Biggest One Hit Wonders of the 80s-- Part 1: 'Funkytown'

From the April 14, 2022, Yardbarker/MSN by Jeff Mezydlo.

I'm just listing them.  For more information, go to the site.

1.  FUNKYTOWN-- Lipps, Inc. (1980)

2.  TURNING JAPANESE--  Vapors  (1980)

3.  867-5309/ JENNY--  Tommy Tutone (1981)   One of my all-time favorite tunes.

4.  I MELT WITH YOU--  Modern English  (1981)

5.  COME ON EILEEN--  Dexy's Midnight Runners (1982)   Another great song and video.

6.  I KNOW WHAT BOYS LIKE--  The Waitresses  (1982)

7.  I WANT CANDY--  Bow Wow Wow  (1982)

8.  MICKEY--  Toni Basil    Loved that cheerleader video.

9.  PASS THE DUTCHIE--  Musical Youth  (1982)

10.  PITTIN' ON THE RITZ--  Taco (1982)

Without looking above, what's that phone number again.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "You're So Fine You Blow My Mind."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Mickey"

Good Times Last Week-- Part 3: Newspapers, Cassette Tapes, Summer 1971, 80s A to Z, Band on a Deck, Beer and Wings and a Little Blue Nun

Continued from September 8, 2021.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

Front Porch as usual for breakfast, coffee and read the Chicago Tribune.   Hard copy of course, there is just something I like about a newspaper in hand, but the price of paper copies is getting pretty dear so don't know how much longer I can continue to keep it coming. It is now $3 daily and $5.75 on Sunday.

I recorded Bob Stroud's Rock and Roll Root Salute to Summer 1971, Part 4, on Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM.  Really took me back those fifty years.  Back in 1971, I was recording on cassette tapes and I recorded this show on cassette tape as well.

Stuck with those old newspapers and cassette tapes, you know.

I also have been recording segments of the Drive's 80s A to Z which they have been running since Friday and will continue through Labor Day tomorrow.   They are also going to continue with it starting next Friday.  I figure these will be great Firebird Cruising songs since it is a 1985 and still has a cassette deck.

We went to Choppers where we met Glenn and Barb and enjoyed sitting out on the deck listening to John Piet and his pal entertain with lots of oldies.  The $2 draft beer and 45 cent wings didn't hurt either.  We were sitting out by a channel with plenty of Chain of Lakes boat traffic.

We came back home and sat out by the Flats on the east side of the house and finished off the last of our anniversary Blue Nun wine.

Still Stuck in the Old Days, I Reckon.  --RoadDog

Good Times Last Week: Cuda's Fish Fry, 80s A to Z ibn Chicago's Drive, Legion Party and Margaritaville

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

We met Kevin, Kelly, Glenn and Barb at Cuda's on Grasslake Road for their beer-battered fish fry.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

Since Friday afternoon I have been recording segments of the Drive's (WDRV, 97.1 FM Chicago) 80s A to Z, which they will be doing all this weekend and all of next weekend.  The 80s are one of my favorite decades for music and I was listening to a lot of it for my deejay business.

I am recording the segments on cassette tapes and will rerecord them on cassettes with the idea of listening to them when I'm out in the 1985 Firebird.  Which, by the way, still has a cassette deck.

Met Glenn and Barb at the Fox Lake American Legion at 3 pm where they had one of our favorite performers, Joe Kadlec entertaining.

Where else you gonna go in the afternoon for music and beers.

Came home and enjoyed Margaritaville and the Ultimate Jukebox (300 CDs) in the basement while watching the Sox and Georgia games on TV.

--RoadDog

Number One Summer Songs of the 80s-- Part 4

Rob O'Connor's list based on Billboard charts.

1988

ONE MORE TRY--  George Michael
TOGETHER FOREVER--  Rick Astley
FOOLISH BEAT--  Debbie Gibson
DIRTY DIANA--  Michael Jackson
THE FLAME--  Cheap Trick
HOLD ON TO THE NIGHT--  Richard Marx


1989

FOREVER YOUR GIRL--  Paula Abdul
WIND BENEATH MY WINGS--  Bette Midler
I'LL BE LOVING YOU (FOREVER)--  New Kids on the Block  (Hey!!  A Boy Band!!)
BABY DON'T FORGET MY NUMBER--  Milli Vanilli--  I don't care who sang it, it was a great song as was the album.
GOOD THING--  Fine Young Cannibals--  I'm sorry this was just a one-hit album group.  Loved Roland's voice.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW ME BY NOW--  Simply Red  --Blue-eyed soul.
COLD HEARTED--  Paula Abdul--  Pretty good summer for Paula.

