“Come On Eileen” Named Best Popular Song of 1982!
The biggest surprise of all our song polling was confirmed when Voting Tabulator Angelo A. D’Arminio Jr. sent the results of the 1982 song polling this morning. The coronation of the British group Dexys Midnight Runners and the Emerald Express’s “Come On Eileen” was eye-opening because the song didn’t open in the US until January 1983. However, it debuted in the UK in the summer of 1982, and our voters went with that time frame. The vote was exceedingly close, with several songs bunched near the top! “Come On, Eileen” won with 190 votes, followed by “1999” by Prince (185),” “I Melt with You” by Modern English, (185) “Steppin Out” by Joe Jackson (184) and “More Than This” by Roxy Music (173) 43 ballots were cast!
1 Come On Eileen – Dexys Midnight Runners 190
2 1999 – Prince 185
3 I Melt with You – Modern English 185
4 Steppin’ Out – Joe Jackson 184
5 More Than This – Roxy Music 173
6 Sexual Healing – Marvin Gaye 163
7 Atlantic City – Bruce Springsteen 157
8 Abracadabra – Steve Miller Band 142
9 Don’t You Want Me – The Human League 140
10 Rock the Casbah – The Clash 137
11 I Love Rock ‘n Roll – Joan Jett & The Blackhearts 134
12 Town Called Malice – The Jam 126
13 Maneater – Hall & Oates 125
14 Eye of the Tiger – Survivor 124
15 Back on the Chain Gang – Pretenders 123
16 Should I Stay or Should I Go – The Clash 123
17 White Wedding (Billy Idol) 119
18 Here I am- Air Supply 118
19 Dirty Laundry – Don Henly 117
20 IGY – Donald Fagen 115
21 Gloria – Laura Braningan 108
22 Sweet Dreams – Eurythmics 108
23 Shoot Out the Lights – Richard & Linda Thompson 106
24 Shock the Monkey-Peter Gabriel 94
25 The Message – Grandmaster Flash 92
26 Eminence Front – The Who 87
27 Always On My Mind – Willie Nelson 84
28 Senses Working Overtime – XTC 76
29 Save It for Later (The English Beat) 75
30 Love My Way (Psychedelic Furs) 74
31 Avalon – Roxy Music 73
32 Shake It Up – The Cars 72
33 Somebody’s Baby-Jackson Browne 72
34 Don’t Stop Believing – Journey 71
35 Ebony and Ivory…McCartney / Wonder 68
36 Temptation – New Order 62
37 Private Eyes (Hall & Oates) 58
38 She Blinded Me With Science – Thomas Dolby 57
39 Hold Me – Fleetwood Mac 54
40 Cat People (Putting Out Fire), David Bowie 53
41 Who Can It Be Now…Men At Work 53
42 You Got Lucky (Tom Petty) 52
43 Gypsy (Fleetwood Mac) 51
44 Our House – Madness 50
45 Do I Do (Stevie Wonder) 47
46 Edge of Seventeen…Stevie Nicks 47
47 Hungry Like the Wolf” – Duran Duran 47
48 Only You – Yaz 45
49 Up Where We Belong—–Joe Cocker-Jennifer Warnes. 45
50 I Can’t Go For That (Hall & Oates) 42
————————-TOP 100 1983——————————-
1 “Every Breath You Take” The Police
2 “Billie Jean” Michael Jackson
3 “Flashdance… What a Feeling” Irene Cara
4 “Down Under” Men at Work
5 “Beat It” Michael Jackson
6 “Total Eclipse of the Heart” Bonnie Tyler
7 “Maneater” Hall & Oates
8 “Baby, Come to Me” Patti Austin and James Ingram
9 “Maniac” Michael Sembello
10 “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” Eurythmics
11 “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me” Culture Club
12 “You and I” Eddie Rabbitt and Crystal Gayle
13 “Come On Eileen” Dexys Midnight Runners
14 “Shame on the Moon” Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
15 “She Works Hard for the Money” Donna Summer
16 “Never Gonna Let You Go” Sérgio Mendes
17 “Hungry Like the Wolf” Duran Duran
18 “Let’s Dance” David Bowie
19 “Twilight Zone” Golden Earring
20 “I Know There’s Something Going On” Frida
21 “Jeopardy” The Greg Kihn Band
22 “Electric Avenue” Eddy Grant
23 “She Blinded Me with Science” Thomas Dolby
24 “Africa” Toto
25 “Little Red Corvette” Prince
