1980s Sporting Events

A round-up of some of the popular sports in the UK in the 80s.

1980
Wimbledon singles winners were Björn Borg (SWE) and Evonne Goolagong (AUS).
World Snooker champion was Cliff Thorburn (CAN) and World Darts Champion was Eric Bristow (ENG).
FA Cup – West Ham United won 1–0 over Arsenal.
Tour de France – Joop Zoetemelk of the Netherlands
Robin Cousins (Figure skating) won BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, beating Sebastian Coe (Athletics).
The 1980 Summer Olympics, held in Moscow, were boycotted by 65 countries, led by the United States in protest of the 1979 Soviet–Afghan War.

1981
Wimbledon singles winners were John McEnroe (USA) and Chris Evert Lloyd (US).
World Snooker champion was Steve Davis (ENG) and World Darts Champion was Eric Bristow (ENG).
FA Cup – Tottenham Hotspur won 3-2 over Manchester City.
Tour de France – Bernard Hinault of France.
Ian Botham (Cricketer) was voted Sports Personality of the Year, beating Steve Davis (Snooker).

1982
Wimbledon singles winners were Jimmy Connors (USA) and Martina Navratilova (USA).
World Snooker champion was Alex Higgins (NIR) and World Darts Champion was Jocky Wilson (SCO). FA Cup – Tottenham Hotspur won 1–0 over Queens Park Rangers.
Tour de France – Bernard Hinault of France
Daley Thompson (Athletics) was voted Sports Personality of the Year, beating Alex Higgins (Snooker).

1983
Wimbledon singles winners were John McEnroe (USA) and Martina Navratilova (USA).
World Snooker champion was Steve Davis (ENG) and World Darts Champion was Keith Deller (ENG).
FA Cup – Manchester United won 4–0 over Brighton & Hove Albion.
Tour de France – Laurent Fignon of France
Steve Cram (Athletics) was voted Sports Personality of the Year, beating Torvill and Dean (Figure skating).

1984
Wimbledon singles winners were John McEnroe (USA) and Martina Navratilova (USA).
World Snooker champion was Steve Davis (ENG) and World Darts Champion was Eric Bristow (ENG).
FA Cup – Everton won 2–0 over Watford.
Tour de France – Laurent Fignon of France
Torvill and Dean (Figure skating) were voted Sports Personalities of the Year, beating Sebastian Coe (Athletics).
The 1984 Summer Olympics, held in Los Angeles, are widely considered to be the most financially successful modern Olympics, despite a Soviet-led boycott of 14 Eastern-bloc countries.
The 1984 Winter Olympics, commonly known as Sarajevo, ’84 saw Torvill and Dean winning the ice dance competition with their memorable routine to Bolero.

1985
Wimbledon singles winners were Boris Becker (FRG) and Martina Navratilova (USA).
World Snooker champion was Dennis Taylor (NIR) and World Darts Champion was Eric Bristow (ENG).
FA Cup – Manchester United won 1–0 over Everton.
Tour de France – Bernard Hinault of France
Barry McGuigan (Boxer) was voted Sports Personality of the Year, beating Ian Botham (Cricketer).

1986
Wimbledon singles winners were Boris Becker (GDR) and Martina Navratilova (USA).
World Snooker champion was Joe Johnson (ENG) and World Darts Champion was Eric Bristow (ENG). FA Cup – Liverpool won 3–1 over Everton.
Tour de France – Greg LeMond of the United States
Nigel Mansell (Formula One) was voted Sports Personality of the Year, beating Fatima Whitbread (Athletics).

1987
Wimbledon singles winners were Pat Cash (AUS) and Martina Navratilova (USA).
World Snooker champion was Steve Davis (ENG) and World Darts Champion was John Lowe (ENG).
FA Cup – Coventry City won 3–2 over Tottenham Hotspur.
Tour de France – Stephen Roche of Ireland
Fatima Whitbread (Athletics) was voted Sports Personality of the Year, beating Steve Davis (Snooker).

1988
Wimbledon singles winners were Stefan Edberg (SWE) and Steffi Graf (GDR).
Steve Davis (Snooker) was voted Sports Personality of the Year, beating Adrian Moorhouse (Swimming).
World Snooker champion was Steve Davis (ENG) and World Darts Champion was Bob Anderson (WAL).
FA Cup – Wimbledon won 1–0 over Liverpool.
Tour de France – Pedro Delgardo of Spain
The 1988 Summer Olympics, held in Seoul, saw the boycotts virtually disappeared, only 5 socialist countries led by North Korea,

1989
Wimbledon singles winners were Boris Becker (GDR) and Steffi Graf (GDR).
World Snooker champion was Steve Davis (ENG) and World Darts Champion was Jocky Wilson (SCO).
FA Cup – Liverpool won 3–2 over Everton.
Tour de France – Greg LeMond of the United States.
Nick Faldo (Golf) was voted Sports Personality of the Year, beating Frank Bruno (Boxing).

