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OLD 55's Yearly Top 10 Singles Of The Rock Era


OLD 55

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1983 was the year of Michael Jackson and his Masterpiece THRILLER Album. It's the biggest selling Album of all time, with sales now accredited at over 50 million. It topped the U.S. Album Charts for a staggering 37 weeks, and 7 of its 9 Tracks were released as Singles which charted, Billie Jean and Beat It both reaching #1.

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Here's the 1983 U.S. TOP TEN SINGLES.

1. EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE / THE POLICE

2. Billie Jean / Michael Jackson

3. Flashdance...What A Feeling / Irene Cara

4. Say Say Say / Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson

5. Total Eclipse Of The Heart / Bonnie Tyler

6. Down Under / Men At Work

7. All Night Long (All Night) / Lionel Richie

8. Beat It / Michael Jackson

9. Baby Come To Me / Patti Austin with James Ingram

10.Islands In The Stream / Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton

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There were 6 more #1s. Here they are in order.

11. Maniac / Michael Sembello

12. Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) / The Eurythmics

13. Come On Eileen / Dexy's Midnight Runners

14. Let's Dance / David Bowie

15. Tell Her About It / Billy Joel

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U.K. TOP 3.

1. Karma Chameleon / Culture Club

2. Uptown Girl / Billy Joel

3. True / Spandau Ballet

AUS. TOP 3.

1. Australiana / Austin Tayshus

2. Islands In The Stream / Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton

3. Gloria / Laura Branigan

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There's lots of Trivia I could add, but I'm not sure if many are interested in that. I'll just add a couple of personal observations.

I think 1983 produced some terrific songs and Video Clips.

Every Breath You Take, Billie Jean, Total Eclipse Of The Heart (a Classic), Islands In The Stream (written by the Bee Gees), Africa, and Uptown Girl are my favorites.

I got Billy Joel's Innocent Man Album for my Birthday that year and I actually prefer it to Thriller. Five singles also charted from it, with Uptown Girl my favorite. I also loved the Video Clip with Christie Brinkley (still do).

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VALE KAREN CARPENTER. DIED AT ONLY 32 FROM A DISEASE WHICH MOST OF US WILL JUST NEVER UNDERSTAND. R.I.P.

375/ 1346

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Me too Laurie, but I reckon they all look a bit 'dodgy' in the the Video Clip. Poor Rachel has just received a shock from seeing their lead singer. They all wore blue overalls that looked like large toddlers' playsuits in the clip - and I'm not kidding about his armpits.

;)

We guys didn't have too many ladies to choose from either in 1982 (no disrespect). Joan Jett, Jennifer Warnes and Toni Basil, although she looked pretty good for 38 ! She didn't look it in the "Mickey" clip, did she ?

Old55, did you happen to catch 20 to 1 on channel nine Monday night?? I thought the countdown was really good!

And I have the words to 'Australiana' (with a translantion for our non-Australian friends) by Austen Tayshus, will I post them?

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Old55, did you happen to catch 20 to 1 on channel nine Monday night?? I thought the countdown was really good!

And I have the words to 'Australiana' (with a translantion for our non-Australian friends) by Austen Tayshus, will I post them?

YES to both please Katie ! :)

It was a good show. I said to my Wife "My Sharona" (#1) and "Pop Muzik" (didn't get a mention) will be in it ! It was very well balanced though.

Better warn our Viewers that "Australiana" has an M rating due to sexual and drug references. (Now they're sure to look at it). :grin:

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There's lots of Trivia I could add, but I'm not sure if many are interested in that.

Bite your tongue, Darryl. Or at least your typing fingers. :grin: I love your trivia. I learn something new from you all the time.

I was so excited to get to the 80s, but now I've realized that I was listening (at least in the early 80s) to non-pop music. "Islands in the Stream"? Thanks, but no thanks.

I missed the whole Pat Benatar thing, but allow me to throw my 2 cents in. I love, love, love her. I've seen her in concert twice, once at the height of popularity and once a couple of years ago. Both shows were amazing...that woman has an out of this world voice. She gives every bit of herself onstage. CMT has a series called "Crossroads" that pairs country artists with mainstream artists. Pat was paired up with Martina McBride and it was spectacular. They are both tiny little women with huge voices...what a combination.

