December 1984 -- haves and have nots

This was a haves and have-nots chart.  Up and down the chart are a huge number of MTV and overall 80's classics.... yet, there are some interesting groups of other songs:

Ones by popular artists that notably underperformed:  U2 (just before their breakthrough), Ray Parker Jr (coming off Ghostbusters), and most notably Toto, coming off a huge album and eventually having another big hit.

Songs that did well in this climate of huge, iconic songs...yet largely ignored for the past 30 years:  Paul McCartney, Honeydrippers (a very mysterious top 5 hit, even in the year of the veterans!), New Edition, Julian Lennon.

And you may not know the Dan Hartman or Shiela E songs, but I bet you know "I Can Dream About You" and "The Glamourous Life" -- these were the followups...and their last top 40 hits.

Notable first timers: Wham!, New Edition, and Julian Lennon 

And a transition at the top -- the last of 6 number ones for Hall and Oates, the biggest artist of the first half of the 80's, gives way to Madonna, the top artist of the 2nd half.

Favorites: not a great top 10, frankly, but 4's and 5's lower down with all-time classics Run to You and Boys of Summer.

1 3 LIKE A VIRGIN –•– Madonna – 6 (1)

2 2 WILD BOYS –•– Duran Duran – 8 (2)

3 1 OUT OF TOUCH –•– Daryl Hall & John Oates – 13 (1)
4 5 SEA OF LOVE –•– The Honeydrippers – 11 (4)
5 7 COOL IT NOW –•– New Edition – 14 (5)
6 9 WE BELONG –•– Pat Benatar – 9 (6)
7 4 I FEEL FOR YOU –•– Chaka Khan – 16 (3)
8 6 NO MORE LONELY NIGHTS –•– Paul McCartney – 11 (6)
9 14 ALL I NEED –•– Jack Wagner – 10 (9)
10 12 VALOTTE –•– Julian Lennon – 10 (10)

11 8 WAKE ME UP BEFORE YOU GO GO –•– Wham! – 16 (1)
12 16 RUN TO YOU –•– Bryan Adams – 8 (12)
13 10 ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT –•– Cyndi Lauper – 12 (5)
14 15 BORN IN THE U.S.A. –•– Bruce Springsteen – 7 (14)
15 23 YOU’RE THE INSPIRATION –•– Chicago – 6 (15)
16 13 I CAN’T HOLD BACK –•– Survivor – 15 (13)
17 19 DO WHAT YOU DO –•– Jermaine Jackson – 9 (17)
18 11 PENNY LOVER –•– Lionel Richie – 12 (8)
19 24 UNDERSTANDING –•– Bob Seger – 7 (19)
20 22 HELLO AGAIN –•– The Cars – 9 (20)

21 32 I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS –•– Foreigner – 3 (21)
22 30 EASY LOVER –•– Philip Bailey & Phil Collins – 5 (22)
23 17 STRUT –•– Sheena Easton – 18 (7)
24 28 CENTIPEDE –•– Rebbie Jackson – 12 (24)
25 27 JAMIE –•– Ray Parker Jr. – 6 (25)
26 18 WALKING ON A THIN LINE –•– Huey Lewis & The News – 10 (18)
27 29 THE BOYS OF SUMMER –•– Don Henley – 7 (27)
28 25 WE ARE THE YOUNG –•– Dan Hartman – 12 (25)
29 20 BETTER BE GOOD TO ME –•– Tina Turner – 15 (5)
30 31 STRANGER IN TOWN –•– Toto – 9 (30)

31 35 LOVER BOY –•– Billy Ocean – 4 (31)
32 42 I WOULD DIE 4 U –•– Prince – 2 (32)
33 38 BRUCE –•– Rick Springfield – 6 (33)
34 34 THE BELLE OF ST. MARK –•– Sheila E. – 9 (34)
35 37 TENDER YEARS –•– John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band – 11 (35)
36 40 LOVE LIGHT IN FLIGHT –•– Stevie Wonder – 4 (36)
37 — CARELESS WHISPER –•– Wham! Featuring George Michael – 1 (37)
38 33 (PRIDE) IN THE NAME OF LOVE –•– U2 – 9 (33)
39 41 FOOLISH HEART –•– Steve Perry – 5 (39)
40 46 NEUTRON DANCE –•– The Pointer Sisters – 5 (40)

December 1971...some undercharting classics

It was a good week on the 1971 countdown.  Casey noted the number of ballads in the top 10, but I didn’t notice any big trends.  Plenty of adult contemporary, R&b, funk, rock, instrumentals, even spoken word records....and some classics.

American pie debuts, passed by Donny Osmond, but we know who wins that one.  Donnie’s brothers also are on, as are David Cassidy and Michael Jackson.  Yes, The Who, and Van Morrison chart with classics that didn’t exactly light up the charts.  Casey also wouldn’t have known that rod stewarts 2 songs would be so popular and he’d have big hits for over 20 more years.

