80s0n8 Big 40 Countdown Schedule

SEP 1983

EARLIER
Irene Cara "Flashdance"
Police "Every Breath You Take"

Eurythmics "Sweet Dreams"
Michael Sambello "Maniac"

LATER
Billy Joel "Tell Her About It"
Bonnie Tyler "Total Eclipse"
 
1983/09/03
(Note Alan said it was 09/08 but that is wrong).

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

The Bottom 60: future or former #1s and/or hot 100 debuts
(--) 95. TAKE AWAY - BIG RIC
(--) 90. WHAT'S SHE GOT - LIQUID GOLD
(--) 88. ALL I NEED TO KNOW - BETTE MIDLER
(--) 87. FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE - KANSAS
(--) 85. FOOLIN' - DEF LEPPARD
(--) 83. THIS TIME - BRYAN ADAMS
(--) 82. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE - DONNA SUMMER
(--) 74. DELIERIOUS - PRINCE
(--) 60. SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER - THE MOTELS
(--) 56. SITTING AT THE WHEEL - THE MOODY BLUES

(58) 43. ISLANDS IN THE STREAM - KENNY ROGERS DUET WITH DOLLY PARTON *

This week's drops:
(40) 63. SAVED BY ZERO - THE FIXX
(31) 59. ELECTRIC AVENUE - EDDY GRANT
(22) 51. FLASHDANCE... WHAT A FEELING - IRENE CARA **
(36) 44. ALL TIME HIGH - RITA COOLIDGE
(33) 42. NEVER GONNA LET YOU GO - SERGIO MENDES


The Top 40:
(46) 40. HOLD ME 'TIL THE MORNIN' COMES - PAUL ANKA
(47) 39. BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE - TALKING HEADS
(41) 38. TONIGHT, I CELEBRATE MY LOVE - PEABO BRYSON / ROBERTA FLACK

(25) 37. ROCK OF AGES - DEF LEPPARD
(39) 36. YOU'RE DRIVING ME OUT OF MY MIND - LITTLE RIVER BAND

(43) 35. TELL HER NO - JUICE NEWTON
(44) 34. BIG LOG - ROBERT PLANT

(38) 33. LADY LOVE ME (ONE MORE TIME) - GEORGE BENSON
(35) 32. KISS THE BRIDE - ELTON JOHN
(19) 31. ROCK 'N' ROLL IS KING - ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA
(34) 30. DON'T YOU GET SO MAD - JEFFREY OSBORNE
(15) 29. IS THERE SOMETHING I SHOULD KNOW - DURAN DURAN
(23) 28. AFTER THE FALL - JOURNEY
(17) 27. HOT GIRLS IN LOVE - LOVERBOY
(29) 26. DEAD GIVEAWAY - SHALAMAR
(37) 25. KING OF PAIN - THE POLICE
(32) 24. TRUE - SPANDAU BALLET
(27) 23. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU - LAURA BRANIGAN
(30) 22. FAR FROM OVER - FRANK STALLONE
(24) 21. PROMISES, PROMISES - NAKED EYES
(21) 20. HUMAN TOUCH - RICK SPRINGFIELD
(18) 19. TAKE ME TO HEART - QUARTERFLASH
(26) 18. MAKING LOVE OUT OF NOTHING AT ALL - AIR SUPPLY
(28) 17. SHE'S SEXY + 17 - STRAY CATS
( 7) 16. STAND BACK - STEVIE NICKS
(20) 15. TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART - BONNIE TYLER *
(14) 14. LAWYERS IN LOVE - JACKSON BROWNE
(16) 13. DON'T CRY - ASIA
(10) 12. CHINA GIRL - DAVID BOWIE
( 8) 11. (KEEP FEELING) FASCINATION - HUMAN LEAGUE
(13) 10. HUMAN NATURE - MICHAEL JACKSON
( 9) 9. I'LL TUMBLE 4 YA - CULTURE CLUB
( 6) 8. IT'S A MISTAKE - MEN AT WORK
(12) 7. TELL HER ABOUT IT - BILLY JOEL *
(11) 6. THE SAFETY DANCE - MEN WITHOUT HATS
( 4) 5. SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY - DONNA SUMMER
( 5) 4. PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ - TACO
( 1) 3. EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE - THE POLICE **
( 3) 2. MANIAC - MICHAEL SEMBELLO *
( 2) 1. SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS) - EURYTHMICS *
 
