Haven’t done one of these in awhile, so I thought it would fun to do an April Fool’s chart, pulled from Billboard Magazine/American Top 40.
40. ONE IN A MILLION, The Romantics 39. TO ALL THE GIRLS I’VE LOVED BEFORE, Willie Nelson/Julio Iglesias 38. A FINE, FINE DAY, Tony Carey 37. THE KID’S AMERICAN, Matthew Wilder 36. HEAD OVER HEELS, The Go-Go’s 35. THE AUTHORITY SONG, John Cougar Mellencamp 34. RED RED WINE, UB40 33. NOBODY TOLD ME, John Lennon 32. LEAVE IT, Yes 31. LET’S STAY TOGETHER, Tina Turner
30. TONIGHT, Kool & The Gang 29. DON’T ANSWER ME, Alan Parsons Project 28. YOU MIGHT THINK, The Cars 27. NEW SONG, Howard Jones 26. LOVE SOMEBODY, Rick Springfield 25. THEY DON’T KNOW, Tracey Ullman 24. COME BACK AND STAY, Paul Young 23. RUNNER, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band 22. GIVE IT UP, KC 21. GIRLS, Dwight Twilley
20. BACK WHERE YOU BELONG, .38 Special 19. RADIO GA GA, Queen 18. NEW MOON ON MONDAY, Duran Duran 17. LANGUAGE OF LOVE, Dan Fogelberg 16. GOT A HOLD ON ME, Christine McVie 15. THRILLER, Michael Jackson 14. EAT IT, “Weird Al” Yankovic 13. HELLO, Lionel Richie 12. HOLD ME NOW, Thompson Twins 11. 99 LUFTBALLONS, Nena
10. MISS ME BLIND, Culture Club 9. ADULT EDUCATION, Daryl Hall & John Oates 8. AUTOMATIC, Pointer Sisters 7. AGAINST ALL ODDS, Phil Collins 6. I WANT A NEW DRUG, Huey Lewis & The News 5. GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN, Cyndi Lauper 4. HERE COMES THE RAIN AGAIN, Eurythmics 3. JUMP, Van Halen 2. SOMEBODY’S WATCHING ME, Rockwell 1. FOOTLOOSE, Kenny Loggins
A lot songs I don't recognize, many by artists I do recognize. I'll be going on YouTube a lot, it seems.
36. HEAD OVER HEELS, The Go-Go’s
Love this song, love the Go-Go's, think Talk Show is an underrated album and wish it hadn't been their last for a very long time.
35. THE AUTHORITY SONG, John Cougar Mellencamp
This is one of the few songs by Ol' Melonhead that I can still listen to today.
34. RED RED WINE, UB40
Q: How do you go from being a credible, politically charged band to a bunch of oldies circuit goofballs?
A: Cover a lame Neil Diamond song (which leads to the question, is there any Neil Diamond song that isn't lame?)
32. LEAVE IT, Yes
A fine song from the flawless "90125" album.
31. LET’S STAY TOGETHER, Tina Turner
Great match of song and artist, and a well-deserved comeback for Tina, who shows here she can be a much more subtle and nuanced singer than she gets credit for. Kudos also to the Heaven 17 guys, who produced it.
28. YOU MIGHT THINK, The Cars
A fine song from the flawless "Heartbeat City" album.
25. THEY DON’T KNOW, Tracey Ullman
This cutesy version was the hit, but the original, by the song's author, the late, great, Kirsty MacColl, is better.
19. RADIO GA GA, Queen
I've told this story before, but I think it bears repeating: as a kid, I thought this song was about Paul Revere being a closeted cross-dresser. "Paul Revere is Lady O' Ha-Ha."
18. NEW MOON ON MONDAY, Duran Duran
One of Duran Duran's most underrated songs. Unfortunately, it has one of their worst videos.
16. GOT A HOLD ON ME, Christine McVie
I simply adore Christine McVie, whether solo or with Fleetwood Mac. She's a rarity: a white person with a genuinely soulful voice.
15. THRILLER, Michael Jackson 14. EAT IT, “Weird Al” Yankovic
That's so cool, a Michael Jackson song and a (brilliant) Michael Jackson parody back-to-back.
13. HELLO, Lionel Richie
I love every one of Lionel Richie's solo hits, and I don't care if that makes me uncool.
11. 99 LUFTBALLONS, Nena
Ees overexposed but ees steel goot song, ja?
10. MISS ME BLIND, Culture Club
Boy George, always way too eager to please, but I kinda sorta like this one.
8. AUTOMATIC, Pointer Sisters
Love the Pointer Sisters' run of oh-so-80s hits, and this one's a favorite.
7. AGAINST ALL ODDS, Phil Collins
I echo my comments about Lionel Richie posted above.
5. GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN, Cyndi Lauper
Remember when people were betting on whose career would last, Cyndi's or Madonna's? That Cyndi was far more talented pretty much answered that question. What a world we live in.
