Post by briguy52748 on Oct 4, 2012 9:35:18 GMT -5
Here's kind of a working list of No. 1 songs I've not heard very often at oldies/classic hits radio station, songs topping the Hot 100 from 1970-1991. This is NOT to say these songs have never been played – some indeed have gotten one or two spins – but rarely get played, perhaps due to content or because the performer's other better-known hits get the airplay:
1970
* "Everything is Beautiful" – Ray Stevens. Just not heard that much anymore.
* "The Love You Save" – The Jackson 5. Although this did get a little bitta airplay on the former KUUL-FM of Davenport, Iowa, during the station's classic hits phase.
1971
* "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" – The Bee Gees. Probably even moreso than "Love You Inside Out" or even, I might add, "Too Much Heaven" and "Tragedy" ... although in the last days of KUUL this did get a little bitta airplay. Their disco material from Saturday Night Fever overwhelms this, one of their best ballads.
* "Family Affair" – Sly and the Family Stone. In deference prolly to "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)."
1972
* "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" – Roberta Flack. Although this was played once a couple of weeks ago on KMXG ... most of Roberta's songs don't seem to get a lot of oldies/classic hits airplay.
* "The Candy Man" – Sammy Davis Jr. with the Mike Curb Congregation. Probably because Sammy isn't thought of as a rock artist per se.
* "Alone Again, Naturally" – Gilbert O'Sullivan. At least lately, due to the subject matter (a contemplated suicide) ... although during the 1990s this was in regular rotation at KUUL.
* "Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me" – Mac Davis. I've heard this played once at KUUL ... and it was when I requested it.
* "Ben" – Michael Jackson. When oldies/classic hits fans think of Jacko, they're going to go to his albums from Off The Wall, Thriller or Bad – not a schmaltzy ballad sung by an in-puberty Michael Jackson.
1973
* "Killing Me Softly With His Song" – Roberta Flack. See above.
* "The Morning After" – Maureen McGovern. More an adult standard than a true classic hit. Too bad, it's a good song.
* "The Most Beautiful Girl" – Charlie Rich. A country crossover and one of his very best ... but I just have never heard it on a classic hits station, and it could be indeed due to its country roots.
1974
* "The Way We Were" – Barbra Streisand. Not heard a lot anymore ... probably because she's perceived as adult standards.
* "Sunshine on My Shoulders" – John Denver. See his "good friend" Charlie Rich for main reason why. Also perceived as an adult standard and not a rock hit.
* "TSOP" – MFSB f. the Three Degrees. An early disco No. 1 (depending on your definition of disco), but just not heard that much in regular rotation.
* "The Streak" – Ray Stevens. A novelty song about a short-lived fad. A fun look back, but too many appear not to be in a nostalgic mood when they listen to classic hits radio. That, and Ray's probably not going to get much of a look due to his recent Tea Party-tinged songs (particularly those who think of his songs as anti-Obama).
* "Annie's Song" – John Denver. Ditto "Sunshine ..."
* "Feel Like Making Love" – Roberta Flack. See Roberta entry above.
* "You're Having My Baby" – Paul Anka and Odia Coates. Probably due to the subject matter and Paul being thought of as a nostalgic artist of the 1950s and early 1960s ... no one remembers his 1970s comeback. Even "She's a Lady," which he wrote and Tom Jones made a huge hit in 1971, gets far more airplay.
* "I Honestly Love You" – Olivia Newton John. You're going to hear more of Liv's songs from the late 1970s/early 1980s ... and that's a shame because this was one of her best ballads.
* "You Haven't Done Nothin'" – Stevie Wonder. Honestly, I've not heard a lot of this song ... it's always "Superstition" or "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" or "I Wish" or "Sir Duke" or "I Just Called to Say I Love You" or "Part-Time Lover" you're apt to hear ... not this rant against Richard Nixon. And maybe that's why ... programmers still see it as little more than a rant against someone he just didn't like.
1975
* "Please Mr. Postman" – The Carpenters. Overall, not much of their music gets played on oldies/classic hits stations, and this is probably the one that gets the least airplay.
* "Have You Never Been Mellow" – Olivia Newton-John. Again, her two earlier hits – "Let Me Be There" and "If You Love Me Let Me Know" – and her later hits, starting with the songs from Grease – get played, and her 1974-1975 songs (add "Please Mr. Please" to this stack) are more or less not so much forgotten as they are ignored.
