Friday, November 18, 2011

The 10 Best Pop Records Of All Time


The more assiduous amongst you may have noticed the germ of this in comments over at Drew's not long since.

Specifically, a Mr 'JC' asked 'wouldn't it be great to get an old-fashioned arguement going....not on the internet but down the pub.....just what are the ten most perfect pop songs????'

Last night I met, for the first time, a fellow blogger - a person who, until now, I have only known through these internets. The very surface of reality did not, it seems, fracture - though judging by how it feels this morning, my skull possibly did.

We have resolved this burning issue for you.

On a crappy piece of notepaper (see above) from Drew's capacious bag (I do not know what else was in there - maybe JC), the two of us fuelled by the elation of meeting and quite a few pints of London Pride, we agreed The List.

Clearly, there were Guidelines:

1. Pop records - not country, or rock, or soul, or swing or dance or easy listening; Pop (we'll save the debate about what 'Pop' is until next time. Though can I just say? I think we all know)

2. Big and famous and, er, Popular.  Pop is not 'obscure'. We all know 'lost pop gems'. For the most part these are adored by a few thousand people. They are wonderful, life-enhancing and special. They are probably some of the best records ever made. They are not in this list.

3. We had to agree. Unless both of us approved a record, it could not make the list.

4. Nothing Scottish (this was just to wind up JC. Only kidding.)

Here, then, are the 10 Best Pop Records Of All Time.

1. The Ronettes - 'Be My Baby'

The unassailably positioned, number one best pop record of all time, ever.

The rest are, as they say, In No Particular Order...

2. The Beach Boys - 'God Only Knows'

OK, it is kind of, to do it an injustice, a 'ballad'. But it must be on this list. You may take it for granted you've heard it so much. Just listen to it again. Loud.

3. Blondie - 'Heart Of Glass'

Some debate over whether this was actually 'disco'. Debate short-lived. Clearly this is pop.

4. The Shangri-Las - 'Leader Of The Pack'

Universally acknowledged by everyone we mentioned it to in the pub (well, Harriet and Tom the nice young couple on the next table anyway).

5. Isley Brothers - 'This Old Heart Of Mine'
 
6. Dionne Warwick - 'Walk On By'

7. Jackson 5 - 'I Want You Back'

8. The Monkees - 'I'm A Believer'

Neil Diamond!

9. ABBA - 'Waterloo'

We agreed ABBA were the greatest pop group of the 1970s. Some debate over which song to go for. Agreed our favourites were all ballads, therefore inappropriate. Couldn't think of a poppier one than this.

10. The La's - 'There She Goes'

or possibly

10. Madonna - 'Like A Prayer'


I wanted a Beatles song. Or 'Wichita Lineman'. Or Billy Fury. Drew vetoed them. I'm really not sure The La's deserve to be in such illustrious company. Possibly Madonna does. Harriet and Tom on the next table thought we should have 'something more modern'. Maybe number 10 should be left blank 'for your own choices'. Also, by this stage it was Drew's round. Again.

-------

Anyway, I'm sure you're all pleased we've done this because obviously it'll save you ever having to have this discussion again.

You're welcome.

149 comments:

  1. A worthy list and no mistake but a little Sixties heavy. Good call on There She Goes I reckon, Madonna is an abomination, everyone knows the best ABBA song is S.O.S., and I'm not sure I'd put Be My Baby in my top ten of girl band songs, never mind top ten ever.

    And on that bombshell, armed with a steaming cup of coffee and a fresh packet of cigarettes, I'm off to write my list. See you in a few hours.

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  2. Our new best friends Tom and Harriet also felt the list was Sixties heavy, but they are young and beautiful, so what do they know? The 60s were to pop what the 17th century was to drama and the 19th to the epic novel. I wanted S.O.S but Drew wasnae keen. I have a lovely version sung by Agnetha in Swedish if anyone's interested.

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  3. By the way, this is the real best pop record of all time

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  4. I got my first track straight away, it was easy, no question about it and therefore the best pop record ever - Spirit in the Sky as done by Norman Greenbaum.

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  5. Artog - you are to be pitied rather than scorned for that statement

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  6. "I Want You Back" over "ABC"? Contentious, gentlemen, not least because in many ways the two songs are interchangeable...

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  7. I really don't like 'ABC', I don't know why.

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  8. And do you know the more I look at it, that Madonna's not right.

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  9. I'm not sure about Dione Warwick now either but I should be working!

