# Best of the Rest of the Top 40: 1982 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 18, 2015, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026 "2015-02-18T18:28:56Z")\ **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:** [February 18, 2015, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026/1 "2015-02-18T18:28:56Z")
And now we find ourselves in '82. (The disco hot spots hold no charm for you.) This is the point at which this chart finally starts to look like what I’d define as “80s music”, and it’s the first one in a long time where I haven’t had to go above #40 - eliminating the number-ones from the Top 40 still leaves us with 28 songs on the list. What’s your favorite? Previous polls: [1956](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744629) [1957](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744819) [1958](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744978) [1959](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745151) [1960](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745331) [1961](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745525) [1962](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745733) [1963](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745956) [1964](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746118) [1965](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746342) [1966](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746498) [1967](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746735) [1968](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746932) [1969](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747152) [1970](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747345) [1971](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747517) [1972](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747737) [1973](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747976) [1974](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748145) [1975](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748360) [1976](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748527) [1977](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748653) [1978](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748866) [1979](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749060) [1980](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749217) [1981](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749398) Best #1 single 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) [1983](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737315) [1984](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737488) [1985](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737732) [1986](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737957) [1987](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738178) [1988](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738403) [1989](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738639) [1990](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738829) [1991](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739067) [1992](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739360) [1993](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739525) [1994](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739880) [1995](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740122) [1996](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740302) [1997](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740497) [1998](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740709) [1999](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740859) [2000](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741047) [2001](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741267) [2002](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741450) [2003](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741604) [2004](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741730) [2005](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741915) [2006](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742069) [2007](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742147) [2008](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742282) [2009](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742467) [2010](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742676) [2011](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742846) [2012](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=675664) [2013](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=710843) [2014](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743899) [1950s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743046) [1960s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743240) [1970s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743399) [1980s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743597) [1990s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743803) [2000s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743981) [2010s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744176) [All-time](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744358) ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026/2 "2015-02-18T18:53:06Z")
Now things are moving to become 80’s and the seventies sound is fading for the most part. I feel Soft Cell may win but I won’t vote for it. The Motels, George Benson, or Tommy Tutone are being singled out for voting. Some others I like such as DazzBand, Foreigner and etc but not to vote. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026/3 "2015-02-18T18:59:55Z")
It’s funny how some years I have to hold my nose to pick something and some years are an embarrassment of riches and I wish I could vote three or four times. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026/4 "2015-02-18T19:02:32Z")
I didn’t own a radio (or a car) in 1982, and do not recognize many of these. I do know that I have always hated “Leader of the Band.” ---
**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:** [February 18, 2015, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026/5 "2015-02-18T19:10:56Z")
I don’t think I’ve picked a cover version before in any of these polls, but I am now. _Tainted Love_ is my clear favourite of the ones I know here. Soft Cell were a great band, and a big influence on my future musical taste. I still remember the look on my mum’s face when I brought home their album _Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret_ (I’d have been 13 at the time) ---
**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:** [February 18, 2015, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026/6 "2015-02-18T19:13:35Z")
I wanted to vote for the Go-Gos, but Quarterflash holds a special place in my memories. So “Harden My Heart” gets it. ---
**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:** [February 18, 2015, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026/7 "2015-02-18T19:25:13Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > It’s funny how some years I have to hold my nose to pick something and some years are an embarrassment of riches and I wish I could vote three or four times. This is an embarrassment of riches year for me. I love this stuff. Gave it to Alan Parsons, but reluctantly! ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026/8 "2015-02-18T19:27:57Z")
If the poll question was, "What was the most “1982” song of 1982, Rosanna might have gotten my vote, but got to go with the very influential Tainted Love. Just thinking of Rosanna sends me right back to being 8 years old being driven around northeast Wisconsin in the back seat of my parents’ 1979 Cutlass Supreme (AM radio only). ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026/9 "2015-02-18T19:31:52Z")
This is the first one of your polls where it was actually difficult to make a choice. 1982 had a LOT of songs that I still like to this day. Went with John Cougar (as we called him then) when I voted, but there are about six more on the list that I wish I had chosen. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026/10 "2015-02-18T20:46:26Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I wanted to vote for the Go-Gos, but Quarterflash holds a special place in my memories. So “Harden My Heart” gets it. Quarterflash for me, too. I almost voted for Charlene, though. A perfect choice to represent such a year of dreck. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026/11 "2015-02-18T21:08:14Z")
To me it was between _Hurts So Good_, _Always on My Mind_ and _Shake It Up_. I just flipped some coins and went with Willie. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026/12 "2015-02-18T21:09:26Z")
Really? Tommy Tutone in the lead? Blasphemy! ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026/13 "2015-02-18T21:30:04Z")
Asia - “Heat of the Moment” It defines the era. ---
**Author:** ![justmeetee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@justmeetee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justmeetee)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026/14 "2015-02-18T22:01:05Z")
There are several I went back and forth between before I made my pick. When I did I kindda expected to be picking one that would get only a few votes. What a surprise to find I voted for the leader, “Tainted Love”. ---
**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:** [February 18, 2015, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026/15 "2015-02-18T22:16:23Z")
I went with Eye In the Sky, but just _barely_ - I could just as easily have gone with Heat of the Moment, Open Arms, 867-5309, or Leather and Lace. ---
**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:** [February 18, 2015, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026/16 "2015-02-18T22:47:39Z")
This year is a pretty vast improvement over the previous few years (with a few obvious exceptions like Air Supply). I’ll weigh in with my vote later. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026/17 "2015-02-18T23:05:19Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I do know that I have always hated “Leader of the Band.” Preach it, brother. Someone deserved to die for that one. Painfully. Slowly. Publicly. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026/18 "2015-02-18T23:51:36Z")
Tough one but I gave it to The Motels, haunting pop song. Glad others like George Benson got votes. ---
**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:** [February 19, 2015, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026/19 "2015-02-19T00:02:25Z")
Several worthy contenders here. I ended up going with the fun, bouncy “We Got the Beat” by the Go-Go’s. The Cars would probably have been my second choice. Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” is, of course, an 80s classic, and even Toto’s “Rosanna” was somewhat in contention, with that Jeff Porcaro half-time shuffle with a Bo Diddley beat kick drum sending many a drummer into the woodshed to figure that out. One of rock’s most famous drum grooves. ---
**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:** [February 19, 2015, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026/20 "2015-02-19T00:17:02Z")
I listened to some of the songs I don’t know/remember. The Toto song, I actually have heard before, and it’s a decent song. But the video is so amazingly, err, of its time. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/qmOLtTGvsbM/maxresdefault.jpg "Toto - Rosanna (Official HD Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmOLtTGvsbM) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1982/713026.md?page=2)