Our Favorite Songs of 1983 | Songs of the Year
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 ก.ย. 2024
- Welcome to our Songs of the Year series. Today we're looking at 1983!
Every Friday we will each be choosing our favorite songs of a year, starting in 1958 and going all the way through 2021. We will be making five selections from the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Any song that broke the Hot 100 at any point during the year is eligible. After that we'll be making five more 'wildcard' selections. These picks can come from anywhere. They could've charted as well, but they could also be album cuts, from soundtracks, b-sides...anything at all. And lastly, we'll also be choosing our least favorite song to crack the Top 40.
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Here's the Year End Top 50. Will any of these make our lists?
1. "Every Breath You Take" - The Police
2. "Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson
3. "Flashdance... What a Feeling" - Irene Cara
4. "Down Under" - Men at Work
5. "Beat It" - Michael Jackson
6. "Total Eclipse of the Heart" - Bonnie Tyler
7. "Maneater" - Hall & Oates
8. "Baby, Come to Me" - Patti Austin and James Ingram
9. "Maniac" - Michael Sembello
10. "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" - Eurythmics
11. "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" - Culture Club
12. "You and I" - Eddie Rabbitt and Crystal Gayle
13. "Come On Eileen" - Dexys Midnight Runners
14. "Shame on the Moon" - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
15. "She Works Hard for the Money" - Donna Summer
16. "Never Gonna Let You Go" - Sérgio Mendes
17. "Hungry Like the Wolf" - Duran Duran
18. "Let's Dance" - David Bowie
19. "Twilight Zone" - Golden Earring
20. "I Know There's Something Going On" - Frida
21. "Jeopardy" - The Greg Kihn Band
22. "Electric Avenue" - Eddy Grant
23. "She Blinded Me with Science" - Thomas Dolby
24. "Africa" - Toto
25. "Little Red Corvette" - Prince
26. "Back on the Chain Gang" - The Pretenders
27. "Up Where We Belong" - Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes
28. "Mr. Roboto" - Styx
29. "You Are" - Lionel Richie
30. "Der Kommissar" - After the Fire
31. "Puttin' on the Ritz" - Taco
32. "Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye
33. "(Keep Feeling) Fascination" - The Human League
34. "Time (Clock of the Heart)" - Culture Club
35. "The Safety Dance" - Men Without Hats
36. "Mickey" - Toni Basil
37. "You Can't Hurry Love" - Phil Collins
38. "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" - Journey
39. "One on One" - Hall & Oates
40. "We've Got Tonight" - Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton
41. "1999" - Prince
42. "Stray Cat Strut" - Stray Cats
43. "Allentown" - Billy Joel
44. "Stand Back" - Stevie Nicks
45. "Tell Her About It" - Billy Joel
46. "Always Something There to Remind Me" - Naked Eyes
47. "Truly" - Lionel Richie
48. "Dirty Laundry" - Don Henley
49. "The Girl Is Mine" - Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney
50. "Too Shy" - Kajagoogoo
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Remeber to vote for which of our winners is your favorite and check out the playlists:
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Songs of the Year 1983 (Spotify):
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Songs of the Year 1983 (TH-cam):
• Songs of the Year | 1983
Songs of the Year Winners (Spotify):
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The Worst Top 40 Songs (Spotify):
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We hope you'll play along down in the comments. See ya there. Thanks for watching!
#SongsoftheYear #1983 #Songsof1983 #Billboard #Hot100
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What a year! Had to leave so many amazing songs out.
10. David Bowie - Let's Dance
9. New Order - Age of Consent
8. This Mortal Coil - Song to the Siren
7. Nena - 99 Red Balloons
6. U2 - New Year's Day
5. Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time
4. Madonna - Borderline
3. Brian Eno - An Ending (Ascent)
2. Bob Marley & the Wailers - Buffalo Soldier
1. Echo & the Bunnymen - The Cutter
Great pick in Buffalo Soldier
This Mortal Coil pick is great
10. David Bowie - Modern Love
9. The Chameleons - Second Skin
8. This Mortal Coil - Song to the Siren
7. Talking Heads - Girlfriend is Better
6. Cocteau Twins - Sugar Hiccup
5. R.E.M - Pilgrimage
4. The Fall - Smile
3. New Order - Age of Consent
2. Bob Dylan - Jokerman
1. The Smiths - This Charming Man
Love Pilgrimage
@@ttmilbr My # 2 song of the year.
Pilgrimage is a captivating tune. Love it.
Love that Chameleons pick
No One Post This Mortal Coil. Bravo For Remembering Elizabeth Fraser. 👏👏...
1983 . Hot 100 US billboard charts ( extremely loaded year)
1. Time ( Clock of the Heart): Culture Club
Timeless ( excuse the pun) , gorgeous slice of pop / rnb melancholy , brilliantly utilizing the sweet , tender often underrated vocal talents of Boy George . One of the great pop singles of the 80s
2. Just Got Lucky : Joboxers
Joyful , stomping rnb / soul pop track with the most infectious hook you'll ever hear. Great piano and horn section backing , played with an almost " punkish " energy but with its heart and "soul ", firmly in 60s American rnb/ Motown /Stax. Pure pleasure
3. Everyday I Write The Book: Elvis Costello
Even Mr McManus , was dusting off his old Motown albums for inspiration. One of his catchiest tunes and a deserved bonafide Billboard chart hit ( not college chart hit ) Lyrically , the usual clever wordplay ( a lot of funny book and writing puns " Turns out to be footnote , I'm a man with a mission in 2 or 3 editions " is a particular fave ..but they never distract from the soul and fun of the song .Apparently he wrote it in 10 mins .
4. Radio Free Europe : REM
While British pop groups were paying homage to the American soul/ rnb pop traditions , there was something exciting , brewing on the American college rock / "indie" ( that word didn't exist back then ) circuit which was almost referencing the British guitar pop traditions with its own flavor .
Can't believe this charted in the mainstream billboards ( like Costello , was sure it was only the college chart hit )From their debut masterpiece , sounded like nothing else back then, and nothing else since ( one of the catchiest songs I could never work out the lyrics to ) The song that started me on the amazing REM journey through the rest of the 80s/90s.
5. Holiday : Madonna
Sexy , fun , great hook , catchy as hell, you can dance to it all night ( if you're that way inclined ) . A club and pop "banger" . Also charted in 84 but I'm including it this year .From her classic debut album ,( still my favourite album of hers ) just as she was about to take over the world .
1983 : Deep Cuts ( did not chart on the Hot 100 US)
1 . This Charming Man : The Smiths : Perfection. Morrisseys strange, wonderful lyrics, Marr's iconic riff , the almost" Motownish"rhythm section.. Masterpiece
2. Long Hot Summer : The Style Council . More blue eyed soul out of England , this time Mr Paul Weller hangs up his Rickenbacker and goes all Isley Brothers, bass synths ,dreamy soul pop, replaces the angry , socially pointed lyrics he was known for with The Jam , with " ditty de bop " lyrics .....and it friggin works.
3. 16 Shells from a Thirty - Ought-Six : Tom Waits
" Swordfishtrombones" just knocked me out when I first listened to it . The piano ballads and jazz " stylings " of his 70s work ( which I love and had everyone of his albums up to this point ) were now replaced with what sounded like some sort of demented Salvation Army band playing a mixture of blues , and experimental rock . He was always some sort of musical genius to me but this record took him into another stratosphere ) This is probably my fave song on the album so automatically makes my deep cuts .
4. Eat Y'self Fitter : The Fall.
Mark E Smith ( RIP) , the great poet , curmudgeon , at his wittiest , most acerbic with this jolly "reinterpretation " of a Kelloggs Breakfast Cereal Commercial brand phrase , and his attack on desperate consumerism
5. The Boy Wonders : Aztec Camera
" High Land Hard Rain" is just one of the great indie guitar pop albums of the early to mid 80s. Roddy Frame is one of the finest ( and sometimes forgotten , under appreciated )exponents of that genre . This song is probably my fave off a perfect album so makes the cut
Honorable Mentions:
Don’t Talk to me about love - Altered Images
Never Stop : Echo and the Bunnymen
The Cutter : Echo and The Bunnymen
Pale Shelter : Tears For Fears
European Female : The Stranglers
King of Pain: The Police
A New England - Billy Bragg
Sitting Still - REM
Don't Fall - The Chameleons
Worst chart song : never gonna let you go - Sergio Mendes - utter shite
I don't know if you follow Rick Beato's TH-cam channel at all, but he has a video about "Never Gonna Let You Go" being the most complex pop tune of all time. I don't disagree with him -- it's structurally all over the place -- but I also agree with you -- that song is horrid. I guess it goes to show that complexity doesn't equal quality.
_1. Time (Clock Of The Heart)_
Spot on. Sublime.
I've always thought Just got Lucky was underrated. No idea what happened to The Joboxers who seemed to have one year wonders
I am pretty sure they supported The Jam on the latter band's farewell tour at the end of 1982 as a schoolmate saw them.
1) Synchronicity II - The Police
2) Send her my love - Journey
3) Owner of a lonely heart - Yes
4) Mama - Genesis
5) Big Log - Robert Plant
6) Street of Dreams - Rainbow
7) She's a beauty - The Tubes
8) Home by the sea - Genesis
9) Who's behind the door - Zebra
10) Wrapped around your finger - The Police
11) If anyone falls - Stevie Nicks
12) Saved by zero - The Fixx
13) Pride and Joy - Stevie Ray Vaughan
14) Troubled Child - Journey
15) Heart and soul - Huey Lewis
16) Billy Jean - Michael Jackson
17) new years day - U2
18) Sweet Dreams - The Eurythmics
19) Radio Free Europe - REM
20) Beat It - Michael Jackson
21) Love is a battlefield - Pat Benatar
22) Stand Back - Stevie Nicks
23) True - Spandau Ballet
24) Say it isn't so - Hall and Oates
25) Talking in your sleep - The Romantics
26) Foolin - Def Leppard
27) Always something there to remind me - Naked Eyes
28) One thing leads to another - The Fixx
29) After the Fall - Journey
30) Human Nature - Michael Jackson
Zebra! Fantastic.
@@nightowl1851 ah yeah they are a deep cut these days. Great trio. I like their christmas song quite a bit as well.
Some nice picks here..good to see some 80s prog and "True" (my choice for SOTY..but I admit it could be my memory playing tricks on me since I got married in 1983 and this was on the radio constantly)
@@GeneBolmarcichEsq Spandaut Ballet had some great songs. this year was loaded as I could have listed a ton more songs.
CHARTS:
5 Gap Band - Outstanding
4 The Whispers - Keep On Lovin' Me
3 SOS Band - Just Be Good To Me
2 Kashif - Stone Love
1 David Bowie - Let's Dance
PICKS:
5 Isley Brothers - Between The Sheets
4 Tears for Fears - Mad World
3 The The - Uncertain Smile
2 Fun Boy Three - Our Lips Our Sealed
1 Echo & The Bunnymen - Never Stop (Discotheque) - also my top song pick
WORST:
Elton John - I'm Still Standing
Just Be Good To Me is the true definition of an 80’s jam. Perfection.
Keep On Lovin' Me by the Whispers is the jam! That song still brings them to the dance floor at any old school party.
Yeah 1983! My birth year!! :)
1. The Chameleons - Second Skin
2. Cocteau Twins - Musette and Drums
3. David Bowie - Modern Love
4. The Smiths - Hand in Glove
5. New Order - Blue Monday
6. R.E.M. - Talk About The Passions
7. Echo & The Bunnymen - The Cutter
8. Prince - Little Red Corvette
9. Talking Heads - Slippery People
10. The Pale Fountains - Palm of my Hand
My Favorite Singles, of 1983:
“Let’s Dance” - David Bowie
“Come On Eileen” - Dexys Midnight Runners
“True” - Spandau Ballet
“Beat It” - Michael Jackson
“Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” - Eurythmics
Album Picks + (some singles/previously or in the future will be released):
“New Year’s Day” - U2
“Shaking Through” - R.E.M.
