Original subtitles

Welcome to tonight's ABC Weather.

The highlight, of course, of the ABC every night of the week.

Tonight we have a rather strong gale warning up in Queensland.

Uh, very hot down here in, uh...

(AUDIENCE LAUGHS)

ANNOUNCER: We interrupt the weather to bring you Countdown.

♪ Countdown, Countdown

♪ Countdown, Countdown

Welcome to Classic Countdown, 1980.

♪ Countdown! ♪

(GRINDER BY JUDAS PRIEST PLAYS)

JAMES REYNE: The '80s arrived with excitement and expectation.

Before long, we would all be driving fancy new cars,

dining in the finest restaurants,

wearing the newest shades in make-up

and disco dancing in the streets.

All our problems would be miraculously solved.

But, just when it seemed that

the new decade would keep us all riding high,

reality came crashing in.

♪ Imagine there's no heaven. ♪

John Lennon was dead.

The day the music died for generations of people

who had imagined things would be different.

♪ We don't need no education... ♪

The US and 64 other countries boycotted the Olympics in Moscow.

We hesitated...

(CHEERING)

then went anyway.

And when the national catchcry of the year became,

"A dingo's got my baby," we knew it was a tough year.

But if we looked hard enough,

there was still gold to be found in them there hills.

And it was certainly a golden era in music.

♪ Hey, teacher... ♪

In 1980, music was the main game.

The long and winding yellow brick road

that could lead to fame and riches.

Hey, this is Billy Idol, saying don't stop.

You've got to keep dancing with yourself.

Musicians of all shapes and sizes

learnt a few chords and formed a band.

♪ Well, I know the other girls in school

♪ Think I'm a silly fool

♪ To go for rides in your car

♪ They can't see... ♪

Countdown became a wall against which

musical spaghetti was thrown to see what might stick.

♪ I am marching in the Kiss Army

♪ Breathing fiery breath, oh

♪ I scorched my tonsils and my tummy

♪ When I swallowed the metho... ♪

Just about anyone could march onto the Countdown set

and sing a song in any style about, well,

just about anything.

♪ Ski-doo-be-dop, ooh

♪ Ski-doo-be-dop, ooh

♪ We were at a party

♪ His earlobe fell in the deep

♪ Someone reached in and grabbed it

♪ It was a rock lobster

♪ Ah-ah-ah

♪ Rock lobster

♪ Ah-ah-ah-ah

♪ Rock lobster

(PLAYS SURF GUITAR RIFF)

♪ Ooh

♪ Ooh

♪ We were at the beach ♪ Ooh

♪ Everybody had matching towels

♪ Somebody went under a dock

♪ And there they saw a rock

♪ It wasn't a rock

♪ It was a rock lobster

♪ Ah-ah-ah

♪ Rock lobster

♪ Ah-ah-ah-ah

♪ Rock lobster

(PLAYS SURF GUITAR RIFF)

♪ Rock la-ah-obster rock la-ah-obster

♪ Motion in the ocean ♪ Ooh-wah

♪ His air hose broke ♪ Ooh-wah

♪ Lots of trouble ♪ Ooh-wah

♪ Lots of bubble ♪ Ooh-wah

♪ He was in a jam ♪ Ooh-wah

♪ Was in a giant clam ♪ Ooh-wah

♪ Rock, rock

♪ Rock lobster! Down, down

♪ Lobster (BOTH SCREECH)

♪ Rock (BOTH SCREECH)

♪ Lobster (BOTH SCREECH)

♪ Rock

♪ Let's rock!

♪ Boys in bikinis

♪ Girls in surfboards

♪ Everybody's rockin'

♪ Everybody's fruggin'

♪ Twisting round the fire, having fun

♪ Baking potatoes, baking in the sun

♪ Put on your nose guard

♪ Put on the lifeguard

♪ Pass the tanning butter

♪ Here comes a stingray ♪ Ooh-wah, ooh-wah

♪ There goes a manta ray ♪ Ee-ee-ee-ee

♪ In walked a jellyfish ♪ Arrgh!

♪ There goes a dogfish ♪ Rowr!

♪ Chased by a catfish ♪ Wahoo!

♪ In flew a sea robin ♪ La-la-la-la-la

♪ Watch out for that piranha ♪ Yeh-yeh-yeh-hoo

♪ There goes a narwhal ♪ Ee-ee-ee-ee

♪ Here comes a bikini whale!

