Songs and Albums of 1981 Poll

[SuperFurry]

1 . The Gun Club - Fire Of Love
2 . Black Uhuru - Red
3 . Echo & The Bunnymen - Heaven Up Here
4 . The Sound - From The Lion's Mouth
5 . X - Wild Gift
6 . The Comsat Angels - Sleep No More
7 . Cabaret Voltaire - Red Mecca
8 . Black Flag - Damaged
9 . Au Pairs - Playing With A Different Sex
10 . The Cramps - Psychedelic Jungle
11 . Fela Kuti - Original Sufferhead
12 . The Raincoats - Odyshape
13 . Aswad - New Chapter
14 . Kraftwerk - Computerwelt
15 . Tom Verlaine - Dreamtime
16 . The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
17 . Marine Girls - Beach Party
18 . The Church - Of Skins And Heart
19 . Brian Eno & David Byrne - My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts
20 . Rick James - Street Songs
21 . This Heat - Deceit
22 . Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - I Love Rock 'n' Roll
23 . The Associates - Fourth Drawer Down
24 . Motorhead - No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith
25 . Meredith Monk - Dolmen Music
26 . The Undertones - Positive Touch
27 . Elvis Costello - Trust
28 . Funkadelic - The Electric Spanking Of War Babies
29 . Atomic Forest - Obsession '77
30 . The Human League - Dare!
31 . Grace Jones - Nightclubbing
32 . Madness - 7
33 . The Rolling Stones - Tattoo You
34 . Japan - Tin Drum
35 . Public Image Ltd. - Flowers Of Romance
36 . Squeeze - East Side Story
37 . Ramones - Pleasant Dreams
38 . The Beat - Wha'ppen?
39 . The Fall - Slates
40 . Bob Dylan - Shot Of Love
41 . Bow Wow Wow - See Jungle! See Jungle! Go Join You Gang Yeah, City All Over! Go Ape Crazy!
42 . Elvis Costello - Almost Blue
43 . Lester Bowie - The Great Pretender
44 . Dr.John - Plays Mac Rebennack
45 . Marvin Gaye - In Our Lifetime
46 . Linx - Intuition
47 . General Caine - Get Down Attack
48 . D.A.F. - Alles Ist Gut
49 . Miles Davis - The Man With The Horn
50 . Arthur Blythe - Blythe Spirit
51 . Kid Creole & The Coconuts - Fresh Fruit In Foreign Places
52 . Magazine - Magic, Murder and the Weather
53 . D.A.F. - Gold und Liebe
54 . Roger - The Many Facets Of Roger
55 . Bunny Wailer - Rock 'n' Groove
56 . Bobby Womack - The Poet
57 . Kool & The Gang - Something Special
58 . Change - Miracles
59 . Stone City Band - The Boys Are Back
60 . Heaven 17 - Penthouse and Pavement

[Brad]

I feel bad that EPs hardly get any recognition here. There are some great ones and I feel a poll for EPs would be very interesting and unpredictable

Agreed - I would like to at least include (officially) in the next Moderately Acclaimed group. The definition of "EP" is unclear and seemingly arbitrary in many instances.

[Henry]

Back to the EP question. My feeling is that EPs should not be eligible. I don't believe they have been eligible for previous decades, although I'll defer to those who have run these polls before and ask for their expertise.

On the other hand, I feel bad that EPs hardly get any recognition here. There are some great ones and I feel a poll for EPs would be very interesting and unpredictable.

Perhaps there should be a separate listing/poll for EP's so that they are not completely left out.

