Art Garfunkel – Bright Eyes

Bright Eyes

14th April 1979 for 6 weeks

Probably not the coolest pop song ever but it’s hard to not like. It seems that, in 1979, people went crazy for it.

Apparently it was in the soundtrack for the film Watership Down and then as the theme song for the TV series. I have a vague memory of watching the film or the TV series when I was very little. I had/still have no interest in rabbits so didn’t particularly enjoy it. From what I recall it was all very sad. Something about a dead rabbit or two?

Is Bright Eyes about rabbits? I don’t see how it is.

It’s a song that makes you stop and listen. The lyrics are so melancholy and the melody has certain movements that are quite moving, somehow.

I always knew I liked the song but it was given a fresh lease of life in 1996 when Manic Street Preachers recorded a live version and put it on the B-side of their should-have-been-Number-1 single A Design For Life. And suddenly, Bright Eyes, did seem cool.

8/10

Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive

I WIll Survive

17th March 1979 for 4 weeks

The ultimate empowerment/girl power/diva/coming out/singalong song!

I Will Survive brings out the best/worst in all of us. There’s something that so irrestistible about it that implores you to join and and announce that you will survive.

My first real recollection of I Will Survive in 1993 when a remix reached Number 5 in the charts. Something tells me there was a theme of remixing 1979 hits as the remix in 93 was in the same year as the Village People’s ‘YMCA’ remix.

Since then, I have heard it a thousand times and it doesn’t get old. Its timeless lyrics and fresh disco sound ensure that Gloria Gaynor’s anthem will be with us for many, many more years.

I don’t know much about Gloria Gaynor, although she seems to have a fondness for coming out/out and proud anthems as I know she released, ‘I Am What I Am’!

8/10

Bee Gees – Tragedy

Tragedy

3rd March 1979 for 2 weeks

I have never seen the single cover for Tragedy before. Now I’ve seen it, all I can think about is that someone got their finger in front of the lens…

Unfortunately, for me, the original version of Tragedy by the Bee Gees will never sound as good as Steps’. The Steps version is so familiar these days that it’s as if the Bee Gees version is the cover version.

Steps made this into a fun song. The Bee Gees version is not fun – it sounds quite serious, almost taking itself too seriously.

In the days of flares and big hair, having never heard the Steps version, perhaps I would have a different opinion. But, I find this hard to like.

3/10

Blondie – Heart Of Glass

heart of glass

3rd February 1979 for 4 weeks

Heart of Glass was another massive seller – selling well over 1.2 million copies. To be fair, it is a great song that still sounds just as exciting today as it probably did back then.

I’ll admit to not really knowing Blondie until they released Maria in 2001. At that point I think I tried out some of their music. Rapture, The Tide Is High, Sunday Girl, One Way Or Another, Dreaming, Call Me and Atomic are all corkers (as well as Maria).

It’s easy to see why Heart Of Glass was so successful. I imagine that Debbie Harry was adored by men and women. The beat is really catchy and makes you want to air drum immediately. It’s almost a 70s dance song. But I can’t help thinking that Blondie have done better songs.

6/10

Ian Dury and the Blockheads – Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick

Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick.JPG

It’s nice to be a lunatic. That’s the stand out line from Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick.

I can’t really understand why this ever went to Number 1. It’s average at best. It must have been one of those ‘of its time’ singles as I really don’t get it. It’s a little bit catchy, I suppose. Maybe the teenagers of the time got drawn into its shouty tone? Who knows.

Unbelievably it is a million seller! People are weird sometimes.

3/10