Tag Archives: Michael Jackson

Artists, Music, Remember That Song?

Remember That Song – 7/8/19

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Can you name the artist and song:

Those were the times we had
Sharing a joy that we thought would last
Memories of love and affection
Never really was just like a dream

Last Song: “Dirty Diana” by Michael Jackson from Bad (1988)

Great job sweetpurplejune,, and Adora (@Adora2000)!!!

You never make me stay
So take your weight off of me
I know your every move
So won’t you just let me be

If you’d like to get this song from Amazon, click on the album cover below:

1983, Artists, Music, Top 40

Top 40 Songs This Week (UK Edition) – 19 June 1983: Songs 10-1

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Logo: Tops of the popsWelcome back to this week’s Top 40 Countdown! If you missed the previous songs, you can go ahead and check out songs 40-31, 30-21, and 20-11. This has been an exciting week for ’80s music! Today, there may be a few songs we haven’t heard much of. However, this list is covered with very familiar songs, and legendary artists. Let’s conclude this week’s countdown, and check them out!

 

10. “When We Were Young” by Bucks Fizz

Bucks Fizz was a U.K. pop group that had enormous success in Europe from 1981-84. Although they had no hits in the U.S., they had a string of top 10 hits in the early ’80s. This song was their 6th Top 10 hit.

 

9. “Nobody’s Diary” by Yazoo

This song by the synth-pop group, would peak at #3 in the U.K. It did not chart on the Mainstream U.S. chart, but did hit #1 in the U.S. Dance Clubs. I love this band, and Alison Moyet’s voice is so mesmerizing for me.

 

 

8. “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” by Michael Jackson

This one is a bit familiar to everyone around the world. This was the opening track on Thriller, and the fourth single released. It would peak right here this week at #8 in the U.K., and reach #5 in the U.S.

 

 

7. “Waiting for a Train” by Flash and the Pan

I love me some play on words! I had never heard of this group before. This was The Australian group’s most successful single, peaking right here this week at #7.

 

 

6. “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues” by Elton John

Has anybody seen the Elton John movie, Rocketman? I haven’t seen it yet, but I heard it wasn’t that great. Anyway, this was one of Elton John’s biggest hits of the ’80s. It would peak at #5 in the U.K. and #4 in the U.S.

 

 

5. “Bad Boys” by Wham!

This was the third single released from Wham!’s debut album, Fantastic. I was not familiar with this song. If I had heard of it when it was first released, I would have made fun of it. I was in the beginning of my rocker phase, and Wham! singing about bad boys would have been funny to me.

 

4. “Flashdance…..What a Feeling” by Irene Cara

Here’s another smash hit that is very familiar tom U.S. audiences. This is pretty much Irene Cara’s signature song. This is the theme song for the iconic ’80s movie Flashdance.

 

 

3. “China Girl” by David Bowie

Here is a smash hit by the late, great David Bowie, from his iconic Let’s Dance album. This song was written by Bowie and Iggy Pop in 1977, and actually first appeared on Iggy Pop’s debut solo album The Idiot. But, this version was the more successful.

 

 

2. “Baby Jane” by Rod Stewart

Here is another music legend. This song was Rod Stewart’s final #1 single in the U.K. As the decade went on, Stewart was actually more popular in the U.S. He had a huge amount of success with his Out of Order album in the U.S. This song, from his Body Wishes album, peaked at #14 in the U.S.

 

1. “Every Breath You Take” by The Police

And we wrap up this week’s countdown with what I consider one of the most overrated and overplayed songs of the ’80s. There were so many much better songs on their Synchronicity album. However, this is the one that became their signature song. It was a #1 hit in the U.S. for 8 straight weeks, and was #1 here in the U.K. for 4 straight weeks. I may think the song is overrated, but there’s no denying its success. And it does give me nostalgia for the ’80s. So there’s that.

Well, that wraps up this week’s countdown. What a great week of music! I hope you enjoyed it. What were some of your favorite songs? The next Top 40 will be back in the U.S. In the meantime, Keep your feet on the ground, and keep reaching for the stars.

Artists, Music, Remember That Song?

