Here's a blimp at the video for you:

Well admittedly, there was probably a wee bit of knob-twiddling on his own work, however, in this respect it was knob-twiddling in a making his own noise kind of way (that's enough knob-twiddling, Ed.)  He used guest artists to provide vocals - in a way that probably first became the in thing in the late 80's.  The Real Thing was guested on by Steven Dante, a British Singer / Songwriter who himself had a list of credits primarily for working with others.

I haven't noted when I bought this single, but it was released in w/e 26th September 1987 so I'd imagine it wasn't long after.  It was a smoulderer, never quite catching fire, on the UK Singles Chart, entering at number 51 before rising to number 13 where it spent 3 of its total of ten weeks.  Here's a look at the video for you (it's an extended version of the song, so sit tight):

The Power Of Love certainly had legs, sticking around in the UK Singles Chart for a total of 22 weeks, split equally between each release. On its first release it made number 11, bumping around in the teen-numbers for a good month.  It made its highest position of number 9 in its second stay in early '86.  It's a full on Rock n Roll riff, possibly a little 'safe' - it certainly scored with the punters - and I was a big fan.  I bought three of the group's singles in total, but this will forever be associated with the film.

Check out this video. Stick with it, it's a bit of a remake but kind of cool:

However, this is about Lessons In Love, the 7" single. I bought it on the 3rd of May 1986 after it had been in the UK Singles Chart for just a week having been released w/e 26th April. It quickly rose to number 3 - the band's highest singles chart position. It was backed by a live version of their 1984 hit Hot Water. The track was taken from the album Running In The Family which was released in 1987.

Level 42 is often described as being a jazz-funk group, this is pigeon holing at its worst and laziest. They are a pop group who write their own songs which just make you want to get up and dance. Have a look here (it's Level 42 and CBSO with a brief chat with George Martin first):

Released in the w/e 12th July, Calling All The Heroes was taken from the band's debut album, The Big Lad In The Windmill.  I bought it on the 30th July - looking back now, it is possible that the song is a wee bit cheesy, after all if your first single is a top tenner, you should be pushing on for more chart success?  That they have kept going to little commercial success, but great critical acclaim is a testament to their determination.

But when all's said and done, I loved this single.  Is it possible that you may have too, if you could only remember it?

I immediately loved the vibe of Happy Hour.  The Housemartins and later The Beautiful South had a knack of producing great melodies which underpinned some very challenging lyrics.  This one is a full frontal on sexism, describing  the antics of lads on a night out with the boss,  '... and they tell me that women grow on trees / and if you catch them right they will land upon their knees...'

In a piece of totally gratuitous name dropping, did you know that I was once within a couple of feet of Paul Heaton, at Anfield in Euro 96 during the Italy vs Czech Republic game. He was reaching across us to get Marcello Lippi's autograph.  Anyway, enough of that, how about the video?

Backed by Don't Break This Rhythm it released in the w/e 26th April 1986 and soon entered the top ten. It was a perennial of the top ten throughout May and June, and I bought it on 6th June. It is claimed that 'the lyrics are a mosaic of sexual innuendos' and whilst there are references to bees, pollination, fruit, steam trains, bumper cars and the like, I suppose that it's only there if you want to see it. Having said that, check the video out below.

Well yes, they are and as well as being pop stars they were right clever with the old wordplay, I mean XTC, ecstasy. Good on em! (NB this was I believe before the time that the drug ecstasy (MDMA) was widely known in the UK). The boys' success was an early 80's phenomenon, with songs like Making Plans For Nigel and Sgt Rock (Is Going To Help Me) flirting with the top 10, but never quite making it.

Senses Working Overtime was a hit in early 1982, making it into the top 10 in the UK Singles Chart after its release in the w/e 23rd January. I didn't buy it at the time, preferring instead to wait until 21st March 1987 when I must've ordered it from Oldies Unlimited, my preferred choice for ex-chart singles. I loved the lyrics, seemingly innocent, but on closer inspection there is some anti-war sentiment in there - '...there's fodder for the cannons and the guilty ones can all sleep safely...'

To decide for yourself, have a blimp at this:

The song is, as we all know, Miles Gregory's composition and was a big seventies hit for Rose Royce - number 2 in 1978.  Jimmy's version made it to number 3 in the UK Singles Chart and spent a total of 11 weeks in the chart.  The art work shows a brooding Jimmy in sepia tones as he walks in the park lamenting his lost love.  The b-side is the self penned Night for Day, can't remember that I ever turned it over and played that side, but I might have, just once or twice.

Any road up, why don't you take a moment to have a listen to the track:

I received my copy as a Christmas present and played it to death such was its appeal to me. It was backed by a track called Disco Down, written by Rick Lloyd. Very soon after it left the charts, flying pickets were in the news for the wrong reasons as the Miner's Strike began. The group scored another top ten ht with a cover of Van McCoy's When You're Young And In Love, but their third and final assault on the charts, with the Eurythmics' Who's That Girl, was ultimately fruitless.

Here are the boys, doing their thing: