The New Kids Are Just Growing Up So Fast...

A hearty "Happy Birthday!" goes out to the youngest New Kid On The Block, Joey McIntyre (he goes by 'Joe' nowadays).  I was tempted to call him a 'former' New Kid On The Block, but I say once a New Kid, always a New Kid...

Joey's the cute one in the Twins jersey and hat.

Anyhow, cute little Joey is 39 today, and who can believe it's been over 20 years since the New Kids were the raddest thing on radio?  It seems like just yesterday (22 years ago, in 1989) when the New Kids were in the midst of their chart dominance -- 'Cover Girl' had peaked at #2 just a few weeks earlier, and the Christmas (dare I say) anthem 'This One's For The Children' was in the Top 10.  How many of you got a Top 10 hit for your 17th birthday?

Since then, the New Kids have changed their name to NKOTB, and the individual members have gone on to more grown-up things.  But don't let the initials fool you, or the solo albums, or the fancy acting careers.  Keep hangin' tough, New Kids On The Block.

Richard Marx: Is It an Af-Let? Or A Mul-Fro?

I'll admit I'm not a big fan of Richard Marx's music.  Or his hair.  But for two solid years beginning in the summer of 1987, both Marx's music and his hair dominated the American music charts like few other artists ever had.

That is *some* hairdo.  Oh my.

By 1987, Marx had already established himself as a decent songwriter and backup vocalist, working with a number of popular artists such as Kenny Rogers, Luther Vandross and Lionel Richie.  He would embark on his own recording career in 1987, releasing his self-titled debut album and first single, "Don't Mean Nothing" that spring.  "Don't Mean Nothing" and its follow-up, "Should've Know Better" would peak at #3 on the charts in 1987.

"Endless Summer Nights" would do one better, peaking at #2 in 1988.  Marx's next three singles, "Hold On To The Nights", "Right Here Waiting" and "Satisfied" would each top the chart over the next 14 months, and "Angelia" would peak at #4 in late 1989.  All told, Marx would place his first 7 singles in the Top 5.  In spite of his hair.

If At First You Don't Succeed...

What do UB40's "Red Red Wine" and Sheriff's "When I'm With You" have in common?  Well, each record would spend a week atop the Billboard Hot 100 during the late 80s.  "Red Red Wine" would reach the top spot in October of 1988, while Sheriff would hit #1 in February of 1989.  But that's not where the similarities end.

The band was a hit in '89, but these fashions are so '83...

Both songs had been released as singles earlier in the decade, with neither enjoying great success.  Sheriff would debut "When I'm With You" in May of 1983, enjoying 3 weeks on the chart and peaking at #61.  UB40 would ride "Red Red Wine" to #34 in early 1984 (though, to be fair, UB40 did take the song to #1 in Great Britain.

I got high-fived by Astro (middle, with dreads).  Enough said.

Later in the decade, however, both songs were resurrected by DJs in different cities.  An Atlanta dance club DJ began playing "Red Red Wine" in 1988, prompting A&M Records to re-release the song later that summer.  Later that fall, a Las Vegas DJ gave "When I'm With You" new life, and Capitol Records re-released the record.

Sadly, that's where the similarities end.  By the time Sheriff reached the top spot on the charts, the band had been broken up for several years.  UB40, however, was just getting started; they would enjoy several hits throughout the late 80s and early 1990s.

* To be filed in "Brushes With Fame" category:  Sitting in the second row at a 1990 UB40 concert, I was high-fived by Astro during a song.  It has been referred to as "Astro-skin" ever since, and was the highlight of my life up to that point.

And The Band Played On...

The Pretenders' debut album, with Farndon (far left) and Honeyman-Scott (far right)

Many a band has found success after firing one of its members.  80s bands such as Van Halen (who fired David Lee Roth) and Survivor (who fired "Eye of the Tiger" vocalist Dave Bickler) went on to continued success after the firing.  Likewise, many successful bands have had members die, and continued to find success afterward.  80s bands such as Metallica (original bassist Cliff Burton) and Red Hot Chili Peppers (original guitarist Hillel Slovak) became even bigger after the deaths.

The Pretenders fit into both of these categories, and the two events happened in the same week!  After appearing on the scene in 1978, the Pretenders found success on both sides of the ocean with their first two albums, Pretenders and Pretenders II.  Original bassist Pete Farndon was working on forming a band of his own outside the Pretenders, and was fired from the group on June 14, 1982.  Two days later, on June 16, 1982, original guitarist James Honeyman-Scott died of a cocaine overdose.  The once successful 4-piece band was now reduced to a duo.

