Billboard #1 Soul Songs Of 1981 Rankdown (COMPLETE)

[Soulsista]

Today's extra is a song that spent 8 weeks at #2 on the soul chart. At the time, it tied the record set by "Clean Up Woman" by the late Betty Wright.

She's a Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked) - Carl Carlton

[🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲]

May 12, 2020 12:58:43 GMT -5 Ivy Leegue™ said:

What is that brand of crack y'all are smoking tanking the absolutely GORGEOUS Sukiyaki. I am positively SHOCKED and DISTURBED.

I know!!!! And i'm also very shocked that "Double Dutch Bus" is out so soon. Like wtf....that song is a BOP...a CLASSIC bop. You youngins don't know good, real music...smh. 

[Deleted]

May 12, 2020 17:15:16 GMT -5 Soulsista said:

Today's extra is a song that spent 8 weeks at #2 on the soul chart. At the time, it tied the record set by "Clean Up Woman" by the late Betty Wright.

She's a Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked) - Carl Carlton

Dang this is such a great song it would have been in my top 3.

[Soulsista]

Welcome back!

We crack the 100-point mark with the next reveal...someone will get a perfect ranking while another will lose a Top 5.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}singingrulebritannia @slipperyslope #LisaRinna rowellfarm490 gonecountry 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 newpower SHOOTER 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 jtd Thee Stallion Troublemaker stallie @antigonerising Ivy Leegue™ Juanca Mirago @gabingston

[Soulsista]

12. Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It) - Kool & The Gang

The lead single from their Something Special album, it also managed a Top 20 peak on the Hot 100. Robert Palmer covered it 1983 for his album Pride.


Stats:
Debut Date: October 3, 1981
Peak Date: November 21, 1981
Weeks At #1: 1
Weeks In Top 10: 13
Weeks On Chart: 21
Hot 100 Peak: #17

Points: 101
Average: 11.06

Troublemaker - 5

jtd Thee Stallion - 7
Soulsista - 8
#LisaRinna - 8
@antigonerising - 9
singingrulebritannia - 10
stallie - 10
Ivy Leegue™ - 10

@slipperyslope - 11
Mirago - 12
newpower - 13
gonecountry - 14
🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 14
SHOOTER - 14
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 14
Juanca - 14

rowellfarm490 - 15

Observing
@gabingston


Up next: someone will get another perfect ranking...and another will lose their #2.

[Soulsista]

11. I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Roger

The frontman for Zapp took on a song that was a hit for Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight & The Pips. Like those two versions, this one also topped the soul chart.


Stats:
Debut Date: August 22, 1981
Peak Date: November 7, 1981
Weeks At #1: 2
Weeks In Top 10: 8
Weeks On Chart: 23
Hot 100 Peak: #79

Points: 104
Average: 10.88

SHOOTER - 2
@antigonerising - 4

newpower - 6
singingrulebritannia - 8
@slipperyslope - 8
jtd Thee Stallion - 8
#LisaRinna - 9
rowellfarm490 - 10

stallie - 11
Soulsista - 12
Ivy Leegue™ - 13
🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 15
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 15

gonecountry - 16
Troublemaker - 16
Juanca - 16
Mirago - 16

Observing
@gabingston


Up next: the first #1 ranking goes down as we kick off the Top 10.

[Soulsista]

10. Being With You - Smokey Robinson

This was Smokey's biggest solo hit, with a Top 5 placement on the Hot 100 and going gold.


Stats:
Debut Date: February 14, 1981
Peak Date: April 4, 1981
Weeks At #1: 5
Weeks In Top 10: 10
Weeks On Chart: 21
Hot 100 Peak: #2

Points: 118
Average: 10.06

Mirago - 1
@slipperyslope - 4

Juanca - 6
Troublemaker - 8
stallie - 8
Ivy Leegue™ - 8
rowellfarm490 - 9
#LisaRinna - 10
SHOOTER - 10
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 10

singingrulebritannia - 12
gonecountry- 12
🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 13

Soulsista - 15
newpower - 15
jtd Thee Stallion - 15
@antigonerising - 15

Observing
@gabingston


Up next: 6 people will lose a Top 5, another will get a perfect ranking.

[Soulsista]

9. Endless Love - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie

From the movie of the same name, it was one of the biggest hits of the year, topping the soul and pop charts for multiple weeks and going platinum. Billboard named it the top soul song for 1981. Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey's remake would hit the Top 10 in 1994.