Remember That Song – 2/27/19

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Can you name the artist and song:

I don’t want an everlasting thing
I don’t care if I see you again
So grab your coat and honey tell your friends
You won’t be home

Last Song: “Off The Wall” by Michael Jackson from the album Off The Wall (1980)

Gotta hide your inhibitions
Gotta let that fool loose deep inside your soul
Want to see an exhibition
Better do it now before you get too old

If you’d like to get this song from Amazon, you can click on the album cover below

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Artists, March Madness, Music

Coming Soon: Return to the ’80s March Madness Tournament

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It’s coming up on that time of year again! Since last year’s inaugural Return to the ’80s March Madness Tournament was a success, we will make this an annual thing. Last year was all about Hall & Oates (with “Out of Touch” being their most popular song among Return to the ’80s readers.

For those of you who discovered this site within this past year, here’s how this works. We take an artist, and place their 16 biggest hits in brackets, and have the same format as the NCAA basketball tournament. Two songs will be pitted against each other for several days, and the winner moves on in the tournament. We keep narrowing it down, until we have a winner. You can vote on this site, as well as on Twitter, and the main Facebook page and the Facebook group page. I will add the votes together.

This year I’m going to need your help to get this started. I am having a difficult time choosing which artist to cover. This is where you come in. I have listed some of the top musical icons of the ’80s. So, please vote for the artist who you would like to see in this year’s tournament. I will leave the voting open for a week. You can vote here, and in the Facebook Group. The Facebook page and Twitter don’t allow enough options, so those pages won’t be used until the actual tournament begins. I have listed Phil Collins (his solo and duet stuff – not Genesis), Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, and Bon Jovi. I should also note that only the singles that charted in the ’80s will be in the actual tournament. I have also allowed the option to write in somebody that is not on the list.

Thank you so much for your help! This should be fun! And unlike any political election, no matter who wins, we all win.

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Artists, Music, Remember That Song?

Remember That Song – 1/24/19

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Can you name the artist and song:

Well, I was coming home late one dark afternoon
A reporter stopped me for an interview
She said she’s heard stories and she’s heard fables
That I’m vicious on the mic and the turntable

Last Song: “Smooth Criminal” by Michael Jackson from the album Bad (1988)

Great job Tanya, She Who is Late to the Party (@mstrichter)!!!

So they came into the outway
It was Sunday, what a black day
Mouth to mouth, resuscitation
Sounding heartbeats, intimidation

If you’d like to get this song from Amazon, you can click on the album cover below

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Artists, Music, Remember That Song?

Remember That Song – 1/14/19

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Can you name the song and at least one of the artists who performed this

You said someday I’d have a whole lotta money
I’d be a millionaire
But when that didn’t happen overnight
I found out how much you really cared

Last Song: “Say Say Say” by Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson from the album Pipes of Peace (1983)

Great job Jim (@JimVilk)!!!

Take take take
What you need
But don’t leave me
With no direction

If you’d like to get this song from Amazon, you can click on the album cover below

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Artists, Music, Remember That Song?

Remember That Song – 9/10/18

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Can you name the artist and song:

If I could turn the page
In time then I’d rearrange
Just a day or two

Last Song: “Human Nature” by Michael Jackson from the album Thriller (1982)

Great job Bryan (@BryanBoo29)!!!

The city winks a sleepless eye
Hear her voice
Shake my window
Sweet seducing sighs

If you’d like to get this song from Amazon, you can click on the album cover below

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Artists, Music, Remember That Song?

Remember That Song – 5/23/18

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Can you name the artist and song:

I got this feeling that you’re going to stay
I never knew that it could happen this way
Before I met you I was falling apart
But now at last I really know we’re made of

Last Song: “Bad” by Michael Jackson from the album Bad (1987)

Kelly (@KellyCiesielski) and Bryan (@BryanBoo29)!!!

If you’d like to get this song from Amazon, you can click on the album cover below

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Artists, Music, Remember That Song?

Remember That Song – 4/6/18

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Can you name the artist and song:

The girl is at your side, are you gonna do it
She wants to be your bride, are you gonna do it

Last Song: “Man in the Mirror” by Michael Jackson from the album Bad (1988)

Great job Claude (@claudeingle)!!!