♪ Rock lobster ♪ Ooh-ooh, rock lobster! ♪

The onslaught of talent on Countdown was considerable.

♪ No, it never, never, never really works out

♪ Oh, no, like a lady-in-waiting to a virgin queen

♪ Look at that stupid girl

♪ When she was bitching about something

♪ She had never even seen

♪ Look at that stupid girl. ♪

♪ With my cheap wine and a three-day growth

♪ Cheap wine and a three-day growth

♪ Come on, come on

♪ Come on, come on. ♪

♪ And he gives all the others a shake...

In 1980, more than 150 songs were performed live on the show.

♪ How he rates

♪ He's a classic example such a beautiful sample

♪ He's my number one

♪ He's her number one... ♪

Video might eventually kill the radio star,

but it wouldn't happen this year.

♪ My friends wonder why I call you all the time

♪ What can I say?

♪ I don't feel the need to give such secrets away

♪ You think maybe I need help, no, I know I'm right

♪ Alright

♪ I'm just better off not listening to friends' advice

♪ When they insist on knowing my bliss

♪ I tell them this

♪ When they want to know what the reason is

♪ I only smile when I lie, then I tell them why

♪ Because your kiss ♪ Your kiss is on my list

♪ Because your kiss ♪ Your kiss is on my list

♪ Because your kiss is on my list

♪ Of the best things in life

♪ Because your kiss ♪ Your kiss is on my list

♪ Because your kiss ♪ Your kiss, I can't resist

♪ Because your kiss is what I miss

♪ When I turn out the light

♪ I go crazy wondering what there is to really see

♪ Did the night just take up your time

♪ 'Cause it means more to me

♪ Sometimes I forget what I'm doing

♪ I don't forget what I want, what I want

♪ Regret what I've done, regret you

♪ I couldn't go on

♪ But if you insist on knowing my bliss

♪ I'll tell you this

♪ If you want to know what the reason is

♪ I only smile when I lie, then I'll tell you why

♪ Because your kiss ♪ Your kiss is on my list

♪ Because your kiss ♪ Your kiss is on my list

♪ Because your kiss is on my list

♪ Of the best things in life

♪ Because your kiss ♪ Your kiss is on my list

♪ Because your kiss ♪ Your kiss, I can't resist

♪ Because your kiss is what I miss

♪ When I turn out the light

♪ I really miss you, babe

♪ Ah

♪ Because your kiss ♪ Your kiss is on my list

♪ Because your kiss ♪ Your kiss is on my list

♪ Because your kiss is on my list

♪ Of the best things in life Oh, babe

♪ Because your kiss ♪ Your kiss is on my list

♪ Because your kiss ♪ Your kiss, I can't resist... ♪

♪ Countdown! ♪

Hi. I'm Cherry Ripe, Countdown's London connection.

And I'm going to be bringing you some great stories from here in London.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be talking to The Buggles,

The Clash and Marianne Faithfull,

and earlier today I spoke to The Vapors.

They haven't yet turned Japanese,

but I asked them how it felt to be on Countdown

all the way from London.

How does it feel to be on Countdown all the way from London?

It's wonderful. It's really good.

Great. Have you heard about Countdown?

Yeah, from you.

What do you think of it? It sounds alright.

Something like Top Of The Pops.

JAMES: New bands had broken through.

What did you guys all do before you got into rock'n'roll?

The trick was to convince the public you had the substance

to keep them interested.

I worked as a hospital porter for a while...

Yeah?

In a hospital that wasn't open.

And then I worked as an office boy.

What about you, Howard?

I worked in a shop. Yeah?

Just a normal high-street shop, yeah.

I was a storeman.

OK. Would you like to say,

"Hello, this is The Vapors here on Countdown?"

Hello. We're The Vapors, and I think we're on Countdown.

Here. Here.

♪ Oh, stop playing with my heart

JAMES: Some new stars shone brightly and briefly.

♪ And I'll show you a sunset

♪ If you'll stay with me till dawn. ♪

Some new bands were back with new line-ups and attitudes.

♪ As she crosses the floor, she knows

♪ What does she know?

♪ She's seen it before and she goes

♪ Where does she go? ♪

And, as always, some new bands

got one chance only to convince the masses.

