November 1985 -- All about the City

The DJs opened this countdown extolling the wonderful virtues of 1985 and this countdown as representing all that is good about 80's music.  I'll not be that hyperbolic -- it had little to hate -- no rap, no heavy metal, no country, and a more mature feel across the board, even on the synth pop (Tears, Thompsons, ABC).  

No kiddie music, indeed leaning adult contemporary for such a cool time, and two instrumentals (pre-Kenny G!), including last week's number one.  Last #1 of so many for Stevie Wonder, two hits for a resurgent Aretha Franklin, and at the top, a pair of city songs.

Last hit at all for Olivia Newton John (going out with an interesting one) and Ray Parker Jr. (not!)

And along the way, a very respectable four 5-star songs:  Bryan Adams, A-ha, Stevie Wonder, and the Hooters.

1 5 WE BUILT THIS CITY –•– Starship (Grunt)-11 (1 Week at #1) (1)
2 4 YOU BELONG TO THE CITY –•– Glenn Frey (MCA)-10 (2)
3 1 MIAMI VICE THEME –•– Jan Hammer (MCA)-11 (1)
4 3 HEAD OVER HEELS –•– Tears For Fears (Mercury)-10 (3)
5 2 PART-TIME LOVER –•– Stevie Wonder (Tamla)-11 (1)
6 7 SEPARATE LIVES –•– Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin (Atlantic)-7 (6)
7 11 BROKEN WINGS –•– Mr. Mister (RCA)-9 (7)
8 12 NEVER –•– Heart (Capitol)-10 (8)
9 9 BE NEAR ME –•– ABC (Mercury)-13 (9)
10 10 LAY YOUR HANDS ON ME –•– Thompson Twins (Arista)-9 (10)

11 16 WHO’S ZOOMIN’ WHO –•– Aretha Franklin (Arista)-8 (11)
12 14 YOU ARE MY LADY –•– Freddie Jackson (Capitol)-11 (12)
13 8 TAKE ON ME –•– A-Ha (Warner Brothers)-19 (1)
14 6 SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU –•– Whitney Houston (Arista)-14 (1)
15 19 LOVE THEME FROM “ST. ELMO’S FIRE” –•– David Foster (Atlantic)-13 (15)
16 13 ONE NIGHT LOVE AFFAIR –•– Bryan Adams (A&M)-10 (13)
17 21 ONE OF THE LIVING –•– Tina Turner (Capitol)-7 (17)
18 29 ELECTION DAY –•– Arcadia (Capitol)-4 (18)
19 25 SLEEPING BAG –•– ZZ Top (Warner Brothers)-5 (19)
20 15 LOVIN’ EVERY MINUTE OF IT –•– Loverboy (Columbia)-13 (9)

21 24 SOUL KISS –•– Olivia Newton-John (MCA)-7 (21)
22 28 ALIVE AND KICKING –•– Simple Minds (A&M)-5 (22)
23 31 I MISS YOU –•– Klymaxx (Constellation)-10 (23)
24 35 PARTY ALL THE TIME –•– Eddie Murphy (Columbia)-7 (24)
25 30 PERFECT WAY –•– Scritti Politti (Warner Brothers)-11 (25)
26 26 SO IN LOVE –•– Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (A&M)-12 (26)
27 18 I’M GONNA TEAR YOUR PLAYHOUSE DOWN –•– Paul Young (Columbia)-11 (13)
28 17 FORTRESS AROUND YOUR HEART –•– Sting (A&M)-13 (8)
29 20 OH SHEILA –•– Ready For The World (MCA)-16 (1)
30 23 AND WE DANCED –•– The Hooters (Columbia)-15 (21)

31 37 SISTERS ARE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES –•– Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin (RCA)-5 (31)
32 40 SAY YOU, SAY ME –•– Lionel Richie (Motown)-2 (32)
33 38 WRAP HER UP –•– Elton John (Geffen)-4 (33)
34 36 GIRLS ARE MORE FUN –•– Ray Parker, Jr. (Arista)-7 (34)
35 39 RUNNING UP THAT HILL –•– Kate Bush (EMI-America)-11 (35)
36 42 SMALL TOWN –•– John Cougar Mellencamp (Riva)-3 (36)
37 43 OBJECT OF MY DESIRE –•– Starpoint (Elektra)-8 (37)
38 44 TONIGHT SHE COMES –•– The Cars (Elektra)-3 (38)
39 22 LONELY OL’ NIGHT –•– John Cougar Mellencamp (Riva)-13 (6)
40 45 WALK OF LIFE –•– Dire Straits (Warner Brothers)-3 (40)

November 1989 -- the end is near & "Don't"'s

In likely the latest chart they'll play this year, this is the last gasp of the 80's.  And there in the top 2 are what made the year of 1989 both very good (Roxette) and very bad (NKOTB), but this week the good wins, and the chart is generally quite good, with an unusual amount of variety with rap and hard-edged rock both doing well, alongside lighter rock, pop, dance.

