Smash Hits Yearbook 1984

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A big THANK YOU to everybody who visited the archive and / or liked the Facebook page during 1983 / 2023. Even bigger thanks to all of you who posted comments and wrote emails: I am *very* sorry if I have not replied to your message yet; I promise I'm working on it! And thanks for the Facebook friend requests; even if we never meet in person, I am lucky to be cyber-friends with some great people - if we aren't friends yet....what are you waiting for?!!?

Happy Christmas to all of you - and have a great 2024!!

December 22, 1983 - January 4, 1984

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Cover: Howard Jones
Centrespread: Steve Strange, Cheryl Baker, Leslie Ash, Kate Garner, Stephen Luscombe, Edwyn Collins, Feargal Sharkey, Peter Coyle, Jeffrey Daniel, Jools Holland, Smeggy, Handsome John, Rory, Paul, Maggot
Back cover: Boy George and his mum
Interviews: Howard Jones
Lyrics: Pipes Of Peace – Paul McCartney; Duck For The Oyster – Malcolm McLaren; Sweet Surrender – Rod Stewart; Read ‘Em And Weep – Barry Manilow; Metal Health – Quiet Riot; Straight Ahead – Kool & The Gang; I Can Help – Elvis Presley; Where Is My Man – Eartha Kitt
Start: personal file – Marilyn; Samantha and Julian Archer; Radio 1 Christmas party: Mike Read, Simon Bates, Dave Lee Travis, Richard Skinner, Adrian John, Mike Smith, Adrian Juste, John Peel, Gary Davies, Jimmy Savile, Andy Peebles, Tony Blackburn, Peter Powell, Janice Long, Mike Read, Anne Nightingale, Mark Page, Steve Wright; Elton John, Meat Loaf; Morrissey, Sandie Shaw, "I Don't Owe You Anything"
Bitz: Dennis Waterman, George Cole, "What Are We Going To Get 'Er Indoors?"; Grime Of The Century (100 Punk Classics)", Anagram Records; "My Oh My", Slade, "The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome"; Vice Squad, Lia, "Black Sheep"; The Cure, "Japanese Whispers: The Cure Singles Nov '82 - Nov '83"; the five things I miss most about Lancashire - Neil Arthur; David Bowie, Aboriginal Islander Skills Development Scheme; Herbie Hancock, "Future Shock"; "Escape" story strip, Rian Hughes; Musical Youth, "16", Jody Watley; Neil Arthur, Blancmange; Eartha Kitt, "a kind of '50s David Bowie"; Flying Pickets: Rick Lloyd, David Brett, Brian Hibbard, Ken Gregson, Red Stripe, Gareth Williams; K-Tel "Doublesiders", "It's Only Rock 'N' Roll", Spectrum 48K
Nights Out: Duran Duran; Slade; Toyah; Culture Club
Other: 1983 Readers' Poll results

December 8 - 21, 1983

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Cover: Duran Duran
Centrespread: Duran Duran / Eurythmics
Back cover: Marilyn
Interviews: Nik Kershaw; Paul Young; Tina Turner; Duran Duran; Status Quo; Robert Smith
Lyrics: The Way You Are – Tears For Fears; Tell Her About It – Billy Joel; Marguerita Time – Status Quo; I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down – Nik Kershaw; Running With The Night – Lionel Richie; Many Rivers To Cross – UB40; My Oh My – Slade; Rock The Midnight – David Grant; Bark At The Moon – Ozzy Osbourne; Terry – Kirsty MacColl; My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains – Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band; Strip – Adam Ant; You’re In My Heart – David Essex; Islands In The Stream – Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton; Rat Rapping – Roland Rat Superstar; Cold As Christmas (In The Middle Of The Year) – Elton John; Only You – Flying Pickets;
Start: personal file – Mick Talbot; Adam Ant, “Strip”, Mary Stavin; Thumb Gallery exhibition: Richard Walker, Grace Jones, “Walkin’ In The Rain”, Fraser Taylor, David Bowie, “Modern Love”; F-1 Electric, Oscar Van Gelden, Alan Greenwood, Dominic 
Bitz: "Thanks For Christmas" - Three Wise Men / XTC; "Singalong-A-Santa-Again" - Santa Claus & The Christmas Trees; "Christmas Crackers" - Mike Morton Orchestra; "Christmas Time" - Free-Flying Bagoudis; "Jingle Bell Rock" - Mike Love; "Christmas Spectre" - Jingle Belles; "It's Christmas" - Paul French; "Little Jesus" - Seven Mills School Choir; "First Snow" - Robert Sleigh; "Christmas Wrapping" - Bill Stickers; "Christmas Wrapping" - Waitresses; "What Are We Going To Get 'Er Indoors" - Dennis Waterman & George Cole; "Cold As Christmas" - Elton John; "Merry Xmas Everybody" - Slade; Culture Club, "The Electric Dream"; Thompson Twins; "Birdie Song", Tweets; "All Wrapped Up", Undertones: Feargal Sharkey, Assembly, Damian O'Neill, Michael Bradley, David Drumgold, John O'Neill, Billy Doherty; Wham!, "Club Fantastic Megamix"; Mainframe, "Tenants Of The Lattice-Work"; "Street Sounds 7", "The Dance Decade"; my six favourite expressions - Steve Wright; Paul McCartney, "Pipes Of Peace"; Charlie Gillet, "Sound Of The City"; Jamming magazine: Madness, UB40, Paul Young, Wah!; Spandau Ballet, "Live Over Britain"; Blancmange, "That's Love, That It Is", dance mix; "Nightshoot", Tricycle Theatre, Kilburn, Hazel O'Connor, Martin Rushent; Michael White, Colour Me Pop, "The Girl Who Shares My Shirt"; "BMX Boys", Danny & The Mongoose Boys"; Marilyn; The Alarm; Slade: Noddy Holder, Don Powell, Dave Hill, Jimmy Lea
Single reviews (Dave Rimmer): Strip – Adam Ant; Marguerita Time – Status Quo; Straight Ahead – Kool & The Gang; Many Rivers To Cross – UB40/Tyler – UB40; Smile – Will Powers; I’ll Let You Slide – Luther Vandross; Sweet Surrender – Rod Stewart; Sharp Dressed Man – ZZ Top; Oh My Papa – John DuPrez; In The Mood – Robert Plant; Nubian Nut – George Clinton; Standing On The Corner – The Four Corners; Why Me? – Irene Cara; Move Over Darling – Gina Lamour; The Way You Are – Tears For Fears; Animal Rhapsody – The Raincoats; Rules Of The Game – Bucks Fizz; Frankenstein 1984 – Edgar Winter; Show Me – Dislocation Dance; Too Late For Love – Def Leppard; Single Handed – Haywoode; Tell Her About It – Billy Joel
Album reviews (Mark Steels / Josephine Hocking / Ian Birch / Lola Borg / Peter Martin / Linda Duff): You Broke My Heart In 17 Places – Tracey Ullman; Ooh Wallah Wallah – King Kurt; Back To Back – Status Quo; Fire & Water – D. Greenfield & J. J. Burnel; Drawings Of O.T. – EinsturzendeNeubaten; Who’s Been Sleeping In My Brain – Alien Sex Fiend; The Power Of Love – Captain Sensible
Nights Out: Ozzy Osbourne; Cabaret Voltaire; Shakin’ Stevens; The Smiths
Other: Pop Stars and their Children

Woolworth Christmas Special 1983

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