[Kingoftonga]

Top Albums of 1981
1. Kraftwerk - Computerwelt
2. The Human League - Dare!
3. Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk
4. Depeche Mode - Speak and Spell
5. Echo & the Bunnymen - Heaven Up Here
6. The Police - Ghost in the Machine
7. Rolling Stones - Tattoo You
8. King Crimson - Discipline
9. Simple Minds - Sons and Fascination
10. Fela Kuti - Original Sufferhead
11. Pretenders - Pretenders II
12. Rush - Moving Pictures
13. Trio - Trio
14. Glenn Branca - The Ascension
15. Brian Eno/David Byrne - My Life in the Bush of Ghosts

Top Songs of 1981

1. Kraftwerk - "Computerliebe"
2. Trio - "Da Da Da"
3. Journey - "Don't Stop Believin' "
4. Kraftwerk - "Nummern/Computerwelt 2"
5. The Human League - "The Sounds of the Crowd"
6. Soft Cell - "Tainted Love"
7. The Police - "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic"
8. The Human League - "Don't You Want Me"
9. Kraftwerk - "Computerwelt"
10. King Crimson - "Thela Hun Ginjeet"
11. Yoko Ono - "Walking on Thin Ice"
12. Stevie Nicks - "Edge of Seventeen"
13. Blue Oyster Cult - "Burnin' for You"
14. Rush - "Tom Sawyer"
15. Men At Work - "Down Under"

[nicolas]

Songs

1 . The Specials - Ghost Town
2 . Fela Kuti - Power Show
3 . Al Di Meola, Paco de Lucia, John McLaughlin - Mediterranean Sundance/Rio Ancho
4 . Soft Cell - Tainted Love
5 . Mike Cross - Elma Turl
6 . Squeeze - Tempted
7 . Rick James - Super Freak
8 . Dick Gaughan - Song For Ireland
9 . Men At Work - Down Under
10 . Bernard Lavilliers - Betty
11 . The Stray Cats - Stray Cat Strut
12 . Bernard Lavilliers - Night Bird
13 . Patrick Coutin - J'aime regarder les filles
14 . Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Air à danser
15 . Joe Jackson - Jumpin' With Symphony Sid

16 . Earth, Wind & Fire - Let's Groove
17 . The Human League - Don't You Want Me
18 . R.E.M. - Radio Free Europe
19 . Kim Wilde - Kids In America
20 . Prince - Controversy

1981 was the year when I strated to get really interested in pop music. I used to listen to the hits on the radio (Secret service, Earth, Wind & Fire, Soft Cell, etc...). A guy from school lent me the "Ghost Town" 45RPM, i found it very strange but my French teacher took it away from me in the classroom. The guy wanted to beat me (he was an asshole) I had to get help from a bigger friend to scare him.

[nicolas]

Albums

Only 1 album in my top 200...

1 . Fela Kuti | Original Sufferhead (all time #80)
2 . Fela Kuti | Coffin For Head Of State
3 . Dick Gaughan | Handful Of Earth
4 . Rick James | Street Songs
5 . Squeeze | East Side Story
6 . Joe Jackson | Jumpin' Jive
7 . Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, Paco de Lucia | Friday Night In San Francisco
8 . Soft Cell | Non-stop Erotic Cabaret
9 . The Stray Cats | Stray Cats
10 . Brian Eno & David Byrne | My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts
11 . Elvis Costello | Almost Blue
12 . The Psychedelic Furs | Talk Talk Talk
13 . Théo Blaise Kounkou | Zenaba
14 . Nyboma | Doublé Doublé
15 . Rush | Moving Pictures

16 . The Rolling Stones | Tattoo You
17 . Japan | Tin Drum
18 . The Neville Brothers | Fiyo On The Bayou
19 . Black Uhuru | Red
20 . Prince | Controversy
21 . The Cramps | Psychedelic Jungle
22 . Grace Jones | Nightclubbing
23 . Bill Evans | You Must Believe In Spring
24 . Mohamed Mounir | Shababeek
25 . Electric Light Orchestra | Time
26 . The Klezmer Conservatory Band | Yiddishe Renaissance
27 . The Cure | Faith
28 . Muddy Waters | King Bee
29 . Roky Erickson & the Aliens | The Evil One
30 . Kraftwerk | Comupterwelt

I must say that Deceit and Damaged are among the worst albums I've ever rated, respectively #1584 and #1581 out of... 1584 albums!!

[HRS]

My main internet connection went down during these last two weeks and I only accessed the forum through my phone; consequently, I was incapable of listen to plenty of other 81 releases and also of participating on Moderately Acclaimed. Anyway, here is what I compiled before the "crash" and here's hope everything goes on rather well from '82 onward.