* "Hey, Won't You Play Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" – B.J. Thomas. Just not a lot of airplay anymore, and again I'm beating my head as to why since it's a good song.
* "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" – Freddy Fender. Thought of as a country-only oldie, and they ignore Fender's beautiful, fluttering tenor.
* "I'm Sorry" – John Denver. See John Denver entry above. If there is a song that is played by Mr. Denver, it's probably going to be "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" (which was not on my "obscure No. 1 list").
* "Fly, Robin, Fly" – SIlver Connection. This'n got a spurt of airplay a few years ago on the old KUUL, but then I never heard it again. Rarely if ever heard it before. When they think of disco, they'll think of Donna Summer or the Bee Gees.
1976
* "Convoy" – C.W. McCall. A product of its time ... and perceived as "country" only.
* "Theme from 'S.W.A.T'" – Rhythm Heritage. Connected to a TV show that not everyone remembers. They all remember "Happy Days" or "Welcome Back, Kotter" instead.
* "Disco Lady" – Johnnie Taylor. Just doesn't get the kind of airplay it deserves, and is more or less a forgotten gem. (And despite what the experts say, I say it IS a disco song.)
* "Disco Duck" – Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots. When they think of disco, there's always that list of "bad" disco, and this is high on many's lists. More of a novelty and the type of song you want to forget.
1977
* "Torn Between Two Lovers" – Mary MacGregor. Just not heard that much anymore ... too soft-rockish. (Yes, it was a country crossover, peaking at No. 3 on the Hot Country Singles chart, also in early 1977.)
* "Evergreen (Theme from 'A Star is Born')" – Barbra Streisand. See her entry above.
* "Da Doo Ron Run" – Shaun Cassidy. What does everyone do at a classic hits station when they hear Shaun? "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! THE RUSSIANS HAVE ATTACKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" (air raid sound effects, radio announcer losing his composure as he's describing the approaching air missles a la the climax of the "A Little Peace and Quiet" episode of the 1985 "Twilight Zone"). What do on-air disc jockeys do at these stations when you mention Shaun Cassidy? They laugh in your face and scoff at your choice of a request. Ha! d**n right I have Shaun Cassidy ... and (growing in sarcastic anger) I've got some Ocean Front Property in Arizona I'd love to sell you, Rain Man! (Click, and the caller ID records your number so that if you call back again to make another lame-brained request, you can't get through.)
1978
* "Too Much Too Little Too Late" – Johnny Mathis and Denice Williams. Honestly, until I heard this song on one of Steve Goddard's programs, I never heard this song. I guess it might be because it's too adult standard-ish, particularly with Johnny Mathis.
* "You Needed Me" – Anne Murray. A shame, but I just don't hear a whole lot of Anne Murray ... not even "Snowbird." Perceived as country or adult standards.
* "MacArthur Park" – Donna Summer. The "lost" song of all her great disco hits.
* "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" – Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond. See above for Barbra ... with Neil, you're going to hear "Cracklin' Rose" or "Sweet Caroline" or even "Song Sung Blue" instead.
1979
* "Too Much Heaven," "Tragedy" and "Love You Inside Out" – The Bee Gees. For shame that the brothers Gibb are thought of solely and merely as the geniuses behind their material from Saturday Night Fever ... and may Ken Ober rot in Hell for constantly making fun of them on the game show "Remote Control." (Sample question asked about Andy Gibb: "I died in 1988 of a heart attack at age 30 ... but my brothers' careers died years earlier." Even though the Bee Gees still recorded and had some concert success, and lots of songwriting success ... so the question more or less mocked the Bee Gees for "bad music" more than it was meant to be accurate.) In any event, their songs from Saturday Night Fever overwhelm the success of their other songs ... even "Jive Talkin'" (which is not obscure).
* "Knock on Wood" – Amii Stewart. Think of disco, think of Donna, Barry, Robin and Maurice. Not Amii.
* "Ring My Bell" – Anita Ward. Think of disco, think of Donna, Barry, Robin and Maurice. Not Anita.
* "Sad Eyes" – Robert John. Think of 1979, think of disco, think of Donna, Barry, Robin and Maurice. Not soft rock. Think of Robert John, think of his remake of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," not "Sad Eyes." Sad.
