"Automatic Man" by Michael Sembello"

Song#:  1628
Date:  09/24/1983
Debut:  73
Peak:  34
Weeks:  10
Genre: Synthpop



Pop Bits:  Sembello's unexpected #1 single "Maniac," from the Flashdance soundtrack, gave him the opportunity to parlay the hit into a solo career. He quickly signed to Warner Bros. and wrote tracks for a debut album titled Bossa Nova Hotel. The LP would include "Maniac" and would be produced by Phil Ramone (Billy Joel's producer and supervisor of the Flashdance soundtrack). It seemed like a can't-miss prospect and indeed this first official single from the album started off well and headed towards the Top 40. However, once there, it sputtered out and disappeared. It seemed folks were more enamored with the "Maniac"/Flashdance phenomenon than with Sembello as a recording artist. The album came and went as did Sembello's charting career.

ReduxReview:  I actually thought this was a pretty good single, but it just wasn't the one that was gonna give Sembello a non-"Maniac" career. It just wasn't strong enough. Plus, the video was ghastly. I'm sure money was spent on it in hopes of another big hit and it was probably considered pretty good for the early days of video, but man, is it bad (or is it good in a kitschy Flash Gordon kind of way?). It's a bummer this song couldn't do better, but I don't think it was Top 10 bound to begin with. However, it's an interesting oddity from the guy who gave us a classic 80s #1.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  With the album not working out, Sembello and Warner Bros. parted ways. Over the next couple of years, he continued to write music with some of it appearing on film soundtracks. In 1985, he co-wrote the song "Gremlins - Mega Madness" for the Gremlins soundtrack. It was issued as a single, but failed to chart. The following year he contributed "Gravity" (written by his wife Cruz) to the hit film Cocoon. It too was released as a single but did not chart. However, the song was done for A&M Records and it helped get him signed to the label. He issued his second LP Without Walls in hopes of resurrecting his solo career, but the album and its singles failed to generate any interest. Sembello would continue to write and record over the years putting out a few indie albums along the way.

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"Maniac" by Michael Sembello

#1 Alert!

One-Hit Wonder Alert!

Song#:  1479
Date:  06/04/1983
Debut:  89
Peak:  1 (2 week)
Weeks:  22
Genre:  Synthpop, Soundtrack, Dance



Pop Bits:  Philly musician/guitarist Sembello was quickly becoming a seasoned session player in his late teens. His work led to being the lead guitarist on the majority of tracks for Stevie Wonder's seminal 1976 album "Songs in the Key of Life." He also began to write songs that got picked up by several high-profile artists included Diana Ross and Donna Summer. As the 80s got underway, Paramount Pictures began searching for songs that would be included in their upcoming film "Flashdance." Sembello's wife gathered some of his demos and sent them to the studio. However, she mistakenly included a song called "Maniac," a crazy tune that Sembello had written with Dennis Matkosky. The studio loved the song and after a change in lyrics, it got included in the film and on the soundtrack. Featured in a famous montage scene in the movie, the song became popular enough to serve as the soundtrack's second single. The tune made a slow climb until it finally reached the top spot of the Pop chart (#6 Dance, #34 Rock, #34 AC). It would also be nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song (it would be beaten out by Irene Cara's title-track). It made Sembello a star, but only briefly. Although he would grab a slight Top 40 follow-up, this lone hit got him labeled a one-hit wonder (#22 on VH1's list of Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 80s).

ReduxReview:  Yeah, I loved this song back then. It wasn't as good as the title song, but the production was great and it zipped right along at a frantic pace. I loved the background "crazy crazy crazy" after the first chorus and the guitar solo was a highlight. I find it more of a relic of the times than something I'd really choose to listen to now, but the song was great for the movie and the era.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  The original inspiration for this song came from the 1980 slasher film "Maniac." The low-budget thriller set the wheels in motion for co-writer Matkosky and with Sembello the song took form and was completed. The original lyrics pertained to a serial killer, but Flashdance album producer Phil Ramone asked if the song could be about a woman who is manic about dancing (i.e., kind of what the film was about). The lyrics were updated and eventually the song became an 80s #1 classic.

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"Don't You Get So Mad" by Jeffery Osborne

Song#:  1530
Date:  07/16/1983
Debut:  89
Peak:  25
Weeks:  14
Genre:  R&B



Pop Bits:  Osborne's first solo album after leaving LTD, the group he founded with his brothers, was a success. The self-titled LP featured the #3 R&B hit "I Really Don't Need No Light" (#39 Pop) and the #7 AC hit "On the Wings of Love" (#29 Pop, #13 R&B). His follow-up album, Stay with Me Tonight, didn't waver from the formula set by the first. He retained George Duke as producer and this first single hit a similar groove to "I Really" and even peaked at the same #3 at R&B. At Pop, the song did a bit better and became his second Top 30 entry.

ReduxReview:  To me, this could have been subtitled "Don't Need Light, Pt. 2." It's a similar groove and it also has a chorus that is a little light in the hook area. But just like "Light," it's a solid tune led by Osborne's great vocals. It's the rare case where the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy worked.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Osborne co-wrote this song with Don Freeman and Michael Sembello. It was Sembello's second charting co-write for Osborne. "Eenie Meenie," the third single from Osborne's debut disc, reached #18 AC/#76 Pop. Sembello co-wrote that song with Raymond Lee Pounds. At the time this single debuted on the Pop chart, Sembello's own single "Maniac" had climbed to the #19 position on its ascent to the #1 spot.