26 “Back on the Chain Gang” The Pretenders
27 “Up Where We Belong” Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes
28 “Mr. Roboto” Styx
29 “You Are” Lionel Richie
30 “Der Kommissar” After the Fire
31 “Puttin’ on the Ritz” Taco
32 “Sexual Healing” Marvin Gaye
33 “(Keep Feeling) Fascination” The Human League
34 “Time (Clock of the Heart)” Culture Club
35 “The Safety Dance” Men Without Hats
36 “Mickey” Toni Basil
37 “You Can’t Hurry Love” Phil Collins
38 “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” Journey
39 “One on One” Hall & Oates
40 “We’ve Got Tonight” Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton
41 “1999” Prince
42 “Stray Cat Strut” Stray Cats
43 “Allentown” Billy Joel
44 “Stand Back” Stevie Nicks
45 “Tell Her About It” Billy Joel
46 “Always Something There to Remind Me” Naked Eyes
47 “Truly” Lionel Richie
48 “Dirty Laundry” Don Henley
49 “The Girl Is Mine” Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney
50 “Too Shy” Kajagoogoo
51 “Goody Two-Shoes” Adam Ant
52 “Rock the Casbah” The Clash
53 “Our House” Madness
54 “Overkill” Men at Work
55 “Is There Something I Should Know?” Duran Duran
56 “Gloria” Laura Branigan
57 “Affair of the Heart” Rick Springfield
58 “She’s a Beauty” The Tubes
59 “Solitaire” Laura Branigan
60 “Don’t Let It End” Styx
61 “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You” Laura Branigan
62 “China Girl” David Bowie
63 “Come Dancing” The Kinks
64 “Promises, Promises” Naked Eyes
65 “The Other Guy” Little River Band
66 “Making Love Out of Nothing at All” Air Supply
67 “Family Man” Hall & Oates
68 “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” Michael Jackson
69 “I Won’t Hold You Back” Toto
70 “All Right” Christopher Cross
71 “Straight from the Heart” Bryan Adams
72 “Heart to Heart” Kenny Loggins
73 “My Love” Lionel Richie
74 “I’m Still Standing” Elton John
75 “Hot Girls in Love” Loverboy
76 “It’s a Mistake” Men at Work
77 “I’ll Tumble 4 Ya” Culture Club
78 “All This Love” DeBarge
79 “Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy” Sammy Hagar
80 “Heartbreaker” Dionne Warwick
81 “Faithfully” Journey
82 “Steppin’ Out” Joe Jackson
83 “Take Me to Heart” Quarterflash
84 “(She’s) Sexy + 17” Stray Cats
85 “Try Again” Champaign
86 “Dead Giveaway” Shalamar
87 “Lawyers in Love” Jackson Browne
88 “What About Me” Moving Pictures
89 “Human Nature” Michael Jackson
90 “Photograph” Def Leppard
91 “Pass the Dutchie” Musical Youth
92 “True” Spandau Ballet
93 “Far from Over” Frank Stallone
94 “I’ve Got a Rock ‘n’ Roll Heart” Eric Clapton
95 “It Might Be You” Stephen Bishop
96 “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love” Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack
97 “You Got Lucky” Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
98 “Don’t Cry” Asia
99 “Breaking Us in Two” Joe Jackson
100 “Fall in Love with Me” Earth, Wind & Fire
Dan Kocher
1983, New Wave burned brightly but is just months away from being swallowed wholly by mainstream studios, shaving off the interesting corners of the genre and reconfiguring it to a more dependable (and boring) product, but college rock is gaining traction for a spectacular run lasting several years. My most-played album is The The’s Soul Mining. It’s a masterpiece and all 9 songs would fill out the top 9 spots on my list but I’ve restricted myself to one song per act. Also of note is the Plimsouls’ Everywhere at Once which delivered a captivating balance of energy, youthfulness, and assuredness. Billy Bragg kicks starts hitting my lists and will continue to do so in every year he releases albums. R.E.M. and U2 are early in their careers and still feel fresh. So much to love in this year.
