Instinctively, I was going to go with Gunns 'n Roses but Sweet Child O’ Mine isn’t one of my favourite songs.
I chose Terence Trent D’Arby in recognition of the great album he released at the time. Sign your Name may well be my favourite song of the late 80s.
And I loathe Red, Red Wine and every single song by UB40.
I have told this story a few times on the SDMB. I went to a show on his first tour in the US supporting this album. Talked my way in. Small place - a few hundred? His acapella version of First Cut is the Deepest was wonderful, as was his extended version of Who’s Lovin’ You. Good stuff.
Really? That song has one of the all-time classic intro rock riffs. It seemed like the runaway favorite to me (which it appears to be), especially on a board whose tastes skew more rock than dance/pop type music. One of the great all-time rock albums, period, although it didn’t quite make my best of 80s list in the other thread (although I’m thinking now that it should. It certainly would make my top 20.)
I didn’t realize “Red Red Wine” was originally from a 1982 album. I have it in my mind connected with the late 80s. This makes some sense, as it really wasn’t until '84 or '84 (when I was 9/10) that I started listening to Top 40 radio. (Not a fan of that song or UB40, myself.)
How long was it before you realized how creepy “Father Figure” is? I don’t say that because I hate the song (in fact, it’s the only George Michael song I actually like) but because it’s one of the most intentionally disturbing songs to hit #1 even though most George Michael-fangirls seemed oblivious to that fact.
I’m not surprised GnR’s running away with his poll. Still, I voted for Terence Trent D’Arby’s late 80s take on Otis Redding-style soul “Wishing Well”. He had a promising career going before it was crushed by his ego.
First time I’ve ever heard anybody make such a claim.
This decision was tighter than a too-small bathing suit on a too-long ride home from the beach,* but I picked Debbie Gibson’s “Foolish Beat” over Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror” and Gloria Estefan’s “Anything for You.” The songs were very close to finishing in a tie, but with my awesome clarivoyance, I can predict with 100% certainty that there won’t be a tie until 2010.
“Foolish Beat” has probably been forgotten by 99% of the population. It is a strangely-structured song. The title only appears once in the whole song, and she kind of mumbles it the one time she does sing it: “just a…foolishbeat…of my hear-ar-ar-ar-art.”
“Baby I Love Your Way/Freebird” easily finishes in dead-ass last.
*a Dan Ratherism
In my defense I was 8 years old when it was released.
I also like Toadies’ “Possum Kingdom” and that’s about a rape and murder. Disturbing is not off-putting in my music catalog.
Make up your mind!
For 1988 I had to vote for George Michael, that was the year of his debut solo album “Faith” since leaving Wham! behind. For a pop star to have that many number 1 singles at the same year with Michael Jackson is downright admirable.
So I went with “Father Figure”. I also like “Faith”, “One More Try” and “Monkey” and other songs like “I Want Your Sex” and “Kissing A Fool”, # 2 and 8 on the chart.
Songs I like more or less from this year: Michael Jackson’s entries, both Rick Astley songs, “Bad Medicine” is one of my favorite Bon Jovi singles! I like the songs by Def Leppard, Poison, Escape Club, Will to Power and Gloria Estefan(both cheesy but good), Terence Trent D’ Arby, INXS, UB40, Phil Collins.
Songs by Tiffany and Chicago I am blanking on now so I can’t comment. Surprised the Bobby McFerrin song is getting votes, and pleasantly surprised INXS and Terence Trent D’ Arby are getting good love. I would have imagined that Dopers would dismiss INXS and Michael Hutchence as wannabe rock stars. And D’ Arby as a forgotten two hit wonder.
I think Guns N’ Roses had better songs like “Welcome to the Jungle”, “Paradise City” and “Mr. Brownstone” then this one, but I predicted it would most votes. I thought by now Def and Poison would have had a handful.
Expose had another song I liked better, so did Debbie Gibson, Richard Marx, and Tiffany.
With this single George Harrison became the last Beatle to score a #1, and he was the first in 1970 to have a solo #1. The Beach Boys scored their first chart topper since 1966, some 22 years. At the time this was the longest wait between any #1 singles for an artist. Cher would break this record in 1999 with " Believe", which came a whopping 25 years after her 1974 single “Dark Lady”.
The Chicago single is the band’s first and only #1 single since the departure of Peter Cetera.
You are the first and only person to vote for a Billy Ocean single in these polls, for he never gets any vote. Out of all these only Ocean’s song did it for you?
:eek::p:dubious:
Yes it was released twice, the first version was a #1 hit in UK (1983) and Canada(1984), but the 1988 version with the booming verse at the end hit #1 in 1988. The last time I recall hearing the 1983 version was in the mid 1990s when I was kid. It is essentially the same, except that one basically fades out and has no rap verse.
Both versions took months to reach #1 on the charts, and is one the longest singles to hit #1.
A shit year, so I rick-rolled the poll.
This is where I get to pick one of my favorites, Billy Ocean.
Sixth longest from single release. I can’t find any data, though, regarding the longest from recording to number one.
Exactly.
That album is one of the best of the 80s but Sweet Child O’ Mine is not as great as those songs. That’s why I couldn’ t vote for it. If it had been Welcome to the Jungle, there would have been no hesitation on my part.
I was thinking more along the lines of Mr Blobby and Bob the Builder…
Another reluctant vote for Guns n Roses. Sweet Child is their only track I actually like - a one hit wonder band for me.
No love to commercial American heavy rock here generally.
It’s probably Sheriff’s “When I’m With You.” Original release entered the Hot 100 on May 14, 1983, and peaked at #61. The re-release hit #1 on Feb. 4, 1989.
It’s a great, great song, in a cheesy, Lionel-Richie’s-“Hello”-video kind of way.