80s0n8 Big 40 Countdown Schedule

[Aaron]

4. Never Gonna Let You Go - Sergio Mendez.

I was prepared to blast Sergio for taking credit for the song, when he didn't sing it and he didn't write it. He "just" produced it.

Then I'm reading the Wikipedia on the song, and it refers you to a link where a record producer calls the song the most complex pop song of all time.

Who knew?
Maybe that's a bit of hyperbole, but holy hell that songs does have some unique chords and key changes.

 

[Aaron]

 

[Channel98]

Sérgio Mendes' Never Gonna Let You Go featured vocals by Joe Pizzulo and Leeza Miller and was written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, who also wrote Uptown, Magic Town, Hungry, Kicks, Soul & Inspiration, Blame It On The Bossa Nova, We Gotta Get Out Of This Place and dozens of other hits. Is Never Gonna Let You Go really "the most complex pop song ever"? I don't know. I'm not an expert on chords and keys – but I might be able to make a case for Steely Dan's Aja or Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody.

Here is the original version of Never Gonna Let You Go, from Dionne Warwick's 1982 album Friends In Love. The song has also been recorded by Stevie Woods, Urban Agnas, Normie Rowe, John St. Peeters & Jane Scali, Bobbie Eakes & Jeff Trachta and (as an instrumental) Paul Mauriat. My big complaint about the song: The line, "Gonna try and make up for all the times I hurt you so." The correct phrase is "try to," not "try and." I can accept "Gonna" – but not "try and."

 

[MonoStereo]

Between 1981 and 1984, Martin Briley released six singles in the United States. The Salt In My Tears was the only one that charted. It peaked at #36 in July 1983. Oddly, it was his only single to be released in his native England – and not until September 1983. Before launching a solo career, Briley had been a member of British progressive-rock band Greenslade and for three years toured and recorded with Ian Hunter. He also worked as a session musician (guitar, keyboards) in New York City. Here is Briley's final single, It Shouldn't Have To Hurt That Much – and I think it shouldn't have failed to make the Hot 100.

I this might be one of those "MTV hits" where it didn't really get THAT much airplay ( I don't think we even played it as an "oldie" on the station I worked for ) but it was on MTV constantly.

 

[HecticArt]

4. Never Gonna Let You Go - Sergio Mendez.

I was prepared to blast Sergio for taking credit for the song, when he didn't sing it and he didn't write it. He "just" produced it.

Then I'm reading the Wikipedia on the song, and it refers you to a link where a record producer calls the song the most complex pop song of all time.

Who knew?
Maybe that's a bit of hyperbole, but holy hell that songs does have some unique chords and key changes.

The Beato videos are great. He's a monster and not only knows what he's talking about, but he knows EVERYBODY.
One video will easily drag you into watching 2 or 3 more before you have to force yourself to step away.

 

[seasalt43]

The 10 songs below the 100 from 7/16/1983:

Bubbling Under The HOT 100

#101 - U2 "Two Hearts Beat As One" - (peaked at this position)
#102 - Deniece Williams "Do What you Feel" (peaked at this position, #9 R&B)
#103 - Dionne Warwick "All The Love in the World" (peaked at #101, UK#10)
#104 - Joe Cocker "Threw It Away" - (peaked at this position)
#105 - ZZ Top "Sharp Dressed Man" - (entered the chart at #80 on July 23, 1983, peaked at #56)
#106 - Yello "I Love You" (peaked at #103)
#107 - Jennifer Warnes "Nights are Forever" (peaked at #105)
#108 - Shor Patrol "Loverboy" (peaked at this position, no Wiki page)
#109 - Plimsouls "A Million Miles Away" (entered the chart at #86 on July 30, 1983, peaked at #82)
#110 - Juluka "Scatterlings of Africa" (peaked at #108)

Note:

• It's interesting to see Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes bubbling under separately.
• I found some information on Shor Patrol: Shor Patrol - Loverboy ep (1983)

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

The 10 songs below the 100 from 7/16/1983:

Bubbling Under The HOT 100

#105 - ZZ Top "Sharp Dressed Man" - (entered the chart at #80 on July 23, 1983, peaked at #56)

This is very surprising.

