VARIOUS ARTISTS – What A Groovy Day: The British Sunshine Pop Sound 1967-72

Over the years, Cherry Red Records and their vast array of subsidiary labels have been responsible for releasing some great box sets centring around 60s and 70s material, but ‘What A Groovy Day: The British Sunshine Pop Sound 1967-72’ is potentially one of their most quirky. By throwing a light on an era when single releases were still considered important, it guarantees a great listen full of pop laden treats. but It also provides an easy opportunity to rediscover various oft-forgotten or unknown three minute nuggets when digging deeply into the archives. As always, by mixing the cult with lesser known tunes by familiar faces, it’s the kind of Cherry Red release that should appeal to a broad spectrum of retro pop fans.

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Starship record voted worst of the 80s? Time for a recount!

In a poll conducted by Rolling Stone Magazine, Starship’s 1985 #1 smash ‘We Built This City’ was named the worst song of the decade.

The top ten chart of supposed duds ran as follows:

1 – Starship – ‘We Built This City’
2 – Europe – ‘The Final Countdown’
3 – Chris De Burgh – ‘Lady In Red’
4 – Wham! – ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’
5 – Men Without Hats – ‘The Safety Dance’
6 – Falco – ‘Rock Me Amadeus’
7 – Bobby McFerrin – ‘Don’t Worry Be Happy’
8 – Toni Basil – ‘Mickey’
9 – Taco – ‘Puttin’ On The Ritz’
10 – Rick Astley – ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’

Okay, Chris De Burgh’s ‘Lady In Red’ is sickly and a few of the other nominees are hopelessly disposable, but are these ten tracks really the worst of the decade? At REAL GONE, we disagree.  The 80s threw up so much bad music, Starship and Europe shouldn’t even qualify.

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