Billboard 1983: The Rankdown (Winner Revealed)

[Doc Indie Party Rock]

 Gonna try my best to dig up some long lost 1983 songs. At as far as I know didn't make any top 100 charts in the U.S. ,I know of, but were still songs I remember from MTV year.

The Cure - The Walk
an incredible song by the Cure that I didn't know about till years later. I always thought it had been from 1981, but is from 1983. This was also their first top 20 hit in the U.K. peaking at #12.



Dead Or Alive - Misty Circles
An early appearance from the band for their first UK. hit. It peaked at #100 and would eventually become the b-side for their mega hit "You Spin Me Round (like A Record)



Ratt - You Think You're Tough
What's an Doc Indie Party Rock music showcase without a Ratt song. This the big one from their 1983 self titles E.P. It eventually reached my charts in 1984. The video for the song was filmed after the success of "Round and Round". On a side note Stephen Pearcy has not looked nor performed his best in his last live shows. He has been a complete wreck. He has a new solo album coming out and I hope he can 'toughen' up' before I find myself mourning another rock n' Roll favorite of mine. 


The Flirts - Danger
The Flirts were a H-NRG pop dance trio produced by Bobby Orlando. I knew about "Jukebox" because of MTV, but didn't find out about their other songs until my HRG phase in the 1990's


Divine - Shoot Your Shot
Another Bobby O Production. Underground Hi-NRG classic from 1983. Hi- NRG lyrics were very sexualy oriented.


Ministry - I Wanted To Tell Her
Before becoming an Industrial band, Ministry was Gothic New Wave. YOu already saw me chart "Revenge". This was another song I remember hearing on KROQ. 


Thompson Twins - We Are Detective
I charted no less than two Thompson Twins songs in 1983. This one peaked at #7 in the U.K. chart. Great song.


Flock Of Seagulls - Nightmares
This was the second single off their 1983 album 'Listen'. I never heard this on the radio, so I'm guessing it was a hit in the U.K. only?

[Juanca]

Oct 10, 2018 18:49:37 GMT -5 Doc Indie Party Rock said:

My top 100 bottom 10 will already be considered strong songs by some of you, that's how jam packed of great music 1983 was.

97. Big Country - In A Big Country
Monster hit on almost all rock radio format stations. U.S. Hot 100, Uk Charts and I peaked this one at #17, but it still made my top 100. What was their excuse? 

94. Sparks & Jane Wiedlin - Cool Places
GoGo's guitars Jane Wiedlin reamed up with Sparks for this uptempo synthpop song. The MV has horrible quality but this live version sounds pretty tasty. Billboard thought #46 was a fair peak for this bouncer. I thought #12 was much more suitable.

91. Icicle Works - Birds Fly (Whisper To A Scream)
Icicle Works were a British ,one hit wonder in the U.S. , but very popular on the Alternative rock stations. Originally released in 1983, it did not peak on Hot 100 until 1984. 

- In A Big Country was played a bit in our radio stations, but its popularity got bigger when our first music TV station launched and this video was in constant rotation. I liked the different music and instrumentation of this one. Nice memories from this one.

- Cool Places was a minor hit back home. I liked he new wave vibe, and the fun vibe and vocals throughout the song. Jane did a good job here. A slightly bigger hit back home and a song that I liked more was Sports --surprised that this wasn't actually a single in the US and was just the B side of CP


- Whisper To A Scream, as was called back home (not Birds Fly) was a BIG hit in 1984, and it actually was preset in my first -ever ranking in mid 1984. It reached my personal top 3 and has remained one of my favorite rockers of the mid 80s.

