80s0n8 Big 40 Countdown Schedule

1985/06/01

I haven't done one of these in forever, & this is smack dab in the middle of my radio days, so what the hell.

The Bottom 60: debuts or future or former #1s:
(--) 94. Call Me - Go West

I could never figure out why these guys weren't bigger in the US. They had some success, but stuff like "Call Me" & "We Close Our Eyes" should've been waaaaaay bigger.

The Top 40:
(46) 40. Crazy In The Night (Barking At Airplanes) - Kim Carnes

I had no recollection of this song, so I just hit YouTube. Jeezus...the sound of 1985 in all the worst ways, & the video is annoying as shit.

(40) 38. Lucky In Love – Mick Jagger

Columbia Records spent sooooooooooo much on that album, & it did...fine.

(38) 37. Show Some Respect – Tina Turner

Another one I have no recollection of. I'm sure we played it, but it only sounds vaguely familiar ( again, I had to listen on YouTube ). I assume this was the 849th single from "Private Dancer".

(32) 31. Invisible – Alison Moyet

Another one I don't remember ( sensing a theme here? ). Maaaaaaaybe we played this on our AM sister station? There sure seems to be a lotta unmemorable material here in the 30's on the chart.

(34) 28. Voices Carry – ‘Til Tuesday

We heard this in the car while running errands, & I remarked how it's one of the few big songs from this era that doesn't really sound all that dated. The drums sound like actual drums & not shots from a cannon, etc.


(24) 17. Sussudio – Phil Collins

I have a very specific memory of this tune, which probably isn't very interesting. But that's never stopped me before. We got ahold of it early somehow ( a promo cassette, maybe? ) & my boss dubbed it onto a cart ( the big 8-track-looking tape cartridges that we used for commercials ) so we could get it on the air ASAP. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE LISTENER MUST HEAR NEW PHIL COLLINS MUSIC AS SOON AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!


( 6) 13. Crazy For You – Madonna

One of only a couple of her 80's singles I never liked ( another one off the top of my head is "Material Girl" ).


(13) 9. In My House – Mary Jane Girls

Another entry in the "80's Songs About The Singer's Puss" category. Where, I ask you, are the artists today doing this kinda material?!?!?!? You don't see Taylor Friggin' Swift releasing songs about her Lady Basket.

( 3) 2. Everybody Wants To Rule The World – Tears For Fears

I just recently learned the guy who produced this record ( and has a co-write on this song ) is one of the original drummers from Adam & The Ants. I had no idea. I like to think he's reading this while sitting on the toilet, right before he wipes his ass with a 100 dollar bill.


( 1) 1. Everything She Wants - Wham

I heard this one, too, right after we left Costco. It's a jam, as the kids say ( & by "kids" I mean people in their 30's & 40's ), but I was surprised it was a #1. They really were just on fire at this point.



Next week: 1983
 
I could never figure out why these guys weren't bigger in the US.
Better chart history in the UK. But still two top 40s here.
one of the few big songs from this era that doesn't really sound all that dated
I wish I could have convinced the others in my band to cover it. I really wanted to and thought it would have gone over well.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE LISTENER MUST HEAR NEW PHIL COLLINS MUSIC AS SOON AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!
AND IT SHALL BE ONE OF HIS CHEESIEST SINGLES OF ALL TIME!
Another entry in the "80's Songs About The Singer's Puss" category. Where, I ask you, are the artists today doing this kinda material?!
That's all female rappers having been talking about for the last ten years. Like WAP. It's ridiculously called "female empowerment".
It's a jam
I can't stand this one. But the rock remake by AAF is great!

 
37: SHOW SOME RESPECT – TINA TURNER
Didn't recognize this one at all. And I've been listening to the whole VJ every week for almost a decade now.
I remember seeing it a while back. I think it bounced around the lower reaches for only a few weeks: May 20, 2023
Won't ever get into the top 40
#80 Al Corley "Square Rooms"
I saw this recently one on an 80s German chart video. It was big in Europe, but not here.
#92 Nile Rodgers "Let's Go Out Tonight"
This one bubbled before reaching the 100: May 24, 2023
#94 Go West "Call Me"
#96 Go West "We Close Our Eyes"
Great group!
 
That's all female rappers having been talking about for the last ten years. Like WAP. It's ridiculously called "female empowerment".
I appreciate that there was some semblance of innuendo. Now it's just in your face vulgarity. Female empowerment sounds like a convenient marketing ploy to me.
 
Bubbling Under The Hot 100 for the Week Ending 1st June, 1985


TW

LW

Artist

Title

Record Company

Week on Chart

Hot 100 Debut

Peak

Other Charts

101

103

Lisa-Lisa & Cult Jam With Full Force

I Wonder If I Take You Home

Columbia

2

#86, 6/8/85

34

#6 R&B, #1 Dance, #12 UK

102

101

Marvin Gaye

Sanctified Lady

Columbia

3

-

101

#2 R&B, #51 UK

103

109

Vitamin Z

Burning Flame

Geffen

2

#87, 6/15/85

73

#27 Dance, #80 UK

104

-

Dolly Parton (Duet with Kenny Rogers)

Real Love

RCA

1

#91
6/8/85

91

#1 Country, #13 AC

105

RE

Skipworth & Turner

Thinking About Your Love

Island

2

-

104

#1 Dance, #10 R&B, #24 UK

106

110

Bill Withers

Oh Yeah!

Columbia

2

-

106

#22 R&B, #40 AC, #60 UK

107

104

Steve Arrington

Feel So Real

Atlantic

6

-

104

#17 R&B, #5 UK

108

-
Loose Ends
Hangin' On A String

MCA

1

#77
7/20/85

43

#1 R&B, #12 Dance, #13 UK

109

108

Peter Brown

Zie Zie Won't Dance

Columbia

3

-

108

#20 Dance

110

-

Jesse Johnson's Revue

Can You Help Me

A&M

1

-

110

#3 R&B, #12 Dance


This week's chart breakers and drops

TW LW Title/Artist
-- 102 I'm The One Who Loves You/Santana
88 105 You Spin Me Around (Like A Record)/Dead Or Alive
92 106 Let's Get Out Tonight/Nile Rodgers
-- 107 I Just Wanna Hang Around You/George Benson


Comments:

  • "Real Love", "Thinking About Your Love", and "Hangin' On A String" are this week's #1s from other charts.
  • This is the sixth and final week for "Feel So Real" in the bubbles.
  • I could have seen "Hangin' On A String" in the lower reaches of the 40.
  • The answer to "Can You Help Me" was no. The song peaked at #110 and fell off the chart the next week.

Playlist:
 
Remember when "Sugar Walls" was one of the "filthy fifteen" and the PMRC was up in arms over it? Because it was so vulgar? I wonder what Tipper Gore thinks of Ice Spice, Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj and Cardi B?
I do. Sheena Easton did a hard shift from her early Adult Contempered stuff.

About five years later, Tipper could have gotten a dose of raunchy female rap. The rapper Choice had a song that was played on The Box in 1990. In the comments, someone wrote that she paved the way for Megan and Cardi. I hated to admit, but they were 100% right.

Here's a clip of Dee Snider gving a piece of his mind.

 
The rapper Choice had a song that was played on The Box in 1990.
Found it! Willie D featuring Choice "I Need Some Pussy"

Good love is what I'll be givin ya
I got a pussy 'bout the size of Bolivia


LOL!

And there was BWP (Bitchez With Problemz) in 1990 - the female answer to 2 Live Crew.

See, I'm the kind of bitch that loves to be fucked
Trimmed, tucked, stuffed, and sucked
Up in my ass, deep down in my throat
So we can get busy, but jimmy wear a raincoat


There was a lyric in one of the album's songs that was reportedly so vile that the record company refused to release the album until it was removed:

In December 1990, two months before its release, there was a disagreement between Rush’s president Leor Cohen and Producer Mark Sexx about a controversial lyric. Cohen told The Orlando Sentinel, "…this line goes above and beyond – it stretched my imagination beyond the breaking point. I couldn’t continue being manager of this label if I put this record out with that line on it."

Sexx called the move “sexism” claiming, “If it was the Geto Boys or 2 Live Crew saying that line, I’m sure it would be OK with him”. McCaskill added, “It’s an important line for the whole album, and I feel strongly it should be on there.” Sexx threatened “all out war”, adding, “Either the album includes the line or it doesn’t come out. I’ll sue for breach of contract.” The line was ultimately removed.
 
Found it! Willie D featuring Choice "I Need Some Pussy"
I didn't remember it by title, but I recognized it after taking a listen. The track samples "Betcha Got a Chick on the Side" by the Pointer Sisters.

