The great eighties countdown- the top 40

Yes, we are crossing Casey Kasum's magical line this week, and will be going all the way to the top next time!  Slip on your goggles, and let's go!

40- Pancho And Lefty, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, #1 country, 1983.  Nobody heard his dying words...  but that's the way it goes...

39- Find Your Way Back, Jefferson Starship, #29, #3 mainstream rock chart, 1981.  Two great tatses that tasted great together- Mickey Thomas and Grace Slick.

38- On The Radio, Donna Summer, #5, 1980.  For me, Donna was just another popular singer- until this one.

37- Show Me, the Pretenders, #28, #8 MSR, 1984.  A great song, and the last thirty seconds are the best.

36- No One Is To Blame, Howard Jones, #4, 1985.  No more I can add to this guy.  An underrated genius.

35- Copperhead Road, Steve Earle, #10 MSR, 1988.  A country star with a "power twang" hit.  From a great album that gave Vietnam vets the respect that few others did.

34- Leave It, Yes, #24, #3 MSR, 1983.  My favorite power drums of all time.

33- Skateaway, Dire Straits, #58, #31 MSR, 1981. I love songs that suck me into the imagry they paint.  Few are better at it than this one.

32- Behind The Lines, Genesis, unreleased, 1980.  My favorite from the great lp Duke, blending into Duchess.

31- Almost Saturday Night, Dave Edmunds, #54, 1981.  My taste for the obscure continues with Dave's cover of a John Fogarty song from 1975.

30- Don't Answer Me, Alan Parsons Project, #15, 1984.  My all time favorite video.  Tough break, Nick.

29- Fire Lake, Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, #6, 1980.  "...till you look straight up and say/ O Lord, am I really here at last?..."

28- Caravan, Utopia, unreleased, 1980.  Todd Rundgren's band at their best.

27- I'm All Right, Kenny Loggins, #7, 1980.  The immortal theme to the immortal movie Caddyshack.

26- Sentimental Street, Night Ranger, #8, #3 MSR, 1985.  Another song that starts the choking up on note #1.

25- I Don't Know Why You Don't Want Me, Rosanne Cash, #1 country, 1985.  The song that made me fall in love with her.

24- Come On Eileen, Dexy's Midnight Runners, #1, 1982.  In between Billie Jean and Beat it, one lone ROCK song fought it's way to the top of the charts.  This was it.

23- Keep The Fire, Kenny Loggins, #36, 1980.  " And there are those who can forsee where we will go/ all the future, I don't even want to know/ only that you'll be here by me/ while the embers still glow, we'll be safe till tomorrow..."

22- Always On My Mind, Willie Nelson, #5, #1 country, 1982.  Willie is a hero to all of us who were yelled at for singing "through our noses".

21- Ah! Leah!, Donnie Iris, #29, #19 MSR,1980 .  I knew a girl named Leah back then.  "Nuff said.

And that's it until next week, when we take one last trip into the eighties for my favorites.  See you then!