[Juanca]

Oct 12, 2018 0:01:17 GMT -5 Doc Indie Party Rock said:

89. Q- Feel -  Dancing in Heaven (Orbital Be-Bop)
My #1 song from 1982 was still in my top 10 at the start of 1983, so here it is. I played this '45 so much I have bought about 5 in this lifetime. and yes. . This beat out  "Shake It Up", "I Love Rock n' Roll" "Centerfold and "Don't talk To Strangers" in my top 100 of 1982

85. Police - King Of Pain
Here's one I couldn't believe didn't make the top 100 of 1983, but it's because It got an early kick on Southern California rock radio stations were it made all the 1983 lists. Including mine.

84. Cure - The Love Cats
Can you believe this song did absolutely nothing in the Hot 100? Such a classic.

82. U2 - New Year's Day
Are you ready for my atrocities committed by the Hot 100? This classic only peaked at #53.  Let's all say it together....WTF 

- Dancing in Heaven was just pure pop/new wave bliss. A hit back home, and a personal favorite. I LOVED the energy of this song, and I've used it as a road trip song in several opportunities. That bridge is everything.

- King of Pain was a minor hit back home, and a song that would've made my personal chart-topper. Strong melody, vocals, music. In 1999, Alanis' cover for her MTV unplugged was also a hit back home.


- As Let's Go To Bed, The Love Cats was also played in a few radio stations after the success of CTM and IbD. Its video also got high rotation in 1986-87. Although not in my top 5 of The Cure songs, it's definitely in my top 10.

- New Year's Day. Actually, U2's first minor hit was Pride In The Name of Love in 1984. However, after the success of The Joshua Tree, radio stations back home started to play songs off Under A Blood Red Sky. Soon after, NYD became a BIG hit. It was a personal char-topper in 1988. Sunday Bloody Sunday would also become a BIG hit in 1988.

[Juanca]

Oct 12, 2018 21:00:16 GMT -5 Doc Indie Party Rock said:

here are #'s 80-71. A few of these charted in the top 40, None of them made Billboards'd top 100 of 1983. 

76. Sheena Easton - Telefone(Long Distance Love Affair)

As I've mentioned before, I love me some Sheena Easton. This one hit #9 on Hot 100, but missed the Billboard top 100.   If your are a Music video freak like me, then you could consider this part two to Eddie Money's "Think I'm In Love" Also vampire themed.

72. Scandal - - Goodbye To You

The music of the 80's was best ever and you couldn't get more 80's than Scandal's brand of New wave rock. 

- Goodbye To You was HUGE back home. It was a yearend top 5 and one of the most popular songs of the decade. As I said before, I LOVED Scandal, and GTY was also one of my favorite songs of the year, and one of my favorite rock-pop songs of the 1980s. The video was also very popular --I loved Patty's energy and the overall energy and color This would've been in my top 5 had it been in this RD

- Telefone was a big hit back home, and another one that would've reached the top of my personal chart. I LOVED the video, and of course the song's melody, vocals, instrumentation (eg that sax in the bridge :) ) and sound. Plus, I was a big Sheena fan and this was the type of sound I really liked!
Also, Sheena recorded a Spanish version of this song that worked as the lead single of a full Spanish album, that increased the popularity of the song as it could be heard in Spanish-only radio stations.


The album included a Spanish version of We Got Tonight, as a duet with famous Spanish balladeer Django


The next Spanish single was Todo Me Recuerda a Ti, a version of Almost Over You, that was a minor hit back home.


In 1984, the final single was a duet with up-and-coming teenager singer and future mega Latin star Luis Miguel: Me Gustas Tal Como Eres

[craziaskowboi]

While watching the Steelers beat the Bengals in thrilling fashion at the sports bar yesterday, I was listening to a rerun of American Top 40 with Casey Kasem from October 8, 1983. I heard the following songs that have been mentioned so far in this rankdown:


"Foolin' " - Def Leppard (#40)
"Dr. Heckyll & Mr. Jive" - Men At Work (#37)
"Dead Giveaway" - Shalamar (#27)
"Suddenly Last Summer" - The Motels (#23)
"Big Log" - Robert Plant (#21)
"Don't Cry" - Asia (#19)
"Telefone (Long Distance Love Affair)" - Sheena Easton (#16)
"Burning Down The House" - Talking Heads (#15)
"How Am I Supposed To Live Without You" - Laura Branigan (#12)
"Promises, Promises" - Naked Eyes (#11)
"Far From Over" - Frank Stallone (#10)
"(She's) Sexy + 17" - Stray Cats (#5)
"Making Love Out Of Nothing At All" - Air Supply (#2)


Worth noting is that the #1 song was "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" by Bonnie Tyler, and Casey Kasem pointed out that Jim Steinman achieved the unprecedented feat of having composed both the #1 and #2 songs on the chart that week.

On NFL Sundays, the sports bar I frequent plays music instead of game audio in order to avoid confusion between games and conflict between fans. Since the American Top 40 reruns I listen to start at the same time as the early-afternoon games on Sunday, I just listen to it while watching my game if it's on during the early afternoon. By the time my game is over, the countdown has made it into the Top 10, and by the time the countdown is finished, it's late in the first quarter of the late-afternoon games.

[craziaskowboi]

Oct 14, 2018 0:00:42 GMT -5 Butterflies & Hurricanes said:

EXTRA: "Politics Of Dancing" - Re-Flex


Hot 100 peak:  #24 (March 17th)

"The Politics Of Dancing" was 1984.

[Unhinged]

#70

Take Me To Heart

Quarterfalsh

Total Points: 1059

Billboard Hot 100: 14

Billboard Top 100 of 1983: 83

From: Take Another Picture

Single from the groups 1983 album Take Another Picture, this peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 36 on the Album Rock Tracks chart.

Red - 49
Butterflies & Hurricanes  - 72 
Az Paynter - 24 
craziaskowboi - 64 
singingrulebritannia - 56 
@walker9 - 62 
gonecountry  - 18 
filthy - 77 
Alex - 58 
newpower - 91 
Cody Wants Out...  - 26
God - 71 
House Lannister  - 76 
Doc Indie Party Rock  - 43 
Juanca - 58 
mamooshka  - 86 
Mirago - 92 
rowellfarm490  - 78 
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 77 
campbellssoup  - 64 
peacebone - 67 
rgreen0625 - 78 
Mic Technique - 70 
Glove Slap - 47 
Sambalada - 86 
Zach - 90 
@doinktheclown  - 56 
Unhinged - 33 

Tag

@levitation
trilogy
Ky
Zeebz

[Unhinged]

#69

Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy

Sammy Hagar

Total Points: 1064

Billboard Hot 100: 13

Billboard Top 100 of 1983: 79

From: Three Lock Box

Released in December of 1982, this peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 becoming Hagar's only Top 20 hit in the US. It also managed a peek of No. 3 on the Mainstream Rock chart.

Red - 58 
Butterflies & Hurricanes  - 92 
Az Paynter - 36 
craziaskowboi - 46 
singingrulebritannia - 73 
@walker9 - 53 
gonecountry  - 35 
filthy - 57 
Alex - 80 
newpower - 96 
Cody Wants Out...  - 45 
God - 77 
House Lannister  - 77 
Doc Indie Party Rock  - 20 
Juanca - 84 
mamooshka  - 56 
Mirago - 89 
rowellfarm490  - 76 
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 80 
campbellssoup  - 45 
peacebone - 61   
rgreen0625 - 75 
Mic Technique - 83 
Glove Slap - 61 
Sambalada - 34 
Zach - 57   
@doinktheclown  - 67 
Unhinged - 54 

Tag

@levitation
trilogy
Ky
Zeebz

[Unhinged]

#68

Stray Cat Strut

Stray Cats

Total Points: 1075

Billboard Hot 100: 3⁽³⁾

Billboard Top 100 of 1983: 42

From: Built For Speed

Originally released in 1981 from their debut album Stray Cats, this was re-released in the US in June of 1982 from the album Built For Speed, eventually reaching a peak of No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March of 1983.

