American Top 40: The 80s - August 29, 2015
This week's presentation - August 29, 1981
DROPPERS:
ROCK AND ROLL DREAMS COME THROUGH - JIM STEINMAN (40) - Steinman was the producer of songs for other artists, but this was one that he kept for himself. It was a good one, though I preferred many of the songs that he produced, especially the ones from 1983 for artists like Air Supply, Bonnie Tyler, and Barry Manilow. I also liked a few of the songs that he produced for Meat Loaf.
DOUBLE DUTCH BUS WRECK - FRANKIE SMITH (39) - Good riddance. That is all.
BETTE DAVIS EYES (38) - Of course, we all know that this song became the biggest hit for all of 1981, by a thin margin over this week's #1 song.
TIME - ALAN PARSONS PROJECT (37) - Wow, here's something that doesn't happen often; the bottom four songs from last week's chart all drop off. This song was one of my favorite songs from the project, although it used to make me cry.
THE ONE THAT YOU LOVE - AIR SUPPLY (33) - This was the lowest ranked #1 song on the year-ender, coming in at #32. The rest of the songs were #24 or higher. This was one of my favorite songs from them.
TOUCH ME WHEN WE'RE DANCING - THE CARPENTERS (16) - This was their comeback hit, although it was indeed a short-lived comeback, but Karen Carpenter's health was beginning to deteriorate, due to her battle with anorexia. As for the song, I forget how it goes, but I seem to recall that I liked it.
LW#2: GREATEST AMERICAN HERO THEME (BELIEVE IT OR NOT) - JOEY SCARBURY
LW#1: ENDLESS LOVE - DIANA ROSS & LIONEL RICHIE
40: NICOLE - POINT BLANK (debut) - This was this Texas band's only Top 40 hit. While it only charted in the lower reaches of the AT40 chart, it got significant airplay on Chicago's WLS back in the fall of 1981, so I remember it quite well. A great song!
39: YOU COULD TAKE MY HEART AWAY - SILVER CONDOR (debut) - Another one-hit wonder, and this song was quite underrated IMO, as it was a great one, yet, like "Nicole", didn't even touch the Top 30.
38: THE STROKE - BILLY SQUIER (17) - His first of two Top 40 hits in 1981 - and I think we all know that it was by far my least favorite. "In The Dark", which would chart a few weeks later, was definitely my favorite of his 1981 hits, as well as one of my favorites of Squier.
37: IN THE AIR TONIGHT - PHIL COLLINS (19) - Two songs in a row taking large drops. And Phil Collins also had two Top 40 hits in 1981, and this was my least favorite. But I prefer it over "The Stroke". This is one of Phil's songs that still gets quite a lot of recurrent airplay.
36: DRAW OF THE CARDS - KIM CARNES (debut) - As "Bette Davis Eyes" steps off the chart, Carnes returns with the follow-up. While it's a pretty good song, IMO, it doesn't hold a candle to what became the top song of 1981.
35: START ME UP - THE ROLLING STONES (debut) - This was the Stones' biggest hit of the 1980s. It's not bad, but quite overplayed. I prefer many others from them.
34: IN YOUR LETTER - REO SPEEDWAGON (debut) - The fourth and final single from the biggest album of 1981, Hi Infidelity. I like this song and the first two singles from the album about the same - all of them are great songs!
33: BREAKING AWAY - BALANCE (36) - The first of two songs with this title to hit the Hot 100 in 1981 (although the second one, by Al Jarreau was called "Breakin' Away". Balance decides to be grammatically correct with a song that sounds a lot like "Tired Of Toein' The Line" by Rocky Burnette.
32: EVERLASTING LOVE - REX SMITH & RACHEL SWEET (32) - Going into this song, Casey answered a question letter about versions of the same song charting in the 60s, 70s and 80s. This one fit the criteria - one of five such songs, and, to my best of knowledge, it was the only of them to go on to have a version hit the Top 40 in the 90s as well, when Gloria Estefan hit the Top 40 with her version. This one was a great cover - sounded a lot like Carl Carlton's version from seven years before.
ARCHIVES: WINDY - THE ASSOCIATION - The second of two #1 songs from this LA band. This was my favorite of the two. I seem to remember a segment on Sesame Street with this song playing with several muppets blowing around.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: CHLOE - ELTON JOHN - One of his lesser known hits, which makes it sort of an odd choice for an extra. It was a good song, but I prefer many others from him, including some of his songs with people's names in the title that Larry read off.