28 good/ok from 1983:

(47) 39. BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE - TALKING HEADS
(25) 37. ROCK OF AGES - DEF LEPPARD
(44) 34. BIG LOG - ROBERT PLANT
(35) 32. KISS THE BRIDE - ELTON JOHN
(19) 31. ROCK 'N' ROLL IS KING - ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA
(15) 29. IS THERE SOMETHING I SHOULD KNOW - DURAN DURAN
(17) 27. HOT GIRLS IN LOVE - LOVERBOY
(32) 24. TRUE - SPANDAU BALLET
(24) 21. PROMISES, PROMISES - NAKED EYES
(21) 20. HUMAN TOUCH - RICK SPRINGFIELD
(18) 19. TAKE ME TO HEART - QUARTERFLASH
(26) 18. MAKING LOVE OUT OF NOTHING AT ALL - AIR SUPPLY
(28) 17. SHE'S SEXY + 17 - STRAY CATS
( 7) 16. STAND BACK - STEVIE NICKS
(20) 15. TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART - BONNIE TYLER *
(14) 14. LAWYERS IN LOVE - JACKSON BROWNE
(10) 12. CHINA GIRL - DAVID BOWIE
( 8) 11. (KEEP FEELING) FASCINATION - HUMAN LEAGUE
(13) 10. HUMAN NATURE - MICHAEL JACKSON
( 9) 9. I'LL TUMBLE 4 YA - CULTURE CLUB
( 6) 8. IT'S A MISTAKE - MEN AT WORK
(12) 7. TELL HER ABOUT IT - BILLY JOEL *
(11) 6. THE SAFETY DANCE - MEN WITHOUT HATS
( 4) 5. SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY - DONNA SUMMER
( 5) 4. PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ - TACO
( 1) 3. EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE - THE POLICE **
( 3) 2. MANIAC - MICHAEL SEMBELLO *
( 2) 1. SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS) - EURYTHMICS *
 
CORRECT ORDER

Irene Cara "Flashdance" #51
Police "Every Breath You Take" #3
Eurythmics "Sweet Dreams" #1
Michael Sambello "Maniac" #2

Billy Joel "Tell Her About It" #7
Bonnie Tyler "Total Eclipse" #15
Kenny/Dolly "Islands In The Stream" #43

green: my candidates
white: on my list and the hot 100
brown: on the hot 100 but missing from my list
 
Great/Good/Ok 27
viva 1983!

***** great
39 DE TALKING HEADS - BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE
37 25 DEF LEPPARD - ROCK OF AGES
29 15 DURAN DURAN - IS THERE SOMETHING I SHOULD KNOW
27 17 LOVERBOY - HOT GIRLS IN LOVE
25 37 THE POLICE - KING OF PAIN
24 32 SPANDAU BALLET - TRUE
21 24 NAKED EYES - PROMISES, PROMISES
17 28 STRAY CATS - (She’s) SEXY + 17
14 14 JACKSON BROWNE - LAWYERS IN LOVE
11 08 THE HUMAN LEAGUE - (KEEP FEELING) FASCINATION
10 13 MICHAEL JACKSON - HUMAN NATURE
06 11 MEN WITHOUT HATS - THE SAFETY DANCE
05 04 DONNA SUMMER - SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY
04 05 TACO - PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ
03 01 THE POLICE - EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE
01 02 EURYTHMICS - SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS)

**** good
20 21 RICK SPRINGFIELD - HUMAN TOUCH
16 07 STEVIE NICKS - STAND BACK
15 20 BONNIE TYLER - TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART
13 16 ASIA - DON’T CRY
02 03 MICHAEL SEMBELLO - MANIAC

*** okay
34 DE ROBERT PLANT - BIG LOG
32 35 ELTON JOHN - KISS THE BRIDE
22 30 FRANK STALLONE - FAR FROM OVER
18 26 AIR SUPPLY - MAKING LOVE OUT OF NOTHING AT ALL
08 06 MEN AT WORK - IT’S A MISTAKE
07 12 BILLY JOEL - TELL HER ABOUT IT

