Saturday, July 12, 2014

Counting down the Top 82 of '82: Singles #30 - 21

A breakdown of my top singles from my favorite year in pop music


Do I Do
Stevie Wonder
Weeks in Hot 100: 14
Peaked: July 10
Album: Original Musiquarium I (Tamla)

 U.S. charts:
 Hot 10013
 Dance1
 R&B 2
 Adult Contemporary 25



Situation
Yaz
Weeks in Hot 100: 8
Peaked: October 16
Album: Upstairs at Eric's (Sire)

 U.S. charts:
 Hot 10073
 Dance 1
 R&B 31



Eye of the Tiger
Survivor
Weeks in Hot 100: 25
Peaked: July 24
Album: Eye of the Tiger (Scotti Bros.) and Rocky III soundtrack (Liberty)

 U.S. charts:
 Hot 1001
 Mainstream Rock1
 Adult Contemporary 27
 Dance59



Jack & Diane
John Cougar
Weeks in Hot 100: 22
Peaked: October 2
Album: American Fool (Riva)

 U.S. charts:
 Hot 1001
 Mainstream Rock3



867-5309/Jenny
Tommy Tutone
Weeks in Hot 100: 27
Peaked: May 22
Album: Tommy Tutone 2 (Columbia)

 U.S. charts:
 Hot 1004
 Mainstream Rock 1



Hard to Say I'm Sorry
Chicago
Weeks in Hot 100: 24
Peaked: September 11
Album: Chicago 16 (Full Moon)

 U.S. charts:
 Hot 1001
 Adult Contemporary1



I Want Candy
Bow Wow Wow
Weeks in Hot 100: 7
Peaked: July 3
Album: The Last of the Mohicans (EP) (RCA)

 U.S. charts:
 Hot 10062
 Mainstream Rock22
 Dance 36



Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
Weeks in Hot 100: 14
Peaked: September 25
Album: Bad Reputation (Boardwalk)

 U.S. charts:
 Hot 10020
 Mainstream Rock 21



Don't Talk to Strangers
Rick Springfield
Weeks in Hot 100: 21
Peaked: May 22
Album: Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet (RCA)

 U.S. charts:
 Hot 1002
 Mainstream Rock 4
 Adult Contemporary 30



Make a Move on Me
Olivia Newton-John
Weeks in Hot 100: 14
Peaked: April 3
Album: Physical (MCA)

 U.S. charts:
 Hot 1005
 Adult Contemporary6



These are my personal top 82 singles of those that charted in 1982.  The list is solely my opinion.  Chart information is from the US Billboard charts.  Using Joel Whitburn's book, Pop Annual 1955-1999, I started with the 424 singles that charted on Billboard Magazine's Hot 100 chart in 1982.  An initial pass through that list narrowed it down to 116.  Titles of those songs were written on index cards and the listening, ranking, and editing began.  The top 82 are presented here, in order.

6 comments :

  1. A very solid run of singles presented today climaxing with Miss Newton-John relaxing in a tree.

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  2. This was fun to read -- and is inspiring me to consider creating my own list from what was a great year in music.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Allen! Let me know when you get your list together - I'd love to see it.

