1978: Music Memories

1978 was my punk/new wave year. I was 16. I did buy Rolled Gold by the Rolling Stones, a double greatest hits album, and a 12″ single by the Motors – Airport, which was quite poppy, but apart from that, nearly everything else that I bought was punk/new wave.

I probably did buy some secondhand old Pink Floyd albums too when I think about it, but I kept very quiet about that. It was all a bit silly really – aligning yourself to one particular movement. That even happens in church circles 😀. Theologically, I’d align myself to the modern reformed movement. Because you hear some Pentecostals or fundamentalists saying silly things, it’s very easy to just dismiss everyone in these movements. But I’m sure that there are plenty of them who are quite sensible too. And people in the reformed movement can say silly things. So, nowadays, though I still have a preference for reformed teachers, such as Wayne Grudem, and R.C. Sproul, I am more open to listening to other points of view. And even within the reformed movement, you do get many different opinions. I’m sure that Wayne Grudem and R.C. Sproul would have had plenty of disagreements about specific minor issues.

In 1978, I continued working as an apprentice fitter in AnCO, in Donnybrook Cork. Then, in the autumn, I started in Irish Dunlop, Cork. Sadly, it closed back in 1983. I sometimes visit the old site, and all the memories come to life. Some of the buildings are still intact, but it’s much changed. Here’s a slide that I took while working on top of the roof of Dunlop House back in 1981. You can see the ESB power station behind. And Fords car factory was to the left. In 1981, I spent much time in the boiler house, which was on the grounds of the Fords factory. It was shared between both companies.

I also started night classes in the Regional Technical College (RTC), now known as MTU. We were studying mechanics, heat, technical drawing and maths. I was working towards being a metalwork teacher.

Anyway, back to the music! Let me do a survey of 1978:

January

I was big into reading music papers, such as the New Musical Express (NME) and Melody Maker. Abba released their The Album album around then. I actually bought that around 10 years later. I wouldn’t have wanted to be seen buying it in 1978 😀. And Mr. Blue Sky by ELO was released in January. It sounded very Beatle-ish. I was a bit embarrassed about liking such a poppy song, but many years later, The Stranglers bassist, Jean Jacques Burnel chose it as one of his favourite songs from 1978. So, I was in good company 😀. Another January 1978 song was “If I Had Words”, which featured in Babe back in 1996.

Some Favourite Songs (I’ll list a few from each month):

• Lovely Day​ – Bill Withers
• If I Had Words​ – Scott Fitzgerald & Yvonne Keely
• Take A Chance On Me – Abba​
• Mr Blue Sky​ – ELO
• Come Back My Love​ – Darts
• Love Is Like Oxygen​ – Sweet
• Up Town Top Ranking – Althia & Donna

February

Several pop classics were released in February, such as Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush and Baker Street by Gerry Rafferty. I remember meeting a Scottish evangelical Christian in 1978 who had moved in the same circles as Gerry Rafferty at one stage. He’d been in a folk group I think. I met him again soon after I committed my life to Christ in 1980. He was very glad to see that I did. I often used to ask him questions about his faith, and his church.

Blondie also had their first UK hit with Denis, and the Bee Gees released Staying Alive. The Bee Gees, Boney M, and Abba were huge in 1978 – as was the film Grease and its soundtrack album.

• Five Minutes​ – The Stranglers
• Stayin’ Alive​ – Bee Gees
• No Time To Be 21​ – The Adverts
• Wuthering Heights​ – Kate Bush
• Baker Street​ – Gerry Rafferty

March

• Follow You Follow Me​ – Genesis
• (I Don’t Wanna Go To) Chelsea​ – Elvis Costello
• Walk In Love​ – Manhattan Transfer
• Never Let Her Slip Away​ – Andrew Gold
• I Love The Sound Of Breaking Glass​ – Nick Lowe

April

The Stranglers released Nice n’Sleazy, with a weird synth bit in the middle of the song. And Wings released With a Little Luck. A friend of mine bought their London Town album. I was still big into the Beatles and the solo Beatles despite wanting to present myself as a punk.

Don McLean also recorded a song based on Psalm 137 – By the Waters of Babylon. He played the Savoy in Cork that month.

