80s0n8 Big 40 Countdown Schedule

It's Hard To Be Humble, written and sung by Mac Davis, reached #10 on the Billboard country chart for the week ending May 17, 1980. It is a studio recording made to sound live. The "audience" is background vocalists Buzz Cason, Bergen White, Dennis Wilson, Steve Pippin, Diane Tidwell, Louis Nunby, Wendy Suits, Yvonne Hodges and Donna McElroy.

A version by Willie Nelson and his sons Micah and Lucas appeared on Willie's Ride Me Back Home album, released June 21, 2019. The album also includes Willie's remake of Billy Joel's Just The Way You Are. I will not share that one here. I am not that sadistic.

 
15 for '80

(44) 40. WE LIVE FOR LOVE - PAT BENATAR
(28) 25. TRAIN IN VAIN (STAND BY ME) - THE CLASH
(23) 21. STEAL AWAY - ROBBIE DUPREE
(22) 20. THE ROSE - BETTE MIDLER
(27) 19. COMING UP (LIVE AT GLASGOW) - PAUL MCCARTNEY AND WINGS *
(26) 18. AGAINST THE WIND - BOB SEGER
(20) 17. BRASS IN POCKET (I'M SPECIAL) - THE PRETENDERS
(17) 15. BREAKDOWN DEAD AHEAD - BOZ SCAGGS
(15) 12. CARS - GARY NUMAN
(12) 11. HURT SO BAD - LINDA RONSTADT
( 5) 9. ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL - PINK FLOYD **
( 7) 7. YOU MAY BE RIGHT - BILLY JOEL
(19) 4. FUNKYTOWN - LIPPS INC. *
( 2) 2. RIDE LIKE THE WIND - CHRISTOPHER CROSS
( 1) 1. CALL ME - BLONDIE
 
Ate

(28) 25. TRAIN IN VAIN (STAND BY ME) - THE CLASH
(20) 17. BRASS IN POCKET (I'M SPECIAL) - THE PRETENDERS
(15) 12. CARS - GARY NUMAN
( 5) 9. ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL - PINK FLOYD **
( 7) 7. YOU MAY BE RIGHT - BILLY JOEL
(19) 4. FUNKYTOWN - LIPPS INC. *
( 2) 2. RIDE LIKE THE WIND - CHRISTOPHER CROSS
( 1) 1. CALL ME - BLONDIE *
 
1983/05/21 Repeat countdown

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

The Bottom 60: future or past #1s and/or debuts:
(--) 95. HE'S A PRETENDER - HIGH INERGY
(--) 93. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO OLD FASHIONED LOVE - B.J. THOMAS
(--) 90. SAVE THE OVERTIME FOR ME - GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS
(--) 86. THE SALT IN MY TEARS - MARTIN BRILEY
(90) 78. SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS) - EURYTHMICS *
(--) 77. THEME FROM DOCTOR DETROIT - DEVO
(--) 71. WHITE WEDDING - BILLY IDOL
(--) 49. THE WOMAN IN YOU - BEE GEES

The week's drops:
(37) 73. DO YOU REALLY WANT TO HURT ME - CULTURE CLUB
(36) 47. ONE ON ONE - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES
(31) 43. WELCOME TO HEARTLIGHT - KENNY LOGGINS
(34) 42. SO WRONG - PATRICK SIMMONS

The Top 40:
(44) 40. LOOKING FOR A STRANGER - PAT BENATAR
(46) 39. NO TIME FOR TALK - CHRISTOPHER CROSS
(29) 38. SEPARATE WAYS - JOURNEY
(38) 37. GIMME ALL YOUR LOVIN' - ZZ TOP
(32) 36. SOME KIND OF FRIEND - BARRY MANILOW
(28) 35. IT MIGHT BE YOU - STEPHEN BISHOP
(40) 34. THE ONE THING - INXS
(39) 33. I'M STILL STANDING - ELTON JOHN
(33) 32. I COULDN'T SAY NO - ROBERT ELLIS ORRAL WITH CARLENE CARTER
(45) 31. ELECTRIC AVENUE - EDDY GRANT
(41) 30. TOO SHY - KAJAGOOGOO
(24) 29. BILLY JEAN - MICHAEL JACKSON **
(30) 28. TRY AGAIN - CHAMPAIGN
(35) 27. NEVER GONNA LET YOU GO - SERGIO MENDES
(18) 26. EVEN NOW - BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND
(27) 25. SHE'S A BEAUTY - THE TUBES
(25) 24. STRANGER AT MY HOUSE - RONNIE MILSAP
(16) 23. MR. ROBOTO - STYX
(26) 22. FAMILY MAN - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES
(21) 21. MORNIN' - JARREAU
(23) 20. DON'T LET IT END - STYX
(20) 19. FAITHFULLY - JOURNEY
(22) 18. ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME - NAKED EYES
( 6) 17. COME ON EILEEN - DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS **
(19) 16. AFFAIR OF THE HEART - RICK SPRINGFIELD
(11) 15. I WON'T HOLD YOU BACK - TOTO
(14) 14. RIO - DURAN DURAN
(15) 13. STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART - BRYAN ADAMS
(13) 12. PHOTOGRAPH - DEF LEPPARD
(10) 11. DER KOMMISSAR - AFTER THE FIRE
(17) 10. TIME (CLOCK OF THE HEART) - CULTURE CLUB
(12) 9. MY LOVE - LIONEL RICHIE
( 3) 8. JEOPARDY - GREG KIHN BAND
( 9) 7. SOLITARE - LAURA BRANIGAN
( 8) 6. LITTLE RED CORVETTE - PRINCE
( 5) 5. SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE - THOMAS DOLBY
( 4) 4. OVERKILL - MEN AT WORK
( 7) 3. FLASHDANCE (WHAT A FEELING) - IRENE CARA *
( 1) 2. BEAT IT - MICHAEL JACKSON **
( 2) 1. LET'S DANCE - DAVID BOWIE *
 
29 good/ok from 1983:

(29) 38. SEPARATE WAYS - JOURNEY
(38) 37. GIMME ALL YOUR LOVIN' - ZZ TOP
(40) 34. THE ONE THING - INXS
(39) 33. I'M STILL STANDING - ELTON JOHN
(45) 31. ELECTRIC AVENUE - EDDY GRANT
(41) 30. TOO SHY - KAJAGOOGOO
(24) 29. BILLY JEAN - MICHAEL JACKSON **
(18) 26. EVEN NOW - BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND
(27) 25. SHE'S A BEAUTY - THE TUBES
(16) 23. MR. ROBOTO - STYX
(26) 22. FAMILY MAN - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES
(23) 20. DON'T LET IT END - STYX
(20) 19. FAITHFULLY - JOURNEY
(22) 18. ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME - NAKED EYES
( 6) 17. COME ON EILEEN - DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS **
(19) 16. AFFAIR OF THE HEART - RICK SPRINGFIELD
(11) 15. I WON'T HOLD YOU BACK - TOTO
(14) 14. RIO - DURAN DURAN
(15) 13. STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART - BRYAN ADAMS
(13) 12. PHOTOGRAPH - DEF LEPPARD
(10) 11. DER KOMMISSAR - AFTER THE FIRE
(17) 10. TIME (CLOCK OF THE HEART) - CULTURE CLUB
( 3) 8. JEOPARDY - GREG KIHN BAND
( 8) 6. LITTLE RED CORVETTE - PRINCE
( 5) 5. SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE - THOMAS DOLBY
( 4) 4. OVERKILL - MEN AT WORK
( 7) 3. FLASHDANCE (WHAT A FEELING) - IRENE CARA *
( 1) 2. BEAT IT - MICHAEL JACKSON **
( 2) 1. LET'S DANCE - DAVID BOWIE *
 
30. Not bad.

(29) 38. SEPARATE WAYS - JOURNEY
(38) 37. GIMME ALL YOUR LOVIN' - ZZ TOP
(40) 34. THE ONE THING - INXS
(39) 33. I'M STILL STANDING - ELTON JOHN
(45) 31. ELECTRIC AVENUE - EDDY GRANT
(24) 29. BILLY JEAN - MICHAEL JACKSON **
(18) 26. EVEN NOW - BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND
(27) 25. SHE'S A BEAUTY - THE TUBES
(25) 24. STRANGER IN MY HOUSE - RONNIE MILSAP
(16) 23. MR. ROBOTO - STYX
(26) 22. FAMILY MAN - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES
(23) 20. DON'T LET IT END - STYX
(20) 19. FAITHFULLY - JOURNEY
(22) 18. ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME - NAKED EYES
( 6) 17. COME ON EILEEN - DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS **
(19) 16. AFFAIR OF THE HEART - RICK SPRINGFIELD
(11) 15. I WON'T HOLD YOU BACK - TOTO
(14) 14. RIO - DURAN DURAN
(15) 13. STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART - BRYAN ADAMS
(13) 12. PHOTOGRAPH - DEF LEPPARD
(10) 11. DER KOMMISSAR - AFTER THE FIRE
(12) 9. MY LOVE - LIONEL RICHIE
( 3) 8. JEOPARDY - GREG KIHN BAND
( 9) 7. SOLITARE - LAURA BRANIGAN
( 8) 6. LITTLE RED CORVETTE - PRINCE
( 5) 5. SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE - THOMAS DOLBY
( 4) 4. OVERKILL - MEN AT WORK
( 7) 3. FLASHDANCE (WHAT A FEELING) - IRENE CARA *
( 1) 2. BEAT IT - MICHAEL JACKSON **
( 2) 1. LET'S DANCE - DAVID BOWIE *
 
Eighteen.

