On This Date in 1981: The Teardrop Explodes released their second album, Wilder, which included the singles “Colours Fly Away”, “Passionate Friend”and “Tiny Children,” but every track on the album is amazing. Wilder reached position #29 on the UK albums chart but did not chart in the US, though it is certainly one of my very favorite albums of the 80s.
Thanks to The P5 Blogspot For The Tip!
On This Date, September 15th, in 1981: Thomas Dolby released his second solo single, “Europa And The Pirate Twins,” from his debut album, The Golden Age Of Wireless. The single reached the #48 spot on the U.K. singles chart and the #67 spot on the U.S. singles chart. In “Europa And The Pirate Twins” Dolby makes use of a fantastic word economy to tell the story of a man who pines for a long-lost adolescent friendship with a woman who has grown up to become a famous starlet. For my money, it is one of the most gorgeous and painfully sentimental songs every written.
“And You Know We’re Homosapien, Too”
On This Date, August 24th in 1981: Pete Shelley released his first post-Buzzcocks single, the very fun dance hit “Homosapien.” The single did not chart in the UK, helped in great part by a BBC ban on the song because of its underlying reference to homosexuality. By the late ’80s, Shelley had re-formed the classic lineup of The Buzzcocks for some touring and, soon after, a new Buzzcocks was created with Pete Shelley and Steve Diggle forming the core. They still record and perform today. I interviewed Pete Shelley a number of years ago and was quite amused when he told me that he’d never been employed outside of music because, “Having a day job is something I just can’t get my head around.”
“Have another cigarette and have another cigarette…”
On this date, May 21st, in 1981: The Psychedelic Furs released their second album, Talk Talk Talk. The album charted in the US, breaking through to the #89 spot and spawned three singles, “Mr. Jones”, “Dumb Waiters” (#59 UK) and “Pretty In Pink” (#43 UK). Years later, when “Pretty In Pink” inspired the eponymous film, an inferior version of the song was recorded and re-released as a single, reaching the #18 spot in the UK and the #41 spot in the US. The group disbanded in 1991 with brothers Richard and Tim Butler forming Love Spit Love.
Continue reading Favorite Eighties Album of the Day: The Psychedelic Furs’ Talk Talk Talk
On This Day, May 11th in 1981: Bob Marley died of lung cancer and a brain tumor at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Miami. He was only 36 years old – way too young to go. According to his entry in the Wikipedia, Marley remains the most widely known and revered performer of reggae music, and is credited for helping spread Jamaican music to a worldwide audience. Favorite Bob Marley song: “No Woman, No Cry.”