Every Friday, I’m publishing my top ten songs from a single year and this week it’s the turn of 1988.
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 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 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
The first Red Nose Day with Lenny Henry, Jonathan Ross and Griff Rhys Jones
In 1988, the first Red Nose Day occurs, a concert takes place at Wembley Stadium in honour of Nelson Mandela, three gay rights activists invade the BBC studios during the BBC news, new licensing allows British pubs to stay open all day, Princess Beatrice is born, the Olympics take place in Seoul, South Korea, Edwina Currie claims that all British eggs have salmonella, 35 people are killed in the Clapham Junction train crash, Pan Am flight 103 explodes over the town of Lockerbie killing all 259 people on board the flight and 11 people on the ground, several British soldiers are murdered by the IRA, Benazir Bhutto becomes Prime Minister of Pakistan, becoming the first ever female leader of a Muslim country and the film Big was released. Oh and I turn 12 years old.
This week for only the second time, the same artist features twice. Also, you have no idea how hard I had to resist adding our George again this week (with Father Figure), but I figured you might be getting sick of him by now and he is reappearing again in a couple weeks. So, on we go with 1988…
1)I Should Be So Lucky by Kylie Minogue
2) Buffalo Stance by Neneh Cherry
3) The Only Way is Up by Yazz
4) Crash by the Primitives
5) Orange Crush by R.E.M.
6) China Doll by Julian Cope
7) Twist in My Sobriety by Tanita Tikaram
8) A Little Respect by Erasure
9) Fast Car by Tracy Chapman
10) Especially For You by Kylie & Jason
I can almost smell the 90s from here, it’s fast approaching gang. Now then, Kylie comes a very, very, very, very, VERY close second, but Erasure is my absolute favourite this week. It is one of my all time favourites after all. Please let me know which is your favourite below.
Talk About Pop Music have also done a brilliant extended playlist from 1988 and you can check it out here See you next week for our final week from the 80s- 1989
Just Another Blog From a Woman 
My vote is for Erasure, A Little Respect. Another great list. I graduated High School in 1988, it really doesn’t feel that long ago when I listen to the music. It feels like 100 years ago when I drop my pen on the floor and have to pick it up!
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I know exactly what you mean. It only seems like a few years ago I was dancing to Neneh Cherry in my childhood bedroom. Erasure is the best choice 👍🏻
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Ooh so many great ones – can’t choose between Buffalo Stance/Only Way is Up/A little respect so choosing all three thank you very much!
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Haha. You may of course have all three. Three fantastic tunes 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
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Btw have you ever seen this? I love this so much – fans on way back from erasure concert
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Oh the link won’t work for me, but think I know the clip. Is it the singing on the London Underground?
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Yes that’s the one
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Brilliant clip. I love that video. All perfectly in tune too!
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I don’t know if it’s because I had my head in the sand this particular year or what, but I don’t recognize a lot of these songs! Then again, I was about to start high school. My guess is, I was obsessed with boys at this point. But, to make up for my lack. I am listening to the playlist right now and doing a little dance.(I really am–which makes it hard to type.) I’ll have to get back to you on my favorite. Though since, I still love Fast Car as a kind of melancholy anthem to all kinds of hope and love when things are just plain the worst, I’ll put that one at a preliminary top spot.
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Funnily enough, as I did this playlist I wondered how many of these tunes you lovely American folk would know. It’s a very British/Australian list this week with only two American acts. Next week (1989) is very American though. Hope you’re enjoying the playlist anyway & yes do let me know which one you like the most. Also, obsessed with boys? You & me both my love. Haha x
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Okay, so we listened to the playlist as a family. Here’s the verdict: Crash had everyone dancing, like everyone in the house. So a clear winner. I really enjoyed this one. You are my favorite DJ
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Yay! You’re the absolute best. I love that you went away and listened to the whole list of sings to decide your favourite. Crash is such a great little guitar pop tune. Fantastic choice 👍🏻
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Oh and I also LOVE the image of your whole house dancing along to it 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
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This is the first year that I haven’t recognized any of the song names! This is such a fun thing to do!
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I’ve so enjoyed doing these playlists- bringing back great memories & listening to great tunes. I’m thinking this week is probably the most “British” week I’ve done so far, not sure if that’d have anything to do with not recognising any?
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Oh it might!
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Agree – it just has to be Erasure 🙂
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YES! Erasure rules.
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Finally we get to my year – 1988 the year I was born. I think Fast Car is my favourite from your list – still a great song even now.
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It’s such a lovely song. Great choice. And what a great year to be born.
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I know!! Xx
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OMG! 30 years ago. I love Erasure. But I love R.E.M. too, and I was very fond (envious) of the Primatives too.
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Which is going to be?! I know, can’t believe they were all released 30 years ago! Just doesn’t seem possible.
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Oh transported back to my Junior year in High School! SO many great bands and especially Erasure. They were in the line up with The Cure, DepecheMode and the Pet Shop Boys for me. oh and Oingo Biongo!
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I absolutely love the Cure too. Doing these playlists have really transported me back in time too.
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The headlines in a paragraph somehow seem so much more shocking than when spread out over a year, don’t they? Lockerbie, Clapham Junction, Edwina Currie … As to music, our 2nd child arrived that year, (2 in 3 years) so everything seems rather fuzzy, musically speaking. That was also the year I only read ONE book!
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Haha. Bloody Edwina Currie. And I absolutely relate to that first year after they’re born. I remember also reading one token book and I think it took me the whole year to read it.
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Yeah, the one I read was probably about babycare too!
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Oh you’ve brought back some great memories! Thanks for sharing and the walk down memory lane! 🙂
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My pleasure Lisa x
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ooh, another Erasure song–nice. Buffalo Stance was always one of my favourites too–I was actually just thinking about it the other day while I was listening to Salt-N-Pepa (yeah, I like the old school stuff!)
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Yes! I love Salt-N-Pepa. There were so many good female rappers back then. There’s a few now of course, but I’ll always have a special fondness for the 80s/90s female rappers.
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Twist in my sobriety ❤
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Oh yay. Am glad someone else out there loves that song 👍🏻
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At the time, it would have been Yazz and Erasure, but since then I have a certain appreciation for (lovely) Kylie, Tracey Chapman and Tanita Tikaram. 1988 was when I first saw Prince in concert on the Lovesexy tour but Krush “House Arrest” and S-Express would be in my top ten!
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YOU SAW PRINCE LIVE?!?!?! OHMYGOD. Was he amazing?! Loved S-Express too 👍🏻
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Seen him several times and even close up! He was ALWAYS amazing. So sad that I will never be able to again…
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Bloody hell. I’m so jealous. I can only imagine he was fantastic.
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The best live artist ever in my opinion. Sad thing is as he got older he was having more fun and seemed to be becoming more accessible in smaller venues. I am blessed to have seen him so much though and managed to take my daughter once, who also feels blessed to have seen him in a small venue.
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Wow! You’re lucky daughter too. Seeing him in a smaller venue would’ve been amazing. I always prefer more intimate venues.
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Definitely. I don’t do “up in the gods” at concerts!
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So most of these songs I hated at the time! My pop radar has readjusted since then, but I have always liked Erasure so that would be my pick. Great list again!
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Erasure are pure pop. Excellent choice (my favourite too).
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