4. HERE COMES THE RAIN AGAIN, Eurythmics
See my comments about Christine McVie posted above.
3. JUMP, Van Halen
The godfathers of hair metal go synth-pop, have their biggest hit, then self-destruct. I'm still not sick of this song, even after thirty years.
1. FOOTLOOSE, Kenny Loggins
Kenny Loggins has written and sung plenty of good songs, yet he remains best known for this silly bit of movie soundtrack cheese. What a world we live in.
Which makes me want to point out 33. NOBODY TOLD ME, John Lennon as a song that just gets better and better every year.
Fanfie has covered a lot of my favs already, only with better grammar and more funnies. I mean, Radio Ga Ga for me is a favourite as much for the Metropolis video as the song.
Hold Me Now is a big favourite from the Thompson Twins. Throw off your mental chains with Howard Jones' Human Lib album! Another good one.
I'm going to have to get some Go Gos. I hadn't heard that one and they have quite a few now that I like.
I'd take 99 LUFTBALLONS over Joe le Taxi
Ones I've put on in the last year 33. NOBODY TOLD ME, John Lennon 32. LEAVE IT, Yes - agree on the 90125 album. 28. YOU MIGHT THINK, The Cars 27. NEW SONG, Howard Jones 19. RADIO GA GA, Queen - Fritz Lang! 18. NEW MOON ON MONDAY, Duran Duran - not one of my favs for them though. I'm well out on the lyrics I notice. 12. HOLD ME NOW, Thompson Twins 11. 99 LUFTBALLONS, Nena 7. AGAINST ALL ODDS, Phil Collins - actually I only heard the first bit and skipped past it. 6. I WANT A NEW DRUG, Huey Lewis & The News (just yesterday!) 5. GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN, Cyndi Lauper (on my way to Time after Time, but still) 3. JUMP, Van Halen 4. HERE COMES THE RAIN AGAIN, Eurythmics
I've missed these. Thanks very much He Who Wanders.
"...not having to believe in a thing to be interested in it and not having to explain a thing to appreciate the wonder of it."
Leave it to the "Smart Beatle" to have one his most memorable solo hits more than three years after his death.
This chart has quite a few songs that I still like and many that I don't mind listening to, even if they're not outright favorites. The early part of 1984, it seems, was still a period in which pop music was fun and not overly pretentious. Even "Footloose" (from a movie I couldn't stand) still seems honest in its revelry: Dancing is fun, the arch-conservative religious nuts be damned.
My personal Top 10:
32. LEAVE IT, Yes 33. NOBODY TOLD ME, John Lennon 17. LANGUAGE OF LOVE, Dan Fogelberg 14. EAT IT, “Weird Al” Yankovic (a brilliant parody; ten times more fun than any "straight" MJ hit) 11. 99 LUFTBALLONS, Nena (overplayed, perhaps, but I've loved, in recent years, comparing the original German lyrics to the English lyrics. I actually learned a lot about German from this song.) 5. GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN, Cyndi Lauper 35. THE AUTHORITY SONG, John Cougar Mellencamp 34. RED RED WINE, UB40 (I'm not familiar with Neil Diamond's original, but I think this version brilliantly captures the pain and loneliness of heartbreak. If that's lame, so be it. ) 21. GIRLS, Dwight Twilley (I watched the uncensored video on YouTube last night; let me put it this way: My high school was nothing like that) 31. LET’S STAY TOGETHER, Tina Turner (agreed with Fanfie: a wonderful come back song; Tina's raspy voice gives it a dimension unheard of in the Al Green original)
Tony Carey (No. 38) was the keyboard player on two Rainbow albums, 1976-77. He resurfaced as the brains behind Planet P ("Why Me?") before scoring two solo hits, this song and "The First Day of Summer."
Matthew Wilder (37) is best known for his previous hit, the infectious "Break My Stride."
Rockwell (2) is the son of Berry Gordy Jr., the Motown founder. Michael Jackson does an unmistakeable guest vocal on the chorus.
The early part of 1984, it seems, was still a period in which pop music was fun and not overly pretentious.
I agree 100%.
1984 was a very rough year for me personally -- I started fourth grade at an ugly, horrible new school, and my grandparents got divorced after 51 years of marriage. So I escaped very deeply into the pop music of the time.
And regarding Red Red Wine, I have to admit I never paid much attention to the lyrics. It's also been hard for me to take it seriously ever since I heard a live Neil Diamond version from around 1989 where he changes the last lyric to "With UB40, we be number one."
This is from one day after I turned 14. Meeeeemmmmmmooooooriiiieeeessss....
28. YOU MIGHT THINK, The Cars (Ric has one of the more distinct voices in music)
19. RADIO GA GA, Queen (A fun song by one of my favotite bands ever...sung by one of the single best vocal performers ever. Listen to his operatic stuff if you think otherwise.)
