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***Music 1982 Top 100*** - Ranked by sum of artist output - TOP FIVE, HERE WE GO!!!: 5. Peter Gabriel, 4. Tom Petty, 3. John Mellencamp, 2. Toto, 1. I (1 Viewer)

Andy Dufresne

Footballguy
Disclaimer: My musical tastes were developed as a kid that grew up on a dirt road (no seriously, I did) on Rural Route One in Kragnes, Minnesota - which is ten miles north of Moorhead, which is itself the pimple on the butt of the non-descript city of Fargo, ND. So I can neither consider myself urban nor urbane. So if a genre is under-represented, or your favorite song isn't on the list - I apologize. It's likely because I haven't heard it. But just as likely, it sucks. Having said that, I tried to be fair and include songs I know were big, but I didn't necessarily like myself.

Method: I think the point is to talk about the great music of the year. So what I did was arranged the order by summing up the output of each artist. So there's 100 entries but more than one song. But some one hit wonders have a song that is so great, it carries more weight and thus ranks higher. Think of those entries with more than one song as having "B-sides" or that it's one of those 80's-style mini-cassettes that sometimes came out. 

This is a fun year. What started as a trickle in '80/'81, "80's music" really started to flood in '82. There are a TON of songs that still get regular airplay today.

If at all possible, I chose the US release date. But if it was already on Tim's 1981 list, I left it off.

Spotify Playlist

100. Pass the Dutchie - Musical Youth -  September

99. The Look of Love - ABC - May 

98. Don't Fight It - Kenny Loggins - August 

97. England Belongs To Me/Take Em All - #### Sparrer ??? 

96. Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)/Crimson & Clover - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - July & April 

95. Town Called Malice - The Jam January 

94. You Can Do Magic - America  July 

93. Love Plus One - Haircut One Hundred January 

92. Stand or Fall - The Fixx - October

91. Truly - Lionel Richie - September 

90. Always on My Mind - Willie Nelson - March 

89. Never Say Never - Romeo Void - ???

88. Even the Nights Are Better - Air Supply - June

87. Fantasy - Aldo Nova - ???

86. You Don't Want Me Anymore - Steel Breeze

85. Come On Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners - June

84. Do You Really Want to Hurt Me - Culture Club - September

83. Bobbie Sue - The Oak Ridge Boys - January

82. Mountain Music - Alabama  - February

81. You Should Hear How She Talks About You - Melissa Manchester - May

80. Blue Eyes/Empty Garden (Hey, Hey Johnny) - Elton John

79. Athena/Eminence Front - The Who - September/December

78. On The Wings of Love - Jeffery Osborne - September

77. Our House - Madness - November

76. When It's Over - Loverboy

75. It's Raining Again - Supertramp - October

74. '65 Love Affair - Paul Davis - February

73. You & I - Eddie Rabbit and Crystal Gayle - October

72. Any Day Now - Ronnie Milsap - April

71. New World Man/Subdivisions - Rush

70. You Can't Hurry Love - Phil Collins - November

69. Dirty Laundry - Don Henley - October 

68. Talk Talk - Talk Talk 

67. I Want Candy - Bow Wow Wow 

66. Someday, Someway - Marshall Crenshaw - May 

65. What Do All The People Know - The Monroes 

64. Run to the Hills/The Number of the Beast - Iron Maiden

63. Mickey - Toni Basil 

62: The Safety Dance  - Men Without Hats 

61. What About Me - Moving Pictures 

60. Back on the Chain Gang - The Pretenders

59. Goody Two Shoes - Adam Ant

58. Sexual Healing - Marvin Gaye 

57. New Church/Open Your Eyes - The Lords Of The New Church

56. Make A Move On Me/Heart Attack - Olivia Newton-John - January/August

55. Love My Way - Psychedelic Furs - July

54. Allentown/Pressure - Billy Joel

53. Heat of the Moment/Only Time Will Tell - Asia

52. Private Investigations/Industrial Disease - Dire Straits

51. Something's Going On - Frida - September

 
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50. Somebody's Baby - Jackson Browne - July