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  10. I'll give you the J5 as a pop act but The Isleys are "soul" are they not?

    If you need a Madonna record (and why not?) it should be 'Into The Groove'

    Tom and Harriet were right though, it is too 60s heavy.

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  11. mmmmmmm

    I more I think of it, even tho it trouble me to my very core, we really need to include something by those loveable mop tops!
    Either Help or I Saw Her Standing There

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  12. This is all unravelling in the cold light of day.

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  13. All these critics Davy! They need to try this out not with packets of fags and coffee in the harsh reality of the day but after a few pints in them and then we will see how smart they are!

    Speaking of pints, I could go a wee curer at the moment

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  14. Drew - in defence of Spirit in the Sky: deny if you can that every aspect of the guitar on it is excellent - blaring, droning and echoing, with just the right amount of distortion. Not only are the lyrics cool they were, so I read on Wikipedia anyway, dashed off in 15 mins, making them even cooler in an off hand, poptastic, Tin Pan Alley kind of way. It's got handclaps in it and, finally, it's gone to No. 1 every single time it's been released.

    Catching up with further comments: yes, there must be Beatles. I can't decide between Eleanor Rigby and I Feel Fine.

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  15. 'I could go a wee curer' - classic.

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  16. I always prefered The Dukes of Stratosfear Vanishing Girl to There She Goes..

    What no Donna Summer - I Feel Love? Freda Payne Band of Gold, T Rex.

    And give me Groove is in the Heart over Madonna

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  17. Mond, those nominations are in clear breach of the Guidelines. Dukes Of Stratosphear = obscure, 'I Feel Love' = electro-disco, T.Rex = glam rock, 'Band Of Gold' = soul. And Groove Is In The Heart is really only any good because it's based on a cool Herbie Hancock sample (=jazz).

    Carry on.

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  18. PS: I accept we may be in breach of our own code with The Isleys, as Lee has indicated.

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  19. Davy, we do not have to justify ourselves as we say up here "it's ma baw so ma rules!"

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  20. Quite. And I tell you what I haven't seen, I haven't seen any complete alternative Top Tens, that's what. And some of you are going to be staying behind after school unless you buck your ideas up.

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  21. Here we are, after a mere four hours, three cigarettes and one cup of coffee:

    1. Spirit in the Sky - Norman Greenbaum

    2. Tears of a Clown - Smokey Robinson

    3. She's Not There - The Zombies

    4. Jolene - Dolly Parton

    5. Golden Brown - The Stranglers

    6. Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles

    7. The Model - Kraftwerk

    8. Young Folks - Peter, Bjorn & John

    9. What Goes On - The Velvet Underground

    10. Crash - The Primitives

    Technically I may have wandered over a few genre barriers there and I have my doubts as to how big a hit What Goes On was, but it was a single apparently, so I'm having it.

    After the strain of making these choices I'm now going to lie down for a bit, but I might post the list over at my place later on, with attempted justifications and a scan of the actual scribbled list for graphological fun.

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  22. I just might write my first post for six months just to have a go at this. For teh record I think most 60s Motown records qualify as pop as well as soul. That's one of the things that make them so great. Not sure The La's qualify. I like the song but don't see it as great pop. Also think Drew was right to veto 'Wichita Lineman'. Great song pop not great pop song.

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  23. PS How does Waterloo beat Dancing Queen?

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  24. Damn, but you're right. It has to be 'Dancing Queen'. How on earth did we not think of that? (er, because we were pished).

    Some tip-top suggestions on yours Artog; The Zombies! I wish I'd thought of that. VU are definitely rock, not pop, even though Lou Reed could write pop songs for sure. Dolly is Country to her very core.

    Incidentally, I have (and love) every single one of the records you have listed - except the Norman Greenbaum which is, as Drew would say, pish.

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  25. PS: I don't know if 'The Model' is pop or no, but you've made me want to go and play it - *does so*.

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  26. Now I'm playing the German version too. Sie ist ein Modell und sie sieht gut aus baby.

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  27. I think a good rule of thumb for a track's pop credentials is whether or not it was ever performed on Top of the Pops. Which Jolene was.

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  28. Artog - So was At The Edge but most deffo not pop.

    Dancing Queen it is.

    In the 1st Lounge at Euston, here's to binge drinking and the first of many

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  29. so finally bloggers meet and look what happens. i can't leave you boys alone for a minute. lists. top tens. genre disputes. abba for crying out loud. boys and lists. at your age as well. i don't know.
    x
    and witchita lineman is a pop record. no arguement.