Stats:
Debut Date: July 11, 1981
Peak Date: August 22, 1981
Weeks At #1: 7
Weeks In Top 10: 15
Weeks On Chart: 24
Hot 100 Peak: #1 (9 weeks)

Points: 128
Average: 9.47

🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 3
Juanca - 3
#LisaRinna - 4
gonecountry - 5
jtd Thee Stallion - 5
Mirago - 5

newpower - 8
Ivy Leegue™ - 9
@antigonerising - 10

SHOOTER - 11
@slipperyslope - 12
stallie - 12
rowellfarm490 - 13
Troublemaker - 13

Soulsista - 16
singingrulebritannia - 16
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 16

Observing
@gabingston


We're halfway through the rankdown! The remaining Top 8, in chronological order:

Fantastic Voyage - Lakeside
Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me) - The Gap Band
Don't Stop The Music - Yarbrough & Peoples
What Cha' Gonna Do For Me - Chaka Khan
Give It To Me Baby - Rick James
I'm In Love - Evelyn "Champagne" King
Never Too Much - Luther Vandross
Let's Groove - Earth, Wind & Fire

Four more will be revealed tomorrow!

[Ivy Leegue™]

Thank God Endless Bore is over. I would have ranked this soulless, insipid song lower but I knew there would be people to champion it, based on recognition alone. Also, that Zapp cover is so bizarre. I can't get over how great the original is, unfortunately.

[Soulsista]

Today's extra is one of her final singles on the Motown label. It spent 4 weeks at #3 on the soul chart.

Square Biz - Teena Marie

[Soulsista]

Welcome back!

We kick off today's reveals with a perfect ranking...and a #2 loss.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}singingrulebritannia @slipperyslope #LisaRinna rowellfarm490 gonecountry 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 newpower SHOOTER 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 jtd Thee Stallion Troublemaker stallie @antigonerising Ivy Leegue™ Juanca Mirago @gabingston

[Soulsista]

8. Don't Stop The Music - Yarbrough & Peoples

The first charted single by Cavin Yarbrough & Alisa Peoples was their biggest, with a Top 20 peak on the Hot 100 and a gold certification. It also pushed their debut album The Two Of Us to gold status. The line "I just wanna rock you all night long" was used in Eve and Alicia Keys' 2002 hit "Gangsta Lovin'".


Stats:
Debut Date: November 22, 1980
Peak Date: February 28, 1981
Weeks At #1: 5
Weeks In Top 10: 10
Weeks On Chart: 27
Hot 100 Peak: #19

Points: 142
Average: 8.65

gonecountry - 2
rowellfarm490 - 3
newpower - 3
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 4
@antigonerising - 5

Mirago - 8
Soulsista - 9
singingrulebritannia - 9
@slipperyslope - 9
SHOOTER - 9
🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 10
Troublemaker - 10
Juanca - 10

Ivy Leegue™ - 12
#LisaRinna - 13
stallie - 15

jtd Thee Stallion - 16

Observing
@gabingston


Up next: two more perfect rankings...and another #2 goes down.

[Soulsista]

7. What Cha' Gonna Do For Me - Chaka Khan

This song was written and originally recorded by The Average White Band a year earlier. Chaka made it her own and took it straight to the top of the soul chart. It was also her second Hot 100 solo entry.


Stats:
Debut Date: March 21, 1981
Peak Date: May 30, 1981
Weeks At #1: 2
Weeks In Top 10: 9
Weeks On Chart: 20
Hot 100 Peak: #53

Points: 149
Average: 8.24

🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 2
stallie - 4
Mirago - 4
SHOOTER - 5

#LisaRinna - 6
gonecountry - 6
Troublemaker - 6
Soulsista - 7
@antigonerising - 7
rowellfarm490 - 8
Juanca - 9

singingrulebritannia - 11
jtd Thee Stallion - 11
newpower - 12
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 12
@slipperyslope - 14

Ivy Leegue™ - 16

Observing
@gabingston


Up next: 2 people lose a #1 ranking.

[Deleted]

May 14, 2020 10:41:34 GMT -5 Soulsista said:

8. Don't Stop The Music - Yarbrough & Peoples

The first charted single by Cavin Yarbrough & Alisa Peoples was their biggest, with a Top 20 peak on the Hot 100 and a gold certification. It also pushed their debut album The Two Of Us to gold status. The line "I just wanna rock you all night long" was used in Eve and Alicia Keys' 2002 hit "Gangsta Lovin'".


Stats:
Debut Date: November 22, 1980
Peak Date: February 28, 1981
Weeks At #1: 5
Weeks In Top 10: 10
Weeks On Chart: 27
Hot 100 Peak: #19

Points: 142
Average: 8.65

gonecountry - 2
rowellfarm490 - 3
newpower - 3
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 4
@antigonerising - 5

Mirago - 8
Soulsista - 9
singingrulebritannia - 9
@slipperyslope - 9
SHOOTER - 9
🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 10
Troublemaker - 10
Juanca - 10

Ivy Leegue™ - 12
#LisaRinna - 13
stallie - 15

jtd Thee Stallion - 16

Observing
@gabingston


Up next: two more perfect rankings...and another #2 goes down.