49. Valerie - Steve Winwood - October

48. Only You/Situation - Yazoo - November/???

47. I'm So Excited - Pointer Sisters - September

46. White Wedding (Part 1)/Hot In The City - Billy Idol - October/May

45. You've Got Another Thing Comin' - Judas Priest - August

44. Think I'm in Love/Shakin' - Eddie Money - June/September

43. Steppin' Out/Breaking Us In Two - Joe Jackson - August/August

42. Mad World - Tears for Fears - September

41. Sirius/Eye in the Sky - Alan Parsons Project - August

40. Hard to Say I'm Sorry/Love Me Tomorrow - Chicago - May/September

39. Edge of Seventeen/Hold Me/Gypsy - Fleetwood Mack/Stevie Nicks - February/June/September

38. Only the Lonely - The Motels - April

37. Gloria - Laura Branigan - June

36. Don't Talk to Strangers - Rick Springfield - March

35. Maneater/Did It In A Minute - Hall & Oates

34. Workin' for a Livin'/Do You Believe in Love - Huey Lewis & The News

33. Juke Box Hero - Foreigner - January

32. On The Loose - Saga

31. Eye of the Tiger - Survivor

30. Love's Been A Little Bit Hard On Me/Break It To Me Gently - Juice Newton

29. Open Arms - Journey

28. Shame on the Moon - Bob Seger

27. Love Will Turn You Around - Kenny Rogers

26. Up Where We Belong - Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes

25. Don't Tell Me You Love Me - Night Ranger - December

24. A Million Miles Away - The Plimsouls

23. Destination Unknown/Words - Missing Persons

22. Bad to the Bone - George Thorogood & The Destroyers

21. Twilight Zone - Golden Earring

20. Vacation - The Go-Go's

19. Southern Cross/Wasted on the Way - Crosby, Stills, & Nash

18. Everybody Wants You - Billy Squier

17. Hungry Like The Wolf/Save A Prayer - Duran Duran

16. Little Guitars - Van Halen

15. 1999 - Prince

14. Shadows of the Night/Little Too Late - Pat Benatar

13. More Than This - Roxy Music

12. No One Like You - Scorpions

11. Caught Up in You - .38 Special

10. Goodbye to You - Scandal

9. Should I Stay or Should I Go/Rock the Casbah - The Clash

8. I Ran (So Far Away)/Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)/Space Age Love Song - A Flock of Seagulls

7. I Melt With You - Modern English

6. There's Only One Way To Rock/Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy/I'll Fall in Love Again - Sammy Hagar

5. Shock the Monkey - Peter Gabriel

4. You Got Lucky - Tom Petty

3. Jack & Diane/Hurts So Good/Hand to Hold On To - John Mellencamp

2. Africa/Rosanna - Toto

1. Don't Change/The One Thing- INXS

 
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100. Pass the Dutchie - Musical Youth -  September 1982

A "Dutchie" is a Jamaican cooking pot, and while there's not much reason to pass one around, it was an acceptable substitute for the original lyric: "Pass The Kutchie," Kutchie being Jamaican slang for a pot that holds marijuana. "Pass The Kutchie" was a song that came out earlier in 1982 by the reggae group The Mighty Diamonds, which was adapted by Musical Youth, or at least their handlers - the five boys in the group were between the ages of 11 and 16 years old at the time, and their manager suggested they record the song with the modified lyric.

Musical Youth became the first black act to get regular rotation on MTV when "Pass The Dutchie" was added to their playlist, preceding Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" video by a few weeks. The MTV airplay helped break the song in the United States, and it entered the Top 40 on January 15, 1983, reaching its peak position of #1 on February 26.

The video was directed by Don Letts, a black filmmaker from England who would later work with The Clash, directing their "Rock the Casbah" clip. Letts was aware of the color barrier on MTV and went out of his way to make sure the kids appeared as non-threatening as possible in the video. The network flatly rejected Rick James, but they were OK with little kids singing in British accents.
 

