MY FAVORITE 1980 BILLBOARD SONGS (PART TWO)

After listening to all 470 songs that appeared in the TOP 100 in 1980 the following are my favorites. There will be omissions (Upside Down by Diana Ross, Another One Bites the Dust by Queen, Another Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd, etc.) that will make you go….hmmmmmmmmmmm. However, this is my list. These are songs that would make me want to push the REPEAT button. The aforementioned songs could be included in entries that will focus on important or significant songs of a particular year or decade.


Update: Initially I included youtube videos of the songs, but that caused delays in viewing the whole post. Other than that, a day after I uploaded the video for the Toby Beau song, it was removed from the YT site. I was thinking coincidence but I'd rather play it safe. So if you want to hear the songs then you can just go to YT and type the title and artist yourself. Enjoy!




SONG NO. 21
TITLE: After You
ARTIST: Dionne Warwick
PEAK POSITION: 65
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 6

This song is part of the ‘Dionne’ album that also included her monster 1979 hit “I’ll Never Love This Way Again.” Although I like that song, After You for me is more real. While the other one is about ‘knowing’ that no one can replace a former lover, this song is about ‘not knowing’ if someone else can take his place. However, like “I’ll Never Love This Way Again,” this song is proof that when a wonderful singer like Dionne is paired with one of the most ‘melodic’ producers of all-time, Barry Manilow, the results would be timeless classics.






SONG NO. 22
TITLE: Can’t Put A Price on Love
ARTIST: The Knack
PEAK POSITION: 62
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 6

The band never recovered from the backlash that resulted from the popularity of their 1979 debut album and single (My Sharona). Too bad since this single from their second album “….But The Little Girls Understand,” seemed like a winning effort on their part to veer away from the Beatles-style that made a lot of critics hate them in the first place. Though this sounds like a filler from an Eagles album, this song, like My Sharona, never gets old even after a million spins.






SONG NO. 23
TITLE: Easy Love
ARTIST: Dionne Warwick
PEAK POSITION: 62
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 10

Of course Arista Records wanted to capitalize on the renewed popularity of Dionne Warwick after the success of her first Arista album “Dionne” (after her career slowed down at Warner Bros. Records) that they decided to make her go back right away to the studios and come up with a new album “No Night So Long,” where “Easy Love” is taken from. Although lightweight in the production department, the “easy” melody of this song made this an essential in my playlist.




SONG NO. 24
TITLE: Love X Love
ARTIST: George Benson
PEAK POSITION: 61
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 6

Notable vocals and guitar work from George Benson, impressive writing from Rod Temperton (former Heatwave member and famous Michael Jackson collaborator…hello Rock With You and Thriller?), and classy production work from the one and only Quincy Jones…what more can I, a pop music addict, ask for.





SONG NO. 25
TITLE: Today is the Day
ARTIST: Bar-Kays
PEAK POSITION: 60
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 5

For a song (included in the group’s 1979 album Injoy) that is about the day that a couple will say goodbye and move on their separate ways it has a bouncy and (at times) joyful doo-wop vibe. Hopeful? Maybe….or this is just a song that tried to prove that breaking up is not so hard to do….and this is exactly why I like this song now.






SONG NO. 26
TITLE: Honey, Honey
ARTIST: David Hudson
PEAK POSITION: 59
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 11

“Ahhhhh………Honey….Honey….Girl I’m Gonna Gonna Gonna Get You (not sure about the exact words but I’m sure about the gonna gonna gonna part)……” goes the first line of this song. Hey…I think all of us are entitled to love a thousand songs like these especially from artists who don’t have a decent Wikipedia entry.






SONG NO. 27
TITLE: Girl, Don’t Let It Get You Down
ARTIST: The O’Jays
PEAK POSITION: 55
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 11

Lush is a word often used to describe the Philadelphia Soul sound (the O’Jays being one of the leading groups belonging to that movement). After hearing this song for the first time a week ago, lush is no longer just a word. Still finding my way out of the feeling that took over me after hearing it.






SONG NO. 28
TITLE: Let’s Go Round Again
ARTIST: Average White Band
PEAK POSITION: 53
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 8

Yes, the Scots can do mean funk and disco especially that of the pleading kind. With one of the most dramatic recorded vocal performances ever for a disco song, this never fails to make me cry while dancing (inside a john and plugged).






