Post by Josh Joel's Top 40 on Dec 28, 2010 14:56:36 GMT -5
Year End 1985 Part One
Here's my take on what happened in 1985. You know, when I was almost a teenager and I got my first stereo I only listened to the top 50 in full because I wrote these things down on paper. I wasn't just going to sit there in my room and listen for 8 non-consecutive hours, I have a family that needed my presence, thank you! You know my sisters and my parents. Anyway here it goes:
100: SUGAR WALLS - SHEENA EASTON - Love this song, no doubt about it! She may not be the "Queen Of Ivory Soul" but I still like her style or styles nonetheless. I think she went a little over the top on her 1988 release "The Lover In Me", as I listened to the LP, I knew that most of the songs that were written and produced by others just weren't her. This song was more successful on the Soul charts hitting #3 than on the Pop charts hitting #9.
99: SENTIMENTAL STREET - NIGHT RANGER - They've had better, this one just isn't for me, so I pumped down the volume.
98: DRESS YOU UP - MADONNA - This time they played the standard familiar LP/single version instead of the remix. This was OK to listen to, but I'd rather listen to it with the additional drumming as arranged by Shep Pettibone it has much more flavour. I never really liked the song back then until I heard the single remix in recent years.
97: ALL SHE WANTS TO DO IS DANCE - DON HENLEY - I mentioned that he performed this on Soul Train along with his follow-up "Not Enough Love In The World". This song obviously touched a wide audience and as for me it was a great song to skate to.
96: PENNY LOVER - LIONEL RICHIE - Smooth ballad, there. To me this sooo 1984, so what is it doing in this year's survey. Stop! I already know, just saying...with a few more.
95: FORTRESS AROUND YOUR HEART - STING - I like the video but not the song, it's a bit ...boring.
94: WHO'S ZOOMIN' WHO - ARETHA FRANKLIN - Chart facts says that it was #1 Dance, but according to R&R Urban chart it was #1 for a week. You know, back in the day it was hard to find R&B records in major retail stores, you had to either order them or find them at an "R&B" mom and pop shop and that's the truth. This record wasn't hard to find, but I have noticed that a lot of songs fell short of reaching #1 on the Billboard Soul charts due to lack of sales versus airplay. Jesse Johnson hit #1 on the airplay R&R Urban chart with all three of his first singles and not a single one of them hit #1 on the Billboard list.
93: PRIVATE DANCER - TINA TURNER - Unfortunately I had turned the volume on low on this one. My dad had the cassette, yes, but the song is just too slow for me. I only can listen to this song so much, you know. When I saw the same person in my city sing this during Karaoke it was rather charming and entertaining, go figure.
92: BORN IN THE U.S.A. - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - This is a'ight, he's got better songs.
91: JUNGLE LOVE - TIME - This song peaked at #20, but it spent a total of 25 weeks on the Hot 100. This song is just brilliant!
90: DO WHAT YOU DO - JERMAINE JACKSON - Brilliant song!
89: FRESH - KOOL & THE GANG - I used to like this and now it's just there. I'd take any other song from them any ol' day.
88: CALIFORNIA GIRLS - DAVID LEE ROTH - Not too bad, I like him better with Van Halen. Oh and his other solo hit from 1985 called "Just A Gigolo".
87: WHAT ABOOUT LOVE - HEART - Loving smash for these women, but I prefer other hits from them in '85.
86: LONELY OL' NIGHT - JOHN COUGAR MELLANKAMP - Eh, not so flattering, he's had better.
85: WHO'S HOLDING DONNA NOE - EL DeBARGE - This song kinda throws me back into Al Jarreau's "After All". Both of these records are one of the best ballads of the eras 1984 - 1986. These songs were produced by the same man Jay Graydon, the Grammy Award winning producer.
84: LAY YOUR HANDS ON ME - THOMPSON TWINS - This was released in the UK in a different mix without the additional production by Nile Rodgers. The guitar solo in that song wasn't present when it hit the UK top 40 in 1984 and it did not have the lively chorus that sounded like a huge choir. They also performed this on Soul Train. On that same episode they performed "King For A Day" with the title unannounced and IDed first place that I'd heard the song.
