# Best of the Rest of the Top 40: 1983 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 20, 2015, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201 "2015-02-20T16:22:44Z")\ **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 20, 2015, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201/1 "2015-02-20T16:22:44Z")
The year is now 1983, and we’re solidly into '80s-music territory here. I went to #41 to compile the 25 songs on this 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) [1982](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749610) 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:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201/2 "2015-02-20T16:28:06Z")
Lots of good contenders here, but I lurve me some Chrissie Hynde, so The Pretenders get my vote. ---
**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 20, 2015, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201/3 "2015-02-20T16:38:16Z")
I’ve heard all these songs just about to death, but I really loved Twilight Zone at one point, so that one. Besides, my second choice (Little Red Corvette) is probably gonna win the whole shebang. ---
**Author:** ![TheInimitableMaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@TheInimitableMaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheInimitableMaven)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201/4 "2015-02-20T16:46:47Z")
“Twilight Zone”…although, I was tempted to vote for one of my favorite 80’s one hit wonders/guilty pleasures in “Der Kommissar”. ---
**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 20, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201/5 "2015-02-20T17:37:13Z")
The wife will kill me for not voting for Prince, and I feel oogy not voting for Golden Earring, but Chrissie Hynde wins without a doubt. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201/6 "2015-02-20T19:10:51Z")
For me, it was a tough choice between “Chain Gang” and “1999,” but I went with Chrissie. I’m amused to see two songs in this list that Al Yankovic parodied: “(Our Love’s In) Jeopardy” became “I Lost on ‘Jeopardy!’” and “The Safety Dance” became “The Brady Bunch.” ETA: Expected to see “Rock the Casbah” in this poll. ---
**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 20, 2015, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201/7 "2015-02-20T19:18:46Z")
“1999” gets my vote. “The Safety Dance” gained a few bonus points in the world-famous\*\* Ponch8 Music Rating System\*\* for having been used in \* Hot Tub Time Machine\*, but not quite enough to overtake Prince. ---
**Author:** ![justmeetee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@justmeetee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justmeetee)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201/8 "2015-02-20T19:45:57Z")
During this time I spent more time then I cared to driving around the Chicago area and there was a parody of Men Without Hats’ "The Safety Dance"that I used to enjoy and would love to hear again. Men Without Bats “The Cubbie Dance”. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201/9 "2015-02-20T19:48:09Z")
Had to go with Marvin Gaye. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201/10 "2015-02-20T20:47:39Z")
Very tough stuff, went with Human League with Eddy Grant, Prince(“1999”), Golden Earring making it to last round of consideration for voting. Good year overall. ---
**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 20, 2015, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201/11 "2015-02-20T21:43:05Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > ETA: Expected to see “Rock the Casbah” in this poll. It only made it to #52 on the year-end chart, alas. I, personally, nearly voted for Mr. Roboto before deciding instead to go with the Safety Dance. And if you have a problem with that, then you’re no friend of mine. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201/12 "2015-02-20T21:50:57Z")
Holy crap, 82 was a wasteland of trash, While in 83 over a 3rd of the list is fantastic. what the hell? ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201/13 "2015-02-20T22:00:51Z")
And this reminds me, Does anyone else remember Taco on mtv saying something like “get used to seeing this face, I’m gonna be here a long time”? I would love to find that clip. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201/14 "2015-02-20T23:53:25Z")
I just have to vote for _The Safety Dance_. Take care if you watch the [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjPau5QYtYs)though; I’m pretty sure it contains spoilers regarding Tyrion’s fate on this season’s Game of Thrones. ---
**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 21, 2015, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201/15 "2015-02-21T00:09:04Z")
I went with the Pretenders here myself, but lots of good choices here. I could vote for maybe a third of the field here. I’m somewhat surprised, but pleasantly so, that “Safety Dance” is doing as well as it is so far (I love _Rhythm of Youth_ and its post-punk synth pop goodness.) ---
**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:** [February 21, 2015, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201/16 "2015-02-21T00:13:52Z")
Our love’s in jeopardy…bay-ba oooooo oo oo oooooo C’mon, let’s see some love for Greg Kihn! ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2015, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201/17 "2015-02-21T11:45:47Z")
_Puttin’ On the Ritz_. **Irving Berlin** was one of the most gifted songwriters of the 20th century and I guess this will be the only opportunity to vote for a tune from the Great American Songbook. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2015, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201/18 "2015-02-21T12:53:14Z")
Voted for “Sexual Healing” but could have voted for many of these songs. #2 was the basketball-tinged “One on One” by Hall and Oates, probably the closest I will ever come to voting for the duo. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Burden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/958977/32.png) [@Jack\_Burden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Burden)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2015, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201/19 "2015-02-21T14:43:42Z")
Voted for a personal all-time favorite in Twilight Zone, expecting to see It blown away by The Artist; pleasantly surprised to see it hanging in there. ---
**Author:** ![breezman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@breezman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breezman)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2015, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201/20 "2015-02-21T14:49:16Z")
Tough call this time between Puttin’ On the Ritz, (Keep Feeling) Fascination, and The Safety Dance, but Safety Dance gets it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-1983/713201.md?page=2)