Tag Archives: tb80s

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Song of the Day #6,126: ‘We Are the World’ – USA for Africa

The #1 song in America the week of April 13, 1985, was a charity single that sold more than 20 million copies, becoming the eighth best-selling single of all time worldwide. I’m referring, of course, to ‘We Are the World,’ a song conceived as a way to raise money for and awareness of the famine in Africa.

‘We Are the World’ was written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson and performed by a laundry list of music stars. The song featured so many big names that it’s easier to list the major 80s icons who weren’t there: namely, Prince and Madonna.

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Song of the Day #6,112: ‘One More Night’ – Phil Collins

Phil Collins owned the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100 the week of March 30, 1985, with the first U.S. single from his album No Jacket Required. ‘One More Night’ spent two weeks at #1, giving Collins his second chart-topper, following ‘Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)‘ the year before.

I have a soft spot for anything by Phil Collins, and this song certainly goes down easy, but it sounds like it was written in about 15 minutes (which is pretty close to the truth).

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Song of the Day #6,098: ‘The Heat is On’ – Glenn Frey

The week of March 16, 1985, saw REO Speedwagon hanging on to the #1 spot of the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling.‘

In the #2 spot that week was Glenn Frey’s ‘The Heat is On,’ the lead single from the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack.

Frey was a gun for hire on this track, paid $15,000 to play guitar and provide all vocals for the song, which was written by Harold Faltermeyer and Keith Forsey. Faltermeyer also penned the iconic ‘Axel F’ theme.

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Song of the Day #6,084: ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’ – REO Speedwagon

The week of March 2, 1985, saw George Michael’s (or Wham!’s) ‘Careless Whisper‘ holding on to the #1 spot. Right behind it was REO Speedwagon’s ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling,’ a week away from its own three-week stint in the top spot.

This was the band’s second #1 (following another power ballad, 1980’s ‘Keep On Lovin’ You’) and their last to reach even the top ten.

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Song of the Day #6,070: ‘Careless Whisper’ – Wham! featuring George Michael

The week of February 16, 1985, gave us a classic pop hit, with Wham!’s ‘Careless Whisper’ spending its first of three weeks at #1.

The song was credited in the U.S. to “Wham! featuring George Michael” and in the UK to Michael as a solo artist, but it appeared on the duo’s sophomore album, Make It Big, and was released as that record’s second single. Interestingly, it was the only song on that album co-written by Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, yet it was the one attributed to Michael as a solo performer.

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