 

[HecticArt]

#101 - U2 "Two Hearts Beat As One" - (peaked at this position)

Shocking.

This is very surprising.

I thought it would have broken 40, closer to 20.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

U2 were more a fringe band before "Joshua Tree". I am not surprised some of their songs did not crack top 40. This one would have been the 3rd release from War.

 

[seasalt43]

"Two Hearts Beat as One" was U2's follow-up to "New Year's Day" which peaked at 53. "New Year's Day" was their first chart appearance in the US.

 

[seasalt43]

This is very surprising.

I agree. I just knew this hit the 40. I guess the song got more airplay on video versus radio. I remember seeing the video for sure.

 

[sadchild]

Good 25
Okay 5
Bad 10

If I like 30 of the 40 songs on a countdown, it's probably be 1983!

27. TAKE ME TO HEART - QUARTERFLASH

Another song I've only heard on 80s on 8 since about 1983/4. It's pretty good, good enough to not be forgotten. I'm sure every 100th urge some DJ gets to play "Don't Stop Frickin' Believin'" could easily be replaced with this one.

2. ELECTRIC AVENUE – EDDY GRANT
1. EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE – THE POLICE

Nailed it. This was my 'rope swing summer' I've talked about on here probably one too many times.

Will never get into the top 40
#48 Crosby Stills & Nash "War Games"
#49 James Ingram/Patti Austin "How Do You Keep The Music Playing"
#51 Louise Tucker "Midnight Blue"
#52 Joe Walsh "Space Age Whiz Kids"
#53 Red Rockers "China"
#54 Mtume "Juicy Fruit"
#58 Berlin "The Metro"
#61 Roman Holliday "Stand By"
#66 Meco "Ewok Celebration"
#69 Donnie Iris "Do You Compute?"
#70 Smokey Robinson "Blame It on Love"
#76 Lee Greenwood "IOU"
#77 Al Jarreau "Boogie Down"
#78 Tony Carey "West Coast Summer Nights"
#79 Goanna "Solid Rock"
#81 Zebra "Who's Behind The Door?"
#82 Toto "Waiting For Your Love"
#83 Bananarama "Shy Boy"
#85 Peter Tosh "Johnny B. Goode"
#86 Robert Palmer "You Are In My System"
#87 Engelbert Humperdinck "Til You And Your Lover Are Lovers Again"
#88 B52s "Legal Tender"
#90 INXS "Don't Change"
#91 New Edition "Candy Girl"
#93 Gladys Knight & The Pips "Save The Overtime (For Me)"
#94 Patrick Simmons "Don't Make Me Do It"
#95 Mitch Ryder "When You Were Mine"
#96 Double Image "Night Pulse"
#97 Thomas Dolby "Europa And The Pirate Twins"
#98 George Benson "Inside Love (So Personal)"

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

No surprises in the bottom 60 this week.

And Bevis & Butthead are once again forgotten.

 

[HecticArt]

Will never get into the top 40

#58 Berlin "The Metro"

I thought this would have been right around 40.

#69 Donnie Iris "Do You Compute?"

I didn't think this would have broken 100. I remember it, and it was fun, but it wasn't around very long.

#90 INXS "Don't Change"

This one should have broken 40.

 

[sadchild]

And Bevis & Butthead are once again forgotten.

I think they meant to give Sergio 'the look' this week.

 

[sadchild]

I feel like I've got a lot of incorrect and missing info for 87.

But I think my 4 choices are fairly solid, it's the other songs and their order that seem out of whack.