1. Rickie Lee Jones - Pirates
2. X - Wild Gift
3. Kraftwerk - Computer World
4. 8-Eyed Spy - 8-Eyed Spy
5. The Associates - Fourth Drawer Down
6. Public Image Ltd - The Flowers of Romance
7. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Juju
8. Chico Buarque - Almanaque
9. Meredith Monk - Dolmen Music
10. Paolo Conte - Paris Milonga
11. Ceramic Hello - The Absence of a Canary
12. Prince - "Controversy"
13. The Durutti Column - LC

[Moonbeam]

I'll leave this open for a few more hours while I compile the results.

[Dan]

8. Chico Buarque - Almanaque

Can't resist responding...

I'm pleased that someone else here likes this kind and gentle album - especially someone who actually lives in the country where it was made. The warmth and understated elegance of the rhythms and music is something special.

[HRS]

8. Chico Buarque - Almanaque

Can't resist responding...

I'm pleased that someone else here likes this kind and gentle album - especially someone who actually lives in the country where it was made. The warmth and understated elegance of the rhythms and music is something special.

I agree with this wholeheartedly, Dan! It is such a gorgeous record, full of warmth, and arrangements almost as intimate as in a live performance in a couple of songs. It has "O Meu Guri" and "Angelica", both songs dealing with brazilian society. I'm really fond of the latter, since it places Angelica as a symbol for all the mothers whose sons and daughters were victims of torture during Brazilian military dictatorship during the mid to late-20th Century. Those years are still obscure to more recent generations of brazilians like mine and access to documents is incredibly restrict and full of bureaucracies built by militaries and the government. That makes songs by brazilian artists like Chico, Tom Zé, Jorge Ben, Gilberto Gil and Caetano all the more vital. The album also has so many great songs in the vein of samba and bossa that most global audience learnt to love which makes this one of the greatest long players by Chico. I consider this record one of the last breathes of the brazilian music that I tend to love the most; whoever continue to explore brazilian music throughout the 80s will soon realize that more and more new artists started to embrace and follow the more recent trends of anglo-popular music. There's post-punk, new wave, traditional rock, progressive, metal and MPB pastiche. The scenario is taken by the likes of Legião Urbana, Cazuza, Barão Vermelho, Paralamas do Sucesso, Ultraje a Rigor, etc. I don't listen to those bands because I feel like they lost something that makes brazilian music different from every other music in the world; Those bands don't seem to do a brazilian twist on post punk like tropicalia did with psychedelic music, but only reproduce what Smiths and company were doing around the world. Most people my age see this period as the greatest of brazilian music, but I feel like our best moment started in the 50s with João Gilberto and Jobim, culminated with tropicalia and finished in a high note with Chico Buarque's Almanaque.

On a sidenote: Beck's Already Dead from Sea Change reworks the melody of Caetano Veloso's Irene -- from his second self-titled record. I realized this yesterday while returning from a trip I did to the arid lands of Brazil. Another toast from Beck to the brazilian music of the era and further evidence of the widespread influence of tropicalia.

[Moonbeam]

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to listen to any new stuff from 1981 as I was busy finishing my PhD, which is now done! Thankfully, this means I'll have time to get back to the Song List Special game as well. Here are my top albums:

1. Prince - Controversy
2. Grace Jones - Nightclubbing
3. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Juju
4. Eurythmics - In the Garden
5. The Human League - Dare!
6. Kraftwerk - Computer World
7. The Time - The Time
8. Debbie Harry - Koo Koo
9. The Cure - Faith
10. Depeche Mode - Speak and Spell
11. Kano - New York Cake
12. Rick James - Street Songs
13. The Sound - From the Lion's Mouth
14. Kim Wilde - Kim Wilde
15. Tom Tom Club - Tom Tom Club
16. Heaven 17 - Penthouse and Pavement
17. Comateens - Comateens
18. OMD - Architecture & Morality
19. Soft Cell - Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
20. Modern English - Mesh & Lace
21. Evelyn "Champagne" King - I'm in Love
22. Marquis de Sade - Rue de Siam
23. Joan Jett - I Love Rock 'n Roll
24. New Order - Movement
25. Mötley Crüe - Too Fast for Love
26. Go-Go's - Beauty and the Beat
27. Pretenders - II
28. The Associates - Fourth Drawer Down
29. Roger - The Many Faces of Roger
30. ABBA - The Visitors