[Soulsista]

6. I'm In Love - Evelyn "Champagne" King

Written by Kashif, "I'm In Love" became the first of Evelyn's two soul charttoppers. It also managed a Top 40 peak on the Hot 100. Janet Jackson sampled it in 2004 for her song "R&B Junkie".


Stats:
Debut Date: June 20, 1981
Peak Date: August 15, 1981
Weeks At #1: 1
Weeks In Top 10: 7
Weeks On Chart: 18
Hot 100 Peak: #40

Points: 170
Average: 7.00

rowellfarm490 - 1
🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 1
#LisaRinna - 3
@antigonerising - 3
Juanca - 4
singingrulebritannia - 5
@slipperyslope - 5

Soulsista - 6
newpower - 7
Ivy Leegue™ - 7
SHOOTER - 8
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 8
gonecountry - 10
Mirago - 10

jtd Thee Stallion - 12
stallie - 14
Troublemaker - 15

Observing
@gabingston


Up next: four people will get a perfect ranking.

[Soulsista]

5. Fantastic Voyage - Lakeside

"Fantastic Voyage" was the biggest hit for this band from Dayton, Ohio, and their lone Hot 100 entry. Coolio sampled it in 1994 for his hit of the same name.


Stats:
Debut Date: November 15, 1980
Peak Date: January 31, 1981
Weeks At #1: 2
Weeks In Top 10: 13
Weeks On Chart: 22
Hot 100 Peak: #55

Points: 178
Average: 6.53

SHOOTER - 3
Troublemaker - 3
gonecountry - 4
jtd Thee Stallion - 4
Soulsista - 5
newpower - 5
stallie - 5
Juanca - 5

singingrulebritannia - 6
Ivy Leegue™ - 6
@slipperyslope - 7
rowellfarm490 - 7
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 7
Mirago - 9

@antigonerising - 11
#LisaRinna - 12
🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 12

Observing
@gabingston


The final 4 will be revealed tomorrow! In chronological order:

Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me) - The Gap Band
Give It To Me Baby - Rick James
Never Too Much - Luther Vandross
Let's Groove - Earth, Wind & Fire

[singingrulebritannia]

Expected (and correct) top 4.

[Soulsista]

Today's extra was the second of his 23 Top 10 hits on the soul chart, spending 4 weeks at #3. It was also his third charted single on the Hot 100.

Controversy - Prince

[Juanca]

16. When she was my girl (7): awww.... this has a nice old school vibe and great harmonies that I really like. Last place is far too low.

15. A woman needs love (11): I remember this from early 80s. Great chorus melody and music, although not as strong in the verses, which made me rank it just below the top 10.

14. Sukiyaki (15): I prefer the original version and 4PM’s. The production here sounded a bit too dated to me, although vocals are pretty good.

13. Double Dutch bus (13): great music and main melody here. However the horrendous vocals made me ranking here. Oh, and PPPP!!!

12. Take my heart (14): I’ve never card for this type of beat; melody wasn’t my cup of tea either.

11. I heard it through the grapevine (16): the original is a great classic, but this one is sort of a mess to me, especially in terms of vocals. There were some interesting sonic ideas, but nothing too cohesive or melodic for me.

[Soulsista]

Well, here we are...the final 4 songs in the Billboard #1 Soul Songs Of 1981 Rankdown.

We kick it off with losses on both ends of the spectrum...someone will lose a #1 while another will finally lose their #16.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}singingrulebritannia @slipperyslope #LisaRinna rowellfarm490 gonecountry 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 newpower SHOOTER 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 jtd Thee Stallion Troublemaker stallie @antigonerising Ivy Leegue™ Juanca Mirago @gabingston

[Soulsista]

4. Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me) - The Gap Band

"Burn Rubber" was the first of 3 #1s on the soul chart for this band of brothers from Tulsa, Oklahoma. It was also their first Hot 100 entry.


Stats:
Debut Date: December 6, 1980
Peak Date: February 14, 1981
Weeks At #1: 2
Weeks In Top 10: 10
Weeks On Chart: 23
Hot 100 Peak: #84

Points: 181
Average: 6.35

gonecountry - 1
newpower - 2
@antigonerising - 2
Mirago - 3
Soulsista - 4
singingrulebritannia - 4
Ivy Leegue™ - 4

@slipperyslope - 6
rowellfarm490 - 6
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 6
jtd Thee Stallion - 6
stallie - 6
#LisaRinna - 7
Juanca - 8

Troublemaker - 12
SHOOTER - 15
🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 16

Observing
@gabingston


All but one person ranked the next song in their Top 10...another #1 ranking goes down.

