NOW Music's Yearbook Vault
series continues next month, when the spotlight falls on 1986, and
songs that were minor hits, hit-adjacent or, and let’s use the word,
flops.
For this release, the usual "Yearbook" 4CD option of deluxe hardcover book packaging or more basic card sleeve edition, offers 77 tracks, while a 3LP coloured vinyl (purple) delivers 44 songs from 1986.
For this Vault compilation, because there's some relatively big names here such as Paul Young's first single from his third solo album, 1986's Between Two Fires, had been "Wonderland". Vault ’86 also reminds us that acts we know and love as one hit wonders did actually ‘try again’; they didn’t want to be one hit wonders, after all. So yes, Belouis Some did release a few singles that weren’t ‘Imagination’ and funnily enough one of them was called ‘Some People‘!
It was a very minor hit, but if history teaches us anything, it’s that
1986 was not a year to release a song called ‘Some People’. ‘Ed’s Funky Diner‘ was actually a great follow-up to It’s Immaterial’s ‘surprise’ hit.
Other tracks include Nik Kershaw's ‘Nobody Knows’ (No 44) and Howard Jones’
All I Want (No 35), both artists, like Paul Young, experimenting with
new producers (in Nik’s case himself!) and it not really working out.
The Thompson Twins‘
‘Nothing in Common’ wasn’t released in the UK, but it didn’t trouble
the upper reaches of the American chart when it was issued there (their
previous two singles had been top 10 hits Stateside). Three singles from Sting's brilliant The Dream of the Blue Turtles album failed to get into the UK top 40 which seems crazy, and ‘Moon Over Bourbon Street‘,
when issued as the fifth 45 (A&M were probably enthused because
‘Russians’ had reached No 12) was the last of them (No 44). Sting would
have to wait until 1994 before chalking up a solo UK top 10 single
(‘When We Dance’).
Tears For Fears make an appearance on Vault ’86, with a song that was both the first and last single from Songs From The Big Chair: ‘Mothers Talk‘.
Included here is the US Mix, not issued in the UK. In America, it
reached 27 which sounds decent, until you recall that the first three
singles from the album were No 1, No 1 & No 3!. Roland Orzabal told
this writer that he much preferred the version re-recorded for the North
American market: “I always thought we got ‘Mothers Talk’ slightly
wrong. It was a bit too fast. The US version worked really well, we were
happy”. There’s plenty more interesting selections on this new
compilation; scroll down for full tracklistings.
NOW Yearbook Vault ’86 will be released on 18 September 2026.
4CD Track List:
CD 1
1. Paul McCartney – Only Love Remains
2. Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, Dave Stewart – The Miracle Of Love
3. The Lover Speaks – No More “I Love You’s”
4. Sting – Moon Over Bourbon Street
5. Chris Rea – On The Beach
6. The Bangles – If She Knew What She Wants
7. Belinda Carlisle – Mad About You
8. Billy Idol – To Be A Lover
9. Daryl Hall – Dreamtime
10. Paul Young – Some People
11. Wax – Right Between The Eyes
12. Nick Heyward – Goodbye Yesterday
13. Nik Kershaw – Nobody Knows
14. Thompson Twins – Nothing In Common
15. Howard Jones – All I Want
16. Ultravox – Same Old Story
17. Belouis Some – Some People
18. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – We Love You
19. ABC – Ocean Blue
CD 2
1. David Sylvian – Taking The Veil
2. Talk Talk – Living In Another World
3. Arcadia – The Flame
4. John Taylor – I Do What I Do (Theme for 9 1/2 Weeks)
5. China Crisis – Arizona Sky
6. It’s Immaterial – Ed’s Funky Diner
7. The Mission – Stay With Me
8. The Jesus And Mary Chain – Some Candy Talking
9. Siouxsie And The Banshees – Candyman
10. Cocteau Twins – Love’s Easy Tears
11. Mint Juleps – Only Love Can Break Your Heart
12. Everything But The Girl – Come On Home
13. Sandie Shaw – Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken?
14. Big Audio Dynamite – C’Mon Every Beatbox
15. The Stranglers – Always The Sun
16. The Housemartins – Sheep
17. Fine Young Cannibals – Funny How Love Is
18. The Blow Monkeys – Wicked Ways
19. Simply Red – Jericho
20. Elton John – Cry To Heaven
CD 3
1. The Communards – Disenchanted
2. Bronski Beat – C’mon! C’mon!
3. Yello – Goldrush
4. Grace Jones – I’m Not Perfect (But I’m Perfect For You)
5. Aretha Franklin – Another Night
6. Chaka Khan – Love Of A Lifetime
7. Cameo – Candy
8. Hollywood Beyond – No More Tears
9. El DeBarge – Who’s Johnny
10. Matt Bianco – Dancing In The Street
11. Carmel – Sally
12. Dee C. Lee – Come Hell Or Waters High
13. Maxi Priest – Strollin’ On
14. UB40 – All I Want To Do
15. Loose Ends – Slow Down
16. Ruby Turner featuring Jonathan Butler – If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me)
17. Billy Ocean – Love Zone
18. Lionel Richie – Love Will Conquer All
19. Gloria Estefan – Words Get In The Way
CD 4
1. Tears For Fears – Mothers Talk (U.S. Remix)
2. Wang Chung – Everybody Have Fun Tonight
3. Stacey Q – Two Of Hearts
4. Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam (with Full Force) – All Cried Out
5. The Fixx – Secret Separation
6. The Outfield – Your Love
7. Glass Tiger – Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)
8. Pat Benatar – Le Bel Age
9. Heart – Nothin’ At All
10. Boston – Amanda
11. Don Johnson – Heartbeat
12. Meat Loaf – Rock ‘N’ Roll Mercenaries
13. ZZ Top – Stages
14. Mr. Mister – Is It Love
15. Huey Lewis & The News – Hip To Be Square
16. The Moody Blues – Your Wildest Dreams
17. Mike + The Mechanics – All I Need Is A Miracle
18. Billy Joel – A Matter Of Trust
19. Bruce Springsteen – War (Live at LA Coliseum)