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"Eenie Meenie" by Jeffery Osborne

Song#:  1381
Date:  03/19/1983
Debut:  83
Peak:  76
Weeks:  5
Genre:  R&B



Pop Bits:  Osborne's self-titled debut album was a solid hit for him reaching #3 at R&B and #49 pop. It was helped along by two singles, the groovy "I Really Don't Need No Light" (#3 R&B/#39pop) and the big ballad "On the Winds of Love" (#13 R&B/#29 pop/#7 AC). This third single was issued but the only place it got attention was at AC where it reached #18. The tune stayed near the bottom of the pop chart for a few weeks while missing the R&B chart completely.

ReduxReview:  Osborne's voice can enhance most any song, which is a good thing because this thin slice of SoCal pop needed a boost. Osborne takes a fairly average song and brings it to life with his delivery. In the hands of a less capable vocalist, this song would be a snoozer. I'm not a fan of the song, which would probably rate a 4, but Osborne makes it a pleasant listen.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  This song was co-written by Michael Sembello. At the time, Sembello was a successful session musician and would occasionally write/produce songs for other artists. But before the end of 1983, Sembello would find himself with his own solo hit. "Maniac" from the "Flashdance" soundtrack would become an unexpected #1 smash.

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"Live It Up" by Gardner Cole

Song#:  3680

Date:  10/15/1988

Debut:  91

Peak:  91

Weeks:  3

Genre:  Dance-Pop

Pop Bits:  Gardner Cole first started to make a name for himself as a songwriter. In 1984, he struck a publishing deal with Warner Bros. and became a staff writer for the them. By September of '88, six songs that he wrote or co-wrote had reached the Pop chart including Madonna's "Open Your Heart" (#1 Pop), "Strange But True" by Times Two (#21 Pop), and "Another Lover" by Giant Steps (#13 Pop). The clout he built up from penning the hits allowed Cole to sign on with Warner Bros. as a solo artist. He would then write and produce his debut album, Triangles. (Note that while the LP title was pronounced and sometimes written as Triangles, the actual title was represented by a triangle symbol followed by a plural tag.) This first single was issued out and it would do well in clubs with the song topping out at #13 on the Dance chart. The action there led to the song reaching the Pop chart, but it would only be for a few short weeks. A second single failed to do anything and with those results the album failed to chart. Cole would get a second chance in 1991 with the album It's Your Life, but it disappeared quickly. Cole would then return to his songwriting/production career working with artists like Jody Watley, Michael McDonald, Amy Grant, and Tina Turner.

ReduxReview:  These days it is nearly a prerequisite for an artist to start as a songwriter, get a publishing deal, and then after they secured hits with other artists go on to be stars themselves. It has happened quite a bit, especially in the country market. Back in the 80s it seems successful songwriters had a tougher time trying to break out on their own. I'm not sure why that was. They certainly could pen a hit, so why couldn't they write one for themselves? I can only speculate that they pushed their best material to other artists and when it came time for them to record, they may have had a few leftover songs that no one picked up and then under pressure just couldn't write that standout hit. I think most songwriters will tell you that writing for yourself is different from writing for someone else. Each has a goal, but the way there is different. As a staff writer, you are thinking of tailoring your songs for a particular artist or focusing on making something that will sell. Writing for yourself is more personal and reflects who you are as an artist. It seems Cole wrote for himself and the resulting LP most likely represented who he was as a writer/artist. Unfortunately, he just didn't write a surefire hit for himself. This track was probably the best of the bunch. It was a good tune, but it just didn't have the same memorable hooks as his hits mentioned above. In fact, I think it sort of sounds like an updated leftover Madonna track that didn't make the cut. Cole's vocals are solid, but unremarkable so that didn't help either. The tune is fine, just not outstanding or anything that was going to cut a path up the Pop chart. While his solo career didn't pan out, Cole still maintained a successful songwriting career.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  The only song Cole did not solely write for his album was this lead-off single. He co-wrote it with Danny Sembello. If that name kind of sounds familiar, that is because he was the brother of Michael Sembello of "Maniac" (#1 Pop) fame. Like his brother, Danny was also a songwriter and his tunes began to get picked up by artists in the early 80s. His first significant hit came in 1984 when he co-wrote "Don't Stop" for Jeffrey Osborne (#6 R&B/#44 Pop). Right on the heels of that success came his first Pop Top 10 with The Pointer Sisters' "Neutron Dance" (#6 Pop/#4 Dance/#13 R&B). He would then earn two more R&B Top 10s with Patti LaBelle and Pebbles. He would continue to supply songs for artists like Sheena Easton, Boy George, Cyndi Lauper, Backstreet Boys, and others. Sadly, in 2015 Sembello would drown in the Schuylkill River outside of Philadelphia while attending a music festival.

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"Mirror, Mirror" by Diana Ross

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  0869
Date:  01/09/1982
Debut:  80
Peak:  8
Weeks:  14
Genre:  Pop, R&B



Pop Bits:  Ross got her first Top 10 for her new label RCA with the title track to her album "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" (#7). The second single gave her a little more of a rock edge and it almost matched the peak of the previous single. It reached #2 at R&B, which beat the #6 peak of "Why Do Fools."

ReduxReview:  I really liked this song back in the day and it is the one that prompted me to buy the album. I wasn't a big fan of the "Why Do Fools" remake, so this one got me back in Ross' corner. I think it still holds up well. This one kind of gets lost in her catalog, which is unfortunate as it's good enough to sit alongside her big late 70s/early 80s hits.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  This song was written by Dennis Matkosky and Michael Sembello. It was their first major success as songwriters. The following year the pair would co-write another big hit with "Maniac" (#1), which would be performed by Sembello.

