Hey Dialophiles,
Let the Dial ease your
start-of-the week blues with the latest entry in our continuing study of former
hits that rarely pop up on terrestrial airwaves these days… Cliff Richard’s
1979 smash “We Don’t Talk Anymore”.
The lead single from the LP Rock ‘n’ Roll Juvenile, “We Don’t..” peaked at US#7, UK#1, and topped the singles chart in Germany for five weeks!
This melodic melding of
pop, soft rock, and disco details a romance on the downslide, a fact that
doesn’t seem to bother Cliff. You see, his woman has already pulled away
emotionally, so as the blame can rest on her shoulders, he’ll sleep with no
guilt.
In fact, it is that last
point that leads me to confess to a quick misheard lyric from my
childhood. For years, I thought the
chorus contained the line…
“My ankles’ asleep… and I ain’t got it cheap!”
“My ankles’ asleep… and I ain’t got it cheap!”
The real verse is “But I
ain’t losing sleep, and I ain’t counting sheep.”
Hey, when you’re five
years old, you can’t possibly be expected to hear every lyric correctly!
After running its course on top 40 radio by the middle of the following year, Richard’s pop nugget all but disappeared from the airwaves. Fast forward to 1987, when I grew strongly nostalgic for the music I listened to earlier in my youth. The hits I fondly remembered from the late ‘70s through about ’85 seemed to be in “radio limbo” at the time, as they were too old to be on “current” stations, but too new to be considered “oldies”.
Once I discovered that lite rock stations had become a repository for many of these “in limbo” songs, I spent much of my free time taping them off the radio. Great tracks like Hall & Oates’ “You’ve Lost That Loving’ Feeling”, Billy Idol’s “Eyes Without A Face”, Paul Davis’ “’65 Love Affair”, and yes, “We Don’t Talk Anymore”. I remember it took several weeks of patience, my fingers hovering over the record button, before I happened to snag Cliff’s 1979 hit on my beloved TDK D90 cassette.
And here’s a little historical notation… Richard’s pop ditty was the 6th music video aired on MTV’s first day, August 1st 1981. It followed “Video Killed the Radio Star” (The Buggles), “You Better Run” (Pat Benatar), and tracks by Rod Stewart, The Who, and Ph.D.
The Dial invites you to enjoy this great radio classic, from a truly simpler time.
“Well, it really doesn’t matter to me, I guess your leaving was meant to be. It’s down to you now… you wanna be free…”
After running its course on top 40 radio by the middle of the following year, Richard’s pop nugget all but disappeared from the airwaves. Fast forward to 1987, when I grew strongly nostalgic for the music I listened to earlier in my youth. The hits I fondly remembered from the late ‘70s through about ’85 seemed to be in “radio limbo” at the time, as they were too old to be on “current” stations, but too new to be considered “oldies”.
Once I discovered that lite rock stations had become a repository for many of these “in limbo” songs, I spent much of my free time taping them off the radio. Great tracks like Hall & Oates’ “You’ve Lost That Loving’ Feeling”, Billy Idol’s “Eyes Without A Face”, Paul Davis’ “’65 Love Affair”, and yes, “We Don’t Talk Anymore”. I remember it took several weeks of patience, my fingers hovering over the record button, before I happened to snag Cliff’s 1979 hit on my beloved TDK D90 cassette.
And here’s a little historical notation… Richard’s pop ditty was the 6th music video aired on MTV’s first day, August 1st 1981. It followed “Video Killed the Radio Star” (The Buggles), “You Better Run” (Pat Benatar), and tracks by Rod Stewart, The Who, and Ph.D.
The Dial invites you to enjoy this great radio classic, from a truly simpler time.
“Well, it really doesn’t matter to me, I guess your leaving was meant to be. It’s down to you now… you wanna be free…”
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