1. Giant – The The
2. Cattle and Cane – The Go-Betweens
3. A Million Miles Away – The Plimsouls
4. Nobody’s Diary – Yaz
5. This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody) – Talking Heads
6. Borderline – Madonna
7. This Guitar Says Sorry – Billy Bragg
8. Love Is a Stranger – Eurythmics
9. Our Lips Are Sealed – Fun Boy Three
10. Add It Up – Violent Femmes
11. Time After Time – Cyndi Lauper
12. Science Fiction – Divinyls
13. Drop the Pilot – Joan Armatrading
14. Johnny B. Goode – Peter Tosh
15. The Walls Came Down – The Call
16. They Don’t Know – Tracey Ullman
17. 9-9 – R.E.M.
18. Shy Boy – Bananarama
19. Do You Wanna Hold Me? – Bow Wow Wow
20. New Year’s Day – U2
2
Ken Baker
Every Breath You Take
Billy Jean
Shame on the Moon
Always something There to Remind Me
Come Dancing
I’m Still Standing
Maneater
Thriller
Total Eclipse of the Heart
Beat it
Puttin’ on the Ritz
You Can’t Hurry Love
The Girl is Mine
Gloria
Active
Scott Neil Laster
1: Burning Down the House- Talking Heads
2: Every Breath You Take – Police
3: I Love L.A.- Randy Newman
4: Here Comes the Rain Again – Eurythmics
5: Nobody Told Me – John Lennon
6: Radio Free Europe – REM
7: Modern Love- David Bowie
8: Middle of the Road – The Pretenders
9: Everyday I Write The Book- Elvis Costello
10: 99 Luft Balloons- Nena
11: Sunday Bloody Sunday – U2
12: In A Big Country – Big Country
13: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun- Cyndi Lauper
14: One Thing Leads To Another – The Fixx
15: Pride and Joy- Stevie Ray Vaughan
16: China Girl – David Bowie
17: Stand Back – Stevie Nicks
18: Lawyers In Love- Jackson Browne
19: Rebel Yell- Billy Idol
20: Blister In the Sun- Violent Femmes
Tom Zanki
Has polling for 1982 closed?
Active
Sammy Juliano
Tom, the results of 1982 have been posted. Please scroll down on my timeline to see them.
Tom Zanki
Thanks. That’s all right, it wasn’t my favorite year anyway.
Samuel Juliano
Top 20
1. Burning Down the House-Talking Heads
2. Let’s Dance-David Bowie
3. Thriller-Michael Jackson
4. I’m Still Standing-Elton John
5. Karma Chameleon-Culture Club
6. Buffalo Soldier-Bob Marley and The Wailers
7. Rebel Yell-Billy Idol
8. Love is a Battlefield-Pat Benatar
9. Girls Just Want To Have Fun-Cyndi Lauper
10. Everything Counts-Depeche Mode
11. Blue Monday-New Order
12. Family Man-Hall and Oates
13. Mr. Roboto-Styx
14. Every Breath You Take-Police
15. Hello-Lionel Richie
16. Sunday, Bloody Sunday-U2
17. Lovecats-The Cure
18. The Cold Song-Klaus Nomi
19. Who’s That Girl-Eurythmics
20. Total Eclipse of the Heart-Bonnie Tyler
Andrew Hunt
Right on! I was really looking forward to this one – what a great year for music! Thank you, Sammy and Angelo! (BTW, your list looks terrific, Sammy, as always!) Here’s my 1983 Top 20:
1. “Modern Love” – David Bowie
2. “Cool Places” – Sparks and Jane Wiedlin
3. “Rockit” – Herbie Hancock
4. “Every Day I Write the Book” – Elvis Costello
5. “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” – Michael Jackson
6. “New Year’s Day” – U2
7. “Back on the Chain Gang” – The Pretenders
8. “Wrapped Around Your Finger” – The Police
9. “Radio Free Europe” (Murmur version) – R.E.M.