Not my favorite song, but it's still iconic for the year.

 
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99. The Look of Love - ABC - May 1982

You need to read beyond the title on this one - it's not a chirpy love song, but about how to deal with it when love goes away. ABC lead singer Martin Fry told Uncut that this song is "genuinely about the moment you get your teeth kicked in by somebody you love f--king off. You feel like s--t but you have to search for some sort of meaning in your life."

MTV played a big role in ABC's American success, and the video for this song was a favorite on the network, which launched in 1981. The clip was directed by Brian Grant, and inspired by old Hollywood movies. Martin Fry describes it as a cross between An American In Paris and The Benny Hill Show. Grant's videos were all over MTV in those early years.

 
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98. Don't Fight It - Kenny Loggins - August 1982
Featuring Kenny Loggins, Steve Perry, and guitarist Neil Giraldo, this was one of Kenny Loggins' first melodic style tunes, and it featured Steve Perry in one of his first non-Jouney outings. The two co-wrote it with Dean Pitchford, who would go on to write "Footloose" with Loggins, which was a huge deal because the promise of Loggins doing the theme song helped Pitchford get his screenplay for Footloose made into a movie. 

Asked about the cracking whip sound in an interview with the St. Petersburg Times, Loggins said, "The bullwhip is from the locker where they kept the Indiana Jones soundtrack sounds. We snuck in there and we got the bullwhip and we sampled it."

Can you imagine what the 80's would have sounded like - without Kenny Loggins doing the soundtrack to everything awesome - had this song not been made with Ptichford?

 
97. England Belongs To Me/Take Em All - #### Sparrer

The first of our two-fer entries, #### Sparrer (#### is the slang term for rooster) is an English punk rock band formed in 1972 in the East End of London. Although they have never enjoyed commercial success, they helped pave the way for early '80s punk scene and the Oi! subgenre. Their name derives from their original name, #### Sparrow, a Cockney term of familiarity.
UFC fighter Dan Hardy has used the song "England Belongs to Me" as his walk-out music. "Take 'em All" has a long history of being sung by Major League Soccer supporter groups.

I discovered these songs just a couple years ago when I went in search of "new" music to listen to. Punk rock works best when it's angry and blokes like these were MAD at old Iron Lady Thatcher. 

 
99. The Look of Love - ABC - May 1982

You need to read beyond the title on this one - it's not a chirpy love song, but about how to deal with it when love goes away. ABC lead singer Martin Fry told Uncut that this song is "genuinely about the moment you get your teeth kicked in by somebody you love f--king off. You feel like s--t but you have to search for some sort of meaning in your life."

MTV played a big role in ABC's American success, and the video for this song was a favorite on the network, which launched in 1981. The clip was directed by Brian Grant, and inspired by old Hollywood movies. Martin Fry describes it as a cross between An American In Paris and The Benny Hill Show. Grant's videos were all over MTV in those early years.
The whole Lexicon of Love album is great.

 
98. Don't Fight It - Kenny Loggins - August 1982
Featuring Kenny Loggins, Steve Perry, and guitarist Neil Giraldo, this was one of Kenny Loggins' first melodic style tunes, and it featured Steve Perry in one of his first non-Jouney outings. The two co-wrote it with Dean Pitchford, who would go on to write "Footloose" with Loggins, which was a huge deal because the promise of Loggins doing the theme song helped Pitchford get his screenplay for Footloose made into a movie. 

Asked about the cracking whip sound in an interview with the St. Petersburg Times, Loggins said, "The bullwhip is from the locker where they kept the Indiana Jones soundtrack sounds. We snuck in there and we got the bullwhip and we sampled it."

Can you imagine what the 80's would have sounded like - without Kenny Loggins doing the soundtrack to everything awesome - had this song not been made with Ptichford?
if i had a heavenwish between spending a naked hour w '50s Grace Kelly or singing one song w Kenny Loggins' pipes, i honestly dont know which i'd choose.