** nah
38 DE PEABO BRYSON/ROBERTA FLACK - TONIGHT I CELEBRATE MY LOVE
36 39 LITTLE RIVER BAND - YOU’RE DRIVING ME OUT OF MY MIND
35 DE JUICE NEWTON - TELL HER NO
33 38 GEORGE BENSON - LADY LOVE ME (ONE MORE TIME)
31 19 ELO - ROCK ‘N’ ROLL IS KING
30 34 JEFFREY OSBORNE - DON’T YOU GET SO MAD
28 23 JOURNEY - AFTER THE FALL
26 29 SHALAMAR - DEAD GIVEAWAY
23 27 LAURA BRANIGAN - HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU
19 18 QUARTERFLASH - TAKE ME TO HEART

* bad
40 DE PAUL ANKA - HOLD ME ’TIL THE MORNIN’ COMES
12 10 DAVID BOWIE - CHINA GIRL
09 09 CULTURE CLUB - I’LL TUMBLE 4 YA

40 DE PAUL ANKA - HOLD ME ’TIL THE MORNIN’ COMES

A #40-peaker. Don't think I've heard it before on the countdown? During the verse I was like "How the hell was this a hit?" Then I heard the Peter Cetera-sung chorus and went "Oh, that's how."

38 DE PEABO BRYSON/ROBERTA FLACK - TONIGHT I CELEBRATE MY LOVE

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36 39 LITTLE RIVER BAND - YOU’RE DRIVING ME OUT OF MY MIND

The end of this one sounds like it could be a Stevie Wonder or Michael Jackson song.

18 26 AIR SUPPLY - MAKING LOVE OUT OF NOTHING AT ALL
15 20 BONNIE TYLER - TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART


Had to watch the literal versions of these video after. Those still crack me up every time.

14 14 JACKSON BROWNE - LAWYERS IN LOVE

Finally some kind of information about this weird (but great) song. Mark said Browne's brother-in-law made a comment that inspired the title. Backed up by the New York Times in 1983: "Mr. Browne said it was suggested by his brother-in-law, who came over from Australia and was saying that all Los Angeles looked like it had been designed by lawyers in love." It doesn't explain the wacky song lyrics, but at least it explains how it got its title.

02 03 MICHAEL SEMBELLO - MANIAC

At least one of the others chose this.

01 02 EURYTHMICS - SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS)

I chose this.

#81 Club House "Do It Again/Billie Jean"

Boy this is something! A mashup/medley of Steely Dan and Michael Jackson. I don't know quite what to think of it. In Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands and the UK, it peaked at #6, #7, #10 and #11.



NOTE: ONE WEEK OFF
Won't reach the top 40
#48 Smokey Robinson "Blame It on Love"
#53 Heart "How Can I Refuse"
#54 Styx "High Time"
#56 ZZ Top "Sharp Dressed Man"
#59 Beegees "Someone Belonging To Someone"
#60 Animals "The Night"
#61 Aretha Franklin "Get It Right"
#62 FR David "Words"
#63 Sergio Mendes "Rainbow's End"
#64 Eddy Grant "I Don't Wanna Dance"
#67 Ronnie Milsap "Don't You Know How Much I Love You"
#68 Tubes "Tip Of My Tongue"
#72 Manhattans "Crazy"
#73 Tears For Fears "Change"
#75 Chris de Burgh "Ship To Shore"
#77 Louise Tucker "Midnight Blue"
#79 Mtume "Juicy Fruit"
#80 Wham "Bad Boys"
#81 Club House "Do It Again/Billie Jean"
#82 Lindsey Buckingham "Holiday Road"
#83 Herb Alpert "Garden Party"
#84 Midnight Star "Freak-A-Zoid"
#85 Kajagoogoo "Hang On Now"
#87 Kissing The Pink "Maybe This Day"
#88 Snuff "Bad Bad Billy"
#89 Jim Capaldi "Living On The Edge"
#90 SOS Band "Just Be Good To Me"
#91 James Ingram/Patti Austin "How Do You Keep The Music Playing"
#94 Tony Carey "West Coast Summer Nights"
#95 Zebra "Who's Behind The Door?"
#99 Kenny Rogers "Scarlet Fever"
 
22 including nostalgia picks.