♪ You're standing round the bar again

♪ With that nonexistent smile again

♪ You got your hand on your hip

♪ You got your hand on your wallet

♪ Got your mind on your drinking

♪ But your heart isn't in it, oh, yeah

♪ And you've been stepping on my lines again

♪ With your offbeat time again

♪ You got your past in your pocket

♪ And your pistol in its holster

♪ Your finger on the trigger

♪ But you know you'll never pull her

♪ Hit me with another double

♪ Tonight I'm looking for some trouble

♪ You got to hit me with another double

♪ I want to go where the music breaks me

♪ I got to find someone to take me

♪ Yeah

♪ And you've been stepping on my lines again

♪ With your offbeat time again

♪ You got your past in your pocket

♪ And your pistol in its holster

♪ Finger on the trigger

♪ But you know you'll never pull her

♪ Hit me with another double

♪ Tonight I'm looking for some trouble

♪ You got to hit me with another double

♪ I want to go where the music breaks me

♪ I got to find someone to take me

♪ Yeah

♪ Hit me with another double

♪ Tonight I'm looking for some trouble

♪ You got to hit me with another double

♪ I want to go where the music breaks me

♪ I got to find someone to take me

♪ Yeah

♪ Yeah-yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah

♪ Hey, you

♪ You're standing round the bar again

♪ With that nonexistent smile again

♪ You got your hand on your hip

♪ You got your hand on your wallet

♪ Got your mind on your drinking

♪ But your heart isn't in it, oh, yeah

♪ And you've been stepping on my lines again

♪ With your offbeat time again

♪ You got your mind on a faucet

♪ But her name ain't Farrah

♪ You got your two for the weekend

♪ 'Cause you're just a plumber

♪ So, hit me with another double

♪ Tonight I'm looking for some trouble

♪ You got to hit me with another double

♪ I want to go where the music breaks me

♪ I got to find someone to take me

♪ Yeah, hit me with another double! ♪

One, two, three, four.

Dugga-dugga-dugga-dugga-dugga-dugga. Countdown!

One of the big questions in the new decade -

could old-time rock'n'roll survive?

♪ I don't know why everybody is making all this fuss

♪ Why don't you switch the television on

♪ I think I've had enough

♪ Back on our TV the advertising damn dropped me

♪ Here comes the music to sell the stock

♪ It's just a pop song

♪ Another pop song

♪ Well, it's a pop song

♪ Oh, no, no, no-no-no. ♪

Um, do you think that perhaps rock'n'roll was slightly lost

in the mid-'70s?

No. No?

I think rock'n'roll doesn't really exist anymore.

Yeah?

I mean, there's so many different aspects of music.

Like, disco? There must be a dozen forms of disco for a start.

Um, I wouldn't like to define what rock'n'roll is anymore, even.

Yeah.

And then, all of a sudden,

people like Seger, Bob Seger and Bruce Springsteen,

and people like that just sort of kept pushing at it.

And The Who kept pushing at it. The Stones kept pushing at it.

And this resurgence started,

and that sort of, you know, it sparked some people, you know?

It sort of sparked myself.

And I said, "Well, ah, there you go."

"Let's go get it. Let's go do some rock'n'roll."

Mr Loaf was right.

Rock'n'roll music could survive

if it was willing to learn from its mistakes

or even go back to school.

♪ Well, I don't care about history

♪ Rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school

♪ 'Cause that's not where I want to be

♪ Rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school

♪ I just want to have some kicks

♪ I just want to get some chicks

♪ Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school

♪ Well, the girls out there knock me out, you know

♪ Rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school

♪ Cruisin' around in my GTO

♪ Rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school

♪ I hate the teachers and the principal

♪ Don't want to be taught to be no fool

♪ Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school

♪ Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school

♪ Fun, fun, rock'n'roll high school

♪ Fun, fun, rock'n'roll high school

♪ Fun, fun, rock'n'roll high school

♪ Fun, fun, oh, baby Fun, fun, oh, baby

♪ Fun, fun, fun, fun

♪ Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school

♪ Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school

♪ Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school

♪ Well, I don't care about history

♪ Rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school

♪ 'Cause that's not where I want to be

♪ Rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school

♪ I just want to have some kicks

♪ I just want to get some chicks

♪ Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school

♪ Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school

♪ Fun, fun, rock'n'roll high school

♪ Fun, fun, rock'n'roll high school

♪ Fun, fun, rock'n'roll high school

♪ Fun, fun, oh, baby Fun, fun, oh, baby

♪ Fun, fun, fun, fun

♪ Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school

♪ Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school

♪ Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school

♪ Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock'n'roll high school! ♪

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

♪ Countdown! ♪

Hello, everybody.