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  30. But it's in the name - Top of the Pops! Anyway, I've just had a listen, not really my bag but sounds like a clear case of post-punk-power-pop to me.

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  31. oh you bastards bastards bastards now you've got me at it.

    this is very likely the greatest thing too...

    http://youtu.be/K9wV7QWyXf8

    x

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  32. Bugger. Missed that one and all.

    Ha Ms Ally! Gotcha! Now, if we were doing The Top Ten Best Heartbreakers, fine, but...

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  33. *Sings* 'I've been getting away with it all my life (getting away with it)', all my life' etc
    It's pop. It sold.

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  34. *Sings* 'Na na na I Just Can't Get You Out Of My Head, boy your loving is all I think about'

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  35. And another thing- I want to go to the pub and talk about this kind if thing.

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  36. alright then haircut 100, abc, pets shops, oh hell where's the elvis elvis elvis
    x

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  37. She's right about Elvis. And Pet Shop Boys too probably

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  38. We did discuss Elvis and he got eliminated for reasons now unclear to me - I think because we felt that he was 'rock and roll' - at least, when he was any good he was.

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  39. And the Willie Nelson version's loads better.

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  40. This one could run and run. Out to dinner with friends tonight and visiting some other friends (we have at least 2x2 friends!) over the weekend. I am sure to bring this topic up at some point. Trouble is I find that my fairly wide knowledge of records seems to suddenly dry up and my mind goes blank when faced with such questions. At that point having another drink is probably the best course of action.

    The genre caveat is a difficult one and one that could waste just too much time in debating. If it was a Top 40/Billboard hit then surely it should qualify as Pop (Isley Bros deffo included then), but then is the net cast too wide? There maybe no correct answers but it's good fun anyway.

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  41. Perfect Pop (TM), that's what we're after here. Not every damn thing that's been in the charts, that way madness lies (and indeed, er, Madness).

    I have just played that She's made you some kind of laughing stock/
    Because you dance to disco and you don't like rock
    PSPs song, I do like that. Not good enough for The Ten, mind.

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  42. It's like, if we were saying Ten Greatest Novels of all time, you wouldn't say 'Oh, well I read one of those ones on the Richard & Judy Summer List and it was really good...' Well, great. Maybe it was. But our list is a list of yer Dickenses, yer Brontes, yer Salingers innit.

    Haircut 100! Tchh.

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  43. *plays 'Blue Hat For A Blue Day'*

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  44. So maybe only 50/60/70s could really count as only then can they be said to have truly stood the test of time. Having said that I would argue strongly for Massive Attack Unfinished Sympathy.

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  45. Darce, that is one of my favourite records of all time.

    But is it "Pop" ? No, no, no, nopedy nopedy no. No.

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  46. Power pop my arse!

    Kylie is a good shout SA.

    Elvis it was decided on didn't count due to being rock n roll and then us having another pint and forgetting about him completely.

    Haircut 100, indeed

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  47. *plays 'Unfinished Sympathy'*

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  48. Johnny Cash and his Ring Of Fire. I will brook no arguments.

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  49. I would like a T-shirt with POWER POP MY ARSE on it.

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  50. You fools.....

    Look what you've started!!!

    Agree with most of your ground rules. But waaayyyyyyy too much 60s in there for my liking.

    Classic, well-known, well-loved pop song. 'Losing My Religion'.


    And no Pet Shop Boys???

    Next time, dont have this discussion until my vodka and irn bru is on the table.

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  51. Oh and well done on meeting up at long last.

    It's always a joy when internet friends prove to be even more perfect when you meet them in the flesh.

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  52. 56 comments! This sort of thing always starts a bun fight.

    Anyways, I was thinking about the Motown thing on the way to work (being several hours behind yous lot) an came up with this formula:

    The Supremes = pop
    Martha & The Vandellas = soul

    Marvin Gaye = soul
    Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrel = pop

    The Jackson Five = pop
    The Temps/Tops/Isleys = soul

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  53. S'not country. Or western. It's music. Pop music.

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  54. Stevie Wonder = your puny genres cannot contain my genius

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  55. ascJC as you are well aware i am far from perfect.

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  56. Some thoughts:
    Most Britpop doesn't qualify under the guidelines. Maybe the Lightning Seeds but most of it was more rock.

