March 22, 1986
My family and I had been in England for over a month after arriving there on my "golden birthday" back in February. After hearing this on Saxon radio in the Ipswich area I became a faithful listener thereafter for the remainder of the year. I have heard every single record that has made the top 40 during 1986 except for two until recent times. One of them happens to be in the countdown and the other is Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty's live cover of "Needles And Pins". Anyway here's my critique.
Blue = songs that crossed over to the R&B charts from the Pop charts.
Droppers:
THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR - DIONNE & FRIENDS - Great song for a great cause originally recorded by Rod Stewart years earlier. Thanks to the late Elizabeth Taylor, this collaboration happened between these friends making it the biggest hit of 1986.
GOODBYE IS FOREVER - ARCADIA - This song was not nearly as hot as "Election Day", but I like this anyway. Simon of Duran Duran's vocals makes it even better.
DAY BY DAY -- HOOTERS - This was their last huge hit (making the top 20) and it still quite enjoyable. They have that distinct rich mandolin flavour that is captivating to my ears.
A LOVE BIZARRE - SHEILA E - I still gotta watch TV One's "Unsung" because naturally this artist is very much unsung. This song hit #1 on the dance and Radio & Record's airplay chart. Now as far as that chart is concerned I think it has to count for something especially for Urban radio back then. The way I see it there really weren't many R&B records available in major record stores especially from small labels. I had to go to a "mom and pop" store to find some of these Urban hits. Thus, it affected chart performance if look at the distinction between the sales and airplay chart on the R&B side.
TARZAN BOY - BALTIMORA - KDWB gave this record a grip of airplay in it's original version when it was released again in 1993. I'm not sure if they reported this to R&R because at that time they just used reported playlists. Anyway I love this song to this very day.
40: OVERJOYED - STEVIE WONDER - I didn't like this song for a quite a while because it was just dead boring to me. However after hearing Mary J Blige's version, I loved hers and then I began to appreciate this original version. He wrote this years prior, the music that is, but then added the lyrics later in time for his " In Square Circle" recording.
39: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY - JANET JACKSON - At the time I had the "shock" of my life. This song actually crossed over to the Pop charts. Weeks before leaving the States I thought that I'd never hear that song again because Janet just didn't have much luck generating success that I believe that she deserved. I didn't even have it on tape on the way to England. Man, I was soooo happy because this was one of my favourite songs. This is one of my favourite Janet records ever.
38: RUSSIANS - STING - Great song especially during the time of the Cold War, we have one more song dealing with such later.
37: YOUR LOVE - THE OUTFIELD - First hit ever for these American sounding British musicians. I didn't like this at the time, but now I just think it's a massive classic American radio classic.
36: STAGES - ZZ TOP - They have that distinct sound in their songs, yet this wasn't as massive most of their records. It's a decent song, but I think it's another one of their "lost" top 40 hits.
35: LIVE IS LOVE - OPUS - They've conquered Europe and Canada with this song, but they failed at their attempt here in the US. Well at least it made the 40. Back then I couldn't wait until this song was finished because I hated it. It had that reggae sound that I couldn't stomach first of all and over in England it such a phenomenon. After growing up, it became one of my favourite 80s songs ever! So there you go - I love this song to freaking death!
34: SO FAR AWAY - DIRE STRAITS - My dad used to tear the cassette of "Brothers In Arms" up especially on family road trips on the British motor ways. Brilliant song and very apropos during that time because we were "so far away" from the States! I was homesick at the time big time, but you know what I made the best of it like momma told me!
33: I THINK IT'S LOVE - JERMAINE JACKSON - Possibly my least favourite Jermaine Jackson song ever and this is way poppy! No soul what so ever! I still think the song is bland either way. But then again a lot of folks said that about the late Whitney Houston on a lot of her songs back then! I even thought that she "lost" it for a minute or two. Well, think again! And as for Jermaine he returned in massive way in 1989 with his monster #1 smash on the R&B charts "Don't Take It Personal". The latter was so huge that it was used as a sample for Monica's remix of her 1994 smash of the same title.
32: I'M NOT THE ONE - THE CARS - One of my least favourite Cars songs ever. It was included on one of their early albums back in 1981, I believe. When they released their GH collection it was remixed and included on the set.