It's TV time.

Off we go.

Early '80s music was energised by the electronic keyboard.

A hybrid had developed in popular music

that referenced both the rock of the past

and the electronic music of the future.

♪ Lady love... ♪

Many rock songs were, all of a sudden,

dominated by hooks played on a keyboard

rather than a guitar.

♪ I turn my head around

♪ And see this world in trouble. ♪

Some bands simply looked and sounded

better prepared than others to make the leap.

♪ There must be something we can talk about

♪ And maybe there's something here that we can do

♪ No matter what your friends say, don't go too far

♪ Remember there's just one thing

♪ Whenever you come this way

♪ You know I wouldn't get you down

♪ I just like talking to you

♪ It's raining outside I shake in my shoes downstairs

♪ You never stop dancing It don't make much sense

♪ No matter what your friends say, don't go too far

♪ Remember there's just one thing

♪ Whenever you come this way

♪ Maybe we can get together

♪ We can get together

♪ You know I wouldn't get you down

♪ I just like talking to you

♪ Maybe we can get together

♪ We can get together Later sometime

♪ You can buckle my shoes

♪ You can pick up my sticks

♪ You can knock at my door

♪ There must be something we can talk about

♪ Maybe there's something here that we can do

♪ Don't go back home, babe, don't go too far

♪ Maybe there's one more thing

♪ Whenever you come this way

♪ Baby ♪ We can get together

♪ Oh-oh ♪ We can get together

♪ You know I wouldn't get you down

♪ I just like talking to you

♪ Baby, we can get together

♪ We can get together Later sometime

♪ You can buckle my shoes

♪ You can pick up my sticks ♪ We can get together

♪ You can knock at my door ♪ We can get together

♪ You know, I walk in the rain

♪ I said it rains in my heart

♪ You ought to be in my shoes ♪ We can get together

♪ Won't you open that door ♪ We can get together

♪ We can get together

♪ We can get together

♪ Baby, we can get together

♪ We can get together later sometime. ♪

♪ Countdown! ♪

♪ But we sometimes forget

♪ What it was you created us for

♪ Dear God. ♪

And what of the rock stars we'd known and loved

through the '70s?

Could they possibly survive into another decade?

Hi, Paul. Welcome to Countdown, right across Australia.

And Molly asked me specially to send his regards to you.

Oh, thank you very much.

And he's hoping... Thanks, Moll.

He's hoping to catch up with you soon.

Um, here we are today at Abbey Road Studios,

where you used to record with The Beatles.

Yeah.

Does that bring back fond memories for you?

Yeah. I've recorded here quite a lot anyway, even without The Beatles.

So, uh...

But it is. It's, like, one of the favourite studios.

This is where I made my first record with The Beatles.

Terrified out of my mind down there.

Of all the things you've ever done,

is there anything in particular that you consider your best work?

Um, I don't know.

I don't kind of think in those terms.

I think it's people, like, who analyse the music scene

think in terms of that, "What was his best one?"

But I don't know.

If I just had to answer it for some quiz or something,

um, I might say Sergeant Pepper,

or I might say Yesterday,

or I might just as easily say something daft,

like, uh, "She Said She Said,"

which is, like, just a track I like, you know.

This one is called Emotional Rescue.

Where did you come up with that title?

I don't know.

Be quiet now, Italian restaurant people!

We're sitting next door to the kitchen

of an Italian restaurant, actually.

Sorry. Yeah, where did we get the title?

Well, it's rescue, right, as in knight on a horse,

but it's, like, mental.

Mm. You know what I mean?

So, instead of rescuing the girl physically,

you rescue her from her mental traumas.

How much longer do you think The Stones will go on?

Oh, a couple more years, I should think, at least, if not more.

Got a lot of energy left, as far as...

Yeah. I mean, I'm not going to stop working because The Stones finish.

I'm not saying they will finish, but I mean, if they did,

I wouldn't stop singing, you know?

Mm-hmm.

There's plenty of other musicians.

MOLLY: Now, I gather that from Space Oddity

that Major Tom was a sort of a superhero

to those that listened to him. Yeah.