 
A couple more for your afternoon listening pleasure...

96. Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)/Crimson & Clover - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - July & April 1982

a) DYWTM - Originally written by English glam rock singer Gary Glitter, it was then covered by Joan Jett in 1980 for her debut solo studio album, Bad Reputation. 
Following the success of "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" , the song was released as a single in the summer of 1982 and reached #20 on the Billboard Hot 100 that September.

Joan Jett has a problem with unwanted touching. She told Esquire: "People come up and stab you, give you a shot in the ribs with one finger, like you're the Pillsbury Doughboy. They want to see if you're real. They have a sense of ownership. You're public domain, to be touched, like with the Statue of Liberty."

b) C&C - When Joan Jett was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015, she performed this song at the ceremony, joined on stage by Tommy James, Miley Cyrus and Dave Grohl.

 
95. Town Called Malice - The Jam January 1982

The title of Nevil Shute's A Town Like Alice inspired the title, but the inspiration for the song came from Paul Weller's friend Dave Waller by means of describing urban life. The song is about unemployment in a working town and Paul Weller confessed, "It could have been written about any suburban town, but it was in fact written about my hometown of Woking." 

The song lasted a mere eight weeks on the chart, four of which were in the Top 10 and of that four, three were spent at #1.

Many of Weller's songs reflected his anger with right of center politics and the video for this number featured a cue-card with the slogan "If we ain't getting through to you, you obviously ain't listening." Prompted by Conservative Party leader David Cameron's comment that the music of the Jam "meant a lot," the Guardian newspaper asked Weller, if it had been suggested in the early '80s that there were ardent Tories coming to Jam concerts, what would he have thought? He replied: "I'd have been really, really surprised. I think I pretty much nailed where I was at to the mast. But people come to gigs for different reasons: it isn't necessarily about what the person on stage is singing. But at the same time, you do think, 'Well, maybe this'll change their minds."

 
95. Town Called Malice - The Jam January 1982

The title of Nevil Shute's A Town Like Alice inspired the title, but the inspiration for the song came from Paul Weller's friend Dave Waller by means of describing urban life. The song is about unemployment in a working town and Paul Weller confessed, "It could have been written about any suburban town, but it was in fact written about my hometown of Woking." 

The song lasted a mere eight weeks on the chart, four of which were in the Top 10 and of that four, three were spent at #1.

Many of Weller's songs reflected his anger with right of center politics and the video for this number featured a cue-card with the slogan "If we ain't getting through to you, you obviously ain't listening." Prompted by Conservative Party leader David Cameron's comment that the music of the Jam "meant a lot," the Guardian newspaper asked Weller, if it had been suggested in the early '80s that there were ardent Tories coming to Jam concerts, what would he have thought? He replied: "I'd have been really, really surprised. I think I pretty much nailed where I was at to the mast. But people come to gigs for different reasons: it isn't necessarily about what the person on stage is singing. But at the same time, you do think, 'Well, maybe this'll change their minds."
I know it makes me unhip, but this is my favorite song by The Jam.

Do Ya Wanna Touch Me is my favorite Joan Jett tune as well.

 
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What's the best rate of # of songs per day to post? I don't want to take forever on this...
whatever works best for you.  Thanks for doing this.
Agreed - totally your call. Most that do these seem to do one like every few hours over the course of a working day. Maybe 5-6 per day, enabling time in between to discuss each one.

But that may be longer than you want to stretch it out, so whatever works for you.

 
99. The Look of Love - ABC - May 1982

You need to read beyond the title on this one - it's not a chirpy love song, but about how to deal with it when love goes away. ABC lead singer Martin Fry told Uncut that this song is "genuinely about the moment you get your teeth kicked in by somebody you love f--king off. You feel like s--t but you have to search for some sort of meaning in your life."

MTV played a big role in ABC's American success, and the video for this song was a favorite on the network, which launched in 1981. The clip was directed by Brian Grant, and inspired by old Hollywood movies. Martin Fry describes it as a cross between An American In Paris and The Benny Hill Show. Grant's videos were all over MTV in those early years.
If I'm reading your methodology right, might there be another song from this album that could (should) be listed here too?

