Yazoo -- Don't Go

 

Once again, since it is a holiday Monday here in Canada, we're having another special Reminiscings of Youth article, and this time it's on 80s British synthpop duo Yazoo and their big hit "Don't Go". Released in July 1982, I swear that the opening synth riff had been used as the theme song for a ton of music video shows in Canada and the United States. It's probably one of the most well-known riffs of the 1980s.

In fact, I had known that riff some time before I figured out who Yazoo was. There was former Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke on the keyboards and vocalist Alison Moyet who has a voice who could knock out the doors of any church with that gospel soul in her. And yet, here she was handling a technopop tune.

Although "Don't Go" was a key song of my youth, it didn't seem to make any mark on the Canadian charts. However it did reach No. 1 on the US Hot Dance/Disco chart and it also hit the top spot in Belgium, Iceland and Israel. 

So, what was at the top of the Oricon chart for July 1982? I have Nos. 1, 3 and 4.

1. Hiromi Iwasaki -- Madonna Tachi no Lullaby (聖母たちのララバイ）

3. Johnny -- Hyaku-man Doru Baby（$百萬BABY）

4. Takashi Hosokawa -- Kita Sakaba (北酒場）