NOW Yearbook Extra 1979 is a 3 CD (sadly no vinyl for these “extra” releases”) compilation, highlighting an additional 67 tracks from the charts of 1979, and acting as a companion piece to the recently released NOW Yearbook 1979 (orange vinyl / CD).
As I constantly mention (on this blog, to my cats and to anyone who will listen), 1979 is my favourite year for music, so if I was in charge of compiling these collections they would be 10 CD sets at least. The main collection and now this “extra” companion compilation, collect some of the essential singles from the year, along with some less obvious (and sometimes skippable) tracks to highlight the diversity of the charts in 1979.
The three CDs contain some absolute classics – Kid by The Pretenders, Roxy Music’s Angel Eyes, Reasons to Be Cheerful (Pt. 3) by Ian Dury and The Blockheads, Sparks The Number One Song in Heaven, Lost in Music from Sister Sledge and that’s just disc one.
The first 12 songs on disc two would make a great new wave compilation in their own right. Featuring a run of amazing singles from The Jam, The Stranglers, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Clash and the Skids finest single in my eyes, Working for the Yankee Dollar, plus one of my favourite singles from 1979, Milk and Alcohol by Dr. Feelgood.
Life in Tokyo by Japan and Electricity from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark hint at the electronic wave that was starting to crash into the charts, heralding the eventual new romantic movement that followed over the next few years.
Disc 3 has a few easy listening and novelty hits, but is otherwise filled to the brim with wonderful tracks such as Blondie’s Sunday Girl, Billy Joel’s Honesty (meaning The Boys Hughie Campbell will buy this compilation), plus Get It Right Next Time from Gerry Rafferty, The Ballad of Lucy Jordan by Marianne Faithfull, Toto’s Hold the Line, BA Robertson’s Knocked It Off and one of the last great Thin Lizzy singles Waiting for an Alibi.
So if you can’t afford (or invent) a time-machine, this wonderful compilation is the next best thing and it will transport you back to one of the great years for pop singles. Strap yourself in.
Buy NOW Yearbook Extra 1979 3 CD set from Amazon
Disc: 1
Crazy Little Thing Called Love – Queen
Message in a Bottle – The Police
Union City Blue – Blondie
Kid – The Pretenders
Last Train to London – Electric Light Orchestra
Angel Eyes – Roxy Music
Them Heavy People – Kate Bush
Up the Junction – Squeeze
Diamond Smiles – The Boomtown Rats
Reasons to Be Cheerful (Pt. 3) – Ian Dury and The Blockheads
The Number One Song in Heaven – Sparks
The Runner – The Three Degrees
Dim All the Lights – Donna Summer
Lost in Music – Sister Sledge
My Feet Keep Dancing – Chic
Is It Love You’re After – Rose Royce
Gotta Go Home – Boney M.
Let’s Fly Away – Voyage
The Prince – Madness
Duke of Earl – Darts
Blue Peter – Mike Oldfield
Daytrip to Bangor (Didn’t We Have a Lovely Time) – Fiddler’s Dram
Disc: 2
The Sound of the Suburbs – The Members
Babylon’s Burning – The Ruts
Strange Town – The Jam
English Civil War – The Clash
Duchess – The Stranglers
Playground Twist – Siouxsie and the Banshees
Death Disco – Public Image Ltd
Working for the Yankee Dollar – Skids
Jimmy Jimmy – The Undertones
C’mon Everybody – Sex Pistols
Milk and Alcohol – Dr. Feelgood
Banana Splits – The Dickies
Time for Action – Secret Affair
Back of My Hand – Jags
The Loneliest Man in the World – The Tourists
Life in Tokyo – Japan
Electricity – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Take That to the Bank – Shalamar
This Is It – Dan Hartman
H.A.P.P.Y. Radio – Edwin Starr
It’s a Disco Night (Rock Don’t Stop) – The Isley Brothers
My Forbidden Lover – Chic
The Boss – Diana Ross
Take Me Home – Cher
Disc: 3
Sunday Girl – Blondie
Painter Man – Boney M.
My Simple Heart – The Three Degrees
Sail On – The Commodores
After the Love Has Gone – Earth, Wind & Fire
Just the Way You Are – Barry White
Honesty – Billy Joel
The Ballad of Lucy Jordan – Marianne Faithfull
Get It Right Next Time – Gerry Rafferty
Hold the Line – Toto
Whatever You Want – Status Quo
Waiting for an Alibi – Thin Lizzy
Car 67 – Driver 67
Knocked It Off – BA Robertson
Luton Airport – Cats U.K.
Some Girls – Racey
Get It – Darts
Who Were You With in the Moonlight – Dollar
Mirrors – Sally Oldfield
One Day at a Time – Lena Martell
Wonderful Christmastime – Paul McCartney
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Mr Kinski's Music Shack 