Anyhoo, here is another tarted up picture of her in spandex...this does not reflect her true beauty, but you boys seem to like it. :grin:

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Here's the words to Australiana by Austen Tayshus which was topped the charts in Australia for 1983. We Australians do love a good novelty song, and while you couldn't exactly call this a song (spoken word song maybe?), it certainly is a novelty. Very clever too! It contains lots of puns on well known Australian flora, fauna, object and place names. As Darryl said, this has an M rating.

Australiana

Sittin' at home last Sunday mornin' me mate Boomerrang

Said he was havin' a few people around for a barbie, Said he might Kookaburra or two.

I said, "Sounds great, will Wallaby there?"

He said "Yeah and Vegemite come too".

So I said to the wife "Do you wanna Goanna?". She said "I'll go if Dingos"

So I said "Wattle we do about Nulla?"

She said "Nullabors me to tears, leave him at home"

We got to the party about two and walked straight out the kitchen to put some booze in the fridge

And you wouldn't believe it, there's Boomer's wife Warra sittin there tryin to Platypus!

Now, I don't like to speak Illawarra, but I was shocked, I mean how much can a Koala bear.

So I grabbed a beer, flashed me Wangarratta and went out and joined the party.

Pretty soon Ayers Rocks in and things really started jumpin'

This Indian girl, Marsu, turns up, dying to go to the toilet but she couldn't find it

I said to me mate Al, "Hey, where can Marsupial?"

He said "She can go outback with the fellas, she's probably seen a cockatoo"

Well just then Warra comes out of the kitchen with a few drinks for everybody

Fairdinkum, you've never seen a Coolabah maid. I grabbed a beer and said, "Thanks Warra - tah"

A couple of Queenslanders at the party, one smellin' pretty strongly of aftershave

One of 'em sat down next to me and I turned to him and I said, "Ya know mate, Eureka Stockade!"

It was a really hot day; Oscar felt like a swim. He said to Ina, "Do you want a have a dip in the Riverina?"

She said "I haven't got my Kosciusko"

Well Bo says, "Come in starkers, Wattle they care!"

Ina says "What, without so much as a Thredbo?" Ah, Perisher thought! Has Eucumbine in yet?

Well a few of the blokes decided to play some cricket. Boomer says "Why doesn't Wombat?" "Yeah, and let Tenterfield"

He said I should have a bowl but I was too out of it to play cricket so I suggested a game of cards

I said to Lyptus "Wanna game of Eucalyptus?" He said "There's no point mate, Darwins everytime"

Well Bill said he'd like a smoke. Nobody knew where the dope was stashed

I said "I think Merinos." But I was just spinning a bit of a yarn. Barry pulls a joint out of his pocket.

Bill says "Great, Barrier Reefer, what is it mate?" "Noosa Heads of course. Me mate Adelaide 'em on me"

And it was a great joint too, Blue Mountains away and his Three Sisters

Well I thought I'd roll one meself, I said "Chuck us the Tally Hobart"

He said "They're out on the Laun, Ceston, can you get em for us?" Burnie says "Its okay mate, she's apples, I'll get em for ya"

Just then Alice Springs into action, starts to pack Billabong

And you wouldn't believe it, the bongs broken. I said "Lord Howe!"

"Hay-man" somebody says "Will a Didgeridoo?" I said "Hummmmm mummmm mummmmm mummmmm maybe it'll have ta"

I look in the corner and there's Bass sittin there, not getting into it, not getting out of it, I said "What, is Bass Strait or somthin?"

Boomer says "As a matter a fact mate, he's a cop" I said "Ya jokin mate, a cop, I'm getting outta here, lets Goanna"

She said "No way, I'm hangin round till Gum leaves. Besides, I dont wanna leave Jacardanda party on his own. Have you seen him? I think he's trying to crack on Toowoomba, he's already tried to Mount Isa And he'll definitely try to lead you Australiana!"

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I didn´t like very much Pat Benatar, she was also in Chrysalis records by then and she was touring a lot, getting a big promotion... at least, In Spain. "Thriller" was the record everybody had... but somehow, I still prefered some old Motown songs... I was part into Talking Heads and some "underground" music . "Every breath you take" is a great song, the only one I like from Police... and "Islands in the stream"... I mean, the whole album, I love it!!! So kitsch... I was going to a concert of The Residents with Dolly Parton-Kenny Rogers-Barry Gibb in my walkman. Yes, my mates from work thought I was a spy sometimes...