* "Rise" – Herb Alpert. Think of disco (and this qualifies IMO as disco), think of Donna, Barry ... yeah, you know the rest. Not – audience – Herb Alpert. And think of Herb, you think of his brassy orchestra hits of the mid-1960s that would get you laughed at by the classic hits DJ before a scornful earful of telephone slam and a rambling lecture about what constitutes a kosher request the next time he returns to the air.
* "No More Tears (Enough is Enough)" – Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer. See Barbra entry for explanation. Even the top female vocalist of 1979 wasn't enough to make this anything but "forgotten," sorry to say ... and Barbra was trying to be chic with her disco-sounding songs.
1980
* "Do That To Me One More Time" – Captain and Tennille. And this was their longest-running chart song, at nearly six months! Way overshadowed by their other great one, "Love Will Keep Us Together" from five years earlier – that's the one people think of when they think of Toni Tennille and Darryl Dragon. All their other ones, including this one, are forgotten.
* "Lady" – Kenny Rogers. Not so much forgotten as it is ignored ... thanks to Kenny's adult standards and country success.
1981
* "Stars on 45 Medley" – Stars on 45. Probably agree with most everyone. 1981 was a strange year, but had some of the biggest hits ever in pop music ... and they're going to think of "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes, "Endless Love" by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross and "Physical" by Olivia Newton-John first, all spending nine or 10 weeks at No. 1 each. And then you also have Rick Springfield's "Jessie's Girl," which gets even more airplay and is remembered even more, despite just two weeks at No. 1. The "Stars on 45" – infectious as it was – got lost in the shuffle, as did ...
* "The One That You Love" – Air Supply.
1982
* "Chariots of Fire" – Vangelis.
* "Ebony and Ivory" – Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. Wow – seven weeks at No. 1, and I rarely hear this'n. You'll hear Stevie's other No. 1 hits before this one (see "You Haven't Done Nothin'") and for Paul, it'll be his Beatles or Wings hits first.
* "Truly" – Lionel Richie. Everyone remembers "Endless Love" or "All Night Long (All Night)" instead. And even "Hello" and "Say You, Say Me" get played a lot.
1983
* "Baby, Come to Me" – Patti Austin and James Ingram. Of all the No. 1 hits of 1983, this really is the only one that doesn't get played a whole lot. Even the song I'd rank in second place – "Islands in the Stream" by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton – is far more memorable.
1984
* Really, all of this year's songs are fairly or pretty or very memorable.
1985
* "We Are the World" – U.S.A. For Africa. More or less, a song that served its purpose, then got put away in the dusty disk-file, never to be played again.
* "Separate Lives" – Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin. Phil's more uptempo songs get played instead, not this ballad.
1986
* "That's What Friends Are For" – Dionne Warwick and Friends. A song recorded by a singer perceived as an AC/adult standards artist, and one that is sometimes thought of as a "worst of the 1980s" ... and not even Stevie Wonder or Elton John or Gladys Knight – all who have bunches of hits on the radio – can get this gem played.
* "True Colors" – Cyndi Lauper. They play the Phil Collins version instead, and many programmers must not think of Captain Lou's princess as a balladeer ... they think of her as telling us that "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun."
* "Next Time I Fall" – Amy Grant and Peter Cetera. Post-Chicago Peter doesn't get played much, but even "Glory of Love" is more memorable. And most who do know Amy Grant think of her as either a Christian artist or Vince GIll's wife.
1987
* "Always" – Atlantic Starr. Probably the most adult contemporary/adult standards-ish song of the year, and really the only one from '87 I've not heard a lot on classic hits radio.
1988
* "Could've Been" – Tiffany. Her previous hit – "I Think We're Alone Now" – is way more memorable and believe it or not gets some classic hits/oldies airplay. This one, showing her balladeer side, just doesn't.
* "Seasons Change" – Expose. Same with most of Expose's songs ... I don't hear them a lot on the radio anymore.
* "Love Bites" – Def Leppard. Most of their songs aren't played on classic hits/oldies stations, as they're too hard rock, and I don't think they were quite seen as balladeers, even power balladeers. Joe Elliott screaming the lyrics to even a softer song doesn't seem to jive with most listeners of the classic hits genre.