As I, turn up the collar on
My favorite winter coat
This wind is blowing my mind

If you’d like to get this song from Amazon, you can click on the album cover below

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1983, Artists, Music, Top 40

Top 40 Songs This Week (UK Edition) – March 6, 1983: Songs 10-1

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Well, here we are. The Top 10 songs in the U.K. this week in 1983. If you missed the previous songs, you can go back and check out songs 40-31, 30-21 and 20-11. There will be some very familiar songs on here for us in the U.S. However, there may still be some pleasant surprises. You can click on the song title to get to the song on YouTube, and you can click on the album cover to get the song from Amazon. Now, let’s Return to the week of March 6, 1983, and wrap up the countdown.

10. “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Musical Youth

While this British Jamaican reggae band had only 1 hit in the U.S. (“Pass the Dutchie”), they had several hits in the U.K. between 1982 and 1984. This was their second biggest hit, peaking at #6 on this U.K. chart.

 

9. “Love On Your Side” by Thompson Twins

Unlike Musical Youth, the Thompson Twins had several big hits in the U.S. But, this was not one of them. It did come close, peaking at #45. However, this was a top 10 hit in several other countries, including here in the U.K. where it peaked right here at #9.

 

8. “Tomorrow’s (Just Another Day)” by Madness

Here is another group that did not make it big in the U.S., with only two Top 40 hits. In the U.K., Madness was huge! And so was the group Madness. (my Brit friends get it) I wish this song made it over here in the U.S. I love it! “Our House” can really get stuck in your head, and this could have done the same.

 

7. “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” by Bananarama

We should all know this song, at least from the original version by Steam. And any sports fan knows this song when their team is about to beat their opponent at home. This is a girl band version of it. I love everything Bananarama does. This was yet another song that did not hit big in the U.S., peaking at #101. But, it was a top 10 hit here, peaking at #5. This was the fifth single released from Bananarama’s debut album, Deep Sea Skiving.

 

6. “Too Shy” by Kajagoogoo

We all know this one, as it was a worldwide smash hit. It reached #1 in many countries, including the U.K. for 2 weeks. Not bad for a debut single from a debut album.

 

5. “Africa” by Toto

Another worldwide smash hit we all know. This is one of my favorites of the ’80s, and I still love it.

 

 

4. “Rock the Boat” by Forrest

Forrest is not known in the States. But we all know this song from the 1974 original by The Hues Corporation. Forrest does a great job with this. I wish it would have made it in the U.S. so I could hear it more often on 80s stations and shows.

 

3. “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” by the Eurythmics

OK, no more surprises as we go down the home stretch. This was the Eurythmics breakthrough song all over the world.

 

 

2. “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson

Maybe it’s possible that some of you may know this song. It was only a top 10 hit in every country in the world that has music charts, and was #1 in almost all of them. Not only was this a worldwide smash in 1983, but it became a huge hit all over the world once again when Jackson died in 2009. It wasn’t reaching the top spot again in most places. But, it was a top 10 hit just about everywhere.

 

1. “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler

And here we are at the #1 spot! This song was written by Jim Steinman, who is best known for being Meat Loaf’s producer. This was Bonnie Tyler’s biggest hit, topping the charts in several countries. I love this song, and most Steinman produced songs.

 

This was not planned, but it is definitely fitting that “Total Eclipse of the Heart” is the #1 song. I got the idea of doing the Top 40 this week from the U.K., from a conversation I had with my best friend, who happens to be from Wales, which is where Bonnie Tyler is from. Bestie and I were talking about music. I had already known that there are a lot of songs that were huge in the U.K, but never made it here. But, this got brought to the forefront of my mind from our conversation, as I did not know some bands Bestie brought up. And there were singers I heard of, but didn’t know they were in a band. So, I thought it would be great to discover great new music.

I hope you all thought this was a good idea. Please let me know if you’d like to see more of these. I’ll be back with a new countdown in the near future. Maybe it will be from the U.S. or from the U.K.

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