My top songs:

001 Prince - Controversy
002 Kraftwerk - Computer Love
003 The Cure - Primary
004 Tom Tom Club - Genius of Love
005 Eurythmics - Take Me to Your Heart
006 Prince - Private Joy
007 Eurythmics - Belinda
008 Kim Wilde - Water on Glass
009 Taana Gardner - Heartbeat
010 Prince - Let's Work
011 The Time - Cool
012 Kraftwerk - Pocket Calculator
013 Tom Tom Club - Wordy Rappinghood
014 New Order - Ceremony
015 The Human League - Don't You Want Me
016 Alicia Myers - I Want to Thank You
017 Prince - Do Me, Baby
018 Grace Jones - Pull Up to the Bumper
019 Kim Wilde - Kids in America
020 Kim Wilde - Cambodia
021 Depeche Mode - New Life
022 Rick James - Give It to Me Baby
023 The Human League - Seconds
024 The Sound - Winning
025 Grace Jones - I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango)
026 Evelyn Champagne King - I'm in Love
027 New Order - Dreams Never End
028 Siouxsie and the Banshees - Arabian Knights
029 Kim Wilde - Watching for Shapes
030 The Cure - All Cats Are Grey
031 Comateens - Ghosts
032 Soft Cell - Tainted Love
033 Siouxsie and the Banshees - Night Shift
034 Debbie Harry - Backfired
035 Billy Idol - Dancing with Myself
036 Siouxsie and the Banshees - Into the Light
037 Joan Jett - Crimson and Clover
038 Grace Jones - Use Me
039 Evelyn Champagne King - Spirit of the Dancer
040 Kim Wilde - Chequered Love
041 Heaven 17 - Penthouse and Pavement
042 The Time - Get It Up
043 Depeche Mode - Just Can't Get Enough
044 Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes
045 Siouxsie and the Banshees - Sin in My Heart
046 Heaven 17 - I'm Your Money
047 D Train - You're the One for Me
048 Soft Cell - Memorabilia
049 Eurythmics - Never Gonna Cry Again
050 OMD - Maid of Orleans
051 Kano - She's a Star
052 Comateens - Late Night City
053 Pete Shelley - Homosampien
054 New Order - Cries and Whispers
055 Kano - Baby Not Tonight
056 OMD - Souvenir
057 Siouxsie and the Banshees - Monitor
058 The Time - The Stick
059 The Human League - Love Action (I Believe in Love)
060 A Flock of Seagulls - Modern Love Is Automatic
061 The Human League - The Things That Dreams Are Made of
062 Depeche Mode - Dreaming of Me
063 Kim Wilde - Tuning In, Tuning On
064 The Cure - Other Voices
065 New Order - Everything's Gone Green
066 Siouxsie and the Banshees - Spellbound
067 The Cure - Charlotte Sometimes
068 Heaven 17 - Play to Win
069 Heaven 17 - (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang
070 Debbie Harry - Oasis
071 The Human League - The Sound of the Crowd
072 Go-Go's - We Got the Beat
073 Queen and David Bowie - Under Pressure
074 Men at Work - Down Under
075 Debbie Harry - Jump Jump
076 Kate Bush - Sat in Your Lap
077 Journey - Don't Stop Believing
078 Romeo Void - Never Say Never
079 The Human League - Darkness
080 Soft Cell - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye
081 Mötley Crüe - Public Enemy #1
082 Pretenders - Message of Love
083 OMD - Georgia
084 The Cure - The Holy Hour
085 Kim Wilde - Everything We Know
086 Mötley Crüe - Merry-Go-Round
087 Debbie Harry - Chrome
088 Kim Wilde - Our Town
089 Prince - Sexuality
090 Go-Go's - Our Lips Are Sealed
091 Soft Cell - Bedsitter
092 ABBA - The Visitors
093 Debbie Harry - The Jam Was Moving
094 Debbie Harry - Now I Know You Know
095 Prince - Ronnie Talk to Russia
096 Eurythmics - English Summer
097 Comateens - All Ways
098 M - Danube
099 Evelyn Champagne King - If You Want My Lovin'
100 Lene Lovich - New Toy
101 Eurythmics - Your Time Will Come
102 Earth, Wind & Fire - Let's Groove
103 Prince - Jack U Off
104 Grace Jones - Walking in the Rain
105 Kano - Party
106 Roger - So Ruff, So Tuff
107 Joan Jett - I Love Rock 'n Roll
108 Eurythmics - All the Young (People of Today)
109 Prince - Annie Christian
110 Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight
111 Prince - Gotta Stop (Messin' About)
112 Siouxsie and the Banshees - Voodoo Dolly
113 Kraftwerk - Computer World
114 Laurie Anderson - O Superman
115 Kano - Don't Try to Stop Me
116 Mötley Crüe - Live Wire
117 Comateens - Nightmare
118 The Associates - White Car in Germany
119 Joan Armatrading - I'm Lucky
120 Kano - Round and Round

