Frank Sinatra Say "Relax"...

In a decade loaded with odd band names, few are more head-scratching than England's Frankie Goes To Hollywood.  The band topped the UK charts in 1984 with their anthem "Relax", and later cracked the American Top 10 with the tune.  Teenagers nation-wide could be seen sporting white t-shirts with black block letters reading "Frankie Say Relax".

But where did the strange name come from?  None of the band members were named Frankie, and they originated in England, far, far away from Hollywood.  The name came from a page in New Yorker magazine, which featured a photo of Frank Sinatra next to the headline "Frankie Goes Hollywood".

Philip Oakey & the Other Human League Members Who Wear Eyeliner...

That's no girl, that's Human League leader Philip Oakey!

In 1982, American pop music fans were mesmerized by the Human League's "Don't You Want Me", enough so that it would spend 3 weeks at #1 in mid-'82.  It had topped the British charts several months earlier.  But despite being nominated for 1983's 'Best New Artist' Grammy (Men At Work would win), the Human League was by no means 'new'.  The group had formed in 1977, and had several other minor hits in England before making the leap to the US.

Singer and lipstick-wearing leader Philip Oakey was the only remaining original member of the band.  Co-founders Martyn Ware and Ian Craig-Marsh left the band shortly before it was scheduled to begin a tour in 1980.  To fill the void left by the departure, Oakey recruited two high school girls (Susan Sulley and Joanne Catherall, whom he met in a dance club) to perform as vocalists/dancers on the tour.  The pair would become permanent members of the band, and Catherall would share lead vocals with Oakey on "Don't You Want Me".

The Curse of Funkytown?

The original is still the best.

In early 1980, a fellow name Steve Greenberg put together a synthesizer-filled, but undeniably funky, song called "Funkytown".  Vocalist Cynthia Johnson was recruited to lend her voice to the tune, and by the end of May "Funkytown" was the #1 song in the US.  The song was credited to 'Lipps, Inc.' (pronounced 'lip-synch'), and would spend 4 weeks at the top spot.  Aside from a minor hit called "Rock It" later that summer, Lipps, Inc. would not be heard from again on the US pop charts.

So good it split the song title right half in two...

Not so with the catchy "Funkytown", however.  In 1987, Australian band Pseudo Echo squeezed the last life out of the tune, riding it all the way to #6 on the US charts (although it was the same song, Pseudo Echo opted for the 2-word title 'Funky Town').  The Pseudo Echo version, while somewhat catchy, did not match the novelty or funky-ness of the original.  Like Lipps, Inc. before them, Pseudo Echo would not be heard from again on the US pop charts.

Uncle Miltie and Tawny Kitaen...

When Quiet Riot broke through on the charts in 1983 with "Cum On Feel The Noize", it opened the door for a host of metal bands to grab their share of success.  Among these was the band Ratt, whose "Round And Round" hit #12 in the summer of 1984.  The music video was heavily featured on MTV during that summer.

Tawny Kitaen, before she beat up Chuck Finley

Part of the video's appeal was a cameo appearance by TV legend Milton Berle.  Berle played multiple roles in the video, including one part in drag!  How does a classic TV star end up in a heavy metal music video?  Berle's nephew, Marshall Berle, was Ratt's manager at the time.

Ratt guitarist Robbin Crosby's girlfriend, actress Tawny Kitaen, was featured on the picture sleeve of the 45, as well as Ratt's 'Out Of The Cellar' album cover.  Kitaen would go on to greater fame as the star of several Whitesnake videos, and later for beating up her husband, major league pitcher Chuck Finley.

Someone Wants His MTV...

Dire Straits' "Money For Nothing" single, which would spend 3 weeks at #1 in 1985

Anyone who was alive in 1985 surely remembers the immortal Dire Straits song "Money For Nothing" -- 'money for nothing and your chicks for free' and so on and so on.  The opening of the song features a faint voice repeating the line 'I want my MTV' over and over, until Dire Straits leader Mark Knopfler breaks in with the song's signature guitar riff.

Who is the mysterious voice who 'wants his MTV'?  None other than the incomparable Sting.  Sting was invited to contribute some vocals during the recording of the song, leading to his addition of the 'MTV' line at the opening.  He sings the line to the melody of the Police's "Don't Stand So Close To Me", which he wrote.  He would also receive a songwriting credit on "Money For Nothing", making it the second #1 song bearing his name (the Police's "Every Breath You Take" was the first).

In the early 80s, MTV ran a series of ads with various pop music stars, including Sting, repeating the line 'I want my MTV'.

Who Ya Gonna Call? Huey Lewis!

"I Want A New Drug", the song that started it all

In 1984, Huey Lewis and the News was one of the more popular bands around.  They had topped the album chart with "Sports", and sent several songs to the Top 10 over the previous years.  "Heart Of Rock & Roll", "Heart and Soul", "Do You Believe In Love", "If This Is It", and "I Want A New Drug" were all Top 10 hits for Huey and the News.

When putting together the soundtrack for the upcoming movie "Ghostbusters", Lewis was approached about contributing some music.  He turned down the opportunity, as he was already busy working on music for the upcoming film "Back To The Future".  Ultimately, Ray Parker Jr. was chosen to contribute the theme song for the film, and the tune would spend 3 weeks at #1 in late summer.  But Huey Lewis's involvement was far from over.