10. “King of Pain” – The Police
11. “The Trooper” – Iron Maiden
12. “Too Shy” – Kajagoogoo
13. “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” – Eurythmics
14. “Time (Clock of the Heart)” – Culture Club
15. “All Night Long” – Lionel Richie
16. “This Charming Man” – The Smiths
17. “Promises, Promises” – Naked Eyes
18. “Twilight Zone” – Golden Earring
19. “Come Dancing” – The Kinks
20. “She Blinded Me with Science” – Thomas Dolby
Active
Cindy Collins Smith
Billy Jean – Michael Jackson
Burning Down the House – Talking Heads
Der Kommissar – Falco
Electric Avenue – Eddy Grant
Every Breath You Take – The Police
Helter Skelter – The Bobs
King of Pain – The Police
Let’s Dance – David Bowie
Little Red Corvette – Prince
Modern Love – David Bowie
New Year’s Day – U2
Radio Free Europe – R.E.M.
Rebel Yell – Billy Idol
The Safety Dance – Men Without Hats
(She’s) Sexy + 17 – Stray Cats
Song for a Future Generation- B52s
Sunday Bloody Sunday – U2
Sweet Dreams Are Made of This – Eurhythmics
They Don’t Know – Tracey Ullman
True – Spandau Ballet
Celeste Fenster
Ranked ballot—
1 Every Breath You Take, The Police
2 New Year’s Day, U2
3 Come Dancing, The Kinks
4 Wrapped Around My Finger, The Police
5 Billie Jean, Michael Jackson
6 Total Eclipse of the Heart, Bonnie Tyler
7 True, Spandau Ballet
8 All Night Long, Lionel Richie
9 Sunday Bloody Sunday, U2
10 Let’s Dance, David Bowie
11 Hungry Like the Wolf, Duran Duran
12 Down Under, Men at Work
13 Thriller, Michael Jackson
14 Africa, Toto
15 One on One, Hall & Oates
16 Hello, Lionel Richie
17 Little Red Corvette, Prince
18 Radio Free Europe, R.E.M.
19 Shame on the Moon, Bob Seger
20 Flashdance, Irene Cara
Richard Finch
Sweet Dreams (Eurythmics)
Tell Me When It’s Over (Dream Syndicate–released as UK single 1983)
Radio Free Europe (REM)
Every Breath You Take (Police)
The Cutter (Echo and the Bunnymen)
New Year’s Day (U2)
Here Comes the Rain Again (Eurythmics)
Suddenly Last Summer (The Motels)
Burnin’ Down the House (Talking Heads)
Sunday Bloody Sunday (U2)
In a Big Country (Big Country)
Modern Love (David Bowie)
99 Luftballoons (Nena)
Red, Red Wine UB40)
Middle of the Road (Pretenders)
Eyes Without a Face (Billy Idol)
Every Day I Write the Book (Elvis Costello)
Reel Around the Fountain (The Smiths)
This Must Be the Place (Talking Heads)
Let’s Dance (David Bowie)
Active
Maxine Segedin Grgurev
My list in no special order.
Every Breath You Take—–The Police
Billie Jean—– Michael Jackson
Total Eclipse of the Heart—-Bonnie Tyler
Beat It—–Michael Jackson
Do you Really Want To Hurt Me——Culture Club.