3 Top 15 placements fall with this leaving the rankdown...

Red - 54 
Butterflies & Hurricanes  - 56 
Az Paynter - 75 
craziaskowboi - 89 
singingrulebritannia - 45 
@walker9 - 15 
gonecountry  - 93 
filthy - 62 
Alex - 71 
newpower - 69 
Cody Wants Out...  - 65 
God - 15 
House Lannister  - 100 
Doc Indie Party Rock  - 12 
Juanca - 94 
mamooshka  - 68 
Mirago - 54 
rowellfarm490  - 90 
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 97 
campbellssoup  - 49 
peacebone - 38 
rgreen0625 - 43 
Mic Technique - 39 
Glove Slap - 76 
Sambalada - 77 
Zach - 40 
@doinktheclown  - 78 
Unhinged - 92 

Tag

@levitation
trilogy
Ky
Zeebz

[Unhinged]

#67

Fall In Love With Me

Earth, Wind & Fire

Total Points: 1096

Billboard Hot 100: 17

Billboard Top 100 of 1983: 100

From: Powerlight

This Grammy nominated song for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals was release in November of 1982, reaching its peak of No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 the week ending March 19, 1983 where it remained for 3 weeks. It marked their last visit to the Top 20 in the US.

Red - 33 
Butterflies & Hurricanes  - 95 
Az Paynter - 56 
craziaskowboi - 96 
singingrulebritannia - 65 
@walker9 - 64 
gonecountry  - 85 
filthy - 34 
Alex - 17 
newpower - 97 
Cody Wants Out...  - 49 
God - 51 
House Lannister  - 56 
Doc Indie Party Rock  - 84 
Juanca - 77 
mamooshka  - 90 
Mirago - 83 
rowellfarm490  - 52 
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 34 
campbellssoup  - 96         
peacebone - 66 
rgreen0625 - 68 
Mic Technique - 41 
Glove Slap - 40 
Sambalada - 50 
Zach - 24 
@doinktheclown  - 58  
Unhinged - 74 

Tag

@levitation
trilogy
Ky
Zeebz

[Unhinged]

#66

You Are

Lionel Richie

Total Points: 1101

Billboard Hot 100: 4

Billboard Top 100 of 1983: 29

From: Lionel Richie

Spending 2 weeks at No. 4 in March and April of 1983, this was released as the second single from Richie's self-titled debut album. Richard Marx is featured on backing vocals.  

Red - 93 
Butterflies & Hurricanes  - 62 
Az Paynter - 39 
craziaskowboi - 21 
singingrulebritannia - 84 
@walker9 - 75 
gonecountry  - 55 
filthy - 92 
Alex - 65 
newpower - 98 
Cody Wants Out...  - 48 
God - 39 
House Lannister  - 46 
Doc Indie Party Rock  - 68 
Juanca - 43 
mamooshka  - 34 
Mirago - 61 
rowellfarm490  - 83 
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 37 
campbellssoup  - 37 
peacebone - 87 
rgreen0625 - 36 
Mic Technique - 79 
Glove Slap - 58 
Sambalada - 60 
Zach - 79 
@doinktheclown  - 97 
Unhinged - 51 

Tag

@levitation
trilogy
Ky
Zeebz

[mamooshka]

Some local AC stations had these on constant rotation over here. I wasn't really a Euro-synth pop stan, but they have 1983 written all over them. Don't know if these were played elsewhere?





Attachment Deleted

[Unhinged]

#65

Heartbreaker

Dionne Warwick

Total Points: 1174

Billboard Hot 100: 10

Billboard Top 100 of 1983: 80

From: Heartbreaker

Written by Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb, this single was the first from the album of the same name. It sold an estimated 3 million copies worldwide and managed a peak of No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Saying good-bye to 10 Top 40 placements with this leaving the rankdown...