45 sleeve for Ray Parker Jr.'s annoyingly catchy theme song

Lewis claimed that the melody (and specifically, the guitar riff) from Parker's "Ghostbusters" was strikingly similar to the one Lewis had written for his hit "I Want A New Drug".  A court agreed, and Lewis received a financial settlement.  Lewis also agreed to keep any details of the settlement confidential.  In 2001, Lewis would mention the suit on an episode of VH1's "Behind The Music", violating the confidentiality agreement.  Parker would file a suit of his own as a result.

Just Put A Hat On, Already!

Picture sleeve from "The Safety Dance" single

In the fall of 1983, the Canadian band Men Without Hats mesmerized the listening public with their hit song "The Safety Dance".  The song peaked at #3 in September of '83, and Men Without Hats were a staple on radio and on MTV.  But where did they get the odd name?

The band hails from Montreal, Quebec, Canada.  Singer Ivan Doroschuk was joined in the band by several other members, including, at one point or another, his two brothers -- Stefan and Colin.  The three brothers had grown up in frigid Montreal, but valued image over comfort:  they refused to wear hats during Montreal's cold winters, and referred to themselves as "the men without hats".  And a band name was born.

Exactly what "the safety dance" is, however, we may never know.

How Many Ways Can You Hit #1?

Having a #1 single on your resume is certainly something any band or solo artist can be proud of.  How about achieving the feat as a solo artist AND as the singer in a band?  Only a select few artists reached this goal during the 1980s.  And, to eliminate confusion, my rules state that duets (this means you, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder) do not count as a "band".  But Wham! does count as a band.  You're welcome, George Michael.

A solo Phil Collins landed several #1 songs during the decade, topping the charts with "Against All Odds", "One More Night", "Sussudio", "Groovy Kind Of Love", "Two Hearts", and "Another Day In Paradise".  And when his band, Genesis, topped the charts in 1986 with "Invisible Touch", Phil became the charter member of this distinct group.

Just two weeks after Phil Collins became the first member of this elite group, former Chicago member Peter Cetera joined him.  Chicago (with Cetera providing lead vocals) hit #1 in 1982 with "Hard To Say I'm Sorry".  A solo Cetera reached the top again in 1986 with "Glory Of Love".

George Michael had spent plenty of time at the top with his band Wham!, reaching #1 with "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", "Everything She Wants", and "Careless Whisper".  In 1987, Michael joined Collins and Cetera, when his song "Faith" topped the charts.  "Father Figure", "Monkey", and "One More Try" would also hit #1 the following year.

Lastly, John Waite's "Missing You" was a radio favorite and #1 single in the summer of 1984.  Later in the decade, Waite would front the band Bad English, and re-visit the top spot with "When I See You Smile" in 1989, just 6 weeks before the decade would end.

For the record, Collins, Cetera, and Michael also topped the charts as part of a duet.  Collins with Marilyn Martin on "Separate Lives", Cetera with Amy Grant on "The Next Time I Fall", and Michael with Aretha Franklin on "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)".

Sorry Ringo...

After their breakup in 1970, the 4 individual Beatles found enormous success on their own (or, in Paul's case, with Wings) throughout the decade of the 70s.  But once the 1980s hit, only 3 of the 4 enjoyed anything resembling their 1970s success.

Paul McCartney's "Tug Of War" album from 1982

Paul McCartney placed 3 songs at #1 during the 80s - one with Wings ("Coming Up"), one with Stevie Wonder ("Ebony and Ivory"), and one with Michael Jackson ("Say Say Say").  Paul would add 4 additional Top 10s to that list before the decade was done.  Paul would also top the Album Chart with his "Tug Of War" album in 1982.

Sadly, John Lennon was murdered in December of 1980.  His music lived on, however; John landed 4 songs in the Top 10 during the 1980s, including a #1 ("(Just Like) Starting Over").  His "Double Fantasy" album with wife Yoko Ono would not only top the Album Chart in 1981, it would also win a Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

John and Yoko share a "Double Fantasy" in 1980

George Harrison did not have the success of John and Paul, but he still managed two Top 10 songs during the 1980s, including a #1 in 1988 with "Got My Mind Set On You".  His 1981 tribute to the late John Lennon, "All Those Years Ago", would peak at #2 in the summer of that year.  George also hit the Top 10 on the Album Chart with "Cloud Nine" in 1988, and also as a member of the Traveling Wilburys the following year.

Which leaves us just one remaining Beatle, drummer Ringo Starr.  Ringo managed only one song on the charts during the 1980s -- "Wrack My Brain" peaked at #38 in 1981.  "Stop and Smell the Roses", Starr's 1981 album, would peak at #98.  And that's the last we would hear from Ringo during the decade.

Are The Sum of the Parts Equal to the Whole?

Duran Duran, fresh off a string of hits from late 1982 to early 1985, decided to embark on a couple of other projects.  Three members -- Simon LeBon, Nick Rhodes, and Roger Taylor -- would form the band Arcadia.  The remaining two -- John Taylor and Andy Taylor -- would join Robert Palmer and drummer Tony Thompson to form the Power Station.

The Power Station's "Some Like It Hot" single

Both side projects found success in 1985.  The Power Station managed to crack the Top 10 on two occasions -- their first single "Some Like It Hot" reached #6 in May of 1985, and "Get It On" managed to hit #9 later that summer.  "Get It On" actually shared a spot in the Top 10 with Duran Duran for a single week -- Duran Duran's "A View To A Kill" was at #4 on July 27, 1985, while "Get It On" occupied the #9 spot.  And though Arcadia never shared the Top 10 with Duran Duran, they still managed a #6 hit in December of 1985 with "Election Day".

"Election Day" single by Arcadia

Both the Power Station and Arcadia were one-off projects; Duran Duran would regroup (albeit as a trio) in 1986.