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Subject: '80s hits w/ proper names in the title?
What follows is a complete list of all the songs that cracked the pop chart here in the U.S. from 1980-84, w/ proper names in the title (followed by the artist and peak position). Includes male and female names, although historically, women's names have dominated. Names can be real or fictional. What others can you think of, especially from the second half of the decade? :-) ???
1980:
01) "Little Jeannie" - ELTON JOHN (#3)
02) "Cupid/I've Loved You for a Long Time" - SPINNERS (#4)
03) "Sara" - FLEETWOOD MAC (#7)
04) "Jesse" - CARLY SIMON (#11)
05) "Romeo's Tune" - STEVE FORBERT (#11)
06) "Jane" - JEFFERSON STARSHIP (#14)
07) "JoJo" - BOZ SCAGGS (#17)
08 )"Chiquitita" - ABBA (#29)
09) "Carrie" - CLIFF RICHARD (#34)
10) "Angel Say No" - TOMMY TUTONE (#38 ) (count?)
11) "Shandi" - KISS (#47)
12) "Angeline" - ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND (#58 )
13) "Who Shot J.R.?" - GARY BURBANK with BAND McNALLY (#67)
14) "Love Theme from Shogun (Mariko's Theme)" - MECO (#70)
15) "Sherry" - ROBERT JOHN (#70)
16) "Lola (live)" - THE KINKS (#81)
17) "Say Goodbye to Little Jo" - STEVE FORBERT (#85)
1981:
18 )"Bette Davis Eyes" - KIM CARNES (#1)
19) "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" - CHRISTOPHER CROSS (#1)
20) "Jessie's Girl" - RICK SPRINGFIELD (#1)
21) "Elvira" - THE OAK RIDGE BOYS (#5)
22) "Ah! Leah!" - DONNIE IRIS (#29)
23) "Chloe" - ELTON JOHN (#34)
24) "Jones vs. Jones" - KOOL & THE GANG (#39)
25) "Nicole" - POINT BLANK (#39)
26) "Flash's Theme aka Flash" - QUEEN (#42)
27) "Tom Sawyer" - RUSH (#44)
28 )"Ch Ch Cherie" - JOHNNY AVERAGE BAND (#53)
29) "Suzi" - RANDY VANWARMER (#55)
30) "What She Does to Me (The Diana Song)" - THE PRODUCERS (#61)
31) "Wynken, Blynken and Nod" - THE DOOBIE BROTHERS (#76)
32) "Leila" - ZZ TOP (#77)
33) "Sweet Merilee" - DONNIE IRIS (#80)
34) "Runaway Rita" - LEIF GARRETT (#84)
35) "I'm Your Superman" - ALL SPORTS BAND (#93)
1982:
36) "Jack & Diane" - JOHN COUGAR (#1)
37) "Mickey" - TONI BASIL (#1)
38 )"Rosanna" - TOTO (#2)
39) "Gloria" - LAURA BRANIGAN (#2)
40) "867-5309/Jenny" - TOMMY TUTONE (#4)
41) "Bobbie Sue" - THE OAK RIDGE BOYS (#12)
42) "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)" - ELTON JOHN (#13)
43) "Theme from Magnum P.I." - MIKE POST (#25)
44) "Wake Up Little Susie" - SIMON & GARFUNKEL (#27)
45) "Athena" - THE WHO (#28 )
46) "Oh Julie" - BARRY MANILOW (#38 )
47) "Murphy's Law" - CHERI (#39)
48 )"Johnny Can't Read" - DON HENLEY (#42)
49) "Sara" - BILL CHAMPLIN (#61)
50) "I Want Candy" - BOW WOW WOW (#62) (count?)
51) "Valerie" - STEVE WINWOOD (#70)
52) "The Elvis Medley" - ELVIS PRESLEY (#71)
53) "Luanne" - FOREIGNER (#75)
Subject: Re: '80s hits w/ proper names in the title?
CONTINUED...
1983:
54) "Billie Jean" - MICHAEL JACKSON (#1)
55) "Come On Eileen" - DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS (#1)
56) "Mr. Roboto" - STYX (#3)
57) "Major Tom (Coming Home)" - PETER SCHILLING (#14)
58 )"Rio" - DURAN DURAN (#14)
59) "Baby Jane" - ROD STEWART (#14)
60) "Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive" - MEN AT WORK (#28 )
61) "Ricky" - "WEIRD AL" YANKOVIC (#63)
62) "Europa and the Pirate Twins" - THOMAS DOLBY (#67)
63) "Do it Again/Billie Jean" - CLUB HOUSE (#75)
64) "Carrie's Gone" - LE ROUX (#81)
65) "Johnny B. Goode" - PETER TOSH (#84)
66) "Bad, Bad Billy" - SNUFF (#88 )
1984:
67) "Joanna" - KOOL & THE GANG (#2)
68 )"Oh Sherrie" - STEVE PERRY (#3)
69) "Blue Jean" - DAVID BOWIE (#8 ) (count?)