SONG NO. 29
TITLE: First….Be a Woman
ARTIST: Leonore O’Malley
PEAK POSITION: 53
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 8

This song is about going back to being a natural woman. The song argues that a woman can’t be a quarterback and a man can’t wear a sexy dress, so why try to be alike when it is only self-defense. Will never and should never be a part of the feminist pop music canon but I strongly believe that this should be included in playlists of members of the strongest sex (gays…natch)




SONG NO. 30
TITLE: Can We Still Be Friends?
ARTIST: Robert Palmer
PEAK POSITION: 52
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 9

A remake of the 1978 Todd Rundgren hit. There’s something in Robert Palmer’s voice and the edgier sound that made me love this version more.






END OF PART TWO: MY FAVORITE 1980 BILLBOARD SONGS

MY FAVORITE 1980 BILLBOARD SONGS (PART ONE)

I will begin this ‘musical journey’ with my favorite songs that appeared in the TOP 100 back in 1980. I am starting with this year since it was back in May 4, 1980 that Kasey Casem’s television show “America’s TOP 10,” made its debut in syndication in the U.S and it was the beginning of the decade that (in my opinion) will be pop music’s mega golden age. However at the beginning, continuing the trend that started during the latter part of the 1970s, sales for both albums and singles declined. If there was any kind of music that dominated that year it was…of course…. pop. With the death of disco, British New Wave was just waiting to make its presence felt. The release of the film ‘Urban Cowboy’ and its soundtrack revived country music (or is it because of the film’s star John Travolta…remember his role in making disco ultra popular back in 1977?). The most significant trend, in my opinion, that will have an impact to the music industry in the coming years is the growing popularity of music clips of singers performing their latest songs and released by record companies for promotional purposes with Gary Numan and Blondie leading the charge.


After listening to all 470 songs that appeared in the TOP 100 in 1980 the following are my favorites. There will be omissions (Upside Down by Diana Ross, Another One Bites the Dust by Queen, Another Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd, etc.) that will make you go….hmmmmmmmmmmm. However, this is my list. These are songs that would make me want to push the REPEAT button. The aforementioned songs could be included in entries that will focus on important or significant songs of a particular year or decade.


Update: Initially I included youtube videos of the songs, but that caused delays in viewing the whole post. Other than that, a day after I uploaded the video for the Toby Beau song, it was removed from the YT site. I was thinking coincidence but I'd rather play it safe. So if you want to hear the songs then you can just go to YT and type the title and artist yourself. Enjoy!





SONG NO. 1
TITLE: Only the Lonely (Have a Reason to be Sad)
ARTIST: La Flavour
PEAK POSITION: 91
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 2

What I vividly remember from my early days of listening to the radio was that majority of hit songs played by Filipino DJs were ‘easy’ and ‘cool.’ It was only during high school that I learned that it was called ‘easy-listening’ music. My early exposure to this type of music made me partial to love songs from the pop, jazz and soul genres. ‘Only The Lonely’ is a perfect example of that. It’s one song that I will play while cleaning the house for the relaxing and soothing effect.




SONG NO. 2
TITLE: Remote Control
ARTIST: The Reddings
PEAK POSITION: 89
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 13

You may not be familiar with this song but maybe after hearing this you would recognize a big Bobby Brown hit and the Britney Spears remake (My Prerogative). Cool, funky disco tune from two sons of the great Otis Redding.




SONG NO. 3
TITLE: The Breaks PART 1
ARTIST: Kurtis Blow
PEAK POSITION: 87
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100 6

If you are a fan of Jimmy Fallon’s late night show, you may have seen Jimmy use this during a routine with Justin Timberlake a few weeks ago. This is an entertaining song from the early days of a genre that will begin its dominance on the pop charts a decade later.




SONG NO. 4
TITLE: I’ve Just Begun to Love You
ARTIST: Dynasty
PEAK POSITION: 87
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 6

Too bad this song was released a year after disco was given a death sentence. Funkdafied dance music at its very best.




SONG NO. 5
TITLE: You Can Call Me Blue
ARTIST: Michael Johnson
PEAK POSITION: 86
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 3

One of those songs that would always make me feel nostalgic for the 1980s.




