The Retroscope: 5 May

5 May 1983: The Stranglers’ “Golden Brown” was named most performed work of 1982 at the 28th Ivor Novella Awards. The song reached #2 in the UK singles chart in February 1982 just behind “Town called Malice” by The Jam. Apparently, the conservative BBC Radio 2 decided to make it the record of the week. It was a surprising step since the band was almost as notorious as Sex Pistols a few years earlier. The success of this single probably secured their continuity in pop mainstream for the rest of the decade. 5 May 1984: Duran Duran reached #1 on the UK singles chart with “The Reflex”, their second and last #1. It was a single off the third album Seven and the Ragged Tiger and topped the US charts as well making it their most successful single. It was also the first of two songs that kept “Dancing in the Dark” by Bruce Springsteen out of the top spot and Prince’s “When Doves Cry”. http://www.bubblews.com/news/470152-the-retroscope-5-may