    My 11-year old wouldn't let me have 'Going Underground' (too rock) but would allow 'Town Called Malice.' (Also Beat Surrender but I couldn't really include that in a list of great songs.) He put in a vote for The Turtles 'Happy Together' which I think is a good shout.

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  57. I like the idea of lobbing a hand grenade in the middle of a room and then walking off for a piss.

    It's personal innit? Not definitive.

    I'm right and you're all wrong.

    Pop music and popular music aint necessarily the same.

    Pop popetty pop.
    It's upbeat, light and singalong. Makes workmen whistle, transcends ages, creeds and colours. It's catchy and accessible and memorable. It's hooks and harmony. It's under the skin. It don't need to be credible, cool and hip; it's above and below all that.
    It's a memory. A place in time. A blooming bookmark in our lives.

    Age is a factor - whether we like it or not. Our GGG..Generation.

    Narrowing it down to decades may help?

    'God Only Knows' is to me the Beach Boys best song; but it can't be their best pop song can it?

    Indie, punky, glammy, rock n rolly, electroey, souly, metally - are they discarded into the breeze?

    I'll HAVE to break it down into periods of time or my heed will explode.

    And dinna forget that over-familiarity is the maggot in the big red shiny apple.

    A few from 60-70 ...

    Everlasting Love
    Daydream Believer
    Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)
    Build Me Up Buttercup
    Friday On My Mind
    I Only Wanna Be With You
    Where Did Our Love Go?
    Runaround Sue
    Happy Together
    Jesamine
    Sugar Sugar

    Of course, this sort of thing must never be taken lightly.

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  58. Forgot to say Mr H was wrong to disqualify T.Rex. The very epitome of early 70s pop.

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  59. No, it's a serious business Dickie, and no mistake. I wanted 'Daydream Believer' - we agreed on 'I'm A...'

    No-one's mentioned 'Waterloo Sunset'. 'Waterloo Sunset' and 'Downtown' (Pet Clark - Tony Hatch)

    I could genuinely live without hearing Elvis ever again as long as I had those two.

    Indie, punky, glammy, rock n rolly, electroey, souly, metally - are they discarded into the breeze?

    No Dickie. They are for other lists, on other days.

    I have renamed the blog.

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  60. Problem is you start going into 'classic' territory and it's about structure and certain chord sequences and Brian Wilson-esque use of harmonies and minor chords (not that there's anything wrong with them), when really maybe it's just about the surge from verse to chorus, or the rhythm or the vocal refrain or... God knows what else. S'why I agree Heart of Glass is a Yes and I think why TRex should be also. Good to have a no Beatles rule though.

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  61. Fuckin' hell Davy- renaming the blog. Just like that!

    Waterloo Sunset. Positively absolutely

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  62. I really don't like T.Rex all that much.

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  63. Me either. Get It On is poppy nonsense but quite good fun. 20th Century Boy's good.

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  64. I have a problem with whiny hippie 'flower children' basically.

    Unless they are actually record company stooges pretending to be flower children but in fact singing songs written for them by Tin Pan Alley hacks. Then that's proper pop.

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  65. You'll probably like Flowerpot Men's 'Let's Go To San Francisco' then (I do). Waterloo Sunset ison my list. I don't really like T'Rex either but they surely qualify.

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  66. 'Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?'. C'mon!

    No Goffin & King in the Ten? Massive oversight.

    Haircut 100...!

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  67. Flowerpot Men is a brilliant, brilliant, slightly-sinister-it's-so-good copy of the Brian Wilson/Wrecking Crew sound. I love it, but I'm uneasy about it, for that reason.

    I don't think this applies in Drew's case, but I could make up a whole Pop Top Ten from Brian Wilson songs alone. But I expect you knew that.

    -----

    A very, very long time ago, when I posted 'Waterloo Sunset' on this blog, Ms Ally posted a comment: 'one day when london is an independent state, this will be our national anthem x'

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  68. I mean, sometimes it's not until the great pop song actually comes on and we recall ... 'Sheesh, that IS rather good you know'.

    Stick on 'Better Lose Your Head' again and see what I mean. Is it too obscure? Is it too souly? Dunno, but it's fecking good innit?

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  69. Dickie, I am on record here and elsewhere re. 'Better Use Your Head'. It is a Leonardo Da Vinci-like masterpiece of recorded sound. Impeccable.

    And most definitely soul.

