Best of the Rest of the Top 40: 1982

Cafe Society
21

I could vote for…

Soft Cell - “Tainted Love”
Quarterflash - “Harden My Heart”
Toto - “Rosanna”
Foreigner - “Waiting For A Girl Like You”
Willie Nelson - “Always On My Mind”
The Cars - “Shake It Up”
The Dazz Band - “Let It Whip”
The Go-Go’s - “We Got the Beat”
George Benson - “Turn Your Love Around”
The Motels - “Only the Lonely”
Earth, Wind, & Fire - “Let’s Groove”
Stevie Nicks & Don Henley - “Leather and Lace”
Asia - “Heat of the Moment”

I actually voted for Quarterflash, but any of the above could have gotten the vote if you asked me this question at other points in my life.

22

Voted for Alan Parson’s Eye in the Sky, but it should always be introduced by his song Sirius.

23

I felt the same way.

24

Weird. I just listened to it, and I don’t recognize this song at all. I mean, sure, I was only 8 or 9 at the time, but I recognize pretty much everything else on this list.

25

They were a one hit wonder. And some people thought it was Pat Benatar at first.

26

“Jenny,” but “I’ve Never Been To Me” is a contender for not only worst song of 1982, but also the worst song of 70s (first charted in 1977) AND the 80s. Dig:

Whoooa, I’ve been to Nice
And the Isle of Greece
While I’ve sipped champagne on a yacht
I’ve moved like Harlow in Monte Carlo
And showed 'em what I’ve got
I’ve been undressed by kings
And I’ve seen some things
That a woman ain’t supposed to see
I’ve been to paradise
But I’ve never been to me

27

I agree. I voted for “Eye in the Sky,” under the assumption that “Sirius” gets played first. It was a very tight contest for superiority in the world-famous Ponch8 Music Rating System, with other contenders including “Rosanna” and “We Got the Beat.” “Tainted Love” wasn’t that far behind either.

28

This list is a perfect example of why I don’t understand a lot of negative comments I hear about 80’s music. I was in my 20’s at the time and really enjoyed the quality and variety of the music.

29

Wait a few years. It gets much, much worse.

30

Now this is more like it. Lots of songs to get behind here.

31

The Alan Parsons Project - Eye In the Sky

They had another great (even better) single a couple of years later (Don’t Answer Me). I’m pretty sure I got it as a gift for my 10th birthday.

I used to love Soft Cell’s cover of Tainted Love when I was in my “Let’s rediscover the 80s music that I missed at the time” phase but I think I’ve listened to it too often. Other singles from the same era like Visage’s Fade to Grey still work for me however.

32

Aw, you shoulda heard me and my little friends belting it out at that sixth grade slumber party…:smiley:

33

Voted for the Go-Go’s because I like the song and I think they are truly underrated in terms of their talent and legacy as trailblazers.

Now we’re getting to the music I grew up with. I’m not saying it’s great music, but a lot of it has a sentimental place in my mind.

34

This was the hardest one so far for me to choose just one. I finally picked “Key Largo” because I figured I might be the only one.

35

Several songs here I like (or liked back in the 80’s) but none I love. Went with Eye in the Sky using the “Is it on my iPod?” tiebreaker method.

36

This year totally belongs to the ladies. I voted for the Go-Go’s, but absent their entry could have gone with Quarterflash, the Motels, Fleetwood Mac, or Stevie Nicks.

37

I’m torn between “Hurt So Good” and “Leather and Lace.”

I’d like to vote for the Go-Go’s, but “We Got the Beat” was, to me, one of the least interesting songs on that album. (My favorite song from the album, “You Can’t Talk In Your Sleep (if you can’t sleep)” wasn’t even a single.) I’d like to have voted for The Cars in an earlier year for “My Best Friend’s Girl” or “You’re All I’ve Got Tonight” or “Just What I Needed” or something similar. “Shake It Up” was OK, but not one of their best.

And what dropzone said about “Never Been to Me.”

38

Not even a contest for me. “Let it Whip.”

39

Gave a pity vote to “Let’s Groove”…but would have voted for “Eye In The Sky” if it had, well, caught my eye beforehand. Absolutely love the sci-fi atmosphere of ‘Eye’ right down to its rather supervillain-esque words.

“I am the maker of rules, dealing with fools…I can cheat you blind.”

40

Strong R&B songs… Dazz Band… George Benson’s… Shake it up is okay…Cars had way better Heat of the Moment… and Rosanna are great rock/pop songs… Waiting by Foreigner is the playbook of the rock power ballad of which tons of songs emerge from…that was #2 for me…

Only the Lonely… still holds up… great song… the lyrics only grow on you as you listen with age…