# Best #1 single of the year retrospective: 1983 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 14, 2014, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316 "2014-10-14T16:54:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316/1 "2014-10-14T16:54:01Z")
Our survey brings us now to 1983. Tensions between the US and Russia are at their highest point in decades, I’m just a wee little baby, and Michael Jackson’s Thriller has cemented his position as the King of Pop. We’re now officially at the halfway point in our retrospective series - 28 polls down, 28 to go before we catch up to the present day (which we should manage just in time to do _this_ year’s poll.) 17 songs made the top of the charts this year, including Hall & Oates carrying over from the previous year. What’s your favorite? Previous polls: [1955-56](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=731649) [1957](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=731871) [1958](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732021) [1959](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732199)[1960](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732526) [1961](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732691) [1962](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732872) [1963](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733112) [1964](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733297) [1965](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733526) [1966](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733750) [1967](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733958) [1968](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734168) [1969](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734331) [1970](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734535) [1971](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734741) [1972](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735107) [1973](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735304) [1974](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735502) [1975](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735659) [1976](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735871) [1977](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736076) [1978](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736316) [1979](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736501) [1980](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736705) [1981](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736957) [1982](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737099) [2012](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=675664) [2013](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=710843) ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316/2 "2014-10-14T17:10:05Z")
Some good songs this year, including Toto, The Police and the Eurythmics. But it’s all about Michael Jackson, and “Billie Jean” is his masterpiece IMO. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316/3 "2014-10-14T17:18:55Z")
Some good ones there. _Billie Jean, Sweet Dreams, Flashdance_… (Although I prefer Marilyn Manson’s [version](http://marilynmanson.com/video/sweet-dreams-are-made-of-this/) of _Sweet Dreams_.) I went with _Down Under_ though. ---
**Author:** ![Learjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Learjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Learjeff)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316/4 "2014-10-14T17:23:28Z")
A lot of contenders in this one. I picked my favorite, but would have been happy to pick several others instead. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316/5 "2014-10-14T17:28:23Z")
Say Say Say it is, time I voted for McCartney since it’s his last number 1. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316/6 "2014-10-14T17:31:44Z")
I went with "Total Eclipse of the Heart, " although I actually like the Bowie and Eurythmics songs more. TEotH is one of the 80sest of all 80’s songs. Unlike other songs on the list, it is associated with the era more than the artist…when you hear it, you think “80’s!” not “Bonnie Tyler!” ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316/7 "2014-10-14T17:37:00Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > I went with "Total Eclipse of the Heart, " although I actually like the Bowie and Eurythmics songs more. TEotH is one of the 80sest of all 80’s songs. Unlike other songs on the list, it is associated with the era more than the artist…when you hear it, you think “80’s!” not “Bonnie Tyler!” I myself really wanted to vote for Every Breath You Take… but in the end, I love Jim Steinman’s (of Meat Loaf fame) lyrics on this song far too much not to vote for it. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316/8 "2014-10-14T17:49:06Z")
A hard choice this year! _Billie Jean_ is Jackson’s finest work, I love _Let’s Dance_ and _Come on Eileen_, but my choice is the icy excellence that is _Sweet Dreams_. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316/9 "2014-10-14T17:56:49Z")
I went with Lionel Ritchie’s **All Night Long**. What?? I like that song! ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316/10 "2014-10-14T18:01:04Z")
I always liked “Beat It” better than “Billie Jean.” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316/11 "2014-10-14T18:05:40Z")
Lots of decent songs on that list. I ended up going with “Billie Jean.” My other main contenders where the Eurythmics and Bowie. As much as I like the Police, I can live without “Every Breath You Take.” ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316/12 "2014-10-14T18:06:09Z")
This was a very tight contest between two Michael Jackson songs, Say Say Say and Beat It. (Billie Jean is OK, but definitely not one of my favorite songs of his.) I went with Say Say Say. Picking the song that finished dead-ass last in the world-famous **Ponch8 Music Rating System** was much easier. “Baby Come to Me” is musical feces. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316/13 "2014-10-14T18:13:54Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Lots of decent songs on that list. I ended up going with “Billie Jean.” My other main contenders where the Eurythmics and Bowie. As much as I like the Police, I can live without “Every Breath You Take.” This, word for word. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316/14 "2014-10-14T18:34:56Z")
To me it’s between “Billie Jean” and “Beat It”…can’t really decide, even if I factor in the videos. They were both great. So I voted for one of those. ---
**Author:** ![Eddie\_F](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/22d042/32.png) [@Eddie\_F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eddie_F)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316/15 "2014-10-14T19:08:46Z")
It was very hard for me to choose (because there were some really good songs that made it to the top of the pops this year), but choose I did: “Come On Eileen” just barely outshone “Billie Jean” and “Say Say Say”. 'Tis a gloriously fun little ditty. (And if you think there were some good number one singles in 1983, just wait 'til you get a load of 1984.) ---
**Author:** ![Art\_Rock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/art_rock/32/525_2.png) [@Art\_Rock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Art_Rock)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316/16 "2014-10-14T19:18:17Z")
Tough choice. I went with Bonnie Tyler, but I could have gone for the Eurythmics, Toto or Dexys Midnight Runners as well. And we have the only Michael Jackson I really like as well. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316/17 "2014-10-14T19:29:02Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > I went with "Total Eclipse of the Heart, " although I actually like the Bowie and Eurythmics songs more. TEotH is one of the 80sest of all 80’s songs. Unlike other songs on the list, it is associated with the era more than the artist…when you hear it, you think “80’s!” not “Bonnie Tyler!” Not me. I don’t even care about the '80s. I voted for it because I really, really like Bonnie Tyler for some reason. The sound of her voice is incredible and the way she uses it on that song is stellar. It’s paradoxical that she didn’t become a great singer until after she destroyed her voice, and I don’t begin to understand how that is, but it works anyhow. Also, the dress she wore in that video is so gorgeous. P.S. Although for me Bowie rules, the _Let’s Dance_ album never connected with me. The sound is way cold and uncomforting and Stevie Ray’s awesome guitar work sounds out of place, like it was meant for some other album and wandered into that one after taking the wrong turn and getting lost. I think 1980’s _Scary Monsters_ is one of the greatest albums of all time, but Bowie just lost me in '83. I \*wanted \*to like Bowie here but couldn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316/18 "2014-10-14T19:34:51Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I myself really wanted to vote for Every Breath You Take… but in the end, I love Jim Steinman’s (of Meat Loaf fame) lyrics on this song far too much not to vote for it. Ditto. One of Steinman’s best songs, and as **Scumpup** said, it’s more 80s than the number 80. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316/19 "2014-10-14T21:08:02Z")
I went with “Beat It.” The only question was which MJ song I’d vote for; his stuff is way better than anything else on the list, even the ones I like a lot. My favorite album from this year was Josie Cotton’s _Convertible Music_. Johnny, what’s the deal, boy? ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316/20 "2014-10-14T21:27:47Z")
I love Toto and went with\*\* Africa\*\*, but I could’ve easily gone for **Beat It** since they share my favorite drummer (RIP **Jeff Porcaro** ). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-single-of-the-year-retrospective-1983/701316.md?page=2)