    *goes off to play it*

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  70. Listening now. Quite a lot of strings, guitar chops. Quite poppy. Damn!

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  71. Fibre optics to Davy's hoose are getting blocked up. There's more people overloading this line than those for Children In Need.

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  72. Picked a quiet telly night.

    Mrs H is watching Monty Don.

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  73. Ten from the 70s off the top of my head:
    A Glass of Champagne - Sailor
    What Can I Say - Boz Scaggs
    Sunday Girl - Blondie
    I Saw The Light - Todd Rundgren
    That's the Way - KC & the Sunshine Band
    Don't Stop Me Now - Queen (yes really)
    Lucky Number - Lene Lovich
    Cruel To Be Kind - Nick Lowe
    Beat the Clock - Sparks
    Sweet Talkin' Woman - ELO

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  74. Yup. Little Anthony it is then.

    More Phil Spector anyone?

    Oh heck .. I'm all over the place now ..
    (Come Up And See Me) Make Me Smile, Umbrella, Blackberry Way, I Say A Little Prayer, Since Yesterday, Mr Blue Sky, Brimful Of Asha, Downtown, Alright (Supergrass), Disco 2000 (Pulp)... mucho Everly Bros, Four Seasons, Buddy Holly, Oliver's Army, Substitute (Clout), and er .. Wanted by The Dooleys!

    Word veri - tarmates. (Yes, thanks very much!)

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  75. It took a while, but finally ELO reared their ugly bearded heeds. I CANNOT ABIDE E.L.O.

    'Beat The Clock' is electro-disco - see above. 'Sunday Girl' - terrific pop single, even has ice cream in the lyrics (hey, maybe that should be a criterion for entry) and is probably more pop than 'HOG' - I think 'HOG' made it because Drew and I could agree on it, but not on 'SG' (me, yes; he, no). My daughter says '11:59' (am so proud) and I'd be minded to agree, only it's too obscure, obvs.

    Nick Lowe knows his way round a pop song, for sure.

    Don't know the Boz Scaggs. Lene Lovich, LOVEIT.

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  76. Sorry Dickie, was replying to Mickie whiles you was on the - commenty.

    Loving the list. 'Blackberry Way' *sigh*

    If you had to choose one Everlys, what would it be?

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  77. Ah yes Adam, those girls out front. Lovely Dooleys. (Dunno what their name was).



    *With apologies to Clement and Le Frenais

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  78. I had The Best Of The Dooleys! Here is the late, great Sir James Of Savile introducing 'The Chosen Few'. Bloke on the left = Paul Nicholas, bloke on the right = Keith Harris.

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  79. The brunette = my future wife

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  80. The Everly Bros? That's easy ..

    Walk Right Back, or Bye Bye Love, or The Price of Love, or Wake Up Little Susie, perhaps All I Have To Do Is Dream and er, Cathy's Clown.

    PS: 11.59 eh. That's some little lady you've got there.

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  81. I'm going for 'All I Have To Do Is Dream' - others are more pop, but that's their 'God Only Knows' that is.

    The Dooleys 'Wanted' is so bloody good.

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  82. (somewhere on a train heading north to dark Scotland, a man is weeping)

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  83. I love (some) ELO and make no apologies. The Boz Scaggs song is one of my all time faves.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVugE8LC12c

    My 11-year old (I turn to him because he doesn't have all our preconceptions) thinks it may be too disco for the list. He's heard it a lot over the years and also loves it. He was surprised to learn about a year ago that Boz is white.

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  84. Davy - The girls were pushed out front more and more as the hits kept a-coming. The brothers went off to iron their trousers and hair.
    The more plain sister with the gap-tooth - recognising her sister's prettiness - used to go on TOTP sans bra! It was all too much for a 14 year old.

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  85. It would be Dickie.

    Paul Nicholas of course went on to co-star with Jan Francis in 'Just Good Friends'. Ah, Jan Francis. Where are today's sweetly pretty clean-cut women, eh?

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  86. Disco-pop crossover Michael.

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  87. If we get to 100 comments I will give a quid to Children In Need.

    Mine.

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  88. "Where are today's sweetly pretty clean-cut women, eh?"

    Now there's an idea of a simple question that may induce a hundred Comments.

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  89. I reckon Terry Wogan (and that young blonde lispy pouty bird with the sparrow legs and strange dress sense) will announce it on the Big BBC Screen in front of a frenzied audience when the target reaches ... 100 Comments.

