Thought I'd start this one :P

Songs that made #2 whether it be the US Hot 100, the UK Top 75 or the Canadian 100 Singles chart.  A tribute to those songs that just fell shy of the top spot!

Here is a #2 hit from the UK circa 1984.  This fantastic song was kept off the UK #1 spot by Lionel Richie's Hello ...

Shakin' Stevens - A Love Worth Waiting For
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Here is a #2 hit in both the UK and Canada by David Bowie.  In Canada, this was kept off the top by 2 songs:  True by Spandau Ballet and Islands in the Stream by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton.  In the UK, Culture Club's Karma Chameleon blocked it from the pole position ...

David Bowie - Modern Love
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More British shenanigans which never translated Stateside...

From 1980...'Dance Yourself Dizzy' - Liquid Gold (held at bay by The Jam's 'Going Underground')

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KsK1ybDZ44


From the following year...'Vienna' - Ultravox (a dead serious, over-the-top, arty thing which was famously kept off #1 by Joe Dolce's 'Shaddap You Face')

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9WdUgn0XkU


And from the year after that, 'Golden Brown' - The Stranglers (Played extensively on our MOR radio station, nobody quite realising the song had allusions to heroin! Denied their chance of glory by The Jam (again!) with 'A Town Called Malice' (their only US hit)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7R7q1lSZfs

Five Star's highest charting single got to #2 in 1986. It was kept off by The Communards "Don't Leave Me This Way" - which incidentally was the biggest selling single in the UK for 1986.

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I'm surprised "Modern Love"  By David Bowie was number 2, I liked that song.

From the following year...'Vienna' - Ultravox (a dead serious, over-the-top, arty thing which was famously kept off #1 by Joe Dolce's 'Shaddap You Face')


I don't understand how Joe Dolce was able to fend off Ultravox.  Vienna is such a fantastic song.  Here in Canada, Shaddap You Face was a #2 peak, kept off the top by 2 songs that had something in common with each other.  Can you guess what that was? ... Dolly Parton's 9 to 5, then Sheena Easton's Morning Train (Nine to Five)


I'm surprised "Modern Love"  By David Bowie was number 2, I liked that song.


In the US, it peaked at #14, which was even more of a shock

Here's another #2 circa 1986 for both the UK and Canada by the late great Jermaine Stewart.  It was kept off the top slot in the UK by that aforementioned biggest UK hit of 1986:  Don't Leave Me This Way by Communards.  In Canada, Madonna occupied the top spot with Papa Don't Preach.  I wonder if it was due to her music video featuring Danny Aiello as Papa?  You don't mess with Danny Aiello lol

Jermaine Stewart - We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off
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http://weknowmemes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/who-does-number-2-work-for-boston-meme.jpg

In the US, it peaked at #14, which was even more of a shock

So the lower you go, the more the artist is irrelevant? ???

Here's another #2 circa 1986 for both the UK and Canada by the late great Jermaine Stewart.  It was kept off the top slot in the UK by that aforementioned biggest UK hit of 1986:  Don't Leave Me This Way by Communards

never heard of them but to have Jermaine Stewart have number 2 to these guys? not fair!

never heard of them but to have Jermaine Stewart have number 2 to these guys? not fair!


And don't forget Five Star too!  >:(

I don't understand how Joe Dolce was able to fend off Ultravox.


Midge Ure still cannot understand it to this very day! But whereas 'Vienna' will always be regarded as an 80s classic, the same can't be said for Joe, so I guess there's some poetic justice there! The vagaries of the record-buying public! Don'cha just love it?


And don't forget Five Star too!  >:(


Overlooked in the States, robby (although 'All Fall Down' did pretty well in the clubs), mainly because they had their own popular 'family' group around at the time - The Jets...

Christmas 1981 and Cliff had his squillionth British hit with a pretty decent-ish cover of a US #2 from way back in 1961 by Shep & The Limelites - it couldn't possibly better the original, but at least the song became familiar to British ears! Held off by 'Don't You Want Me' by the Human League (the biggest seller of that year)...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJJuYpx0w2Q

Midge Ure still cannot understand it to this very day! But whereas 'Vienna' will always be regarded as an 80s classic, the same can't be said for Joe, so I guess there's some poetic justice there! The vagaries of the record-buying public! Don'cha just love it?


