june 4

1989 Wind Beneath My Wings Bette Midler Rhapsody iTunes
1988 One More Try George Michael Rhapsody iTunes
1987 You Keep Me Hangin' On Kim Wilde Rhapsody iTunes
1986 Live to Tell Madonna Rhapsody iTunes
1985 Everybody Wants to Rule the World Tears for Fears Rhapsody iTunes
1984 Time After Time Cyndi Lauper Rhapsody iTunes
1983 Flashdance ... What a Feeling Irene Cara  iTunes
1982 Ebony and Ivory Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder Rhapsody iTunes
1981 Bette Davis Eyes Kim Carnes Rhapsody iTunes
1980 Funkytown Lipps, Inc. Rhapsody iTunes


not that great..................

  October 8th (Based on the good ol' US of A charts...)

  1980: Another One Bites the Dust - Queen

  1981: Endless Love - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie

  1982: Jack & Diane - John Mellencamp

  1983: Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler

  1984: Let's Go Crazy - Prince & The Revolution

  1985: Money For Nothing - Dire Straits

  1986: Stuck with You - Huey Lewis & the News

  1987: Didn't We Almost Have It All - Whitney Houston

  1988: Love Bites - Def Leppard

  1989: Miss You Much - Janet Jackson

(another awesome song, would never make it today)



  Any song that is good would never make it today...



1982 Ebony and Ivory Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder Rhapsody iTunes

not that great..................


  Why was that song unleashed upon the world?  It was uncalled-for and totally mean...

From the British charts of various 27th Junes in that there decade...nothing of any great vintage, I'm afraid!

1980 - 'Crying' - Don McLean
1981 - 'One Day In Your Life' - Michael Jackson
1982 - 'I've Never Been To Me' - Charlene
1983 - 'Every Breath You Take' - Police
1984 - 'Two Tribes' - Frankie Goes To Hollywood
1985 - 'You'll Never Walk Alone' - The Crowd
1986 - 'The Edge Of Heaven' - Wham
1987 - 'Star Trekkin'' - The Firm
1988 - 'I Owe You Nothing' - Bros
1989 - 'Back To Life' - Soul II Soul

Strange to say that the first three of those #1s were all recordings that originated from the 1970s!
The Crowd were a charity ensemble, the Firm were a bunch of p!ss-takers (and I suppose Bros were too!)
About the only half-decent one there is The Police's last #1...

UK No 1s for May 31st

1980 - 'Suicide is Painless' - Theme from M*A*S*H
1981 - 'Stand and Deliver' - Adam and the Ants
1982 - 'House of Fun' - Madness
1983 - 'Candy Girl' - New Edition
1984 - 'The Reflex' - Duran Duran
1985 - '19' - Paul Hardcastle
1986 - 'The Chicken Song' - Spitting Image
1987 - 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now' - Starship
1988 - 'With a Little Help From My Friends' - Wet Wet Wet
1989 - 'Ferry 'Cross the Mersey' - Gerry Marsden, Holly Johnson, The Christians and Paul McCartney

Hmmmmm...Quite eclectic.

December 5.  Based on Canadian charts ...

1980 | (Just Like) Starting Over - John Lennon
1981 | Physical - Olivia Newton-John
1982 | Mickey - Toni Basil
1983 | Say Say Say - Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
1984 | Sea of Love - The Honeydrippers
1985 | Say You, Say Me - Lionel Richie
1986 | Stand By Me - Ben E. King
1987 | Faith - George Michael
1988 | no chart available
1989 | Another Day in Paradise - Phil Collins


No chart available in Canada in 1988, Jason?  ???

1983 - 'Candy Girl' - New Edition



A purported imitation of the Jackson 5's "ABC."  New Edition was from Boston, so that song was HUGE in 1983.  My sister listened to KISS 108 FM, the big dance-pop station at the time, and it seemed to be on every 15 minutes!  The song didn't crack Billboard AT40, but it went all the way to #1 on the Billboard R&B charts.  

Maurice Starr REALLY wanted New Edition to be the next Jackson 5.  For such an ambitious goal, he did startlingly well.

