K's 1981 SPECIAL - VA - The 150 Best Singles of 1981 (Super Deluxe Edition) [2022] (8 x CD's)

K's 1981 SPECIAL    - VA - The 150 Best Singles of 1981 (Super Deluxe Edition) [2022] (8 x CD's)

NEW and FULLY UPDATED! Better sounding, higher quality remasters, updated versions.  

The next installments in my 'best singles' compilation series.  After extensive research into virtually every single released in the UK, USA and around the world in 1981, I've put together the absolute cream of the crop of the year.  Many, many tracks have been included that you just never see on officially released compilations, plus I've used the very latest digital and best sounding remasters available. I've also included quite a few hard to find and rare original 7" single versions, many released for the first time on CD as part of a number of recent super deluxe editions.  The cover art features a record shop with window display posters of record sleeve art taken from 1981 featuring the biggest selling and most prominent artists of the year, and who had the biggest hits.

Hope you enjoy these 150 great tracks!

K

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Pt.1      Pt.2      Pt.3      Pt.4 

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Track lists

CD1

01 Genesis Abacab (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 4:10

02 The Jam Absolute Beginners 2:48

03 Ultravox All Stood Still 4:23

04 Siouxsie & The Banshees Arabian Knights 3:08

05 Modern Romance Ay Ay Ay Ay Moosey 3:09

06 Soft Cell Bedsitter 3:29

07 Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes 3:42

08 Blue Öyster Cult Burnin' for You (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 3:43

09 The J. Geils Band Centerfold 3:35

10 New Order Ceremony (Original "Version 1" FAC 33, March 6, 1981 7" Single) 4:37

11 Spandau Ballet Chant No. 1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On) 4:08

12 The Cure Charlotte Sometimes 4:13

13 Kim Wilde Chequered Love 3:22

14 Kraftwerk Computer Love (Original 1981 7" Single Edit) 3:44

15 Hazel O'connor (Cover Plus) We're All Grown Up (Original 1981 7" Single Edit) 3:41

16 The Sinceros Disappearing (1981 Gus Dudgeon 7" Single Version) 3:44

17 Ub40 Don't Let It Pass You By (Original 1981 12" Extended Version) 7:45

18 Ub40 Don't Slow Down (Original 1981 12" Extended Version) 7:16

CD2

19 Journey Don't Stop Believin' 4:11

20 The Human League Don't You Want Me 3:58

21 Depeche Mode Dreaming of Me 3:46

22 Thomas Dolby Europa and the Pirate Twins 3:20

23 The Police Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic 4:20

24 New Order Everything's Gone Green (Original 1981 12" Extended Version) 5:33

25 Visage Fade to Grey (Original 1981 12" John Luongo Dance Mix) 6:43

26 Haircut One Hundred Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl) 3:05

27 The Jam Funeral Pyre 3:27

28 Tom Tom Club Genius of Love (Original 1981 12" Extended Version) 5:35

29 The Specials Feat. Rico Ghost Town (Original 1981 12" Extended Version) 6:03

30 Duran Duran Girls on Film (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 3:26

31 Odyssey Going Back to My Roots (Original 1981 12" Extended Version) 5:24

32 Elvis Costello And The Attractions Good Year for the Roses 3:08

33 Madness Grey Day 3:39

34 Classix Nouveaux Guilty (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 3:13

35 Dollar Hand Held in Black and White 3:23

CD3

36 The Rolling Stones Hang Fire 2:21

37 Altered Images Happy Birthday 2:59

38 Split Enz Hard Act to Follow 3:21

39 The Clash Hitsville UK 4:21

40 .38 Special Hold on Loosely (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 3:55

