A History of Pop Music Albums – 1985

Featured Album: Dire Straits – Brothers in Arms

This is a series of articles looking at albums from 1960 to whatever year we end up in.

I will select a featured album for each year and the link for the whole album, Plus list the songs on it.

As before, it is not just about the songs and tunes, it is very much about memories, and good ones, I hope.

Not everyone will like my choices of course, and you may remember some from each particular year that you feel should have been included, so do please post a link to the song.

In 1985 I had a quiet year, chief clerk of a squadron in Hameln. Nothing much happened. The squadron did a tour of NI, but I was left behind to be in charge of the rear party. I had my first and only 9am walk of shame to see the RSM, along with 2 other SNCO’s, following an unfortunate incident at a mess dinner, involving a bottle of port, apparently not meant to leave the table. That cost us 3 extra duties and 3 bottles of port each. This is how we learn though. Happy days!

Brothers in Arms is the fifth studio album by British rock band Dire Straits, released on 13 May 1985 through Vertigo Records internationally and through Warner Bros. Records in the US. It spent a total of 14 non-consecutive weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart (including ten consecutive weeks between 18 January and 22 March 1986), nine weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 in the US and 34 weeks at number one on the Australian Albums Chart. Brothers in Arms was the first album certified ten-times platinum in the UK and is the eighth best-selling album in UK chart history. It is certified nine-times platinum in the US, and is one of the world’s best-selling albums, having sold more than 30 million copies worldwide.

It is one of those albums that most people had, or indeed still have in their collection, along with Bridge Over troubled Water. I do not play it much at these days, having played it to death over many years, but always nice to hear a song from this album on the radio from time to time.

Track listing

All songs were written by Mark Knopfler, except where indicated.

Side 1
No.	Title	Length
1.	“So Far Away“	3:59
2.	“Money for Nothing” (Mark Knopfler, Sting)	7:04
3.	“Walk of Life“	4:12
4.	“Your Latest Trick“	4:46
5.	“Why Worry”	5:22
Total length:		25:23

Side 2
No.	Title	Length
1.	“Ride Across the River”	6:58
2.	“The Man’s Too Strong”	4:40
3.	“One World”	3:40
4.	“Brothers in Arms“	6:59
Total length:		22:17

Dire Straits

Mark Knopfler – guitars and vocals
John Illsley – bass guitar and vocals
Alan Clark – keyboards
Guy Fletcher – keyboards and vocals
Omar Hakim – drums
Terry Williams – drums

More writings on this album here: Brothers in Arms

So, on we go with 1985:

The top 10 sellers for 1985 are below, not a good year!

The Top 10 Albums with a You Tube hyperlink on the title:

Top Tip: Right-click and open in new tab

Top Albums of 1985
1	Dire Straits	Brothers In Arms
2	Phil Collins	No Jacket Required
3	Madonna	Like A Virgin
4	Bruce Springsteen	Born In The U.S.A.
5	Tears For Fears	Songs From The Big Chair
6	Various artists (Virgin/EMI)	Now, That’s What I Call Music 6
7	Various artists (Virgin/EMI)	Now – The Christmas Album
8	Various artists (Virgin/EMI)	Now, That’s What I Call Music 5
9	Paul Young	The Secret Of Association
10	Various artists (CBS/WEA)	The Hits Album 2/The Hits Tape 2

I did play a lot of Brother’s in Arms over this year and the next. Never bought a PC record ever, but his were always on the radio and in the pubs. Madonna and Bruce were regulars as well. I did buy Paul Youngs’ album and exceptionally good too. The wife bought all those “Now. That’s what I call music” albums, I was not a big fan, as whilst there was some really good stuff on them, there was also much to not like. Yes, we had the Christmas one, it has Band Aid, Wham, Slade etc on it, all the tunes we love to hate.

Again, I really could not find many albums I rated for the year.

Katrina and the Waves – Katrina and the Waves – I do enjoy the Eurovision song contest. This is a surprisingly good album, with of course Walking on Sunshine.

Heart – Heart – Good band.

The Style Council – Our Favourite Shop – Smooth.

John Fogerty – Centerfield – Brilliant singer. Always worth a listen.

Simply Red – Picture Book – One for the GP ladies

Prefab Sprout – Steve McQueen – much underrated band. I do like them.

The Pogues – Rum Sodomy & the Lash – makes a nice change from normal “pop”.

Kate Bush – Hounds of Love – Includes Running up that Hill.

Scoring:

As you know I like to review your “tunes” that you post.

*Note. Anyone scoring a Morrissey (lowest score possible) will be reported and blocked.

Hat tips to: these give the top 100 selling charts for each year.

http://www.everyhit.com/chart1.html these give the top 10 songs for each year.