Red - 76 
Butterflies & Hurricanes  - 90 
Az Paynter - 20 
craziaskowboi - 78 
singingrulebritannia - 34 
@walker9 - 72 
gonecountry  - 83 
filthy - 39 
Alex - 85 
newpower - 32 
Cody Wants Out...  - 50 
God - 56 
House Lannister  - 88 
Doc Indie Party Rock  - 98 
Juanca - 38 
mamooshka  - 65 
Mirago - 57 
rowellfarm490  - 87 
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 38 
campbellssoup  - 83 
peacebone - 46 
rgreen0625 - 52 
Mic Technique - 88 
Glove Slap - 35 
Sambalada - 37 
Zach - 21 
@doinktheclown  - 40 
Unhinged - 82 

Tag

@levitation
trilogy
Ky
Zeebz

[Glove Slap]

Y'all this is a classic!

[newpower]

Wow! my 91, 96, 97 and 98 all gone in this batch. Can't complain. I wish that Dionne Warwick classic would have stayed a little longer...

[Unhinged]

#64

Family Man

Hall & Oates

Total Points: 1178

Billboard Hot 100: 6

Billboard Top 100 of 1983: 67

From: H₂O

Originally released in 1982 by Mike Oldfield, this cover served as the final single from the duos 1982 release H₂O. It was a moderate hit, peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.  

Red - 25 
Butterflies & Hurricanes  - 37 
Az Paynter - 34 
craziaskowboi - 63 
singingrulebritannia - 61 
@walker9 - 84 
gonecountry  - 51 
filthy - 47 
Alex - 51 
newpower - 51 
Cody Wants Out...  - 42 
God - 83 
House Lannister  - 45 
Doc Indie Party Rock  - 42 
Juanca - 95 
mamooshka - 46 
Mirago - 84 
rowellfarm490  - 66 
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 66 
campbellssoup  - 69 
peacebone - 34 
rgreen0625 - 63 
Mic Technique - 57 
Glove Slap - 45 
Sambalada - 75 
Zach - 84 
@doinktheclown  - 94 
Unhinged - 57 

Tag

@levitation
trilogy
Ky
Zeebz

[Unhinged]

#63

Faithfully

Journey

Total Points: 1193

Billboard Hot 100: 12

Billboard Top 100 of 1983: 81

From: Frontiers

Second single from the 6X platinum album Frontiers, this was released in April of 1983 and went on to peak at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. A recent Classic Rock article listed "Faithfully" as the greatest power ballad ever recorded.

Some may find this to be s**tty arena rock but in 2002 it was the first song I sang to my future husband. lol

Red - 62 
Butterflies & Hurricanes  - 70 
Az Paynter - 28 
craziaskowboi - 68 
singingrulebritannia - 100 
@walker9 - 68 
gonecountry  - 94 
filthy - 67 
Alex - 84 
newpower - 80 
Cody Wants Out...  - 33 
God - 92 
House Lannister  - 42 
Doc Indie Party Rock  - 44 
Juanca - 28 
mamooshka  - 47 
Mirago - 87 
rowellfarm490  - 14 
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 57 
campbellssoup  - 35 
peacebone - 99 
rgreen0625 - 32 
Mic Technique - 50 
Glove Slap - 78 
Sambalada - 69 
Zach - 71 
@doinktheclown  - 31 
Unhinged - 28 

Tag

@levitation
trilogy
Ky
Zeebz

[Zeebz]

Shame to see “Heartbreaker” gone so soon! An underrated classic.

[singingrulebritannia]

Oct 15, 2018 9:51:30 GMT -5 Unhinged said:

A recent Classic Rock article listed "Faithfully" as the greatest power ballad ever recorded.  

 

[Unhinged]

Oct 15, 2018 10:06:39 GMT -5 singingrulebritannia said:

Oct 15, 2018 9:51:30 GMT -5 Unhinged said:

A recent Classic Rock article listed "Faithfully" as the greatest power ballad ever recorded.  

