70s and 80s #2s That Deserved Better

[chrislc]

Apr 12, 2011 20:47:47 GMT -5 vto66 said:

How about Eddy Grant's "Electric Avenue", which was poised to hit No. 1 in the summer of 1983, just as Irene Cara's "Flashdance" (the then-current No. 1) was fading in popularity. Unfortunately, Grant was leapfrogged by The Police's "Every Breath You Take." I think that guy on VH1 said it best. "Eddy, you were ROBBED!!!" Indeed he was!!

Horrible timing for that song to have charted at just that time, the same time as those two monster hits. It's also a song that held up very very well over almost 30 years. It would probably be a smash today.

[karaokegod]

Working My Way Back To You/Forgive Me Girl kept from #1 by Another Brick In The Wall-Pink Floyd
All Out Of Love-Air Supply kept by above song and Upside Down-Diana Ross
Woman-John Lennon kept from #1 by Keep On Loving You-REO Speedwagon and Rapture-Blondie
We Got The Beat-Go-Gos kept from #1 by I Love Rock N Roll-Joan Jett
Jeopardy-Greg Kihn Band kept from #1 by Beat It-Michael Jackson
99 Luftballons-Nena kept from #1 by Jump-Van Halen
We Don't Need Another Hero-Tina Turner-kept from #1 by St Elmos Fire-John Parr
Party All The Time-Eddie Murphy kept from #1 by Say You Say Me-Lionel Richie
Manic Monday-Bangles kept from #1 by Kiss-Prince
Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)-Glass Tiger kept from #1 by When I Think Of You-Janet Jackson
Everybody Have Fun Tonight-Bangles kept from #1 by Walk Like An Egyptian-Bangles
Don't Dream It's Over-Crowded House kept from #1 by I Knew You Were waiting For Me-aretha Franklin and George Michael
I Want Your Sex-George Michael kept from #1 by I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For-U2
U Got The Look-Prince kept from #1 by Lost In Emotion-Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
I Get Weak-Belinda Carlisle kept from #1 by Never Gonna Give You Up-Rick Astley
Shattered Dreams-Johnny Hates Jazz kept from #1 by Anything For You-Gloria Estefan and One More Try-George Michael
Hands To Heaven-Breathe kept from #1 by Roll With It-Steve Winwood
Simply Irresistible-Robert Palmer kept from #1 by Sweet Child O' Mine-Guns N' Roses
Don't Rush Me-Taylor Dayne kept from #1 by Two Hearts-Phil Collins
Sowing The Seeds Of Love-Tears For Fears kept from #1 by Miss You Much-Janet Jackson

[bestmusicexpert]

It was a 70's song that was re-released in 1992, but Bohemian Rhapsody being held off by Kris Kross still aggrivates me to the day!

[80sfreak]

Most obvious choice would be Waiting for A girl like you which at #2 forever thanks to Physical.

[dukelightning]

Nobody has mentioned how what goes around comes around between Hall & Oates and Jackson & McCartney. At the beginning of 1983, Hall & Oates' "Maneater" was at #1 while Jackson & McCartney's "The Girl is Mine was at #2. Then at the end of that year, the tables were turned as Jackson & McCartney's "Say Say Say" was at #1 while Hall & Oates' "Say It Isn't So" was at #2. I prefer the latter song over the former song in both cases.

[Mike]

Apr 13, 2011 19:41:53 GMT -5 dukelightning said:

Nobody has mentioned how what goes around comes around between Hall & Oates and Jackson & McCartney. At the beginning of 1983, Hall & Oates' "Maneater" was at #1 while Jackson & McCartney's "The Girl is Mine was at #2. Then at the end of that year, the tables were turned as Jackson & McCartney's "Say Say Say" was at #1 while Hall & Oates' "Say It Isn't So" was at #2. I prefer the latter song over the former song in both cases.

That wouldn't have anything to do with the latter songs being kept out of #1, would it?

[dukelightning]

Here is the introduction to this section to explain that for you....

The charts on the following pages are not meant to replace the year-end surveys Billboard has published over the years. Those charts are a matter of record. Rather, these lists are an opportunity to look at the biggest hits of each year from a different perspective. One limitation of the annual charts published in Billboard (and AT40)
is that they are not compiled on a calendar year basis--that is, they do not run from Jan. to Dec. The eligibility period has varied over the years but generally runs from Nov. to Nov.
The charts on the following pages list singles in the year that they peaked. "My Sweet Lord" which went to #1 the week of Dec. 26, 1970 is included in the top 100 songs of 1970. In the official Billboard charts, it was listed in 1971. RECORDS WERE GIVEN CREDIT FOR THEIR ENTIRE CHART LIFE, EVEN IS SOME WEEKS OF THAT CHART LIFE TOOK PLACE IN A DIFFERENT YEAR.