(38) 37. GIMME ALL YOUR LOVIN' - ZZ TOP
(40) 34. THE ONE THING - INXS
(39) 33. I'M STILL STANDING - ELTON JOHN
(45) 31. ELECTRIC AVENUE - EDDY GRANT
(41) 30. TOO SHY - KAJAGOOGOO
(27) 25. SHE'S A BEAUTY - THE TUBES
(16) 23. MR. ROBOTO - STYX
(22) 18. ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME - NAKED EYES
( 6) 17. COME ON EILEEN - DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS **
(14) 14. RIO - DURAN DURAN
(13) 12. PHOTOGRAPH - DEF LEPPARD
(10) 11. DER KOMMISSAR - AFTER THE FIRE
( 3) 8. JEOPARDY - GREG KIHN BAND
( 8) 6. LITTLE RED CORVETTE - PRINCE
( 5) 5. SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE - THOMAS DOLBY
( 4) 4. OVERKILL - MEN AT WORK
( 7) 3. FLASHDANCE (WHAT A FEELING) - IRENE CARA * - Nostalgia
( 2) 1. LET'S DANCE - DAVID BOWIE *
 
Big 27 for 1983

(44) 40. LOOKING FOR A STRANGER - PAT BENATAR
(29) 38. SEPARATE WAYS - JOURNEY
(38) 37. GIMME ALL YOUR LOVIN' - ZZ TOP
(40) 34. THE ONE THING - INXS
(39) 33. I'M STILL STANDING - ELTON JOHN
(45) 31. ELECTRIC AVENUE - EDDY GRANT
(24) 29. BILLY JEAN - MICHAEL JACKSON **
(18) 26. EVEN NOW - BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND
(27) 25. SHE'S A BEAUTY - THE TUBES
(26) 22. FAMILY MAN - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES
(21) 21. MORNIN' - JARREAU
(23) 20. DON'T LET IT END - STYX
(20) 19. FAITHFULLY - JOURNEY
(22) 18. ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME - NAKED EYES
( 6) 17. COME ON EILEEN - DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS **
(14) 14. RIO - DURAN DURAN
(15) 13. STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART - BRYAN ADAMS
(13) 12. PHOTOGRAPH - DEF LEPPARD
(10) 11. DER KOMMISSAR - AFTER THE FIRE
(17) 10. TIME (CLOCK OF THE HEART) - CULTURE CLUB
( 3) 8. JEOPARDY - GREG KIHN BAND
( 8) 6. LITTLE RED CORVETTE - PRINCE
( 5) 5. SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE - THOMAS DOLBY
( 4) 4. OVERKILL - MEN AT WORK
( 7) 3. FLASHDANCE (WHAT A FEELING) - IRENE CARA *
( 1) 2. BEAT IT - MICHAEL JACKSON **
( 2) 1. LET'S DANCE - DAVID BOWIE *
 
EYE IN THE SKY - ALAN PARSONS PROJECT

Not related to this particular countdown, but I was listening to this the other day. And I had a few thoughts:

- Alan Parsons Project has had a bunch of hits

Billboard Top 40 hit singles (US)​

  • 1976 – "(The System of) Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether" – No. 37
  • 1977 – "I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You" – No. 36
  • 1979 – "Damned If I Do" – No. 27
  • 1980 – "Games People Play" – No. 16
  • 1981 – "Time" – No. 15
  • 1982 – "Eye in the Sky" – No. 3
  • 1984 – "Don't Answer Me" – No. 15
  • 1984 – "Prime Time" – No. 34
- I've always considered them to be a kind of odd collection of artists. For example, "Eye in the Sky" sounds like it could be sung by a barbershop quartet, or be played as Muzak on an elevator. There's absolutely no swing or style to the singing, which is intentional (I guess). Several of their other songs, such as "Don't Answer Me", have the same lack of style.

So, while I've kind of liked their songs in the past, I've always found it strange that no one mentions the out-of-character nature of their music in pop/rock countdowns.
 
I always knew the APP was mainly Parsons, who was a notable engineer/producer ( The Beatles, Pink Floyd, etc. ). But I just Googled to find that while it was mainly him & 1 other guy, I also learned that the studio band on a lot of their albums was the pop group Pilot - of the legendary single "Magic" ( "whoa oh oh...it's magic" ) . I had no idea.
 