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"Rainbow's End" by Sergio Mendes

Song#:  1562
Date:  08/13/1983
Debut:  87
Peak:  52
Weeks:  8
Genre:  Pop, Adult Contemporary



Pop Bits:  Sergio Mendes found himself with a surprise Pop Top 10 fourteen years after his last Pop chart appearance. "Never Gonna Let You Go" sung by Joe Pizzulo and Leza Miller, was a big hit that reached #1 at AC, #4 Pop, and #28 R&B. It was from Mendes' self-titled LP, as was this second single. While the song got some airplay at AC (#6), Pop was less enthusiastic and the single peaked just outside the Top 50.

ReduxReview:  This pop-jazzy outing wouldn't be out of place for a Michael McDonald album. McDonald may have given it a boost with a bit of blue-eyed soul tossed in. If he did, it might have been better. Al Jarreau might have done well with this tune too. Whoever would/could/did do the song, I can't say it would be a favorite. It's a good tune with solid pedigree, but it plays more like an album track than a single. I have to say that no matter what tracks I liked or disliked on the album, the fact is that it sounds nothing like a Sergio Mendes recording. Any reputable musician could have put there name on this and it would have sounded the same. Back in the day, Mendes created a great sound for his Brazil outfits, but that is completely lost here. This was just an attempt to Herb Alpert-ize Mendes and get some more miles out of an old model (as Alpert did with "Rise" and later with "Diamonds"). It's also no surprise that Mendes was on A&M - Alpert's label. The ploy worked, but at the cost of losing Mendes' real musical persona. Hopefully, new listeners went to Mendes' back catalog and discovered his great LPs from the 60s and early 70s (I have them all...).

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Mendes is not a vocalist, so for tracks requiring vocals, he hires out, as was the case for "Never Gonna Let You Go" and other songs on the album. This particular song features lead vocals by Danny Sembello. If that name sounds familiar, it is because he is the brother of Michael "Maniac" Sembello. Although Danny did not release any recordings on his own, he did write (and co-write with his brother) and produce songs for other artists. His most well-known songs come from the soundtrack to Beverly Hills Cop. Danny co-wrote "Neutron Dance" (#6) for the Pointer Sisters and "Stir It Up" (#41) for Patti LaBelle. The efforts got him a Grammy when the soundtrack won for Best Score Soundtrack.

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"Neutron Dance" by The Pointer Sisters

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  2138
Date:  11/24/1984
Debut:  73
Peak:  6
Weeks:  23
Genre:  R&B, Dance-Pop, Soundtrack



Pop Bits:  By this point in time, The Pointer Sisters' album Break Out was over a year old and had already spawned four charting hits with three of them hitting the Pop Top 10. It seemed like the LP had run its course, but there was one more surprise to be had. This track from the album started to get used behind a scene during the production of the upcoming Eddie Murphy comedy Beverly Hills Cop. The song fit the scene well, but producers were not keen to keep the song in the film and asked producer Richard Perry to supply another. He convinced them that this really was the perfect song and it got into the final cut of the film and on the soundtrack. It would end up being the first single released from the soundtrack and the fifth from Break Out. The single would take a while to get going, but once the movie was a hit, the tune took off. It got to #4 at Dance, #13 R&B, and #23 AC. It would also become the Sisters' seventh and final Top 10 hit at Pop.

ReduxReview:  This is really a kooky song. It borders on the insipid. It's so dorky that it should not have worked at all, but it actually did. There was something about that old R&B/honky tonk bass synth riff, quick step beat, the Sisters' gospel-influenced performance, and pull-yourself-up lyrics that got people dancing. Of course it helped that it was in a memorable scene from a major box office smash. Is it among my favorite Pointer Sisters songs? Not really. However, it is hard not to start jammin' when this comes on.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  This song was written by Allee Willis and Danny Sembello. Originally, it was written for a different film. The two writers were told about a scene in the movie Streets of Fire that took place on a bus, which was headed away from a city that had a nuclear holocaust. Apparently there would be a doo-wop group on board singing, so that image prompted Willis and Sembello to come up with "Neutron Dance." Unfortunately, the song didn't make the film, but it did get the attention of producer Richard Perry and The Pointer Sisters. Initially, Ruth Pointer was reluctant to sing it because it brought to mind things that were prominent in the news at the time like nuclear bombs. However, Willis convinced her to sing it and a hit was born. In an interview, Willis also said that a line in the song was taken from a real-life moment that happened when they were writing the tune. During the songwriting session, Willis happened to look out her front window and noticed a guy trying to break into her car. She ran out the door yelling "someone stole my brand new Chevrolet!" The incident and line seemed to fit the song perfectly, so it got included.

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"Live My Life" by Boy George

Song#:  3372
Date:  12/26/1987
Debut:  80
Peak:  40
Weeks:  12
Genre:  Pop, Soundtrack



Pop Bits:  Following Culture Club's 1986 album From Luxury to Heartache, the band basically disintegrated. Lead singer and songwriter Boy George then decided to pursue a solo career. Staying with Virgin Records, George recorded and released his debut solo album Sold in 1987. The LP performed well in his UK homeland and other territories, but failed to do much of anything in the US (#145). Much of the blame for that was placed on George unable to promote the album in the US due to travel restrictions stemming from a drug arrest in '86. Undeterred, George moved forward with his solo career, which included an opportunity to contribute a song to a film soundtrack. George would record "Life My Life," a tune written by Allee Willis and Danny Sembello, for the John Cryer comedy-drama Hiding Out. It was more or less considered the film's theme song and was therefore issued out as a single. It was able to get on the Pop chart and eventually just barely crack the Pop Top 40. The song actually did better at Dance (#14) and R&B (#21). Although the song did fairly well, it didn't do much for the soundtrack album, which stalled at a low #145. It was a minor entry, but Boy George was finally able to get a solo song on the US Pop chart.