Anyways, that Trevor Horn really knows how to produce music.

 
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If I'm reading your methodology right, might there be another song from this album that could (should) be listed here too?

Anyways, that Trevor Horn really knows how to produce music.
Nope, this is the only ABC song in the list. 

Edit: Oh, I see what you mean. If you mean Poison Arrow...yes I suppose it could be included. But I'm not a fan of that song. And including it, therefore, wouldn't move them up the ranking much.

 
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95. Town Called Malice - The Jam January 1982

The title of Nevil Shute's A Town Like Alice inspired the title, but the inspiration for the song came from Paul Weller's friend Dave Waller by means of describing urban life. The song is about unemployment in a working town and Paul Weller confessed, "It could have been written about any suburban town, but it was in fact written about my hometown of Woking." 

The song lasted a mere eight weeks on the chart, four of which were in the Top 10 and of that four, three were spent at #1.

Many of Weller's songs reflected his anger with right of center politics and the video for this number featured a cue-card with the slogan "If we ain't getting through to you, you obviously ain't listening." Prompted by Conservative Party leader David Cameron's comment that the music of the Jam "meant a lot," the Guardian newspaper asked Weller, if it had been suggested in the early '80s that there were ardent Tories coming to Jam concerts, what would he have thought? He replied: "I'd have been really, really surprised. I think I pretty much nailed where I was at to the mast. But people come to gigs for different reasons: it isn't necessarily about what the person on stage is singing. But at the same time, you do think, 'Well, maybe this'll change their minds."
This song is at least 90 spots too low

 
98. Don't Fight It - Kenny Loggins - August 1982
Featuring Kenny Loggins, Steve Perry, and guitarist Neil Giraldo, this was one of Kenny Loggins' first melodic style tunes, and it featured Steve Perry in one of his first non-Jouney outings. The two co-wrote it with Dean Pitchford, who would go on to write "Footloose" with Loggins, which was a huge deal because the promise of Loggins doing the theme song helped Pitchford get his screenplay for Footloose made into a movie. 

Asked about the cracking whip sound in an interview with the St. Petersburg Times, Loggins said, "The bullwhip is from the locker where they kept the Indiana Jones soundtrack sounds. We snuck in there and we got the bullwhip and we sampled it."

Can you imagine what the 80's would have sounded like - without Kenny Loggins doing the soundtrack to everything awesome - had this song not been made with Ptichford?
Totally forgot about this song, sounds like it should be in a Chevy Chase movie.  This was a superstar colloboration back in 1982, both at their peak.

 
I know it makes me unhip, but this is my favorite song by The Jam.

Do Ya Wanna Touch Me is my favorite Joan Jett tune as well.
It's the only Jam song I'll listen to.  Agree on the Jett song also.  Actually expected The Jam to be top 15, a lot of love for them here (not by me though).  

 
100. Pass the Dutchie - Musical Youth -   

The video was directed by Don Letts, a black filmmaker from England who would later work with The Clash, directing their "Rock the Casbah" clip. Letts was aware of the color barrier on MTV and went out of his way to make sure the kids appeared as non-threatening as possible in the video. The network flatly rejected Rick James, but they were OK with little kids singing in British accents.
What I remember from the video was how skinny the kids were. 

When they sang How does it feel when you got no food, you get the sense that they knew exactly how it felt. 

 
7 hours ago, Andy Dufresne said:
98. Don't Fight It - Kenny Loggins - August 1982
Featuring Kenny Loggins, Steve Perry, and guitarist Neil Giraldo, this was one of Kenny Loggins' first melodic style tunes, and it featured Steve Perry in one of his first non-Jouney outings. The two co-wrote it with Dean Pitchford, who would go on to write "Footloose" with Loggins, which was a huge deal because the promise of Loggins doing the theme song helped Pitchford get his screenplay for Footloose made into a movie. 