41 Pete Shelley Homosapien (Original 1981 7" Single Edit) 3:24

42 The Look I Am the Beat 3:03

43 Altered Images I Could be Happy (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 3:30

44 Pretenders I Go to Sleep 2:57

45 Rainbow I Surrender (7" Radio Promo Edit) 3:19

46 Toyah I Want to Be Free 3:08

47 Jon & Vangelis I'll Find My Way Home 4:27

48 The Passions I'm in Love with a German Film Star 3:58

49 The Freshies I'm In Love With the Girl on the Manchester Virgin Megastore Checkout Desk 2:50

50 Phil Collins In the Air Tonight 5:36

51 The Police Invisible Sun 3:44

52 Squeeze Is That Love? 2:34

53 Department S Is Vic There? 3:04

54 Madness It Must Be Love 3:20

55 Toyah It's a Mystery 4:06

56 The Undertones It's Going to Happen! 3:39

CD4

57 Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin It's My Party 3:47

58 Aneka Japanese Boy 3:54

59 Roxy Music Jealous Guy 4:58

60 Rick Springfield Jessie's Girl 3:14

61 Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark Joan of Arc 3:48

62 The Undertones Julie Ocean (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 3:36

63 Depeche Mode Just Can't Get Enough 3:44

64 Stiff Little Fingers Just Fade Away 3:04

65 Reo Speedwagon Keep on Loving You 3:22

66 Kim Wilde Kids in America 3:29

67 Squeeze Labelled with Love 4:35

68 Our Daughter's Wedding Lawnchairs (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 3:27

69 Abba Lay All Your Love on Me 4:34

70 Slade Lock Up Your Daughters 3:28

71 Bad Manners Lorraine 3:07

72 The Human League Love Action (I Believe In Love) (Original 1981 7" Single Edit) 3:52

73 Simple Minds Love Song (Original 1981 7" Single Edit) 3:53

74 Fun Boy Three The Lunatics (Have Taken Over the Asylum) 3:14

75 The Clash The Magnificent Seven (Original 1981 7" Single Edit) 3:39

76 Bucks Fizz Making Your Mind Up 2:40

CD5

77 Pretenders Message of Love 3:25

78 Berlin The Metro 4:07

79 Duran Duran My Own Way (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 3:41

80 Depeche Mode New Life 3:46

81 Laurie Anderson O Superman (for Massenet) 8:22

82 Talking Heads Once in a Lifetime (Original 1981 7" Single Edit) 3:32

83 Ub40 One in Ten 4:31

84 The Human League Open Your Heart 3:57

85 The Go-go's Our Lips Are Sealed 2:48

86 The Teardrop Explodes Passionate Friend 3:29

87 Heaven 17 Penthouse and Pavement (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 4:04

88 Olivia Newton-john Physical 3:44

89 Dexys Midnight Runners Plan B 2:37

90 Duran Duran Planet Earth (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 4:01

91 Heaven 17 Play to Win (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 3:24

92 Motörhead & Girlschool Please Don't Touch 2:50

93 Kraftwerk Pocket Calculator (Original 1981 7" Single Edit) 4:27

94 Phil Seymour Precious to Me 2:51

CD6

95 The Psychedelic Furs Pretty in Pink (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 4:00

96 The Cure Primary 3:39

97 Adam And The Ants Prince Charming 3:16

98 Hall & Oates Private Eyes (US 7" Single Mix) 3:38

99 New Order Procession (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 4:29

100 Grace Jones Pull Up to the Bumper (Original 1981 7" Single Edit) 3:39

101 Japan Quiet Life (7" Fade-Out Version, 1981) 3:51

102 R.e.m. Radio Free Europe (Original 1981 Hib-Tone 7" Single) 3:48

103 Blondie Rapture (Original 1981 UK 7" Single Mix) 4:57

104 B-movie Remembrance Day 4:04

105 Madness The Return of the Los Palmas 7 (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 2:34

106 The Teardrop Explodes Reward (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 2:46

107 Stray Cats Rock This Town 3:24

108 Dire Straits Romeo & Juliet 6:00

109 Kate Bush Sat in Your Lap (Original 1981 7" Single Mix) 3:29

110 The Cars Shake It Up 3:34

111 Dexys Midnight Runners Show Me 3:25

112 Madness Shut Up (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 2:51

113 Bill Wyman (Si Si) Je Suis un Rock Star (Original 1981 7" Single Edit) 3:22

CD7

114 Stiff Little Fingers Silver Lining 3:03

115 The Clash Somebody Got Murdered (Original 1981 7" Single Edit) 3:33

116 The Human League The Sound of the Crowd (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 3:57

117 Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark Souvenir 3:36

118 Siouxsie & The Banshees Spellbound 3:16

119 The Police Spirits in the Material World 2:58

120 Adam And The Ants Stand & Deliver 3:07

121 The Rolling Stones Start Me Up 3:33

122 Stray Cats Stray Cat Strut 3:15

123 Rick James Super Freak (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 3:25

124 Scritti Politti The Sweetest Girl (Original 1981 12" Extended Version) 6:16

125 Tenpole Tudor Swords of a Thousand Men 3:02

126 Soft Cell Tainted Love (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 2:40

127 Reo Speedwagon Take It on the Run (Original 1981 7" Single Edit) 3:37

128 The Tubes Talk to Ya Later (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 3:46

129 Abc Tears Are Not Enough (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 3:34

130 Squeeze Tempted 4:01

131 The Jam That's Entertainment (Original 1981 7" Single Edit) 3:33

132 Kirsty Maccoll There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis 3:09

CD8

133 The Clash This Is Radio Clash 4:11

134 The Beat Too Nice to Talk To 3:07

135 Susan Fassbender Twilight Café 3:19

136 Queen & David Bowie Under Pressure 3:56

137 Godley & Creme Under Your Thumb 3:39

138 Ultravox Vienna (Original 1981 7" Single Edit) 4:39

139 Japan Visions of China 3:39

140 Ultravox The Voice (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 4:22

141 The Rolling Stones Waiting on a Friend 4:35

142 Elvis Costello And The Attractions Watch Your Step 3:00

143 Kim Wilde Water on Glass (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 3:36

144 Heaven 17 (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang (Original 1981 7" Single Version) 4:09

145 Slade We'll Bring the House Down 3:32

146 Hazel O'connor Will You? 4:47

147 John Lennon Woman 3:32

148 Randy Crawford You Might Need Somebody 4:15

149 Loverboy Working for the Weekend 3:41

150 Tom Tom Club Wordy Rappinghood (Original 1981 12" Special Version) 6:31

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