The Choice track I was referring to was "The Big Payback". The song didn't sample the James Brown track, but was a diss song aimed at popular rappers of the day.
Good love is what I'll be givin ya
I got a pussy 'bout the size of Bolivia


LOL!
I laughed at this and Willie D calling Whoopi Goldberg ugly.
And there was BWP (Bitchez With Problemz) in 1990 - the female answer to 2 Live Crew.

See, I'm the kind of bitch that loves to be fucked
Trimmed, tucked, stuffed, and sucked
Up in my ass, deep down in my throat
So we can get busy, but jimmy wear a raincoat
I looked this up and it was from Two Minute Brother. The clean version was played extensively on the Box.
There was a lyric in one of the album's songs that was reportedly so vile that the record company refused to release the album until it was removed:

In December 1990, two months before its release, there was a disagreement between Rush’s president Leor Cohen and Producer Mark Sexx about a controversial lyric. Cohen told The Orlando Sentinel, "…this line goes above and beyond – it stretched my imagination beyond the breaking point. I couldn’t continue being manager of this label if I put this record out with that line on it."

Sexx called the move “sexism” claiming, “If it was the Geto Boys or 2 Live Crew saying that line, I’m sure it would be OK with him”. McCaskill added, “It’s an important line for the whole album, and I feel strongly it should be on there.” Sexx threatened “all out war”, adding, “Either the album includes the line or it doesn’t come out. I’ll sue for breach of contract.” The line was ultimately removed.
This is wild. Of course, I would love to know what the lyric was. :)

Here's another gem: HWA (group) - Wikipedia. Their video, "Funk Me", was on The Box too.
 
JUN 1983

EARLIER
Patti/James "Baby Come To Me"
Dexy's Midnight "Come On Eileen"
Michael Jackson "Beat It"

David Bowie "Let's Dance"
Irene Cara "Flashdance"

LATER
Police "Every Breath You Take"
 
1983/06/04

* = current or future #1
** = former #1
red = debut

The Bottom 60: this week's debuts and/or future or former #1s
(--) 95. KEEP IT CONFIDENTIAL - NONA HENDRYX
(--) 94. FADE AWAY - LOZ NETTO
(--) 92. CHINA - RED ROCKERS
(--) 90. LOVE IS THE KEY - MAZE FEATURING FRANKIE BEVERLY
(--) 89. MANIAC - MICHAEL SEMBELLO *
(--) 79. STOP IN THE NAME OF LOVE - THE HOLLIES
(--) 77. LOVE NEVER FAILS - GREG KIHN BAND
(--) 74. CHINA GIRL - DAVID BOWIE

(RE) 70. 1999 - PRINCE
(--) 60. STAND BACK - STEVIE NICKS
(42) 58. BILLE JEAN - MICHAEL JACKSON **
(--) 57. IS THERE SOMETHING I SHOULD KNOW - DURAN DURAN
(57) 52. SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS) - EURYTHMICS *

This week's drops:
(31) 49. MR. ROBOTO - STYX
(22) 48. COME ON EILEEN - DEXYS MIDNIGHT RUNNERS **
(29) 46. MORNIN' - JARREAU


The Top 40:
(44) 40. THE CLOSER YOU GET - ALABAMA
(39) 39. LOOKING FOR A STRANGER - PAT BENATAR
(21) 38. RIO - DURAN DURAN
(38) 37. ALL MY LIFE - KENNY ROGERS

(--) 36. EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE - THE POLICE *
(36) 35. NO TIME FOR TALK - CHRISTOPHER CROSS
(35) 34. ALL THIS LOVE - DEBARGE
(40) 33. OUR HOUSE - MADNESS
(34) 32. THAT'S LOVE - JIM CAPALDI
(23) 31. STRANGER IN MY HOUSE - RONNIE MILSAP
(30) 30. THE ONE THING - INXS
(33) 29. THE WOMAN IN YOU - BEE GEES
(37) 28. COME DANCING - THE KINKS
(32) 27. WE TWO - THE LITTLE RIVER BAND
(27) 26. TRY AGAIN - CHAMPAIGN
(18) 25. DER KOMMISSAR - AFTER THE FIRE
(15) 24. JEOPARDY - GREG KIHN BAND
(19) 23. I WON'T HOLD YOU BACK - TOTO