16. GOT A HOLD ON ME, Christine McVie (Totally forgto about this song and her solo stuff. Like was said above, great voice.)
14. EAT IT, “Weird Al” Yankovic (This started my obsession with Weird Al. Most of his parodies being better than the originals.)
9. ADULT EDUCATION, Daryl Hall & John Oates (while popular for a while, they are one of the more under-rated bands that somehow became a punchline for a stache. At least in my opinion.)
7. AGAINST ALL ODDS, Phil Collins (When I still liked Phil Collins and had no real idea what a pretentious dick head he is.)
6. I WANT A NEW DRUG, Huey Lewis & The News (fun, harmless pop rock. Plus, they have horns.)
5. GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN, Cyndi Lauper (love Cyndi)
4. HERE COMES THE RAIN AGAIN, Eurythmics (Cannot say enough how much I love her voice...or his talent with the gutiar.)
3. JUMP, Van Halen (Van Halen at its kitschy finest with Diamond Dave having all kinds of fun...then, as Fanfie said...they imploded from egos.)
2. SOMEBODY’S WATCHING ME, Rockwell (Who hasn't used lyrics from this song at some point?)
1. FOOTLOOSE, Kenny Loggins (While Danger Zone...or even I'm Alright are funner soundtrack hits from him, this one is good as well. His other non-movie songs are great as well.)
9. ADULT EDUCATION, Daryl Hall & John Oates (while popular for a while, they are one of the more under-rated bands that somehow became a punchline for a stache. At least in my opinion.)
I love them, but this isn't my favorite song of theirs.
10. MISS ME BLIND, Culture Club 9. ADULT EDUCATION, Daryl Hall & John Oates 8. AUTOMATIC, Pointer Sisters 7. AGAINST ALL ODDS, Phil Collins 6. I WANT A NEW DRUG, Huey Lewis & The News 5. GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN, Cyndi Lauper 4. HERE COMES THE RAIN AGAIN, Eurythmics 3. JUMP, Van Halen 2. SOMEBODY’S WATCHING ME, Rockwell 1. FOOTLOOSE, Kenny Loggins
This looks like it could be the track list of a "This is 1984!" CD compilation. They're not necessarily all favorites of mine, but I think these 10 give a fair representation of the year.
I was about 20 1/2 when this chart aired. I was still living at home and hanging on to dreams that I would be either the next Stan Lee or the next Ritchie Blackmore. (Hey, if you're going to have icons, they might as well be icons with egos.) A friend and I were diligently writing songs for our band (never formed) and designing characters for our line of comic books (never completed). Meanwhile, I toiled away in a gas station/convenience store while my brother (whose birthday, incidentally, is April 4) had joined the Army and was on his way to South Korea about this time.
This chart makes me wistful but also appreciative for how things ultimately did turn out--much better than anything I could have imagined at 20.
Teeds is right. Those sum up the sound of that year pretty well.
He Who, funny you should mention Ritchie Blackmore, who is also an Aries (and Ian Gillan's a fellow fire sign, Leo -- which I think explains a lot about why they didn't get along.) And 1984 was the year that the Gillan/Blackmore Deep Purple lineup reunited and recorded what I think is a very good album, "Perfect Strangers."
You're right, Fanfie! Deep Purple announced their reunion just a few weeks later.
I've read a lot of books and watched a lot of interviews since then, and, while I still admire Blackmore's guitar playing and showmanship, I have to conclude he's not a very nice human being. He wanted to have things his way and would do mean things to some of the other members of the group (such as ousting bassist Roger Glover in 1973 and denying Jon Lord and Ian Paice songwriting credits after the reformation). He also regularly fired members of Rainbow who didn't meet his exacting musical standards.
I don't place much stock in astrology (though my brother is a fairly typical Aries); birth signs can be used to rationalize a lot of unacceptable behavior. I tend to think rock stars in general are people with strong egos whose celebrity status allows them to get away with actions that should be unacceptable to "mere mortals." (Gillan, for example, was prone ti his own childish behavior.)
He Who, I agree with you about rock stars and celebrities in general...including certain comic book stars. I won't name names (it's a tangent that really belongs in Gymll's anyway) but I think it's incredible, and pretty sad, what even a relatively small amount of fame does to some people.
Since we're talking about Blackmore/Deep Purple/Rainbow, here's a link to keyboard player Tony Carey's other claim to fame:
Always liked this song and video. It was played relentlessly on MTV in the early days.
What's most fascinating to me, though, is that Carey, who was one of a number of musicians who went through Rainbow, later experienced success on his own in a couple of different venues (as Planet P and under his own name).
I remember listening to a RockLine interview with him once. Reflecting on his Rainbow experience, he said (paraphrase), "I was 21. Everyone else was, like, 105. What can I say? A couple of people in the group I respect, a couple I don't."
Just one of those pieces of trivia I've held on to.
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