 

I thought you'd get a kick out of that. ;)

[Unhinged]

#62

Baby Come To Me

Patti Austin & James Ingram

Total Points: 1195

Billboard Hot 100: 1⁽²⁾

Billboard Top 100 of 1983: 8

From: Every Home Should Have One

Popularized after being featured on the soap opera General Hospital, this became a huge success after it's initial release in 1982, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 the week ending February 19, 1983 where it remained for 2 weeks.

Red - 63 
Butterflies & Hurricanes  - 67 
Az Paynter - 18 
craziaskowboi - 84 
singingrulebritannia - 64 
@walker9 - 46 
gonecountry  - 7 
filthy - 15 
Alex - 79 
newpower - 79 
Cody Wants Out...  - 32 
God - 35 
House Lannister  - 55 
Doc Indie Party Rock  - 90 
Juanca - 67 
mamooshka  - 76 
Mirago - 81 
rowellfarm490  - 84 
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 28 
campbellssoup  - 99 
peacebone - 69 
rgreen0625 - 80 
Mic Technique - 64 
Glove Slap - 67 
Sambalada - 71 
Zach - 32 
@doinktheclown  - 42 
Unhinged - 49 

Tag

@levitation
trilogy
Ky
Zeebz

[Unhinged]

#61

Puttin' On The Ritz

Taco

Total Points: 1202

Billboard Hot 100: 4

Billboard Top 100 of 1983: 31

From: After Eight

This synth-pop cover of the original Irving Berlin composition from 1929 was released in 1982, eventually reaching a peak of No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September of 1983.

That's it for today folks, counting down 60-51 tomorrow!

Red - 82 
Butterflies & Hurricanes  - 11 
Az Paynter - 96 
craziaskowboi - 41 
singingrulebritannia - 70 
@walker9 - 14 
gonecountry  - 87 
filthy - 41 
Alex - 42 
newpower - 58 
Cody Wants Out...  - 85 
God - 54 
House Lannister  - 99 
Doc Indie Party Rock  - 57 
Juanca - 76 
mamooshka  - 37 
Mirago - 49 
rowellfarm490  - 56 
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 48 
campbellssoup  - 94 
peacebone - 24 
rgreen0625 - 35 
Mic Technique - 77 
Glove Slap - 49 
Sambalada - 67 
Zach - 85 
@doinktheclown  - 33 
Unhinged - 59 

Tag

@levitation
trilogy
Ky
Zeebz

[Deleted]

If you minus Baby Come To Me, the 1983 Top 10 may be one of the most memorable of all time, and greatest too. The rest better not be out any time soon.

[Deleted]

Faithfully, Baby Come to Me and Puttin on the Ritz got robbed for a top Half spot at least

[🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲]

Oct 15, 2018 11:03:09 GMT -5 @doinktheclown said:

Faithfully, Baby Come to Me and Puttin on the Ritz got robbed for a top Half spot at least

Totally agreed!

[filthy]

Baby come to me out already ??? Smh

[Red]

Took long enough to get rid of Lionel.

Even the big losses this set were songs that I'm okay with going out early. I expected this H&O song and another one to go out early. The other one should last a while longer, though. Key word "should".

[Butterflies & Hurricanes]

not surprised that I’m Taco’s highest ranker, but sad to see he’s gone before 1/2 way mark. PotR has huge nostalgic value for me...I know it’s all kinds of awkward, goofy, weird & cheesy but that’s a big part of its appeal

[Mic Technique]

I love Faithfully. It's like the song you sing along to loudly and tearfully, driving recklessly along the Long Island Expressway before you are inevitably crushed to death by an 18 wheeler. Anyway, no real passion placements lost thus far. If my top 25 can survive tomorrow, I'm happy with this rankdown.

[Az Paynter]

...so am I last in closeness yet?