Yeah, he was an aspect of the American Dream

that took off, but, the dream got lost on him.

I mean, it wasn't resolved at that time.

And he was a hero, obviously.

Yeah, but to me, he was an anti...

He was a hero to me, but an antihero.

He didn't have any social contacts. (LAUGHS)

Bowie's fans were used to him reinventing himself.

The new decade would see other '70s superstars doing the same.

Thanks very much. Thank you, everybody.

♪ A place where nobody dared to go

♪ The love that we came to know

♪ They call it Xanadu

♪ It takes your breath and it'll leave you blind

♪ And now, open your eyes and see

♪ What we have made is real

♪ We are in Xanadu

♪ A dream of it we offer you

♪ A million lights are dancing

♪ And there you are, a shooting star

♪ An everlasting world

♪ And you're here with me, eternally

♪ Xanadu

♪ Xanadu

♪ Now we are here

♪ In Xanadu

♪ Xanadu

♪ Xanadu

♪ Now we are here

♪ In Xanadu

♪ Xanadu, your neon lights

♪ Will shine for you, Xanadu

♪ The love

♪ The echoes of long ago

♪ You needed the world to know

♪ They are in Xanadu

♪ With every breath you drift away

♪ The dream that came through a million years

♪ That lived on through all the tears

♪ It came to Xanadu

♪ The dream you dream true Well, it will happen for you

♪ A million lights are dancing

♪ And there you are, a shooting star

♪ An everlasting world

♪ And you're here with me, eternally

♪ Xanadu

♪ Xanadu

♪ Now we are here

♪ In Xanadu

♪ Xanadu

♪ Xanadu

♪ Now we are here

♪ In Xanadu

♪ Now that I'm here

♪ Now that you're near

♪ In Xanadu

♪ Now that I'm here

♪ Now that you're near

♪ In Xanadu

♪ Xanadu. ♪

♪ Countdown! ♪

One thing was for sure.

With the turning of the decade, the baton of superstardom

was being grasped by a new generation.

♪ A city penthouse The kitchen living

♪ A country home, it's a kitsch living

♪ Money can buy almost anything

♪ But anything's nothing when you're dead

♪ Fast car driving, sleek and modern

♪ Public transit photos waiting

♪ Blood and glass, three pints of rain

♪ Carpet lining, seats reclining

♪ Clever words on smooth tongue talking

♪ Shove it, brother, just keep walking. ♪

Young acts oozed confidence.

It felt like anything was allowed.

♪ You may as well shout it from the roof

♪ Scream it from your lungs and spit it from you mouth

♪ Hey, if it falls on deaf ears to indulge in your fears

♪ There's a spy in the sky, there's a noise on the wire

♪ There's a tap on the line for every paranoid's desire

♪ There's always someone looking at you, oh-oh, oh-oh

♪ S-S-S-Someone's looking at you, oh-oh, oh-oh

♪ They're always looking at you, oh-oh, oh-oh

♪ They're always looking at you. ♪

♪ So, we better get together soon

♪ Because I need you, girl

♪ I can't stand the frustration so, talk to me

♪ Talk to me. ♪

If Kiss could make it playing soft metal

dressed like bats out of hell...

The Police could make it playing spaced-out, jangly reggae.

♪ Giant steps are what you take

♪ Walking on the moon

♪ I hope my legs don't break

♪ Walking on the moon

♪ We could walk forever

♪ Walking on the moon

♪ We could be together

♪ Walking on, walking on the moon

♪ Walking back from your house

♪ Walking on the moon

♪ Walking back from your house

♪ Walking on the moon

♪ Feet, they hardly touch the ground

♪ Walking on the moon

♪ My feet don't hardly make no sound

♪ Walking on, walking on the moon

♪ Some may say

♪ I'm wishing my days away

♪ No way

♪ And if it's the price I pay

♪ Some say

♪ Tomorrow's another day

♪ You stay

♪ I may as well play

♪ Giant steps are what you take

♪ Walking on the moon

♪ I hope my legs don't break

♪ Walking on the moon

♪ We could walk forever

♪ Walking on the moon

♪ We could be together

♪ Walking on, walking on the moon

♪ Some may say

♪ I'm wishing my days away

♪ No way

♪ And if it's the price I pay

♪ Some say

♪ Tomorrow's another day

♪ You stay

♪ I may as well play

♪ Keep it up

♪ Keep it up. ♪

Australian rock musicians now had to decide for themselves,

"Where to from here?"