ReduxReview:  It was such a shame that Boy George's debut album Sold got ignored in the US. It was a good LP and I think if the single "Everything I Own" (see below) had been promoted better, it could have been a hit. Then that might have helped out this single, which also should have done better. At the time, I think many folks in the US were over the whole Culture Club/Boy George phenomenon. George was more the butt of jokes rather than being taken seriously as an artist and that was a shame. While this song didn't fully get him over the hump into being accepted on radio again, it did at least make a few waves and got him in the Top 40. I think this was an underrated song. It was well-written by Willis and Sembello, the production was solid, and George sounded perfect on it. Had it been done by a more popular artist, I think the song might have had a good chance at being a hit. But since it was Boy George, I think some people, and perhaps even radio stations, wouldn't give it a shot. Ah well. At least George did finally get a US hit in '92 (see below). George's solo recordings would be spotty, but I've always like Sold, this single, his other US hit (again, see below), and his 1995 rock-oriented album Cheapness and Beauty, which like his first LP was unjustly ignored.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  Triple Shot!  1) Boy George's first solo single from his debut disc Sold was a cover tune instead of an original. George did a reggae-styled version of "Everything I Own," originally a 1972 #5 hit by the US band Bread. George's version would go on to hit #1 in the UK while making the Top 10 in several other countries. While George's reggae approach to the song seemed a bit unusual, he wasn't the first artist to frame the tune in that manner. In 1974, Jamaican vocalist Ken Boothe covered the song for his album of the same name. His reggae arrangement on the ballad turned heads and the song went to #1 in Jamaica. It then got released in the UK and also went to #1. Boy George most likely based his version on Boothe's hit.  2) After the success of Sold, George recorded a follow-up titled Tense Nervous Headache. George was reportedly not happy with the final production and indeed the LP tanked. Since a US release was wanted, George took the opportunity to fix some of the tracks and replace others to create an updated disc titled High Hat. Released in 1989, its first single, "Don't Take My Mind on a Trip," became an unexpected hit at R&B getting to #5. It also got to #26 Dance. However, it failed to chart at Pop. The album would peak at #34 R&B/#126 Pop. George would continue to record as a solo artist and grab a significant hit (discussed next) in the US. He would also get back together with Culture Club and record with them again. 3) George's biggest US hit came in 1992 when he teamed up with Pet Shop Boys to record the title track theme to the hit movie The Crying Game. The single would do well getting to #15 Pop/#14 AC. The soundtrack album would get to #60. The song was not written for the film, but was indeed a remake of a tune originally recorded by Dave Berry in 1964. His version reached #5 in the UK. Country superstar Brenda Lee recorded a version in 1967 that got to #87 on the US Pop chart.

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"Human Nature" by Michael Jackson

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  1542
Date:  07/23/1983
Debut:  48
Peak:  7
Weeks:  14
Genre:  R&B, Adult Contemporary



Pop Bits:  Among the many records that Thriller set during its run, "Human Nature" holds one of them. It became the LP's fifth Top 10 single - a feat that had not been accomplished up to this point. The tune reached #7 at Pop and did even better at AC hitting #2. Co-written by Steve Porcaro (Toto) and John Bettis, it was the last song select to be on the Thriller album. Initially, a song called "Carousel" (written by Michael "Maniac" Sembello) took the spot, but then it was decided that "Human Nature" would take its place. "Carousel" would eventually surface in an edited form on the 2001 special edition reissue of Thriller with the full-length version becoming available on iTunes in 2013.

ReduxReview:  I have to say that whoever made the call to oust "Carousel" in favor of "Human Nature" was spot on. While "Carousel" is a nice tune, this one is by far better. It's beautifully written and it made for a terrific single. "Carousel" would not have made a good single. The choice helped set a record and brought this excellent song to the masses. It also still sounds damn good today.

ReduxRating:  9/10

Trivia:  Jackson was the first to get five Top 10's from one album and that ushered in a new era of trying to maximize singles from LPs. Within a span of a few years, other artists were able to accomplish the same including Bruce Springsteen, Lionel Richie, George Michael, Madonna, and Jackson's own sister, Janet. Actually, Janet would go on to set a record that bested her brother's. Her 1989 album Rhythm Nation: 1814 would generate seven Top 5 singles - a record that still stands today.

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Milestone! 1983: The Year in Review

For me, 1983 was just the warm-up for my favorite year of pop music, 1984! But 1983 was no slouch either. It was mainly dominated by Michael Jackson, but there were several other enduring classics that would come out during the year.

The album chart was pretty much blocked the majority of the year by Michael Jackson and The Police. Only six albums were able to reach #1 in 1983, which included Quiet Riot's Metal Health, often considered the first heavy metal album to hit the top spot (and a sign of more changes to come in pop music).

I can also tell that 1983 was a year I really liked because I rated 51% of the chart songs at 7 or above. This is a solid increase over 1982 where the same stat was at 41%. (Previous years were 38% for 1981 and 31% for 1980.) Or maybe I'm just getting softer in my ratings? Nah! I'm expecting the percent for 1984 to increase slightly, but will have to wait for the final numbers (in a year or so - yikes!).

One aspect of this project that I haven't mention before that I enjoy is discovering songs and/or artists that have never charted in the US, or perhaps did ages ago. When doing research on a chart entry, I will sometimes come across some info that peaks my interest and I'll pursue it just for kicks. That's how I discovered British singer Mari Wilson. Digging into the history of a chart song led me to her. Wilson's retro style (complete with B-52 'do) and sound got my attention right away as did her 1982 UK #8 hit "Just What I Always Wanted." I quickly found a compilation of her songs and I've been playing it since. I also discovered Michael Bolton's hard rock past with his band Blackjack. Listening to them put Bolton in a different light for me (a better one because I'm not a fan of his AC days). So besides the chart singles, there are plenty of other discoveries to be made along the way.