* "Baby I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley (Free Baby)" – Will to Power. I think most people think of those two songs separately, as by Peter Frampton and Lynyrd Skynyrd, not this softer, dance-friendly song. A good song, though, but just not heard that much.
1989
* "Forever Your Girl" – Paula Abdul. I think fans think of her more for her uptempo, dance-ish songs (i.e., "Straight Up" and even "Cold-Hearted"), and this was a bit softer and more radio friendly than memorable.
* "Rock On" – Michael Damian. Classic hits and oldies stations defer to David Essex instead.
* "Wind Beneath My Wings" – Bette Midler. Let me say that again – BETTE MIDLER. (Cue the sound of the classic hits and oldies DJ laughing his ass off before regaining his composure, giving a sarcastic compliment to this song and hanging up. Then, after the currently-being-played song ends, he breaks in and lectures us about acceptable requests and that anyone caught trying to request Bette Midler will be found, taken out back of the station and pelted with rotten tomatoes before being made to eat one.)
* "Batdance" – Prince. More a compilation of outtakes from the 1989 film Batman than an honest-to-God song.
1990
* "I'll Be Your Everything" – Tommy Page. Just not played a lot anymore.
* "Nothing Compares 2 U" – Sinead O'Connor. And this was one of the year's biggest hits. I think everyone forgot about her after her controversial comments about the Pope ... and to think that was looking the other way compared to the outrage over other controversial religious-related comments. I'll stop there, except to say Sinead's remarks basically ended her career.
* "If Wishes Came True" – Sweet Sensation. Much like a different soul/R&B band of the mid 1970s of the same name (remember the 1975 hit "Sad Sweet Dreamer"?), they're largely a one-hit wonder and have been forgotten.
* "Black Cat" – Janet Jackson. Her earlier songs get the airplay, as this might be too techno-pop for most oldies/classic hits tastes. Me, I heard it and was somewhat reminded of Prince's "Batdance."
1991
While most stations won't touch the rap No. 1 hits that began peaking this year ... here's the one non-rap song (i.e., mainstream pop/rock/etc. song) that I can think of that isn't played much anymore:
* "One More Try" – Timmy T. I do think they play this at KIYX-FM ("Super Hits 106") in Dubuque, Iowa ... but this is one I've rarely heard, and never on an oldies/classic hits station.
Really, that's my list.
Brian
1970
* "Everything is Beautiful" – Ray Stevens. Just not heard that much anymore.
* "The Love You Save" – The Jackson 5. Although this did get a little bitta airplay on the former KUUL-FM of Davenport, Iowa, during the station's classic hits phase.
1971
* "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" – The Bee Gees. Probably even moreso than "Love You Inside Out" or even, I might add, "Too Much Heaven" and "Tragedy" ... although in the last days of KUUL this did get a little bitta airplay. Their disco material from Saturday Night Fever overwhelms this, one of their best ballads.
* "Family Affair" – Sly and the Family Stone. In deference prolly to "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)."
1972
* "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" – Roberta Flack. Although this was played once a couple of weeks ago on KMXG ... most of Roberta's songs don't seem to get a lot of oldies/classic hits airplay.
* "The Candy Man" – Sammy Davis Jr. with the Mike Curb Congregation. Probably because Sammy isn't thought of as a rock artist per se.
* "Alone Again, Naturally" – Gilbert O'Sullivan. At least lately, due to the subject matter (a contemplated suicide) ... although during the 1990s this was in regular rotation at KUUL.
* "Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me" – Mac Davis. I've heard this played once at KUUL ... and it was when I requested it.
* "Ben" – Michael Jackson. When oldies/classic hits fans think of Jacko, they're going to go to his albums from Off The Wall, Thriller or Bad – not a schmaltzy ballad sung by an in-puberty Michael Jackson.
1973
* "Killing Me Softly With His Song" – Roberta Flack. See above.
* "The Morning After" – Maureen McGovern. More an adult standard than a true classic hit. Too bad, it's a good song.
* "The Most Beautiful Girl" – Charlie Rich. A country crossover and one of his very best ... but I just have never heard it on a classic hits station, and it could be indeed due to its country roots.
1974
* "The Way We Were" – Barbra Streisand. Not heard a lot anymore ... probably because she's perceived as adult standards.