♪ You probably thought I was a well-adjusted boy

♪ But I'm just as lost as everybody else

♪ You might have thought I was a well-adjusted boy

♪ But I'm just as stuffed as everybody else. ♪

In Brisbane, surf music took on a post-punk edge.

♪ You know that I can't cry tomorrow's tears

♪ Tomorrow's te-e-ears

♪ You know that I can't cry tomorrow's tears

♪ Tomorrow's tears

♪ You know that I can't cry tomorrow's tears

♪ Tomorrow's tears

♪ Today, hey-hey, today, oh-oh. ♪

In Sydney, rock music added some urban sophistication.

♪ Whoa

♪ This is perversion

♪ This is diversion

♪ I'm not feeling myself

♪ I should be somewhere else. ♪

♪ When you think you're ready, Billy

♪ Play that pantomime for me. ♪

The next wave of Melbourne bands dabbled in many styles,

including ska.

♪ Yeah

In Tasmania, the '60s pop revival was well underway.

♪ Sooner or later ♪ Sooner or later

♪ Sooner or later ♪ Sooner or later

♪ Sooner or later you're going to have to

♪ Make up your mind ♪ Make up your mind

♪ Don't waste my time

♪ Anymore

♪ Sooner or later. ♪

Over in Perth, there was something else going on altogether.

♪ Last night

♪ You told me that you love me, last night

♪ You told me it was true, last night

♪ You held me in your arms, last night

♪ I'll be good to you

♪ Last night, we thanked the Lord at night

♪ Last night, we kissed the crystal night

♪ Last night, we held it through the tide

♪ Last night

♪ When I made love to you

♪ Never thought it would be like this

♪ It all started with just a kiss

♪ A strange obsession came over me

♪ I lost control, baby, can't you see

♪ That it all began with last night

♪ You told me that you love me

♪ Last night, you told me it was true

♪ Last night, you held me in your arms

♪ Last night

♪ When I made love to you

♪ 24 hours on, it's a different sun

♪ 24 hours on a distant look, what's going on?

♪ 24 hours on who will be the first to come

♪ 24 hours on

♪ 'Cause I made love to you

♪ Alright, last night

♪ Last night

♪ Last night

♪ Last night

♪ Never thought it would be like this

♪ It all started with just a kiss

♪ A strange obsession came over me

♪ I lost control, baby, can't you see

♪ That it all began with

♪ Last night

♪ You told me that you love me

♪ Last night, you told me it was true

♪ Last night, you held me in your arms

♪ Last night

♪ When I made love to you. ♪

♪ Countdown! ♪

Molly must have sensed the need for Countdown to innovate

in order to survive.

In 1980, Molly may well have invented

the walk-and-talk interview.

It just seemed so incredible at the start

when he was jamming with Pink Floyd

for you and the rest of the band

to get so excited and invite him into the band.

Just, I mean, Pink Floyd and Thin Lizzy don't exactly...

Yeah, yeah.

Gel together. You know what I mean?

Yeah.

It's Michael's Off the Wall album.

And if Michael Jackson wouldn't come to Molly,

Molly could always give him a ring during the show.

Oh, here we go. Hello, Michael?

Hello. How are you?

Good. That's good. Now, listen.

First of all, congratulations on the Off The Wall album.

It's been an enormous success for you here in this country,

and also in America, of course.

How does it feel like, to have such a successful album?

Oh, it's a wonderful feeling, because, uh,

you know, I always do my best,

and I'm very happy that the public accept it.

Countdown even went on the road with Split Enz and The Sports

in its own rockumentary. Hello?

Ah, Frank Dunn from 2WG. How are you, mate?

Yeah. Is everything looking good for the show up there?

Make sure you get everyone from the station down there to vibe along.

Good on you, mate. Bye-bye.

♪ A guy's got a strand just a-wrapped around his ear

♪ He's oblivious to the traffic, it's not really clear

♪ It crackles... ♪

I've come in from Tarcutta, 30 miles to see the band.

I like the guy with the skinny face.

I like the guy with the little curly thing on his head.

It's cute.

♪ I've been a fool

♪ More than once, more than twice. ♪

♪ I don't know how to see it through

♪ Don't know how to see it through

♪ I don't know how to say that you... ♪

A song that I loved dearly years ago was "Seventeen."

