“Lies” doesn't deviate much from the formula that served #StatusQuo so well, but I liked its boogie-rock energy and the call-and-response echoes. This double-A side was charting in December 1980 but peaked in the UK at #11, a fortnight into 1981. It was taken from their 13th album, “Just Supposin'”.

That hit was credited to Terry Dactyl & the Dinosaurs but by 1980 he'd chosen just a minor variation on his real name of ... John Lewis. And what a delightfully quirky tale of love lost and recovered "Parties" proved to be. (Also: that's the much-missed Kirsty MacColl on backing vocals, in yellow).

Now there's a cheesy #TOTP intro for ya with that clip, very much of its time! What a gorgeous chorus elevates this song though. The only other #Elton 7” to chart outside the Top 40 by this point was “Are You Ready For Love” in 1979, which would eventually become a UK No.1 for him 24 years later.

Much bluesier than Gerry R's most famous tunes, this didn't entirely work as a single but the dream-like video, with its imagery reminiscent of 1930s futurism, was pretty special. No prizes for spotting the Edward Hopper reference; the artists's “Nighthawks” is one of my favourite mid-century works.

Yes, a brief career in the Commons but Coe was my parents' MP for those 5 years. He canvassed on their doorstep once.

But Felder was not only one-third of seminal jazz outfit the #Crusaders, whose “Street Life” was a big UK hit in 1979. He was a prolific and in-demand bass player: that's him on “Let's Get It On” and “I Want You Back”, on '70s albums from Joni Mitchell, Billy Joel and Steely Dan – the list goes on.

It was, though, added to the US release. This is one song from 1980 that doesn't sound half as inventive or, indeed, attractive 45 years on-but hey, that's OK. Not everything can stand the test of time equally well. The Photos had their own brief moment or two. There are plenty more songs to enjoy.

The Planets were formed by songwriter-bassist Pete Lindsey. He later became creative director of #IslandMusic. As a band with a great ear for a hook; it's a pity they weren't better known. Oh, and Kate Robbins, who would have a UK #2 hit in 1981, sang backing vocals on their first LP!
#Forgotten80s

A very good point - that version on the other side isn't listed in my Guinness books or on officialcharts.com but it was implied as a double-A side by the single's sleeve, wasn't it? I certainly wrote both titles down in my hand-inked chart for 1980, but didn't make room to mention it here.

I've belatedly realised that I forgot to drop in the obvious "not to be confused with contemporary rockstar #Yungblud" reference. Please let's pretend that I did that at the appropriate juncture all along.

When it comes to Bowie commentary, I must defer to my old mate Nick Pegg, who said it was: “one of the most defiantly uncommercial, discordant and aggressive recordings Bowie ever released”. Yet this version peaked as high as #23 in the UK charts, one spot above the high-point for #Heroes in 1977.

Rossmore Rd lies parallel to the #Marylebone Rd. My latent fascination with London, which I barely knew at 16, probably drew me to this song. Little did I know that I'd spend most of my uni years in NW1 ... and then my middle-aged years living in #WestNorwood, which is where Barry Andrews was born!

Most recently, the passing of Ozzy #Osbourne this summer saw “Paranoid” back in the UK charts for a month. TBH, it's not my fave style of Sabbath but that primal energy made it a pivotal track. There's a neat temporary exhibition devoted to working-class hero Ozzy in the central #Birmingham Museum.