    On behalf of the kids of Great Britain .. Well done everyone.

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  90. I'll double that quid if a sweetly pretty clean-cut woman comments.



    (is safe on this one)

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  91. Hi Davey - it's Jenny Agutter here.
    Love your blog. Would you like to sleep with me? I love it in a railway cutting, or in the bush.

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  92. I am your 100th comment and I'm very sweet,pretty and half cut. XX

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  93. Sally Thomsett, you old tart.

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  94. What about Bridge Over Troubled Water

    Ginger X

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  95. I'm an 'Only Living Boy In New York' boy Ginge.

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  96. You're not Art Garfunkel are you, Ginger?

    I've been following this blog (and drinking) tonight so I don't have to watch Children in Need. I fuckin' hate needy children. Don't give them your money.

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  97. well i hope you're pleased with yourself.
    x

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  98. No Mick, I'm Mrs Robinson (Cecilia)

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  99. Don't worry Ms A, we'll be back to unpopular jazz posts on Monday, probably x

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  100. So let me get this straight, our Davy hates ELO and T. Rex but likes The fucking Dooleys???

    And we're all still here talking to him?

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  101. Boz Scaggs is ace but needs to be included on The Top 10 Silliest Pop Singer Names.

    Along with Mr. Loo Rolls of course.

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  102. Final word before I go to bed, and getting back to the original post, Leader of the Pack is not a great pop song. At best it's an ok novelty song.

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  103. Discuss.

    Actually, don't.

    And Lee there's really no need for that sort of language.

    A Rose Has To Die, you know?

    Am off to have a Radox x

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  104. Oh go to bed Mick. You're arsey when you've had a few.

    Bridge Over Troubled Water, Ginger. Sure, it's magical and imperious. However comma Pop popetty pop to me means bouncy catchy hooky pulsy guitar driven splendour which catches you just under the gills, leaving you breathlessly flapping about and won't put you down for 3 minutes.

    Or was that just our Davy with a well groomed clean-cut woman.

    I hope Drew is alright. There's no connection north of the Wall.

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  105. Just in off the train to this, jesus what have we done!

    The fucking Dooleys and E L bastarding O, I weep for the middle aged men of this country and Lee.

    Let's get one thing straight, the list as it stands, is correct, apart from The Abba track, should be Dancing Queen and number ten should be Waterloo Sunset, end of.

    As far as T Rex is concerned it's not him but the fans that I can't abide, forever insinuating that Gloria Jones murdered him just because with one single she pissed all over everything he ever wrote and before you start that is SOUL not pop.

    What was that you were saying about your paltry comments last night Mr H?

    And with that I will return to my own place where I have 3 comments but by only two people.

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  106. OK clever clog's Dyke

    what about

    'Hot Stuff' Donna Summer or even 'Ring My Bell' Anita Ward

    And the best evah ABBA record without a doubt was 'Dancing Queen'!

    G

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  107. Ah yes, Ginger - Hot Stuff.
    Memories of the Wives Club Christmas Ball 1998 when I volunteered to do the Full Monty with some other colleagues. Scarred for life.

    Anita Ward! Campanologists only.

    Speaking of which. It's early Abba for me with ... Ring, Ring.

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  108. You're lucky Drew. 1 single comment at my place.

    116! That usually only happens when a blog announces shutdown.

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  109. So, after all these years I've finally decided to call it a day. You will have noticed that posts here have been pretty infrequent of late and I must admit I've sort of lost my blogging mojo. Along with that, a few nasty comments about The Dooleys lately have made me question why I am doing this. I want to thank all of you who have been following this blog since the beginning and wish you all well.

    Thanks again

    davyh x

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  110. About time you buggered off, yir blog's always been pish and I'm not even going to mention

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  111. Bloody hell. Firstly word verification is uncyt.

    I don't think any of the blogs I frequent have had over 120 comments before for a single post. I don't think I've had 120 comments over the last 100 posts round mine!

    This really is the sort of conversation that should be taking place in a pub.

    My 10 best pop records would include The Human League Love Action, Haircut 100 Love Plus One, ABC's Look Of Love. I'd go for Knowing You Knowing Me if we were going to talk ABBA; And from that Motown side of things I'd have Tears Of A Clown.

