400: “AT THE EDGE” by Stiff Little Fingers
Listeners to John Peel's Radio 1 show in 1978-79 would've been pretty familiar with the first releases by this band from #Belfast (also known as “rigid digits”). But 1980 was the year when the ferocious snarl of Jake Burns went more mainstream.
Stiff Little Fingers - At The Edge
YouTube video by Des Rutter
www.youtube.com
November 16, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Track 227 of 400: “MY WORLD” by Secret Affair
Talking of the Jam, they played a pretty significant part in growing the #ModRevival that peaked in 1980. One band to benefit from this was Secret Affair. This was the third and last of the latter's Top 20 hits and arguably their most sophisticated song.
SECRET AFFAIR-MY WORLD PROMO VIDEO 1980
YouTube video by Secret Affair Official
www.youtube.com
November 15, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Track 228 of 400: “ALL AROUND THE WORLD” by The Jam
The second reissued portion of Jam in this part (there are more to come, as well as their then-new singles), this had been the first Top 20 hit for Weller & Co, back in 1977, peaking at #13
#NewWaveNovember
Anyway, here's Marc Bolan to intro them:
The Jam - All around the world
YouTube video by moptop66
www.youtube.com
November 15, 2025 at 7:01 PM
FX: audible sigh of weariness.
EXCL:

Final decision on restoring the Palace of Westminster will be delayed until 2030s

MPs were expected to vote by the end of 2025 on a way forward for fixing the crumbling parliament, but that now won't happen

Story w/@danbloom1.bsky.social
www.politico.eu/article/fina...
Final decision on fate of crumbling UK parliament delayed to 2030s
It’s a fire-hazard that’s prone to tumbling masonry — but fear of a public backlash is again delaying repairs to the world famous building.
www.politico.eu
November 15, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Track 229 of 400: “(JUST LIKE) STARTING OVER” by John Lennon
It needed a pretty cold heart to be objective about this #Lennon song when I made my chart at the end of 1980. He was murdered on 9 December that year. I still recall my Mum relaying the shocking news before I went to school the next day.
(JUST LIKE) STARTING OVER. (Ultimate Mix, 2020) - John Lennon (official music video HD)
YouTube video by johnlennon
www.youtube.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Track 230 of 400: “BULLETPROOF HEART” by Fingerprintz
This song was a pleasant rediscovery: I drew yet another blank when I saw the band and track listed in my 1980 countdown. Turns out it was a classy, melodic #post-punk track with a nagging keyboard motif (perhaps a bit overused).
#NewWaveNovember
Fingerprintz - Bulletproof Heart
YouTube video by akis cherokee
www.youtube.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:36 PM