(41) 22. WANNA BE STARTIN' SOMETHING - MICHAEL JACKSON
(28) 21. I'M STILL STANDING - ELTON JOHN
(26) 20. TOO SHY - KAJAGOOGOO
(20) 19. SHE'S A BEAUTY - THE TUBES
(24) 18. NEVER GONNA LET YOU GO - SERGIO MENDES
(16) 17. PHOTOGRAPH - DEF LEPPARD
(25) 16. ELECTRIC AVENUE - EDDY GRANT
(17) 15. FAMILY MAN - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES
(14) 14. DON'T LET IT END - STYX
(13) 13. FAITHFULLY - JOURNEY
(12) 12. ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME - NAKED EYES
(11) 11. AFFAIR OF THE HEART - RICK SPRINGFIELD
(10) 10. STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART - BRYAN ADAMS
( 7) 9. SOLITAIRE - LAURA BRANIGAN
( 6) 8. LITTLE RED CORVETTE - PRINCE
( 9) 7. MY LOVE - LIONEL RICHIE
( 3) 6. BEAT IT - MICHAEL JACKSON **
( 5) 5. SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE - THOMAS DOLBY
( 8) 4. TIME - CULTURE CLUB
( 4) 3. OVERKILL - MEN AT WORK
( 2) 2. LET'S DANCE - DAVID BOWIE **
( 1) 1. FLASHDANCE... WHAT A FEELING - IRENE CARA *
 
29 good/ok from 1983:

(21) 38. RIO - DURAN DURAN
(--) 36. EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE - THE POLICE *
(40) 33. OUR HOUSE - MADNESS
(30) 30. THE ONE THING - INXS
(37) 28. COME DANCING - THE KINKS
(32) 27. WE TWO - THE LITTLE RIVER BAND
(18) 25. DER KOMMISSAR - AFTER THE FIRE
(15) 24. JEOPARDY - GREG KIHN BAND
(19) 23. I WON'T HOLD YOU BACK - TOTO
(41) 22. WANNA BE STARTIN' SOMETHING - MICHAEL JACKSON
(28) 21. I'M STILL STANDING - ELTON JOHN
(26) 20. TOO SHY - KAJAGOOGOO
(20) 19. SHE'S A BEAUTY - THE TUBES
(16) 17. PHOTOGRAPH - DEF LEPPARD
(25) 16. ELECTRIC AVENUE - EDDY GRANT
(17) 15. FAMILY MAN - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES
(14) 14. DON'T LET IT END - STYX
(13) 13. FAITHFULLY - JOURNEY
(12) 12. ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME - NAKED EYES
(11) 11. AFFAIR OF THE HEART - RICK SPRINGFIELD
(10) 10. STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART - BRYAN ADAMS
( 7) 9. SOLITAIRE - LAURA BRANIGAN
( 6) 8. LITTLE RED CORVETTE - PRINCE
( 3) 6. BEAT IT - MICHAEL JACKSON **
( 5) 5. SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE - THOMAS DOLBY
( 8) 4. TIME - CULTURE CLUB
( 4) 3. OVERKILL - MEN AT WORK
( 2) 2. LET'S DANCE - DAVID BOWIE **
( 1) 1. FLASHDANCE... WHAT A FEELING - IRENE CARA *
 
JUN 1983

EARLIER
Patti/James "Baby Come To Me"
Dexy's Midnight "Come On Eileen"
Michael Jackson "Beat It"

David Bowie "Let's Dance"
Irene Cara "Flashdance"

LATER
Police "Every Breath You Take"
I was going to go with #2, but would have been wrong.

I'm at 19.

(21) 38. RIO - DURAN DURAN
(--) 36. EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE - THE POLICE *
(40) 33. OUR HOUSE - MADNESS
(30) 30. THE ONE THING - INXS
(37) 28. COME DANCING - THE KINKS
(18) 25. DER KOMMISSAR - AFTER THE FIRE
(15) 24. JEOPARDY - GREG KIHN BAND
(28) 21. I'M STILL STANDING - ELTON JOHN
(26) 20. TOO SHY - KAJAGOOGOO
(20) 19. SHE'S A BEAUTY - THE TUBES
(16) 17. PHOTOGRAPH - DEF LEPPARD
(25) 16. ELECTRIC AVENUE - EDDY GRANT
(12) 12. ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME - NAKED EYES
(11) 11. AFFAIR OF THE HEART - RICK SPRINGFIELD
( 6) 8. LITTLE RED CORVETTE - PRINCE
( 5) 5. SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE - THOMAS DOLBY
( 4) 3. OVERKILL - MEN AT WORK
( 2) 2. LET'S DANCE - DAVID BOWIE **
( 1) 1. FLASHDANCE... WHAT A FEELING - IRENE CARA * Cheesy nostalgia
 
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