* "Sunshine on My Shoulders" – John Denver. See his "good friend" Charlie Rich for main reason why. Also perceived as an adult standard and not a rock hit.
* "TSOP" – MFSB f. the Three Degrees. An early disco No. 1 (depending on your definition of disco), but just not heard that much in regular rotation.
* "The Streak" – Ray Stevens. A novelty song about a short-lived fad. A fun look back, but too many appear not to be in a nostalgic mood when they listen to classic hits radio. That, and Ray's probably not going to get much of a look due to his recent Tea Party-tinged songs (particularly those who think of his songs as anti-Obama).
* "Annie's Song" – John Denver. Ditto "Sunshine ..."
* "Feel Like Making Love" – Roberta Flack. See Roberta entry above.
* "You're Having My Baby" – Paul Anka and Odia Coates. Probably due to the subject matter and Paul being thought of as a nostalgic artist of the 1950s and early 1960s ... no one remembers his 1970s comeback. Even "She's a Lady," which he wrote and Tom Jones made a huge hit in 1971, gets far more airplay.
* "I Honestly Love You" – Olivia Newton John. You're going to hear more of Liv's songs from the late 1970s/early 1980s ... and that's a shame because this was one of her best ballads.
* "You Haven't Done Nothin'" – Stevie Wonder. Honestly, I've not heard a lot of this song ... it's always "Superstition" or "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" or "I Wish" or "Sir Duke" or "I Just Called to Say I Love You" or "Part-Time Lover" you're apt to hear ... not this rant against Richard Nixon. And maybe that's why ... programmers still see it as little more than a rant against someone he just didn't like.
1975
* "Please Mr. Postman" – The Carpenters. Overall, not much of their music gets played on oldies/classic hits stations, and this is probably the one that gets the least airplay.
* "Have You Never Been Mellow" – Olivia Newton-John. Again, her two earlier hits – "Let Me Be There" and "If You Love Me Let Me Know" – and her later hits, starting with the songs from Grease – get played, and her 1974-1975 songs (add "Please Mr. Please" to this stack) are more or less not so much forgotten as they are ignored.
* "Hey, Won't You Play Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" – B.J. Thomas. Just not a lot of airplay anymore, and again I'm beating my head as to why since it's a good song.
* "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" – Freddy Fender. Thought of as a country-only oldie, and they ignore Fender's beautiful, fluttering tenor.
* "I'm Sorry" – John Denver. See John Denver entry above. If there is a song that is played by Mr. Denver, it's probably going to be "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" (which was not on my "obscure No. 1 list").
* "Fly, Robin, Fly" – SIlver Connection. This'n got a spurt of airplay a few years ago on the old KUUL, but then I never heard it again. Rarely if ever heard it before. When they think of disco, they'll think of Donna Summer or the Bee Gees.
1976
* "Convoy" – C.W. McCall. A product of its time ... and perceived as "country" only.
* "Theme from 'S.W.A.T'" – Rhythm Heritage. Connected to a TV show that not everyone remembers. They all remember "Happy Days" or "Welcome Back, Kotter" instead.
* "Disco Lady" – Johnnie Taylor. Just doesn't get the kind of airplay it deserves, and is more or less a forgotten gem. (And despite what the experts say, I say it IS a disco song.)
* "Disco Duck" – Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots. When they think of disco, there's always that list of "bad" disco, and this is high on many's lists. More of a novelty and the type of song you want to forget.
1977
* "Torn Between Two Lovers" – Mary MacGregor. Just not heard that much anymore ... too soft-rockish. (Yes, it was a country crossover, peaking at No. 3 on the Hot Country Singles chart, also in early 1977.)
* "Evergreen (Theme from 'A Star is Born')" – Barbra Streisand. See her entry above.
* "Da Doo Ron Run" – Shaun Cassidy. What does everyone do at a classic hits station when they hear Shaun? "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! THE RUSSIANS HAVE ATTACKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" (air raid sound effects, radio announcer losing his composure as he's describing the approaching air missles a la the climax of the "A Little Peace and Quiet" episode of the 1985 "Twilight Zone"). What do on-air disc jockeys do at these stations when you mention Shaun Cassidy? They laugh in your face and scoff at your choice of a request. Ha! d**n right I have Shaun Cassidy ... and (growing in sarcastic anger) I've got some Ocean Front Property in Arizona I'd love to sell you, Rain Man! (Click, and the caller ID records your number so that if you call back again to make another lame-brained request, you can't get through.)