Number one was a surprise, a rather low key song to hit #1 after Cher (who’d hit #1 again in 1999!) and shaft.  I’m not sure I’d ever heard it in it’s entirety before.

My favorite has to be Aretha, oh me, oh me oh my!

1 5 FAMILY AFFAIR –•– Sly and the Family Stone (Epic)-5 (1 week at #1)
2 1 THEME FROM “SHAFT” –•– Isaac Hayes (Enterprise)-8
3 3 BABY I’M-A WANT YOU –•– Bread (Elektra)-7
4 4 HAVE YOU SEE HER –•– The Chi-Lites (Brunswick)-7
5 2 GYPSYS, TRAMPS AND THIEVES –•– Cher (Kapp)-12
6 7 GOT TO BE THERE –•– Michael Jackson (Motown)-6
7 14 AN OLD FASHIONED LOVE SONG –•– Three Dog Night (Dunhill)-4
8 10 DESIDERATA –•– Les Crane (Warner Brothers)-9
9 9 ROCK STEADY / OH ME OH MY (I’m a Fool For You Baby) –•– Aretha Franklin (Atlantic)-6
10 6 IMAGINE –•– John Lennon Plastic Ono Band (Apple)-7

11 12 ALL I EVER NEED IS YOU –•– Sonny and Cher (Kapp)-8
12 13 EVERYBODY’S EVERYTHING –•– Santana (Columbia)-8
13 18 CHERISH –•– David Cassidy (Bell)-5
14 8 PEACE TRAIN –•– Cat Stevens (A&M)-11
15 33 BRAND NEW KEY –•– Melanie (Neighborhood)-6
16 16 TWO DIVIDED BY LOVE –•– The Grass Roots (Dunhill)-9
17 19 A NATURAL MAN –•– Lou Rawls (MGM)-15
18 20 RESPECT YOURSELF –•– The Staple Singers (Stax)-8
19 23 STONES / CRUNCHY GRANOLA SUITE –•– Neil Diamond (Uni)-4
20 25 SCORPIO –•– Dennis Coffey and the Detroit Guitar Band (Sussex)-6

21 17 EASY LOVING –•– Freddie Hart (Capitol)-16
22 27 WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO –•– Donnie Elbert (All Platinum)-8
23 11 MAGGIE MAY / REASON TO BELIEVE –•– Rod Stewart (Mercury)-21
24 29 THEME FROM “SUMMER OF ’42” –•– Peter Nero (Columbia)-8
25 28 SUPERSTAR (Remember How You Got Where You Are) –•– The Temptations (Gordy)-5
26 15 YO-YO –•– The Osmonds (MGM)-13
27 35 YOU ARE EVERYTHING –•– The Stylistics (Avco)-5
28 30 WILD NIGHT –•– Van Morrison (Warner Brothers)-9
29 22 INNER CITY BLUES (Make Me Wanna Holler) –•– Marvin Gayle (Tamla)-9
30 26 ONE TIN SOLDIER (The Legend Of Billy Jack) –•– Coven (Warner Brothers)-12

31 38 (I Know) I’M LOSING YOU –•– Rod Stewart with Faces (Mercury)-3
32 70 HEY GIRL / I KNEW YOU WHEN –•– Donny Osmond (MGM)-2
33 24 QUESTIONS 67 AND 68 / I’M A MAN –•– Chicago (Columbia)-9
34 69 AMERICAN PIE (Parts 1 and 2) –•– Don McLean (United Artists)-2
35 32 ABSOLUTELY RIGHT –•– The Five Man Electrical Band (Lionel)-8
36 52 SUNSHINE –•– Jonathan Edwards (Capricorn)-4
37 50 AN AMERICAN TRILOGY (Dixie / Battle Hymn Of the Republic / All My Trials) (Medley) –•– Mickey Newbury (Elektra)-5
38 48 BEHIND BLUE EYES –•– The Who (Decca)-5
39 43 I’M A GREEDY MAN (Part 1) –•– James Brown (Polydor)-4
40 45 YOUR MOVE –•– Yes (Atlantic)-11

december 1986 — total dullsville, with some clunkers.

On the road this weekend, I got to hear virtually the entire countdown from 1986.  While it wasn’t loaded with some of the awful 1989 songs, it did have some complete clunkers, strangely enough alongside a couple of of my favorites from the 80s.  But the main feature was how many Meh songs there were, including a couple of #1s.

It started off with a sad goodbye...the last top 40 hit by the Pointer Sisters, and a good song too that deserved better on a weak chart.  Ditto for Carly Simon and Kansas who had comeback records, but it ended up being their last.

