Throwing back to the week of August 27, 1983, we find two songs dominating the top of the chart that basically occupied that space all summer — The Police’s ‘Every Breath You Take’ and Eurythmics’ ‘Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).’
In the third spot was the second single from the Flashdance soundtrack. A couple of months earlier, the movie’s title track topped the charts, and now Michael Sembello’s ‘Maniac’ was on its way to the same accomplishment.
Throwing back to the week of August 25, 1973, we find the New York rock band Stories topping the Billboard Hot 100 with their cover of the song ‘Brother Louie,’ a slinky jam about an interracial couple.
This song was originally recorded by a British band called Hot Chocolate. Their funkier version, complete with spoken-word interludes by the racist parents of the song’s protagoinsts, reached #7 on the UK charts.
Throwing back to the week of August 24, 1963, we find a pre-teen Stevie Wonder (then billed as Little Stevie Wonder) atop the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Fingertips – Pt 2,’ the B-side of the first single from his album The 12 Year Old Genius – Recorded Live.
The full ‘Fingertips’ is an instrumental jazz track that was split across two sides for release. It was the second half of the performance, when Wonder was called back onstage for an encore after a rousing bit of harmonica playing, that rocketed up the charts, giving Wonder his first #1 hit.
Throwing back to the week of August 17, 2013, we’re once again going deep into the top ten before finding a song I haven’t featured.
The top five that week were, in order, Robin Thicke’s ‘Blurred Lines,’ Miley Cyrus’ ‘We Can’t Stop,’ Imagine Dragons’ ‘Radioactive,’ and Daft Punk’s ‘Get Lucky.’ Those tracks were competing for Song of the Summer status for months that year.
Throwing back to the week of August 16, 2003, we find Beyoncé hanging on to the top spot with ‘Crazy in Love,’ halfway through its run of eight weeks at #1.
Below that is ‘Right Thurr’ by St. Louis rapper Chingy. This song spent (non-consecutive) five weeks at #2, held off by Queen Bey’s first major hit. That seems fair, given how much better ‘Crazy in Love’ is than this track.
Meet Me In Montauk 