I Remember the 80s.  I Was Doing a Lot of Deejaying Back Then.  --RoadDog


WORD PLAY:  What's the definition of a will?  It's a dead give-away.

Number One Summer Songs of the 80s-- Part 3

From the August 31st List of the Day "Say Goodbye to Summer: Say Goodbye to the 1980s" by Rob O'Connor.

1986

THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL--  Whitney Houston
ON MY OWN--  Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald
HOLDING BACK THE YEARS--  Simply Red
SLEDGEHAMMER--  Peter Gabriel
PAPA DON'T PREACH--  Madonna
HIGHER LOVE--  Steve Winwood


1987

WITH OR WITHOUT YOU--  U2
YOU KEEP ME HANGING ON--  Kim Wilde
I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY (WHO LOVES ME)--  Whitney Houston
ALONE--  Heart--  This one on any of their 20-30 greatest hits packages.
I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR--  U2--  This one reminds me of Las Vegas that summer.
LA BAMBA--  Los Lobos--  Great group, great movie.

Two More Years to Go.  --RoadDog


WORD PLAY:  A bicycle can't stand alone because it is two-tired.

Number One Summer Songs 1980s-- Part 2

These songs reached number one during a summer month back then.  Hard to believe that 1982 is now thirty years ago!!!

1983

FLASHDANCE...WHAT A FEELING--  Irene Cara
EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE--  Police--  That Synchronicity album was everywhere that summer.  Always reminds me of the Pioneer Inn in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS)--  Eurythmics--  First big hit


1984 

LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE BOY-- Deniece Williams--  From that movie.  She's not Denephew, she's Deniece.
TIME AFTER TIME--  Cyndi Lauper--  Who'd have thought the "Fun" girl could get serious?
THE REFLEX--  Duran Duran
WHEN DOVES CRY--  Prince
GHOSTBUSTERS--  Ray Parker, Jr.  Who you gonna call?

1985

EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD--  Tears for Fears
SUSSUDIO--  Phil Collins
SHOUT--  Tears for Fears--  Quite a summer for these two fellas.  Great album, that Songs from the Big Chair.

I Remember All of These.  --RoadDog


THE LAST FUNNY HEADLINE:  Iraqi Head Seeks Arms

Number One Summer Songs of the 1980s-- Part 1

From the August 20th List of the Day "Summer Songs of the Early 1980s" by Rob O'Connor.

I'll be listing them and adding comments.  O'Connor had comments on all songs, often hilarious.  He uses the Billboard charts for his criteria (the only real indicator).  These were songs that reached #1 during the summer months.

1980 

FUNKYTOWN--  Lipps, Inc.--  This always got the folks out on the floor when I was deejaying.
COMING UP--  Paul McCartney
IT' STILL ROCK AND ROLL TO ME--  Billy Joel--  Another crowd favorite
MAGIC--  Olivia Newton-John
SAILING--  Christopher Cross

1981

BETTE DAVIS EYES--  Kim Carnes--  A personal favorite of mine.
MEDLEY--  Stars on 45--  Another floor filler.
THE ONE THAT YOU LOVE--  Air Supply--  Mellow Australians.
JESSIE'S GIRL--  Rock Springfield--  Folks liked this one as well.  Or was it by Bruce Springsteen?
ENDLESS LOVE--  Diana Ross and Lionel Richie--  I lost count how often I played this at weddings.

1982

EBONY AND IVORY--  Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder--  Well, they were.
DON'T YOU WANT ME--  Human League--  Another floor-filler
EYE OF THE TIGER--  Survivor--  Songwriter Jim Peterik of Survivor and, before that, the Ides of March, told visitors to his house in suburban Chicago "This is the house that Sylvester built"
ABRACADABRA--  Steve Miller Band

Oh, Those Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer.  --RoadDog


FUNNY HEADLINES:  Farmer Bill Dies in House

Back to the 80s on WXRT

Chicago's Finest Rock, WXRT 93.1 FM is celebrating their fourth decade in business with an all-80s weekend.  Nothing but 80s music the whole time except midnight to 10 AM.

I'm sure enjoying the music.  The 80s are the last decade where I really liked most all of the music.  Since 1990 I'd have to say that I only like about 50% of the music.  My top decades are the 60s, 70s and 80s.  I was alive in the 50s, but not listening to music that much.