Yeah. (HUMS A BAR OF THE VERSE) Great song.

Can you sing a couple of bars? I like that melody a lot, yeah.

Yeah. It's a beautiful song. Yeah. Beautiful song.

It won a Grammy, too, didn't it?

Yeah. It won two. Two Grammys?

Yeah. I walked into a store this morning on Bourke Street

and they were playing it. Right.

Have you been playing the mandolin long, you know. You...

Wait a minute. Just hang on.

Hey, hey, hey! Hey. Cut it out. What are you doing?

What is this?

MOLLY: Who said we were feuding?

I don't know. It's ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.

What a lot of nonsense to... That's right.

Listen. Thanks again for compering the show.

Oh, that's alright. Yeah, just put that down.

Listen. You must be the most written-about person at the moment.

Every magazine I pick up,

there's this big black eyes looking out at you.

(LAUGHS) You have a way with words, Molly.

Summer concerts coming up is LRB and Charlie Daniels.

Good concert, yeah. Yeah?

What about Roxy Music? Fantastic.

How's Bryan Ferry? Do you know? He's much better, yeah.

AC/DC? Good concert. I mean, good band.

I just don't like that record. Sorry.

Have you seen them live? No...

Apparently they're fantastic.

Willie Nelson? I haven't seen him, either.

Mmm, once you've seen his teeth

you'll prefer to listen to his records.

Right. Five is The Police on the 17th of February.

Well, what can I say?

Right. Rod Stewart? Always a good live act.

Be fair. Fantastic, even with that nose.

"So, Molly the Mouth, say you're sorry"

"or I'll change my station in such a hurry."

"Your ratings will drop. You'll be a disgrace."

"And you'll be there with egg on your face."

Well, I don't know about being egg...

(AUDIENCE MEMBERS LAUGH)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

I don't know about...

Alright. Anybody want to say anything?

Back to Molly! Molly.

Molly. Hello.

Good to see that Ace is still firing away there.

Good old Ace,

who actually turned out to be a hero after last time.

And thanks, Jane, and thanks, Paul, and thanks, Little Eric.

It'll be good to have you over here.

And of course, thanks... Martha.

Martha? ..Molly.

Thank you. Aren't I lucky?

Listen. It's time to say goodnight.

Whoa! Best of luck with the tour.

Sit up, Martha, for goodness' sake.

After Olivia, Lord knows what they'll think.

♪ Looking counterclockwise

♪ Knowing what could happen

♪ Any moment, maybe you

♪ Maybe even you

♪ Steadfast collapse

♪ Always certain any moment

♪ Maybe you, maybe you

♪ Maybe even you

♪ Recline complete, dream too sweet

♪ I can't do it, not with you

♪ Not even with you

♪ Maybe never with you

♪ And I'd sell my soul

♪ For total control

♪ Yeah, I'd sell my soul

♪ For total control

♪ Over you

♪ Over you

♪ Total control over you

♪ Street wet tonight

♪ Lovers touch

♪ It's pure delight

♪ Always certain any moment

♪ Maybe even you

♪ Stay in bed stained sheets

♪ My head hurts, I repeat

♪ Maybe you

♪ Maybe you

♪ Maybe even you

♪ And I'd sell my soul

♪ For total control

♪ Yeah, I'd sell my soul

♪ For total control

♪ Ooh, I'd sell my soul

♪ For total control

♪ Whoa-oa-oa. ♪

♪ Countdown! ♪

Complex songwriters were seeing great success with complex songs.

And there's so many people that have fallen into the trap.

If they get a formula of A-minor, G, C,

and from there on, every song will be A-minor, G, C,

because they know it works.

But I thought, good artists, people like Bowie, Cliff Richard,

you know, the real biggies, they keep moving.

And that's the important thing about, I think, art.

That you don't remain stagnant. You keep moving and pushing.

Australian bands fought their own songwriting demons.

The Bee Gees and LRB had made it big a few years before.

We could compete, as long as our songs were world-class.

G'day.

You were saying just before that, you get a lot of your inspirations

by reading newspapers and things like that.

Yeah.

Like, let's take a lot of your songs.

There's so much jail reference.

You've never been in jail, have you?

Uh, only visiting. Yeah?

So, where do you get those ideas from?

