Popular ‘78

I give each record reviewed on Popular a mark out of 10. This is a poll where you can indicate which ones you would have given 6 or more to - pick as many as you like, and discuss the year in general in the comments box if you want.

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My highest mark for 78 went to Kate Bush (10) - my lowest to the Brotherhood of Man (2).

Olympic Fashion Watch: ARCHERY

Taking time out from my dedicated swimming coverage, I caught a bit of the women’s archery last night. The Koreans totally dominate this sport - possibly because the opposition take one look at them and their jaws drop to the floor:

Yun Ok-Hee here is modelling a PINK bow, and a cartoon panda chest guard!

I think I might take up archery!

BONEY M - “Mary’s Boy Child/Oh My Lord”

Christmas is a time for the kiddies, but I can’t say Boney M made much impression on this five-year-old: “Mary’s Boy Child” was never quite a first-division carol for me, and as for Frank Farian’s unique contribution to the mythology of Christmas, “Oh My Lord” just didn’t register.

Much though I’d love to be writing a hearty defence of Boney M here, this second No.1 shows them at their worst: self-editing doesn’t seem to be a Farian skill and at almost six minutes this is cripplingly long. It’s a frothy bubblebath at first - the girls’ creamy vocals and the rippling steel drums ushering you into a grotto festooned with Christmas tack - but by the end the water’s getting cold and your toes are looking horribly crinkly. The problem is that the group do the entire of “Mary’s Boy Child” - not in itself a short song - and then go into the “oh my lord” routine. Everyone seems to be on autopilot, and the vim which makes their good songs good is mostly absent (Poor old Bobby Farrell looks unimaginably bored in the video). Go back and listen to “Rasputin” instead.

keyboards for crinoids: win-win oh wait

HARD TO GET RID OF: Europe got japanese knotweed, japan got the piano, courtesy Philipp von Siebold

LARGEST FEMALE ON EARTH: “Across Europe, there has only ever been that Siebold sample. It is a female plant (the largest female on Earth, some argue) that has never had a mate and has spread by its underground stems – rhizomes – alone.”