31: ARTHUR'S THEME (BEST THAT YOU CAN DO) - CHRISTOPHER CROSS (debut) - The theme from the hilarious Dudley Moore movie Arthur. It was a great song - definitely my favorite song from Christopher Cross, as well as one of my favorite songs of the entire decade!
30: I COULD NEVER MISS YOU - LULU (34) - The comeback hit for this Glasgow native who had several chart hits in the late-60s and early-70s, including the #1 "To Sir With Love". This song, which was obviously inspired by "The Immigrant" by Neil Sedaka, was her second biggest behind that song, peaking at #18.
29: FOR YOUR EYES ONLY - SHEENA EASTON (35) - For the second week in a row, two Glasgow lasses are back-to-back on the countdown. This was definitely my favorite of Easton's 1981 songs, as well as one of her all-time best, IMO.
28: LOVE ON A TWO WAY STREET - STACY LATTISAW (29) - Her second hit, which was a ballad, like her first one. This one, however, wasn't quite as much of a snoozefest as that debut song. I prefer this one.
27: YOU'RE MY GIRL - FRANKIE & THE KNOCKOUTS (27) - They had three Top 40 hits and, though this was my least favorite of them, I still thought it was a great one!
26: DON'T GIVE IT UP - ROBBIE PATTON (26) - Apparently he was an unofficial member of Fleetwood Mac on their concert tour in 1979. As for this song, it was a great one and quite underrated!
25: THE VOICE - THE MOODY BLUES (31) - They were more famous for their 60s and 70s hits, but I myself generally preferred their 80s hits, including this one, one of my favorites from them!
24: THE BEACH BOYS MEDLEY - THE BEACH BOYS (30) - They decided to go the way of Stars On 45 and put together a medley of eight of their most well-known hits. It was a good one - I liked all of the songs they put together.
LDD: YOU DECORATED MY LIFE - KENNY ROGERS - This song fit the dedication to a T. I do, however, prefer many other songs from Kenny.
23: THAT OLD SONG - RAY PARKER, JR. & RAYDIO (25) - Their final hit before Parker went solo. This was a good song, but definitely not their best.
22: FEELS SO RIGHT - ALABAMA (24) - They were mainly a country group, but they did have a few pop crossover hits. This was their first of four such songs. It was OK, but possibly my least favorite song that hit the Pop chart.
ARCHIVES: LIGHT MY FIRE - THE DOORS - A classic rock staple here! As usual, they played the single version, in which the instrumental bridge was heavily edited down. That's OK; that part can get a little monotonous after awhile.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: THE NIGHT OWLS - LITTLE RIVER BAND - Their biggest hit during the 80s, as Larry pointed out in the intro. It was a good song; one I remember quite well. I did prefer the two follow-ups, however.
21: HOLD ON TIGHT - ELO (28) - As we all know, I preferred their 70s hits. Their musical quality took a nosedive in the 80s, IMO.
20: IT'S NOW OR NEVER - JOHN SCHNEIDER (14) - Of course, everyone knows that this song, originally sung by Elvis, was based on the melody of "O Sole Mio". I fell asleep at this point in the show, but I seem to remember that I preferred this version over the original.
19: FIRE AND ICE - PAT BENATAR (24) - Her second of three Top 40 hits in 1981. It was a good one, though I preferred "Treat Me Right".
18: REALLY WANNA KNOW YOU - GARY WRIGHT (21) - This was Gary's obscure third hit. Of course, since it wasn't overplayed, that might be why it's my favorite song from him (though "Love Is Alive" would be a close second).
17: THE BREAKUP SONG - THE GREG KINH BAND (20) - Here's one that I remember from back in the day! WLS played this one very regularly. I like it, but preferred their biggest hit ever, the top five hit "Jeopardy" from about a year and a half later.
16: STEP BY STEP - EDDIE RABBITT (23) - 1981 was definitely his best year on the Pop charts, as he had two Top Five hits, including a #1 hit, "I Love A Rainy Night" from earlier in the year. While I prefer that song, I really like this one as well.
15: COOL LOVE - PABLO CRUISE (18) - This is my favorite song from them - their only #1 on my Personal Top 30 chart.
14: ELVIRA - THE OAK RIDGE GEEZERS (13) - No. Just no.