“Karma Chameleon” - Culture Club
“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” - Cyndi Lauper
“Shipbuilding” - Elvis Costello and the Attractions
Worst single:
“She Blinded Me with Science” - Thomas Dolby
Good tunes, including your worst ; )
1. Modern Love - David Bowie
2. Borderline- Madonna
3. Every Breath You Take - The Police
4. Girlfriend is Better - Talking Heads
5. Radio Free Europe - REM
6. Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper
7. That's All - Genesis
8. Sharp Dressed Man - ZZ Top
9. Pride and Joy - Stevie Ray Vaughn
10. Let's Dance - David Bowie
Love that SRV tune. Top shelf.
my 1983 top 10 in no order:
R.E.M.- Perfect Circle
The Smiths- This Charming Man
Randy Newman- Real Emotional Girl
Talking Heads- Making Flippy Floppy
Brian Eno- Deep Blue Day
Elvis Costello and the Attractions- Everyday I Write the Book
Tom Waits- In the Neighborhood
Prince- Little Red Corvette
Orange Juice- Rip It Up
Robert Wyatt- Shipbuilding
Great list! Include XTC and it might be absolutely brilliant.
Nice to see love for Perfect Circle.
@@HeyFella it's such a beautiful song and it takes me back to a special time period of my life and the friends i used to hang out with back then
1. The Web - Marillion (the band reaching the highest heights Genesis had)
2. Hearts and bones - Paul Simon (such a poignant telling of a love story). Train in the Distance also deserves a mention.
3. To tame a land - Iron Maiden
4. Hello - Lionel Richie
5. Every breath you take - The Police
6. Wonderful remark - Van Morrison
7. Total eclipse of the heart - Bonnie Tyler
8. Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2
9. Owner of a lonely heart - Yes
10. Shore leave - Tom Waits
Agree on #2. A most underrated Paul Simon album. Also love the Late Great Johnny Ace
Love marillions first album 🎉
HM - Talking Heads - Burning Down the House, Go-Betweens - Cattle and Cane, Rolling Stones - She Was Hot, Greg Kihn - Jeopardy, David Bowie - Modern Love
5. Motorhead - Dancing on Your Grave (The one album with Thin Lizzy's Brian Robertson on guitar still stays controversial among Motorhead fans. Too much heavy metal guitar noodling but this one song is still strong.)
4. Mitch Ryder - When You Were Mine (Yes, the Prince song. John Mellencamp produced the single and the related album Never Kick a Sleeping Dog and it rocks like hell.)
3. Mike Oldfield - Moonlight Shadow (Say what you will but some hits have become classics for a reason.)
2. Husker Du - Everything Falls Apart (This tune stood out from their early hardcore noise and was a sign that Bob Mould could really write songs.)
1. Rod Stewart - Baby Jane (Rod's output after crossing the Atlantic was mostly terrible but sold great. Every now and then, maybe by mistake, he still released a good song or two.)
I like Annie Haslam's cover of Moonlight Shadow a lot. Damn, that Price song got covered like hell - - b/c it's great . . Cyndi L had a nice version this year.
We have a few in common. Great that you give some love to Cattle and Cane, there's something magical about that song
1983 📸
1. Every Day I Write the Book- Elvis Costello and the Attractions
2. In A Big Country - Big Country
3. Leave It - Yes
4. Legal Tender - The B-52s
5. Legs - ZZ Top
6. Let's Dance - David Bowie
7. Photograph - Def Leppard
8. Radio Free Europe - R.E.M.
9. Slippery People - Talking Heads
10. Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2
Listo 4ever 🎶
tasto forever
@@NaughtyVampireGod yo NVG i love this. Tasto forever. Brilliant. I used it in my comment under the VU album show. Thx!
@@davidbeckman7925 YW. Glad to be of service . .
"Send Me an Angel" ~ Real Life .. "Making Love Out of Nothing at All" ~ Air Supply .. "Total Eclipse of the Heart" ~ Bonnie Tyler .. "In a Big Country" ~ Big Country .. "Radio Free Europe" ~ R.E.M.
Imagine listening to This Charming Man in 1983! Damn! I'm with you Joe!
BILLBOARD
1. WINNER: *Modern Love by David Bowie #14* (Early 60s pop influence brought to its absolute best. So fun and well-crafted.)
2. *Love My Way by The Psychedelic Furs #44* (There is almost a Bowie element to the singing in this one too. Lush synth work plus the brilliant marimba already mentioned by Jason last week.)
3. *Every Breath You Take by The Police #1* (Sure we're all aware of the lyrics by now, but damn this song is alluring as hell anyway.)
4. *Billie Jean by Michael Jackson #1* (The pinnacle of dance R&B for the period. One of his most soaring vocals on the chorus.)
5. *Little Red Corvette by Prince #6* (Love the buildup from the verses to really make that chorus pop.)
WILDCARD
1. *New Year's Day by U2 #53* (At their absolute best in this post-punk classic. Stellar piano and guitar.)
2. *This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) by Talking Heads #62* (Funky, weird, and catchy the way only they could make just right.)
3. *Moonlight Shadow by Mike Oldfield featuring Maggie Reilly* (Huge song throughout Europe. Really stands out for the era with its folk elements, and genuinely downplayed production that almost harken to 90s new age.)
4. *Age of Consent by New Order* (Another top-class track from them. Bittersweet and yet sounding life-affirming all the same.)
5. *Here Comes the Rain Again by Eurythmics [#4, 1984]* (A synthpop tour-de-force.)
Might be the year of the decade for me. What a great time for Billboard; I could have easily filled out a list I'm satisfied with just from the hits. Synthpop and new wave in fine form.
WORST TOP 40: The Curly Shuffle by Jump 'n the Saddle Band #15 (A generic rhythm and blues track with ridiculous Three Stooges-inspired vocals.)
Nice list -- we had 4 of the same songs. "New Year's Day" was like a top 20 for me too.
Best Songs Matches:
*62 - Kram +2*
*54 - Joe +1*
*48 - Jason +3*
Worst Songs Matches:
*5 - Jason +1*
2 - Joe
1 - Kram
Top Song Votes:
*12 - Jason*
10 - Kram
10 - Joe
@@edgustafson Nice, I'll have to check out yours as well!
Moonlight shadow is so underrated and a great pick
Moonlight Shadow definitely has a folk influence, not so sure on new age though.
Progressive new age music was big in the 80s, but definitely not pop.
My Top 10:
1. MARILLION ´´Script for a Jester´s Tear´´
2. IRON MAIDEN ´´Flight of Icarus´´
3. DURAN DURAN ´´The Reflex´´
4. MIKE OLDFIELD ´´Moonlight Shadow´´
5. R.E.M. ´´Perfect Circle´´
6. DEPECHE MODE ´´Everything Counts´´
7. THE POLICE ´´King Of Pain´´
8. U2 ´´New Year´s Day´´
9. GENESIS ´´Mama´´
10. METALLICA ´´Seek & Destroy´´
Greetings From Canary Islands.
1.TY for the Like a Song pick - always has been my absolute favourite U2 song
2. Radio Free Europe - REM - Alternative music essentially starts here
3. Blind Willie McTell - Bob D - Why kept off Infidels is a head scratcher
4. Garden Party - Marillion. Punting on the Cam has to be googled unless you are British
5. Hand in Glove - Smiths. No band has ever combined yearning, melancholy and ambiguity so skillfully.
Top Ten
10) “Whenever You’re on My Mind,” Marshall Crenshaw
9) “Just Like a Man,” Graham Parker
8) “Burning Down the House,” Talking Heads
7) “My Life Is Good,” Randy Newman
6) “Oblivious,” Aztec Camera
5) “Tear-Stained Letter,” Richard Thompson
4) “Heathen Town,” Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3) “Hearts and Bones,” Paul Simon
2) “Pancho & Lefty,” Merle Haggard & Willy Nelson
1) “Swordfishtrombone,” Tom Waits
Honorable Mentions
“Shipbuilding,” “Everyday [sic] I Write the Book,” Elvis Costello & The Attractions
“She Loves the Jerk,” John Hiatt
“Jokerman,” Bob Dylan
“Talk about the Passion,” REM
“Devonside,” Richard Thompson
“Johnsburg, Illinois,” Tom Waits
“Christmas in Capetown,” Randy Newman
“Think Too Much (b),” Paul Simon
“Back on Board,” Aztec Camera
“I and I,” Bob Dylan
“Glass Jaw,” Graham Parker
“This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody),” Talking Heads
“That’s the Way Love Goes,” Merle Haggard
“Don’t Cheat in Our Hometown,” Ricky Skaggs
“Rave on, John Donne,” Van Morrison
Aztec Camera was a satisfying discovery in the used record store.
“Sitting Still” by R.E.M. is an easy winner for 1983. Second favorite song of all time on my very favorite album of all time. 1983 is a very underrated year for music.
I used to listen to listen Sitting Still and Ages of You over and over and over.
...Talk about the Passion has always been my favourite
Good song but easy winner? So wrong.
@@matteg490 The man is so wrong, and how did he get 14 thumbs up? So wrong.
1. Shore Leave - Tom Waits
2. Great Fire - XTC
3. The Greatest Thing - Elvis Costello
4. Sweetheart Like You - Bob Dylan
5. New Year's Day - U2
Shore Leave! Yes! Such a great atmospheric track. One of his best.
My favorite songs of 1983:
1. This Charming Man. The Smiths
2.Age of Consent. New Order
3.The Cutter. Echo & The Bunnymen
4.Sitting Still. R. E. M.
5.In The Neighborhood. Tom Waits
6.Blister In The Sun. Violent Femmes
7.Shipbuilding. Elvis Costello
8.Cattle and Cane. The Go-Betweens
9.Burning Down The House. Talking Heads
10.New Year's Day. U2
11.Jokerman. Bob Dylan
12.A New England. Billy Bragg
13.This Is The Day. The The
14.Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. Cindy Lauper
15.Sugar Hiccup. Cocteau Twins
16.Song To The Siren. This Mortal Coil
17.Walk Out To Winter. Azrec Camera
18.King Of Pain. The Police
19.Moonlight Shadow. Mike Oldfield
20.Cadillac Solitario. Loquillo y los Trogloditas
21.Modern Love. David Bowie
22.Voce É Linda. Caetano Veloso
Hello Fran. We both have The Cutter (that song is EVERYWHERE on the lists) and New year's Day in our top 10. Great list. I wish I remembered to list This Is the Day - great song.
Hi there Naughty, great to hear from you! Thanks. I like The Invisible Man from your list, awesome horns. I could have picked it too but went for Shipbuilding, which I like a bit better
@@frangarcia7774 Lots of great picks from that album, Fran. Had to hit it twice for my top 10 since The Element Within Her is such a beautiful song.
☆Stay Gold☆Stevie Wonder
BB: New Year's Day~U2
The walls came down~The Call
Overkill~Men At Work
Major Tom (Coming Home)~ P.Schilling
The Fanatic~Felony
WC's
Oldest Story in the World~Plimsouls
The Trooper~Iron Maiden
The Cutter~Echo & The Bunnymen
I won't be home tonight~Tony Carey
China Girl~Bowie
HMs
My Love~L.Richie
Money changes everything~C. Lauper
Baby Jane~R.Stewart
Ain't Nobody~Khan/Rufus
When I'm with you~Sheriff
Do you really want to hurt me~C.Club
Haven't decided who I'm voting for this wk, torn by all 3..that's a first 🤣
Hi Sherry! I'm back. (after one week away) Cool list as always. I guess the one-that-got-away is the walls came down - good one.
@@NaughtyVampireGod thanks Naughty! Happy you're back!!..you have a killer list too:)
Modern Love -- David Bowie
Talk About the Passion -- R.E.M.