Who sang what? Rock Bands 70s/80s

There are certain songs from the 70s/80s/90s that I struggle to figure out which band sang because there were a number of similar sounding bands out at the time who never quite caught my imagination. Hopefully this list will straighten things out. We'll start with the heavier, hard rock bands.

AC-DC (1973) Aus Dirty deeds done dirt cheap 1976 Whole lotta Rosie 1977 Rock 'n' roll damnation 1978 Highway to hell 1979 Too much 1980 You shook me all night long 1980 Rock 'n' roll ain't Noise Pollution 1980 Back in Black 1980 For those about to rock 1982 Shake your foundations 1985 Who Made Who 1986 Heatseeker 1988 Thunderstruck 1990 Hard as a rock 1995	Kiss (1973) US Then she kissed me 1977 I was made for loving you 1979 A world without heroes 1981 Creatures of the night 1983 Lick it up 1983 Heaven's on fire 1984 Tears are falling 1985 Crazy crazy nights 1987 Reason to live 1987 Turn on the night 1988 Hide your heart 1989 Forever 1919 God gave rock 'n' roll to you 1991 Unholy 1992
Iron Maiden (1975) UK Run to the hills 1982 The number of the beast 1982 The trooper 1983 2 minutes to midnight 1984 Aces high 1984 Running Free 1985 Wasted years 1986 Can I play with madness 1988 The evil that men do 1988 Bring your daughter to the slaughter 1990 Be quick or be dead 1992 Fear of the dark 1993 Hallowed be thy name 1993 Man on the edge 1995	Judas Priest (1969) UK Take on the world 1979 Living after midnight 1980 Breaking the law 1980 United 1980 Don't go 1981 Hot rocking’1981 You've got another thing coming 1982 Freewheel burning 1984 Some heads are gonna roll 1984 Love bites 1984 (not same as Def Leppard song) Johnny be Goode 1988 Painkiller 1990 A touch of evil 1991 Nightcrawler 1993

And now for some slightly softer rock bands.

Aerosmith (1970) US Walk this way 1975 Dude (looks like a lady) 1987/90 Angel 1988 Love in an elevator 1989 Janie’s got a gun 1989 The other side 1990 Living on the edge 1993 Crying 1993 Amazing 1993 Crazy 1994 Falling in love 1997 Hole in my soul 1997 Pink 1997 I don't want to miss a thing 1998 (Armageddon) Jaded 2001	Def Leppard (1977) UK Photograph 1983 Rock of Ages 1983 Too late for love 1983 Animal 1987 Pour some sugar on me 1987 Hysteria 1987 Armageddon it 1988 Love bites 1988 Rocket 1989 Let's get rocked 1992 Make Love like a man 1992 Have you ever needed someone so bad 1992 Heaven is 1993 Tonight 1993 When love and hate collide 1995 Promises 1999	Guns ’N’ Roses (1985) US Welcome to the jungle 1987 Sweet child o’ mine 1988 Paradise city 1988 Patience 1989 You could be mine 1991 Don't cry 1991 Live and let die 1991 November rain 1992 Knocking on heaven's door 1992 Yesterday's 1992 Civil war 1993 Since I don't have you 1994 Sympathy for the devil 1994
Foreigner (1976) UK/US Feels like the first time 1977 Cold as ice 1977 Hot blooded 1978 Double vision in 1978 Blue morning, blue day 1978 Dirty white boy 1979 Head games 1979 Women 1980 Urgent 1981 Waiting for a girl like you 1981 Jukebox hero 1981 I want to know what love is 1984 Say you will 1987 I don't want to live without you 1988 Low down and dirty 1991 I'll fight for you 1991	Styx (1972) US Lady 1973 Come Sail Away 1977 Blue Collar Man 1978 Sing for the Day 1978 Renegade 1979 Babe 1979 Boat on the River 1980 Borrowed Time 1980 The Best of Times 1981 Too Much Time on my Hands 1981 Nothing Ever Goes as Planned 1981 Rockin the Paradise 1981 Mr Roboto 1983 Don’t let it End 1983 Show me the Way 1990 Love at First Sight 1991	Whitesnake (1978) UK Fool for your loving 1980 Ain't no love in the heart of the city 1980 Don't break my heart again 1981 Would I lie to you 1981 Here I go again 1982 Guilty of love 1983 Give me more time 1984 Standing in the shadow 1984 Love ain't no stranger 1984 Still of the night 1987 Is this love 1987 Give me all your love 1988 Crying in the rain 1988 The deeper the love 1990 Now you're gone 1990 Too many tears 1997

