Photo: www.mikeprior.com

When I spoke to Limahl recently, I asked him to pick his Top Ten favourite records. This is what he told me (compare this list with the Ten records he picked when I asked him the same question back in 1983…)

Limahl's Top Ten (2006)

This is an almost impossible task Huw, how can I squeeze six decades of my favourite records into a single ‘Top 10’?  So I’ve deliberately chosen songs with some nostalgic/emotional value in no particular order. It is by no means a definitive ‘Top 10’..

1. ‘Aint no mountain high enough’ – Diana Ross (Sept 1970)
There’s a real epicness (is that word in the Oxford dictionary? – well it should be) to this record. It just feels HUGE. I’m a drama queen and I love the sheer drama. Wouldn’t we all just love to say these lyrics to an ex lover with this music in the background - “Bye baby, see you around didn’t I tell you I wouldn’t hold you down … take good care of yourself do you hear – don’t let me hear about you shedding a tear” …then you pull out a gun like Bette Davis and shoot them dead   ;-)

2. ‘Just my imagination’ – The Temptations (May 1971)
Another Motown classic. I’m a Motown junkie actually. It’s been well documented about their clever yet simple-to-grasp musical arrangements – much like ABBA. At 14 years old I won a singing contest at the famous Northern Soul venue Wigan Casino and the prize was ten albums of my own choice WOW!! At that time in my life I could hardly afford to buy a single, so ten albums was a real moment of epicness (sorry couldn’t resist to use the word again). With my prize I bought quite a few Motown Chartbusters albums and from then on, I was hooked. If anyone ever has a Motown trivia competition, I’ll definitely be in with a winning chance!

3. ‘Dancing Queen’ – Abba (Aug 1976)
Well it’s hard to imagine a world without our delightful Abba. I remember dancing/prancing in discos at 17/18 to this one up-north in Manchester when a wuz a teenager bursting out into the big wide world. I’d left Wigan and was full of new hopes and dreams. This record epitomises that feeling – a real nostalgic one for me. Bit of gossip for ya… a few years ago I was invited to the celebrity launch of the Abba London Stage Musical ‘Mama Mia’ and during the interval I amazingly bumped into Benny (yes that one) ordering his G&T at the bar. I shook his hand and said the cheesiest line (cringe) “thank you for the music”. He of course smiled graciously…from now on I have absolutely no right to complain when people say to me (as they invariably do) “Come on Limahl – don’t be too shy” (or words to that effect).

4. ‘Young hearts run free’ – Candi Staton (May 1976)
Again this song seems to take me back to my 1976 days of new found freedom and excitement back in Manchester fresh outta delivering bread for the local bakery in Wigan. My Limahl pop career was about seven years away at this point and I still had my youth club aspirations of being a DJ ‘cause I thought that spinning your favourite records for a living has gotta be an ok job!

6. 'Can't get enough' - Barry White (Aug 1974)
I left home at 16 years old and a gang of us from the hairdressers in Bolton (where I was living and working at the time) went on a summer working holiday to Benidorm in Spain. I only had a few albums (cassettes actually – remember them?) with me and ‘Can’t get enough’ by Barry White was one of them. God, I played that thing till I wore it out. To this day I still play this album and really feel the energy and warmth from Barry’s genius – well he was to me. Just awesome style and unique voice… god bless him.

7. ‘Band of gold’ – Freda Payne (Sept 1970)
Gawd, I loved this record and still do. I since learned it was one of the first records to be released on a new record label formed by hit Motown songwriting team Holland/Dozier/Holland so it all makes sense. Pure magic, a really big one for me nostalgically too – I remember having my ear to the radio listening to it quietly even though my mum had asked me to turn it off cause dad was just home from work, having a nap.

8. 'Betcha by golly wow' - The Stylistics (June 1972)
Well if “too shy shy hush hush eye to eye” is a nonsensical lyric – what the hell does “Betcha by golly wow” mean? Well, we get the gist. Doesn’t matter though – sheer magic again. This is a cleverly written song – with key changes all over the place. I think every home owned a Stylistics album after their other million seller ‘You make me feel brand new’ spent what seemed like ages at the top of the UK charts. I remember our family caravan holidays in Cornwall during the school Summer holidays – aah, nice memories.

9. 'Year of decision' - The Three Degrees (April 1974)
Wow, I’ve just realised nearly all my selections are by black artists/performers. I guess it was the ‘northern soul’ in me hey, hey. I remember standing outside a Conservative Club (a kind of bar/club) in Wigan where they were having a disco but I couldn’t get in - so we just stood outside in the freezing cold and listened to the music. I remember getting really excited when I heard the DJ say The Three Degrees – yes disco DJ’s talked in between the records in those days – remember that – shocking I know!

10. 'Laughter in the rain' - Neil Sedaka (June 1974)
More teenage memories for me here. Funny how a song like this can make walking in the rain sound so special or even romantic …when in reality everyone runs for cover and generally feels miserable about it. That’s where the ‘pop song’ casts it’s magic spell and we are hypnotised for a few brief moments through the poetry (lyrics) that have been set to music. It’s an art form and genre that deserves nothing less than the adulation it has attained. Long may she reign…

Limahl's Top Ten (1983)

1. ‘Self Control’ by Laura Branigan
I just think it’s a superb record.

2. ‘State of Independence’ by Donna Summer
It turns me on.

3. ‘Baby Come To Me’ by Patti Austin and James Ingrams
It was Number One in America, produced by Quincy Jones, and brilliant.

4. ‘Change of Heart’ by Change
I’m not sure why but I just like it.

5. ‘Wouldn’t It Be Good’ by Nik Kershaw
He deserves all the success he’s had.

6. ‘Down Under’ by Men At Work
It proves that Australians can be good pop musicians.

7. ‘Give It Up’ by K.C. And The Sunshine Band
A memorable song.

8. ‘What Is Love’ by Howard Jones
This is just a lovely song.

9. ‘Doctor Beat’ by The Miami Sound Machine
Very catchy. I love it.

10. ’99 Red Balloons’ by Nena
I prefer the English version of this. It’s the sort of song you can’t get out of your head.