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    2. OK, Mark ... in Casey Kasem fashion, first here is the front half (100-51) of my top 100 from the great year of music that was 1982. I will own up to a bias of having grown up listening to WLS in Chicago, which by 1982 was so done with the disco era that a good tune like "Let's Groove" got little air-wave love, and therefore is not one I've built a deep fondness for. That WLS influence probably also gives my list a bit more of a rock edge than AT40. If you think I'm apologizing for either of those, You've Got another Thing Comin'. ;-)
      100. The One You Love – Glenn Frey
      99. I Want Candy – Bow Wow Wow
      98. Dancing in the Street -- Van Halen
      97. Shadows of the Night – Pat Benatar
      96. Still They Ride – Journey
      95. American Heartbeat – Survivor
      94. She’s Got a Way – Billy Joel
      93. Love Plus One – Haircut 100
      92. You’ve Got Another Thing Comin by Judas Priest
      91. 65 Love Affair – Paul Davis
      90. Leader of the Band – Dan Fogelberg
      89. What Kind of Fool Am I – Rick Springfield
      88. Do You Wanna Touch Me – Joan Jett
      87. Get Down on It -- Kool & The Gang
      86. Did It In a Minute – Hall and Oates
      85. Take It Away – Paul McCartney
      84. Sweet Time - REO Speedwagon
      83. Up Where We Belong by Jennifer Warnes and Joe Cocker
      82. Wasted on the Way – Crosby Stills Nash
      81. Truly -- Lionel Richie
      80. Workin for a Livin – Huey Lewis & the News
      79. Nobody – Sylvia
      78. Spirits in the Material World – Police
      77. Make a Move on me – Olivia Newton John
      76. Should I Stay of Should I Go – Clash
      75. Someday, Someway, - Marshall Crenshaw
      74. Kids in America – Kim Wilde
      73. You Dropped a Bomb on Me - The Gap Band
      72. Fantasy – Aldo Nova
      71. Paperlate – Genesis
      70. Empty Garden – Elton John
      69. Loves Been a Little Bit Hard On Me – Juice Newton
      68. You Don’t want Me Anymore – Steel Breeze
      67. Cool Night – Paul Davis
      66. New World Man - Rush
      65. Turn Your Love Around – George Benson
      64. I Ran – Flock of Seagulls
      63. Hollywood – Shooting Star
      62. Edge of Seventeen – Stevie Nicks
      61. "It’s Raining Again" by Supertramp
      60. Lonely Nights – Bryan Adams
      59. Since You’re Gone – Cars
      58. Maneater – Hall and Oates
      57. Under Pressure – David Bowie and Queen
      56. You Can Do Magic -- America
      55. Gloria – Laura Branigan
      54. Juke Box Hero – Foreigner
      53. I Need You – Paul Carrack
      52. Hold Me – Fleetwood Mac
      51. Keep the Fire Burning -- REO Speedwagon

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    3. And, without further adieu, I give you number 50-1. A couple interesting facts when compared to your list ... my three highest ranking songs which do not make your top 82: Abacab, Take It Easy on Me, Harden My Heart (though the first two make your honorable mentions). Your three highest which do not make my top 100: Valerie (great tune, but I see this as a 1987 song since that's when it charted highest), I Want Candy (very narrowly missed my list), and Situation by Yaz.
      50. Ebony and Ivory – Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder
      49. Leather and Lace – Don Henley and Stevie Nicks
      48. Vacation – Go Go’s
      47. Mickey – Toni Basil
      46. I Keep Forgettin' – Michael McDonald
      45. Summer Nights – Survivor
      44. Tainted Love – Soft Cell
      43. Hurts So Good – John Cougar
      42. Rosanna – Toto
      41. Even the Nights are Better – Air supply
      40. My Kinda Lover by Billy Squier
      39. Centerfold – J Geils Band
      38. Shakin’ - Eddie Money
      37. If You Want My Love - Cheap Trick
      36. Sweet Dreams – Air Supply
      35. Workin for the Weekend – Loverboy
      34. You Should Hear How She Talks – Melissa Manchester
      33. Pressure – Billy Joel
      32. Let It Whip – Dazz band
      31. Everybody Wants You – Billy Squier
      30. Jack & Diane – John Cougar
      29. Somebody’s Baby – Jackson Browne
      28. Love Me Tomorrow – Chicago
      27. Freeze Frame – J Geils Band
      26. Open Arms – Journey
      25. Africa – Toto
      24. Heat of the Moment – Asia
      23. Abracadabra – Steve Miller
      22. Eye In The Sky – Alan Parsons
      21. Don’t You Want Me – Human League
      20. Goodbye to You – Scandal
      19. Shake It Up – Cars
      18. Don’t Talk to Strangers – Rick Springfield
      17. 867-5309 – Tommy Tutone
      16. Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
      15. Harden my Heart – Quarterflash
      14. Only the Lonely – Motels
      13. Steppin' Out by Joe Jackson
      12. I Love Rock n roll – Joan Jett
      11. Think I’m in Love – Eddie Money
      10. Caught Up In You – 38 Special
      9. Only Time Will Tell – Asia
      8. I Can’t Go For That – Hall and Oates
      7. We Got the Beat – Go Go’s
      6. Don’t Fight It – Kenny Loggins / Steve Perry
      5. Take It Easy on Me - The Little River Band
      4. Abacab - Genesis
      3. Who Can It be Now – Men at Work
      2. Do You Believe in Love – Huey Lewis & the News
      1. Hard to Say I’m Sorry – Chicago

      For anyone on Apple Music whose interested in taking this musical trip down memory lane, you can access my Mark-inspired top 100 of 1982 in descending order here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/playlist/wrb-top-100-songs-of-1982/pl.u-yZdqZsaZDqM

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    4. Excellent list, sir! Don't be a stranger.

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