1978
* "Too Much Too Little Too Late" – Johnny Mathis and Denice Williams. Honestly, until I heard this song on one of Steve Goddard's programs, I never heard this song. I guess it might be because it's too adult standard-ish, particularly with Johnny Mathis.
* "You Needed Me" – Anne Murray. A shame, but I just don't hear a whole lot of Anne Murray ... not even "Snowbird." Perceived as country or adult standards.
* "MacArthur Park" – Donna Summer. The "lost" song of all her great disco hits.
* "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" – Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond. See above for Barbra ... with Neil, you're going to hear "Cracklin' Rose" or "Sweet Caroline" or even "Song Sung Blue" instead.
1979
* "Too Much Heaven," "Tragedy" and "Love You Inside Out" – The Bee Gees. For shame that the brothers Gibb are thought of solely and merely as the geniuses behind their material from Saturday Night Fever ... and may Ken Ober rot in Hell for constantly making fun of them on the game show "Remote Control." (Sample question asked about Andy Gibb: "I died in 1988 of a heart attack at age 30 ... but my brothers' careers died years earlier." Even though the Bee Gees still recorded and had some concert success, and lots of songwriting success ... so the question more or less mocked the Bee Gees for "bad music" more than it was meant to be accurate.) In any event, their songs from Saturday Night Fever overwhelm the success of their other songs ... even "Jive Talkin'" (which is not obscure).
* "Knock on Wood" – Amii Stewart. Think of disco, think of Donna, Barry, Robin and Maurice. Not Amii.
* "Ring My Bell" – Anita Ward. Think of disco, think of Donna, Barry, Robin and Maurice. Not Anita.
* "Sad Eyes" – Robert John. Think of 1979, think of disco, think of Donna, Barry, Robin and Maurice. Not soft rock. Think of Robert John, think of his remake of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," not "Sad Eyes." Sad.
* "Rise" – Herb Alpert. Think of disco (and this qualifies IMO as disco), think of Donna, Barry ... yeah, you know the rest. Not – audience – Herb Alpert. And think of Herb, you think of his brassy orchestra hits of the mid-1960s that would get you laughed at by the classic hits DJ before a scornful earful of telephone slam and a rambling lecture about what constitutes a kosher request the next time he returns to the air.
* "No More Tears (Enough is Enough)" – Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer. See Barbra entry for explanation. Even the top female vocalist of 1979 wasn't enough to make this anything but "forgotten," sorry to say ... and Barbra was trying to be chic with her disco-sounding songs.
1980
* "Do That To Me One More Time" – Captain and Tennille. And this was their longest-running chart song, at nearly six months! Way overshadowed by their other great one, "Love Will Keep Us Together" from five years earlier – that's the one people think of when they think of Toni Tennille and Darryl Dragon. All their other ones, including this one, are forgotten.
* "Lady" – Kenny Rogers. Not so much forgotten as it is ignored ... thanks to Kenny's adult standards and country success.
1981
* "Stars on 45 Medley" – Stars on 45. Probably agree with most everyone. 1981 was a strange year, but had some of the biggest hits ever in pop music ... and they're going to think of "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes, "Endless Love" by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross and "Physical" by Olivia Newton-John first, all spending nine or 10 weeks at No. 1 each. And then you also have Rick Springfield's "Jessie's Girl," which gets even more airplay and is remembered even more, despite just two weeks at No. 1. The "Stars on 45" – infectious as it was – got lost in the shuffle, as did ...
* "The One That You Love" – Air Supply.
1982
* "Chariots of Fire" – Vangelis.
* "Ebony and Ivory" – Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. Wow – seven weeks at No. 1, and I rarely hear this'n. You'll hear Stevie's other No. 1 hits before this one (see "You Haven't Done Nothin'") and for Paul, it'll be his Beatles or Wings hits first.
* "Truly" – Lionel Richie. Everyone remembers "Endless Love" or "All Night Long (All Night)" instead. And even "Hello" and "Say You, Say Me" get played a lot.
1983
* "Baby, Come to Me" – Patti Austin and James Ingram. Of all the No. 1 hits of 1983, this really is the only one that doesn't get played a whole lot. Even the song I'd rank in second place – "Islands in the Stream" by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton – is far more memorable.