My Top Thirteen from 1985

With Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s the Power of Love still riding high in the charts after its release in December last year, there were two further songs with the same name by Jennifer Rush and Huey Lewis and the News. Which was your favourite?
Personally, I’ve always defended the 70s as being way better musically than the 80s. I still think that, but was kinda surprised by quite how many of this year’s releases deserved a mention. However, I suspect quite a few of these made it into the also-rans pile simply because people would expect to see them there and may even riot if they’re not.
As if!

1. Don Henley - The Boys Of Summer - 02-1985
2. Ashford & Simpson - Solid - 01-1985
3. Mr Mister - Broken Wings - 12-1985
4. Katrina & The Waves - Walking On Sunshine - 11-1985
5. Starship - We Built This City - 11-1985
6. Sister Sledge - Frankie - 06-1985
7. Gary Moore & Phil Lynott - Out In The Fields - 05-1985
8. Glenn Frey - The Heat Is On - 03-1985
9. Marillion - Kayleigh - 05-1985
10. Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill - 08-1985
11. Jimmy Nail - Love Don't Live Here Anymore - 07-1985
12. John Parr - St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion) - 09-1985
13. Tina Turner - We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) - 07-1985

Here are some of the ones which didn't make the cut:
Simple Minds - Don't You (Forget About Me) - 04-1985
Tears For Fears - Everybody Wants To Rule The World - 03-1985
Bonnie Tyler - Holding Out For A Hero - 08-1985
A-Ha - Take On Me - 09-1985
The Rah Band - Clouds Across The Moon - 03-1985
Lionel Richie -Say You, Say Me - 11-1985
Billy Ocean - Suddenly - 05-1985
Bruce Springsteen - Dancing In The Dark - 01-1985 (re-entry)
Freddie Mercury - I Was Born To Love You - 04-1985
REO Speedwagon – Can’t Fight this Feeling - ??-1985
Kool & The Gang - Cherish - 05-1985
Level 42 - Something About You - 09-1985
Kirsty MacColl - A New England - 01-1985
Jennifer Rush - The Power Of Love - 06-1985
Huey Lewis & The News - The Power Of Love - 08-1985
Simply Red - Money's Too Tight (To Mention) - 06-1985
The Style Council - Walls Come Tumbling Down! - 12-1985
The Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin - Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves - 11-1985
Bryan Adams - Run To You - 01-1985
The Commodores - Night Shift - 01-1985
DeBarge - Rhythm Of The Night - 04-1985
Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms - 10-1985
Duran Duran - A View To A Kill - 05-1985
Bryan Ferry - Slave To Love - 05-1985
The Fine Young Cannibals - Johnny Come Home - 06-1985
Aretha Franklin - Who's Zoomin' Who - 11-1985
James Ingram & Michael McDonald - Yah Mo B There - 01-1985
Whitney Houston - Saving All My Love For You - 11-1985
Queen - One Vision - 11-1985
David Bowie & Mick Jagger - Dancing In The Street - 09-1985
Sarah Brightman & Paul Miles-Kingston - Pie Jesu - 03-1985
UB40 Feat Chrissie Hynde - I Got You Babe - 08-1985
Philip Bailey & Phil Collins - Easy Lover - 03-1985
Paul Young - Every Time You Go Away - 03-1985
Midge Ure - If I Was - 09-1985
Billy Idol - White Wedding - 07-1985
Wham! - I'm Your Man - 11-1985
Alison Moyet - That Ole Devil Called Love - 03-1985
Phyllis Nelson - Move Closer - 02-1985
Elaine Page & Barbara Dickson - I Know Him So Well - 01-1985
The Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls - 11-1985
Prince & The Revolution - 1999 / Little Red Corvette - 01-1985
Grace Jones - Slave To The Rhythm - 10-1985
Madonna - Crazy For You - 06-1985
Howard Jones - Things Can Only Get Better - 02-1985
Go West - We Close Our Eyes - 02-1985
David Grant & Jaki Graham - Could It Be I'm Falling In Love - 03-1985
Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Welcome To The Pleasure Dome - 03-1985
Paul Hardcastle - 19 - 05-1985
The Eurythmics - There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart) - 07-1985
Dire Straits - Money For Nothing - 07-1985
Stephen 'Tin Tin' Duffy - Kiss Me - 03-1985
Far Corporation - Stairway To Heaven - 10-1985
Harold Faltermeyer - Axel F - 06-1985
Five Star - Let Me Be The One - 07-1985
King - Love And Pride - 01-1985
Dead Or Alive - You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) - 03-1985
The Talking Heads - Road To Nowhere - 10-1985