Asked about the cracking whip sound in an interview with the St. Petersburg Times, Loggins said, "The bullwhip is from the locker where they kept the Indiana Jones soundtrack sounds. We snuck in there and we got the bullwhip and we sampled it."

Can you imagine what the 80's would have sounded like - without Kenny Loggins doing the soundtrack to everything awesome - had this song not been made with Ptichford?
Expand  
Totally forgot about this song, sounds like it should be in a Chevy Chase movie.  This was a superstar colloboration back in 1982, both at their peak.
With all their session work, it might be a toss-up between Neil Giraldo and Steve Lukather who has the highest 401(k) balance.

 
as a kid that grew up on a dirt road (no seriously, I did)
Literally he grew up ON a dirt road.

. Town Called Malice - The Jam January 1982

The title of Nevil Shute's A Town Like Alice inspired the title
Its a good movie if anyone hasn't seen it. 

The title of the story refers to Alice Springs, a small town in the middle of Australia where the US military has a base and some 'odd' things are reported to take place.  I believe its been called the Area 51 of Australia or something like that but the movie is a WWII drama and it is good.

LINK: 🎥  A Town Like Alice

 
What's the best rate of # of songs per day to post? I don't want to take forever on this...
I've generally done 4 per day -- one before work, one at lunch, one as I finish work and one after dinner/family time. That's what works for my schedule, it's not based on any precedent established here. So just do whatever works for you. 

 
99. The Look of Love - ABC - May 1982

You need to read beyond the title on this one - it's not a chirpy love song, but about how to deal with it when love goes away. ABC lead singer Martin Fry told Uncut that this song is "genuinely about the moment you get your teeth kicked in by somebody you love f--king off. You feel like s--t but you have to search for some sort of meaning in your life."

MTV played a big role in ABC's American success, and the video for this song was a favorite on the network, which launched in 1981. The clip was directed by Brian Grant, and inspired by old Hollywood movies. Martin Fry describes it as a cross between An American In Paris and The Benny Hill Show. Grant's videos were all over MTV in those early years.
I like the song but I always felt Martin Fry tried to be a knockoff version Bryan Ferry. 

 
98. Don't Fight It - Kenny Loggins - August 1982
Featuring Kenny Loggins, Steve Perry, and guitarist Neil Giraldo, this was one of Kenny Loggins' first melodic style tunes, and it featured Steve Perry in one of his first non-Jouney outings. The two co-wrote it with Dean Pitchford, who would go on to write "Footloose" with Loggins, which was a huge deal because the promise of Loggins doing the theme song helped Pitchford get his screenplay for Footloose made into a movie. 

Asked about the cracking whip sound in an interview with the St. Petersburg Times, Loggins said, "The bullwhip is from the locker where they kept the Indiana Jones soundtrack sounds. We snuck in there and we got the bullwhip and we sampled it."

Can you imagine what the 80's would have sounded like - without Kenny Loggins doing the soundtrack to everything awesome - had this song not been made with Ptichford?
Damn, I totally forgot about this song. *runs to iTunes to add it for a buck and change*

99. The Look of Love - ABC - May 1982

You need to read beyond the title on this one - it's not a chirpy love song, but about how to deal with it when love goes away. ABC lead singer Martin Fry told Uncut that this song is "genuinely about the moment you get your teeth kicked in by somebody you love f--king off. You feel like s--t but you have to search for some sort of meaning in your life."

MTV played a big role in ABC's American success, and the video for this song was a favorite on the network, which launched in 1981. The clip was directed by Brian Grant, and inspired by old Hollywood movies. Martin Fry describes it as a cross between An American In Paris and The Benny Hill Show. Grant's videos were all over MTV in those early years.
Love this song. One of my absolute favorites from my earliest days as a music fan. 

 
94. You Can Do Magic - America  July 1982

One of the last holdovers of the "70's sound" America scored a top 10 hit here. As one that thinks "Sister Golden Hair" is one of the top 10 hits of ALL the 70's, I think this one is a soothing sound to have playing in the background when you're lounging in the backyard during summertime.

