The History Of Jop Part 5 aka The Kid Is Not My Son

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

A delay in the poll caused by my having some work, but finally the ship of retrospective metapop criticism sails into the waters of 1983 - Jackson the winner, Culture Club getting some serious vote-splitting, and this year the P&J poll included a BEST VIDEO section for the first time, which we might well discuss in a separate YouTube-enabled poll later (I can't get YouTube at work).

Procedural Note: I've excised "Back On The Chain Gang" by the Pretenders as it featured last time.

You only get EIGHT votes this time - use them wisely.


[Poll #819820]


The Joptimists Poll Remix for 1982:

1. Don't You Want Me (49 votes)
2. 1999 (46 votes)
3. The Message (43 votes)
4. Temptation (37 votes)
5. The Look Of Love (36 votes)
6=. Mickey (31 votes)
6=. Sexual Healing (31 votes)
8. Planet Rock (28 votes)
9. Rock The Casbah (26 votes)
10. Pass The Dutchie (24 votes)

Comments

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

This is the first time that the ONLY EIGHT rule has caused me dilemma!

Jacko/Prince/DMC/Eurythmics are all obvious but the hidden gem is surely 'She Works Hard For The Money'!

oh and...

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

...Billie Jean and Little Red Corvette were the ones in the running for best song, but really my favourite music on this poll is the Sweet Dreams riff.

[braisedbywolves.livejournal.com]

Er, Lex, could you talk us through your hate for the Clinton-inspired Talking Heads song?

[cis.livejournal.com]

I could have ticked nearly every song! 1983, man. good year for everything.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I've gone from knowing about TWO songs to knowing LOADS suddenly!

I guess this is what happens when one is born.

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

I can't believe I couldn't tick 'Rockit'.

'Mazin' year. I remember a lot of the songs that got to #1 this year getting to #1, from Men At Work to Ol' Wacky Thumbs.

I'm only commenting ONCE on this poll, too much werk!

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

- I ticked Herbie Hancock because I have been listening to Street Sounds' Electro compilation A LOT recently. It = GREBT.

- A load of ppl I know really dislike "Let's Dance" - I think it's one of Bowie's best! Am I alone?

- Culture Club videos are a genre all to themselves.

- Jason Nevins remix totally pwns the flat-sounding original. I like sparse beats but without the thumping 4/4 "MM-bah MM-bah MM-bah MM-bah", It's Like That sounds weak and dated.

- Lionel Richie deserves a canon! DEFINITELY! I am sorry I did not get to tick him here.

- These are Michael Jackson's two best singles.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

obv I have never heard it (unless it is the original of that ghastly Tom Jones song from the 90s!) but ever since the Justin thread I resent that band on principle.

Karamu, fiesta, forever.

[epicharmus.livejournal.com]

"All Night Long" is far, far better than the 0 ticks he's so far recieved might imply. (Even if I kinda loathe the fake Jamaican accent.)

Re: I'm only commenting ONCE on this poll, too much werk!

[martinskidmore.livejournal.com]

I think Let's Dance was Bowie's last terrific record.

PUT on yr RED shoes and dance the blues

[the-roofdog.livejournal.com]

You are not alone, tho sadly it couldn't get ticky in this list.

Herbie Hancock is the best musician with that surname to fuse rock and jazz , discuss.

[braisedbywolves.livejournal.com]

Now I'm completely confused.

"talking heads on PRINCIPLE (how fucking dare they etc etc) (by they i do not mean talking heads)"

So who is they?

I think it probably the original of the Tom Jones song, though this is a fate of many fine songd.

Someone has to ask it

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Big Country??????????

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Did you not read the Justin thread! Lots of massive massive cunts (jess, blount, jed and so on) getting on my back because I'd never heard of what'shisname from Talking Heads. The only time I have ever properly LOST IT on the internet.

Re: I'm only commenting ONCE on this poll, too much werk!

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

I ticked Modern Love over Let's Dance. Both are great though - I hated them for a long time as a self-identified "Bowie fan" but as a pop fan you can't deny em really.

Re: Karamu, fiesta, forever.

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

Yes, I would have ticked it if there was no tick limit.

I would support Kat's idea of a Richie canon, so long as it includes Commodores hits ("Sail On" = a masterpiece).

[braisedbywolves.livejournal.com]

David Byrne. You'd never heard of David Byrne? ARGH.

Re: Someone has to ask it

[epicharmus.livejournal.com]

If you squint your ears, they sound like the Clash.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

AAARGH I got really angry with people on the thread for this!!!!!! why the FUCK should I have heard of him?

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

He did vocals on that X-press 2 song "Lazy".

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

as i said on that thread surely you know this song via the Tiga version?

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

actually what I really got angry with were people a) accusing me of faking ignorance b) accusing me of being ignorant and incurious just because I don't have an encyclopaedic knowledge of obscure 80s popstars and c) claiming that they wouldn't mind if I wasn't a music writer as if it made any difference whatsoever to my scribblings about Ellen Allien and Teairra Marí, both of whom I bet some of those people have never heard of.

Re: Karamu, fiesta, forever.

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Commodores would be included I think.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

This was explained to me. I hate that song and especially the vocals.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I don't, at all, I have never heard this Tiga song.