Learning To Crawl album, with original members Chambers (far left) and Hynde (2nd from left)

In late 1982, remaining members Chrissie Hynde and Martin Chambers would record a single with fill-in bass and guitar players:  "Back On The Chain Gang" would go on to be the band's biggest hit, peaking at #5 in the US in 1983.  Permanent bass and guitar players would be added to the band to record the subsequent album Learning To Crawl.  The band, still with founding members Hynde and Chambers, continues to record and play today.

As a sad footnote, Pete Farndon, fired from the band on June 14, 1982, would die of a heroin overdose less than a year later on April 14, 1983.  "Back On The Chain Gang" had just finished its run in the US Top 10 when Farndon died.

Rockin' The Headband!

The headband has long been an important piece of many a rock-and-roll wardrobe.  And while there were certainly plenty of 80s artists who sported a 'band around their noggin every once in a while, none are more closely associated with the headband than Mark Knopfler and Mike Reno.

You're balding, Mark.  The headband doesn't hide that.

Knopfler, lead singer and guitarist for the British band Dire Straits, burst on the music scene in 1978, but it wasn't until 1985 that he brought his headband to center stage.  Dire Straits was topping the charts worldwide in 1985 with the MTV anthem "Money For Nothing" and its parent album Brothers In Arms.  Knopfler's headband, the standard elastic kind worn by many athletes, made appearances in Dire Straits' music videos.  "Money For Nothing" and the follow-up single "Walk Of Life" both featured a 'banded Knopfler.  Even Dire Straits' 1988 greatest hits compilation, Money for Nothing, featured a Knopfler's neon silhouette, including his trademark headband.

Mike Reno (center), probably wearing red leather pants.

Mike Reno, lead singer of the Canadian band Loverboy, rocked the headband from Day 1.  Loverboy first cracked the US charts in early 1981, and recorded a string of hit singles and albums over the next 8 years before their break-up in 1988.  Reno opted for the bandana-style headband, always in red, and most always matching his red leather pants.  In some cases he would even add a bandana around his neck for added effect.



Honorable mention goes to Bruce Springsteen, who would occasionally trot out the bandana-style headband, usually in tandem with a blue denim jacket.  But Bruce is not defined by the headband, so he is relegated to Honorable Mention status.

Happy Birthday, Matthew Modine!

Matthew Modine was a staple of 80s films, appearing in such classics as Private School, Full Metal Jacket, Gross Anatomy, and Married To The Mob.  For many, however, Modine's foremost 80s role was as a high school wrestler in the 1985 film Vision Quest.  In celebration of Modine's birthday, today we'll look at Vision Quest's impact on pop music.

March 22 Birthday Boy Matthew Modine on the soundtrack's cover with Linda Fiorentino

Released in early 1985, the soundtrack to Vision Quest would spend nearly 4 months on Billboard's Album Chart, peaking at #11.  With a cast of artists as diverse as Dio, the Style Council and Red Rider, the soundtrack would land 3 singles in the Top 100 in 1985, including two that would crack the Top 10.

The first single from the soundtrack to hit the charts was Journey's "Only The Young".  The song was recorded three years earlier, and was initially intended for the band's 1983 Frontiers album.  The band was on hiatus when the song was picked for inclusion on the Vision Quest soundtrack.  It would ultimately peak at #9 in March of '85.

The other two hits would enter the charts on the same day, March 2.  John Waite was fresh off a 1984 #1 single, "Missing You".  The song "Change" was originally included on Waite's 1982 Ignition album, and was picked for the soundtrack almost three years later.  It would become a minor hit for Waite, peaking at #54.

The blockbuster from the soundtrack was Madonna's "Crazy For You".  Madonna was on top of the music world in early 1985, riding the success of both her solo debut and its follow-up Like A Virgin.  Her #2 song "Material Girl" was just beginning to fall from the top of charts when "Crazy For You" neared the top of the charts.  In fact, the two songs would spend two weeks together in the Top 5, a rare feat for any artist.  "Crazy For You" would ultimately unseat "We Are The World" and spend a single week at the top spot, becoming Madonna's second #1 single.

Mr. Movie Soundtrack

Movie soundtracks were ripe with hits all throughout the 1980s, producing numerous Top 10 and #1 hits for a wide variety of artists.  In 1985, no fewer than 9 different songs from soundtracks hit the top spot on the charts! (See: 1985: The Year Of The Soundtrack?)