Oblivious -- Aztec Camera
Everyday I Write the Book -- Elvis Costello
Let's Go to Bed -- The Cure
Blister in the Sun -- Violent Femmes
Help You Ann - Lyres
Say It Isn't So -- Daryl Hall & John Oates
Long Hot Summer -- The Style Council
1) This Must Be the Place - Talking Heads (67)
2) Burning Down the House - Talking Heads (9)
3) Little Red Corvette - Prince (6)
4) Only You - Yaz (Yazoo if you're British) (67)
5) Age of Consent - New Order (WC)
6) Don't Change - INXS (80)
7) Overkill - Men at Work (3)
8) In a Big Country - Big Country (17)
9) Modern Love - David Bowie (14)
10) Add it Up - Violent Femmes (WC)
At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, I think this might be the best year ever for the pop charts. I only used two wildcard spots (I haven't dipped lower than that since the 1960s), but I could've easily done a top 10 of just Hot 100 songs. There were some really good songs that didn't make the cut.
Jason obviously gets my vote this year with "This Must Be the Place", which is an all time favorite of mine. If not for the length, it probably would've been the song used for the dance at my wedding -- it was in the running. It just encompasses my taste in music perfectly -- it's pretty and catchy, yet it's a little weird and unconventional too. It straddles the line between being arty and accessible.
Yeah, great list. Pretty sure I considered pretty much all of these! In a Big Country and Burning Down the House were near misses.
#1 Radio Free Europe - R.E.M.
#2 Second Skin - The Chameleons
#3 Perfect Circle - R.E.M.
#4 Heads Will Roll - Echo & The Bunnymen
#5 This Charming Man - The Smiths (cheers to Joe! You've got my vote)
Honourable mentions:
Blister In The Sun - Violent Femmes
Eight Miles High - Hüsker Dü
The Fletcher Memorial Home - Pink Floyd
New Year's day - U2
New England - Billy Bragg
1983 songs. The hits are strong this year but albums wins out once more despite the worm turning for sure into the charts favour. Welcome to the heart of a decade of amazing hits!!! 😎🎹
Top 5 Songs UK 100.
5 Moonlight Shadow Mike Oldfield amazing hit, a beauty,
4 Temptation Heaven 17 higher and higher!!🌟
3 Let's Dance David Bowie, ok had to sneak another in
2 Wherever I Lay My Hat No Parlez Paul Young this song was huge!! Liked it too growing up. Excellent and overlooked great cover from a quality unique singer.
1 Blue Monday New Order, ❤️🔥 The Fashion Show on Sundays was all about wanting to hear this theme. All my top chart pics are pure nostalgia.
Top 5 from albums (With winner)
5 Sunday Blood Sunday War U2,
4 Without You Let's Dance David Bowie perhaps the most overlooked great song on the record.
3 Pilgrimage Murmur REM fave song with spooky verse bright chorus heaven from fave REM album.
2 Revelation Piece of Mind Iron Maiden really close but my winner pips it because of my fave thing at mo....❤️🔥
1 In Bluer Sky's Porcupine Echo and The Bunnymen yup the song that stopped two straight Maiden No1s in a row is this beauty of a last track. That organ sound!!! Goosebumps!!! That's why I'm into Anna Von Hausswolf at mo too❤️🔥😎🏆
Others from albums
16 Willpower Hootenanny The Replacements their Echo and the Bunnymen like cool song....
15 Owner of a Lonely Heart 90125 Yes,
14 Sweet Dreams (are made of this) Title Track Eurythmics.
13 Red Red Wine Labour of Love UB40
12 Every Breath You Take Synchronicity The Police
11 Five Ten Fiftyfold Head Over Heels Cocteau Twins, ring base drives this as almost Banshee delight
10 The Lovecats Japanese Whispers The Cure
9 Criminal World Lets Dance David Bowie 2nd fave from the album. Great guitar plucks drive this cracker.
8 Laughing Murmur REM like NOTB last year I'd include most this album in an top 30 if I wasn't trying to be fair on other artists. Just amazing. Uplifting rocking pristine joy.❤️🔥🎸🌟
7 Sugar Hiccup Head Over Heels Cocteau Twins the singers fantastic voice art carries this... Love it .❤️🔥
6 The Four Horseman Kill em All Metallica such a hooky thrashy song great chorus 🎸☠️🖤
Others from chart
13 Come Back And Stay Paul Young
12 Everything Counts Depeche Mode,
11 Nobody's Diary Yazoo
10 I'm Still Standing Elton John
9 Club Tropicana Wham!
8 Uptown Girl Billy Joel
7 Is There Something I Should Know? Duran Duran
6 Karma Chameleon Culture Club, you come and goooo.....😎
Almost every song you listed is great...'Come Back and Stay' was in contention for me, too.
@@Sir_Eyeball love the addition of the word 'almost'....I made no mistake Sir. Tell me which one is not great and I will tell you which ones of yours I don't find great.....there are a couple there....That said well done on no Elvis Costello!! Always makes me question the reliability of people's lists when he gets a mention.....🧟♂️....oh I bet you don't like........Culture Club!!🧐🤷♂️.....no it's Wham!!!??...I'm curious now lol...
@@threestringsomg it's David Bowie!
@@Sir_Eyeball Dang it! I forgot you were allergic to the Bowster😂 ah well I don't need to make a big deal of him with you. Everyone else knows how great his stuff is....☺️
High school graduation year. Could put 200 songs here.
Hot 100:
5. New Year's Day - U2
4. Middle Of The Road - Pretenders
3. Modern Love - David Bowie
2. Radio Free Europe - REM
1. Burning Down The House - Talking Heads
Wild Cards:
5. Other Arms - Robert Plant
4. Shaking Through - REM
3. Age Of Consent - New Order
2. Mad World - Tears For Fears
1. Girlfriend Is Better - Talking Heads
Worst: I knew one of you would pick Mr. Roboto, but it's: "Tonight I Celebrate My Love For You" by Who Cares and Please Stop It
Best: Burning Down The House
HMs: Billie Jean (Michael Jackson), Every Breath You Take (Police), Photograph (Def Leppard), The One Thing (INXS), Electric Avenue (Eddy Grant), Fascination (Human League), Beat It (Michael Jackson), Saved By Zero (Fixx), One Thing Leads To Another (Fixx), Let's Dance (Bowie), Walking In LA (Missing Persons), The Metro (Berlin), This Is The Day (The The), City Of Love (Yes), Owner Of A Lonely Heart (Yes), King Of Pain (Police), Love Is a Stranger (Eurythmics), That's All (Genesis), This Must Be The Place (Talking Heads), Swamp (Talking Heads), Pride & Joy (Stevie Ray Vaughan), Two Hearts Beat As One (U2), Pale Shelter (Tears For Fears), Overkill (Men At Work), She's a Beauty (Tubes) ... bunch of other stuff.
Nice selection, we've got quite a bit in common. A lot of the close calls that were considered too.
@@TimeToGetAlone Indeed. I noticed.
Billboard
1 - Jeopardy - Greg Kihn Band (Overall Winner)
2 - Lawyers in Love - Jackson Browne
3 - Modern Love - David Bowie
4 - Back On The Chain Gang - Pretenders
5 - King Of Pain - The Police
Wildcards
1 - Send Me An Angel - Real Life
2 - Ammonia Avenue - Alan Parsons Project
3 - Brain Brain - Mental As Anything
4 - Tension - 10,000 Maniacs
5 - The Love Cats - The Cure
Worst Song
Family Man - Hall & Oates
1. Blind Willie McTell - Bob Dylan (Outtake of Infidels not officially released til 91)
2. Cattle And Cane - The Go-Betweens
3. This Charming Man - The Smiths
4. Burning Down The House - Talking Heads
5. Let's Dance - David Bowie
6. 16 Shells From A Thirty-Ought Six - Tom Waits
7. Martial Law - Lou Reed
8. In A Big Country - Big Country
9. Jokerman - Bob Dylan
10. China Girl - David Bowie
11. New Year's Day - U2
12. Rave On, John Donne - Van Morrison
13. Sitting Still - REM
14. Pull Up The Roots - Talking Heads
15. Soldiers Things - Tom Waits
16. Buffalo Soldier - Bob Marley & The Wailers
17. Tear Stained Letter - Richard Thompson
18. Blue Monday - New Order
19. Love On A Farmboys Wages - XTC
20. Last Shot - Lou Reed
Some people's outtakes are better than some other people's greatest hits...
Just realised Cattle & Cane was released that year, one if the GBs greatest songs written by Grant McLennan, in top 10 of greatest Aust songs ever written possibly.
Gonna have to edit list for Cattle & Cane
(I ignore the Billboard; any song released this year is eligible. One song per artist/band unless they released multiple albums)
10) One Thing Leads to Another - The Fixx
09) Talking in Your Sleep - The Romantics
08) Good Feeling - Violent Femmes
07) Drowning Man - U2
06) Slippery People - Talking Heads
05) Institutionalized - Suicidal Tendencies
04) Looking Glass Girl - The Glove
03) Synchronicity ll - The Police
02) Modern Love - David Bowie
01) The Lovecats - The Cure
30) Gecko - The Creatures
29) Black Magic - Slayer
28) It's a Mistake - Men at Work
27) Pale Shelter - Tears for Fears
26) Deep in the Hole - AC/DC
25) Deep Blue Day - Brian Eno
24) Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughan
23) Union of the Snake - Duran Duran
22) Leave It - Yes
21) Big Log - Robert Plant
20) Laughing - R.E.M.
19) Karma Chameleon - Culture Club
18) All Through the Night - Cyndi Lauper
17) Sharp Dressed Man - ZZ Top
16) Neighborhood Bully - Bob Dylan
15) She's In Parties - Bauhaus
14) Hit the Lights - Metallica
13) In a Big Country - Big Country
12) The Cutter - Echo & the Bunnymen
11) Flesh for Fantasy - Billy Idol
"Good Feeling" is a good call. I went with "Add it Up", but any number of songs from the Violent Femmes' debut would've worked. The original version of that album I had was on cassette, and "Good Feeling" was the closer, and I always thought it was a perfect closing track. Newer reissues tack on a couple of bonus tracks which kind of screw up the flow of that album. The original sequencing was perfect.
Neighborhood Bully is an interesting pick I'll give you that. For me it's the one filler track on an otherwise stacked side one. Jason is on the ball here, like him I consider Jokerman (and I'd throw in License to Kill) as Dylan's best of the 80's save for Most of the Time.
@@12spanku Something about the upbeat rhythm of that song moves me.
@@12spanku It's an earworm for me. It will get in my head and my brain will do gymnastics with it.
@Rich Latta “Talking In Your Sleep” was almost on my list… love it!
1 Where Eagles Dare -Iron Maiden 2 New Year's Day -U2 3 Texas Flood -Stevie Ray Vaughn 4 Rainbow in the Dark -Dio 5 Undercover of the Night -Rolling Stones 6 Whiplash -Metallica 7 Work That Skirt - B-52's 8 Frank's Wild Years -Tom Waits 9 Bark at the Moon -Ozzy Osbourne 10 Changes -Yes 11 King of Pain -Police 12 Big Log -Robert Plant
1. Song to the Siren-This Mortal Coil-my all time favourite record
2. This Charming Man-The Smiths
3. A Girl Called Johnny-The Waterboys
4. Gone Daddy Gone-Violent Femmes
5. Blind Vision-Blancmange
6. New Year’s Day-U2
7. Perfect Circle-REM
8. Mad World-Tears for Fears
9. Back of Love-Echo and the Bunnymen
10. Love Cats-The Cure-played ever night in the student bar in my first term at college so burned into my psyche😊
1. The Invisible Man - Elvis Costello
2. Cat People (Putting Out Fire) - David Bowie
3. New Year's Day - U2
4. The Cutter - Echo & the Bunnymen
5. Radio Free Europe - R.E.M.
6. Two Suns in the Sunset- Pink Floyd
7. The Element Within Her - Elvis Costello
8. Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler
9. Rebel Yell - Billy Idol
10. The Storm - Big Country
HMS (alpha by artist) 25 songs:
Love is a Battlefield - Pat Benatar
In a Big Country - Big Country
Fields of Fire - Big Country
Modern Love - David Bowie
Without you - David Bowie
Lawyers in Love - Jackson Browne
Invaders of the Heart - Cheap Trick
King of Thieves - Elvis Costello
Slipping Away - Dave Edmunds
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) - Eurythmics
Jennifer - Eurythmics
Come Dancing - The Kinks
Money Changes Everything - Cyndi Lauper
She Bop - Cyndi Lauper
Borderline - Madonna
Synchronicity II - The Police
The Gunner's Dream - Pink Floyd
The Final Cut - Pink Floyd
Not Now John - Pink Floyd
Pilgrimage - R.E.M.
