Bloody tough call for me.

If we're going to go for groups, I gotta go with Company B.  Taffy was a one-hit wonder, but Company B's Full Circle was as infectious as Fascinated, and their version of Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy presaged the "swing" revival by a few years.

If we're talking personal impact, I never heard (or didn't remember) the Taffy track in the clubs.  But I did remember - about the time the track was written - spending a lot of late nights listening to the DJ after midnight.  The really good stuff only got played after management had gone to sleep.

For me, it was Taffy: I Love My Radio, edging out Company B: Fascinated.

Infectious grooves in both, but Taffy wins for two reasons:  first, uncountable remixes from 1985-1987, the most notable of which featured station IDs from dozens of US radio stations, and second, because the change in lyrics for the UK taught me that (back in the 80s), very few DJs in the UK actually aired anything after midnight.  (to a North American, truly a scary thought!)

One version:
"Whoa-oh, my guy,
The DJ after midnight,
Whoa-oh, my guy
On the midnight radio.
(I love my radio,
  my midnight radio.)"
  -- Most versions of Taffy, I Love My Radio.

The other version:
"Whoa-oh, my guy,
The DJ up to midnight,
Whoa-oh, my guy
On the good time radio.
(I love my radio,
  my DJ's radio.)"
  -- a 4:03 remix that I don't have accurate information for, but if you listen for it, you can tell where the re-recorded words were inserted.

The most interesting mix is the Hot Tracks mix, which opens up with:

"Chicago's greatest hits of all time - Magic 104"

and fills an extended instrumental break with numerous radio jingles, almost all of which are from the Chicago area.

"Just after 1 o'clock now at WXRT, Chicago's finest rock-"
"WCLR 102 FM, Chicago's light rock --"
"I got Stephanie Mills' album to toss out soon - GCI-"
"Check it out tomorrow morning, right here on 106 WCKG"
"WMED" (( maybe?  But WMED is in Maine! ))
"Alright, let's put one on the turntable here, Bob, Paul Revere and the Raiders, rock and roll roots, and I Had a Dream"
"Like I said before, if you'd like to hear a song, the number is 663-1693, here's Front 242..."

The last break

"Hey, you're listening to Rock?(rod?) Radio, we're rockin', we're sockin', we're barkin' each other's face off on WKN?More? (and-more?) rock radio 2014 (WTF?) on your dial, playin' wax for you no one else will touch!" ((sorry, I've got no idea on this one!  2014's a nonsensical frequency for US AM or FM broadcasts, and Google confuses it with the year 2014.  Can anyone help - or at least convince me that I've misheard the sample? ))

  -- all radio jingle/samples from the 8:39 Hot Tracks remix. 

Cover girls - Show me
Cover girls - Because of you
New Order - True faith
New Order - Bizarre love traingle
Company B - Fascinated

The most interesting mix is the Hot Tracks mix...

I suppose I should give this mix a listen.  I have it on the 15th Anniversary Box set but I usually use the U.S.A. mix on the 12" vinyl as it's easy to mix in and out of.

second, because the change in lyrics for the UK taught me that (back in the 80s), very few DJs in the UK actually aired anything after midnight.  (to a North American, truly a scary thought!)


Applies correctly to most of the 'mainstream' stations, but there were plenty of illegal 'pirate' stations around at the time who could cater for the insomniacs...

The 'Deejay's Radio' version was the one that was issued as a single here (obviously!), but on some British compilations from the period, the 'Midnight Radio' version was the version of choice...

All songs you list are good - especially the Lisa Lisa songs from '85!!!

Here are a few favorites to add to your list (one gem from each year):

C-Bank / Jenny Burton - One More Shot (1983)
Carrie Lucas - Summer In The Streets (1984)
Freestyle - Don't Stop The Rock (1985)
Nocera - Sumertime, Sumertime (1986)
Giggles - Love Letter (1987)
Sweet Sensation - Sincerely Yours (1988)
Jaya - If You Leave Me Now (1989)

I loved Roland Orzabal's basque dancing in the middle of Mad World.  In fact Roland came up with a lot of wacky dances in TFF's earlier videos and I used to love watching how graceful he was.  It's a shame that he doesn't dance anymore.

I loved Roland Orzabal's basque dancing in the middle of Mad World.  In fact Roland came up with a lot of wacky dances in TFF's earlier videos and I used to love watching how graceful he was.  It's a shame that he doesn't dance anymore.


I dropped "Mad World" in my mixshow last Friday  8)