Come On Eileen——–Dexys Midnight Runner
She Works Hard For The Money——Donna Summer
Africa—–Toto
Time——Culture Club.
Mickey——Toni Basil
We’ve Got Tonight—–Kenny Rogers/Sheena Easton
Gloria —–Laura Brannigan
I’m Still Standing——Elton John.
I’ll Tumble 4 Ya——Culture Club.
Rock This Town—-Stray Cats
Shadows of the Night——Pat Benatar
I’m So Excited——Pointer Sisters
It Must Be Love—–Madness
Sweet Dreams——-Eurythmics
Electric Avenue—–Eddie Grant
Lucia Harper
1983 New Town, new job, new friends, new music.
“The Cutter”, Echo & The Bunnymen
“The Love Cats”, The Cure
“Everything Counts”, Depeche Mode
“Let’s Dance”, David Bowie
“In a Big Country”, Big Country,
“This Is the Day”, The The
“This is Not a Love Song”, Public Image Ltd
“99 Luftballoons”, Nena
“Cattle and Cane”, The Go-Betweens,
“Message To My Girl”, Split Enz
“Song to the Siren”, This Mortal Coil,
“Walk Out to Winter”, Aztec Camera
” Drop the Pilot’ – Joan Armatrading
“Buffalo Soldier”, Bob Marley and The Wailers
“Blue Monday”, New Order
“She’s In Parties”, Bauhaus
“One Thing Leads to Another”, The Fixx
The Plimsouls, “A Million Miles Away”
“Second Skin”, The Chameleons,
“Time After Time”, Cyndi Lauper
Dolores Bright
1 Making love out of nothing at all-Air Supply
2 Every breath you take-The Police
3 Separate Ways- Journey
4 Flashdance- Irene Cara
5 She works hard for the money -Donna Summer
6 Faithfully -Journey
7 Islands in the Stream- Kenny Rogers /Dolly Parton
8 Tell her about it- Billy Joel
9 That’s all-Genesis
10 Uptown Girl- Billy Joel
11 I’m still standing -Elton John
12 Love is a Battlefield -Pat Benetar
13 Nobody Told Me-John Lennon
14 Girls just wanna have fun-Cyndi Laupner
15 The heart of rock and roll – Huey Lewis and the news
16 Karma Carmalian -Culture Club
17 Hello-Lionel Richie
18 Sweet dreams- Eurythmics
19 True-Spandeau Ballet
20 All night long – Lionel Richie
Adolfo Fernández-Punsola
Let’s Dance and Sexual Healing
Derek Vincent
1983
1) Radio Free Europe REM
2) Girlfriend is Better TALKING HEADS
3) Danseparc MARTHA & THE MUFFINS
4) The More I See (The Less I Believe) FUN BOY THREE
5) Uncertain Smile THE THE
6) Pumping Velvet YELLO
7) Rene and Georgette Magritte… PAUL SIMON
Waiting for the Moon BRUCE COCKBURN
9) Blue Monday NEW ORDER
10) Pale Shelter TEARS FOR FEARS
11) Crackdown CABARET VOLTAIRE
12) Power and the Passion MIDNIGHT OIL
13) Long Hot Summer STYLE COUNCIL
14) 16 Shells From a Thirty-Ought Six TOM WAITS
15) Blister in the Sun VIOLENT FEMMES
16) Owner of a Lonely Heart YES
17) Love is a Stranger EURYTHMICS
18) Rave on, John Donne VAN MORRISON
19) Neighborhood Bully BOB DYLAN
20) One Thing Leads to Another THE FIXX
Active
Sammy Juliano
Derek Vincent, I adore your #1 song. It is in my own Top 3 of the year if I ordered my list!