Talk About the Passion - R.E.M.
Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2
Blister in the Sun - Violent Femmes
Add It Up - Violent Femmes
Nobody' Diary - Yazoo
Just a handful of tunes we both have. I didn't have Love Is A Battlefield or Come Dancing, but always liked them very much.
Appears I need to check out three apiece from E.C. and Floyd. And five more from five acts. Will get back to you :)
@@brentjackson6839 Punch the Clock is probably my fave EC album. I like the addition of horns on this one. Fantastic Pink Floyd album. Let me know . .
Nice list, good to see Bonnie Tyler get some love.
@@NaughtyVampireGod Hey Naughty, I love most of Pink Floyd’s work but never really gave The Final Cut a fair chance. This would be a good time to give it another try, as well as Murmur and the early REM albums that I’m not familiar with. Bonnie Tyler and Billy Idol were both in contention for me this year but both missed out.
@@NaughtyVampireGod Alright, got everything listened to. Invaders of the Heart is so good!! That was love at first listen. To my surprise, I liked Jennifer very much. Maybe it's just Eurythmics' radio friendly songs that don't click with me. Thought all the Pink Floyd songs were a pretty good listen. And the EC songs I tend to be drawn to have Steve Nieve sounding great, so King of Thieves and The Element Within Her were right up my alley.
1) "Lucky Star" - Madonna
2) "Blue Monday" - New Order
3) "Buffalo Soldier" - Bob Marley
4) "Cruel Summer" - Bananarama
5) "Owner of a Lonely Heart" - Yes
6) "Pilgrimaage" - REM
7) "Pride and Joy" - Stevie Ray Vaughn
8) "New Year's Day" - U2
9) "The First Cut" - Eurythmics
10) "Criminal World" - David Bowie
Cruel Summer should be on my list.
Thumbs up for including "Buffalo Soldier." 1983 is another one of those years that made me glad I didn't play along with this series. I find it impossible to choose between all these amazing songs.
@@179rich Bananarama rocked
Cruel Summer might make my list in 84. Didn't remember if it charted in 83 but it for sure did in 84. Regardless of the year, it's a great song.
Bananarama's best for me is Robert de Niro's Waiting which did very well in the UK.
THE CHAMELEONS - "Second Skin"
Hot 100:
Beat It by Michael Jackson
True by Spandau Ballet
Faithfully by Journey
Little Red Corvette by Prince
Wild Cards:
Jokerman by Bob Dylan
Not in Love by Platinum Blonde
Love of the Common People by Paul Young
Mama by Genesis
Age of Consent by New Order
Worst Top 40:
Affair of the Heart by Rick Springfield
Song of the Year:
Modern Love by David Bowie
Might have some years confused but only because the darn internet overlaps years.
JOE wins (but we all win now that images are back on screen) with top two picks of Photograph and King of Pain .. Two great songs.
Jason _ Joan Armatrading is pretty good, very underappreciated. Thought this Must be the Place is the least popular song in my circles though. Kramz - You're right about The Breakup song and right not to go for worst with Billy Joel though I secretly wanted you too.
1 Jump - Valen Halen
1.1 Little Red Corvette - Prince
2 New Years Day - U2
3 Radio Free Europe - R.E.M.
Really these Replacements songs, not even on one of their better albums, would share no 1.
4 Color Me Impressed
5 Willpower
4 Take Me Down to the Hospital
6 Within Your Reach"
7 Buck Hill
8 In a Big County -Big Country
8.1 This Charming Man - The Smiths
9 Too Shy - Kajagoogoo
10 Stuck on You - Lionel Richie
11 King of Pain - The Police
12 I will Follow - U2
13 Wonderin' - Neil Young
14 Eyes without a Face - Billy Idol
15 Foolin' and Photograph - Like 'em both the same - Def Leppard
16 China Girl - Bowie
17. Age of Consent - New Order
18. Synchronicity II - Police
19. Jokerman - on Letterman by Dylan - Nice pick Jason. Great performance.
20 Separate Ways - Journey
21 Every Day I write the book - Costello
22 Owner of a Lonely Heart - Yes
23 Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughn
24 Sexual Healing - Marvin Gaye
25 Maniac - Michael Sembello
26 She's a Beauty - The Tubes
27 Baby Jane - Rod Stewart (liked the video)
28 Come Dancing - Kinks (like the..)
29 Every Breath You Take - The Police
30 Beat It - Michael Jackson
31 Borderline - Madonna
32 True - Spandau Ballet
33 Cum On Feel The Noize - Quiet Riot
34 Sister Christian - Night Ranger
35 I love LA - Randy Newman
36 Everything Counts - Depeche Mode
37 Pilgrimage - REM
38 Pride and Joy - Stevie Ray Vaughn
39 And last by not least .. Corey Hart - Not one of his hits but "it's ain't ENOUGH" is haunting.
I think you mean Joe wins. - Joe
@@TastesLikeMusic Once again, Thanks. As always, I am thinking "Joe" the whole time but my fingers are typing "Jason" at the last second. Something's got a hold on me . Didn't know Prince asked to rip off Journey's song and that is a great ballad. Just looked at the bad ballads that are competing for the 80s best ballads .. a bad list indeed. Though I researched further and "Stuck on You" by L Richie; I really like that too. Thanks Kramz.
Jump is well ahead of the Prince track for me, maybe Prince's vocal can annoy me. My favourite Lionel Richie back then was Penny Lover. The Only One off that album was great too.
@@starry2006 Yes on some songs Prince voice annoys. Penny Lover is a very good song.
My Top 10 of 1983 - # 1 Chance - Big Country # 2 Pilgrimage - REM # 3 Mad World - Tears For Fears # 4 Five Ten Fiftyfold - The Cocteau Twins # 5 Second Skin - The Chameleons # 6 Giant - The The # 7 Higher Hell - Echo & The Bunnymen # 8 Blue Monday - New Order # 9 Richochet - David Bowie & # 10 Burning Down The House - Talking Heads. Murmur by REM was my album of the year. ✌
1983 - a great year I think. I was trying to find my way music wise as a spotty teen back then 🤪 but here goes..
Favourite 5 charting songs (UK)
Forbidden Colours - Sylvian/Sakamoto
She’s in Parties - Bauhaus
Sweet Dreams (are made of this) - Eurythmics
New Year’s Day - U2
This Charming Man - The Smiths
H/M:
Union of the Snake - Duran Duran
Thriller - Michael Jackson
Mama - Genesis
Let’s Dance - David Bowie
Blue Monday - New Order
I’ve got to mention Club Tropicana by Wham! I hated them back then being full of angst (!!) but as I’ve got older I’ve learnt to appreciate George Michael as a songwriter/performer, so would like to add this as my alternate choice haha! 🤣
Cheers guys! 🇬🇧🇺🇸
bauhaus is a band i see the name all the time , but havnt tryed to listen to them yet! [ with echo and the bunnymen , husker du]
PS love what youve done with your hair lol! Cheers!
@@bengalgangster imagine if Bowie and Bolan had a love child - you get Bauhaus 😆 they were labelled Goth back then. Check them out.
Thanks for noticing the hair! Back to the natural shade (fed up being a bottle blonde ha!!)
1983 was a great year for the singles. Maybe my favorite year ever for the Hot 100. Sorry if you find some of these picks cheesy, but I was 12 years old in '83 and listened to the radio non-stop.
Billboard Hot 100
5. One Thing Leads To Another- the Fixx
4. Beat It- Michael Jackson
3. Come Dancing- the Kinks- would love a Kinks Listography some day,!!
2. Der Komissar- After the Fire
1. See Below
Wild Cards
5. The Smile Has Left Your Eyes- Asia
4. We Two- Little River Band- John Farnham takes over on vocals, he's good!
3. The Longest Time- Billy Joel- Romantic be bopping
2. Oblivious- Aztec Camera- Roddy Frame, inspired by Elvis Costello!
1. Changes- Yes- tremendous album cut.
Worst Song-
Not because I dislike it so much, but because I've heard it so many times and I never thought it was as good as everyone else did back in the day- Every Breath You Take- the Police
Song Of the Year- Always Something There To Remind Me- Naked Eyes- Great remake of a Burt Bacharach song!!
Nothing cheesy about your taste, or anyone's for that matter.
1. Hit the Lights - Metallica
2. Queen of the Reich - Queensryche
3. Balls to the Wall - Accept
4. Cold Sweat - Thin Lizzy
5. Holy Diver - Dio
6. To Tame a Land - Iron Maiden
7. Sirens - Savatage
8. Born Again - Black Sabbath
9. Losers and Winners - Accept
10. Screaming in the Night - Krokus
oh damn i forgot screaming in the night when making my list.
@@frodofraggins The best 80s metal ballad?
@@independenceltd. it's up there
10. The Replacements - Color Me Impressed
9. X - Breathless
8. David Bowie - Modern Love
7. Elvis Costello & the Attractions - Every Day I Write the Book
6. The Kinks - Come Dancing
5. The Smiths - This Charming Man
4. New Order - Age of Consent
3. Talking Heads - This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody)
2. Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want to Have Fun
1. Billy Bragg - A New England
Charted Songs :
Toto - Africa
Billy Joel - Uptown Girl
Peter Schilling - Major Tom
U2 - New Year’s Day
The Moody Blues - Blue World
Wildcards :
Christopher Cross - Baby Says No (my favorite song)
Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams
The Police - Synchronicity I
Renaissance - The Entertainer
Carpenters - Make Believe It’s Your First Time
Listography song :
(none of them)
album by a ‘new’ act :
The Police - Synchronicity
Least favorite song :
Michael Jackson - Beat It
Respect to Jason for Joan Armatrading. Saw her live in 1977, great concert.
1. Marillion- Forgotten sons
2. Iron maiden- Still life
3. David Bowie- Modern love
4. Metallica- The four horsemen
5. Dio- Holy diver
6. Billy Joel- Uptown girl
7. Genesis- Silver rainbow
8. Frank Zappa- Cocaine decisions
9. Yes- Changes
10. Black Sabbath- Disturbing the priest
You have my vote Joe. This Charming Man had exactly the same effect on me. That was 31 years ago and the spell still lasts
'Feels like heaven' Fiction Factory
'I dream to sleep' H2O
'Faithful Departed' Christy Moore
'I can hear your heartbeat (long version)' Chris Rea
'The sun and the rain' Madness
'An innocent man' Billy Joel
'Change of heart' Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
'Ain't nobody' Rufus with Chaka Khan
'The Cutter' Echo and the Bunnymen
'Waiting for a train' Flash and the pan
Great video! Thank you!
My Top-10 of 1983:
1. The Chameleons - Second Skin - efines everything the Chameleons are about: swirling guitars, dreamy post-punk that understands to include loud and soft parts like progressive rock bands with clever lyrics.