1980s Food and Drink

In the 1980s the increasing number of working women helped to change the face of food in the UK. The reduction in fresh vegetables started in the 70s continued, with a marked reduction in root vegetables and others, especially carrots, turnips, parsnips, cabbages and sprouts. Out went the standard meat, potato and two veg; in came sauces, casseroles, the microwave and meals based on pasta. This was also the decade in which takeaway hamburger began to eat its way into our culture. More people were living on their own, further fuelling the market for fast food. Milk was no longer something always found in glass bottles, now it came in waxed cardboard or plastic cartons.

It was at once the era of convenience-driven microwave dinners and the newly popular global-inspired fine dining, known as “Haute Cuisine” which we remembered as lots of courses with artistically presented food, but very little on each plate. More exotic world foods gained popularity, e.g. sushi, beef stroganoff, and pesto. Vegetarian options were still limited, especially when eating out, many vegans and vegetarians built their diets around tofu, lentils, chickpeas and brown rice, with foods like nuts and homemade granola for snacks and breakfast.

Back in the sixties, my mum used to add salt to everything savoury and sugar to anything sweet, especially corn flakes and strawberries. Probably why I never add either, and cannot bear the majority of processed foods because they’re aimed at people with similarly inactive taste buds. In an effort to get kids to eat cereal, the cynical bods added sugar and used cartoon characters to appeal to the kids. Probably most famous in the UK are Tony the Tiger’s Frosties “They’re Grrrreat!” Originally billed as Sugar Frosted Flakes (basically Corn Flakes plus extra sugar) they prudently dropped the sugar when it suffered from poor press. Kellogg’s also sugar-coated Rice Crispies and called them Ricicles, and there were plenty of other examples like Sugar Puffs (subsequently changed to Honey Monster Wheat Puffs).

The artificial flavourings used in crisps such as Walkers and Golden Wonder originally only available in ready salted, Salt and Vinegar and Cheese and Onion, had branched oy in the 70s with roast chicken and prawn cocktail. The snack market burgeoned with many other corn, wheat and non-potato vegetables being used, whose texture made them a good marriage with all manner of obscure flavours such as bacon and mushroom. The 80s saw attempts at every flavour known to man from Oxo (or Bovril/Marmite), through spicy beef to good old fish and chips. These included: sweet chilli, chicken tikka, beef and mustard, tomato ketchup, pickled onion, scampi.

Here are some foods and drinks popular in the 1980s in the UK, many of which are no longer available. With some memorable slogans.
Heinz Baked Beans Pizza, Cadbury’s Smash “for mash get smash”
McCain Microchips, Birdseye Potato Waffles “waffily versatile”
Pot Noodle “just add boiling water”

Smiths Salt ‘n’ Shake Crisps, KP Space Raiders corn snacks
Cadbury Wildlife Bars, Burton’s Cartoonies (biscuit snacks filled with chocolate)
Rowntree Mackintosh’s Toffo, McVitie’s Trio “I want one now!”
St Ivel Fiendish Feet Yogurts
Bird’s Ice Magic and Angel Delight “it’s delicious, it’s delovely”
Walls’ Cornetto “Just one cornetto – give it to me”
Drinks
Quosh “ready to drink” cartons (complete with plastic straw!)
Cresta pop “it’s frothy, man”
Coffee-mate “coffee tastes nicer with …”
Puddings
Jelly and blancmange
Bananas and custard
Banana split
Mousse


80s Party Food
Not much different to 70s, with sandwiches being the staple – usually on sliced white bread, but brown was creeping in. They would generally have the crusts cut off and sliced into triangles. Fillings would be ham, cream cheese, tuna or salmon and cucumber and maybe egg mayonnaise.

The cheese and pineapple hedgehog was still a firm favourite, as were cocktail sausages (in sticks), sausage rolls and the much-maligned vol-au-vents, although the fillings were more adventurous than their stodgy 70s counterparts. New, tastier recipes included various fish/seafood as well as the addition of more exotic flavourings such as fennel, turmeric and coriander. The quiche fillings became more adventurous, and the more adventurous tried salmon rillettes, samosas and spring rolls.

So many snacks to choose from, but you couldn’t go wrong with a big dish of ready salted crisps, and some twiglets, hula hoops, mini cheddars, skips, wotsits and quavers.

Puddings: Good old Trifle, Black Forest Gateau and Arctic Roll were joined by Viennetta
Drinks: Babycham, Pina Colada