[Moonbeam]

Album Results!

[1] Kraftwerk - Computer World: (356)
[2] The Psychedelic Furs - Talk Talk Talk: (291)
[3] X - Wild Gift: (224)
[4] Brian Eno & David Byrne - My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts: (207)
[5] The Human League - Dare!: (196)
[5] The Rolling Stones - Tattoo You: (196)
[7] The Cure - Faith: (177)
[8] The Gun Club - Fire of Love: (162)
[9] Prince - Controversy: (150)
[10] Grace Jones - Nightclubbing: (148)
[11] Soft Cell - Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret: (134)
[12] Elvis Costello - Trust: (132)
[13] Echo and the Bunnymen - Heaven Up Here: (130)
[14] Rick James - Street Songs: (123)
[15] This Heat - Deceit: (115)

[16] Squeeze - East Side Story: (110)
[17] Black Flag - Damaged: (101)
[18] Marquis de Sade - Rue de Siam: (96)
[18] The Cramps - Psychedelic Jungle: (96)
[20] The Police - Ghost in the Machine: (93)
[21] The Replacements - Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash: (91)
[22] Black Uhuru - Red: (90)
[23] Dick Gaughan - Handful of Earth: (81)
[24] Fela Kuti - Coffin for Head of State: (70)
[24] Rush - Moving Pictures: (70)
[26] Wipers - Youth of America: (68)
[27] Fela Kuti - Original Sufferhead: (66)
[28] The Sound - From the Lions Mouth: (64)
[29] Japan - Tin Drum: (63)
[30] Depeche Mode - Speak and Spell: (62)
[31] Duran Duran - Duran Duran: (61)
[32] Glenn Branca - The Ascension: (60)
[33] Joe Jackson - Jumpin' Jive: (59)
[33] U2 - October: (59)
[35] Journey - Escape: (55)
[35] Rickie Lee Jones - Pirates: (55)
[37] Men at Work - Business as Usual: (54)
[37] The Go-Go's - Beauty and the Beat: (54)
[39] Siouxsie and the Banshees - Juju: (52)
[40] Bill Evans - You Must Believe in Spring: (50)
[40] Joan Manuel Serrat - En tránsito: (50)
[40] Kim Carnes - Mistaken Identity: (50)
[40] Todd Rundgren - Healing: (50)
[44] ABBA - The Visitors: (47)
[44] Au Pairs - Playing With a Different Sex: (47)
[46] Penguin Café Orchestra - Penguin Café Orchestra: (46)
[47] King Crimson - Discipline: (44)
[48] The Stranglers - La Folie: (43)
[49] Kim Wilde - Kim Wilde: (42)
[49] Motörhead - No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith: (42)

[Moonbeam]

Song Results!

