Every Friday, I’m publishing my top ten songs from a single year and this week it’s the turn of 1981.
For previous top ten tunes, please click on the year: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
So 1981, the year that Prince Charles married Diana Spencer (and I won a fancy dress competition dressed as Diana in her wedding dress), Peter Sutcliffe is charged with being the Yorkshire Ripper, Dynasty debuts on TV, Pope John Paul II is shot, but not killed, John McEnroe throws a paddy at Wimbledon and shouts “You cannot be serious” at the umpire for the first time (and my brother won the boys section of the same fancy dress competition dressed as McEnroe with a large plaster over his mouth. The Beasleys were on FIRE in 1981), race riots spread across the UK, Bucks Fizz won the Eurovision Song Contest (best UK entry ever) and Raiders of the Lost Ark was released. I turned 5 years old.
Yes please
Oh so this is when things get deliciously 80s. There may be some credible tunes here, but yes there is Adam Ant, yes there’s Kim Wilde and yes there’s Bucks Fizz and I’m not apologising for any of it. Enjoy!
- Just Can’t Get Enough by Depeche Mode
2. Reward by Teardrop Explodes
3. Kings of the Wild Frontier by Adam and the Ants
4. Can You Feel It by the Jacksons
5. Tainted Love by Soft Cell
6. Pretty in Pink by Psychedelic Furs
7. Kids in America by Kim Wilde
8. One in Ten by UB40
9. Making Your Mind Up by Bucks Fizz (If you need cheering up then I implore you to watch this. It’s their Eurovision performance and it evens features our Tel*)
10. Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie
Whilst this has been one of my favourite years so far (I think I say that every week), choosing my favourite was easy. It’s Queen and Bowie. Obvs. Which one is your favourite?
I’ll be taking a break from Top Ten Tunes next week as I’ll be posting my 10 most popular blog posts from this year instead. So see you on Friday 5th January for 1982.
*Famous Irish TV/radio personality Terry Wogan who was hugely popular and bit of legend in the UK and Ireland and who we sadly lost last year.
Just Another Blog From a Woman 
For me, my favorites from this list are Tainted Love, Pretty in Pink, Kids in America and Under Pressure. It’s a four way tie. I can’t pick one over the others. I am really looking forward to your 80’s lists!
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They are all brilliant songs. I can’t wait for all the 80s lists either! Cheers Phil
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Ooh, Harrison Ford really was quite lovely. Didn’t notice that as a kid, obvs.
This is the year I arrived on Earth, on the back of a magical unicorn of course. So I have loads of faves from 1981.
The extended mix of Tainted Love is immense, and Under Pressure is of course stunning x
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Harrison Ford was fiiiiinnnneeee. Now I have no doubt that you came into this world on the back of a magical unicorn & I’ll be very disappointed if I find out it happened in any other way quite frankly. I hope you like your birth year xx
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ooooohh, I’d love toe see a pic of you dressed up in Diana’s wedding dress for fancy dress!!! Xx
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Haha. There is a photo somewhere at my parents. The next time I’m visiting I’ll try and hunt for it x
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I am completely unable to narrow down a favourite from these. So much good stuff!! I so look forward to your Friday post 🙂
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Thank you SO much. That means a lot and so glad you’re enjoying these posts.
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I agree with Phil- can’t wait for more 80s–and with Em. If you have a pic of you in that wedding dress, that’s must-see cuteness.
Sorry about McEnroe. He’s not our finest example of sportsmanship.
I love Pretty in Pink–though I find the movie hard to watch.
Happy, Merry Holiday to YOU!!!
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On the contrary, we actually love McEnroe in the U.K. He commentates for the BBC every year at Wimbledon & we kind of have an affection for his “forthrightness”. Ah I must find that photo of me as Princess Di. It’ll be somewhere at my parents. It’s a very special one if I recall. The happiest of days for you too this Christmas xx
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Oh good! That’s great to hear about Mr. McEnroe. I like it. 🙂
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I love Queen so much. My fave eighties band!
