Shakin Stevens – CountUp

Hello again retro music fans. Every Friday I post the Top 5 of one of my classic hit music charts based on personal preference and influenced by radio airplay from either 15, 25, 30, or 35 years ago this weekend (rotating each week).

It’s the 4TH Friday of the month, so I go back 35 years ago. Here it is – for the week ending Sunday July 26TH 1987:

“A Little Boogie Woogie” – Shakin’ Stevens
“La Bamba” – Los Lobos
“Misfit” – Curiosity Killed The Cat
“My Pretty One” – Cliff Richard
“F.L.M.” – Mel & Kim

Some would say that the legendary Shakin’ Stevens jumped the shark with his Summer of 1987 hit – “A Little Boogie Woogie” – a cover of Gary Glitter’s wild track from a decade earlier, but it was one of the anthems of the greatest summer of my life – living and working in Gloucestershire England as a 20-year-old.

#Shaky kicked-off a special LIVE edition of “Top Of The Pops” on the BBC on Thursday July 09TH 1987, and the young 39-year-old got the nation dancing in unison via an over-the-top performance complete with back-up dancers. He did not do a “dad-dance”, but rather a very hip and frenetic dance that was quite worthy of the London nightclubs of the era. His performance of the 133 BPM track made an impact. The very next week it soared to # 1 on my chart, and it moved up 13 notches from # 26 to # 13 nationwide (BBC-Gallup). 2 weeks later Shaky did it again on “The Roxy” on ITV on Tuesday July 21ST 1987. 2 days after that he did it for the 2ND time (a rarity) on “Top Of The Pops” on Thursday July 23RD 1987. It peaked at # 12 nationwide the following week, and that’s as high as it got on the charts. Promotion for it ended after that.

It’s 35 years later, and I still love that song !

Every “Top Of The Pops” episode ended with a music video, so I’ll do the same here with “F.L.M.” – # 5 – 35 years ago:

Mel Appleby (1966-1990)

Next #RetroFriday I’ll go back 45 years ago to the end of July 1977. I’ll share which songs on “American Top 40” that Sunday July 31ST 1977 that I still hear almost every day via my iPod Shuffles that play at my desk at my workplace. I’ll also reveal which songs from that chart that I plan to buy immediately on iTunes.

It’s halftime my friends. I’ll be back on Sunday and Monday with 2 more blog posts for this weekend. Enjoy your Saturday. Thanks for going retro with me !

It was my 19TH Christmas on Earth back in 1985 – and my first away from home and away from my family. I was newly stationed in the USAF in the United Kingdom by 6½ weeks, so there was no chance at all that I could take leave and return back home stateside for the holidays.

While I have vivid memories of my two years spent living, working, and playing in the U.K. I don’t remember much from that Christmas of 1985 away from my loved ones. I don’t remember if I was invited out to a coworker’s home, or if I stayed at the dorm and walked to the chow hall for a very special dinner. It was obviously a cold and forgettable holiday season in my life back then.

Here’s a song that I actually do remember from that Christmas, for it was the coveted Christmas # 1 smash on the radio all across the British Isles. It’s from one of the biggest-selling male artists in British music history. He’s Shakin’ (‘Shaky’) Stevens, and THIS is “Merry Christmas Everyone” !