Hi Everybody! Time for a new Top 40 countdown! This week, we are Returning to 1989. This is one of the last countdowns that I would have heard before I left for Navy Boot Camp, and be cut off from all pop culture for a couple of months. This should be an interesting week. Some of these songs were new to the countdown, and they would be big hits as I was graduating boot camp. Other songs had been out for a bit, so I knew them very well. And of course there are songs that were new to the countdown, but would not last long, and would be gone by the time I left boot camp. So, let’s Return to the week ending February 11, 1989, and begin the countdown!
Also, you can click on the song title to listen to/watch the video on YouTube, and you can click on the album cover to get the song from Amazon.
40. “Eternal Flame” by The Bangles
39. “Little Liar” by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
38. “The Love in Your Eyes” by Eddie Money
37. It’s No Secret” by Kylie Minogue
36. “Dreamin'” by Vanessa Williams
35. “Just Because” by Anita Baker
34. “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” by Poison
33. “You’re Not Alone” by Chicago
32. “I Beg Your Pardon” by Kon Kan
31. “My Prerogative” by Bobby Brown
That wraps up today’s list of songs. What do you think so far? What were you doing at this time in 1989? Also, feel free to email me a long distance dedication to Returnto80s@gmail.com. We’ll be back tomorrow, to continue the countdown.
[twitter-follow screen_name=’returntothe80s’ show_count=’yes’ text_color=’00ccff’]
Were the remaining 3 members of Duran Duran singing this to their former guitarist, Andy Taylor? I don’t know, but it’s a pretty cool tune.
This is the second “Don’t Be Cruel” of the countdown. But, this one is a Bobby Brown original, when he was at the top of his game.
Only in the ’80s could you go from a great new jack swing song to an awesome glam metal power ballad in the same countdown! Yes ’80s, we didn’t know what we had till you were gone.
Chicago is one of my all-time favorite bands, and I could not get enough of this song. This power ballad, written by Diane Warren, is Chicago’s largest selling single. It topped the charts for two weeks, matching the chart success of the group’s “If You Leave Me Now” (1976) and “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” (1982).
Giant Steps was a pop duo from England. This was their only top 40 hit. It came off of their lone album, The Book of Pride.
This jazzy song was the seventh and final single to be released from the Faith album. It was also the least successful single of the album, only peaking at #5. Slacker.
The synthpop duo, Erasure, finally broke through in the U.S. with this song,as it peaked at #12. This was Erasure’s sixth consecutive U.K. Top 20 hit.
This mashup of Peter Frampton’s “Baby I Love Your Way” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Freebird” will soon top the charts (December 3, 1988). Kudos for taking two overplayed classic rock songs, and making them fresh again. Only to become overplayed itself. I’m liking it again, 30 years later.
Great ballad by the British pop group, Breathe. It would go on to peak at #3 on the Hot 100, and top the Billboard adult contemporary chart, Breathe’s only single to accomplish this feat.
What is it with all the questions? This song is OK. But, I had gotten sick of it before it was officially released. It was used in a national TV commercial for Michelob.
This was the end of Lionel Richie’s run in the ’80s. A sweet song to end it. Supposedly, it was written for Lionel’s daughter, Nicole.
Peter Gabriel had some groundbreaking videos in the late ’80s. Which means that they were on MTV every other song. Which also means that I couldn’t stand it! I was dreading listening to this again, but now I’m liking it a little more.
You got my rock in your rap! You got your rap in my rock! What?! Mmmm, delicious. Two great genres that go great together.
Bruce Willis hopped on that actors-turned-singers bandwagon. And he did a very respectful job of it, in my opinion.
At this time, I was too cool to watch cartoon movies. So, I’ve never seen An American Tail. But, I do love this song. Such a perfect duet with two incredible voices.
Nice ballad from The Jets, written by Rupert Holmes (“Escape (The PiΓ±a Colada Song)”), and sung by 13-year-old Elizabeth Wolfgramm.
If Chicago is asking us if we will still love them after the departure of Peter Cetera, the answer is Yes!
Between this, and Janet Jackson’s “Let’s Wait Awhile” earlier in the countdown, all we need to do is substitute Samantha Fox’s “Touch Me” with Jermaine Stewart’s “We Don’t Have to Take Our Clothes Off”, and we would have a perfect countdown for a Catholic school dance.
Hands down, this is my favorite Huey Lewis and the News song. “All I want from tomorrow is to get it better than today.” That’s all anybody can ask.
Bon Jovi had a huge hit with “You Give Love a Bad Name”. But, this ’80s anthem is the one that changed them forever. When you say the words “’80s music” to somebody, this is one of a handful of songs that would immediately come to mind. This is totally deserving of the #1 spot, and a great way to end the countdown.
Hey Everybody! Welcome back to this week’s Top 40 Countdown! If you missed the previous songs, you can go back and check out songs 
We start the top 10 with one of the most iconic sax riffs of the ’80s. This is one of the few Wham! songs co-written by Andrew Ridgeley (the other member of Wham!, kids).
One of the most patriotic songs ever. Right President Reagan. Only if you consider a song about how Vietnam veterans were mistreated, to be patriotic. Oops.
One of my favorite Pat Benatar songs. It was the lead single off of her Tropico album and earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
Awesome song. Crazy-ass video.
Lead single from one of my favorite albums, Reckless.
What do you get when you combine one of the most successful musicians of the ’80s with a lead singer of Earth, Wind & Fire? Pure perfection.
Great ballad that would be one of Foreigner’s signature songs.
Classic Chicago ballad, made memorable by the fake Madonna and fake Billy Idol in the video.
General Hospital knew how to churn out the musicians!Landing at #2 isn’t too shabby for a soap opera actor!
Madonna was at the top of her game here as one of the biggest ’80s icons.
Awesome Pointer Sisters jam that does as advertises, and gets you excited. This is also a go-to for caffeine pill junkies everywhere.
This was the first of 2 Top 40 hits by The Clash. According to 
This classic country crossover hit ranked number 7 on CMT’s 100 Greatest Duets in Country Music. Rabbitt had several crossover hits in the early ’80s. Sadly, he passed away in 1998 of lung cancer.
Previously unreleased, producers just assumed this would be a hit, and included it on Fogelberg’s Greatest Hits album. Luckily, they were right, and it peaked at #23 on the U.S. charts, and #29 in Canada.
This was the first single as a solo artist for the former Steely Dan frontman. His album, The Nightfly, was nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
as the band’s highest charting hit in the UK, peaking at No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart. It would peak at #18 on the U.S. charts. On the album, this song is listed as “The Look Of Love (Part One),” with the last track being a short version of the song called “The Look Of Love (Part Four).” What happened to parts two and three? They appear on the 12″ single along with the others. Part Two is an instrumental, and Part Three is a remix.
Chicago was fading away after having incredible success in the ’70s. Then producer David Foster came along, and kicked them back into high gear, giving them a huge comeback with Chicago 16. This was the second single released from the album. Most of their hits in the ’80s were ballads, including this one. However, I would highly recommend listening to any of their full albums. They have so much more great music that you may not know about.
Forgotten hit of the ’80s. This was released from their self-titled debut album. It would be the first of 2 hits for the band (“Dreamin’ Is Easy” was the other). This was a staple on MTV in the early days. Then again, in those early days, any music video was a staple.
This little ditty would be John Cougar/John Cougar Mellencamp/John Mellencamp’s signature song. It was at the top of the charts for 4 weeks.
This Men At Work song was first released as a single in Australia in June 1981. After it was more than a year old, it found it’s way to the U.S. and became a #1 hit in October of 1982.
(1982)