A key component in this song is the "do do do do do do" vocal break, which Russ Ballard put into the song specifically to suit America, whose two vocalists could create a nice harmony. This part was a nod to the Crosby, Stills & Nash song "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes," which contains a similar section.
 

 
93. Love Plus One - Haircut One Hundred January 1982

"Love Plus One" was the first of four UK Top 10 hits from Haircut 100's debut album, and their only song to crack the Hot 100 in America. Led by 20-year-old Nick Heyward, the group was a sensation in their homeland, winning over the British music press with an unusual blend of horns, percussion and completely nonsensical lyrics that brought about a feeling of tranquil joy. They were also utterly naïve and non-threatening, which was reflected in their anodyne outfits of sensible sweaters and trousers tucked into their socks.

This song owes its American success to its video, which was directed by David Mallet. British bands, especially those with heartthrob lead singers like Haircut 100, often made videos to air across Europe, but in America videos were rarely seen until MTV launched in 1981. When they did, many of their videos came from Mallet, who used lots of striking imagery, like David Bowie as a clown in "Ashes To Ashes." For the "Love Plus One" video, Mallet went with a tribal motif set on an island of savages. Heyward appears in a loincloth swinging from a rope, and various beauties show up in equally skimpy dress. 

This is another that's not exactly a favorite of mine, but it did have an impact on the early 80's sound - so it needs to be included.

BTW - the trivia I'm listing is either coming from Wiki or Songfacts. The latter is a pretty cool site. :thumbup:

 
Mid morning snack...

92. Stand or Fall - The Fixx - October 1982

Like most songs by The Fixx, "Stand or Fall" was composed by the band and produced by Rupert Hine, who told us: "'Stand or Fall' was always a lovely composition. And I knew from the very beginning of the first rehearsal that it was all going to be down to just these two guitar chords. And they are the two chords that open the song by way of an intro. But they're also the same two chords that permeate the entire track. They just played the two separate chords that really needed to stand out and be a hook in themselves, not just be two chords in a pop song. They really needed to stand out as two sonic moments that you would hopefully get tingles. And I tried to get them to have this sort of hair-on-the-back-of-the-neck quality just being played on a guitar.

"Stand or Fall" became the group's first charting hit. In the United States, it peaked at number 76 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart but reached an impressive number 7 on the Top Rock Tracks chart.

The Fixx have a great greatest hits catalog.

 
94. You Can Do Magic - America  July 1982

One of the last holdovers of the "70's sound" America scored a top 10 hit here. As one that thinks "Sister Golden Hair" is one of the top 10 hits of ALL the 70's, I think this one is a soothing sound to have playing in the background when you're lounging in the backyard during summertime.

A key component in this song is the "do do do do do do" vocal break, which Russ Ballard put into the song specifically to suit America, whose two vocalists could create a nice harmony. This part was a nod to the Crosby, Stills & Nash song "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes," which contains a similar section.
 
Just researched this: of course Steve Lukather played lead guitar on the tune.

 
Mid morning snack...

92. Stand or Fall - The Fixx - October 1982

Like most songs by The Fixx, "Stand or Fall" was composed by the band and produced by Rupert Hine, who told us: "'Stand or Fall' was always a lovely composition. And I knew from the very beginning of the first rehearsal that it was all going to be down to just these two guitar chords. And they are the two chords that open the song by way of an intro. But they're also the same two chords that permeate the entire track. They just played the two separate chords that really needed to stand out and be a hook in themselves, not just be two chords in a pop song. They really needed to stand out as two sonic moments that you would hopefully get tingles. And I tried to get them to have this sort of hair-on-the-back-of-the-neck quality just being played on a guitar.

"Stand or Fall" became the group's first charting hit. In the United States, it peaked at number 76 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart but reached an impressive number 7 on the Top Rock Tracks chart.

The Fixx have a great greatest hits catalog.
Love this song :thumbup:  Very underrated band IMO.

 

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