83: METHOD OF MODERN LOVE - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES - Brilliant and so is the club version.
82: I'M ON FIRE - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Hated it then, like it now.
81: ANGEL - MADONNA - Great song along with the dance version.
80: SOLID - ASHFORD & SIMPSON - Brilliant song from day one.
79: SOME LIKE IT HOT - THE POWER STATION - This is OK, I prefer their other singles.
78: VALOTTE - JULIAN LENNON - No, but...
77: TOO LATE FOR GOODBYES - JULIAN LENNON - yes to this one! This one ranked higher for a reason even if it's by a few points. This song is much better and rather catchy.
76: FREEDOM - WHAM - Giving us that UK Motown sounding retro pop vibe, this song is just brilliant. Sort of reminds me of "Mirror Man" by The Human League, you know.
75: WALKING ON SUNSHINE - KATRINA & THE WAVES - Hey, she went to one of my schools in England called Lakenheath Senior High School which was right on the base, by the way. She graduated way before I did! They'd always talk about her. As for the song, this pretty hot. The other song I really enjoy hearing from them is "Is That It" and it gets frequent play on my IPOD.
74: SUMMER OF '69 - BRYAN ADAMS - I can barely ever complain about this guy's work and this song is no exception, it is tight as heck!
73: I CAN'T HOLD BACK - SURVIVOR - No. Just no.
72: NO MORE LONELY NIGHTS - PAUL McCARTNEY - My mom doesn't care for it, I told you about what she did each time this record came on the radio. But I think it's pretty decent.
71: BE NEAR ME - ABC - I love the"Munich" disco version with the dubs "that's right". However both versions are just as brilliant to jam to.
70: WOULD I LIE TO YOU - EURYTHMICS - I just about despised this record altogether back then, but now I find this song just as brilliant as can be! Annie Lennox is the shhh!
69: MISLED - KOOL & THE GANG - This is fine, but I like much more from them than this.
68: VOICES CARRY - 'TIL TUESDAY - Excellent song.
67: GLORY DAYS - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Another excellent song by the boss!
66: RUN TO YOU - BRYAN ADAMS - Oh, yeah, Bryan Adams again! I'll definitely pump up the volume on this one.
65: ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT - CYNDI LAUPER - This really belongs to 1984, but at the same time it's nice to hear because I love this cut!
64: DON'T LOSE MY NUMBER - PHIL COLLINS - Great song.
63: IN MY HOUSE - MARY JANE GIRLS - Brilliant song!
62: SMOOTH OPERATOR - SADE - This song and their LP "Diamond Life" are classics.
61: AXEL F - HAROLD FALTERMEYER - Break down and break dance! It's phenomenal!
60: HEAD OVER HEELS - TEARS FOR FEARS - Quite a memorable song it is, but I prefer their two monster smashes.
59: BETTER BE GOOD TO ME - TINA TURNER - Hot song!
58: MATERIAL GIRL - MADONNA - Another hot one there!
57: WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER HERO (THEME FROM "THUNDERDOME") - TINA TURNER - Not one of her best, but it's tolerable. "One Of The Living" is the one I prefer from that soundtrack.
56: OBSESSION - ANIMOTION - No. Just no.
55: IF YOU LOVE SOMEBODY SET THEM FREE - STING - Great song especially the Jellybean dance mix. And also, the lyrics are next to being an inspiration for all things in this life.
54: ONE NIGHT ON BANGKOK - MURRAY HEAD - Excellent!
53: THE BOYS OF SUMMER - DON HENLEY - No. Just no.
52: SUDDENLY - BILLY OCEAN - One of his best ballads and you know what I bought the single without even hearing the song first and it obviously was a excellent buy. You see, when you give your audience a couple of great songs you've just given that much confidence on your other songs because of your name. That's freaking business, my friend!