    Back to the early 80s Madness would have to be there with It Must Be Love, and Blondie with Heart Of Glass. Oh sod it, throw everything out and lets just stick with the early 80s. I'll just pop my 1980-83 playlist on random and you can pick from there. ABC, Human League, Soft Cell (Say Hello, Torch), Adam & The Ants, Haircut 100, Durans, Spandaus, Altered Images. How about The Specials Ghost Town? Or The Beat Too Nice Too Talk To? Squeeze doing Up The Junction? Joboxers, Just Got Lucky or Weller with Long Hot Summer?

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  112. no the bloody Sunday and that Harriet woman that you fixate upon.

    I really think it's time to hit the sack.

    btw the train ran out of gin at bloody Lockerbie!

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  113. Simon, did you read the bloody rules, every single one of yours would have violated the protocol!

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  114. Well you wouldn't have agreed with them, so that would have thrown them all out. And Altered Images would have to go, due to North Of The Borderness.

    I'll stick with The Human League though. And maybe chuck in a Prince doing Kiss, which is my idea of a perfect pop record.

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  115. In my head, coming as I do originally from a Smash Hits place before I went all Mod on the world, great pop should have a pop star involved. Debbie Harry for instance. And in my book Adam Ant is up there. Which, with your list, means you'd lose The Las, but get to keep Madonna probably.

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  116. Human League, no. The Purple one maybe, love it but is it that good?

    And why am I adding to Mr H's record breaking comments/

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  117. Good night, God bless.

    The Stooges?

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  118. There's a reason why I don't really do lists though, because I could just keep amending them. But Kiss is definitely as good as anything by anybody else.

    And where the hell are The Undertones doing Teenage Kicks? On a good day that's the most perfect pop song by anybody ever.

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  119. Good Vibrations is better than God Only Knows :)

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  120. Well I've just had a bottle of wine while watching a film with the kids and I've forgotten what I was going to say.

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  121. if you're all good you can try ' what's the best year for music?' next week.

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  122. Right, where were we? No T REX? You must be mad (yes, I know I didn't include any, it's the principle though and I considered Hot Love early on). Totally forgot about Blondie - agree it should be Sunday Girl. Or possibly Hanging On The Telephone. Or is that too rambunctious? Everly Brothers? I really like Since You Broke My Heart but that isn't really their most poppy if I'm honest so, yeah, All I have To Do Is Dream. Never heard the Dooleys before and...this is some longstanding joke you have with DVD? Come on, we can get this to 200.

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  123. 'All I Have To Do Is Dream' violates the no-ballads rule if we're still sticking to that. Besides, it's soppy.

    It should be 'Cathy's Clown' or 'Wake Up Little Susie'

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  124. Leaving aside the "is Motown soul or pop", you've forgotten Boney M's Brown-eyed Girl in the ring2 AND Peter Sarsvedt(?) "where do you go to".
    How could you?

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  125. That's very strange, I had a dream about that Peter S. song last night. Although, let's not get into my dreams here eh? Because I've quit, obvs.

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  126. Brown-Eyed Girl In The Ring? Is it a Van The Man/Frank Farian mash-up? Mondo'll have it.

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  127. I love this - Couldn't leave it at 139 comments, so here is #140.
    A litte Respect = Eraure.

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  128. No country, or rock, or soul, or swing or dance or easy listening or ballads? That rules out almost everything doesn't it?

    Anyhow, I'm surprised that Cyndi Lauper's Girls just want to have fun (with its great Ellie Greenwich backing vox line: they just wanna, they just wanna-a-ah....) hasn't been mentioned so far.

    And

    Fifth Dimension's Up Up and Away

    And

    Carpenters' We've only just begun

    (Or are those easy listening?)

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  129. And the hits keep on coming. 'Up, Up And Away' was my 'record that always makes you feel happy' nomination in one of those internet round robin thingies a while back. Jim Webb!

    Lila, I thought Eruare must be some contemporary R&B artist and had to look her up. Then I realised you meant Erasure. Doh!

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  130. Ah yes, silly old me. Did you guys miss something? Tom Jones = Help Yourself! Surely a pop-tastic Number ONE!

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  131. Belter! But better than 'It's Not Unusual'...? I think not.

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  132. I cannot agree - Help Yourself just swings along so beautifully, you cant listen to it and not do that swingy arm, clicky finger thing. BTW, Where exactly is Cliff in all this?

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  133. Am I the only one deliberately not commenting the Scott Walker post to give Davy a laugh?

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  134. 150! I get the big teddy off the top shelf!

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