Christmas 1981 and Cliff had his squillionth British hit with a pretty decent-ish cover of a US #2 from way back in 1961 by Shep & The Limelites - it couldn't possibly better the original, but at least the song became familiar to British ears! Held off by 'Don't You Want Me' by the Human League (the biggest seller of that year)...
I believe that one of the covers of "Shaddup You Face" was to be by Andrew Sachs as his character of Manuel from Fawlty Towers, but his version was dropped for Joe Dolce's version.

I believe that one of the covers of "Shaddup You Face" was to be by Andrew Sachs as his character of Manuel from Fawlty Towers, but his version was dropped for Joe Dolce's version.


Not dropped as such, as they were in direct competition with one another, but I guess Joe got the all-important airplay first. The hook of Manuel's version was he sang 'Que?' instead of 'Hey!'

Not dropped as such, as they were in direct competition with one another, but I guess Joe got the all-important airplay first. The hook of Manuel's version was he sang 'Que?' instead of 'Hey!'
I have never heard the Manuel version, but have heard his version of "Y Viva Espana", got the single somewhere.

And don't forget Five Star too!  >:(


Five Star had a whole bunch of hits.

And don't forget Five Star too!  >:(

Five Star had a whole bunch of hits.
Five Star had many hits and only "Rain or Shine" reached number 2 in 1986 in the UK.

Five Star had many hits and only "Rain or Shine" reached number 2 in 1986 in the UK.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI58lEFaODE&feature=kp

What about "All Fall Down"? ???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI58lEFaODE&feature=kp

What about "All Fall Down"? ???

In the UK it reached number 15 in 1985.

In the UK it reached number 15 in 1985.


15? Wow! :o

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I'm not sure how to properly respond to this without overloading the profamity filters.  >:( How Platinum Blonde didn't do better than #2 I'm not quite sure but this was a hit on the Chum Charts. ::)

I'm not sure how to properly respond to this without overloading the profamity filters.  >:( How Platinum Blonde didn't do better than #2 I'm not quite sure but this was a hit on the Chum Charts. ::)


Have I got good news for you!  The CHUM Charts started as the first Top 40 chart in Canada, but it primarily measured hit singles within the Toronto and surrounding area.

Hit singles measured Canada-wide were done so by RPM Magazine, which was our version of Billboard Magazine.  On September 7, 1985, Crying Over You by Platinum Blonde knocked Tina Turner's Thunderdome off the pole position, spending just 1 week at the Top.  They were the 4th of only 5 Canadian acts to Top the Canadian charts during the 1980s ...

1982 | Rush - New World Man (2 weeks)
1985 | Northern Lights - Tears Are Not Enough (2 weeks)
1985 | Corey Hart - Never Surrender (4 weeks)
1985 | Platinum Blonde - Crying Over You (1 week)
1986 | Corey Hart - Everything in My Heart (1 week)
1986 | Glass Tiger - Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone) (2 weeks)
1987 | Corey Hart - Can't Help Falling in Love (1 weeks)

Have I got good news for you!  The CHUM Charts started as the first Top 40 chart in Canada, but it primarily measured hit singles within the Toronto and surrounding area.

Hit singles measured Canada-wide were done so by RPM Magazine, which was our version of Billboard Magazine.  On September 7, 1985, Crying Over You by Platinum Blonde knocked Tina Turner's Thunderdome off the pole position, spending just 1 week at the Top.  They were the 4th of only 5 Canadian acts to Top the Canadian charts during the 1980s ...

1982 | Rush - New World Man (2 weeks)
1985 | Northern Lights - Tears Are Not Enough (2 weeks)
1985 | Corey Hart - Never Surrender (4 weeks)
1985 | Platinum Blonde - Crying Over You (1 week)
1986 | Corey Hart - Everything in My Heart (1 week)
1986 | Glass Tiger - Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone) (2 weeks)
1987 | Corey Hart - Can't Help Falling in Love (1 weeks)


The RPM Charts are probably more accurate than the Much Music charts. 