I'm still enjoying this project and I hope anyone who encounters the blog will have fun as well. Keep reading, pass it along to friends, feel free to send comments, and don't forget to "Rate It!" at the bottom of each post. Here is a recap of 1983:

Number of charted songs in 1983:  445  (431 in 1982)
Time it took listen/post all songs:  1 year, 49 days  (1 year, 24 days for 1982)
Number of songs that debuted in 1983 to hit #1:  15  (15 in 1982)
Number of songs that debuted in 1983 to reach the Top 10 (excluding #1's):  70  (59 in 1982)
Artist with the most chart entries:  Michael Jackson - 6  (4 artists had 4 each in 1982)
Number of gold singles:  19  (22 in 1982)
Number of platinum singles:  7  (10 in 1982)
Number of songs that won a Grammy:  8  (12 in 1982)
Number of One-Hit Wonders:  10  (7 in 1982)
Number of Rated 10 songs:  16  (12 for 1982)
Number of Rated 1 songs:  3  (0 for 1982)

Top 5 favorite chart songs of the year:

1. "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by Eurythmics
2. "Let's Dance" by David Bowie
3. "Every Breath You Take" by The Police
4. "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler
5. "Church of the Poison Mind" by Culture Club

Worst song of the year:  "Bread and Butter" by Robert John
Best song I didn't know existed:  (tie) "Canvas of Life" by Minor Detail and "Solid Rock" by Goanna
Favorite discovery:  The retro sounds of Mari Wilson and her #8 UK hit "Just What I Always Wanted." She never charted in the US, but research on Rita Coolidge's "All Time High" led me to her.

A few other fun stats:

Highest debut:  #26 - "Say Say Say" by Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson (peaked at #1)
Lowest debut:  #98 - "I Think You'll Remember Tonight" by Axe (peaked at #94)

Longest climb to peak position:  (tie) "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by Eurythmics and "Break My Stride" by Matthew Wilder each climbed 89 positions. "Sweet" made it to #1 from #90, while "Break" went from #94 to #5.

Longest trip to #1 for a song debuting in 1983:  "Sweet Dreams" by Eurythmics took 17 weeks.
Quickest trip to #1 for a song debuting in 1983:  "Every Breath You Take" by The Police took 6 weeks.
Most weeks at #1 in 1983:  8 - "Every Breath You Take" by The Police

Most weeks on the chart for a song debuting in 1983:  29 - three songs hit this mark:  "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love" by Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack (#16), "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler (#1), and "Break My Stride" by Matthew Wilder (#5).

Average number of weeks a song spent on the chart:  12
Position on chart where the most songs debuted:  #90 - 26 songs debuted at that spot (4 hit Top 10, 1 #1)
Longest song title:  "Where Everybody Knows Your Name (The Theme from 'Cheers')" by Gary Portnoy
Shortest song title:  "Rio" by Duran Duran

A few artists who got their first chart single in 1983:  "Weird" Al Yankovic, Bananarama, Berlin, Chris de Burgh, Cyndi Lauper, DeBarge, Def Leppard, Elvis Costello, Eurythmics, INXS, Madonna, Night Ranger, R.E.M., U2, Wham!

Runners-Up:  8 songs peaked at #2, 2 songs peaked at #11, and 2 songs peaked at #41


Some interesting things learned (click links for more details in previous posts):

• Dexys Midnight Runners were named after a drug.
• Yacht rock icon Christopher Cross once played guitar for Deep Purple.
• Neil Young's Trans album was inspired by his son who has cerebral palsy.
• Rachel Sweet wrote and produced episodes of the hit show Hot in Cleveland.
• Phil Collins got the lead roll in a 1967 children's film called Calamity the Cow.
• Terri Nunn of Berlin was in the running for the role of Princess Leia in Star Wars.
• Thomas Dolby ("She Blinded Me with Science") played keyboards on Foreigner's 4 album along with Def Leppard's Pyromania.
• Jon Bon Jovi was briefly a member of the band Scandal before forming Bon Jovi and appeared in one of their videos.
• Robert (now Alexis) Arquette, of the Arquette family of actors, was the boy in the video for The Tubes' song "She's a Beauty."
• Prince thought his new song "Purple Rain" sounded too much like Journey's "Faithfully."
• Michael Bolton initially began as a hard rock singer in a band called Blackjack with a future member of Kiss.
• Donna Summer based her song "She Works Hard for the Money" on a real person and that woman appears on the album's back cover.
• Goanna's "Solid Rock" was the first song to chart in the US that used a didgeridoo.
• Stevie Nicks' "Stand Back" was inspired by Prince's "Little Red Corvette" and he ended up playing the keyboard part on the song.
• Producer Mutt Lange did the pseudo-German countdown at the beginning of Def Leppard's "Rock of Ages."
• Paul Anka wrote a song with Michael Jackson that ended up getting released after Jackson's death ("This Is It").
• Toto did the score to the sci-fi film Dune.
• Kenny G played on Meco's Ewok Celebration album and Meco would later produce Kenny G's debut solo album.
• Actress Winona Ryder's stage name was inspired by rocker Mitch Ryder.
• Rick Springfield was in the original Battlestar Galactica movie.
• Rick James' song "Cold Blooded" was inspired by actress Linda Blair. 
• Aretha Franklin had a son at a very young age and has never revealed the identity of the father.
• Frank Stallone was once in a band called Valentine with John Oates, of Hall & Oates fame.
• Irish singer Sheena Easton won a Grammy for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Performance even though she didn't speak or understand Spanish.
• What sounds like a foreign language passage in of Lionel Richie's "All Night Long (All Night)" is not a language at all - Richie made it all up.
• After "Karma Chameleon" hit #1, Moe Bandy and Joe Stampley had a #7 Country hit with a satirical song about Boy George called "Where's the Dress."