Picture sleeve from Kenny's 1986 #2 hit "Danger Zone" from the movie Top Gun

No single artist reaped the benefits of the soundtrack more than Kenny Loggins.  Kenny racked up 4 Top 10 hits from movies throughout the 1980s, each from a different film!  Here are the songs that made Kenny into "Mr. Soundtrack" for the decade:

1. "I'm Alright", from the movie Caddyshack.  Kenny's them song, which Caddyshack's gopher danced to during the closing credits of the film, peaked at #7 in the fall of 1980.
2. "Footloose", from the film of the same name.  Kenny's biggest hit topped the charts for 3 weeks during spring of 1984.  Another Loggins song from the film, "I'm Free (Heaven Helps The Man)", made it as high as #22 later that summer.
3. "Danger Zone", from the film Top Gun.  "Danger Zone" would spend a week at #2 in the summer of 1986.
4. "Nobody's Fool", from Caddyshack II.  The movie was awful, but Kenny landed in the Top 10 again, peaking at #8 in late summer of 1988.

 In 1987, Mr. Soundtrack nearly added a fifth Top 10 movie song to his list.  "Meet Me Half Way", from the Sylvester Stallone film Over The Top, would peak at #11 in spring of 1987.

Who is Kenny's closest competitor?  The ubiquitous Phil Collins, who would top the charts with four different movie songs, albeit from only three different films:  "Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)", from the film Against All Odds, "Separate Lives" (with Marilyn Martin) from the film White Nights, and "Two Hearts" and "Groovy Kind Of Love" from the film Buster.

Who Gave the Drummer a Microphone? Part 3

The last installment in our singing drummers series features one of the decade's most successful artists, Phil Collins.  Collins began the decade as the lead vocalist and drummer for the band Genesis, but it wasn't until he went solo that he would find Top 10 success as a singing drummer.

All hail, the king of the Singing Drummers!

Collins' first album, 'Face Value' (1981), featured the haunting song "In The Air Tonight"; despite the song's popularity, it would reach no higher than #19 in the US.  A year later, Collins issued his second solo album, 'Hello, I Must Be Going'.  It would take a cover version of a former #1 by the Supremes to get Phil into the Top 10:  his cover of "You Can't Hurry Love" would reach #10 in 1982.

Collins would sing and drum on a number of Top 10 (and several #1) hits throughout the decade.  As a solo artist, his Top singing/drumming hits include "One More Night", "Don't Lose My Number", "Take Me Home", "Against All Odds", and a host of others.  He would reach the Top 10 as a singing drummer with Genesis as well, cracking the Top 10 with "That's All", "Invisible Touch", "Land Of Confusion", and several others.

If there are other singing drummers that hit the Top 10 in the US during the 1980s, I've yet to find them. Peter Criss sang and drummed on Kiss' Top 10 hit "Beth", but that was in 1978.  Jimmy Marinos would sing and drum on the Romantics' 1980 hit "What I Like About You", but it wouldn't even crack the Top 40, let alone the Top 10.  Any other 80s singing drummers out there?

Who Gave the Drummer a Microphone? Part 2

'The Long Run' LP featuring drummer Don Henley

Song #2 in the series featuring singing drummers is "The Long Run" by the Eagles.  The Eagles had a string of hits through the 1970s, most featuring drummer Don Henley and guitarist Glenn Frey on vocals.  Their 'final' studio album (until they reunited nearly 20 years later) was 'The Long Run', which would produce 3 Top 10 songs beginning in 1979.

"Heartache Tonight" featured Glenn Frey's vocals, and would hit #1 in 1979.  Another Top 10 hit from the album was "I Can't Tell You Why", which would peak at #8 in 1980, but was sung by bassist Timothy B. Schmit.  The final Top 10 song, "The Long Run", is the only to feature Henley on vocals and drums; it would also reach #8 in 1980.

Henley would go on to a successful solo career during the 1980s, landing four different songs in the Top 10 between 1982 and 1989.  Henley still played drums on a lot of his solo work; however, since several different session drummers were used on his solo work (Jeff Porcaro, Steve Jordan, Jim Keltner), his solo Top 10 songs are excluded from this discussion.

Who Gave the Drummer a Microphone?

Night Ranger's Midnight Madness album, with drummer Keagy at lower left

Today's fact is the first of a series in which I will shine the spotlight on a Top 10 hit from the 80s that was sung by, of all people, the band's drummer.