70) "Think of Laura" - CHRISTOPHER CROSS (#9)
71) "The Curly Shuffle" - JUMP 'N THE SADDLE (#15)
72) "Modern Day Delilah" - VAN STEPHENSON (#22)
73) "The Belle of St. Mark" - SHEILA E. (#34)
74) "Club Michelle" - EDDIE MONEY (#66)
75) "Say Hello to Ronnie" - JANEY STREET (#68 )
76) "Gloria (live)" - THE DOORS (#71)
77) "Jimmy Loves Maryann" - JOSIE COTTON (#82)
78 )"Rappin' Rodney" - RODNEY DANGERFIELD (#83)
79) "Robert DeNiro's Waiting" - BANANARAMA (#95)
Subject: Re: '80s hits w/ proper names in the title?
1986
"Jimmy Lee" by Arethra Franklin
"suzanne" by journey
Only two, but its a start
Subject: Re: '80s hits w/ proper names in the title?
Quoting:
50) "I Want Candy" - BOW WOW WOW (#62) (count?)
End Quote
no, it doesn't count. In the song, "candy" clearly refers to a sweet confection, not someone named Candy.
Subject: Re: '80s hits w/ proper names in the title?
"Sara" by Starship (1986)
"Joanna" by Kool & The Gang (1984)
"Sussidio" by Phil Collins (1985) (IMO a very strange girl's name)
"Carrie" by Europe (1987)
"Oh Sheila" by Ready For The World (1985) (one of my least favorites from the 80's)
"Dirty Diana" by Michael Jackson (1988)
"Angelia" by Richard Marx (1989)
Subject: Re: '80s hits w/ proper names in the title?
Kyrie by Mr Mister
Subject: Re: '80s hits w/ proper names in the title?
I don't believe Kyrie is a name... ??? I've forgotten what it means.
Subject: Re: '80s hits w/ proper names in the title?
Kyrie is the vocative case of the word Kurios, meaning Lord. Apparently...
Subject: Re: '80s hits w/ proper names in the title?
"Janie's Got A Gun" - Aerosmith (1989)
"Down Down Romeo" - Meccano (1986)
"Roxanne, Roxanne" - U.T.F.O (1984) (also "The Real Roxanne" by Roxanne Shante)
"Sally (That Girl)" - Gucci Crew II (1989)
"Kanday" - LL Cool J (1987)
"Mary Mary" - Run DMC (1988 )
That's all I can think of for now
Subject: Re: '80s hits w/ proper names in the title?
I don't know the chart dates (if any) of these songs but this is what I remember:
Luka - Suzanne Vega
Kayleigh - Marillion (sp)
Biko - Peter Gabriel
Who's Johnny - El Debarge
Who's Holding Donna Now - Debarge
Mary's Prayer - Danny Wilson
Tracie - Level 42
Johnny Are You Queer - Josie Cotton
Pamela - Toto
Oh Sherrie - Steve Perry
Subject: Re: '80s hits w/ proper names in the title?
Quoting:
no, it doesn't count. In the song, "candy" clearly refers to a sweet confection, not someone named Candy.
End Quote
Again, this is debatable; you've clearly been swayed by Bow Wow Wow's video for the song. Although "Candy" is admittedly not generally thought of as a man's name, you must bear in mind that the song was originally a big hit here in the U.S. in the Summer of '65 for The Strangeloves. That original featured male vocals, and "Candy" was clearly a double entendre for a "sweet confection", and a girl's name. But when BWW covered the song in '82 - w/ female Annabella Lwin on lead vocals - they reversed the gender in the lyrics, but had to retain the name/word "Candy", in order for the song to make some sense. In fact, if you actually read the lines in BWW's version (e.g., the opening verse, "I know a guy who's tough, but sweet/He's so fine, he can't be beat/He's got everything that I desire/Sets the summer sun on fire/I want Candy/I want Candy..."), then you'll see that it probably should count, at least IMHO (certainly the original does!)...
I also felt that "Angel Say No" by Tommy Tutone (1980) and "Blue Jean" by David Bowie (1984) fell in the same gray area - but if you read/listen to the lyrics of both, they seem to imply a person's name as well... :-)
Subject: Re: '80s hits w/ proper names in the title?
"Jane Says" - Jane's Addiction
Subject: Re: '80s hits w/ proper names in the title?
Quoting:
"Oh Sheila" by Ready For The World (1985) (one of my least favorites from the 80's)End Quote
Yep, I seem to remember that, lol... ;)
Surprised you didn't also list the song named after you, though. :-) And obviously, TB has yet to see this thread, lol. Same goes for RockandRollFan (f.k.a. "BostonFan_76" - hint, hint)... :-)
Hmmm, maybe it's time to post another partial list...
Subject: Re: '80s hits w/ proper names in the title?
