During early lockdown in South Africa, in May/June 2020 former Capital Radio 604 listeners were invited to vote for their favourite South African songs of the 1980s. 18 people submitted their top 20 charts, in order of preference. For this mixtape we have decided to feature the top 25 songs from that chart. Songs were given 20 points if a number one on someone’s chart, all the way down to one point for a song listed at number 20.
Given that songs need to be known (and liked) by several people to be voted onto a chart like this, it is not a surprise that most of these songs are familiar to us, and are songs we would expect to see on an all-time-greatest chart. It is also not unexpected that many artists feature more than once: Bright Blue, Lesley Rae Dowling and eVoid all have two songs, and Juluka has three songs, with Johnny Clegg’s other band – Savuka – featuring a further song. Probably all of South Africa’s 1980s classics are included here. We hope you enjoy listening to them.
In no specific order, they are:
- Weeping – Bright Blue
- Clowns (See Yourself) – Ella Mental
- Shadows – eVoid
- Taximan – eVoid
- Scatterlings Of Africa – Juluka
- Man On The Moon – Ballyhoo
- Window On The World – Bright Blue
- Paradise Road – Joy
- Jabulani – Hotline
- Burnout – Sipho Mabuse
- Hey Boy – Via Afrika
- Here We Are – Face to Face
- Once In A Lifetime –Petit Cheval
- The Spaniard – Lesley Rae Dowling
- December African Rain – Juluka
- Slow rain – Celtic Rumours
- Johnny Calls The Chemist – Falling Mirror
- Ancient Dust Of Africa – Edi Niederlander
- Weekend Special – Brenda & the Big Dudes
- Baby You Been Good – Robin Auld
- Grips Of Emotion – Lesley Rae Dowling
- Mysteries And Jealousy – The Helicopters
- Lies – Jonathan Butler
- Africa – Juluka
- Asimbonanga – Savuka