I reviewed two weeks earlier last year, and it's basically the same, but debuting at #40 is the last chart hit for Eurythmics, "Don't Ask me Why," which was ironic given Annie Lennox's first solo hit was "Why."  The Don't's continue with 26, 26, 28, and 39!

And in a memory-loss moment, I was convinced Tina Turner's "The Best" had continued her string of having a single from each album in the 80's making the top 2....but it actually only went to #15.

Last hit: Eurythmics, Thompson Twins, Alice Cooper (in a flashback to the 70's)
First Hit:  Babyface, B-52's
Favorite:  Expose

1 3 LISTEN TO YOUR HEART –•– Roxette – 11 (1)
2 4 COVER GIRL –•– New Kids On The Block – 8 (2)
3 1 MISS YOU MUCH –•– Janet Jackson – 10 (1)
4 2 SOWING THE SEEDS OF LOVE –•– Tears For Fears – 10 (2)
5 9 WHEN I SEE YOU SMILE –•– Bad English – 8 (5)
6 5 LOVE IN AN ELEVATOR –•– Aerosmith – 10 (5)
7 10 ROCK WIT’CHA –•– Bobby Brown – 11 (7)
8 6 DR. FEELGOOD –•– Motley Crue – 10 (6)
9 16 (IT’S JUST) THE WAY THAT YOU LOVE ME –•– Paula Abdul – 12 (9)
10 15 LOVE SHACK –•– The B-52’s – 10 (10)

11 8 BUST A MOVE –•– Young M.C. – 15 (7)
12 20 BLAME IT ON THE RAIN –•– Milli Vanilli – 5 (12)
13 14 DIDN’T I (BLOW YOUR MIND) –•– New Kids On The Block – 8 (13)
14 13 HEALING HANDS –•– Elton John – 11 (13)
15 17 THE BEST –•– Tina Turner – 10 (15)
16 22 ANGELIA –•– Richard Marx – 5 (16)
17 24 POISON –•– Alice Cooper – 7 (17)
18 19 CALL IT LOVE –•– Poco – 11 (18)
19 7 IT’S NO CRIME –•– Babyface – 13 (7)
20 25 BACK TO LIFE –•– Soul II Soul Featuring Caron Wheeler – 7 (20)

21 28 WE DIDN’T START THE FIRE –•– Billy Joel – 4 (21)
22 11 LOVE SONG –•– The Cure – 13 (2)
23 12 WHEN I LOOKED AT HIM –•– Expose – 12 (10)
24 29 GET ON YOUR FEET –•– Gloria Estefan – 6 (24)
25 30 SUNSHINE –•– Dino – 9 (25)
26 32 DON’T CLOSE YOUR EYES –•– Kix – 9 (26)
27 35 DON’T KNOW MUCH –•– Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville – 6 (27)
28 31 DON’T SHUT ME OUT –•– Kevin Paige – 12 (28)
29 34 ME SO HORNY –•– 2 Live Crew – 9 (29)
30 36 LEAVE A LIGHT ON –•– Belinda Carlisle – 6 (30)

31 21 GIRL I’M GONNA MISS YOU –•– Milli Vanilli – 14 (1)
32 39 LIVING IN SIN –•– Bon Jovi – 5 (32)
33 37 SUGAR DADDY –•– Thompson Twins – 7 (33)
34 18 MIXED EMOTIONS –•– Rolling Stones – 10 (5)
35 46 WITH EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART –•– Taylor Dayne – 3 (35)
36 26 HEAVEN –•– Warrant – 16 (2)
37 27 IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME –•– Cher – 18 (3)
38 23 CHERISH –•– Madonna – 12 (2)
39 48 DON’T MAKE ME OVER –•– Sybil – 7 (39)
40 47 DON’T ASK ME WHY –•– Eurythmics – 6 (40)