MonoStereo, did you know Pilot released an album of Alan Parsons songs? A Pilot Project came out on August 3, 2014, and included remakes of Sirius, Snake Eyes, Breakdown, Eye In The Sky, Games People Play, Dancing On A Highwire and eight other songs. Here is Prime Time. The song was originally a #34 hit for the Alan Parsons Project in June 1984.

 
scotchandcigar said:
So, while I've kind of liked their songs in the past, I've always found it strange that no one mentions the out-of-character nature of their music in pop/rock countdowns.
Click to expand...
I feel the same way about Moody Blues. Music changed around them but they just kept doing their thing

1981: "Gemini Dream" #12
1981: "The Voice" #15
1983: "Sitting At The Wheel" #27
1986: "Your Wildest Dreams" #9
1988: "I Know You're Out There Somewhere" #30
 
Great/good/ok 29

*****
(38) 37. GIMME ALL YOUR LOVIN' - ZZ TOP
(39) 33. I'M STILL STANDING - ELTON JOHN
(45) 31. ELECTRIC AVENUE - EDDY GRANT
(41) 30. TOO SHY - KAJAGOOGOO
(24) 29. BILLY JEAN - MICHAEL JACKSON **
(27) 25. SHE'S A BEAUTY - THE TUBES
(16) 23. MR. ROBOTO - STYX
(26) 22. FAMILY MAN - DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES
(22) 18. ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME - NAKED EYES
( 6) 17. COME ON EILEEN - DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS **
(14) 14. RIO - DURAN DURAN
(13) 12. PHOTOGRAPH - DEF LEPPARD
(10) 11. DER KOMMISSAR - AFTER THE FIRE
( 3) 8. JEOPARDY - GREG KIHN BAND
( 8) 6. LITTLE RED CORVETTE - PRINCE
( 5) 5. SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE - THOMAS DOLBY
( 4) 4. OVERKILL - MEN AT WORK
( 1) 2. BEAT IT - MICHAEL JACKSON **

****
(40) 34. THE ONE THING - INXS
(19) 16. AFFAIR OF THE HEART - RICK SPRINGFIELD
( 9) 7. SOLITARE - LAURA BRANIGAN

***
(44) 40. LOOKING FOR A STRANGER - PAT BENATAR
(29) 38. SEPARATE WAYS - JOURNEY
(28) 35. IT MIGHT BE YOU - STEPHEN BISHOP
(18) 26. EVEN NOW - BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND
(21) 21. MORNIN' - JARREAU
(20) 19. FAITHFULLY - JOURNEY nostalgia
(15) 13. STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART - BRYAN ADAMS
( 7) 3. FLASHDANCE (WHAT A FEELING) - IRENE CARA *

**
(46) 39. NO TIME FOR TALK - CHRISTOPHER CROSS
(32) 36. SOME KIND OF FRIEND - BARRY MANILOW
(33) 32. I COULDN'T SAY NO - ROBERT ELLIS ORRAL
(30) 28. TRY AGAIN - CHAMPAIGN
(35) 27. NEVER GONNA LET YOU GO - SERGIO MENDES
(25) 24. STRANGER AT MY HOUSE - RONNIE MILSAP
(23) 20. DON'T LET IT END - STYX
(11) 15. I WON'T HOLD YOU BACK - TOTO
(17) 10. TIME (CLOCK OF THE HEART) - CULTURE CLUB
( 2) 1. LET'S DANCE - DAVID BOWIE * all three of us picked this and were correct!

*
(12) 9. MY LOVE - LIONEL RICHIE
 
Will never reach the top 40
#46 Walter Egan "Fool Moon Fire"
#51 Thompson Twins "Love On Your Side"
#55 Eddie Rabbitt "You Can't Run From Love"
#56 Sparks/Jane Wiedlin "Cool Places"
#57 Linda Ronstadt "Easy For You To Say"
#59 Night Ranger "Sing Me Away"
#60 Scandal "Love's Got A Line On You"
#61 George Benson "Inside Love (So Personal)"
#62 New Edition "Candy Girl"
#63 Todd Rundgren "Bang The Drum All Day"
#64 Planet P "Why Me?"
#65 Neil Diamond "Front Page Story"
#68 Weird Al "Ricky"
#70 James Ingram/Patti Austin "How Do You Keep The Music Playing"
#73 Devo "Theme From Doctor Detriot"
#74 Call "The Walls Came Down"
#75 Belle Stars "Sign of the Times"
#76 Earth Wind & Fire "Side by Side"
#80 Carl Wilson "What You Do To Me"
#81 Phil Collins "I Cannot Believe It's True"
#82 Michael Bolton "Fool's Game"
#83 Gary Portnoy "Where Everybody Knows Your Name"
#88 Robbie Patton "Smiling Islands"
#89 John Anderson "Swingin'"
#90 Gladys Knight & The Pips "Save The Overtime (For Me)"
#92 Total Coelo "I Eat Cannibals"
#93 BJ Thomas "Whatever Happened to Old-Fashioned Love"
#95 High Inergy "He's A Pretender"
#96 Saga "Wind Him Up"
#97 Whispers "Tonight"
#98 Dionne Warwick "Take the Short Way Home"
#99 Mac McAnally "Minimum Love"
 
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