• With A Little Luck​ – Wings
• Night Fever​ – Bee Gees
• Take Me I’m Yours​ – Squeeze
• Rivers Of Babylon – Boney M
• Because The Night​ – Patti Smith
• Nice ‘N’ Sleazy​ – The Stranglers
• Automatic Lover – Dee D. Jackson

May

I bought Black and White by the Stranglers, with a free limited edition white single featuring Walk on By. And I got Rolled Gold by the Rolling Stones that month too. It was great having money 😀. I got Black and White signed by the Stranglers in Cork in 1979, but I gave all my punk albums away when I became a Christian in 1980. I saw them as a bad influence. Nowadays, it’s just nostalgia. All that stuff doesn’t really have any hold on me.

I also think that I bought Ian Dury’s first album that month. It contained one track that began with a string of swear words. I was trying to figure out a way of scratching the LP, so it would skip them. I wouldn’t have wanted my parents coming into the room while it played. Nowadays, you could edit it out on the computer 😀. I used to swear a lot myself back then, but I never liked hearing it in songs. I tried to give up swearing, but I could never do it until I became a Christian. You don’t hear swearing much in evangelical Christian circles – apart from Bono 😀.

• If I Can’t Have You​ – Yvonne Elliman
• More Than A Woman​ – Tavares
• Pump It Up​ – Elvis Costello and the Attractions
• Davy’s On The Road Again​ – Manfred Mann’s Earth band
• (Don’t Fear) The Reaper​ – Blue Oyster Cult
• What A Waste​ – Ian Dury & The Blockheads

June

I remember watching the Argentina 78 World Cup. The theme song in Ireland for World Cup broadcasts was Give Us a Goal by Slade, which was a few years old. Rod Stewart released Ole Ola (Mulher Brasileira) for the Scotland team. I don’t think that England qualified that year. And Ireland didn’t qualify until 1990. I generally supported any team from the British Isles, as long as Ireland wasn’t playing them 😀.

And they were making a movie at Kent railway station in Cork – First Great Train Robbery. King – a series about Martin Luther King was shown from June. That had a big influence on me in subsequent years. 

• Airport – The Motors
• The Man With The Child In His Eyes​ – Kate Bush
• You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth​ – Meat Loaf
• Dancin’ In The City​ – Marshall Hain

July

I remember going to Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat in the Cork Opera House. Many years later, my daughter appeared in it in a school musical. The story, which is recorded in the Book of Genesis, illustrates how God can allow bad things to happen to bring about his good purposes. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, but eventually rose to become hugely influential in Egypt. He eventually met his brothers who were terrified that he would take his revenge. But he said:

Genesis 50:20
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

And in the New Testament, Peter said something similar to those who crucified Christ:

Acts 2:22-24 and 41
²² “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. ²³ This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. ²⁴ But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him………⁴¹ Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

We went to Galway for our summer holidays. I remember hearing a local folky song on pirate radio called Galway Bay, but I never found it again. Some of the words included:

It’s OK, it’s OK, won’t you listen to what I say. It’s OK, it’s OK, life is fine in Galway Bay

I always like to chase up old songs. It’s not even that I particularly like them. I just want to hear them again.

I did my first stint of work experience in Progress Engineering, White’s Cross Cork. And I did another bit in Metal Products in Albert Road. Both are long gone now.

• Run For Home​ – Lindisfarne
• Life’s Been Good​ – Joe Walsh
• Forever Autumn – Justin Hayward
• Northern Lights​ – Renaissance
• Who Are You – The Who

August

Pope Paul passed away in August 1978. He had been Pope since 1963. I took little interest in church matters back then. I remember hearing about the next pope dying after 33 days. Eventually John Paul II was elected. I saw him in Limerick in 1979. By that stage, I was drifting away from Catholicism, but I just wanted to see the event. I don’t remember much else about August 1978. I was having to think about where I’d complete my apprenticeship for the next three years.

Jilted John later became the comical character John Shuttleworth. I’m not sure if it’s to everyone’s taste but I love his stuff, particularly the various radio shows that he created over the years.

In August, over 5,000 people rallied against the proposed nuclear power plant at Carnsore point in Wexford. It was never built. Nowadays, people are a little more open to nuclear power, but I hear little talk of it in Ireland. 

• Jilted John​ – Jilted John​
• Walk On By​ – The Stranglers
• An Everlasting Love​ – Andy Gibb
• David Watts – The Jam
• Picture This​ – Blondie
• Grease – Frankie Valli

September

The Aliens album was about a year old. I often waited and bought albums secondhand. They released a newer album in 1978.

• Summer Night City​ – Abba
• Blame It On The Boogie​ – The Jacksons
• I Can’t Stop Lovin’ You​ – Leo Sayer
• Dreadlock Holiday​ – 10cc

October

I started in Irish Dunlop in October 1978, initially in the instrumentation section. I remember going to a party just before then with the lads from AnCO and getting very drunk. That only happened twice in my life. A very kind lad walked me home to make sure I was OK. I was only 16. The next time I got drunk was Christmas 1979. It wasn’t a pleasant experience.