EARLIER
Bangles "Walk Like An Egyptian" (86/87)
Billy Vera "At This Moment"
Club Nouveau "Lean On Me"
Bon Jovi "Living On A Prayer"
Cutting Crew "I Just Died In"
Heart "Alone"
Aretha/George "I Knew You Were"
Bill/Jennifer "Time Of My Life"

Spoiler: MY FOUR POTENTIALS

Bob Seger "Shakedown"
Los Lobos "La Bamba"
Madonna "Papa Don't Preach"
U2 "I Still Haven't Found"

LATER
Belinda Carlisle "Heaven Is A Place"
Michael Jackson "Bad"
Billy Idol "Mony Mony"
Whitesnake "Here I Go Again"
Tiffany "I Think We're Alone Now"
George Michael "Faith"
Expose "Seasons Change"
Debbie Gibson "Foolish Beat"
?? (87/88)

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

It unlikely they will use the 08/01 chart which means 1 of your choices would be correct. 1 of your 4 is from 1986. The other 2 choices are later. You have listed the actual #1 song just not as your choices.

 

[Aaron]

7/25/1987

40. LOVE POWER - DIONNE WARWICK & JEFFREY OSBORNE
39. SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE - THE OUTFIELD
38. ONE FOR THE MOCKINGBIRD - CUTTING CREW
37. JUST TO SEE HER - SMOKEY ROBINSON
36. HYPNOTIZE ME - WANG CHUNG
35. LIVING IN A BOX - LIVING IN A BOX
34. CAN'T WE TRY - DAN HILL WITH VONDA SHEPPARD
33. ALWAYS - ATLANTIC STARR
32. IT'S NOT OVER ('TIL IT'S OVER) - STARSHIP
31. HEAD TO TOE - LISA LISA & CULT JAM
30. LA BAMBA - LOS LOBOS
29. HEARTS ON FIRE - BRYAN ADAMS
28. EVERY LITTLE KISS - BRUCE HORNSBY & THE RANGE
27. SEVEN WONDERS - FLEETWOOD MAC
26. WHO'S THAT GIRL - MADONNA
25. MOONLIGHTING - AL JARREAU
24. BACK IN THE HIGH LIFE AGAIN - STEVE WINWOOD
23. ROCK STEADY - WHISPERS
22. DON'T MEAN NOTHING - RICHARD MARX
21. ONLY IN MY DREAMS - DEBBIE GIBSON
20. HAPPY - SURFACE
19. SONGBIRD - KENNY G
18. I'D STILL SAY YES - KLYMAXX
17. THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE - JANET JACKSON
16. WOT'S IT TO YA - ROBBIE NEVIL
15. LUKA - SUZANNA VEGA
14. CROSS MY BROKEN HEART - THE JETS
13. KISS HIM GOOBYE - THE NYLONS
12. GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS - MOTLEY CRUE
11. FUNKYTOWN - PSEUDO ECHO
10. POINT OF NO RETURN - EXPOSE
9. DON'T DISTURB THIS GROOVE - THE SYSTEM
8. HEART AND SOUL - T'PAU
7. SOMETHING SO STRONG - CROWDED HOUSE
6. RHYTHM IS GONNA GET YOU - GLORIA ESTEFAN AND MIAMI SOUND MACHINE
5. I WANT YOUR SEX - GEORGE MICHAEL
4. I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY - WHITNEY HOUSTON
3. I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR - U2
2. SHAKEDOWN - BOB SEGER
1. ALONE - HEART

 

[Jon]

19 out of 40. The latter part of the decade was not a strong one for pop music.

 

[MonoStereo]

19 out of 40. The latter part of the decade was not a strong one for pop music.

Yeah, that chart is pretty bleak. There's probably a half dozen on there I don't even think I've heard before, & only maybe 10 songs I like. This is roughly 9 months after I left radio, & it's funny to me how out of the loop I was already. I really dunno what I was listening to at that point, but it wasn't Top 40 radio.