According to the year-end chart for 1983, these were the year's Top 10 singles:

1. "Every Breath You Take" by The Police
2. "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson
3. "Flashdance...What a Feeling" by Irene Cara
4. "Down Under" by Men at Work
5. "Beat It" by Michael Jackson
6. "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler
7. "Maneater" by Daryl Hall & John Oates
8. "Baby, Come to Me" by Patti Austin with James Ingram
9. "Maniac" by Michael Sembello
10. "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by Eurythmics

So long '83,  and as Lionel Richie might say, "Hello" '84!

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"I Really Don't Need No Light" by Jeffery Osborne

Song#:  1056
Date:  06/05/1982
Debut:  88
Peak:  39
Weeks:  15
Genre:  R&B



Pop Bits:  Osborne had already experienced success as lead singer of the group L.T.D. That group scored three R&B #1's in the late 70s including "(Every Time I Turn Around) Back in Love Again" (#4 pop, 1977). By 1980, Osborne was ready for a solo venture and left the group. His self-titled debut was produced by Jazz/R&B star George Duke and featured contributions from top-notch musicians like Larry Graham and Michael Sembello. This single would become his first pop Top 40 entry while going to #3 on the R&B chart.

ReduxReview:  Osborne has such a great voice. It can be booming and commanding, yet turn tender and sexy on a dime. This first solo single tends towards the latter with its sultry groove. Although they ate it up at R&B, pop was a little resistant. It should have done a bit better but may not have been hooky enough to make headway at pop radio.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Osborne began his career with L.T.D. as their drummer and later moved into the role of lead vocalist. Osborne comes from a musical family (father was a jazz trumpeter) and his brother Billy was also a member of L.T.D. Billy also left L.T.D. for a solo career right around the same time as Jeffrey.

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"Discipline of Love (Why Did You Do It)" by Robert Palmer

Song#:  2532
Date:  11/16/1985
Debut:  93
Peak:  82
Weeks:  5
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  Palmer was somewhat successful in the late 70s scoring two Top 20 hit including 1979's "Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)" (#14). His further follow-ups failed to ignite much interest and his career seemed to be fading. Then he got the invite to join The Power Station and Palmer's career and MTV presence got a major boost thanks to hits like "Some Like It Hot" (#6). He then decided to parlay his success with Power Station back into a solo career. Although he left the band, two members (Tony Thompson and Andy Taylor) and their producer Bernard Edwards helped Palmer record his eighth album, Riptide. This track was selected to be the first single, but it failed to make an impression of any kind. It stalled at #63 at Rock while not even making it out of the basement of the Pop chart. It was definitely not what Palmer was looking for following The Power Station, but luckily things would turn around for him in a big way with the LP's second single.

ReduxReview:  It confounds me why this was issued not only as the first single, but a single at all. Maybe the thought was that it sounded more like the rock of Power Station and it was a good transfer song to Palmer's solo career. It certainly wasn't because it was a hooky track with lots of Pop potential. The slick production was great, but the song was just one long jam that wasn't very memorable. It's a solid album track, but it should not have been a single. This song tanking could have killed the album, but Palmer got lucky break with a far, far, far better second single helped along by a classic video.

ReduxRating:  4/10

Trivia:  This song was written by David Batteau and Don Freeman. Batteau has written songs for many artists including Bonnie Raitt, Seals & Crofts, Art Garfunkel, Donna Summer, Trisha Yearwood, and Michael Sembello (the #34 "Automatic Man"). Along the way he attempted to also make a name for himself as a recording artist. His first attempt was with his brother, Robin, in a duo simply known as Batteau. Their 1973 self-titled album didn't get anywhere, but the LP's first single, "Tell Her She's Lovely," would be recorded the same year by the band El Chicano. Their single version made it to #40 on the Pop chart. Batteau then went solo for a 1976 album titled "Happy in Hollywood." Again, nothing came from it. Then around the time Palmer was picking up this song, Batteau formed the trio Nomo and recorded the album The Great Unknown. Their first single, "Red Lipstick" got some video airplay, but the song failed to reach any chart.

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"Cool It Now" by New Edition

Top 10 Alert!

Gold Record Alert!

Song#:  2056
Date:  09/22/1984
Debut:  84
Peak:  4
Weeks:  25
Genre:  R&B



Pop Bits:  This teenage vocal group, developed by producer Maurice Starr, did well with their self-titled debut album. It resulted in good sales and a #1 R&B hit with "Candy Girl." Another Top 10 hit would follow, but the group had a difficult time crossing over to the Pop chart with "Candy Girl" unable to make the Top 40 (#46). The young group toured and gained fans, but when it was all done, the kids went home with virtually zero money in profit. Feeling they were getting the short end of the straw, the kids sued to get out of their contract with Starr. They won and immediately got picked up by MCA. The label went into action and set the group up with several producers including Michael Sembello ("Maniac") and Ray Parker, Jr. With a more clean-cut image, the guys recorded a new self-titled album. This first single was issued and it became their second to top the R&B chart. The song was pushed heavily to Pop and it paid off when the single reached #4. That crossover action helped to earn the group a gold record. The album would reach #1 R&B/#6 Pop and would eventually hit the double platinum mark.

ReduxReview:  Back in the day I just considered these guys a weak imitation of the Jackson 5 and I didn't pay much attention to them. I wasn't a fan of this tune and the tinny 80s production and little raps didn't help. It was a fine track for younger kids, but as an adult I wouldn't be caught blasting this tune in the car with the windows down. I'm still not fully on board with the song - I'd rather just listen to the Jackson 5. However, I hear it with different ears now and as a piece of extra sweet, saccharine-laced candy, it's not all that bad.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  This song was written and produced by Vincent Brantley and Rick Timas. The pair had written it specifically for New Edition, but had zero luck in trying to get it to the group. Feeling that it just wasn't going to happen, they recorded the song with another group whose members were older than those of New Edition, but it just didn't sound right. It was meant for the young teens of New Edition. They caught a break one day when they spotted one of MCA's VPs at a restaurant. Armed with a cassette player and the tune, they boldly got the guy's attention and played/sang him the song. The exec liked what he heard and set up a meeting in the studio with New Edition's manager. It was decided that the group would record the song and that Brantley and Timas could produce it. The pair would also produce two other tracks for the album.