Play On WXRT.

By the way, tomorrow, rival station WDRV's Bob Stroud is featuring the Band from 7 AM to 10AM because of Levon Helms dying.  Should be a good one.

Singing Along With the 80s.  --RoadDog

Flashback to 1983

I'm listening to WXRT's Saturday Morning Flashback right now. Every Saturday, host Wendy Rice takes you back to one year from the late 60s to early double 0s. You get the music and lots of information.

Some songs to bring back some memories:

BANG ON THE DRUMS-- Todd Rundgren
BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE-- Talking Heads
SYNCHRONICITY 2-- Police
LET'S DANCE-- David Bowie
MAJOR TOM-- Peter Schilling

PINK HOUSES-- John Mellancamp
COME DANCING-- Kinks
RADIO FREE EUROPE-- REM
IN A BIG COUNTRY-- Big Country
BLISTER IN THE SUN-- Violent Femmes

NEW YEAR'S DAY-- U2
SWEET DREAMS-- Eurythmics

Notable Deaths:

The two bears: George Hallas and Paul Bryant
Tennessee Williams
Michael Conrad-- Hill Street Blue's roll call Sergeant Esterhaus
Arthur Godfrey
Slim Pickens
Carolyn Jones-- Better-known as Morticia Addams
William Demorest-- Uncle Charlie
Buster Crabbe-- Good old Flash.

Also, US forces invaded Grenada.

Saturday Morning Flashback is on WXRT 93.1 FM in Chicago from 8 am to noon. It streams live.

Have You Had Your '83 for Today? --RoadDog


MUSINGS FROM A CONFUSED MIND: They told me I was gullible and I believed them.

"Rock of Ages"-- '80s Music at Its Best-- Part 2

From the October 6th entry.

Continuing with the songs featured in the musical "Rock of Ages."

ACT 2


THE FINAL COUNTDOWN-- Europe (1086)
ANYWAY YOU WANT IT-- Journey (1980)
PARADISE CITY-- Guns N' Roses (1988)
HIGH ENOUGH-- Damn Yankees (1990)

I HATE MYSELF FOR LOVING YOU-- Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (1988)
HEAT OF THE MOMENT-- Asia (1982)
HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT-- Pat Benatar (1980)
CAN'T FIGHT THIS FEELING-- REO Speedwagon (1984)

EVERY ROSE HAS ITS THORN-- Poison (1988)
OH SHERRIE-- Steve Perry (1984)
KEEP ON LOVING YOU-- REO Speedwagon (1980)
THE SEARCH IS OVER-- Survivor (1985)

RENEGADE-- Styx (1978)
DON'T STOP BELIEVIN'-- Journey (1981)

Even if the musical wasn't any good, the music would have been worth it.

Did these songs bring back any memories?

That Last One Was the "Song" of the 2005 Chicago White Sox World Series Champions. --RoadDog


SENIOR PERKS: People call at 9 pm and ask, "Did I wake you?"

"Rock of Ages"-- 80s Music at Its Best-- Part 1

It's over, but the musical was showing at the Bank of America Theatre in Chicago, covering 2 hours and 15 minutes. It ran to October 2nd.

Looking at the list of songs, I felt the need to LIST them. Imagine me LISTING songs.


ACT 1

CUM ON FEEL THE NOIZE-- Quiet Riot 1983
JUST LIKE LIVING IN PARADISE-- David lee Roth 1988
NOTHIN' BUT A GOOD TIME-- Poison 1988
SISTER CHRISTIAN-- Night Ranger 1984
WE BUILT THIS CITY-- Starship 1985

TOO MUCH TIME ON MY HANDS-- Styx 1981
I WANNA ROCK-- Twisted Sister 1984
WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT-- Twisted Sister 1984
MORE THAN WORDS-- Extreme 1991 ??????
TO BE WITH YOU-- Mr. Big 1991 ?????

WAITING FOR A GIRL LIKE YOU-- Foreigner 1981
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE-- Bon Jovi 1987
I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS-- Foreigner 1984
HARDEN MY HEART-- Quarterflash 1981

SHADOWS OF THE NIGHT-- Pat Benatar 1982
HERE I GO AGAIN-- Whitesnake 1982

The 80s: One of My Favorite Decades. --RoadDog


SENIOR BUMPER SNICKERS: I asked my wife if old men should wear boxers or briefs. She said "Depends."