The bad number 1s were on either end.  Billy Vera and the Beaters debuted with a plodding, live record...yuck...and Peter Cetera had his 2nd one in a row with just a stinker.  How it ever knocked out the iconic Bon Jovi song, I’ll never know.  I’m also not a fan of Shake You Down...a fine top 20 hit, but how he hit #1 when Freddie Jackson, Jeffrey Osborne, Luther Vandross, and others never did is beyond me.

The blah songs were many...by artists I generally liked...Lionel Richie, Madonna, Kool and the Gang, Robert Palmer, Daryl Hall, Toto, Billy Idol, Survivor, Steve Winwood, Bruce Hornsby, Glass Tiger...and worse yet, most of these made the top 10!

And then there’s the worse than blah of Huey Lewis (who jumped the shark with this one), Robbie Nevil, Bruce Springsteen, Wang Chung (ugh!), and the worst of all, the first pure rap record for Run DMC.  Painful.  You know it trouble when a 25 year old record is blazing for the top 10!

Besides Bon Jovi, this chart was saved by a great Pretenders record, Human League, late album hits by Genesis and Janet, and a resurgent Eddie Money.  Song of the week is definitely Bon Jovi.  Take that Peter Cetera!

1 4 THE NEXT TIME I FALL –•– Peter Cetera & Amy Grant – 12 (1)
2 1 YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME –•– Bon Jovi – 14 (1)
3 5 HIP TO BE SQUARE –•– Huey Lewis & The News – 8 (3)
4 8 THE WAY IT IS –•– Bruce Hornsby & The Range – 12 (4)
5 10 WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN –•– The Bangles – 11 (5)
6 6 WORD UP –•– Cameo – 13 (6)
7 11 EVERYBODY HAVE FUN TONIGHT –•– Wang Chung – 10 (7)
8 2 HUMAN –•– Human League – 13 (1)
9 9 LOVE WILL CONQUER ALL –•– Lionel Richie – 10 (9)
10 12 TO BE A LOVER –•– Billy Idol – 10 (10)

11 16 NOTORIOUS –•– Duran Duran – 6 (11)
12 3 TRUE BLUE –•– Madonna – 10 (3)
13 15 STAND BY ME –•– Ben E. King – 10 (13)
14 7 AMANDA –•– Boston – 11 (1)
15 17 SHAKE YOU DOWN –•– Gregory Abbott – 8 (15)
16 19 DON’T GET ME WRONG –•– Pretenders – 9 (16)
17 21 C’EST LA VIE –•– Robbie Nevil – 9 (17)
18 13 TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT –•– Eddie Money – 17 (4)
19 22 (FOREVER) LIVE AND DIE –•– Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – 11 (19)
20 33 WAR –•– Bruce Springsteen – 3 (20)

21 27 CONTROL –•– Janet Jackson – 6 (21)
22 24 YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU… DON’T YOU? –•– Howard Jones – 8 (22)
23 25 IS THIS LOVE –•– Survivor – 7 (23)
24 14 I’LL BE OVER YOU –•– Toto – 15 (11)
25 26 WILD WILD LIFE –•– Talking Heads – 14 (25)
26 28 LAND OF CONFUSION –•– Genesis – 6 (26)
27 30 LOVE IS FOREVER –•– Billy Ocean – 7 (27)
28 31 VICTORY –•– Kool & The Gang – 6 (28)
29 18 THE RAIN –•– Oran “Juice” Jones – 13 (9)
30 35 THE FUTURE’S SO BRIGHT, I GOTTA WEAR SHADES –•– Timbuk 3 – 7 (30)

31 38 SOMEDAY –•– Glass Tiger – 6 (31)
32 20 FREEDOM OVERSPILL –•– Steve Winwood – 11 (20)
33 36 FOOLISH PRIDE –•– Daryl Hall – 8 (33)
34 40 ALL I WANTED –•– Kansas – 6 (34)
35 39 YOU BE ILLIN’ –•– Run DMC- 7 (35)
36 23 I DIDN’T MEAN TO TURN YOU ON –•– Robert Palmer – 17 (2)
37 45 COMING AROUND AGAIN –•– Carly Simon – 6 (37)
38 50 AT THIS MOMENT –•– Billy Vera & The Beaters – 8 (38)
39 44 FOR TONIGHT –•– Nancy Martinez – 10 (39)
40 42 GOLDMINE –•– The Pointer Sisters – 6 (40)

November 1983 — the crossroads

Nearing the end of 1983, which marked the end of when I was writing down and tracking the top 40 every week.  I kept tabs on the charts for many years afterwards, but not in detail.  And the year ended on a generally good note.  Notable here is the last intersections of very different artists...Barry Manilow shared chart space with Duran Duran.  Air supply and the Fixx charted together.  Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton are next to both billy Joel (reasonable) and quiet riot, representing the big hair bands to come.