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That's great Katie. Thank you very much!

Unfortunately, maybe a lot of the jargon and place names in Australiana will go over the heads of our 'overseas' friends !

Ignore the Drug References. I don't advocate the use of illegal drugs. I take enough prescription drugs that I wonder about !

:P

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Well you'd have to say that 1984 was the year that Madonna really launched her career, and this was the record that did it, Like A Virgin.

In fact there were a quite a few changes in the Charts this year. Songs written for Movies were very prominent; a lot of Artists had their first U.S. #1s; and Bruce Springsteen had the best song not to make #1, Dancing In The Dark. It stalled at #2 in the U.S., #4 in the U.K. and #5 in Australia, where it stayed in the Singles Charts for a record breaking 47 weeks.

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Here's the U.S. TOP TEN SINGLES FOR 1984.

1. LIKE A VIRGIN / MADONNA

2. When Doves Cry / Prince

3. Jump / Van Halen

4. What's Love Got To Do With It / Tina Turner *

5. I Just Called To Say I Love You / Stevie Wonder **

6. Wake Me Up Before You Go Go / Wham

7. Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) / Phil Collins ***

8. Footloose / Kenny Loggins

9. Karma Chameleon / Culture Club

10.Ghostbusters / Ray Parker Jr.

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* Won three Grammys: Record Of The Year; Song Of The Year for the writers, Graham Lyle and Terry Britten; Best Pop Vocal Female.

** Won the OSCAR for Best Song (from the Movie, "The Woman In Red").

*** Won the Best Pop Vocal Male Grammy.

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There were Nine other U.S. #1s:

Owner Of A Lonely Heart / Yes

Hello / Lionel Richie

(from the Grammy Award winning Album Of The Year Can't Slow Down)

Let's Hear It For The Boy / Deniece Williams

Time After Time / Cyndi Lauper (who won the Best New Artist Grammy)

The Reflex / Duran Duran

Missing You / John Waite

Let's Go Crazy / Prince & The Revolution

Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run) / Billy Ocean

Out Of Touch / Hall & Oates

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U.K. TOP 3.

1. Relax / Frankie Goes To Hollywood

52 weeks on the Chart, 5 @ #1. Platinum Disc.

2. Two Tribes / Frankie Goes To Hollywood

21 weeks on the Chart, 9 @ #1. Platinum Disc.

3. I Just Called To Say I Love You / Stevie Wonder

26 weeks on the Chart, 6 @ #1. Platinum Disc.

The great charity record Do They Know It's Christmas, organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for Ethiopan famine relief, and performed by a multitude of great (mainly U.K.) artists as Band Aid would be the #1 record if we went by sales alone. It was for a time the biggest selling Single in British History

and of course a world wide Hit.

The sales were spread over 1984/ 1985, but I'd have NO ARGUMENTS with anyone calling it the #1 Hit of 1984. I'm just going by yearly Chart figures.

AUS TOP 3

1. I Just Called To Say I Love You / Stevie Wonder

2. Wake Me Up Before You Go Go / Wham!

3. Ghostbusters / Ray Parker Jr.

(Sorry Phil ! Even though Pat Benatar's Love Is A Battlefield was #1 for 5 weeks, it got pipped for the Top 3.)

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In closing, I'd also like to mention one of the greatest ever "One Hit Wonders" from 1984 - 99 Luftballoons/ 99 Red Balloons by the German Group Nena (yes, that was the Group's name as well as Gabriele Kemer, the lead vocalist's, nickname). It reached #2 in the U.S., and was #1 in both the U.K. & Australia. I don't know if this is correct, but we heard it wasn't a big Hit in Germany ?

:)

395/1410

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I didn´t like Madonna at first, now she´s just fine... I loved the movie... what´s its name? Looking for Susan... desperately seeking for Susan?? Funny times when living was very very easy... :)

It was also Prince year. Or was it 1985??

I love "I just call to say I love you"...

And I remember a funny fact about Hall and Oates, though they´re not in the charts this year... the record company had trouble to make the promo pictures or album covers as they are just like Simon & Garfunkel, one is very tall, the other is so small... so they always had pictures leaning one on each other, or sitting or some way it couldn´t be too obvious...

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