What is it about nice people that attract total idiots?Nice people are martyrs. Idiots are evangelists.

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Saturday, May 12, 2012

The great eighties countdown week 3

Okay, today I am running a little late and can't blame it on blogger.  Had to check the news, facebook, the scoreboard, and take Scrappy for a walk first.  And read youse guys' blog posts, natch!  So here we go...

260- Don't Talk To Strangers, Rick Springfield, #2, 1982.  Actually, I liked most of Rick's stuff.  This one though brings back fond memories of my nephew's little cousin who used to change it to Don't Talk To Poopies...

259- Photograph, Def Lepperd, 1983, #12, #1 Mainstream rock.  This song, and Foolin', which we'll hit later on, filled a lot of boring days at IPFW waiting for the next class to start.  Another great Marilyn Monroe tribute.



258- Didn't Mean To Turn You On, Robert Palmer, #2, 1986.  Like Rick, another dude I liked everything by, but this is the one that stood out for me.

257- The Look Of Love, ABC, #18, 1982.  I'm a bit surprised to see this charted so low.  In CANADA, it hit #1... but I liked a lot of those goofy UK new wave songs.

256- Little Jeannie, Elton John, #3, 1980.  This was in its prime right during high school graduation for me.  This and Against The Wind were virtually the only songs I found worth listening to at the time.  Funky Town?  The Rose?  Steal Away?  Please.

255- Property Of Jesus, Bob Dylan, 1981, unreleased but played on Christian contemporary stations.  I loved Dylan's Christian lp Shot Of Love, and this was my favorite track, although most fans preferred the also-good Every Grain Of Sand.

254- West End Girls, Pet Shop Boys, 1984, #1.  Another of those goofy UK new wave songs I liked so much.

253- Can't Fight This Feeling, REO Speedwagon, 1984, #1.  Just edited this in as we speak.  second of three on the list, highest one is coming up in a bit.



252- Bringing On The Heartbreak, Def Lepperd, 1984, #61.  But didn't chart on mainstream rock? Go figure.

251- Land Of Confusion, Genesis, 1986, #4.  Not to say I like Genesis, but this is the first of nine of their tunes on the list.  Loved the video with the rubber masks.

250- America, Neil Diamond, 1981, #8.  God, was I glad to see him get extricated from Barbra Striesand!  I liked Love On The Rocks, too.

249- The Last In Line, Dio, 1984, #10 mainstream.  We're after the witch, we can never ever ever go home...  Higher of 2 by Dio on the list.



248- Keep On Loving You, REO Speedwagon, 1980, #1.   Did a bunch of flipping on REO this morning.  Happy now, though.

247- Heartbreaker, Dionne Warwick, 1982, #10.  Possibly the last of the great Barry Gibb-penned songs.

246- Babylon Sisters, Steely Dan, 1980, unreleased.  Second of two for SD on this list.  Like it for the background singers mostly.

245- You've Got Some Imagination, Boz Skaggs, 1980, unreleased.  From Middle Man, a much harder-edged lp than Silk Degrees.

244- Theme From New York, New York, Frank Sinatra, 1980, #32.  With an impact far beyond its chart position.  A lot of fond memories to this one, including dancing a kick line with my ex and 3 friends at the Trion in New Haven.  Good times.



243- Mountain Music, Alabama, 1982, #101 pop and #1 country.  This was when I first realized how good these guys were.  Oh, play me some mountain music, like grandma and grandpa used to play/ then I'll roll on down the river, to a cajun hideaway...

242- Red Skies At Night, The Fixx, 1982, #101, #13 Mainstream.  Surprised I never bought any of their tapes, I loved a lot of their stuff- as evidenced by the fact they will be back three more times.

241- Smiling Islands, Robbie Patton (with Stevie Nicks), 1983, #52, #16 on the Adult Contemporary charts.  Robbie was openning act for the 1979 Fleetwood Mac tour.  To help him out, Christine McVie produced his lp, Lindsey Buckingham played guitar on his bigger hit Don't Give It Up, and Stevie did a heart-rending vocal at the end of this one.

Okay, there we go for another week.  See you next time!

2 comments:

  1. Such great songs! Now I want to put on my REO and rock. :) Also love Land of Confusion.

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  2. CWM:
    I am REALLY feeling nostalgic looking at THIS weeks listings...SO many songs that evoke som,e ral cool timnes (for me).

    And yeah, I could a few of them back aagin...be nice.

    Excellent choices.

    Rock on and tock steady, 'cause you ONLY rock once.

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