51: RASPBERRY BARET - PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION - No. Just no.
Here's my take on what happened in 1985. You know, when I was almost a teenager and I got my first stereo I only listened to the top 50 in full because I wrote these things down on paper. I wasn't just going to sit there in my room and listen for 8 non-consecutive hours, I have a family that needed my presence, thank you! You know my sisters and my parents. Anyway here it goes:
100: SUGAR WALLS - SHEENA EASTON - Love this song, no doubt about it! She may not be the "Queen Of Ivory Soul" but I still like her style or styles nonetheless. I think she went a little over the top on her 1988 release "The Lover In Me", as I listened to the LP, I knew that most of the songs that were written and produced by others just weren't her. This song was more successful on the Soul charts hitting #3 than on the Pop charts hitting #9.
99: SENTIMENTAL STREET - NIGHT RANGER - They've had better, this one just isn't for me, so I pumped down the volume.
98: DRESS YOU UP - MADONNA - This time they played the standard familiar LP/single version instead of the remix. This was OK to listen to, but I'd rather listen to it with the additional drumming as arranged by Shep Pettibone it has much more flavour. I never really liked the song back then until I heard the single remix in recent years.
97: ALL SHE WANTS TO DO IS DANCE - DON HENLEY - I mentioned that he performed this on Soul Train along with his follow-up "Not Enough Love In The World". This song obviously touched a wide audience and as for me it was a great song to skate to.
96: PENNY LOVER - LIONEL RICHIE - Smooth ballad, there. To me this sooo 1984, so what is it doing in this year's survey. Stop! I already know, just saying...with a few more.
95: FORTRESS AROUND YOUR HEART - STING - I like the video but not the song, it's a bit ...boring.
94: WHO'S ZOOMIN' WHO - ARETHA FRANKLIN - Chart facts says that it was #1 Dance, but according to R&R Urban chart it was #1 for a week. You know, back in the day it was hard to find R&B records in major retail stores, you had to either order them or find them at an "R&B" mom and pop shop and that's the truth. This record wasn't hard to find, but I have noticed that a lot of songs fell short of reaching #1 on the Billboard Soul charts due to lack of sales versus airplay. Jesse Johnson hit #1 on the airplay R&R Urban chart with all three of his first singles and not a single one of them hit #1 on the Billboard list.
93: PRIVATE DANCER - TINA TURNER - Unfortunately I had turned the volume on low on this one. My dad had the cassette, yes, but the song is just too slow for me. I only can listen to this song so much, you know. When I saw the same person in my city sing this during Karaoke it was rather charming and entertaining, go figure.
92: BORN IN THE U.S.A. - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - This is a'ight, he's got better songs.
91: JUNGLE LOVE - TIME - This song peaked at #20, but it spent a total of 25 weeks on the Hot 100. This song is just brilliant!
90: DO WHAT YOU DO - JERMAINE JACKSON - Brilliant song!
89: FRESH - KOOL & THE GANG - I used to like this and now it's just there. I'd take any other song from them any ol' day.
88: CALIFORNIA GIRLS - DAVID LEE ROTH - Not too bad, I like him better with Van Halen. Oh and his other solo hit from 1985 called "Just A Gigolo".
87: WHAT ABOOUT LOVE - HEART - Loving smash for these women, but I prefer other hits from them in '85.
86: LONELY OL' NIGHT - JOHN COUGAR MELLANKAMP - Eh, not so flattering, he's had better.
85: WHO'S HOLDING DONNA NOE - EL DeBARGE - This song kinda throws me back into Al Jarreau's "After All". Both of these records are one of the best ballads of the eras 1984 - 1986. These songs were produced by the same man Jay Graydon, the Grammy Award winning producer.
84: LAY YOUR HANDS ON ME - THOMPSON TWINS - This was released in the UK in a different mix without the additional production by Nile Rodgers. The guitar solo in that song wasn't present when it hit the UK top 40 in 1984 and it did not have the lively chorus that sounded like a huge choir. They also performed this on Soul Train. On that same episode they performed "King For A Day" with the title unannounced and IDed first place that I'd heard the song.