[1] The Specials - Ghost Town: (326)
[2] Soft Cell - Tainted Love: (260)
[3] Kraftwerk - Computer Love: (238)
[4] The Human League - Don't You Want Me: (214)
[5] R.E.M. - Radio Free Europe: (188)
[6] The Rolling Stones - Start Me Up: (179)
[7] Mission of Burma - That's When I Reach for My Revolver: (173)
[8] Prince - Controversy: (142)
[9] The Psychedelic Furs - Pretty in Pink: (138)
[10] Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight: (135)
[11] The Stranglers - Golden Brown: (103)
[12] Au Pairs - Headache for Michelle: (100)
[12] Ramones - The KKK Took My Baby Away: (100)
[12] The Gun Club - She's Like Heroin to Me: (100)
[15] Wipers - Youth of America: (95)

[16] Laurie Anderson - O Superman: (93)
[17] The Police - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic: (83)
[18] Squeeze - Tempted: (69)
[19] Journey - Don't Stop Believin': (67)
[20] Queen & David Bowie - Under Pressure: (62)
[21] Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes: (59)
[22] Kraftwerk - Pocket Calculator: (54)
[22] The Cure - Primary: (54)
[24] Bow Wow Wow - Orang Outang: (50)
[24] Franco Battiato - Centro di gravitá permanente: (50)
[24] Gil Scott Heron - B Movie: (50)
[24] Julius Eastman - The Holy Presence of Joan d'Arc: (50)
[24] Lindsey Buckingham - Trouble: (50)
[24] Lionel Richie & Diana Ross - Endless Love: (50)
[24] Rick James - Super Freak: (50)
[24] This Heat - Paper Hats: (50)
[32] Grace Jones - I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango): (47)
[33] New Order - Ceremony: (44)
[34] The Human League - Love Action (I Believe in Love): (43)
[35] Hall and Oates - I Can't Go For That (No Can Do): (41)
[36] Brian Eno & David Byrne - Regiment: (40)
[36] Fela Kuti - Power Show: (40)
[36] Foreigner - Waiting for a Girl Like You: (40)
[36] Pigbag - Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag: (40)
[36] Rick Springfield - Jessie's Girl: (40)
[36] Saccharine Trust - Human Certainty: (40)
[36] The Barracudas - Don't Let Go: (40)
[36] The Clean - Tally Ho: (40)
[36] The Plimsouls - A Million Miles Away: (40)
[36] Todd Rundgren - Healing Part I: (40)
[36] Trio - Da Da Da: (40)
[47] Rod Stewart - Young Turks: (39)
[48] Kraftwerk - Computer World: (37)
[48] The Gun Club - Sex Beat: (37)
[50] Kim Wilde - Cambodia: (36)

[Jackson]

Song Results!

[1] The Specials - Ghost Town: (326)
[2] Soft Cell - Tainted Love: (260)
[3] Kraftwerk - Computer Love: (238)
[4] The Human League - Don't You Want Me: (214)
[5] R.E.M. - Radio Free Europe: (188)
[6] The Rolling Stones - Start Me Up: (179)
[7] Mission of Burma - That's When I Reach for My Revolver: (173)
[8] Prince - Controversy: (142)
[9] The Psychedelic Furs - Pretty in Pink: (138)
[10] Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight: (135)
[11] The Stranglers - Golden Brown: (103)
[12] Au Pairs - Headache for Michelle: (100)
[12] Ramones - The KKK Took My Baby Away: (100)
[12] The Gun Club - She's Like Heroin to Me: (100)
[15] Wipers - Youth of America: (95)

[16] Laurie Anderson - O Superman: (93)

Great list, but it sucks O Superman just missed out! I'm a little surprised "Start Me Up" qualified so easily...that song hasn't been played out for everyone by this point?

[Honorio]

[12] Ramones - The KKK Took My Baby Away: (100)

Oh, yeah! Only two voters (beefsupreme and me) but both at #1!!

[Henry]

[quote="Jackson Great list, but it sucks O Superman just missed out! I'm a little surprised "Start Me Up" qualified so easily...that song hasn't been played out for everyone by this point?[/quote]

I had precisely the opposite reaction.