• MacArthur Park​ – Donna Summer
• Down In The Tube Station At Midnight​ – The Jam
• Fool (If You Think It’s Over)​ – Chris Rea
• Part Time Love​ – Elton John
• Teenage Kicks​ – The Undertones
• Hopelessly Devoted To You​ – Oliver Newton John
• Radio Radio​ – Elvis Costello
• Rat Trap – Boomtown Rats
• Rasputin – Boney M

November

I remember going to see The Pirates in the Arcadia, who were famous for their single Shakin All Over. Everyone seemed to cover that song at live concerts in Cork at the time. In Ireland, we got a second TV channel – known as RTE 2 back then. It was launched at the Cork Opera House. We got Top of the Pops for the first time. I remember getting annoyed with Rat Trap, the Boomtown Rats’ number one single. If a punk group went poppy or commercial, you felt they were betraying the cause. It was all very silly – at least I was very silly 😀. But I did like pop music too.

Cork Regional Hospital officially opened too in 1978 – now Cork University Hospital. It’s amazing how huge these hospitals are getting, yet they’re utterly overcrowded.

The Jonestown Massacre in Guyana resulted in over 900 deaths. It made people very suspicious about new religious movements. Various books appeared in Ireland over the next few years warning about religious cults. In some cases, newer evangelical groups were mentioned. But it was largely just because people left the Roman Catholic church, which upset their families. It’s true that you can get evangelical groups that are a bit controlling. I would always advise people to get to know several different evangelical churches in a town and choose the one that suits you. You tend to get intense people in the newer, more vibrant ones, but that’s the case with all movements – including punk rock 😀.

And if churches do get controlling, just leave and go to another one. Ultimately, Jesus is the light of the world. He’s the one that you are following, not earthly organizations.

• Hanging On The Telephone​ – Blondie
• I Lost My Heart To A Starship Trooper​ – Hot Gossip
• Don’t Cry Out Loud​ – Elkie Brooks
• Too Much Heaven​ – Bee Gees
• Mary’s Boy Child​ – Boney M

December

I remember going to see Irish punk group The Radiators from Space in Downtown Kampus in the Arcadia. And I got an Airfix sailing ship for Christmas. I remember spending Sunday afternoons throughout 1979 building it.

• Song For Guy​ – Elton John
• Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick​ – Ian Dury and the Blockheads
• My Life​ – Billy Joel
• A Little More Love​ – Olivia Newton John
• You Needed Me – Anne Murray

Some Irish Hits of 1978

I wasn’t into Irish music, apart from Horslips and Thin Lizzy. There wasn’t a lot of Irish songs that I remember from 1978. I think few of them made the Irish charts, but here is a selection of songs that I do remember hearing.

• Liffey Tinker – Gloria
• Rare Ould Times – Danny Doyle
• Wonderful – Geraldine Branagan
• Rock ‘n’ Roll Kisses – Swarbriggs
• Born to Sing – Colm Wilkinson (Eurovision entry)
• I Can Almost See My Home Town From Here – Brendan Quinn
• You Gotta Get Up – Reform
  • The lads were from Limerick, which is where I live.
• She’s So Modern – Boomtown Rats
• You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me – Red Hurley
• Bound for Botany Bay – Johnny McEvoy
• The Unfree Child – The Establishment
  • I remember their single Sitting on the Fence from the summer of 77. Both songs are on the album, which is on YouTube.
• Sweet Music Man – Ray Lynam
• One Day at a Time – Gloria
  • A Christian song, but not my taste at the time. Seems more relevant now.
• Lay Down Beside Me – Brendan Shine
• If the Shoe Fits – Brendan Shine
• Like Clockwork – Boomtown Rats
• Annie’s Song – James Galway
• Rosalie – Thin Lizzy
  • This was a live version from their Live And Dangerous album.
• A Place in Your Heart – Shaun O’Dowd
• Tour-a-Loor-a-Loor EP – Horslips
  • This one featured Sure the Boy Was Green, Red River Rock,
    Trouble (With A Capital T), and Bridge From Heart To Heart
• Mary Lou – Gina, Dale Haze & The Champions
• The Town I Loved So Well – Paddy Reilly
• Rat Trap – Boomtown Rats

Who Played Cork in 1978?

I remember going to Horslips at the Savoy and The Pirates, Racing Cars, Bethnal and The Radiators from Space at the Arcadia.