Later Bel Biv DeVoe and Bobby Brown had stellar careers.  Too bad Bobby Brown turned out to be such a peckerhead, though.


  Any song that is good would never make it today...


I played the video for Men At Work "Down Under" for my nieces, and they just laughed and laughed at how dorky it was.  And I said, "You know something, you kids today...are right.
:-\\

I played the video for Men At Work "Down Under" for my nieces, and they just laughed and laughed at how dorky it was.  And I said, "You know something, you kids today...are right.
:-\\



  The video or the song..?

  In any case, you say that as if it was a bad thing...

Y'know what?

I did the research, and I'm too damn embarrassed to even list what was #1 on my birthday during the 80's (October 25th).

Lets just say Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called To Say I Loved You" was  #1 during my birthday in '84, and it goes downhill from that... :P

Y'know what?

I did the research, and I'm too damn embarrassed to even list what was #1 on my birthday during the 80's (October 25th).

Lets just say Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called To Say I Loved You" was  #1 during my birthday in '84, and it goes downhill from that... :P


  Dang!  Now I feel all self-conscious... :D

A purported imitation of the Jackson 5's "ABC."  New Edition was from Boston, so that song was HUGE in 1983.  My sister listened to KISS 108 FM, the big dance-pop station at the time, and it seemed to be on every 15 minutes!  The song didn't crack Billboard AT40, but it went all the way to #1 on the Billboard R&B charts.  

Maurice Starr REALLY wanted New Edition to be the next Jackson 5.  For such an ambitious goal, he did startlingly well.

Later Bel Biv DeVoe and Bobby Brown had stellar careers.  Too bad Bobby Brown turned out to be such a peckerhead, though.


Bobby Brown was definitely a peckerhead. When he came on the scene, for me, almost every Whitney Houston song she sung was rubbish after that, lol.

I remember listening to 'Candy Girl' for the first time thinking; "I'm sure I've heard this before". I am surprised The Jacksons didn't intervene and take them to court. Huey Lewis took legal action against Ray Parker Jnr for less.

I played the video for Men At Work "Down Under" for my nieces, and they just laughed and laughed at how dorky it was.  And I said, "You know something, you kids today...are right.
:-\\

What comes around goes around, Max. When your nieces are adults and they have children, their children will think their music was dorky too. On the theme of plagiarism, Men at work have lost a case against their song 'Down Under' because, apparently I couldn't really tell any similarities, it sounds like 'Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree':

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8497433.stm

In an industry where sampling and blatant copying is the norm, I feel sorry for Men at Work. A wonderful song cheapened by opportunists.

March 16th in the US:

1980 | Pink Floyd - Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)
1981 | REO Speedwagon - Keep on Loving You
1982 | Joan Jett and The Blackhearts - I Love Rock 'n Roll
1983 | Michael Jackson - Billie Jean 
1984 | Van Halen - Jump 
1985 | REO Speedwagon - Can't Fight This Feeling
1986 | Heart - These Dreams
1987 | Club Nouveau - Lean on Me
1988 | Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up 
1989 | Debbie Gibson - Lost in Your Eyes

March 16th in the US:

1980 | Pink Floyd - Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2) >:(
1983 | Michael Jackson - Billie Jean 8-P
1989 | Debbie Gibson - Lost in Your Eyes 8-P

Midas just proved Bobby's point, even before the 80's, some bands were ripping off others. Fleetwood Mac could've easily hauled Pink Floyd into court. The guitar chords in "Brick" are clearly pirated from "Tusk"!

As for the other two, you now see why I didn't post them for March 8th.

Your Pal,
Doc
8)

March 16th in the US:



You share a birthday with my brother Stuart.