The RPM Charts are probably more accurate than the Much Music charts.


They are for all of Canada. (more accurate than the Chum Charts).

Looking at that list above, surprised no Bryan Adams songs made it to #1. (He was arguably the most popular Canadian artist of the 1980s, a little bit more than Corey Hart. Certainly Bryan was more popular outside of Canada, since not too many people outside of Canada ever even heard of Platinum Blonde. Maybe they might know Corey Hart. For sure people know Rush though.)

They are for all of Canada. (more accurate than the Chum Charts).

Looking at that list above, surprised no Bryan Adams songs made it to #1. (He was arguably the most popular Canadian artist of the 1980s, a little bit more than Corey Hart)


You'd be surprised.  In Canada, Corey Hart won that battle during the 80s, but Bryan won it outside of Canada.

http://www.inthe00s.com/index.php?topic=21092.0

They are for all of Canada. (more accurate than the Chum Charts).

Looking at that list above, surprised no Bryan Adams songs made it to #1. (He was arguably the most popular Canadian artist of the 1980s, a little bit more than Corey Hart. Certainly Bryan was more popular outside of Canada, since not too many people outside of Canada ever even heard of Platinum Blonde. Maybe they might know Corey Hart. For sure people know Rush though.)


Yeah.  I know that PB weren't as well promoted as they should have been outside of Canada since they only had one hit in the US.  :(  Rush is arguably the most popular Canadian band inside and outside of Canada.  I like both Corey Hart and Bryan Adams because I always hear them on the radio.  But there's something about Platinum Blonde that just screams out 80s to me.  :)

Yeah.  I know that PB weren't as well promoted as they should have been outside of Canada since they only had one hit in the US.  :(  Rush is arguably the most popular Canadian band inside and outside of Canada.  I like both Corey Hart and Bryan Adams because I always hear them on the radio.  But there's something about Platinum Blonde that just screams out 80s to me.  :)


Through popularity, atleast in the US, I don't know if Rush were the winners there.  Triumph were also popular, and then you had Loverboy, who beat them both by number of Top 40 hits in the US

Through popularity, atleast in the US, I don't know if Rush were the winners there.  Triumph were also popular, and then you had Loverboy, who beat them both by number of Top 40 hits in the US


Rush is not a band that did commercial stuff until about 1980. Most people who like Rush, do like them for their theme albums in the 1970s.  Having said that, not everyone likes Rush...they aren't a pop band by any means, they are more a rock/prog rock type band.
Triumph & Loverboy were both good bands and had some success in the USA.

Rush is not a band that did commercial stuff until about 1980. Most people who like Rush, do like them for their theme albums in the 1970s.  Having said that, not everyone likes Rush...they aren't a pop band by any means, they are more a rock/prog rock type band.
Triumph & Loverboy were both good bands and had some success in the USA.


But Triumph broke up before they ever really had a chance to really evolve musically.  Rik Emmet said in a Much More Music interview that he wished that Triumph hadn't ended on such a sour note.  They had to lawyer up and settle things with their lawyers present.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_(band)#Members

And Loverboy really isn't Loverboy anymore because they lost their bass player Scott Smith to shark infested waters off the coast of San Francisco when he was swept over his boat in 2000.  They still haven't found his remains yet.

And Loverboy really isn't Loverboy anymore because they lost their bass player Scott Smith to shark infested waters off the coast of San Francisco when he was swept over his boat in 2000.  They still haven't found his remains yet.

Are they still investigating? ???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmbOjpvbCR8

Material Girl (1985), Madonna

Are they still investigating? ???