• January
  • Up With People – City Hall
  • ​The Brothers – Arcadia
  • The Radiators from Space – Arcadia
  • Horslips – Arcadia
• February
  • Chris De Burgh – City Hall
  • Dana – Savoy
  • Peters & Lee – Savoy
• March
  • Graham Parker and The Rumour – Arcadia
• May
  • Racing Cars & Asylum – Arcadia
• June
  • Alvin Stardust – Stardust
  • Rory Gallagher – Macroom
    • The Macroom Mountain Dew Festival was Ireland’s first major open-air rock festival, held in the grounds of Macroom Castle.
• October
  • Suzi Quatro – Savoy
  • Bethnal – Arcadia
  • Up With People – City Hall
  • George Melly – Savoy
  • Syd Lawrence and His Orchestra – Savoy
  • Archbishop of York – City Hall
    • This really was the Archbishop of York – giving a talk “Called to be Witnesses” – seems unusual – don’t know the background – he was Stuart Blanch, an evangelical, so maybe it was an evangelistic message that might not have suited a cathedral.
• November
  • The Pirates – Arcadia
  • Horslips – Savoy
• December
  • Rory Gallagher – Arcadia
  • Radiators with Adolf Grunt – Arcadia
  • The Damned – Arcadia

10 Movies of 1978

• Grease
• Superman
• National Lampoon’s Animal House
• Every Which Way but Loose
• Heaven Can Wait
• Revenge of the Pink Panther
• The Deer Hunter
• Close Encounters of the Third Kind
• Midnight Express
• The Lord of the Rings (animated)

Some Albums of 1978

• Parallel Lines – Blondie
• This Year’s Model – Elvis Costello & The Attractions
• Give ‘Em Enough Rope – The Clash
• Easter – Patti Smith Group
• Some Girls – The Rolling Stones
• City to City – Gerry Rafferty
• Blondes Have More Fun – Rod Stewart
• Outlandos d’Amour – The Police
• The Kick Inside – Kate Bush
• Darkness on the Edge of Town – Bruce Springsteen
• Street Legal – Bob Dylan
• Black and White – The Stranglers
• Tonic for the Troops – Boomtown Rats
• Live and Dangerous – Thin Lizzy
• The Man Who Built America – Horslips

10 Key News Events of 1978

• Pope Paul VI dies (August 6); succeeded briefly by Pope John Paul I, who dies after 33 days (September 28); Pope John Paul II elected (October 16)
• Camp David Accords signed by Egypt’s Anwar Sadat and Israel’s Menachem Begin, brokered by U.S. President Jimmy Carter (September 17)
• Rhodesia agrees to black majority rule, marking a turning point in African decolonization (February 15)
• Afghanistan coup leads to communist rule under Nur Muhammad Taraki (April 27)
• Israeli troops withdraw from southern Lebanon (June 13)
• First test-tube baby born: Louise Brown in England (July 25), a breakthrough in reproductive science
• Argentina wins FIFA World Cup, defeating the Netherlands in Buenos Aires (June 25)
• The La Mon restaurant bombing near Belfast killed 12 civilians and injured 23. It was one of the deadliest attacks of the Troubles. (17 Feb)
• Jonestown Massacre: Over 900 die in mass suicide/murder in Guyana led by cult leader Jim Jones (November 18)
• Air India Flight 855 crashes near Bombay, killing all 213 on board (January 1)

Some TV Shows That I Would Have Watched in 1978

Some People Who Passed Away in 1978

• Nancy Spungen – Girlfriend of Sid Vicious, punk figure
• Pope John Paul I
• Pope Paul
• Sandy Denny – British folk singer
• Keith Moon – Drummer for The Who
• Robert Shaw – Actor (Jaws, The Sting)
• Ed Wood – Cult film director (Plan 9 from Outer Space)
• Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh – former Irish president
• John Cazale (March 12) – Acclaimed actor known for The Godfather, Dog Day Afternoon, and The Deer Hunter.
• Robert Shaw (August 28) – British actor famous for Jaws, The Sting, and From Russia with Love.
• Bob Crane (June 29) – Star of Hogan’s Heroes, whose death remains a mystery.
• Jacques Brel – Belgian singer-songwriter (Oct 9)

Hymns from 1978

I didn’t know any of these in 1978, but I became familiar with them in the early 1980s. Sometimes it’s hard to discern when these were first sung, but, if I remember correctly, I used the dates shown in Mission Praise for these. It could be that 1978 was when they first appeared in a hymn book.