31: HARLEM SHUFFLE - ROLLING STONES - As I mentioned before I love both versions of this song! They both have their own unique flavour. The House Of Pain sampled the original version on their 1992 huge hit "Jump Around".
CLASSIC AT40 EXTRA : I CAN'T WAIT - NU SHOOZ - Made the soul and dance charts first then the pop charts last. Great club classic later sampled by Vanessa Williams in the late 90s on her hit "Happiness".
30: WEST END GIRLS - PET SHOP BOYS - They would make huge leaps within the top 40 for the next couple of weeks! Great classic song!
29: WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING - BILLY OCEAN - When I arrived in the UK, this was #1 there. It also hit #1 on the Pop R&R charts and for that format I do agree that Billboard was reliable for measuring a song's popularity. When I was growing I too sort of frowned upon the R&R charts, because to me it was one of the least "popular" sources reviewing the hottest songs of week. And then it wasn't even available in most newsstands even in Europe if that. By the way I had no idea that Billboard was even available in England until the following year during the summer of 1987. So at the time AT40 was virtually all I had for knowing what was hot in the USA.
28: NIGHT MOVES - MARILYN MARTIN - My family had to leave the house so I missed this part of the countdown and didn't get to hear this song. Gary Byrd, a NY DJ had his own chart show a couple hours later and used the Billboard charts. His show was via satellite on BBC Radio 1 and he skipped this song while counting down the Pop top 40. He would later use R&R as a source which drove me up a wall. As for the song it's your typical 80s pop/rock song and it's a good one.
LDD: THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR - DIONNE WARWICK - See my comment on the "droppers" list.
27: LIFE IN A NORTHERN TOWN - THE DREAM ACADEMY - Catchy song there! At first I thought that this song was as boring as can be. It's one and only "hit" worldwide, really. I won't count their follow-up "Love Parade" because it spent less time on the charts and didn't make it past #36. I still like their follow-up much more than this one - I mean c'mon it's a freaking "love song" and love songs say so much!
26: LIVING IN AMERICA - JAMES BROWN - I wanted this to reach #1 soul but it stopped #10. It hit the Hot 100 on 12/7/85 and the Hot Black Singles chart on 12/28/85. And it performed better on the Pop charts reaching #4, not too bad for the "Godfather of Soul", huh? Brilliant song produced by the late Dan Hartman.
25: I CAN'T WAIT - STEVIE NICKS - Great song and they played as usual the "single version" with the intro "yes I know you" absent on the LP and video version.
24: CALLING AMERICA - ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA - Brilliant song! I mean tried several times to "call America" for the latest charts, but failed until I found a way how a year later. Lol. Anyway..
23: NO EASY WAY OUT - ROBERT TEPPER - Waiter turned singer and songwriter for the label Scotti Brothers records. One of two hits from the movie "Rocky IV". Decent song.
22: ANOTHER NIGHT - ARETHA FRANKLIN - One of my least favourite songs from her 1985 LP and the final pop single from that album. Her final single as a whole was the calypso flavoured "Ain't Nobody Ever Loved You", that song hit the top 10 dance and top 30 soul.
21: SWEETEST TABOO -SADE - Took me two decades to realise that Sade is a band. Either way, this is a brilliant song and it hit #1 on the Urban charts as I predicted back then. However it fell short on the Billboard chart reaching only #3.
CLASSIC AT40 EXTRA : WHY CAN'T THIS BE LOVE - VAN HALEN - Great song and my sister tore this up on her boom box because of me. When I recorded AT40 regular she'd dubbed some of the songs from my tapes on to hers. Great memories.
20: (HOW TO BE A) MILLIONAIRE - ABC - Rick Dees played the dance mix of this a week later on his show. I love this song it makes me wanna ghett on down!
19: TENDER LOVE - FORCR M.D.'S - Yes, they played the single version, the LP version is just too long for me. Nonetheless it's a classic song making it one of two songs included in the flick "Krush Groove" in the countdown.
18: ADDICTED TO LOVE - ROBERT PALMER - This week's biggest mover and you thought it was the Pet Shop Boys, ha! Both songs would capture the pole position. Great song and may he RIP. I still miss him, he was one of the best British blue-eyed soul singers.
