Reaching for the Stars, Vol. 61
Chart Week: August 1, 1981 Song: “Don’t Want to Wait Anymore” – The Tubes Chart Position: #37, 7th week on the chart. Peaked at #35 for two weeks. The Tubes will collect residual checks until they die for one song: “She’s a Beauty,” their #10 smash from the summer of 1983. It is an absolute classic of its era; any…
Reaching for the Stars, Vol. 60
Chart Week: August 8, 1987 Song: “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” – Whitney Houston Chart Position: #17, 13th week on the chart. Peaked at #1 for two weeks in June and July. I tend to shy away from songs that hit number one since they will get the Tom Breihan treatment over at Stereogum. I squeezed in…
Reaching for the Stars, Vol. 59
Chart Week: July 12, 1986 Song: “If She Knew What She Wants” – The Bangles Chart Position: #29, 10th week on the chart. This was the song’s peak; it fell out of the Top 40 the next week. I recall being in love with a lot of unattainable women in the summer of 1986. There was Heather Thomas, whose poster…
Reaching for the Stars, Vol. 58
Chart Week: June 12, 1982 Song: “Fantasy” – Aldo Nova Chart Position: #32, 12th week on the chart. Peaked at #23 for two weeks in May/June. I only caught a few songs of this countdown, but I tuned in at the perfect time. I’m guessing I had not heard this jam in a long, long time. Which is a damn…
Reaching for the Stars, Vol. 57
Chart Week: May 12, 1979Song: “In the Navy” – The Village PeopleChart Position: #5, 9th week on the chart. Peaked at #3 for two weeks. I wasn’t old enough to “get” the Village People when they were at the height of their powers. I was 6–7 years old during their brief moment at the top of the pop culture pyramid.…
Reaching for the Stars, Vol. 56
Chart Week: May 1, 1982 Song: “867–5309/Jenny” – Tommy Tutone Chart Position: #8, 15th week on the chart. Peaked at #4 for three weeks in May and June. Quick show of hands: if you were alive and old enough in 1982, how many of you dialed 867–5309 to see if Jenny would answer? I know I did. I believe in…
Reaching for the Stars, Vol. 55
Chart Week: March 26, 1983 Song: “I Know There’s Something Going On” – Frida Chart Position: #13, 21st week on the chart. Peaked there for three weeks. One great thing about The Number Ones series is how it has forced me to re-evaluate artists I soured on over the years. Phil Collins is a perfect example. I forgot how many…
Reaching for the Stars, Vol. 54
Chart Week: February 16, 1980 Song: “Coward of the County” – Kenny Rogers Chart Position: #3, 14th week on the chart. This was the song’s chart peak. One of my complaints about the old American Top 40s that I listen to is that only a small selection of the total library of shows gets played. If you listen often enough,…
Reaching for the Stars, Bonus Tracks
Songs: “Sweet Caroline” – Neil Diamond. Peaked at #4 the week of August 16, 1969 “Take Me Home, Country Roads” – John Denver. Peaked at #2 the week of August 28, 1971 “Smoky Mountain Rain” – Ronnie Milsap. Peaked at #24 for two weeks in February/March of 1981 A different kind of RFTS post today. Rather than breaking down a…
Reaching for the Stars, Vol. 53
Chart Week: January 21, 1984 Song: “Undercover of the Night” – The Rolling Stones Chart Position: #20, 11th week on the chart. Peaked at #9 for two weeks in December and January. This edition is more about how I listened to the song than the song itself. Although there will be some song trivia before we’re done. 1983 was a…