The track is an experience, a phantasy, a dream one would wish to have...well you can always hit the repeat button, can't you? ;) Simply the best piece of music from 1983!
2. Big Country - Chance - great ballad about domestic violence,
3. Genesis - Mama - offers one of the 3 best vocal performances by Phil Collins ever. The urgency, aggressiveness and longing in his voice are unbelieveable, the manic laughter is the cherry on the cake. The keyboards and prominent drum machine beat support the vocals and paint a bleak atmoshpere. Simply a classic 80s single! :)
4. Depeche Mode - Everything Counts - best single of DM in the 80s, great lyrics about the music business as well.
5. The The - The Twilight Hour - has to be one of the creepiest end of a love songs ever: "She can't leave you now you've given up all your friends, you're relying on her for your indepencence." Wow!
6. Iron Maiden - To Tame a Land - is the pinnacle of Maiden für me. An atmospheric intro gives way to an epic song presenting the story of Dune. The guitarlines paint vivid pictures of landscapes of endless deserts, the drums tell stories of war to gain the Spice, the outro goes back to to intro theme and at the end you are hearing the desert wind blowing. Just awesome! :)
7. Tears for Fears - Watch me Bleed - awesome deep track by Tears for Fears about a beaten child, very haunting.
8. Saga - Intermission - awesome ballad with the great vocals by Michael Sadler
9. Diamond Head - Knight of the Swords - second NWOBHM song. Driving underrated metal song about the Corum saga by British fantasy writer Michael Moorcock. "At first his thirst for vengeance fueled his bitter heart!"
10. China Crisis - The Gates of Door to Door - great lovely synth ballad with a little flute thrown in, has a charming innocence of a summer love.
Top 5 of this year's playlist!
1. Synchronicity II- The Police
2. Laughing- REM
3. This Charming Man- The Smiths
4. King of Pain- The Police
5. Overkill- Men at Work
10: SWEETHEART LIKE YOU-Bob Dylan 9:HUMAN NATURE -Michael Jackson 8: OVERKILL_Men at Work
7: LONG HOT SUMMER-Style Council 6: HEARTS AND BONES-Paul Simon 5: MISS GRADENKO-The Police 4: OBLIVIOUS_Aztec Camera
SWORDFISHTROMBONES_Tom Waits 2: ONE OF OUR SUBMARINES_Thomas Dolby 1: SHIPBUILDING_Elvis Costello
Last week I was singing the praises of Hand in Glove, one of my all time favorite songs, and although it did come out as a single in 83, I'm saving it for next week. My list follows, as always with songs of the year I've done a half-assed job of little to no research and gone back to the well with my old regulars. It is what it is.
1. Bob Dylan - Jokerman
2. Elvis Costello - Shipbuilding
3. Bob Dylan - License to Kill
4. Talking Heads - This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)
5. Tom Waits - In the Neighborhood
Three or four songs from Murmur just miss. It's also been way too long since I've played that record and the songs bleed together a little in my mind. I have a feeling if I had listened to it for this something would have made it on here. It's a great record.
1983 is the most important musical year of my life. I turned 15 and really began building my collection and knowledge of music there. You all three picked songs I love while ignoring so many others. Hard not to in such a strong year. All that said, none of your winners would make my top 100. 😄 I love both Styx and Billy Joel, but I am with Joe on Mr. Roboto and with Kramzer on Uptown Girl. Uptown Girl was cute until it was played 275, 854,314 times on the radio in 1983. Too many to pick from, but off the top of my head... Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time, Big Country - In a Big Country, Yes - Leave It, Blue Oyster Cult - Take Me Away, Berlin - The Metro, U2 - New Years Day, Duran Duran - Save a Prayer, REM - side one of Reckoning, Naked Eyes - Always Something There To Remind Me, Saga - On the Loose, Moving Pictures -What About Me, Golden Earring - Twilight Zone, Dio - Invisible, Zebra - Who's Behind the Door, Asia - Open Your Eyes and Joe Jackson - Real Men. Countless others, including some you guys mentioned. Always enjoy the musical commentary, even when I vehemently disagree. 👍
I like seeing Joe Jackson and REM here, although the Jackson song is from 1982 and the REM album from 1984. Still, good music is timeless, no?
@@harmonium8198 you are correct. I really thought Real Men was released as the last single in 1983, though I knew the album came out in 1982. I also have strong memories of listening to So Central Rain and Pretty Persuasion on the radio where I lived in late 1983, but the release dates don't lie. I was wrong on both counts. Oh, the joys of aging. 😄. I'll throw in Radio Free Europe and Memphis as replacements for REM and Joe Jackson, respectively.
01 Wonderland - XTC
02 Cool Places - Sparks
03 This Must Be The Place-Talking Heads
04 Cheers Then- Banarama
05 The Sun Goes Down - Thin Lizzy
Wild card
06 I Love L.A Randy Newman
07 So Bad - Paul McCartney
08 Hearts And Bones - Paul Simon
hits of 1983 (as per Billboard):
5 - U2: "New Year's Day"
4 - Madness: "Our House"
3 - Wall of Voodoo: 'Mexican Radio"
2 - John Cougar Mellencamp: "Pink Houses"
1 - Talking Heads: "Burning Down The House"
deep tracks of 1983:
5 - X: "Make The Music Go Bang"
4 - Monty Python: "Galaxy Song"
3 - Pretenders: "2000 Miles"
2 - Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble: "Pride And Joy"
1 - X: "I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts" < SONG OF THE YEAR
worst song of 1983:
Styx: "Mr. Roboto"
Great Year.
1983:
🏆Song of the Year: Drowning Man, U2
Billboard:
Radio Free Europe, REM
True, Spandau Ballet
Girl’s Just Want to Have Fun (cover), Cyndi Lauper
Red Red Wine (cover), UB40. This went #1 in UK in 1983, but didn’t chart in the US until 1988, which is when I first heard it, but will be counting it here.
Every Breath You Take, The Police
Wildcard:
Everything Counts (Long Version), Depeche Mode
This Charming Man, The Smiths
Age of Consent, New Order
Blister in the Sun, Violent Femmes
There's a few of us in the comments section that recognize the greatness of Drowning Man - excellent choice!
@@179rich Yessir, Was stoked to see Rick Beato feature it. Someday, they’ll play it live aside from rare snippets. We can hope!
1. Confusion - New Order
2. The Cutter - Echo & The Bunnymen
3. Pilgrimage - R.E.M.
4. Modern Love - David Bowie
5. New Moon on Monday - Duran Duran
6. This Must Be The Place - Talking Heads
7. Jeane - The Smiths
8. Saved By Zero - The Fixx
9. Shipbuilding - Elvis Costello
10. (keep feeling) Fascination - Human League
11. Synchronicity One - The Police
12. Overkill - Men At Work
13. Hold Me Now - Thompson Twins
14. Slipping Away - Dave Edmunds
15. Deep Blue Day - Brian Eno
16. All Through The Night - Cyndi Lauper
17. Whenever You're On My Mind - Marshall Crenshaw
18. Everything Counts - Depeche Mode
19. Electric Lash - The Church
20. What Is Love - Howard Jones
21. Legal Tender - The B-52's
22. China - Red Rockers
23. Photograph - Def Leppard
24. Salt In My Tears - Martin Briley
25. Holiday Road - Lindsey Buckingham
26. Kiss Me - Tin Tin
27. Nobody's Diary - Yazoo
28. Like A Song - U2
29. Major Tom (coming home) - Peter Schilling
30. Make A Circuit With Me - Polecats
Jason had great picks, especially Joan Armatrading, Cheap Trick and "Age of Consent".. if I didn't self-impose a one song per artist rule, it'd be #2.
nice list kevin
Too many great songs this year :)
Billboard:
1. Let's Dance - David Bowie
2. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
3. Little Red Corvette - Prince
4. Tell Her About It - Billy Joel
5. You Can't Hurry Love - Phil Collins
Wildcards:
1. I'm Still Standing - Elton John
2. Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughan
3. Burning Up -Madonna
4. Wrapped Around Your Finger - The Police
5. Undercover of the Night - The Rolling Stones
A really great year, for both charting songs and deep cuts honestly!
Billboard:
1. Prince - Little Red Corvette
2. Nena - 99 Luftballoons
3. David Bowie - Let’s Dance
4. Michael Jackson - Beat it (can’t deny it, great song!)
5. Frank Stallone - Far From Over (guilty pleasure, but idc, this song rules!)
Wildcard:
2. R.E.M. - Shaking Through
3. R.E.M. - Laughing
4. This Mortal Coil - Song to the Siren
5. The The - This is the Day
Worst SOTY: Dexy’s Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen
BEST SOTY: Strawberry Switchblade - Trees and Flowers (a very haunting, almost unsettling jangle ballad about Jill Bryson’s agoraphobia)
10.Just My Luck-The Deele
9. Looks That Kill-Motley Crue
8.Yah Mo B There-James Ingram
7. Rainbow In The Dark-Dio
6. Promises Promises- Naked Eyes
5.Mornin'-Al Jarreau
4. Everyday I Write The Book-Elvis Costello
3. Borderline-Madonna
2.Joanna-Kool And The Gang
1. All This Love-Debarge(Charted in 1983
Just My Luck is in heavy rotation on my slow jams playlist, great pick!
@@JalalLatif Cool. It's a great song. One of Babyfaces's best songs. The outro guitar solo is amazing.
@@MMoses87 Yup, that solo is killer!
I love Joanna and Cherish. Yah Mo B There was soulful, I thought it came n 84/5. My favourite Naked Eyes is I Could Show You How
Wow! In contrast to the lack lustre previous year, 1983 was jam packed with gems, so many I am gutted to have had to leave out (I won't cheat and do honourable mentions!). A fantastic year for singles, thankfully some of my faves lingered on the charts into 1984 so live to fight another day!
*UK Top 100 Singles*:
This Charming Man .. The Smiths (#25)
The First Picture Of You ... The Lotus Eaters (#15)
Song To The Siren ... This Mortal Coil (#66 but 13 weeks on chart!)
Moonlight Shadow ... Mike Oldfield (#4)
The Cutter ... Echo & The Bunnymen (#8)
Chance ... Big Country (#9)
This Is The Day ... The The (#71)
*Wild Cards*
Jokerman ... Bob Dylan (*SOTY*)
Good Technology ... The Red Guitars
Victims ... Darkness & Jive (a quite devastating song about domestic violence guaranteed to chill you to the bone ... it was actually aired on a 1983 John Peel radio session but not available to buy at the time. Thankfully it can now can be downloaded for free or check it out on You Tube. "A very sobering track indeed" commented the shell shocked John Peel and he was not wrong!)
Boy this was tough and I'm amazed at some of the songs that didn't make my 'cut' this year. This year's list of those with more than one entry on my long list but none in the top 10: Echo and the Bunnymen, The ThompsonTwins, Prince, Michael Jackson, Toto, Tears for Fears, Culture Club*, Heaven 17 and The Police. I now have a top UK top 100 to choose from and it has been fun to see what was lurking around there. Last week I said that 1982 would probably be Stevie Wonder's last appearance on my list but he does make an uncredited appearance here singing a verse of Gary Byrd's epic 12" only The Crown. Some album tracks from this year that I love - Best Kept Secret (Heaven 17), Memories Fade (Tears for Fears) and We Could Send Letters and Lost Outside the Tunnel (Aztec Camera):
Oblivious - Aztec Camera
The Crown - Gary Byrd and the GB Experience
Relax - Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Mama - Genesis
Hey Little Girl - Icehouse
Love is a Wonderful Colour - Icicle Works
War Baby - Tom Robinson
Speak like a Child - Style Council
Song to the Siren - This Mortal Coil
New Year's Day - U2
*not Karma Chameleon which I've never liked.
A couple of other album tracks that I love - Criminal World by David Bowie and Perfect Circle by REM.