Derek Vincent
YOUTUBE.COM
Pumping Velvet (Remastered 2005)
Pumping Velvet (Remastered 2005)
Derek Vincent
Masterpiece! https://youtu.be/j5KYlvfpaVY?si=4l_vLXmbGpEERhi0
YOUTUBE.COM
Fun Boy Three – The More I See (The Less I Believe) (Official Music Video)
Fun Boy Three – The More I See (The Less I Believe) (Official Music Video)
Active
Sammy Juliano
Derek Vincent, I just listened to it! I am revising my Top 20 to include it right now! Yes, a masterpiece indeed!!!!!! Wow!
Derek Vincent
Gorgeous https://youtu.be/4N3M_gcKX20?si=7s1gSuegm7kmj0PR
YOUTUBE.COM
Bruce Cockburn – Waiting For The Moon
Bruce Cockburn – Waiting For The Moon
Derek Vincent
Sammy Juliano who would think that you would like a political song!
Derek Vincent
Active
Sammy Juliano
Derek Vincent the Cockburn song is lovely!!
Billie Jean (Michael Jackson)
Little Red Corvette (Prince)
White Lines (Don’t Do It) (Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel)
Age of Consent (New Order)
Come On Eileen (Dexys Midnight Runners)
Radio Free Europe (R.E.M.)
Swamp (Talking Heads)
This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) (Talking Heads)
Shipbuilding (Elvis Costello and the Attractions)
Everyday I Write the Book (Elvis Costello and the Attractions)
Our Lips Are Sealed (Fun Boy Three)
Oblivious (Aztec Camera)
Who’s That Girl? (Eurythmics)
Ain’t Nobody (Chaka Khan)
Song to the Siren (This Mortal Coil)
Legs (ZZ Top)
Electric Avenue (Eddy Grant)
Stand Back (Stevie Nicks)
Borderline (Madonna)
She Works Hard for the Money (Donna Summer)
The Spotify playlist WITD-1982 is up.
I was glad to read the polls will be going back to the 50s, but starting at 1957 ignores the early hits of Elvis, Bill Haley, Bo Diddley, Lloyd Price, Fats Domino, Big Joe Turner and not a few others, going back to at least 1952. Maybe have a pre-1957 poll?
I know Sam is appreciative of my effort here, but the Spotify stats show nobody has followed any of the WITD playlists.
Some acknowledgement from others would be welcome. Each result list has to be cleaned of typos, and inconsistent use of dashes, commas, and brackets, and different character sets that render apostrophes and quotation marks differently.
Thanks
Tony—-
You make an excellent point about the time frame! Therefore, we will go back to 1952 up to 1962, the year before we started in 63. I greatly look forward to those years!
I am saddened and perplexed that readers are not availing themselves of the Spotify playlists, and will alert everyone about this matter on next week’s MMD. Your efforts are treasured! I can only imagine the work that has gone into cleaning up the lists, and I will also acknowledge that effort in on the April 22nd post!
Thank you many times over! -Sammy
My Twenty For 1983 (Alphabetical Order)
Ain’t Nobody : Rufus Ft Chaka Khan.
Blue Monday : New Order.
Borderline : Madonna.
Burning Down The House : Talking Heads.
Dear Prudence : Siouxsie And The Banshies.
Every Breath You Take : The Police.
Everything Counts : Depeche Mode.
Here Comes The Rain : The Eurythmics.
(Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew : Rock Steady Crew.
I Love L.A : Randy Newman.
Jump : Van Halen.
Just Be Good To Me : S.O.S Band.
Let’s Dance : David Bowie.
Long Hot Summer : Style Council.
99 Luftballons : Nena.
Pull Marine : Isabelle Adjani.
Song To The Siren : This Mortal Coil.
This Charming Man : The Smiths.
This Is The Day : The The.
Time After Time : Cyndi Lauper.
Happy birthday to Jack Nicholson, one of the greatest modern American film actors, second only to Brando.
Mark, thank you for acknowledging him! We did a birthday poll on him last year, and over 80 people cast ballots for their 8 favorite films by him in no particular order. CUCKOO’S NEST prevailed, as expected.