Our survey brings us now to what is without a doubt the most important year of all human history - the year I was born. (“Maneater” was #1 on my birthday.) It’s 1982 now, and there are a mere 16 songs topping the Hot 100 (including “Physical” carrying over from last year.) Rock is definitely making one of its biggest resurgences since the mid-'60s at this point, and the influence of New Wave can definitely be felt on a number of these selections.
You know the drill - iron out your leisure suit, vote for Ronald Reagan, and pick your favorite.
The Human League win this in a walk. “Don’t You Want Me” is as compelling to listen to today as it was back in 1982. Fun fact: The day my twelve year old self happened to discover that our local cable company had finally - FINALLY -added MTV to its lineup, “Don’t You Want Me” was the video that was playing.
If “Don’t You Want Me” wasn’t on this list, then my vote would’ve gone to Joan Jett and the Blackhearts or one of the Hall and Oates songs. EDIT: Or “Jack and Diane”, though Mellencamp would go on to write far better, richer songs than that.
Like I said, I was only twelve, but I don’t seem to recall leisure suits still being all that big a thing ca. 1982. Now, Members Only jackets, on the other hand…
Hall and Oates had a great record in “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)”. To hear a fantastic version of this, try Live From Daryl’s House when Chromeo were the guests. It’s almost 4 minutes in before it starts, but it’s wonderful.
Like all these songs except for the Vangelis single, I cast my vote for J. Geils Band. Could have went with Human League, Men at Work, Joan Jett, Hall and Oates or to a lesser extent the McCartney and Wonder duet.
I gobsmacked to see Joan Jett is not running away with this (and that John Cougar Mellencamp is not getting more votes). After that, I might go for J. Geils, but as for the rest of them, bleagh!
(I can understand that, if the '80s were your era, The Human League stand out on this list as particularly '80s, but that does not make them good. Lots of people in the '80s - Gary Numan, Thomas Dolby, Soft Cell, for instance - were doing the same sort of thing much, much better.)
“Don’t You Want Me” is such a goddamn irritating song. “Centerfold” is fun.
I didn’t vote for Joan Jett in part because “I Love Rock And Roll” is a note for note remake - I mean, almost completely identical - of the same song released, what, 4 years before? It’d be like giving the Beatles credit for “Twist and Shout.” It was a popular song, but imitations don’t merit votes.
Hall & Oates with No Can Do. One of my favorite musical acts anyway, a good song that stands the test of time (IMO), and it brings back a very pleasant memory of what I call “an anticipatory moment.” That’s the moment when you first feel you’re about to have a really good time. Thanks, Deanna, for the memory!
(“Maneater” was #1 on my birthday.) It’s 1982 now, and there are a mere 16 songs topping the Hot 100 (including “Physical” carrying over from last year.) Rock is definitely making one of its biggest resurgences since the mid-'60s at this point, and the influence of New Wave can definitely be felt on a number of these selections.