Forgot Home by the Sea/Second Home by the Sea by Genesis as another great album track.
Oblivious is getting a few mentions and it's nice but my favourite Aztec Camera is in 84.
* Favourite Track By Artist
1.U2 - New Year's Day
2.R.E.M - Radio Free Europe
3.Joan Armatrading - Drop The Pilot*
4.Lou Reed - The Last Shot
5.Elton John - I'm Still Standing
6.Eric Clapton - The Shape You're In*
7.Rolling Stones - Undercover (Of The Night)
8.David Bowie - Modern Love
9.The Cramps - Good Taste
10.Graham Parker - Just Like A Man
Billboard:
1.Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
2.Prince - Little Red Corvette
3.David Bowie - Let's Dance
4.Human League - (Keep Feeling) Fascination
5.Def Leppard - Foolin'
Wildcards:
1.Kajagoogoo - Too Shy
2.Lionel Ritchie - Love Will Find A Way
3.Steve Arrington - Nobody Can Be You
4.DeBarge - Stay With Me
5.Culture Club - It's A Miracle
Billboards Worst:
Styx - Mr. Roboto
Other Songs I Dig From 1983:
The Isley Brothers - Between The Sheets
The Whispers - Keep On Lovin' Me
Angela Bofill - Is This A Dream
Zapp - Heartbreaker
Lakeside - Raid
Champaign - Let You Body Rock
The Deele - Just My Luck
Deniece Willams - Do What You Feel
Ozone - Here I Go Again
Brass Construction - Walkin' The Line
Fatback - I Wanna Be Your Lover
Real To Reel - Can You Treat Me Like She Does?
ABC - Poison Arrow
Hall & Oates - One On One
Greg Kihn Band - Jeopardy
After The Fire - Der Kommissar
Gladys Knight & The Pips - Save The Overtime (For Me)
Mtume - Juicy Fruit
Toto - Waiting For Your Love
Jeffrey Osborne - Two Wrongs Don't Make It Right
The Tubes - Tip Of My Tounge
Rick James - Ebony Eyes
Midnight Star - Wet My Whistle
Huey Lewis & The News - Heart And Soul
The Manhattan Transfer - Spice Of Life
Herbie Hancock - Rockit
S.O.S. Band - Just Be Good To Me
Michael Senbello - Automatic Man
Yes - Owner Of A Lonely Heart
James Ingram & Michael McDonald - Yah Mo B There
Atlantic Starr - Take Your Time
3 great song in top 5 , not so much into Let's Dance or Fascination. Too Shy was good and ignored but for us.
Yeah, Too Shy is a good cut, it's got a great groove to it
My top songs of 1983:
Twilight Zone - Golden Earring
Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy - Sammy Hagar
I Can't Stand Still - Don Henley
Jeopardy - The Greg Kihn Band
A Little Too Late - Pat Benatar
Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) - Journey
Mr. Roboto - Styx
This Time - Brian Adams
Let's Dance - David Bowie
She's A Beauty - The Tubes
Don't Tell Me You Love Me - Night Ranger
Shame On The Moon - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
Little Red Corvette - Prince
I'm Still Standing - Elton John
Every Breath You Take - The Police
Stand Back - Stevie Nicks
It's A Mistake - Men At Work
Foolin' - Def Leppard
Beat It - Michael Jackson
Burning Down The House - Talking Heads
Too Shy - Kajagoogoo
Come On Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners
Uptown Girl - Billy Joel
Fight Fire With Fire - Kansas
Mama - Genesis
Say Say Say (Feat. Michael Jackson) - Paul McCartney
Talking In Your Sleep - The Romantics
One Thing Leads To Another - The Fixx
Take Me To Heart - Quarterflash
The Safety Dance - Men Without Hats
Say It Isn't So - Hall And Oates
Gimmie All Your Lovin' - ZZ Top
In A Big Country - Big Country
Hot Girls In Love - Loverboy
Is There Something I Should Know - Duran Duran
Break My Stride - Matthew Wilder
Major Tom (Coming Home) - Peter Schilling
Cum On Feel The Noize - Quiet Riot
Owner Of A Broken Heart - Yes
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cindy Lauper
Undercover Of The Night - The Rolling Stones
🎸🏆Best song of the year: She's A Beauty - The Tubes
☹️ Worst song of the year: Total Eclipse Of The Heart - Bonnie Tyler
1983 was another strong year with a great range of chart hits, as music became ever more fragmented:
Billboard Top 100:
Middle Of The Road - Pretenders
China Girl - David Bowie
Synchronicity II - The Police
I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues - Elton John
Wildcards:
Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2
Changes - Yes
Blue Monday - New Order
Dragon Lady - Blue Oyster Cult
Home By The Sea - Genesis
Worst song: I.O.U. - Freez (#2 in UK charts)
(This is completely soulless, brainless electro pop/disco trash - I’d forgotten how dreadful it was until I heard it again this week!)
Song of the Year: Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) - Journey
(In my view, this is a perfect AOR anthem. I accept that it’s not groundbreaking music but Journey are brilliant at what they do, and are probably the best within that genre)
HMs - Billboard:
Beat It - Michael Jackson (only included for EVH’s legendary guitar solo)
Union Of The Snake - Duran Duran
Love Is A Battlefield - Pat Benatar
Big Log - Robert Plant
Cuts Like A Knife - Bryan Adams
HMs - Wildcards:
Oblivious - Aztec Camera
Got Me Under Pressure - ZZ Top
Cold Sweat - Thin Lizzy
I Was Only 19 - Redgum
Garden Party - Marillion
Hello Bryan. A few sames - U2, Pat benatar. The Police. Under my own "album rule" will have The pretnders next year. Will have Middle of the Road and a few more from them. Strong year.
@@NaughtyVampireGod Hi Naughty, it’s good to see you are back. I guess we all have our own guidelines for how we make our choices - I am still sticking with one song per artist for each year for now, even though there are some very strong albums that are under represented (such as Moving Pictures In 1981). I will check out your list and let you know my thoughts.
Did you post a list for 1982? I didn’t spot it if you did.
@@brentjackson6839 Hi Brent. I don’t expect many people to agree with my SOTY selection because Journey are definitely not a cool band. I always try to include one or two unexpected choices, although the majority will usually be rock bands, so there shouldn’t be many surprises for you in my list. I will also get back to you about your list.
@@brentjackson6839 I’m sorry to hear about your friend, Brent. That is so sad, and it proves why certain songs can mean much more to us on a personal level.
1983 Billboard Charts
1 Lucky Star - Madonna ( charted 84 as well but including it here)
2. Juicy Fruit - Mtume
3. Rockit - Herbie Hancock
4. Just Be Good To Me - SOS Band
5. Billie Jean- Michael Jackson
1983 Wilcards
1. White Lines ( Don't Do It ) - Grandmaster Flash / Melle Mel
2. Betray - Minor Threat
3. Death Comes Ripping - The Misfits
4. Buffalo Gals - Malcolm Mclaren
5. Diane - Husker Du
Worst chart song -Safety Dance - Men Without Hats...always hated this stupid song
We share Lucky Star as #1. Just something about that song and that video..
@@ttmilbr love it. Her first album is killer. Producer was an rnb/ dance club specialist so it’s her “ grooviest “ , most rnb flavored album. Which makes it her best in my opinion .
Diane. Chilling song. Husker Du is about to get really, really good in the next four years.
And kudos for including Rockit. Trailblazing song.
Lucky Star is great, though I feel I like the even more romantic sounding Borderline even more (and of course early Madonna is the best Madonna). And on that theme the Malcolm McClaren song I really like is Madam Butterfly from 84.
1983 is in its breadth the best year for songs so far. This is a rare occasion when my #1 (and also #2) come from the charting list! The 80s make it possible.
[Honourable Mentions: Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This); The Cure - The Lovecats; Irene Cara - Flashdance...What A Feeling; Depeche Mode - Love, In Itself; Nena - Leuchtturm; New Order - Blue Monday]
Charting Songs:
5. Mike Oldfield - Moonlight Shadow (Germany #2, UK #4)
4. Billy Joel - Uptown Girl (UK #1, US #3)
3. Night Ranger - When You Close Your Eyes (US #14)
2. Talking Heads - This Must Be The Place (Naïve Melody) (UK #51, US #62) [This song has a great atmosphere. The lyrics are very sincere and moving, well written in every way.]
Wildcards:
5. Echo and the Bunnymen - Heads Will Roll
4. Spliff - Augen Zu
3. Men at Work - I Like To
2. Talking Heads - Girlfriend is Better
1. Depeche Mode - The Landscape is Changing [My Wildcard #1 and #2 are quite similar. Danceable songs with amazing sound effects that bring them to another level.]
SONG OF THE YEAR 1983: Men at Work - Overkill [It’s a perfect song. The guitar solo is probably the most underrated of all time. The vocal performance is fantastic. Top 10 song for me.]
Nice to see somebody else with Moonlight Shadow in there. That song's great!
hey Eyeball - I meant to comment earlier on your lists . . Overkill is a great song but for some reason I left it off my HM list . . it was in my notes for sure . . just trying to reduce the HMs to a max of 25 lately . . it's difficult . . nice to see Talking Heads there . . I'm a fan but not into Speaking in Tongues as much as many fans are . . . the live version of Girlfriend as seen in Stop Making Sense is truly epic - the Big Suit! - an amazing concert movie, btw, not sure if we "talked" about it befoe - Augen Zu I do not know and will have to check out that Depeche Mode song
@@NaughtyVampireGod The suit in 'Stop Making Sense' is amazing. Epic dance moves by David Byrne in that video haha.
Augen Zu is a great Synth-Funk song. A bit reminiscent of the Talking Heads. It contains a cool bass solo.
1. King Of Pain- The Police
2. Monday Morning Rock- Marshall Crenshaw
3. Overkill- Men At Work
4. She Bop- Cyndi Lauper
5. This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)- Talking Heads
6. Leave a Tender Moment Alone- Billy Joel
7. Suddenly Last Summer- The Motels
8. Automatic- The Pointer Sisters
9. Running With the Night- Lionel Richie
10. Authority Song- John Cougar Mellencamp
HM-
Flashdance...What A Feeling- Irene Cara
Modern Love- David Bowie
They Don't Know- Tracy Ullman
Heart & Soul- Huey Lewis & The News
Bruiseology- The Waitresses
Photograph- Def Leppard
2000 Miles- The Pretenders
Stand Back- Stevie Nicks
Great year!
Let’s Dance - David Bowie
It’s a Fine Day - Jane
Pills and Soap - The Imposter (Elvis Costello)
Long Hot Summer - The Style Council
Everyday I Write the Book - Elvis Costello
New Year’s Day - U2
The First Picture of You - The Lotus Eaters
This Charming Man - The Smiths
In A Big Country - Big Country
The Cutter - Echo & the Bunnymen
The Love Cats - The Cure
Whistle Down The Wind - Nick Heyward
Church of the Poison Mind - Culture Club
Forbidden Colours - David Sylvian & Ryuichi Sakamoto
Everything Counts - Depeche Mode
Burning Down The House - Talking Heads
Never Stop - Echo & the Bunnymen
Blue Hat for a Blue Day - Nick Heyward
A New England - Billy Bragg
Kirsty MacColl released a great version of the Billy Bragg song a few years later (I have it on my list for that year).
Yep. A strong year. Honestly I could have picked a half dozen songs from Punch the Clock.
@@NaughtyVampireGod It was my AOTY in 1983, so did not have that dilemma...I had Big County at #3, otherwise I could fill a top ten with those.
@@roxannewalsh Hi Roxanne - Good to hear that. I had The Final Cut as my AOTY but on listening to everything again I'd have to go w Elvis if I could pick again. With albums I had Elvis at #3. (REM -2; Big Country - 4, Bowie at 5: so we are kind of on the same page.). Actually I think I may have made a comment to the effect that my top 3 were very close.
