August 1981 -- bring on the country!

Yeah!  Back to 1981 again, bursting with some I like, and fond memories.

After a few country #1's earlier in the year, we've got quite another batch here, including the indesputably country "Elvira" and "It's Now or Never" -- the juice newton, kenny rogers, and ronnie milsap songs are more adult contemporary.  Alabama and Eddie Rabbitt are further down -- only missing Willie and Dolly!  Even the Pointer Sisters song sounds a lot like a country record....and then there's Frankie Smith with "Double Dutch Bus"...whoa...

I count less than 5 songs here that 80's on 8 would even touch, which is a shame.  Lots of midtempo songs.

I was rooting for Endless Love to be the #1 song of the year, but it was edged out by Bette Davis Eyes, and to this day, on multiple Top Charting Hits of All Time surveys, they're always consecutive, with Bette Davis Eyes ahead.

Favorites among the favorites:  Love on a Two way street, Endless Love, Fire and Ice, Urgent, Lady, and #1...The Voice!

1 1 ENDLESS LOVE –•– Diana Ross and Lionel Richie (Motown)-7 (2 weeks at #1) (1)

2 2 THEME FROM “GREATEST AMERICAN HERO” (Believe It Or Not) –•– Joey Scarbury (Elektra)-16 (2)
3 3 I DON’T NEED YOU –•– Kenny Rogers (Liberty)-11 (3)
4 6 SLOW HAND –•– The Pointer Sisters (Planet)-13 (4)
5 4 JESSIE’S GIRL –•– Rick Springfield (RCA)-22 (1)
6 21 STOP DRAGGIN’ MY HEART AROUND –•– Stevie Nicks (with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) (Modern)-5 (6)
7 7 BOY FROM NEW YORK CITY –•– The Manhattan Transfer (Atlantic)-14 (7)
8 9 QUEEN OF HEARTS –•– Juice Newton (Capitol)-13 (8)
9 10 (There’s) NO GETTIN’ OVER ME –•– Ronnie Milsap (RCA)-9 (9)
10 11 LADY (You Bring Me Up) –•– The Commodores (Motown)-10 (10)

11 13 WHO’S CRYING NOW –•– Journey (Columbia)-6 (11)
12 8 HEARTS –•– Marty Balin (EMI-America)-14 (8)
13 5 ELVIRA –•– The Oak Ridge Boys (MCA)-15 (5)
14 14 IT’S NOW OR NEVER –•– John Schneider (Scotti Brothers)-13 (14)
15 18 URGENT –•– Foreigner (Atlantic)-8 (15)
16 16 TOUCH ME WHEN WE’RE DANCING –•– The Carpenters (A&M)-10 (16)
17 17 THE STROKE –•– Billy Squier (Capitol)-15 (17)
18 20 COOL LOVE –•– Pablo Cruise (A&M)-8 (18)
19 19 IN THE AIR TONIGHT –•– Phil Collins (Atlantic)-13 (19)
20 25 THE BREAKUP SONG (They Don’t Write ‘Em) –•– The Greg Kihn Band (Beserkley)-14 (20)

21 23 REALLY WANNA KNOW YOU –•– Gary Wright (Warner Brothers)-8 (21)
22 24 FIRE AND ICE –•– Pat Benatar (Chrysalis)-6 (22)
23 27 STEP BY STEP –•– Eddie Rabbitt (Elektra)-5 (23)
24 26 FEELS SO RIGHT –•– Alabama (RCA)-12 (24)
25 36 THAT OLD SONG –•– Ray Parker, Jr. and Raydio (Arista)-7 (25)
26 28 DON’T GIVE IT UP –•– Robbie Patton (Liberty)-7 (26)
27 29 YOU’RE MY GIRL –•– Franke and the Knockouts (Millennium)-8 (27)
28 33 HOLD ON TIGHT –•– ELO (Electric Light Orchestra) (Jet)-5 (28)
29 31 LOVE ON A TWO WAY STREET –•– Stacy Lattisaw (Cotillion)-10 (29)
30 37 THE BEACH BOYS MEDLEY –•– The Beach Boys (Capitol)-5 (30)

31 39 THE VOICE –•– The Moody Blues (Threshold)-3 (31)
32 34 EVERLASTING LOVE –•– Rex Smith/Rachel Sweet (Columbia)-9 (32)
33 12 THE ONE THAT YOU LOVE –•– Air Supply (Arista)-15 (1)
34 46 I COULD NEVER MISS YOU (More Than I Do) –•– Lulu (Alfa)-4 (34)
35 47 FOR YOUR EYES ONLY –•– Sheena Easton (Liberty)-5 (35)
36 40 BREAKING AWAY –•– Balance (Portrait)-7 (36)
37 15 TIME –•– The Alan Parsons Project (Arista)-19 (15)
38 22 BETTE DAVIS EYES –•– Kim Carnes (EMI-America)-22 (1)
39 30 DOUBLE DUTCH BUS –•– Frankie Smith (WMOT)-15 (30)
40 32 ROCK AND ROLL DREAMS COME THROUGH –•– Jim Steinman (with Rory Dodd) (Cleveland International)-13 (32)