13: HEARTS - MARTY BALIN (12) - This must be a soft spot in the chart, with two descending songs dropping only a single spot. This was definitely my favorite solo hit from Balin; as usual, they edited out the second verse.
12: BOY FROM NEW YORK CITY - MANHATTAN TRANSFER (7) - This was by far their biggest Pop hit. I liked it, but preferred a few others from them, including several songs that didn't quite hit the Top 40 (such as "Mystery" and "Choo Choo Ch-Boogie".
11: I DON'T NEED YOU - KENNY ROGERS (3) - Here's another country act that had a great year in 1981! He had a handful of big hits, including the third biggest hit of the year (even though that was more of a 1980 hit, but due to their weird time frame, that song was deferred to 1981's year-ender). This was his other Top Ten song from the year. I guess you could call it a guilty pleasure, as many people I know hate this song, but I think it's a great one!
ARCHIVES: ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE - THE BEATLES - Of course, they had a ton of #1 hits in the 60s and early 70s. Though this song was pretty good, I still prefer many others from them.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: WHEN SHE WAS MY GIRL - THE FOUR TOPS - This song showed that they still had it in the 1980s! This one just barely missed the Top Ten. A great song - one of their best!
10: WHO'S CRYING NOW - JOURNEY (11) - Oddly enough, though they had three #1 songs on the R&R chart, they had none on the Hot 100, showing that more people bought their albums than their singles, which, of course, is good news. This song was good; had a great Santana-like guitar solo at the end by Neil Schon.
9: LADY YOU BRING ME UP - THE COMMODORES (10) - One of three songs on this week's chart that Lionel Richie is involved with. Possibly my favorite of the three.
8: URGENT - FOREIGNER (15) - This song was from the album "4" and that is exactly where this song peaked - and guess how many weeks it spent there!
7: NO GETTING' OVER ME - RONNIE MILSAP (9) - Wow, this was definitely 1981, with many country crossovers. Oddly enough, this was his only Top Ten pop hit. It was a good one - the beginning of this song and that of his 1982 hit "Any Day Now" sound very similar.
6: QUEEN OF HEARTS - JUICE NEWTON (8) - Although, as I've said many times, I preferred her 1982 songs, this is also a great one.
LDD: LIVING IN A FANTASY - LEO SAYER - I wasn't paying full attention to the LDD, but I seem to remember that this was a fitting song.
5: JESSIE'S GIRL - RICK SPRINGFIELD (5) - Possibly THE song from 1981 that receives the most recurrent airplay (but "Bette Davis Eyes" would be giving it a run for its money). Despite the overplay, it has held up quite well!
4: STOP DRAGGIN' MY HEART AROUND - STEVIE NICKS WITH TOM PETTY (6) - This song was en route to a six-week peak at #3, which would be the longest stay at that position for twelve more years. It was a good song, but I preferred other songs by both artists.
3: GREATEST AMERICAN HERO THEME (BELIEVE IT OR NOT) - JOEY SCARBURY (2) - One of the most successful TV show themes of all-time and deservedly so, as it's one of my favorites!
OPTIONAL EXTRA: PRIVATE EYES - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES - Their second of two #1 songs during 1981 - both sounding similar to each other. Despite that, I preferred "Kiss On My List" over this one by a fairly wide margin.
2: SLOW HAND - THE POINTER SISTERS (4) - This song was on its way down the R&R chart, after a pair of weeks at #1 earlier in the month. This was definitely one of my favorite songs from them!
1: ENDLESS LOVE - DIANA ROSS & LIONEL RICHIE (1) - Earlier in the show, Casey mentioned that "Bette Davis Eyes" was so far the biggest hit of the decade. Little did he know that this song would join that song, as both songs spent nine weeks at #1 and would be in a horse race for the top spot of the entire year. Of course, we all know which song won out. Anyway, I used to dislike this song, but now I think it's a good one, though I wouldn't want to hear it all the time.
Predictions for next week: We got a curveball for next week, as they are featuring the September 7, 1985 show, meaning that we won't get the Dead Dog Dedication show for its 30th anniversary. Unless they choose that show as a "B" show, which would most likely be in three more weeks, since they don't generally run the same year twice in a row, even between "A" and "B" shows. Anyway, there is a "B" show next week as well - the September 13, 1980 show. And, in honor of Labor Day weekend, there is a bonus special show - the Top 40 Acts of the 80s So Far, which was broadcast on Independence Day weekend, 1983.