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They were fantastic x
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1981 was a great year for music as I remember. Yes, Queen, Bowie – but your band list are all fun. Happy Christmas!
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Thank you. Happy Christmas to you too x
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I was hoping you would join this with this post! Yay! What a fab year 1981! Love all these songs and wish I had made more of 1981 aged 8!
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Thank you Lucy 😘
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No hard rock, not right for Christmas with no hard rock. Fun post, even without some deep bass 🙂
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Aah I’m sorry to disappoint Suzanne. Hard rock might make an appearance in future posts (there’s definitely going to be Alice Cooper & Iron Maiden at some point).
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Hayley, I did write that with tongue in cheek, as in I was being cheeky. I am not into Alice Cooper or Iron Maiden more music that isn’t the top 10. Hey, good thing we are all different 🙂 x
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Haha. Well it will definitely become more obscure come the 90s and I expect people to be scratching their heads at my lists then ha. Yes everyone does have such different tastes especially when it comes to music, which makes music so exciting x
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Since you have started doing more music posts, me and the Squire have had a few chats about how much we used to listen to music and now don’t seem to do it. Trying to rectify that with the radio on now. The speakers here are controlled by an app. How things have changed 🙂 x
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Ha excellent stuff. Weirdly I’ve inspired myself to listen to music more too x
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Tainted Love has always been a favorite of mine! The more music I listen to, the more I’m realizing a majority of my favorite songs of all time were released in the 80s. ❤
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Tainted Love is proving very popular indeed. I absolutely adore the 80s too.
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Tainted Love got me right between the eyes – it was still playing regularly at the beginning of 1982 (the year I met my husband) My flatmate always said the lead singer looked like her old boyfriend – memories!
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Oh that’s lovely that have such a special memory attached to the song. It becomes more than just a song then. Cheers.
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A great year with great memories. I love Queen and had forgotten about Buck’s Fizz! Thanks for sharing and reminding me of some great tunes. All the best for the holidays 😊
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There you are! I know Bucks Fizz was a real reminder of my childhood as I clearly remember all the fuss when they won the Eurovision Song Contest. All the best to you & yours too xx
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Great list, especially Tainted Love and Under Pressure. Music from the 80s was some of THE best music ever made!
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Both of those are proving very popular. Great choices.
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I am enjoying my walk down memory lane. I paused, well it was more than a pause, at Harrison Ford’s picture. Hmm….. yes I remember that well.
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Oh that photo is so very special and yes, a tad…distracting.
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Another cracking list and trip down memory lane. Thanks
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Thanks Jill. Glad you’re enjoying these posts x
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They just don’t make ’em like that any more. I feel so sorry for my kids that they won’t have fantastic music memories like this. Because pop music is so awful these days.
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I know. Whilst there’s the occasional good tune these, I am starting to feel like music is running out of ideas!
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I love sooooo many on this list – from the year I was born too! This is my favourite era to dance to on a night out – totally beats a lot of the modern day rubbish!
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I absolutely agree! What an ace year for music you were born in x
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It was a tough choice until I got to your final selection… Under Pressure wins hands down. Although Bucks Fizz are a close second (I wanted to BE Jay Aston when I was growing up….) 😂
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Another top list! the year that Depeche Mode came to my school to play a gig and I didn’t go!!!! I remember swapping something or buying the Adam Any album off my mate. Its easier to say what my least fave track is – Pretty In Pink but its not a bad song by any means! Love the 80’s!
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You didn’t go?! How much do you regret that now?
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Loads! What can I say I was young and foolish!
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If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t go and watch Bowie at Glastonbury when I was there and he was playing (to be fair I was working & didn’t have a choice, but still!).
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OK you trump me with Bowie, but it sounds like I had more of a chance to see the Mode!
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Great list! Kim Wilde has just recorded a personal video message for my partner, wishing him good luck in climbing Mount Everest this year. I was stunned that she took the time to do so. I hope you can check it out.
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That’s amazing!
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