[Deleted]

My top 3 is the top 3 nice. Let’s see if it’s in the exact same order too.

[Soulsista]

3. Give It To Me Baby - Rick James

"Give It To Me Baby" was Rick's longest-running #1 on the soul chart, and his second Top 40 hit on the Hot 100. It helped push the Street Songs album to platinum status.


Stats:
Debut Date: March 28, 1981
Peak Date: June 13, 1981
Weeks At #1: 5
Weeks In Top 10: 11
Weeks On Chart: 25
Hot 100 Peak: #40

Points: 208
Average: 4.76

SHOOTER - 1
singingrulebritannia - 2
#LisaRinna - 2
Juanca - 2
Soulsista - 3
@slipperyslope - 3
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 3
jtd Thee Stallion - 3
rowellfarm490 - 4
Troublemaker - 4
Ivy Leegue™ - 5

@antigonerising - 6
stallie - 7
gonecountry - 8
🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 8
newpower - 9

Mirago - 11

Observing
@gabingston

[Soulsista]

Before we reveal the top two, here's an extra...and it comes from none other than Rick James. While "Give It To Me Baby" performed better on the soul chart, this song performed better on the Hot 100, peaking at #16. On the soul chart, it spent 5 weeks at #3.

Super Freak - Rick James

[Deleted]

Super Freak is a jam!

[Soulsista]

And now, the final two...



2. Never Too Much - Luther Vandross

The first charted solo single by this soul superstar went straight to the top of the soul chart, and managed a Top 40 peak on the Hot 100. It also helped him receive 2 Grammy nominations.


Stats:
Debut Date: August 8, 1981
Peak Date: October 24, 1981
Weeks At #1: 2
Weeks In Top 10: 10
Weeks On Chart: 22
Hot 100 Peak: #33

Points: 221
Average: 4.00

Soulsista - 1
singingrulebritannia - 1
#LisaRinna - 1
newpower - 1
jtd Thee Stallion - 1
@antigonerising - 1

@slipperyslope - 2
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 2
Troublemaker - 2
stallie - 2
Ivy Leegue™ - 2
SHOOTER - 4
rowellfarm490 - 5
🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 5

Juanca - 12
gonecountry - 13
Mirago - 13

Observing
@gabingston

---

And now, the only song everyone ranked in their Top 10...



1. Let's Groove - Earth, Wind & Fire

"Let's Groove" was one of EWF's biggest hits. In addition to a Top 5 peak on the Hot 100, it was their longest-running #1 on the soul chart, was certified gold, and helped the Raise! album go platinum.


Stats:
Debut Date: October 10, 1981
Peak Date: November 28, 1981
Weeks At #1: 8
Weeks In Top 10: 13
Weeks On Chart: 22
Hot 100 Peak: #3

Points: 237
Average: 3.06

@slipperyslope - 1
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 1
Troublemaker - 1
stallie - 1
Ivy Leegue™ - 1
Juanca - 1

Soulsista - 2
rowellfarm490 - 2
jtd Thee Stallion - 2
Mirago - 2
singingrulebritannia - 3
🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 4
newpower - 4
#LisaRinna- 5

gonecountry - 7
SHOOTER - 7
@antigonerising - 8

Observing
@gabingston


And that concludes the Billboard #1 Soul Songs Of 1981 Rankdown. Thanks so much to everyone who participated! See you in 1982!

[#LisaRinna]

Flawless top 3!!

Thank you Soulsista for hosting!

[SHOOTER]

Such a predictable top-3 but this list was damn near flawless so I can’t even be mad.

Thank you for hosting this series! Soulsista looking forward to the next one!

[Soulsista]

Perfect Rankings:

Soulsista - 6
stallie / 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 / Ivy Leegue™ - 4
#LisaRinna / Mirago / jtd Thee Stallion / Juanca / @slipperyslope - 3
@antigonerising / Troublemaker - 2
SHOOTER / newpower / singingrulebritannia - 1
rowellfarm490 / gonecountry / 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 - 0


I'll leave you with one final extra. It's one of their 15 Top 10 hits on the soul chart, peaking at #2. It also peaked at #28 on the Hot 100.

It's a Love Thing - The Whispers

[🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲]

May 15, 2020 12:51:38 GMT -5 #LisaRinna said:

Flawless top 3!!

Thank you Soulsista for hosting!