August 22nd Billboard charts

1989  Right Here Waiting - Richard Marx
1988  Monkey - George Michael
1987  Who's That Girl - Madonna
1986  Papa, Don't Preach - Madonna
1985  The Power of Love - Huey Lewis & the News
1984  Ghostbusters - Ray Parker, Jr.
1983  Every Breath You Take - The Police
1982  Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
1981  Endless Love - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
1980  Magic - Olivia Newton-John


In the UK

1980 David Bowie - Ashes To Ashes
1981 Shakin' Stevens - Green Door
1982 Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen
1983 K C and The Sunshine Band - Give It Up
1984 George Michael - Careless Whisper
1985 Madonna - Into The Groove
1986 Boris Gardiner - I Want To Wake Up With You
1987 Michael Jackson - I Just Can't Stop Loving You 
1988 Yazz and The Plastic Population - The Only Way Is Up
1989 Jive Bunny and The Mastermixers - Swing The Mood

November 1:

1980- Lady, Kenny Rogers
1981-Hard to Say, Dan Fogelberg
1982-Gypsy, Fleetwood Mac
1983-All Night Long, Lionel Richie
1984-Purple Rain, Prince and the Revolution
1985-We built this city, Starship
1986- Human, Human League
1987-Mony Mony, Billy Idol
1988- The wild wild west, Escape Club
1989-Love Shack, B-52's

No chart available in Canada in 1988, Jason?  ???


The available archives for the Canadian Charts are missing a giant gap from October 1988 to May 1989, so in that period, I have no idea was was a hit in Canada lol  Someday I will find out

Anyone have a birthday this week and want to share the hits?

Your Pal,
Doc
8)

January 20:

1989 Two Hearts                   Phil Collins
1988 The Way You Make Me Feel       Michael Jackson
1987 At This Moment                   Billy Vera & the Beaters
1986 That's What Friends Are For       Dionne & Friends
1985 Like a Virgin                   Madonna
1984 Owner of a Lonely Heart       Yes
1983 Down Under                   Men at Work
1982 Physical                                 Olivia Newton-John
1981 (Just Like) Starting Over     John Lennon
1980 Rock with You                   Michael Jackson

Interesting question  :)  According to my Billboard (U.S.) book, here's mine (Feb 3)

1980 - Michael Jackson "Rock With You"
1981 - Blondie "The Tide Is High"
1982 - Hall & Oates "I Can't Go For That"
1983 - Men At Work "Down Under"
1984 - Yes "Owner Of A Lonely Heart"
1985 - Madonna "Like A Virgin"
1986 - Dionne Warwick "That's What Friends Are For"
1987 - Billy Vera & Beaters "At This Moment" (re-release, made famous on show "Family Ties")
1988 - INXS "Need You Tonight"
1989 - Phil Collins "Two Hearts"

January 20:

1989 Two Hearts                   Phil Collins
1988 The Way You Make Me Feel       Michael Jackson
1987 At This Moment                   Billy Vera & the Beaters
1986 That's What Friends Are For       Dionne & Friends
1985 Like a Virgin                   Madonna
1984 Owner of a Lonely Heart       Yes
1983 Down Under                   Men at Work
1982 Physical                                 Olivia Newton-John
1981 (Just Like) Starting Over     John Lennon
1980 Rock with You                   Michael Jackson


Hey, I just noticed that we have some song overlap - cool!  8)

Interesting question  :)  According to my Billboard (U.S.) book, here's mine (Feb 3)

1982 - Hall & Oates "I Can't Go For That"
1983 - Men At Work "Down Under"
1984 - Yes "Owner Of A Lonely Heart"
1988 - INXS "Need You Tonight"
1989 - Phil Collins "Two Hearts"

Thanx, you two. I do love a bunch of these songs!

Your Pal,
Doc
8)

Since my birthday in 1987 was a Saturday, I know that "Alone" by Heart was the top hit in the U.S. that weekend.

1980 Start ~ The Jam
1981 Tainted Love ~ Soft Cell
1982 Eye Of The Tiger ~ Survivor
1983 Red Red Wine ~ UB40
1984 I Just Called To Say I Love You ~ Stevie Wonder
1985 Dancing In The Street ~ David Bowie & Mick Jagger
1986 I Want To Wake Up With You ~ Boris Gardiner
1987 Never Gonna Give You Up ~ Rick Astley
1988 The Only Way Is Up ~ Yazz & Plastic Population
1989 Swing The Mood ~ Jive Bunny

Hey, I just noticed that we have some song overlap - cool!  8)


I was JUST looking at that.  :D  Love it!