And in conclusion, ladies and gentlemen...
20 - "Land of Confusion," Genesis
19 - "You Know I Love You...Don't You?" Howard Jones
18 - "Is this Love," Survivor
17 - "Control," Janet Jackson
16 - "Human," The Human League
The second half begins with Genesis and a song about trying to make the world a better place despite all the obstacles. It's catchy and all, but it's probably better remembered for its video, which featured puppets of celebrities and politicians made by the creators of the satirical British series Spitting Image. I liked that show, especially the one American special The Ronnie and Nancy Show. "Yum, Mister Stallone!"
Next is Englishman Howard Jones with a bouncy pop confection in which he compares how much he needs you to various things that naturally go together, like sockets and plugs, flowers and bees, trains and tracks, etc. Not one of his stronger hits, but okay.
Then it's Survivor with their last Top 40 hit, a mediocre synth-laden rocker about wondering if they've met "the one." Really, unless they're soundtracking scenes from Rocky movies, there's nothing to their music except terrible 80s corporate rock. And they don't even stand out in that horrid crowd.
Janet Jackson continued her emergence as the second-biggest pop star her family would produce with this, the fourth single and title track from her breakthrough LP Control. It's an effective, beat-driven statement of autonomy and independence. She wasn't quite Michael, but who is?
This section finishes with the return of the Human League's smash collaboration with Control producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. It still amazes me that this combination was so successful.
15 - "War (Live)," Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band
14 - "C'est La Vie," Robbie Nevil
13 - "Don't Get Me Wrong," The Pretenders
12 - "Word Up," Cameo
11 - "Love Will Conquer All," Lionel Richie
This quartet begins with The Boss's live cover of Edwin Starr's 1970 Number One protest hit. Not necessary at all, but the energy he and his legendary backing group put into it shines through. No, this wasn't the first version of this song I ever heard. But I'm ashamed to say Starr's wasn't either. It was, um, Frankie Goes to Hollywood's.
L.A.'s Robbie Nevil had experience some success as a songwriter before he got to release his first single, a head-bobbing pop-rocker about not letting problems get you down. He would later go on to co-write songs for Disney Channel TV shows, including "Best of Both Worlds," the theme song to Hannah Montana. Maybe not the coolest career move, but that's life.
Next is Chrissie Hynde and her band with their most recent U.S. Top Ten. It's a jangly love song, which was kind of a departure for them, but it still sounds organic, as opposed to a calculated hit bid. I'm sure it's one of the best songs among those that get repeatedly used in romantic comedies.
Then Cameo return with their funky vocabulary/spelling lesson. This is one song that neither time nor bad cover versions can drain the cool out of. And Lord knows some have tried.
Last in this section we have Lionel Richie's okay but boring song about a nice concept that we all wish was true. Especially around this time of year. And you know what, Lionel? I'm still not willing to give up on it. It's so crazy it just might work...eventually.
The Top Ten have arrived. Alert the media.
10 - "Stand by Me," Ben E. King
This former Drifter originally had a Top Ten hit with this classic plea for friendship and loyalty in 1961, Twenty-five years later, it was used as the title song for Rob Reiner's adaptation of a Stephen King novella about four boys coming of age, and the movie's popularity propelled the original recording back up the charts. Nothing wrong with a new generation rediscovering something this great. And the film's fantastic too. "Pez. Cherry-flavored Pez. No question about it."
9 - "Shake You Down," Gregory Abbott
This New York-born, Northern California-educated singer only had one Top 40 hit, but this smooth loverman ballad went all the way to the top, so at least he went big before he went home. Good song, although I question his use of the title phrase. That makes me think he's trying to con this woman out of her money, not make sweet sweet love to her.
8 - "Notorious," Duran Duran
During the process of making the same-titled album this was taken from, the band shed two of its three Taylor non-brothers and was reduced to a trio. They weren't really missed on this single, a horn-drenched funk strut with enigmatic lyrics. I do know that Simon LeBon doesn't want me to monkey with his business. Done.
7 - "To be a Lover," Billy Idol
Billy returns from last time with his hit that straddles the line between rockabilly and synthpop. And straddles it well.
6 - "You Give Love a Bad Name," Bon Jovi
The breakthrough smash by these Jersey boys returns. Sorry if you've got it in your head now. No one can save you, the damage is done. This was also used as a Long Distance Dedication. Two 12-year-old girls named Angie and Tracy dedicated it to a boy named Chris who'd done them both wrong. Ah, young love.
5 - "Everybody Have Fun Tonight," Wang Chung
Even if I knew how to "wang chung" I wouldn't. Not tonight, not tomorrow night, never.
4 - "The Next Time I Fall," Peter Cetera with Amy Grant
Hate him, love her. Well, her voice at least. It's just so pure and sweet. That's nice to hear once in a while. Even when the song she's singing sucks, as it so often does.
3 - "Hip to be Square," Huey Lewis and the News
No, Homer, it isn't. Even if you'd died, it would have been cooler if you'd taken that one last bowling ball shot to the gut.
2 - "Walk Like an Egyptian," The Bangles
This all-female quartet had their first of two #1 hits with this odd little pop song that mentions gold crocodiles, hookah pipes, punk and metal bands, and cops in doughnut shops. And of course, that move where you walk while holding your one arm at neck level with your hand bent forward and your other arm at waist level with the hand bent back. Oh, you know what I mean. Anyway, upon further review, I've decided to make this a co-Uneasy Rider along with "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades." Yes, this is unprecedented, but I'm in a crazy mood.
And at the highest level a song can climb, this week we find...
1 - "The Way it Is," Bruce Hornsby and the Range
I'm not sure many music insiders expected this downbeat musical lecture about the evils of prejudice to be a chart-topping smash, but here it is. As I said last time, it's a pretty good song that sticks with you, but still, I have to say it's kind of amazing how widely it was embraced by Top 40 radio and its listeners.
The NotCaseys this week were "Brand New Lover" by Dead or Alive, "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi, "Big Time" by Peter Gabriel, and "Will You Still Love Me" by Chicago. The show opened with Casey playing the previous weeks #2 and #1 ("You Give Love a Bad Name" and "The Next Time I Fall," respectively. And there were two more Long Distance Dedications. A divorced man named Biff Baker dedicated Elton John's "Your Song" to a woman named Marianna, from an undisclosed foreign country, who taught him how to love again. And a woman who'd been abused by her husband asked Casey to pick a song to dedicate to all the other women listening who were in similar situations. He chose "I Will Survive."
Tomorrow (maybe): Another bonus, in the form of a one-part look at a chart from 1974.
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