Kirsty McColl added a few verses to Billy's lyrics and he now sings the song with these extra lines in tribute of the great Kirsty. It's awesome to see them together in the Sexuality vid, so funny
Hello Beauties! Hope all are well, warm & cozy.. looking forward to watching this later… here’s 1983
💙
1. 5 8 6 - New Order - hard to pick a fave song but the tension build in this one is oh soooo good .. my favorite album of 1983 (Power Corruption and Lies) New Order’s done it again for a 2nd win …this is a template for so many to follow!
2. Add It Up - Violent Femmes - this song IS a lustful sneer… wish I could remember their concert at SEMO a bit better … cheap vodka in a plastic jug is very bad, kids
3. The Cutter - Echo & the Bunnymen - my heart leaps when he sings ‘Spare us the Cutter’ in that gorgeous accent…
4. Two Hearts Beat As One - U2 - the backing vocals in the chorus…And just such a groove!
5. Pale Shelter - Tears For Fears - Wish I could just give him some warm gloves!
6. Revenge - Ministry - I blasted Psalm 69 as a bratty teen…to go back in their catalog a few years later and discover this synth pop gem was a moment!
7. She’s In Parties - Bauhaus - Peter Murphy’s vocal delivery is perfection here (how could it ever not be… such a special voice) …and that bass …oh and um …those eyes & Cheekbones
8. Saved By Zero - The Fixx - I just love the sound of this .. sounds like the 80s so much.. I’m sure my big brother played this a lot
9. Wrapped Around Your Finger - The Police - so many sordid stories in these lyrics
10. In A Big Country -Big Country - this just makes me so happy!
Had "Add it Up" and "In a Big Country" on my list too. Good choices!
@Eric G. It’s cool to have 2 in common with you .. out of so many songs 😊
Add It Up was my SOTY. Timeless album.
@@burmajones803 I joined the channel after they did the 1980s AOTY, but I think Violent Femmes would probably be my #1. It's between that and Speaking in Tongues, but I think Violent Femmes has the edge.
@@edgustafson Femmes or Murmur for me. Probably Femmes though.
My top 5 "Billboard 100" songs...
1. "Our House" / Madness / Album: Madness (1983)
2. "Say It Isn't So" / Hall & Oates / Album: Rock N Soul Part 1 (1983)
3. "Overkill" / Men At Work / Album: Cargo (1983)
4. "Tell Her About It" / Joel, Billy / Album: An Innocent Man (1983)
5. "Running With The Night" / Richie, Lionel / Album: Can't Slow Down (1983)
My top 5 "Wildcard" songs....
1. “Oblivious” / Aztec Camera / Album: High Land, Hard Rain (1983)
2. "Don’t Tell Me You Love Me" / Night Ranger / Album: Dawn Patrol (1983)
3. “This Is Not A Love Song” / Public Image Ltd / Album: (Single) (1983)
4. "Big Log" / Plant, Robert / Album: The Principle Of Moments (1983)
5. “I Love It When You Call Me Names” / Armatrading, Joan / Album: The Key (1983)
Worst song of the year
"Total Eclipse Of The Heart" by Bonnie Tyler
Song of the year
"Murder By Numbers" / Police / Album: Synchronicity (1983)
Nice to see the love for the awesome 👌 - The Chameleons ! They , The Sound & The Comsat Angels all opened for U2 in 1980-81 & were three of the best & lost bands of the 80's.
Naked Eyes, their hits have aged really well.
Their debut album is fantastic. - Joe
My favourite by far from them is I Could Show You How.
Joe gets the vote (even though This Charming Man doesn't make either of my lists). I just watched Wall Street the day before yesterday, so the Talking Heads and that song in particular are in my mind. But they still haven't got a stitch to wear when up against The Smiths.
🥇Winner: Uptown Girl - Billy Joel (two in a row for Billy Joel! 😵)
UK Charts:
1. Uptown Girl - Billy Joel (#1)
2. The Cutter - Echo & the Bunnymen (#8)
3. Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper (#2)
4. Walk Out to Winter - Aztec Camera (#64)
5. Let's Dance - David Bowie (#1)
Wildcards:
1. Home by the Sea - Genesis
2. Flight of Icarus - Iron Maiden
3. State of Confusion - The Kinks
4. West of the Fields - R.E.M
5. Jeane - The Smiths
Worst: P.T.Y - Michael Jackson. He should stay away from the pretty young things. As far away as possible. 🤬
Yeah, the title of that MJ song didn't age well.
Drop The Pilot was a massive UK hit. Joans Number One here was Love & Affection which for fans of TV classic The Wire has backin baritone vocals by Lester Freamon himself, Clarke Peters.
Joan had an amazingly prolific career, mostly under the radar. Her album TO THE LIMIT is perfect.
Love Joan Armatrading. But most people seem to have forgotten her.
Yeah, it’s a shame.
Too much of an acquired taste for most, I’m afraid.
She had several memorable (almost)-hits.
Styx is one of humanity’s worst atrocities. Nice deep cut pick from Kram with “Laughing.” Joe is getting power hungry with the winner picks. Campaigning now. It’s a slippery slope, Joe. “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)” is one of my favorite songs. So Jason gets my vote this week. Cheers ✌🏻
Btw… I have no idea what you guys are talking about with the Millennial resurgence of This Must Be Place. #genxandproud
Over The Smiths????! - Joe
@@TastesLikeMusic Love The Smiths. But love Talking Heads more.
@@TastesLikeMusic Yeah I was terrified mortified petrified stupefied by his selection over the Smiths. Talking Heads never let you near like the Smiths do. Smiths are top 50 band of all time, Talking Heads top 500.
Talking Heads > The Smiths by a lot. -Jason
Chart Hits: Keep Feeling Fascination - Human League, Church of the Poison Mind - Culture Club, Modern Love - David Bowie, Foolin' - Def Leppard, Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This - Eurythmics Wild Cards: The Cutter - Echo & The Bunnymen. Radio Free Europe - R.E.M., The Lovecats - The Cure, Everything Counts - Depeche Mode Worst Song: Truly - Lionel Richie S.O.T.Y. for 1983: Blue Monday - New Order
Jason: The name of the band is Talking Heads! They even have an album with that name!!! :head explodes:
I like how you can see the music evolve over the years. Now we suddenly see REM and The Smiths.
I wasn't even aware of R.E.M. until I saw "Can't Get There from Here" on MTV. I bought The Smiths after I saw the "What Difference Does It Make?" video but I think that was '84.
@@179rich I saw that Radio Free Europe actually hit the hot 100 charts in 83 and thought, "wha?" Was not on the radio where I lived, that's for sure. Driver 8 might have been the first time I had heard them. Maybe Can't Get There from Here as it was the first single from that album, I believe.
I was lucky to have a sister who came home from college with some strange new albums, at least they seemed that way at the time.
Listening to a college radio station Sunday night at midnight was how I first heard R.E.M. and Smiths songs. And the bastard student dj never gave the artist or song titles so you had all these songs you liked and never knew. I think there is still a Red Lorry Yellow Lorry or Hudu Gurus song that I love but damn if I know the name of it.
@@citehman Hah, I remember those names. Rolling Stone magazine used to list college radio albums every month. It was like the minor leagues, but damn if some of those bands didn’t make it big. They were the future.
Murmur is all over this year for me. Note: Armatrading’s 1976 album is one of the underrated albums of all time and matches Ricki Lee Jones debut down the line, and three years prior too. College rock began to explode which for me eclipsed all the overproduced superficial pop of the era. XTC, Hitchcock, Camper Van Beethoven, Mission of Burma, Gabriel, Costello, U2, Waits, Jam, Talking Heads, Pere Ubu, Richard Thompson, Bangles, 10,000 Maniacs and REM defined the era. Murmur blew the doors open.
Your right about that Joan Armatrading album. I'll have to go back to my 76 choices and find a way to get it on there. Produced by Glynn Johns as well. Excellent string arrangements and she has a beautiful voice.
Top 5 :-
1. Every Breath You Take - The Police(yes, I know that might be a corny and obvious choice).
2. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson(probably Jacko at his pinnacle - Thriller the album was a phenonium - and Billie Jean took him to #1 on the Billboard Top 100 and elsewhere - it was his second UK #1)
3. Baby Jane - Rod Stewart(the album it's from is a bit patchy - but this is a killer hit from him)
4. Karma Chameleon - Culture Club
5. Let's Dance - David Bowie(don't know why 1980s Bowie gets the hate - I like things like Ashes to Ashes)
Honourable mentions to True - Spandau Ballet and Is There Something I Should Know - Duran Duran.
Wild Cards :-
1. Only You - The Flying Pickets(don't know if they got released in the USA - but it was Xmas #1 in the UK)
2. Owner of a Lonely Heart -Yes(their only US #1 - and more pop sounding song from them)
3. Tea in the Sahara - The Police(B side of King of Pain - real obscure - I know)
4. Cruel Summer - Bananarama
5. Our House - Madness
Albums of that year :-
1. Thriller - Michael Jackson(obviously)
2. Synchronicity - The Police(it was the big battle - Thriller versus Synchronicity)
3. Colour By Numbers - Culture Club
4. War - U2
5. Seven and the Ragged Tiger - Duran Duran
Honourable mention to Labour of Love - UB40 and The Final Cut - Pink Floyd.
"New Year's Day" - U2 would be my song of the year.
Yeah that was my second choice but could have been first.
Like a Song is my favorite U2 song, from their tour de force, WAR. Top 5 Billboard in no order, "Photograph" Def Lep, "Modern Love"-Bowi, "Saved By Zero"- The Fixx, "In a Big Country"-Big Country, "Adult Education" Hall and Oates, "Owner of a Lonely Heart"- Yes. Top 5 Songs- "The Politics of Dancing"- Reflex, "Love on a Farmboy's Wage"-XTC "Mama"- Genesis, "The Flyer"- Saga, and numero uno "I Go Swimming"- Peter Gabriel
One of my favorite singles from 1983 is The Pointer Sisters' "Automatic." So catchy, funky, and fun.
Just as I thought Kram was ranking all right
He picks "Like a Song," and he thought it was right
It's always the same, it's just a shame, that's all
I could say (New Year's) Day, and you'd say Kite
Tell me it's great when I know that it sucks
Ranking with you's just a-puttin me through it all of the time
Truth is I love Muse
More than I wanted to
There's no point in trying to pretend
The pool of Hot 100 songs this year is wide, but not very deep. That it is, I had no trouble finding songs, but not a lot that I really love. The Wild Cards are much more important to me. My lists:
Hot 100 Charts
1. Modern Love - David Bowie
2. China Girl - David Bowie
3. Burning Down the House - Talking Heads
4. Legal Tender - B-52s
5. New Year's Day - U2
Wildcards
1. Making Flippy Floppy - Talking Heads - Not the most popular, but definitely the funkiest song on the album.
2. Copy Cat - P-Funk All Stars - Super funky sequel to Atomic Dog.
3. Girlfriend is Better - Talking Heads - Great tune, even better live.
4. White Lines - Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five - Probably the only rap song that will ever appear on my lists.
5. The New World - X - Punk rockers finally crack the list.
6. Quickie - George Clinton - Highlight is 2 1/2 minute Eddie Hazel guitar solo that dominates the last half of the song.
7. Hydraulic Pump - P-Funk All Stars - Try not to dance to it.
8. Slippery People - Talking Heads - TH do gospel.
9. Two Hearts - U2 -
10. True Love Pt. 2 - X
Song of the Year: Making Flippy Floppy
1983 was an important year for me personally as well as musically. I saw some great concerts (Prince, George Clinton, David Bowie, Talking Heads), and most of that summer was dominated by two albums which were perpetuated on my song lists - Speaking in Tongues and Let's Dance.
White Lines should definitely be on my list! Got into that when a buddy turned me on in high school, mid to late 80s.