O Superman sounded like an experiment gone awry to me the first, second and repeated times I vainly attempted to listen to it, so I couldn't be more pleased that it ended lower than the top 15.

Start Me Up is a fantastic composition that never fails to increase my energy level when I hear it, and is perhaps my favorite song of the decade.

[sonofsamiam]

Song Results!

[1] The Specials - Ghost Town: (326)
[2] Soft Cell - Tainted Love: (260)
[3] Kraftwerk - Computer Love: (238)
[4] The Human League - Don't You Want Me: (214)
[5] R.E.M. - Radio Free Europe: (188)
[6] The Rolling Stones - Start Me Up: (179)
[7] Mission of Burma - That's When I Reach for My Revolver: (173)
[8] Prince - Controversy: (142)
[9] The Psychedelic Furs - Pretty in Pink: (138)
[10] Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight: (135)
[11] The Stranglers - Golden Brown: (103)
[12] Au Pairs - Headache for Michelle: (100)
[12] Ramones - The KKK Took My Baby Away: (100)
[12] The Gun Club - She's Like Heroin to Me: (100)
[15] Wipers - Youth of America: (95)

[16] Laurie Anderson - O Superman: (93)

Great list, but it sucks O Superman just missed out! I'm a little surprised "Start Me Up" qualified so easily...that song hasn't been played out for everyone by this point?

I'm with you, Jackson. Sorta wished I'd ranked O Superman first, though that Julius Eastman track is a mind-blower.

I continue to find it odd that people think O Superman is off-putting or wildly experimental -- people need to listen to more free jazz and musique concrete!

Oh, and I love the Stones, but I've always felt that Start Me Up sounded like self-parody. Just my opinion.

[nicolas]

I'm on Henry's side about "O Superman". Not that i don't like free jazz or music concrete but the repetitive voice sample gets on my nerve after 10 seconds. All I wanna do is hit the "stop" button.

[Greg]

I'm also disappointed "O Superman" didn't make it. It would've given me great pleasure to rank it #150

[Henry]

[quote="sonofsamiamI'm with you, Jackson. Sorta wished I'd ranked O Superman first, though that Julius Eastman track is a mind-blower.

I continue to find it odd that people think O Superman is off-putting or wildly experimental -- people need to listen to more free jazz and musique concrete!

Oh, and I love the Stones, but I've always felt that Start Me Up sounded like self-parody. Just my opinion.[/quote]

Thanks for the advice SOS about listening to free jazz. I have listened to a fair amount of jazz in my many years, and must admit that seemingly pointless meandering in harsh tones doesn't work for me. But, I do thoroughly enjoy improvisational jazz as long as there is some semblance of a theme that enters the picture every 3-5 minutes or so and there is a detectable melody or scale that I can relate to. Is that too much to ask for?

[Moonbeam]

I was rather stunned by the support for The Rolling Stones in this poll. I haven't heard Tattoo You, but I do know "Start Me Up" well. I don't hate it or anything, but I don't find anything special about it. I, too, wish it was replaced, and "O Superman" would indeed be preferable. However, the tracks that finished 21-23 are the most painful omissions that were one vote shy for me.

[jamieW]

I was rather stunned by the support for The Rolling Stones in this poll. I haven't heard Tattoo You, but I do know "Start Me Up" well. I don't hate it or anything, but I don't find anything special about it. I, too, wish it was replaced, and "O Superman" would indeed be preferable. However, the tracks that finished 21-23 are the most painful omissions that were one vote shy for me.

I didn't have time to vote, but two songs that I likely would've voted for that may have made a difference would've been "Bette Davis Eyes" and "Take Me To Your Heart." (I noticed that the latter, which I became familiar with through your all-time song list, also made Henrik's list, so I don't know how much of a difference my vote might have made.) It's funny to read through the varying opinions of "Start Me Up" and "O Superman," since they're probably about equal to me. I always thought that "Start Me Up" was a solid Stones song, but not one of my favorites. Meanwhile, I used to actively dislike "O Superman," and have now grown to appreciate it. For some reason, I have a feeling it will continue to grow on me the older I get.

