Don't Say I Told You So
🎅The Ghost Of Christmas Presents Past
So, I was 'avin a sort out downstairs the other week, rummaging around in my baubles and I came upon this in me trinkets....
Now, oooh!, noooo, 'ere, listen, Misssus, titter ye not etc, etc...K-Tel, how fantastic!
Kittens On A Ball Of Wool
I came upon this whilst sorting out at home, on cassette and surprisingly it is still intact! Unfortunately I don't have a cassette player anymore, still never mind in my memory of tape players they tended to behave like kittens on a ball of wool, especially on older cassettes.
I remember getting this cassette as a young 'un 😮 (sooo long ago!) waaayyy back when at Christmas 1980 (possibly cheap in Woolworths at the time, brought for me by an Aunt or Uncle, who knows?), however it did introduce me, (although a bit of a metal/punk fan at the time) to some wonderful synth and pop/post punk material that I probably wouldn't have bothered with (at the time). Hey! You kind of know how it goes as a teen back in the day when you got a little blinkered by your musical tastes at the time😉
Some of my favourites are featured in this post, You can catch the track listing on Discogs and decide on your favourites of the day.😉
Dexy's Midnight Runners - Geno
This track by Dexy's Midnight Runners about soul legend Geno Washington giving the band the high of reaching the top of the charts in 1980. Evidently a cross between Zoot Money's Big Roll Band 'One And Only Man' and The Turtles 'Happy Together'. Check it out for yourself, either way it turned pop gold for the boys from the Midlands in that year.
...Obviously, being a 'compilation' there were some tracks on the album that would have not have appealed to me in any way, however there are also some absolute gems🙂💎 as well.
The Tourists - Don't Say I Told You So
Don't Say I Told You So'. Catch it on YouTube at the link. Check out Annie's funky hairdo and dangly earrings, complete with slightly art-school video. It was written by Peet Coombes as were many of the band's songs. Sadly only getting as high as #40 in the UK Chart of the day and from the band's album 'Luminous Basement'. They hit the highs with an old song which was re-vamped ; 'I Only Want To Be With You' a year earlier which was originally a debut solo for Dusty Springfield back in 1963 and hitting #4 in the UK Charts.
Lennox and Stewart were perhaps sniffing the air of 'synth culture' at the time went on to greater things, sadly Peet Coombes the man of the songs and lyrics from the original band never quite hit the same high notes, may he rest in peace. Catch their track 'So Good To Be Back Home Again' for another slice of pop/new wave fun (all looking pretty cold at Buckinghamshire Railway Centre in Quainton where the video was shot!).
...And there were more obvious U.K. chart acts of the day on the cassette like Madness, Bad Manners, Blondie, Roxy Music, Gary Numan, O.M.D. etc.
Although K-Tel may cause sniggers from many 'hardcore musos', I still doff my cap to the humble (and as I remember cheap) compilation album in that it opened my eyes to music 🎼 and in general other people's musical tastes.
Back in the early 80's kids were very 'tribal' about who they would 'hang out with' largely at the time based on musical taste (possibly this still happens, idk?). I have to say at the time there was a rich source of musical choice from punk, skinhead, mod, rockabilly, metal and of course pop. I guess you kind of fitted into one of the categories of groups based on music you liked.
O.M.D. - Enola Gay
This track was so completely at odds with my taste at the time, but my! what a great pop song. Catchy, heard it absolutely everywhere at the time and an anti-war song as well, just done synth style. Evidently not initially liked by keyboardist Paul Humphreys or their Manager at the time either way it made into the UK Charts of the day peaking at #8.
...Fortunately, as a kid I gained a great set of friends all with differing tastes and musical styles, which in general made a good night out... and some musical differences of course! I guess we all must of struck a common chord somewhere along the way. Music has that strange power!
Ian Dury and The Blockheads - I Want To Be Straight
This track featuring ex-Dr. Feelgood and Essex legendary guitarist Wilko Johnson who replaced Chaz Jankel on guitar for The Blockheads. A song not reaching quite the highs of 'Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick' which was released the year earlier and reaching #1 in the UK Charts, but this track featured still managing #22 in the UK Charts in 1980. The band as a unit at the time almost falling apart at the seams, Dury having problems with alcohol and drugs causing poor old Wilko and other band members a headache at the time.
Hope you have enjoyed reading my trips down memory lane this year, please keep doing so.😉
Oh and please check out this wonderful commercial caught on youtube at the link K-Tel Commercial with the voice-over from the late and great Mr. Tommy Vance from the time it was released...simply awesome!
Picture/Video Sources & Thanks
Ian Dury: [email protected]
Dexys: [email protected]
The Tourists: [email protected]
Frankie Howerd : PostivelyArsenal.com
Photo by Stephen Arnold on Unsplash
Enola Gay: [email protected]
Header Picture: Reddit