That is why "Separate Lives" was #3 in 1985.

[dukelightning]

Now that I have really screwed up this post I will tell you that what I meant is that I prefer the latter as in late 1983 songs over the former as in early 1983 songs by both duos. LOL just the same.

[chrislc]

Apr 13, 2011 19:01:58 GMT -5 karaokegod said:

Working My Way Back To You/Forgive Me Girl kept from #1 by Another Brick In The Wall-Pink Floyd
All Out Of Love-Air Supply kept by above song and Upside Down-Diana Ross
Woman-John Lennon kept from #1 by Keep On Loving You-REO Speedwagon and Rapture-Blondie
We Got The Beat-Go-Gos kept from #1 by I Love Rock N Roll-Joan Jett
Jeopardy-Greg Kihn Band kept from #1 by Beat It-Michael Jackson
99 Luftballons-Nena kept from #1 by Jump-Van Halen
We Don't Need Another Hero-Tina Turner-kept from #1 by St Elmos Fire-John Parr
Party All The Time-Eddie Murphy kept from #1 by Say You Say Me-Lionel Richie
Manic Monday-Bangles kept from #1 by Kiss-Prince
Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)-Glass Tiger kept from #1 by When I Think Of You-Janet Jackson
Everybody Have Fun Tonight-Bangles kept from #1 by Walk Like An Egyptian-Bangles
Don't Dream It's Over-Crowded House kept from #1 by I Knew You Were waiting For Me-aretha Franklin and George Michael
I Want Your Sex-George Michael kept from #1 by I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For-U2
U Got The Look-Prince kept from #1 by Lost In Emotion-Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
I Get Weak-Belinda Carlisle kept from #1 by Never Gonna Give You Up-Rick Astley
Shattered Dreams-Johnny Hates Jazz kept from #1 by Anything For You-Gloria Estefan and One More Try-George Michael
Hands To Heaven-Breathe kept from #1 by Roll With It-Steve Winwood
Simply Irresistible-Robert Palmer kept from #1 by Sweet Child O' Mine-Guns N' Roses
Don't Rush Me-Taylor Dayne kept from #1 by Two Hearts-Phil Collins
Sowing The Seeds Of Love-Tears For Fears kept from #1 by Miss You Much-Janet Jackson

One you mentioned that really jumps out at me is All Out Of Love. This is purely a matter of opinion, but it really sounds like a #1 song and has held up extremely well over the years. I heard some obviously genuine enthusiasm for this song in Casey's voice during the Flashbacks last fall.

[bestmusicexpert]

***Party All The Time-Eddie Murphy kept from #1 by Say You Say Me-Lionel Richie

Not at ALL a bad thing!

***Everybody Have Fun Tonight-Bangles kept from #1 by Walk Like An Egyptian-Bangles
When did they cover THAT song?! ;-D

[Mike]

Apr 14, 2011 6:01:00 GMT -5 chrislc said:

One you mentioned that really jumps out at me is All Out Of Love. This is purely a matter of opinion, but it really sounds like a #1 song and has held up extremely well over the years. I heard some obviously genuine enthusiasm for this song in Casey's voice during the Flashbacks last fall.

Well, it did reach #1 in R&R for two weeks.

[bobbyglovescasey]

How has this thread gotten this far with no mention of "Baker Street?"

[chrislc]

Apr 13, 2011 19:41:53 GMT -5 dukelightning said:

Nobody has mentioned how what goes around comes around between Hall & Oates and Jackson & McCartney. At the beginning of 1983, Hall & Oates' "Maneater" was at #1 while Jackson & McCartney's "The Girl is Mine was at #2. Then at the end of that year, the tables were turned as Jackson & McCartney's "Say Say Say" was at #1 while Hall & Oates' "Say It Isn't So" was at #2. I prefer the latter song over the former song in both cases.

If I remember correctly, MTV was showing the McCartney video about three times per hour. This was during the Rockwell Vincent Price McCartney Pepsi Hair On Fire winter. Total saturation.