Billy Joel was on a resurgence...without a top 10 song from two albums in a row, he became an MTV staple.  Ditto for Pat Benatar and Elton John.  The veterans were figuring this thing out.

Scotland had a big week with sheena Easton, who also made the jump into the mtv era, one hit wonder Big Country, and the police’s song referencing Scotland.

David Bowie charted near peter schilling, who borrowed Major tom and had a big hit.

Final hit for Asia, sadly.  Jackson Browne, Barry?  And yes, the police.

Favorites are many ... lots of 4 star songs, plus the 5-star ain’t nobody, yes, love is a battlefield, Bonnie Tyler.  Award for the week goes to Pat Benatar!



1 1 ALL NIGHT LONG (All Night) –•– Lionel Richie (Motown)-11 (3 weeks at #1) (1)
2 2 SAY SAY SAY –•– Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson (Columbia)-7 (2)
3 3 UPTOWN GIRL –•– Billy Joel (Columbia)-10 (3)
4 4 ISLANDS IN THE STREAM –•– Kenny Rogers with Dolly Parton (RCA)-14 (1)
5 5 CUM ON FEEL THE NOIZE –•– Quiet Riot (Pasha)-11 (5)
6 7 LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD –•– Pat Benatar (Chrysalis)-10 (6)
7 10 SAY IT ISN’T SO –•– Daryl Hall John Oates (RCA)-5 (7)
8 12 HEART AND SOUL –•– Huey Lewis & The News (Chrysalis)-12 (8)
9 14 CRUMBLIN’ DOWN –•– John Cougar Mellencamp (Riva)-7 (9)
10 13 P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) –•– Michael Jackson (Epic)-8 (10)

11 17 CHURCH OF THE POISON MIND –•– Culture Club (Virgin)-6 (11)
12 6 TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART –•– Bonnie Tyler (Columbia)-20 (1)
13 9 SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER –•– The Motels (Capitol)-13 (9)
14 24 UNION OF THE SNAKE –•– Duran Duran (Capitol)-4 (14)
15 8 ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER –•– The Fixx (MCA)-13 (4)
16 20 WHY ME –•– Irene Cara (Geffen)-6 (16)
17 15 TELEFONE (Long Distance Love Affair) –•– Sheena Easton (EMI-America)-15 (9)
18 11 DELIRIOUS –•– Prince (Warner Brothers)-13 (8)
19 18 TONIGHT, I CELEBRATE MY LOVE –•– Peabo Bryson / Roberta Flack (Capitol)-21 (16)
20 16 MAKING LOVE OUT OF NOTHING AT ALL –•– Air Supply (Arista)-18 (2)

21 32 TWIST OF FATE –•– Olivia Newton-John (with John Travolta) (MCA)-4 (21)
22 34 SYNCHRONICITY II –•– The Police (A&M)-4 (22)
23 23 SEND HER MY LOVE –•– Journey (Columbia)-10 (23)
24 26 IN A BIG COUNTRY –•– Big Country (Mercury)-6 (24)
25 28 MAJOR TOM (Coming Home) –•– Peter Schilling (Elektra)-10 (25)
26 29 AIN’T NOBODY –•– Rufus & Chaka Khan (Warner Brothers)-9 (26)
27 37 OWNER OF A LONELY HEART –•– Yes (Atlantic)-4 (27)
28 25 TENDER IS THE NIGHT –•– Jackson Browne (Asylum)-10 (25)
29 33 SOULS –•– Rick Springfield (RCA)-7 (29)
30 19 MODERN LOVE –•– David Bowie (EMI-America)-11 (14)

31 27 HOW MANY TIMES CAN WE SAY GOODBYE –•– Dionne Warwick & Luther Vandross (Arista)-8 (27)
32 30 MIRROR MAN –•– The Human League (A&M)-9 (30)
33 39 UNDERCOVER OF THE NIGHT –•– The Rolling Stones (Rolling Stones)-3 (33)
34 35 THE SMILE HAS LEFT YOUR EYES –•– Asia (Geffen)-7 (34)
35 38 I GUESS THAT’S WHY THEY CALL IT THE BLUES –•– Elton John (Geffen)-5 (35)
36 36 JUST GOT LUCKY –•– JoBoxers (RCA)-12 (36)
37 42 BREAK MY STRIDE –•– Matthew Wilder (Private I)-11 (37)
38 53 READ ‘EM AND WEEP –•– Barry Manilow (Arista)-2 (38)
39 43 TIME WILL REVEAL –•– DeBarge (Gordy)-7 (39)
40 41 INVISIBLE HANDS –•– Kim Carnes (EMI-America)-7 (40)