Welcome back to a new Top 40 countdown! This week we will jump back over to the UK, and see what was charting over there at this time in 1985. There will be some familiar songs for the US audience, but there are also many songs that we may not have heard over here. Now, let’s Return to the week ending January 12, 1985, and begin the countdown!
Well there is no denying which decade this song came from! This is definitely a song that will get stuck in your head. I had never heard of Russ Abbot, but it sounds like he was very popular in the U.K. Not only was he a musician, but he also had his own variety show that aired for 16 years. It started as Russ Abbot’s Madhouse in 1980 on ITV, then was renamed The Russ Abbot Show when it moved over to the BBC.
Next up, we get a good R&B song from Amii Stewart. Stewart is mainly known in the U.S. from her 1979 disco smash “Knock On Wood“. She did not have any other major hits in the U.S., but she had several in the U.K., including this one, which peaked at #12.
Oh yeah! Get your funk on! This is yet another act that had only 1 Top 40 hit on the US Hot 100, “Let It Whip”. I do love how we already have a variety of music in this countdown – Pop, R&B, and Funk.
Now, this sounds like a fusion of all three genres that I had just mentioned. There is not much information on The Limit, other than that they were composed of Dutch producers Bernard Oattes and Rob van Schaik. This song peaked at #17 here, and peaked at #7 on the U.S. Billboard Dance/Club Play chart.
Wow, I did not know this was a cover song when Whitney Houston recorded it with Cissy Houston for Whitney’s second album, Whitney! This original song was written by Tim Rice, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus for the album and musical, Chess. This version definitely sounds like a Tim Rice/Abba joint. I have heard several covers of this song, and I’ve loved every one – including the version by Melanie C and Emma Bunton of the Spice Girls. (Don’t judge!)
Oh hell yeah!! The second video of the Eliminator video trilogy, this may be my favorite one. This is a great song, even without the video. But, you can’t really separate the two anymore. Awesome car, great rockin’ tune, and hot girls. What else could you ask for?!
I had never heard of this song or band before. The band name sounds like something you would come up with after drinking a few rounds with your friends, and saying 2 random words in a sentence, and exclaim, “That would make a great band name!” So, I was expecting a punk rock sound. Instead, it’s a light synth-pop song. Strawberry Switchblade is a Scottish female duo, and this was their only major hit.
Here is a layover from the Christmas season. And this will be far from the last of them. This would be a fun song if it wasn’t sung by an evil pig, who has been convicted several times of sex crimes involving children.
Well, I don’t want to end today’s countdown on a sour note, so here is a more wholesome Christmas song for us to enjoy:
That wraps up today’s list of songs. I hope you are enjoying these so far. Let me know what you think. Do you have any favorites so far? Come back tomorrow as we continue the countdown.
Welcome back to a new Top 40 countdown! This week we will jump back over to the UK, and see what was charting over there at this time in 1985. There will be some familiar songs for the US audience, but there are also many songs that we may not have heard over here. Now, let’s Return to the week ending January 12, 1985, and begin the countdown!
Return to the 80s 