Up first, Night Ranger's epic 1984 song "Sister Christian".

Originally known as 'The Rangers', the band changed its name to Night Ranger in 1982 after a copyright dispute with another band.  The band put together a string of hits throughout the decade, including two Top 10 singles, and 3 others that would crack the Top 20.  Most of these hits were sung by bassist Jack Blades.  But, for one fateful season in early 1984, the band let its guard down and let the drummer do the singing.

Drummer Kelly Keagy wrote "Sister Christian" for his sister, Christy, who was considerably younger than he.  The song was born out of Keagy's surprise at how quickly his younger sister had grown up.  The song was intended to be titled "Sister Christy", but Jack Blades' couldn't understand what Keagy was singing and thought he was saying "Sister Christian".  And the title stuck.

The second single from Night Ranger's 'Midnight Madness' album, the song's success was bolstered by MTV keeping the music video in heavy rotation all summer.  Ultimately, the song would reach #5 on the US charts, and become Night Ranger's biggest hit.  And leave us to debate exactly what "motoring" is...

Paging Dr. Noah Drake...

Sleeve from "Jessie's Girl" 45, with a Dr. Noah Drake name drop

When Rick Springfield came from seemingly nowhere to top the US charts in 1981 with "Jessie's Girl", many thought he was a new face on the music scene.  In fact, Springfield had been around for over a decade -- in 1972, he climbed all the way #14 with "Speak To The Sky", and the 22-year old Australian pop star seemed destined for greater success.

By 1981, however, Springfield's music career was fizzling.  His latest album, 'Working Class Dog', was being held from release by his record company; Springfield was unsure how successful it would be even if it was released.  In the meantime, Springfield landed the role of Dr. Noah Drake on the popular soap opera 'General Hospital'.  Springfield's popularity on the soap led to increased radio airplay for "Jessie's Girl" (the first single from the album), and by summer's end it was the #1 song in the United States.

My, what handsome doctors they have in Port Charles!

Ultimately, Springfield's renewed music career would produce 16 Top 40 hits throughout the 1980s (including five that cracked the Top 10), 4 Grammy nominations, and one Grammy Award in 1982. Not bad for a washed up former teen pop star.

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.

Everything Old Is New Again...

Soundtrack to the film 'Stand By Me'

The fall of 1986 saw two classic 1960s songs re-emerge as radio favorites and chart hits -- thanks to two popular movies from that year.

"Stand By Me" had originally cracked the Top 10 all the way back in the summer of 1961, peaking at #4 for former Drifters lead singer Ben E. King.  Rob Reiner directed the film of the same name in 1986, and featured the song at the end of the movie.  The movie's popularity prompted Atlantic Records to re-release King's original, and it cracked the Top 10 yet again - this time peaking at #9.

Ferris Bueller belting "Twist And Shout" in the streets of Chicago

In March of 1964, the Beatles spent four weeks at #2 with their remake of the Isley Brothers' "Twist And Shout".  22 years later, director John Hughes featured the song in his film 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off'.  Matthew Broderick famously lip-synchs to the song in the streets of downtown Chicago in the film.  Another 1986 movie, 'Back To School', starring Rodney Dangerfield, also featured the song.  The popularity of the two films prompted Capitol Records to re-release the original as a single.  It didn't fare as well as the original, but still managed to crack the Top 25, peaking at #23.

Who's Gonna Drive You Home Tonight?

Picture sleeve from the Cars' 'Drive' single

They'd been making moderately popular records since the late 70s, but it wasn't until 1984 that the Cars scored their biggest hit, the melancholy ballad "Drive".  The song peaked at #3 in late summer that year.  It was sung by bassist Benjamin Orr, rather than usual vocalist Ric Ocasek.

Paulina Porizkova from the 'Drive' video, wondering who would drive her home

The music video, which would be nominated for an MTV Video Award (back when MTV still showed videos!) was directed by actor Timothy Hutton (who currently stars on TNT's 'Leverage') and prominently featured 19-year old Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Paulina Porizkova.  Ocasek, who is 16 years Porizkova's elder, would eventually marry the model/actress in 1989.  The couple remain married, and have two sons.

Why Does Michael Pare Have To Confuse Everyone?