Well, we've played a couple of times in jails,

and I've gone out to a jail in Sydney a couple of times.

Right.

And because there's some guys, producers of music out there,

and just have a look at what they're doing.

Right. Well, let's take 'Khe Sanh' as far as Vietnam is concerned.

You were never in Vietnam, either, were you?

No, but I knew some guys who were over there.

Right.

So, you sort of just accumulate all this information,

and then it just sort of sometimes comes out in your songs? Is that it?

Yeah, sometimes. Photographic memory.

And what about yours? Through the haze, I'd imagine.

Uh, no, I haven't done that.

I read a lot of comics. (LAUGHS)

(CHEERING)

A lot of us thought it was time to put our own Australian stories

into our songs.

♪ Every day I see you wearing things

♪ That have never been worn before

♪ While the children at the government schools

♪ Send money for the poor

♪ And all you buy, you bargain for

♪ With your little man

♪ So that from silks down to your paramour

♪ You're tres, tres, paragon

♪ So, it's a back beach in the summer

♪ A chalet for the snow

♪ You poor hoochie Gucci Fiorucci mama

♪ You got really no place to go

♪ Antiques flown in from Venice fill

♪ Your house upon the hill

♪ While your money sold the soul of rock'n'roll

♪ For some cheap disco thrill

♪ I've seen your peers pouting over beers

♪ The loneliness it showed

♪ Mistaking tacky sex for sensuality

♪ They bought in Toorak Road

♪ So, it's a back beach in the summer

♪ A chalet for the snow

♪ You poor hoochie Gucci Fiorucci mama

♪ You got really no place to go

♪ Inside her empty castle

♪ Her lonely heart will dwell

♪ The life that she's been losing

♪ Is like some stony back hotel

♪ The loving that you never found

♪ You don't know the reason why

♪ Oh, hoochie Gucci Fiorucci mama

♪ Don't you cry. ♪

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

♪ Countdown! ♪

♪ You can't stop the music

The list of number-one hits reflected the diversity of the year in pop.

♪ Take the heat from flame Try not feeling pain...

The Village People proved that even in a new decade,

you just couldn't stop the disco music.

♪ No, you can't stop the music

♪ Nobody can stop the music. ♪

Rocky Burnette hit the top with gunslinger rockabilly disco.

♪ Baby, I

♪ Tired of toeing the line

♪ Don't know why you want to jump on me

♪ Baby, baby, baby, it's making me cry. ♪

Joe Dolce gave us a world music/ Australiana novelty phenomenon.

What's that ball doing in-a my show?

Hey, grazie. Boom!

And British new wave was represented by The Vapors.

♪ Turning Japanese, I think I'm turning Japanese

♪ I really think so

♪ I'm turning Japanese, I think I'm turning Japanese

♪ I really think so. ♪

It was a year when few local bands made the summit,

but Split Enz wrestled back a bit of Australasian pride

with their instant classic, "I Got You."

♪ I got you

♪ And that's all I want

♪ I won't forget

♪ That's a whole lot

♪ I don't go out

♪ Not now that you're in

♪ Sometimes we shout

♪ But that's no problem

♪ I don't know why sometimes I get frightened

♪ You can see my eyes

♪ You can tell that I'm not lying

♪ Look at you

♪ You're a pageant

♪ You're everything

♪ That I've imagined

♪ Something's wrong

♪ I feel uneasy

♪ Will you show me

♪ Tell me you're not teasing

♪ Well, I don't know why sometimes

♪ I get frightened

♪ You can see my eyes

♪ You can tell that I'm not lying

♪ I don't know why sometimes

♪ I get frightened

♪ You can see my eyes

♪ You can tell me you're not lying

♪ There's no doubt

♪ Not when I'm with you

♪ When I'm without

♪ I stay in my room

♪ Where do you go?

♪ I get no answer

♪ You're always out

♪ It gets on my nerves

♪ I don't know why sometimes I get frightened

♪ You can see my eyes

♪ You can tell that I'm not lying

♪ Well, I don't know why sometimes I get frightened. ♪

Without a reserved doubt,

I think you're the best rock'n'roll band in the country.

Nice meeting and talking. Alright?

Don't start on me, mate. See you later.

Yep. OK, well...

(SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

I beg your pardon? What does that mean?

Behave yourself.

Jimmy Barnes just told me to behave myself.

Well, isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?

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