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"When She Dances" by Joey Scarbury

Song#:  0775
Date:  10/10/1981
Debut:  80
Peak:  49
Weeks:  9
Genre:  Pop



Pop Bits:  After the surprise #1 success of "Theme from 'Greatest American Hero' (Believe It or Not)," Scarbury quickly cobbled together an album called "America's Greatest Hero" to capitalize on the single's success. This follow-up single from the album just didn't catch fire like the TV theme and it fizzled before reaching the Top 40. It would be Scarbury's final chart single and his only full album release.

ReduxReview:  I think the problem with this follow-up is that it is nothing like the pure pop of "Believe It or Not." It has a more laid back blue-eyed soul feel that doesn't really go with the previous song's straight-ahead pop/rock sound. If I had heard this back in the day, I probably would not have guessed the song was by Scarbury. When a quickie album is pulled together like this, it doesn't usually work in favor of the artist. They don't have time to establish their sound or an identity and it all ends up a little messy and inconsistent. The same thing would happen soon for another artist with an unexpected hit - Michael Sembello and his "Maniac." These are talented folks who, if given time, might have come out with something solid. But labels will push for product while things are hot and the artist usually ends up with a one-and-done deal. Ah well. I guess having one big hit is better than none at all.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Included on the "America's Greatest Hero" album was a song called "Take This Heart of Mine." It was written by an up-and-coming musician who would would have his own chart hits in a few years - Bruce Hornsby.

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"The Moment of Truth" by Survivor

Song#:  1946
Date:  06/16/1984
Debut:  79
Peak:  63
Weeks:  7
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  Following their big 1982 #1 hit "Eye of the Tiger," which served as the theme from the Sylvester Stallone film Rocky III, Survivor seemed to struggle. Their follow-up album failed to produce any hits and therefore couldn't even get close to gold-level sales. In addition, their lead singer, Dave Bickler, developed vocal nodes and needed surgery. Unwilling to wait out Bickler's recovery, the band decided to move on and replaced him with singer Jim Jamison. The band's first recording with the new lineup was this song that was written for the film The Karate Kid. The tune would serve as the first single from the soundtrack. Although the film was a big box office hit, the song did not catch on and it fell short of expectations peaking in the lower half of the Pop chart. It was another disappointment for the band. Luckily, things would turn around for them later in the year with their next LP.

ReduxReview:  For a couple of seconds at the beginning of this song I thought it was some kind of Casio wedding theme. But then the synths kicked in and it moved into a typical 80s pop movie theme. Frankly, it's pretty awful. It tries so hard to be exciting and inspirational that it falls flat. About every lyrical cliché about taking chances and seizing the day is used and it all sounds forced and manufactured. Even the music is so sports-themey that you can practically hear a leg sweep or slam dunk with every "peeshew" synth punch. Ugh. It probably served its purpose in the film, but on its own it just doesn't stand up. I can't fully blame Survivor on this one as they didn't write it. They actually wrote a fantastic movie theme with "Eye of the Tiger." Listen to that classic and then listen to this one. Huge difference. One is inspiring, the other is insipid. 

ReduxRating:  2/10

Trivia:  Another song chosen for the film and soundtrack was "You're the Best" by Joe "Bean" Esposito. Written by Bill Conti and Allee Willis, the song was originally written for Rocky III. However, Stallone nixed the tune in favor of Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger." It was then a candidate for the soundtrack to Flashdance, but once again it was cut and replaced by Michael Sembello's "Maniac." (Incidentally, Esposito did get a song on the Flashdance soundtrack. "Lady Lady Lady" was released as a single and got to #36 AC/#86 Pop.) Finally, the director of The Karate Kid, John Avildsen (who also directed the original Rocky), remember the song and wanted it for the film.

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"Let Me In" by Eddie Money

Song#:  3874

Date:  04/22/1989

Debut:  81

Peak:  60

Weeks:  7

Genre:  Rock

Pop Bits:  Although "The Love in Your Eyes," the second single from Money's album Nothing to Lose, would be a #1 hit at Rock, it fared less well at Pop where it could only reach #24. Still, that was a good enough reason for the label to issue out this third single. Unfortunately it didn't perform nearly as well getting to #30 Pop and stopping short of the top half of the Pop chart. Another track from the album, "Forget About Love," would get enough airplay to reach #36 on the Rock chart. By this point the album had already peaked at #49. It missed reaching the gold level sales mark, which was a disappointment coming off of his 1986 platinum effort Can't Hold Back.

ReduxReview:  This is kind of a dark and sultry song for Money. It was a good track that was nicely produced and featured a good vocal turn from Money. However, it just didn't have that big hook factor needed to make it go further on the Pop chart. The song fit Branigan quite well (see below), but again it just wasn't single-worthy. Still, it was a solid track that was a good addition to Money's album.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  This song was written by Dennis Matkosky and Paul Gordon. Matkosky had been a co-writer on several pop and country hits including the #1 soundtrack song "Maniac" by Michael Sembello. Gordon also had a few hits under his belt including the #1 "The Next Time I Fall" by Peter Cetera and Amy Grant. The pair also co-wrote (with Lou Pardini) "We've Saved the Best for Last" (#47 Pop/#4 AC/#18 R&B) for Kenny G, which featured vocals by Smokey Robinson. Although "Let Me In" wouldn't be a big hit for Eddie Money, the song found its way over to Laura Branigan. She would record a version for her 1990 self-titled album. It would be co-produced by Matkosky. The track would not be released as a single. The album would end up being Branigan's last to make the Pop chart at #133. It's lead single "Moonlight on Water" would only get to #53 and also be her last to make the Pop chart.