Michael Pare in 'Eddie & The Cruisers'

In 1984, John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band cracked the Top 10 (#7 to be exact) with "On The Dark Side".  The song had been featured in the film 'Eddie & The Cruisers', about a fictional rock band from the mid-1960s.  Actor Michael Pare portrayed Eddie Wilson, and the music video for the song featured Pare lip-syncing to John Cafferty's singing.  The song became a hit, and few people knew that Michael Pare wasn't the actual singer!

The REAL John Cafferty

Dan Hartman, who is most definitely not black.

Also in 1984, white singer Dan Hartman had a #6 hit with "I Can Dream About You", which was featured in the film 'Streets Of Fire' (which, in an odd coincidence, also starred Michael Pare).  In the movie, the song was performed by an African-American vocal group -- their lip-syncing performance was the basis of the song's music video, leading most of America to believe that Dan Hartman was black.  This was, and remains untrue.

From A To Z...

If you took all the artists who had hits in the 1980s and lined them up alphabetically, who would be at the front of the list, and who would hold up the rear?

Agnetha, Benny, Bjorn, Anna-frid.  Better known as ABBA.

Sweden's ABBA would be up front, notching 5 hits in the decade of the 80s, including a Top 10 in 1980 with "The Winner Takes It All".  ABBA's popularity was definitely on the decline when 1979 turned into 1980, but they still managed to keep folks like Gregory Abbott and ABC from the front of the line...

ZZ Top.  The guy in the middle is named Frank Beard.  Really.

And at the rear, none other than ZZ Top.  The ZZs had been a popular blues-rock band all through 1970s, but enjoyed their greatest commercial and chart success in the 80s, cracking the Top 10 twice, with "Legs" in 1984, and "Sleeping Bag" in 1985.  So, sorry Zebra and Warren Zevon, the line ends with ZZ Top.

7 Hits from a Single Album...

A successful album from the 80s might have one or two Top 10 hit singles on it -- even three or four hits in some cases.  But in two instances, an album managed a whopping 7 Top 10 songs!  Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' album and Bruce Springsteen's 'Born In The U.S.A.' each dropped 7 separate songs in the Top 10.  As a result, each album spent a lot of time at #1 on the Billboard Albums chart -- 37 weeks for 'Thriller' (most all-time!) and 7 for 'Born In The U.S.A'.

Here are the songs from each album that dominated radio from 1983-1985:


Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'

1. "The Girl Is Mine" (duet with Paul McCartney) - #2
2. "Billie Jean" - #1
3. "Beat It" - #1
4. "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" - #10
5. "Human Nature" - #7
6. "Wanna Be Startin' Something" - #5
7. "Thriller" - #4

Bruce Springsteen's 'Born In The U.S.A.'

1. "Dancing In The Dark" - #2
2. "Cover Me" - #7
3. "I'm On Fire" - #6
4. "Born In The U.S.A." - #9
5. "Glory Days" - #5
6. "My Hometown" - #6
7. "I'm Goin' Down" - #9

We're #2! We're #2!

Picture sleeve from Foreigner's "Waiting For A Girl Like You" single

In November of 1981, Foreigner's ballad "Waiting For A Girl Like You" reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.  It would stay at the #2 spot for 10 consecutive weeks, being held at bay for 9 weeks by Olivia Newton-John's "Physical", and for a final week by "I Can't Go For That" by Daryl Hall & John Oates.  No song before or since has spent so many weeks at #2 without ever reaching the top spot.

It wasn't Foreigner's first experience with the #2 spot; three years prior, in 1978, their "Double Vision" spent two weeks at #2 (without ever reaching #1).  Donna Summer's memorable "MacArthur Park" kept it 'out in the rain' for those weeks.

When Foreigner's "I Want To Know What Love Is" hit #2 in January of 1985, I'm sure the band was prepared for another near-miss.  Fortunately for them, the song reached #1 the following week, and stay there for two weeks.

6 That Dominated The Decade

If we consider the decade of the 1980s (1980-1989), there are 6 artists who hold the distinction of spending at least one week on the Billboard Hot 100 in each of the 10 years of the decade.  Who do you think they are?  Michael Jackson?  Nope.  Bruce Springsteen?  Nope.  Madonna?  Not her, either.  A couple of the answers may surprise you.

First, Elton John.  He placed a total of 22 different songs on the Hot 100 during the 80s, including 6 Top 10 songs and one #1 (a duet with Dionne Warwick).  Next up, Prince.  27 songs in all, including 10 Top 10s and 4 #1 songs.