17: BEAT'S SO LONELY - CHARLIE SEXTON - It didn't fare well on the R&R charts reaching only #27. He didn't sound like he was 17, but he was. What a great grown up sound that he had and brilliant song! I prefer the LP version because the single version cuts out the 2nd verse.
16: SILENT RUNNING - MIKE & THE MECHANICS - Brilliant song with Paul Carrack singing lead.
15: MANIC MONDAY - BANGLES - Classic pop smash and each time Monday is around the corner I think of this song!
14: SANCTIFY YOURSELF - SIMPLE MINDS - Third top 40 hit for these Scots and it's great song melodically. I'm not sure what this record is about.
13: LET'S GO ALL THE WAY - SLY FOX - This song samples the 1985 top ten R&B hit by the Boggie Boys titled "Fly Girl". On the R&R Urban chart it missed the top ten reaching #13 and it was released on Capitol Records. So yes it was available at most retail stores. Anyway back to this song - it's brilliant classic.
12: HOW WILL I KNOW - WHITNEY HOUSTON - Thankfully this was remixed for single release and Arista typically does that for many of their acts on the roster. The original LP version that she performed during the summer of 1985 sounds bland. I wasn't impressed at all when I first heard it there. Another massive classic record.
11: THIS COULD BE THE NIGHT - LOVERBOY - One of my favourite songs from them. The lead singer had to convince the band and label to record this song. I love their ballads especially "Heaven In Your Eyes", which missed the 10 sadly.
CLASSIC AT40 EXTRA : TAKE ME HOME - PHIL COLLINS - Great song later sampled by Bone Thugs N Harmony on their 2003 song "Home".
10: KISS - PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION - The Minneapolis act Mazarati known for their top 20 soul hit "100 MPH" during the same year recorded this originally but Prince took it back. He however did keep the background vocals. Decent song - but not really my cup of tea. I know a lot of people are going to knock me for saying this but who gives a rats tail! I prefer the Art Of Noise version with Tom Jones singing the vocals.
9: WHAT YOU NEED - INXS - I've loved this song from day one and this time they played the full version that includes the guitar intro. Y'know even Sirius XM 80s on 8 plays the "DJ edited" version which is still tough to find.
8: KING FOR A DAY - THOMPSON TWINS - Heard this first on Soul Train but it failed to cross over to the soul charts. Brilliant song.
7: NIKITA - ELTON JOHN - This record was massive in Europe and it dealt with the Cold War. I didn't care for it then - but now I really do. Great song.
LDD: CAT'S IN THE CRADLE - HARRY CHAPIN - Great song there - I prefer this version over Ugly Kid Joe's from 1993.
6: KYRIE - Mr. MISTER - Good song, but I prefer their other top ten songs especially the lower peaking song "Is It Love".
5: R.O.C.K. IN THE U.S.A. - JOHN COUGAR MELLANCAMP - Brilliant song covering some of historic rock n roll moments.
4: ROCK ME AMADEUS - FALCO - I prefer the German rap version of this song. Altogether this is a great song!
3: SECRET LOVERS - ATLANTIC STARR - This charted better on the pop charts than it did soul where it peaked at #4. OK, only one notch higher, but still. I expected better on the soul charts from day one to reach #1. As soon a black radio got a copy of this song from using the LP "As The Band Turns" from way back in the Spring of 1985, they were on this mutha like white on rice! This was one of the major reasons I had purchased that cassette when I did the summer of '85.
CLASSIC AT40 EXTRA : IF YOU LEAVE - OMD - Great song from a great John Hughes flick "Pretty In Pink" starring Molly Ringwald.
2: SARA - STARSHIP - Classic love song there. Love it! Sadly it missed the top in Rick Dees Top 40 and he makes note of it. It peaked at #2. So, yeah, I definitely understand why R&R may not have been the best source for gratifying a song's popularity.
1: THESE DREAMS - HEART - Another great classic softie there written by Martin Page (of Q-Feel "Dancing In Heaven") and Bernie Taupin (primary collaborator of Elton John's). This song would take two years to finally reach the UK top ten due to it's re-issue in 1988. After that hit they also re-issued "What About Love" and even the lyrics were printed in the UK mag called "Smash Hits".