My co-worker (and fellow 80s rube) Kevin and I collaborated on what 80s tunes will make the Top 20.
Here they are in alphabetical order:
1) 867-5309/Jenny (Tommy Tutone)
2) 99 Luftballoons (Nena)
3) Cars (Gary Numan)
4) Come on Eileen (Dexy’s Midnight Runners)
5)
6) I Melt With You (Modern English)
7) I Ran (Flock of Seagulls)
8) In A Big Country (Big Country)
9) It Takes Two (Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock)
10) Mickey (Toni Basil)
11)
12) Relax (Frankie Goes to Hollywood)
13)
14) She Blinded Me With Science (Thomas Dolby)
15) Somebody's Watching Me (Rockwell)
16) Tainted Love (Soft Cell)
17) Take on Me (A-ha)
18) Too Shy (Kajagoogoo)
19)
20) Whip It (Devo)
As far as #1 is concerned, Kev is going with Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood. But I say the smart money is on 867-5309/Jenny by Tommy Tutone.
Anyone else wanna make a case for which song is the greatest one hit wonder of the 1980s?
UPDATE: I will be doing a "live blog" as the 20 greatest one hit wonders of the 80s is being counted down. It looks as though the Top 20 will be broadcast on VH1 at 9:00 pm CT, not 8:00. I regret the error.
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UPDATE II: And now, THE TOP 20, as recited on VH1!
20) Somebody's Watching Me (Rockwell)
19) You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) (Dead or Alive)
18) It Takes Two (Rob Base and D.J. E-Z Rock)
17) The Safety Dance (Men without Hats)
16) 99 Luftballoons (Nena)
15) Whip It (Devo)
14) In a Big Country (Big Country)
13) She Blinded Me With Science (Thomas Dolby)
12) Obsession (Animotion)
11) Cars (Gary Numan)
10) Relax (Frankie Goes to Hollywood)
9) Too Shy (Kajagoogoo)
8) I Want Candy (Bow Wow Wow)
7) I Melt With You (Modern English)
6) Mickey (Toni Basil)
5) Tainted Love (Soft Cell)
4) 867-5309/Jenny (Tommy Tutone)
3) Take On Me (A-Ha)
2) I Ran (A Flock of Seagulls)
1) Come on Eileen (Dexy's Midnight Runners)
So there you have it! Kev and I got 16 out of 20. Not bad. We missed song numbers 8, 12, 17 and 19, but who cares. I'll take any and every opportunity to talk 80s music!!
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18 comments:
I'll have to think about this one, Brad. My guess is that Tommy Tutone is a better bet.
I don't know if it was enough of a hit, but my choice would be "Genius of Love" by Tom Tom Club.
I just thought of a few more:
One Night in Bangkok, by Murray Head.
Cath, by the Bluebells
Shiny Shiny, by Hayzi Fantayzee
Sign of the Times, the Belle Stars
Free Nelson Mandela, the Special AKA
Nasty Girl, Vanity 6
I better go back to work before this takes up the rest of my afternoon....
I don't know if it was enough of a hit, but my choice would be "Genius of Love" by Tom Tom Club.
That made #35 on the list. I like that one, too. And it's probably one of the most sampled songs there are. Mariah Carey, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five and Tupac have all sampled it.
Are you kidding me? How can you leave out "Walkin' on Sunshine" (Katrina and the Waves), "Puttin' on the Ritz" (Taco), and "Funkytown" (Lipps, Inc.)?
"Walkin' on Sunshine" (Katrina and the Waves)
Wow, that is an oversight. I can tell you it did not make the bottom 80 on VH1's list. Top 20, though? We'll see.
"Puttin' on the Ritz" (Taco)
That hit the Top 100 at #53.
"Funkytown" (Lipps, Inc.)
#37
One Night in Bangkok, by Murray Head.
LOVE that song. That would make my top 100.
All right, you got me listening to my own one-hit wonders collection. Where did these ones clock in?
Venus (Bananarama)
She Drives Me Crazy (Fine Young Cannibals)
Miami Vice Theme (Jan Hammer)
Axel F (Harold Faltermeyer)
Pop Musik (M Factor)
Who's Johnny (DeBarge - okay, they also had "Rhythm of the Night," so they might not be a "one-hit")
SB,
Pop Musik was 1979.
Fine Young Cannibals had more than one hit ("Good Thing" was another).
Bananarama had several hits, too.
The 80s are a rich vein.
I'm not sure if it will be on the list because she hit the charts with Joe Cocker later on, but I'd wager that "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes would be right around #1 on the list.
Venus (Bananarama)
Technically not a "one-hit wonder" because Cruel Summer was a Top 40 hit also.
She Drives Me Crazy (Fine Young Cannibals)
Also had another Top 40 hit, Good Thing.
Miami Vice Theme (Jan Hammer)
Didn't make the list.
Axel F (Harold Faltermeyer)
#70
Pop Musik (M Factor)
Song was released in late 1979 so it didn't make the 80s list.
Who's Johnny (DeBarge - okay, they also had "Rhythm of the Night," so they might not be a "one-hit")
Correct. Had at least two hits.
Mark, don't forget Kim Carnes had a hit when she teamed up with Kenny Rogers. Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer was the song.
I always try to forget Kenny Rogers, Brad.
I was afraid to bring up "Pac-Man Fever," but I see it came in at #98. This is a fun thread. Thanks, Brad.
she hit the charts with Joe Cocker
Actually, Mark, you're thinking of Jennifer Warnes. BTW, she also did a duet with Bill Medley circa 1987 (I've Had the Time of My Life).
Looks like I made it late to this party! The one that I'm curious about comes from 1983 I think. The problem is that I can never remember the name of the guy who did it and most of the time I can't even remember the tune. I just remember liking it. Alas.
I hear Cars on a regular basis at the Chatterbox Pub in St. Paul. I like it because it's immediately recognizable, and it doesn't run out of steam in the last minute.
The one that I'm curious about comes from 1983 I think. The problem is that I can never remember the name of the guy who did it and most of the time I can't even remember the tune. I just remember liking it.
That would be the tune from the Flashdance soundtrack. It's called Maniac, a one-hit wonder by a guy named Michael Sembello.
Hmm, nope. The tune just came to me... "Ain't nobody gonna break my stride. Nobody gonna slow me down. Oh no! I got to keep on movin'"
I've got no idea who sings it, but I always loved that song.
"Ain't nobody gonna break my stride. Nobody gonna slow me down. Oh no! I got to keep on movin'"
That's Matthew Wilder who sang Break my Stride.
Yes, back in the day he looked like a cross between John Oates and Richard Simmons.
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