Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION The Anywhere Machine Billboard's Top 40 for 1980 and 1981

The numbers that follow each song are: peak date, # weeks at peak position, peak position

1980

1. Lady Kenny Rogers 11/15, 6, 1
2. Call Me Blondie 4/19, 6, 1
3. (Just Like) Starting Over John Lennon 12/27, 5, 1
4. [b]Upside Down Diana Ross 9/06, 4, 1
5. Another Brick In The Wall (Part II) Pink Floyd 3/22, 4, 1
6. Crazy Little Thing Called Love Queen 2/23, 4, 1
7. Rock With You Michael Jackson 1/19, 4, 1
8. Magic Olivia Newton-John 8/02, 4, 1
9. Funkytown Lipps, Inc. 5/31, 4, 1
10. Another One Bites The Dust Queen 10/04, 3, 1
11. Woman In Love Barbra Streisand 10/25, 3, 1
12. Coming Up (Live At Glasgow) Paul McCartney & Wings 6/28, 3, 1
13. It’s Still Rock & Roll To Me Billy Joel 7/19, 2, 1
14. Do That To Me One More Time The Captain & Tennille 2/16, 1, 1
15. Please Don’t Go K.C. & The Sunshine Band 1/05, 1, 1
16. Sailing Christopher Cross 8/30, 1, 1
17. More Than I Can Say Leo Sayer 12/06, 5, 2
18. All Out Of Love Air Supply 9/13, 4, 2
19. Ride Like The Wind Christopher Cross 4/26, 4, 2
20. Working My Way Back To You/Forgive Me, Girl Spinners 3/29, 2, 2
21. Yes, I’m Ready Ter DeSario with K.C. 3/01, 2, 2
22. Longer Dan Fogelberg 3/15, 2, 2
23. Little Jeanie Elton John 7/19, 4, 3
24. Coward Of The County Kenny Rogers 1/26, 4, 3
25. Lost In Love Air Supply 5/03, 4, 3
26. The Rose Bette Midler 6/28, 3, 3
27. Biggest Part Of Me Ambrosia 6/07, 3, 3
28. The Wanderer Donna Summer 11/15, 3, 3
29. He’s So Shy Pointer Sisters 10/25, 3, 3
30. Emotional Rescue The Rolling Stones 9/06, 2, 3
31. Take Your Time (Do It Right) Part 1 The S.O.S. Band 8/16, 2, 3
32. Desire Andy Gibb 3/08, 4, 4
33. Crusin’ Smokey Robinson 2/02, 4, 4
34. With You I’m Born Again Billy Preston & Syreeta 4/19, 4, 4
35. Cupid/I’ve Loved You For A Long Time Spinners 7/19, 3, 4
36. Don’t Fall In Love With A Dreamer Kenny Rogers with Kim Carnes 5/24, 3, 4
37. Give Me the Night George Benson 9/27, 2, 4
38. Fame Irene Cara 9/13, 2, 4
39. Hungry Heart Bruce Springsteen 12/27, 5, 5
40. Master Blaster (Jammin’) Stevie Wonder


1981

1. Physical Olivia Newton-John 11/21, 10, 1
2. Bette Davis Eyes Kim Carnes 5/16, 9, 1
3. Endless Love Diana Ross & Lionel Richie 8/15, 9, 1
4. Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do) Christopher Cross 10/17, 3, 1
5. Kiss On My List Daryl Hall & John Oates 4/11, 3, 1
6. Jessie’s Girl Rick Springfield 8/01, 2, 1
7. I Love A Rainy Night Eddie Rabbit 2/28, 2, 1
8. 9 to 5 Dolly Parton 2/21, 2, 1
9. Private Eyes Daryl Hall & John Oates 11/07, 2, 1
10. Rapture Blondie 3/28, 2, 1
11. Celebration Kool & The Gang 2/07, 2, 1
12. Morning Train (Nine To Five) Sheena Easton 5/02, 2, 1
13. The Tide Is High Blondie 1/31, 1, 1
14. Keep On Loving You REO Speedwagon 3/21, 1, 1
15. Medley Stars on 45 6/20, 1, 1
16. The One That You Love Air Supply 7/25, 1, 1
17. Waiting For A Girl Like You Foreigner 11/28, 10, 2
18. Woman John Lennon 3/21, 3, 2
19. Start Me Up The Rolling Stones 10/31, 3, 2
20. Slow Hand Pointer Sisters 8/29, 3, 2
21. Just The Two Of Us Grover Washington Jr. (with Bill Withers) 5/02, 3, 2
22. Love On The Rocks Neil Diamond 1/10, 3, 2
23. Being With You Smokey Robinson 5/23, 3, 2
24. All Those Years Ago George Harrison 7/04, 3, 2
25. Queen Of Hearts Juice Newton 9/19, 2, 2
26. Theme From “Greatest American Hero” (Believe It Or Not) Joey Scarbury 8/15, 2, 2
27. Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around Stevie Nicks (with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers) 9/05, 6, 3
28. Let’s Groove Earth, Wind, & Fire 12/19, 5, 3
29. The Best Of Times Styx 3/21, 4, 3
30. Sukiyaki A Taste Of Honey 6/13, 3, 3
31. I Don’t Need You Kenny Rogers 8/15, 2, 3
32. Guilty Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb 1/10, 2, 3
33. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic The Police 12/05, 2, 3
34. Urgent Foreigner 9/05, 4, 4
35. Angel Of The Morning Juice Newton 5/02, 4, 4
36. For Your Eyes Only Sheena Easton 10/17, 4, 4
37. Oh No Commodores 12/05, 3, 4
38. Who’s Crying Now Journey 10/03, 2, 4
39. A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do) Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio 6/20, 2, 4
40. (There’s) No Getting Over Me Ronnie Milsap 9/05, 5, 5