[Listyguy]

Sorry to beat a dead horse with the lack of good music from this year, but look at where X's first two albums placed:
Los Angeles - 8th in 1980
Wild Gift - 3rd in 1981

Maybe I'm crazy, but Los Angeles is much better than Wild Gift (both are good albums, but it's not even close).

[Moonbeam]

I was rather stunned by the support for The Rolling Stones in this poll. I haven't heard Tattoo You, but I do know "Start Me Up" well. I don't hate it or anything, but I don't find anything special about it. I, too, wish it was replaced, and "O Superman" would indeed be preferable. However, the tracks that finished 21-23 are the most painful omissions that were one vote shy for me.

I didn't have time to vote, but two songs that I likely would've voted for that may have made a difference would've been "Bette Davis Eyes" and "Take Me To Your Heart." (I noticed that the latter, which I became familiar with through your all-time song list, also made Henrik's list, so I don't know how much of a difference my vote might have made.) It's funny to read through the varying opinions of "Start Me Up" and "O Superman," since they're probably about equal to me. I always thought that "Start Me Up" was a solid Stones song, but not one of my favorites. Meanwhile, I used to actively dislike "O Superman," and have now grown to appreciate it. For some reason, I have a feeling it will continue to grow on me the older I get.

"Take Me to Your Heart" finished with 35 points from my 5th place vote and Henrik's 4th place vote. 1981 was such a deep year for me that songs in my top 250 of all-time didn't get points! If "Take Me to Your Heart" was in any other decade, or even in some mid-late 80s years, it likely would have placed top 2 if not #1 for me.

1982 is even tougher, though. As it stands, my 16th favorite song from 1982 is my #146 all-time, which means that more than 10% of my top 150 songs ever come from 1982.

[Mindrocker]

1 . The Gun Club - Fire Of Love.....
.....60 . Heaven 17 - Penthouse and Pavement

Great list Superfurry!

[Live in Phoenix]

1982 is even tougher, though. As it stands, my 16th favorite song from 1982 is my #146 all-time, which means that more than 10% of my top 150 songs ever come from 1982.

I had to leave some perfectly fine songs out of my 1982 submission, Come On Eileen being one of them. I might just post an additional '82 Spotify if no one else does, just 'cause I like '82. (It's also the second-to-last year of great music, according to someone or other here.)

[nicolas]

Is the version of "O Superman" that is found in the Big Science album the same as the single? I'm listening to the album right now and "O Superman" sounds pretty listenable. I can't say I love it but I appreciate this version. is it growing on me the way it is on JamieW ? Maybe, even though this kind of music (experimental, electronic) is not really my cup of tea

About "Start Me Up" I think it's a good RS song, but nothing special compared to most of their greatest hits from the 60's and 70's.

[SavoyBG]

I suppose this is over already, but here's my top 25 of 1981:

1. Hepno Beat - Dynamic Hepnotics
2. Rock This Town - Stray Cats
3. Give It To Me, Baby - Rick James
4. Tainted Love - Soft Cell
5. You're The One For Me - "D" Train
6. Beat My Guest - Adam and the Ants
7. Little Pig - Polecats
8. Swords of a Thousand Men - Ten Pole Tudor
9. Going Left Right - Department S
10. The Sound of the Crowd - Human League
11. Mony Mony - Billy Idol
12. To Hell With Poverty - Gang of Four
13. I'm Shakin' - Blasters
14. Super Freak - Rick James
15. Dance With You - BB King
16. Tube Snake Boogie - ZZ Top
17. This is Radio Clash - Clash
18. Just Can't Get Enough - Depeche Mode
19. Start Me Up - Rolling Stones
20. Stary Cat Strut - Stray Cats
21. Get Down On It - Kool & the Gang
22. Working For The Weekend - Loverboy
23. Someday, Someway - Robert Gordon
24. The Breakup Song - Greg Kihn Band
25. Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag- Pigbag

[Live in Phoenix]

11. Mony Mony - Billy Idol

Good man!