🔘 Young Turks – Single: Dec. 1981

Released: December 4, 1981 (UK)

Label: Riva Records

Catalogue Number: RIVA 34

Format: 7" Vinyl Single

Rod Stewart’s synth‑driven new‑wave sprint — backed with I Was Only Joking (Live).

Issued as the UK follow‑up to Tonight I’m Yours, Young Turks captured Stewart’s early‑’80s reinvention with a sleek, modern pop‑rock edge.

🔘 Overview

Written by Rod Stewart, Carmine Appice, Duane Hitchings, and Kevin Savigar, Young Turks marked a bold stylistic shift for Stewart as he embraced synths, drum machines, and a faster, youthful energy. Released on December 4, 1981, the single became one of his defining early‑’80s hits internationally.

The UK 7" paired the track with a live version of I Was Only Joking, offering a contrast between Stewart’s new‑wave polish and his classic late‑’70s storytelling. The single formed a key part of the Tonight I’m Yours campaign, showcasing Stewart’s adaptability in the changing pop landscape.

🔘 Track List (Common Configurations)

7" Vinyl — RIVA 34

A. Young Turks

B. I Was Only Joking (Live)

12" Vinyl — RIVA 34 (12")

A. Young Turks (Extended Version)

B1. I Was Only Joking (Live)

B2. Young Turks (7" Version)

Written by: Rod Stewart, Carmine Appice, Duane Hitchings, Kevin Savigar

Produced by: Rod Stewart

🔘 Release Details

Label: Riva Records

Formats: 7" Vinyl / 12" Vinyl

Country: UK

Year: 1981

Notes:

- Early‑’80s synth‑pop reinvention for Stewart

- UK B‑side features live I Was Only Joking

- 12" includes extended version

- Issued in picture sleeve

🔘 Variants (Discogs‑Verified)

Variant 1

UK – Riva – RIVA 34 (1981)

Format: 7" Vinyl

Variant 2

UK – Riva – RIVA 34 (12") (1981)

Format: 12" Vinyl

🔘 Chart Data (BBC / Official Charts Company)

Peak Position: UK — No. 11

Weeks on Chart: 9

Chart Run (Official Charts):

13 Dec 1981 — No. 29

20 Dec 1981 — No. 18

27 Dec 1981 — No. 14

03 Jan 1982 — No. 11

10 Jan 1982 — No. 13

17 Jan 1982 — No. 20

24 Jan 1982 — No. 28

31 Jan 1982 — No. 39

07 Feb 1982 — No. 55

🔘 Context & Notes

Recording Notes

Built around a propulsive synth line, electronic drums, and Stewart’s urgent vocal, the track stands as one of his most forward‑looking productions.

Collector Notes

Clean RIVA 34 picture sleeves are increasingly sought after. The 12" extended version is the most collectible variant.

Legacy

A kinetic early‑’80s Rod Stewart classic — modern, melodic, and bursting with restless energy.

🔘 Related Material

Previous Single

Tonight I’m Yours (Don’t Hurt Me) (1981)

Next Single

How Long (1982)

🔘 Discography (Selected, Chronological)

Young Turks — 1981

Tonight I’m Yours — 1981

How Long — 1982

🔘 Mini‑Timeline

Dec. 4, 1981 — UK single released

Jan. 1982 — Peaks at UK No. 11

1981–82 — Key single of the Tonight I’m Yours era

🔘 Glam Flashback

A neon‑lit sprint into the ’80s — Rod Stewart at his most youthful and urgent.

🔘 Sources

Riva Records

Discogs

Official Charts Company

Rod Stewart archival documentation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ41hqlV0Kk