No.  Scott has been declared to be lost at sea.  :(  The only thing that the coast gaurd said is that Scott couldn't have survived being in the water for longer than 20 minutes.  :(

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But Triumph broke up before they ever really had a chance to really evolve musically.  Rik Emmet said in a Much More Music interview that he wished that Triumph hadn't ended on such a sour note.  They had to lawyer up and settle things with their lawyers present.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_(band)#Members

And Loverboy really isn't Loverboy anymore because they lost their bass player Scott Smith to shark infested waters off the coast of San Francisco when he was swept over his boat in 2000.  They still haven't found his remains yet.


That's like saying AC/DC wasn't AC/DC anymore when Bon Scott died, when they had bigger success with Brian Johnson

That's like saying AC/DC wasn't AC/DC anymore when Bon Scott died, when they had bigger success with Brian Johnson


Okay so I could have worded that a bit better.
Musically Loverboy hasn't been the same anymore since they lost their bass player.  I wasn't saying that they were a bigger success without Scott Smith.  I think they should have just stopped after Scott Smith died.

Material Girl (1985), Madonna


I kind of sworn this would be Number 1.

I kind of sworn this would be Number 1.
"Material Girl" by Madonna only reached #3 in the UK.

"Material Girl" by Madonna only reached #3 in the UK.


That's pretty good in The U.K.

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This was definitely a good song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIlTXExAk-0&feature=kp

Aurra- You And Me Tonight

This was definitely a good song.


It sure was.  It was one of the very first videos to be shown on MTV back in 1981.  :)

It sure was.  It was one of the very first videos to be shown on MTV back in 1981.  :)
"Working for the Weekend" is ranked #100 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 80's.

"Working for the Weekend" is ranked #100 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 80's.


Number 100? That's insane. :o

Aurra- You And Me Tonight


That reached #54 in the US ?

"Working for the Weekend" is ranked #100 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 80's.


It also did not make #2 on any of the major charts anywhere. 

It also did not make #2 on any of the major charts anywhere.


It reached #2 on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Charts.  :)

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This reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

That reached #54 in the US ?


Yes it did but it reached #2 in The U.S.

It also did not make #2 on any of the major charts anywhere.


Why was that? ???

It also did not make #2 on any of the major charts anywhere. 

Why was that? ???
It did not sell enough records!

Yes it did but it reached #2 in The U.S.


I do believe you mean the R&B charts, but I'm only talking about the US Hot 100.  If it was such a good song, how come it only got to #54 on the US Hot 100? :P

I do believe you mean the R&B charts, but I'm only talking about the US Hot 100.  If it was such a good song, how come it only got to #54 on the US Hot 100? :P


It would be a few years later that Curt Jones & Starleana Young disbanded because someone else already had the name "Aurra" and was sued, later on they became "Deja" which the two of them racked up some minor hits before calling it quits for good.

Toto - Stop Loving You (1988)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYr3OJOXk60

Believe it or not, but this was actually Toto's most successful single in the Netherlands (by far)!
It was held off of the #1 spot by Eddie Grant's  "Gimme Hope Jo'anna".

Toto - Stop Loving You (1988)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYr3OJOXk60

Believe it or not, but this was actually Toto's most successful single in the Netherlands (by far)!
It was held off of the #1 spot by Eddie Grant's  "Gimme Hope Jo'anna".


I think it was at this time that Eddy Grant wasn't as hot as he was back in 1983 with his songs "Electric Avenue" and "Killer On The Rampage".

I think it was at this time that Eddy Grant wasn't as hot as he was back in 1983 with his songs "Electric Avenue" and "Killer On The Rampage".


He was never hot with 'Killer on the Rampage'.  It was not a hit for him


Toto - Stop Loving You (1988)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYr3OJOXk60

Believe it or not, but this was actually Toto's most successful single in the Netherlands (by far)!
It was held off of the #1 spot by Eddie Grant's  "Gimme Hope Jo'anna".


Now this is a pleasant surprise.  I am glad late 80s Toto did well somewhere.  From that album 'Pamela' was it for North America

Now this is a pleasant surprise.  I am glad late 80s Toto did well somewhere.  From that album 'Pamela' was it for North America


Pamela made it to #9 over here. It was the follow-up to Stop Loving You.