161. I Could Be Happy – Altered Images (1981)

I remember watching Clare Grogan singing this on ‘Top Of The Pops’ back in 1981 and thinking what an unusual song this really was and what a strange little girl she was as well. At that time she seemed to be everywhere – actress (in the film ‘Gregory’s Girl’ and on tv and singer with a Scottish New Wave band too! Such talent….

‘I Could be Happy’ seems (at first) to be a very jolly happy sort of song but it’s really about trying to escape the unwanted attentions of a stalker which makes it all the more strange and unusual.

Now Listen to the song….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnwcGjxiPXY&feature=fvwrel

160. Time After Time – The Beloved (1989)

As you probably know by now I am a major fan of The Beloved after being introduced to them by my wife (when she was my girlfriend!) while driving across France in the mid 1990s (See - Song 9 – The Sun Rising).

This song however has to be my most favourite song on the album ‘Happiness’ and one that I play more than all the others. Although there are some truly great songs on that album this one for me reminds me of that trip because it is the song that I almost always identify with it. I loved this song so much that I would often wind the tape back to play it again and again.

I don’t know what I love so much about it, but I love the overall ‘sound and feel’ of this song as well as the lyrics which tell of a relationship that is in trouble and that the repetition of issues and the requirement to change one’s ways all add up to a great song which has a great soundtrack and melody.

I still play this song a lot on my ipod!

Now listen to the song…..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q36oO87s_kY&feature=fvwrel

159. Forbidden Colours – David Sylvian and Ryuichi Sakamoto (1983)

‘Forbidden Colours’ is a song utilising the theme from the 1983 film ‘Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence’ written by Ryuichi Sakamoto (see song 125) with lyrics written by David Sylvian at the time most recognisable as being the singer with pop band Japan.

I remember buying this record on a 12’’ single from Ainley’s Record shop in Leicester and rushing home to play it after I had previously heard it being played on the radio. By the time it was released I had already seen the film and heard the original music but was captivated by the wonderful lyrics and drama of this newly written song. In interviews with David Sylvian he admits that he is not comfortable with his vocal performances but his modesty is misplaced as he has a truly wonderful voice and is a truly great artist.

A further version of this song appears on the early versions of the album ‘The Secrets of The Beehive’ where David and Ryuichi rerecorded a more delicate acoustic version of the song however this is the original version (as released in 1983) and is a lovely song by two great musicians.

Now listen to the song…..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1YkHJJi-tc

158. Open Your Heart – The Human League (1981)

When the Human League’s album ‘Dare’ was released in 1981 it heralded a major new departure for the group as Martin Ware and Ian Craig Marsh left the band to form the British Electric Foundation and later Heaven 17, while Phil Oakey recruited Joanne Catherall and Susanne Sulley and along with Philip Adrian Wright and producer Martin Rushent set about creating this truly innovatory album.

I remember watching Martin Rushent on TV talking about using the Linn Drum machine on this album and the other ways that the group had created their unique ‘sound’ and as synthesisers were becoming less expensive and capable of being programmed to produce more and more exciting sounds and that coupled with Phil Oakey’s truly amazing voice enhanced by the female backing singers this was indeed a winning combination.

The Human League had a number of Hits during the 1980s with ‘Don’t You Want Me’ (Song 51) perhaps being the most famous but this is the one that started it all off for me….

Now listen to the song…..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B60ZfTWk51I

157. Unchained Melody – The Righteous Brothers (1965)

The problem with ‘Unchained Melody’ is that the song is suffering from massive over exposure. We all know that it is Simon Cowell’s favourite song and versions by Robson and Jerome and just about everyone else have helped to ensure that it is never far from a Karaoke machine or being done to death at a wedding dance, however if you can put all this behind you it and go back to the song in its purest form it is a true classic.

The song was originally the music for the 1955 film ‘Unchained’ which was about a prison, however once lyrics were written some time later it became a popular song (recorded by Jimmy Young and Matt Monroe amongst others) before being immortalised and revived once again when used in the 1995 film ‘Ghost’.

This version by The Righteous Brothers is probably the most famous and my personal favourite. Produced by Phil Spector, this is the video that was played on ‘Top Of The Pops’ when ‘Unchained Melody’ remained at number 1 for so many weeks in 1990 and when I went out and bought my copy.

This is a truly great song about love and loneliness and returning to someone not knowing how you will be received. It is a great song and a true pop masterpiece.

Now listen to the song….

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xfqv6_righteous-brothers-unchained-melody_music

156. Anywhere Is – Enya (1995)

I remember buying this song on a single CD back in 1995 after Kerry and I had moved back to Loughton from Hackney. As I mentioned I have always liked Enya’s music and we used it a lot when we were at drama school in our dancing classes as it is such great music to dance to.

This particular songs reminds me of something else but I can’t quite put my finger on what, but it was a wonderful tune and is a very jolly song..

Not much more to add other than that I love it ad hope you’ll enjoy it too….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OvYaHtr1DI

155. I Don’t Like Mondays – Boomtown Rats (1979)

I remember hearing about the incident that inspired this song when I was an eleven year old. A sixteen-year-old girl, Brenda Spencer, opened fired on a number of children at a school in California killing two adults and injuring a number of children but when asked why she had done this answered by saying that she simply ‘Didn’t like Mondays’.

Bob Geldof’s song about the incident was a massive hit and number one during most of the summer of 1979 just after we had moved into a new house and before I started secondary school. This song reminds me of that summer.

As I was moving to Loughborough Grammar School and not due to start until September I had a massive ten weeks off over the summer which I recall was lovely and sunny. We watched the tennis at Wimbledon, ate strawberries and cream and played with our friends in our wonderful new garden, which was so huge compared to the old place that we could actually play Badminton on the huge lawn right at the bottom. I remember my friend Lucy coming to visit from Wales and watching this song on ‘Top Of The Pops’ on those lovely summer nights.

Although the song has a serious content and refers to a truly shocking incident, which was quite simply appalling, there are many people who are unaware of what it is really about. For me it will always remind me of that summer….

Now Listen to the song……

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Kobdb37Cwc