(47) 39. BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE - TALKING HEADS
(25) 37. ROCK OF AGES - DEF LEPPARD
(44) 34. BIG LOG - ROBERT PLANT
(19) 31. ROCK 'N' ROLL IS KING - ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA
(15) 29. IS THERE SOMETHING I SHOULD KNOW - DURAN DURAN
(17) 27. HOT GIRLS IN LOVE - LOVERBOY
(37) 25. KING OF PAIN - THE POLICE
(24) 21. PROMISES, PROMISES - NAKED EYES
(21) 20. HUMAN TOUCH - RICK SPRINGFIELD
(28) 17. SHE'S SEXY + 17 - STRAY CATS
( 7) 16. STAND BACK - STEVIE NICKS
(16) 13. DON'T CRY - ASIA
(10) 12. CHINA GIRL - DAVID BOWIE
( 8) 11. (KEEP FEELING) FASCINATION - HUMAN LEAGUE
( 6) 8. IT'S A MISTAKE - MEN AT WORK
(12) 7. TELL HER ABOUT IT - BILLY JOEL *
(11) 6. THE SAFETY DANCE - MEN WITHOUT HATS
( 4) 5. SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY - DONNA SUMMER - Nostalgia
( 5) 4. PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ - TACO
( 1) 3. EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE - THE POLICE **
( 3) 2. MANIAC - MICHAEL SEMBELLO * - Nostalgia
( 2) 1. SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS) - EURYTHMICS *
 
01 02 EURYTHMICS - SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS)

I chose this.

Won't reach the top 40
#56 ZZ Top "Sharp Dressed Man"
#82 Lindsey Buckingham "Holiday Road"
I realized shortly after I posted my pick that I was wrong. The Police owned all summer of 1983 and I knew "Sweet Dreams" was first #1 after. I just forgot which countdown it would be when I made my pick.

Those 2 are my only surprises.
 
For the weekend of 9/6 9/7 9/8/2024, I'm surprised they went with 9/3/83 (Sweet Dreams) and not 9/10/83 (Maniac). But hey, I guessed right. So I'll take it.
They had done the 08/27 & 09/10 countdowns before. I am glad they did this one too.

Alan actually said they were doing the countdown for September 8th at least once.
 
Another Alan error. He said "It's A Mistake" was their 4th and last Top 40 hit in the US. He was correct in that it was their last. None of the subsequent releases broke the Billboard Top 40 however it was their 5th hit.
 
Big 22 for 83

(47) 39. BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE - TALKING HEADS
(25) 37. ROCK OF AGES - DEF LEPPARD
(44) 34. BIG LOG - ROBERT PLANT
(15) 29. IS THERE SOMETHING I SHOULD KNOW - DURAN DURAN
(17) 27. HOT GIRLS IN LOVE - LOVERBOY
(37) 25. KING OF PAIN - THE POLICE
(32) 24. TRUE - SPANDAU BALLET
(24) 21. PROMISES, PROMISES - NAKED EYES
(28) 17. SHE'S SEXY + 17 - STRAY CATS
( 7) 16. STAND BACK - STEVIE NICKS
(20) 15. TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART - BONNIE TYLER *
(16) 13. DON'T CRY - ASIA
(10) 12. CHINA GIRL - DAVID BOWIE
( 8) 11. (KEEP FEELING) FASCINATION - HUMAN LEAGUE
( 9) 9. I'LL TUMBLE 4 YA - CULTURE CLUB
( 6) 8. IT'S A MISTAKE - MEN AT WORK
(12) 7. TELL HER ABOUT IT - BILLY JOEL *
(11) 6. THE SAFETY DANCE - MEN WITHOUT HATS
( 4) 5. SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY - DONNA SUMMER
( 1) 3. EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE - THE POLICE **
( 3) 2. MANIAC - MICHAEL SEMBELLO *
( 2) 1. SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS) - EURYTHMICS *
 
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