The responses disappeared in the lost half-week!

Okay, I admit it. I really liked Physical, okay?

And boy did Bette Davis Eyes get on my nerves.

Loved 9 To 5! I remember listening to it on a portable tape player while swinging on the swings at the park.

i will post later, but a lot of these songs i dont really remember,
CAUSE THEY SUCKED!!!!

Bump to balance out that 1990 chart thread.

Oh, wow! This deserves some thought and reflection when I haven't been drinking so it will have to wait until tomorrow... man the MEMORIES...

But even drinking I know which ones I owned either on 45, 8-track or album...

I was keeping a weekly list of American Top 40 at the time, and was frustrated that the songs I liked charted low while ordinary ballads like "Lady" and "Endless Love" dominated the chart.

All in all, 1980-81 was a bland period in music. Disco had died (or was on its last legs), heavy metal was passe, and punk rock never caught on, so what passed for a major trend were country songs from Urban Cowboy. There were glimmerings of New Wave via the Pretenders ("Brass In Pocket"), Gary Numan ("Cars") and the Clash ("Train In Vain"), but we'd have to wait until 1982-83 when MTV really started its ascent for something exciting to happen.

The two lists aren't all bad, however. "Funky Town" was fun, and Billy Joel had one of the best hits of his career in "It's Still Rock & Roll to Me." Both that song and John Lennon's final number one, "(Just Like) Starting Over" sounded as if they came straight out of the '50s, an indication of music looking backwards. George Harrison deliberately looks backwards in "All Those Years Ago," a tribute to John, and Styx's "The Best of Times" offers its own nostalgia trip while being hopeful for the future. If music had to temporarily look back in order to remind itself what rock 'n' roll was all about, then I guess it was worthwhile.

But, looking over this list, I can't help but wish that "Love Stinks" by the J. Geils Band had been a bigger hit. (At least it's outliving most of these songs, thanks to the Swiffer commercials!)

I love about 70% of the songs on those lists. Lennon's final album was excellent. I'm glad it is represented. I'm a fan of anything and everything Blondie ever recorded. Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty together... brilliant. Upside Down is as solid a Diana Ross hit as you can get. Guilty is one of my favorite Striesand songs. She and Barry Gibb were meant to sing together.

Here's the ones I remember liking the most.

1980

2. Call Me Blondie
3. (Just Like) Starting Over John Lennon
5. Another Brick In The Wall (Part II) Pink Floyd
10. Another One Bites The Dust Queen
12. Coming Up (Live At Glasgow) Paul McCartney & Wings
13. It’s Still Rock & Roll To Me Billy Joel
16. Sailing Christopher Cross
19. Ride Like The Wind Christopher Cross
20. Working My Way Back To You/Forgive Me, Girl Spinners
27. Biggest Part Of Me Ambrosia
30. Emotional Rescue The Rolling Stones
35. Cupid/I’ve Loved You For A Long Time Spinners
39. Hungry Heart Bruce Springsteen

1981

6. Jessie’s Girl Rick Springfield
7. I Love A Rainy Night Eddie Rabbit
10. Rapture Blondie 3/28, 2, 1
11. Celebration Kool & The Gang
13. The Tide Is High Blondie
14. Keep On Loving You REO Speedwagon
17. Waiting For A Girl Like You Foreigner
19. Start Me Up The Rolling Stones
24. All Those Years Ago George Harrison
25. Queen Of Hearts Juice Newton
26. Theme From “Greatest American Hero” (Believe It Or Not) Joey Scarbury
27. Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around Stevie Nicks (with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers)
29. The Best Of Times Styx
33. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic The Police
34. Urgent Foreigner
35. Angel Of The Morning Juice Newton
38. Who’s Crying Now Journey