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"System of Survival" by Earth, Wind & Fire

Song#:  3313
Date:  10/31/1987
Debut:  93
Peak:  60
Weeks:  13
Genre:  R&B, Electro-Funk



Pop Bits:  EWF's synth-leaning 1983 LP Electric Universe was the band's first to not at least reach gold level sales since 1972. It was also their first album since then to not generate a Pop Top 40 entry. It seemed that the band was having a difficult time navigating the waters of early 80s music, so band leader Maurice White decided a break was needed. Over the next four years, White and other EWF members like Philip Bailey would do other projects that included solo albums and production work. When '87 rolled around, White thought it was time to get the group back together. They convened in the studio to record their fourteenth album Touch the World. For the LP, White brought back EWF's horn section, which had been eliminated on Electric Universe in favor of synths. This first single got things started and it was welcomed with open arms at R&B where the song reached #1, their eighth and final one to top that chart. It also got to #1 on the Dance chart. However, the news wasn't so good over at Pop where the single stopped before reaching the halfway point. Still, the album did better than their previous one by making it to #33 Pop and #3 R&B. It would return them to gold level sales, but unfortunately it would be their last LP to do so. 

ReduxReview:  I guess this is sort of a message song. It basically talks about how crappy politics and human beings can be, but you just got to keep on surviving - by dancing, of course! The track has a Jam & Lewis feel, so Maurice White was certainly keeping a close ear to trends of the day. It still leaned heavy on synths like their previous album, but you could kind of hear that there was a band underneath it all. I can't say that if I heard this on the radio I'd know it was Earth, Wind & Fire, but it was better than some of their previous singles. At least they sounded more vested and engaged. The break did them good and it resulted in a #1 R&B hit, however it wasn't as mainstream-friendly as their earlier hits and it couldn't get a leg up at Pop. It was a pretty good return to form even though the tune wasn't one that was going to rank alongside their best tracks.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  EWF's 80s albums included more contributions from outside writers than their multi-platinum 70s output and Touch the World continued that trend. It received assistance from hit songwriters like Robbie Nevil, Allee Willis, Danny Sembello, and Glen Ballard. This particular track was written by a guy that went by the singular name of Skylark. Not much can be found about him, but it seems that he was born in the Netherlands to a US service man and a Dutch woman. He was mainly a bass player that worked with several bands in the 70s. He also began writing songs and somehow his "System of Survival" made it over to the EWF camp. The #1 R&B/Dance hit raised his profile and it led to him writing/producing for other artists like Deniece Williams, The Whispers, and the jazz fusion band Hiroshima. In 1995, Skylark became the bass player for The Doobie Brothers. He remained with them until a stroke sidelined him in 2010.

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"Fools Like Me" by Lorenzo Lamas

Song#:  2164
Date:  12/22/1984
Debut:  90
Peak:  85
Weeks:  5
Genre:  Pop, Soundtrack



Pop Bits:  By this time, actor Lorenzo Lamas was a TV star thanks to his breakout role on the hit prime time soap Falcon Crest. With his popularity near its peak, Lamas took the chance to move over to films and signed up to star in the breakdance flick Body Rock. Although Lamas had previously appeared in a few films, this would be the first film he had to carry as the lead. In addition to starring in the film, Lamas would also record a couple of songs that would be used in the film. The actual soundtrack LP did not contain these tracks, but one song from the album, the movie's theme "Body Rock" by Maria Vidal, would be issued as a single and get to #48 Pop. Despite not being on the soundtrack album, Lamas' two songs were issued as a single. This tune would serve as the a-side while the track "Smooth Talker" would be the b-side. The actual single did not connect the song with the film, so one could assume it was an attempt to start a music career for Lamas. Yet, as with the movie, the tune didn't make much of an impression and it disappeared after a few weeks. Lamas continued on Falcon Crest and then later was on another hit show titled Renegade.

ReduxReview:  Is this playing at the right speed? Wow. I didn't expect this. It almost sounds like an ill-fated attempt at a James Bond theme. The tune has solid pedigree. It was co-written by Andy Goldmark, Phil Gladston, and Sylvester Levay and co-produced by Levay and Phil Ramone, yet despite the folks involved, this dirge has a snooze factor of 10. It is obvious that Lamas had a limited voice, so maybe this slow delivery was necessary to make the ballad work. It's pretty bad, but I almost find it nearly scary to listen to. It's like some dark, brooding ballad sung by a vampire at and after, after, dark club. It's a little creepy. I will say that the b-side "Smooth Talker" is far worse (which was co-written by "Maniac" Michael Sembello). Yeah, a singing career was not in the cards for Lamas.

ReduxRating:  2/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) The movie Body Rock was a critical and commercial dud. The Razzies took notice of the flick and gave a nomination to Lamas for Worst Actor. His flip side song "Smooth Talker" would get a nod for Worst Original Song.  2) Lamas got the acting bug from his parents, Fernando Lamas and Arlene Dahl. Lamas was a popular actor in the 40s and 50s, but younger folks may remember his name via Billy Crystal, who based his "you look mahvelous!" character on Lamas. Lorenzo Lamas probably first turned heads when he appeared in the 1978 hit film Grease. He played the athlete Tom Chisum. For the role, Lamas had to dye his hair blonde so that he would look different from John Travolta's T-Birds gang.

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