Basically, 80s songs that are actually 70s songs.  It was a hit in the 80s, but it's actually from the 70s

I really like this one … No time to lose by Tarney-Spencer Band.  It first peaked in the US chart at #84 in 1979.  Two years later (1981), it re-charted in the US and peaked higher at #74. 

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Marianne Faithfull
"Broken English"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHrsv0NVa6k

So, this thread will be about songs that became hits in early 1980 but were actually recorded (and in some cases, released as singles) no later than December 31st 1979? I can think of several.

For example, Michael Jackson's Off The Wall album, which he released in 1979, had at least two tracks that were on the charts as the calendar changed from '79 to '80. "Rock With You" was one such track; it entered the charts in late 1979 and hit #1 in early 1980. The title track from this album is also in the crossover.

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' album Damn The Torpedoes was also released in '79 and contained tracks that ended up charting in early '80: "Don't Do Me Like That" and "Refugee."

I don't know about this but correct me if I'm wrong but I think Gary Numan's 'Cars" was a hit in 1979 but didn't appear on MTV until 1981.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Im3JzxlatUs

I don't know about tis but correct me if I'm wrong but I think Gary Numan's 'Cars" was a hit in 1979 but didn't appear on MTV until 1981.


Yes, it was (in the UK). O0

With regard to MTV, nothing appeared on there until 1981 because it didn't exist before then.

Here's another one:  Wondering where the lions are by Bruce Cockburn 

It peaked in Canada at #39 during November of 1979.  In June of 1980, it peaked at #21 in the US.
It would become Cockburn's only Top 40 hit in the US, and the first of only 2 Billboard Hot 100 hits he had.  The song was taken from his 9th album. 

9 albums by 1979, you say?  He actually was not a major star in the 70s.  This song was his first Top 40 hit in Canada and was only his second song to enter the Canadian Top 100 chart and to date, it is his 8th highest charting single.

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Pink Floyd's hit album The Wall has songs that can qualify in this category, since it was also released in late 1979. Such tracks include the "Another Brick In The Wall" trilogy, "Run Like Hell" and "Comfortably Numb."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb6l38eP-4w
Escape (The Pina Colada Song)- Rupert Holmes

^ Another good choice! O0

Here are some more I can think of:

"Cruisin'" by Smokey Robinson
"Rapper's Delight" by Sugarhill Gang
"I Don't Like Mondays" by Boomtown Rats
"Rock Lobster" by the B-52s
"Too Hot" by Kool And The Gang

How about "Rock With You" by Michael Jackson?




For example, Michael Jackson's Off The Wall album, which he released in 1979, had at least two tracks that were on the charts as the calendar changed from '79 to '80. "Rock With You" was one such track; it entered the charts in late 1979 and hit #1 in early 1980. The title track from this album is also in the crossover.

The Clash album London Calling also falls into this category. The title track was released as a single in December of 1979 and scored well on the charts in the band's native UK, and had moderate success elsewhere in the world in early '80. One other track from the album, "Train In Vain", was a hit in most places in early 1980 (which is why my scales tilt that one in favor of 1980).

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One that comes to mind is Lipps Inc's Funkytown, a favorite of mine, released as a single in March 1980 but recorded for their 1979 debut album Mouth to Mouth. In America it hit #1 on the Hot 100 on 31 May 1980. It also went to #1 on the old Disco chart. 

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^ Oh yes, I was thinkin' of that one too. Good selection.

I think the Split Enz album True Colours would also qualify, since it was released in the first calendar month of the 1980s, but of course recorded over several months in 1979. However: one particular track from it, "I Got You", was actually released as a single in late 1979. However, it had its chart run during the early part of 1980.

Here are The Tourists, a post-Eurythmics band (Annie Lennox sang lead, Dave Stewart played guitar) that had a small run of British hits from 1979-1980.  Their cover of I only want to be with you peaked at UK #5 in December of 1979.  It did not chart in North America until 1980 where it peaked at #50 in Canada and #83 in the US.  It was their only hit in North America.  Through all hit versions of this song (including Dusty Springfield, Bay City Rollers, Nicolette Larson and Samantha Fox), The Tourists' version is my favourite!

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https://top40weekly.com/1980/01/05/us-top-40-singles-for-week-ending-january-5-1980/


This is a list of all the songs that were on the charts in January 1980.