1984
* Really, all of this year's songs are fairly or pretty or very memorable.
1985
* "We Are the World" – U.S.A. For Africa. More or less, a song that served its purpose, then got put away in the dusty disk-file, never to be played again.
* "Separate Lives" – Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin. Phil's more uptempo songs get played instead, not this ballad.
1986
* "That's What Friends Are For" – Dionne Warwick and Friends. A song recorded by a singer perceived as an AC/adult standards artist, and one that is sometimes thought of as a "worst of the 1980s" ... and not even Stevie Wonder or Elton John or Gladys Knight – all who have bunches of hits on the radio – can get this gem played.
* "True Colors" – Cyndi Lauper. They play the Phil Collins version instead, and many programmers must not think of Captain Lou's princess as a balladeer ... they think of her as telling us that "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun."
* "Next Time I Fall" – Amy Grant and Peter Cetera. Post-Chicago Peter doesn't get played much, but even "Glory of Love" is more memorable. And most who do know Amy Grant think of her as either a Christian artist or Vince GIll's wife.
1987
* "Always" – Atlantic Starr. Probably the most adult contemporary/adult standards-ish song of the year, and really the only one from '87 I've not heard a lot on classic hits radio.
1988
* "Could've Been" – Tiffany. Her previous hit – "I Think We're Alone Now" – is way more memorable and believe it or not gets some classic hits/oldies airplay. This one, showing her balladeer side, just doesn't.
* "Seasons Change" – Expose. Same with most of Expose's songs ... I don't hear them a lot on the radio anymore.
* "Love Bites" – Def Leppard. Most of their songs aren't played on classic hits/oldies stations, as they're too hard rock, and I don't think they were quite seen as balladeers, even power balladeers. Joe Elliott screaming the lyrics to even a softer song doesn't seem to jive with most listeners of the classic hits genre.
* "Baby I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley (Free Baby)" – Will to Power. I think most people think of those two songs separately, as by Peter Frampton and Lynyrd Skynyrd, not this softer, dance-friendly song. A good song, though, but just not heard that much.
1989
* "Forever Your Girl" – Paula Abdul. I think fans think of her more for her uptempo, dance-ish songs (i.e., "Straight Up" and even "Cold-Hearted"), and this was a bit softer and more radio friendly than memorable.
* "Rock On" – Michael Damian. Classic hits and oldies stations defer to David Essex instead.
* "Wind Beneath My Wings" – Bette Midler. Let me say that again – BETTE MIDLER. (Cue the sound of the classic hits and oldies DJ laughing his ass off before regaining his composure, giving a sarcastic compliment to this song and hanging up. Then, after the currently-being-played song ends, he breaks in and lectures us about acceptable requests and that anyone caught trying to request Bette Midler will be found, taken out back of the station and pelted with rotten tomatoes before being made to eat one.)
* "Batdance" – Prince. More a compilation of outtakes from the 1989 film Batman than an honest-to-God song.
1990
* "I'll Be Your Everything" – Tommy Page. Just not played a lot anymore.
* "Nothing Compares 2 U" – Sinead O'Connor. And this was one of the year's biggest hits. I think everyone forgot about her after her controversial comments about the Pope ... and to think that was looking the other way compared to the outrage over other controversial religious-related comments. I'll stop there, except to say Sinead's remarks basically ended her career.
* "If Wishes Came True" – Sweet Sensation. Much like a different soul/R&B band of the mid 1970s of the same name (remember the 1975 hit "Sad Sweet Dreamer"?), they're largely a one-hit wonder and have been forgotten.
* "Black Cat" – Janet Jackson. Her earlier songs get the airplay, as this might be too techno-pop for most oldies/classic hits tastes. Me, I heard it and was somewhat reminded of Prince's "Batdance."
1991
While most stations won't touch the rap No. 1 hits that began peaking this year ... here's the one non-rap song (i.e., mainstream pop/rock/etc. song) that I can think of that isn't played much anymore:
* "One More Try" – Timmy T. I do think they play this at KIYX-FM ("Super Hits 106") in Dubuque, Iowa ... but this is one I've rarely heard, and never on an oldies/classic hits station.
Really, that's my list.
Brian