SONG NO. 6
TITLE: More Bounce to the Ounce (Part 1)
ARTIST: Zapp and Roger
PEAK POSITION: 86
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 7

I never got to experience going to the skating rink at the old Araneta Center or at Luneta and dance on skates. I could have so much fun dancing on skates to this hypnotic jam.




SONG NO. 7
TITLE: I Call Your Name
ARTIST: Switch
PEAK POSITION: 83
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 15

This song is about seven minutes long but I never get tired of listening to this super falsetto-fest.




SONG NO. 8
TITLE: Just For The Moment
ARTIST: Ray Kennedy
PEAK POSITION: 82
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 3

This is the song that used to make me look forward to spending relaxing rainy weekends when I was a freshman back in college. Made me sleep better even after attending ROTC sessions during Sundays.




SONG NO. 9
TITLE: You and Me
ARTIST: Rockie Robbins
PEAK POSITION: 80
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 4

A great song from a time when men really loved their women.




SONG NO. 10
TITLE: Cry Just a Little
ARTIST: Paul Davis
PEAK POSITION: 78
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 4

I heard this song for the first time a year ago and I immediately fell in love with it. The voice is simply deceptively simple.




SONG NO. 11
TITLE: I Was Looking For Someone To Love
ARTIST: Leif Garrett
PEAK POSITION: 78
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 5

Before the Justin Beiber hair, we had the Leifmotif (bad hair day that recurs). However, there is no denying that Leif is one of the biggest teen idols of the 1970s. His career (well I think) ended in the U.S. by 1980, but here in the Philippines he hit it big with this song.




SONG NO. 12
TITLE: You’re My Blessing
ARTIST: Lou Rawls
PEAK POSITION: 77
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 3

Gifted with one of the classiest and smoothest voices in pop music, Lou Rawls has always been a favorite and an influence. He can turn an ordinary song to an anthem…like this one.




SONG NO. 13
TITLE: Survive
ARTIST: Jimmy Buffett
PEAK POSITION: 77
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 5

I have no idea why that line about a telephone bill was included in this song but I can’t deny that I was moved when I first heard this song a few years ago. The melody, the honest voice, and the killer background vocals made this song important for me.




SONG NO. 14
TITLE: Inside of You
ARTIST: Ray, Goodman, and Brown
PEAK POSITION: 76
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 4

Originally known as The Moments, this group sounded like the Delfonics when I first heard their other big hit, Special Lady. Well no coincidence there since Harold Brown is the former vocalist of the said group. This song is no exception.




SONG NO. 15
TITLE: Holdin’ On for Dear Love
ARTIST: Lobo
PEAK POSITION: 75
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 8

When I was a kid I thought that Lobo (Robert Kent LaVoie in real life) was a Filipino singer since lobo is the Pinoy term for balloon. Jazzy and folky, this song is one smooth baby.




SONG NO. 16
TITLE: I Don’t Like Mondays
ARTIST: Boomtown Rats
PEAK POSITION: 73
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 5

One of the greatest songs of this decade (and probably of all-time) is about a teenager who fired at children playing in a school playground just because it livened up her Monday. The opening line “Silicon chip inside her head had switched to overload,” in my personal opinion is one of the most profound song lyrics ever written.




SONG NO. 17
TITLE: Leavin’ L.A.
ARTIST: Deliverance
PEAK POSITION: 71
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 5

If you’re a fan of Christian pop music, then this band must be one of your favorites back in the early 80s.




SONG NO. 18
TITLE: If I Were You
ARTIST: Toby Beau
PEAK POSITION: 70
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 4

The last line in the chorus….”If I Were You, I’d Fall in Love With Me,” killed me. Should have been a top ten hit.




SONG NO. 19
TITLE: Catching The Sun
ARTIST: Spyro Gyra
PEAK POSITION: 68
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 5

One of the biggest groups in the smooth jazz movement, Spyro Gyra has one of the biggest followings among the so-called “conyo” (young middle class students or young professionals) crowd during the 80s. Listening to this tune makes me miss those old travel shows and makes me look forward to seeing old American morning shows on YouTube.




SONG NO. 20
TITLE: Don’t Make Me Over
ARTIST: Jennifer Warnes
PEAK POSITION: 67
WEEKS IN THE TOP 100: 7

What a voice! Definitely the best recorded version of this song…with all due respect to Ms. Warwick.





END OF PART ONE : MY FAVORITE 1980 BILLBOARD SONGS