83: METHOD OF MODERN LOVE - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES - Brilliant and so is the club version.
82: I'M ON FIRE - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Hated it then, like it now.
81: ANGEL - MADONNA - Great song along with the dance version.
80: SOLID - ASHFORD & SIMPSON - Brilliant song from day one.
79: SOME LIKE IT HOT - THE POWER STATION - This is OK, I prefer their other singles.
78: VALOTTE - JULIAN LENNON - No, but...
77: TOO LATE FOR GOODBYES - JULIAN LENNON - yes to this one! This one ranked higher for a reason even if it's by a few points. This song is much better and rather catchy.
76: FREEDOM - WHAM - Giving us that UK Motown sounding retro pop vibe, this song is just brilliant. Sort of reminds me of "Mirror Man" by The Human League, you know.
75: WALKING ON SUNSHINE - KATRINA & THE WAVES - Hey, she went to one of my schools in England called Lakenheath Senior High School which was right on the base, by the way. She graduated way before I did! They'd always talk about her. As for the song, this pretty hot. The other song I really enjoy hearing from them is "Is That It" and it gets frequent play on my IPOD.
74: SUMMER OF '69 - BRYAN ADAMS - I can barely ever complain about this guy's work and this song is no exception, it is tight as heck!
73: I CAN'T HOLD BACK - SURVIVOR - No. Just no.
72: NO MORE LONELY NIGHTS - PAUL McCARTNEY - My mom doesn't care for it, I told you about what she did each time this record came on the radio. But I think it's pretty decent.
71: BE NEAR ME - ABC - I love the"Munich" disco version with the dubs "that's right". However both versions are just as brilliant to jam to.
70: WOULD I LIE TO YOU - EURYTHMICS - I just about despised this record altogether back then, but now I find this song just as brilliant as can be! Annie Lennox is the shhh!
69: MISLED - KOOL & THE GANG - This is fine, but I like much more from them than this.
68: VOICES CARRY - 'TIL TUESDAY - Excellent song.
67: GLORY DAYS - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Another excellent song by the boss!
66: RUN TO YOU - BRYAN ADAMS - Oh, yeah, Bryan Adams again! I'll definitely pump up the volume on this one.
65: ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT - CYNDI LAUPER - This really belongs to 1984, but at the same time it's nice to hear because I love this cut!
64: DON'T LOSE MY NUMBER - PHIL COLLINS - Great song.
63: IN MY HOUSE - MARY JANE GIRLS - Brilliant song!
62: SMOOTH OPERATOR - SADE - This song and their LP "Diamond Life" are classics.
61: AXEL F - HAROLD FALTERMEYER - Break down and break dance! It's phenomenal!
60: HEAD OVER HEELS - TEARS FOR FEARS - Quite a memorable song it is, but I prefer their two monster smashes.
59: BETTER BE GOOD TO ME - TINA TURNER - Hot song!
58: MATERIAL GIRL - MADONNA - Another hot one there!
57: WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER HERO (THEME FROM "THUNDERDOME") - TINA TURNER - Not one of her best, but it's tolerable. "One Of The Living" is the one I prefer from that soundtrack.
56: OBSESSION - ANIMOTION - No. Just no.
55: IF YOU LOVE SOMEBODY SET THEM FREE - STING - Great song especially the Jellybean dance mix. And also, the lyrics are next to being an inspiration for all things in this life.
54: ONE NIGHT ON BANGKOK - MURRAY HEAD - Excellent!
53: THE BOYS OF SUMMER - DON HENLEY - No. Just no.
52: SUDDENLY - BILLY OCEAN - One of his best ballads and you know what I bought the single without even hearing the song first and it obviously was a excellent buy. You see, when you give your audience a couple of great songs you've just given that much confidence on your other songs because of your name. That's freaking business, my friend!
51: RASPBERRY BARET - PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION - No. Just no.