Phil Collin's 'No Jacket Required' LP, from which several of his 80s hit came

Third, John Mellencamp.  He placed 20 songs in the Hot 100 during the decade, including 6 as 'John Cougar', and 14 as 'John Cougar Mellencamp'.  Eight Top 10s and a single #1 ("Jack & Diane") for him.  next, Rod Stewart.  Rod was certainly more successful during the 1970s, but he still managed 21 different Hot 100 appearances during the 80s, including 7 Top 10 songs.

Number five on our list is Phil Collins.  He cheated a bit, because he needed his involvement with the band Genesis in order to hit the charts in 1980 and 1987.  Still, 30 hits in all (15 solo, 15 with Genesis), including 9 Top 10 songs and 8 #1s.

Last up, and most surprising, is the band Survivor.  They only managed 18 hits in the decade, including 4 Top 10s and a #1 ("Eye Of The Tiger").  Their peak years were 1982-1986, but they still cracked the charts in the remaining years.

1985: The Year of The Soundtrack?

Picture sleeve from "Separate Lives" single; it hit #1 on 11/30/1985

Twenty-six different songs topped the Billboard Hot 100 during the year of 1985, including multiple songs from Phil Collins, Wham!, and Tears For Fears.  But the fact that stands out among these 26 tunes is that no fewer than 9 of them were featured in popular movies or TV shows.

1. "Crazy For You" by Madonna (VisionQuest)
2. "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds (Breakfast Club)
3. "Heaven" by Bryan Adams (A Night In Heaven)
4. "A View To A Kill" by Duran Duran (A View To A Kill)
5. "The Power Of Love" by Huey Lewis & The News (Back To The Future)
6. "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)" by John Parr (St. Elmo's Fire)
7. "Miami Vice Theme" by Jan Hammer (Miami Vice - TV Show)
8. "Separate Lives" by Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin (White Nights)
9. "Say You, Say Me" by Lionel Richie (White Nights) (song was featured in the film, but was not included on the soundtrack)

For Phil Collins, "Separate Lives" was his second #1 from a film soundtrack -- "Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)" (from the film Against All Odds) had reached the top in 1984.  Collins would take two additional movie songs to the top later in the decade:  "Groovy Kind Of Love" and "Two Hearts" were featured in the movie Buster (which Collins starred in), and hit #1 in 1988 and 1989, respectively.

Pat Andrzejewski/Giraldo/Benatar...

Pat Benatar was a mainstay of 80s rock, leaving behind a string of hits, including several songs that cracked the Top 10:  "Hit Me With Your Best Shot", "We Belong", "Love Is A Battlefield" and "Invincible".

Pat Benatar's 1980 'Crimes Of Passion' album

Pat was born in New York in 1953 as Patricia Mae Andrzejewski; in 1982, she would marry guitarist Neil Giraldo (who she is still married to, and has two children with).  So where did the name 'Benatar' come from?  It came from Pat's high school sweetheart Dennis Benatar, who she would marry in 1972 at the age of 19.  The two would divorce in 1979, but Pat's career had already begun to take off, and she elected to keep the name.

New Singer? No Problem...

What do Van Halen, Survivor, and Animotion have in common?  After a successful run with one lead singer, each band found success with a new vocalist.

Van Halen, with a bearded Sammy Hagar in the center

Van Halen, of course, was fronted by David Lee Roth until 1984 -- the Roth-led band topped the charts in '84 with "Jump".  After Roth's departure, the band added Sammy Hagar (who'd already had some success as a solo act), and found the Top 10 again in 1985 ("Why Can't This Be Love?") and in 1988 ("When It's Love").

Survivor, with new lead singer Jimi Jamison in the middle

Survivor's "Eye Of The Tiger" (from the film 'Rocky III') spent 6 weeks at #1 in 1982, with singer Dave Bickler fronting the band.  Jimi Jamison replaced Bickler in 1984, and took the band back to the Top 10 four more times, most notably with another 'Rocky' anthem (Rocky IV, to be exact), "Burning Heart".

Animotion, with original vocalists Astrid Plan and Bill Wadhams in the middle

Animotion's "Obsession" climbed all the way to #6 in 1985, featuring Astrid Plane and Bill Wadham on lead vocals.  Plane and Wadhams left in 1988, and were replaced by Paul Engemann and Cynthia Rhodes.  The new singers took the band back to the Top 10 in 1989 with "Room To Move".  Incidentally, Rhodes is married to another 80s stalwart, singer/songwriter Richard Marx.

Know of any other 80s bands who found success with more than one singer?  Post in the comments below...