#1432 Favourite 80's Songs

#1432 Let me bore you to sleep | Monday’s Boring Objects | Jason Newland | 15th September 2025

🧠 Main Themes & Structure

1. Introduction & Purpose

   • Jason welcomes listeners to Let Me Bore You to Sleep, his long-running podcast.

   • He speaks gently and slowly, aiming to relax listeners enough to fall asleep.

   • There's playful self-awareness, like referring to himself in third person.

2. Music Nostalgia: Focus on 1980s UK Charts

   • Jason spends the bulk of the episode reflecting on music charts from 1980, and then moves through other parts of the decade.

   • He discusses UK hits, obscure songs, chart trivia, and personal reactions to songs from that era.

   • Artists discussed include:

     • Blondie (Jason’s favorite)

     • Madonna

     • The Specials

     • Rick Astley

     • The Clash

     • Duran Duran

     • Michael Jackson

     • John Lennon

     • Shakin’ Stevens

     • ABBA

     • Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder

     • and many more

3. Personal Stories & Reflections

   • Memories of:

     • Going to the seaside with his dad

     • Attending concerts with a BBC producer friend named Helen

     • Meeting Terry Hall from The Specials (without realizing who he was)

     • Childhood excitement around recording the Top 40 on cassette tapes

     • Listening to Tide Is High by Blondie with his brother

   • These stories are told in a free-associative, wandering style that moves between years, people, and places fluidly.

4. Pop Culture & TV

   • Jason reminisces about watching classic TV shows like MASH, Cheers, The Young Ones, and Bottom.

   • Talks about early black-and-white TVs, pretending to fall down stairs to get a day off school, and sneaky bedtime stories.

5. Funny, Lighthearted Tangents

   • Reenacts a jokey workplace sketch based on Joe Dolce’s Shaddap You Face

   • Talks about his attempts at roller skating and "eel-style" swimming

   • Pokes fun at his weight loss journey with Taekwondo (self-deprecating and humorous)

6. Emotional & Sentimental Moments

   • Describes his deep attachment to his childhood home

   • Expresses love for the song Imagine and sadness over John Lennon’s death

   • Reflects on feeling different from his family growing up, craving quiet and space

7. Observations About Music Evolution

   • Talks about the transition from vinyl to cassette to CD

   • Comments on UK vs. US chart differences

   • Notes how certain artists didn’t chart well in the US despite UK success (e.g., Blondie)

8. Closing Thoughts

   • Wraps up with a kind, gentle sign-off: encouraging listeners to be kind to themselves, feel safe, and drift off peacefully.

   • Reminds us: "You deserve to be happy. Lots of love. Bye."

🎵 Music Lovers’ Goldmine

This episode is like a personal mixtape meets sleep story. It's packed with:

• Music history

• UK pop culture

• Hidden chart trivia

• Behind-the-scenes anecdotes

• A big ol’ dose of nostalgia

If you ever wanted to summarize British musical history via sleepy storytelling, this is the one.