Well, here's the complete list from 1985-86. Of these 40, only 9 have been named so far...
1985:
80) "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)" - JOHN PARR (#1)
81) "Sussudio" - PHIL COLLINS (#1)
82) "Oh Sheila" - READY FOR THE WORLD (#1)
83) "Axel F" - HAROLD FALTERMEYER (#3)
84) "Who's Holding Donna Now" - DeBARGE (#6)
85) "Valotte" - JULIAN LENNON (#9) (count?)
86) "Jamie" - RAY PARKER, JR. (#14)
87) "Love Theme from St. Elmo's Fire" - DAVID FOSTER (#15)
88 )"Bruce" - RICK SPRINGFIELD (#27)
89) "Spanish Eddie" - LAURA BRANIGAN (#40)
90) "Jesse" - JULIAN LENNON (#54)
91) "Willie and the Hand Jive" - GEORGE THOROGOOD & THE DESTROYERS (#63)
92) "Holyanna" - TOTO (#71)
93) "Kayleigh" - MARILLION (#74)
94) "Frankie" - SISTER SLEDGE (#75)
95) "Roxanne, Roxanne" - UTFO (#77)
96) "Remo's Theme (What If)" - TOMMY SHAW (#81)
97) "Little Sheila" - SLADE (#86)
98 )"Janet" - COMMODORES (#87)
1986:
99) "Rock Me Amadeus" - FALCO (#1)
100) "Kyrie" - MR. MISTER (#1)
101) "Amanda" - BOSTON (#1)
102) "Sara" - STARSHIP (#1)
103) "Venus" - BANANARAMA (#1)
104) "Who's Johnny" - EL DeBARGE (#3)
105) "Nikita" - ELTON JOHN (#7)
106) "Tarzan Boy" - BALTIMORA (#13)
107) "Yankee Rose" - DAVID LEE ROTH (#16) (count?)
108 )"Suzanne" - JOURNEY (#17)
109) "Jumpin' Jack Flash" - ARETHA FRANKLIN (#21)
110) "Midas Touch" - MIDNIGHT STAR (#42)
111) "Jody" - JERMAINE STEWART (#42)
112) "Peter Gunn" - THE ART OF NOISE featuring DUANE EDDY (#50)
113) "Don Quichotte" - MAGAZINE 60 (#56)
114) "Jimmy Mack" - SHEENA EASTON (#65)
115) "Johnny Come Home" - FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS (#76)
116) "Stacy" - FORTUNE (#80)
117) "Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)" - SCRITTI POLITTI (#91)
118 )"Karen" - B.E. TAYLOR GROUP (#94)
119) "Walk Away Renee" - SOUTHSIDE JOHNNY & THE JUKES (#98 )
Subject: Re: '80s hits w/ proper names in the title?
Quoting:
And obviously, TB has yet to see this thread, lol. Same goes for RockandRollFan (f.k.a. "BostonFan_76" - hint, hint)... :-)
Hmmm, maybe it's time to post another partial list...
End Quote
Okay, Okay! Amanda-1987 ;) (What a Girl)
Subject: Re: '80s hits w/ proper names in the title?
How about these (Hits in Australia unsure of US) for starters
Delta Dawn - Helen Reddy
Run Joey Run - David Geddes
JohnnyandMary - Robert Palmer
Billy Baxter - Paul Kelly and the Dots
Romeo and Juliet - Mental as Anything
Duncan - Slim Dusty
Jesse - Carly Simon
Flashes Theme - Queen
Helen Wheels - Wings
Black Betty - Ram Jam
Mademoiselle Ninette - Soulful Dynamics
Adventures of Barry McKenzie - Smacka Fitzgibbon
Oh Carol - Smokie
Mary had a little Lamb - Wings
Jessies Girl - Rick Springfield
Come Back Suzanne - Bill Wyman
Subject: Re: '80s hits w/ proper names in the title?
Thought of some more on my way home last night...
"Be Good Johnny" - Men At Work (1983?)
"Jane! Get Me Off This Crazy Thing" - TeeVee Toons Mastermix (1986)
"Hey Rocky!" - Boris Badenough (Trax Records Chicago 1986..."nuthin' up my sleeve, nuthin' up my sleeve..." That record drove my dad nuts.) ;D
Subject: Re: '80s hits w/ proper names in the title?
I used to get so mad that all my friends had their names in songs until i found this thread and saw my name in a song,
"Don't Walk Away Renee'" that is so cool! ;D
Subject: Re: '80s hits w/ proper names in the title?
Quoting:
I used to get so mad that all my friends had their names in songs until i found this thread and saw my name in a song,
"Don't Walk Away Renee'" that is so cool! ;D
End Quote
Although "Walk Away Renee" was a minor hit for Southside Johnny & The Jukes in the Summer of '86, it was actually a cover of the huge #5 hit from the Fall of '66 by The Left Banke (and was also a #14 hit for the Four Tops in the Winter of '68 )...