@@179rich I can't recall exactly when I discovered that track. One of my buddies played "The Message" constantly, but I don't believe I encountered "White Lines" until after I moved to Miami in the second half of 1983.
@@markgatica12 That bass is iconic.
Kramzer , I agree that Like A Song is turbo charged great song but for me the song that's follows it on War (Drowning Man) is even better...good watch keep it up lads
Paul Young's cover of "Come Back and Stay" which reached No.4 in the UK and was an international hit. He was really good at Live Aid.
Jason and I are sharing a brain for best song of '83. Was a grower for me as well,never thought that much of it when I bought the album
Times Square, The Blue Millionaire, and Running For Our Lives by Marianne Faithfull
Every Breath You Take, Wrapped Around Your Finger, and Synchronicity II by The Police
Sweet Dreams, Who’s That Girl?, and Here Comes the Rain Again by The Eurythmics
Owner of a Lonely Heart and Leave It by Yes
99 Luftballons by Nena
Major Tom (Coming Home) by Peter Schilling
Suddenly Last Summer by The Motels
1983 anyway you look at it is a great year for music, even if I think it isn't as great as the following year. Very deep. So many tracks had to be left off that could have been in many years, so I went 10 deep in the honorable mentions.
Singles:
*1. Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper -* IMO the best cover ever when it come to improvement over the original. In the original Robert Hazard used to title phrase as a way of explaining why he can't find a wife (or at least that's how I interpret it). With very few lyric changes, Lauper's version is a feminist anthem, that's wizardry. Doesn't hurt to have a joyous if dated backing track.
*2. Beat It - Michael Jackson-* It isn't the vocal tour de force that Billie Jean is, but this genre bending song is nearly as good. Everyone talks about Eddie's solo, but I think the intro guitar is equally as good.
*3. Little Red Corvette - Prince -* Prince's ode to the Chevrolet vehicle that goes a little fast (it's a sports car, duh) is surprisingly sexy.
*4. Everyday I Write the Book - Elvis Costello-* a masterclass in lyrics, that sounds like something only Elvis Costello could write.
*5. Every Breath You Take - The Police-* Sure it's overplayed, and nothing really stands out on the track (even Stewart Copeland plays very straight drums), but this a masterpiece of timelessness. To me nothing at all feels dated.
Non-singles
*1. Middle of the Road - The Pretenders-* Song of the year. I love the frentic energy, I love the lyrics. I love the guitar figure that runs through the whole song. I love how it threads the needle of sounding both edgy and mature.
*2. Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2 - Doesn't seem to have been released as a single in the US. Lots to love about this one. From Bono's singing to the Edge's playing, but the real star here Larry Mullin's drumming. It's got a great marching drum feel, while at the same time sounding frustratingly random (i.e. "how many times do I hit the snare this time 1, 2, 3, or 4?").
*3. Good Feeling - Violent Femmes-* favorite song from my favorite album of the year. Very un-Femmes like, with a surprising soulful vocal from Gordon Gano.
*4. Authority Song - John Cougar Mellencamp-* Pink Houses is probably a better song, but this song is a lot of fun. Didn't chart til 1984.
*5. Rainbow in the Dark - Dio-* - One of my favorite heavy metal songs, but surprisingly catchy and poppy. Great pick Joe...Booo Kramzer.
Honorable Mentions: 11. Blue Monday - New Order 12. New Year's Day - U2 13. This Charming Man - The Smiths 14. Pink Houses - John Cougar Mellencamp 15. Love is a Battlefield - Pat Benetar 16. Blister in the Sun - Violent Femmes 17. Seek and Destroy - Metallica 18. Age of Consent - New Order 19. Modern Love - David Bowie 20. Radio Free Europe - REM.
Worst Song: Kramzer is right here. Mr. Roboto is horrible. I first hear the song in that obnoxious commercial from the late 90s and I instantly hated it. Time hasn't changed that at all. Was tempted to put "Rockit" by Herbie Hancock just for the video giving me nightmares as a child, but the song isn't terrible.
Good discussion as always looking very much forward to next week for the monster year of 1984.
One thing's for sure about 1983, Madonna and Michael Jackson made huge splashes at awards shows.
Year I got married, with too many great songs to include. He’s my favourites.
UK charts
Rebel Yell - Billy Idol
Cold Sweat - Thin Lizzy
Beat It - Michael Jackson
Spandau Ballet -True
Wild Cards
Gimme All Your Loving - ZZ Top
Tubes - She’s a Beauty
Cuts Like A Knife - Bryan Adams
Heart of Rock & Roll - Huey Lewis & the News
Pink Houses - John Mellencamp
Favourite song: Photograph - Def Leppard
Worst song: Too Shy - Kajagoogoo
I used to HATE Too Shy! Then strangely, I began to dig it.
I love it. The verses are great. - Joe
@@TastesLikeMusic There's some decent slap bass in there too ;-)
Spandau's best next year, Only When You Leave.
I was always annoyed by the chorus of Too Shy. I like Big Apple more.
Two Thumbs up for Surrender, Photograph & Drop The Pilot (how's that for sucking up)
NOT MUCH FROM CANADA
Bryan Adams - Cuts Like A Knife
Saga - Sratching The Surface
Luba - Raven's Eye
SONG OF THE YEAR - I was finally able to pick a clear winner
Big Country - In A Big Country
THE REST
Stevie Ray Vaughn - Rude Mood (insane instrumental)
Marshall Crenshaw - Whenever You're On My Mind
Tears For Fears - The Hurting
Aztec Camera - Oblivious
Joan Armatrading - (I Love It When You) Call Me Names (also from The Key - awesome tune with great lyrics)
Cyndi Lauper - Money Changes Everything
Billy Idol - Rebel Yell
Madonna - Borderline
REM - Radio Free Europe
Romantics - Rock You Up
Thompson Twins - Lies
Peter Gabriel - from "Plays Live" - I Have The Touch & Family Snapshot & I Go Swimming & Solsbury Hill & Biko -
you get the idea. For me this may be Gabriel and his band that their peak live, amazing versions of great songs
"I was finally able to pick a clear winner" lol - it's tough! great list
Love Luba!
@@johnnyborealis thanks, I usually take the easy way out and just list songs, with no Number 1
@@Vanessa.P yeah, she had several great songs
1. Ryuichi Sakamoto & David Sylvian * Forbidden Colours *
2. Eurythmics * Sweet Dreams / Love Is A Stranger *
3. Tears For Fears * Mad World / Pale Shelter *
4. The The / Matt Johnson * This Is The Day / I've Been Waiting For Tomorrow All Of My Life *
5. Thompson Twins * Love On Your Side / Lies *
6. Pretenders * Middle Of The Road / 2000 Miles *
7. The Police * Every Breath You Take / King Of Pain *
8. Talking Heads * Swamp / Burning Down The House *
9. U 2 * Drowning Man / New Year's Day *
10. David Bowie * China Girl / Let's Dance *
11. R. E. M. * Talk About The Passion / Radio Free Europe *
12. Cocteau Twins * In Our Angelhood / Sugar Hiccup *
13. Snowy White * Bird Of Paradise *
14. The Stranglers * The European Female *
15. Robert Plant * Big Log *
16. Elvis Costello * Everyday I Write The Book *
17. Genesis * Mama / That's All *
18. Aztec Camera * Walk Out To Winter *
19. Echo & The Bunnymen * The Cutter / The Back Of Love *
20. Depeche Mode * Everything Counts *
20. A Flock Of Seagulls * Wishing If I Had A Photograph Of You *
22. Billy Idol * Rebel Yell / White Wedding *
23. Spandau Ballet * True / Gold *
24. New Order * Blue Monday *
25. Andreas Vollenweider * Bella Donna / Angoh ! *
26. Yello * I Love You / Lost Again *
27. Mark Knopfler * Going Home *
28. Cyndi Lauper * Girls Just Want To Have Fun / Time After Time *
29. Bauhaus * She's In Parties *
30. Paul Young * Come Back And Stay *
So, I guess, like a lot of your listeners, when one has the time, I like to play the game of watching/listening to each song you all pick. As I was 18 in 83 this made for a fun time. I have to say, Jason killed it this time. Not least for shouting out Joan Armatrading (btw - I was in a band in the UK at this time, and our bass player bought a second hand bass guitar from JA's band), who is not only one of the most underrated singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalists there ever was, but who also probably wrote the greatest love song ever in 'Love and Affection'. Makes me tear up everytime. Loves :)
almost jumped when i heard jason say the phrase "car seat headrest," not a band i ever expect you guys to discuss but even a passing mention gets my attention!
Great, Great Year! HM: Foolin, Too Late For Love, Breaking the Chains, Metal Health, Rebel Yell, The Heart of Rock n Roll King of Pain, Take Me Back, Mama, The Smile Has Left Your Eyes, Burning Down the House, Chain Reaction, In A Big Country, Pride and Joy, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Leave It, Der Kommisar, Sister Christian, In the Mood, Sharp Dressed Man, Total Eclipse of the Heart, Beat It, Sweet Dreams, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Time after Time, Nervous Shakedown, You Can Still Rock in America
10. I Know There's Something Going On - Freda
9. Holy Diver - Dio
8. One Thing Leads to Another - the Fixx
7. Overkill - Men At Work
6. Long Distance - the Kinks
5. She's A Beauty - the Tubes
4. Burning Heart - Vandenberg
3. License to Kill - Bob Dylan
2. Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughan
Worst: 3 way tie - Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran; Do You Really Want to Hurt Me - Culture Club & Illegal Alien - Genesis
1. Photograph - Def Leppard
1. SIMPLE MINDS SPEED YOUR LOVE TO ME , 2. ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN THE BACK OF LOVE , 3. THE CHAMELEONS NOSTALGIA , 4 . AZTEC CAMERA WALK OUT TO WINTER , 5. SIMPLE MINDS WATERFRONT , 6. THE GO BETWEENS THAT WAY ,7. THE CHURCH THE AUTUMN SOON , 8.THE CHURCH ONE DAY, THE SMITHS THIS CHARMING MAN , U2 NEW YEAR S DAY
1983 is the year I first got exposed to "college underground"radio,but overall it's a bit of a nadir on this countdown. A lot of these songs are concentrated on albums i really like;
16 Shells From a Thirty Ought Six-Tom Waits
9-9-REM
Betrayed-Lou Reed
Blind Willie McTell-Bob Dylan
Burning Down the House-Talking Heads
Every Day I Write the Book-Elvis Costello
Flight of Icarus-Iron Maiden
Jokerman-Bob Dylan
Last Shot-Lou Reed
Martial Law-Lou Reed
Moon Rocks-Talking Heads
Pilgrimage-REM
Photograph-Def Leppard
Pow Wow-Lou Reed
She Was Hot-Rolling Stones
Shore Leave-Tom Waits
Synchronicity I-The Police
Synchronicity II-The Police
The New World-X
Whenever You're On My Mind-Marshall Crenshaw
Top 5;
5)The Trooper-Iron Maiden(the best example of that "galloping"sound of the NWOBHM,this really cranks)
4)Surrender-U2(for a band known for being "anthemic",I thought this was their best example. Love the bass line)
3)Radio Free Europe-REM(started me on a journey with my favorite band at the time. Jangly with a great beat,Byrds meet B52s)
2)Foot of Pride-Bob Dylan(an Infidels outtake shamefully left off the album,most find the Lou Reed cover from the Dylan 1992 live tribute definitive,but I love Dylan's version just as much. One of his most overlooked songs)
1)This Must Be the Place(Naive Melody)-Talking Heads(I did'nt think that much of this when I first heard it,but the melody and feel really grew on me and now it's sublime. The only song from that album among my favorite TH songs,and this is sometimes my favorite TH song. It's just beautiful and a worthy SOTY in frankly not such a great year)
Really good list of songs there!
@@ttmilbr thanks!