80s0n8 Big 40 Countdown Schedule

This week's surprises.
The only thing surprising to me about Twisted Sister's "Leader Of The Pack" is that it made the Hot 100 at all. I know I already ranted about this on here years ago but I was HUGE into their previous album Stay Hungry. I ran out to buy the follow-up and it was so horrible, with this lead single (and video) being the worst of the worst from it. I still haven't forgiven them.

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The only thing surprising to me about Twisted Sister's "Leader Of The Pack" is that it made the Hot 100 at all. I know I already ranted about this on here years ago but I was HUGE into their previous album Stay Hungry. I ran out to buy the follow-up and it was so horrible, with this lead single (and video) being the worst of the worst from it. I still haven't forgiven them.

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I did not think it was a great song but I remember hearing it a lot on the radio at the time hence my surprise.
 
I remember MTV played it for ... maybe a few weeks? I'm just surprised that any radio stations gave it a second spin!

I was one of the suckers who bought the album right away. I thought two songs were ok and the rest sucked

1. "Come Out and Play" ok then, don't care now
2. "Leader of the Pack"
3. "You Want What We Got" ok then, don't care now
4. "I Believe in Rock 'n' Roll"
5. "The Fire Still Burns"
6. "Be Chrool to Your Scuel"
7. "I Believe in You"
8. "Out on the Streets"
9. "Lookin' Out for #1"
10. "Kill or Be Killed"
 
I remember MTV played it for ... maybe a few weeks? I'm just surprised that any radio stations gave it a second spin!

I was one of the suckers who bought the album right away. I thought two songs were ok and the rest sucked

1. "Come Out and Play" ok then, don't care now
2. "Leader of the Pack"
3. "You Want What We Got" ok then, don't care now
4. "I Believe in Rock 'n' Roll"
5. "The Fire Still Burns"
6. "Be Chrool to Your Scuel"
7. "I Believe in You"
8. "Out on the Streets"
9. "Lookin' Out for #1"
10. "Kill or Be Killed"
The age old issue of the second album. Record company wants second album now. Band just poured all their good ideas into first album and has to rush to produce second. Not the first band to be killed by the second album.
 
Nina and Mark both mentioned how Simple Minds is still going strong, releasing new albums and touring.

They really only had 4 U.S. hit songs plus a few more that get played on First Wave.
Last familiar song was in 1986!

They appear to have continued to have U.K. hits in the 90’s but not much since.

But they plow ahead, still making new music. More power to them.
 
Nina and Mark both mentioned how Simple Minds is still going strong, releasing new albums and touring.

They really only had 4 U.S. hit songs plus a few more that get played on First Wave.
Last familiar song was in 1986!

They appear to have continued to have U.K. hits in the 90’s but not much since.

But they plow ahead, still making new music. More power to them.
Looks like they released an album a few months ago. It seemed to chart well in Europe: Direction of the Heart - Wikipedia

I had a keen focus on UK bands in the 80s. I don't think many of the bands from the era chart or tour much in the US anymore.
 
Not the first band to be killed by the second album.
Very true. It's called the sophomore jinx. Quiet Riot is the quintessential example. But I remember a magazine article back in the 80s "Ratt Avoids Sophomore Jinx" (because "Lay It Down" peaked at #40).

Ratt's bassist in 2020:
"With Invasion, we were aware of the sophomore jinx and wanted to cement what we did on Out Of The Cellar and let people know it wasn’t a fluke. That we could repeat the initial success and then some. You can debate whether Invasion excels over Out Of The Cellar, but we were on a mission to put out the best music we could ... I’m proud of what we did with Invasion. The funny thing about it, when you’re in a band working to reach a goal of getting out to the mass, you have a lot of time to prepare songs for your first record. The second record’s turnaround is a lot quicker [laughing]. We didn’t have the luxury of sitting around to think about songs; we just had to go for it."

Technically, Twisted Sister Come Out And Play isn't a second album, it's their fourth. But it's "the album after their big album" so it feels like the second album.
 
DEC 88

EARLIER
Guns N Roses "Sweet Child"
Beach Boys "Kokomo"
Chicago "Look Away"
Escape Club "Wild Wild West"
Will To Power "Baby/Freebird"

Poison "Every Rose"

LATER
Sheriff "When I'm With You"
Bobby Brown "My Prerogative"
Phil Collins "Two Hearts"
Paula Adbul "Straight Up"
Fine Young Cannibals "She Drives"
 
'88 correct order

Guns N Roses "Sweet Child" off the chart
Bobby McFerrin "Don't Worry" #73
Def Leppard "Love Bites" #90
UB40 "Red Red Wine" #68
Phil Collins "Groovy Kind" #55

Beach Boys "Kokomo" #38
Escape Club "Wild Wild West" #39
Bon Jovi "Bad Medicine" #43
Will To Power "Baby/Freebird" #11
Chicago "Look Away" #3
Poison "Every Rose" #1
Bobby Brown "My Prerogative" #2
Phil Collins "Two Hearts" #6
Sheriff "When I'm With You" #27
Paula Abdul "Straight Up" #35
.....
Fine Young Cannibals "She Drives" not on the chart yet

white: on my list
green: my candidates
brown: missing from my list
orange: on my list but not on hot 100 this week
 
December 24, 1988.

40: KISS – THE ART OF NOISE FEATURING TOM JONES
39: WILD WILD WEST – THE ESCAPE CLUB
38: KOKOMO – THE BEACH BOYS
37: WILD THING – TONE LOC
36: DESIRE - U2
35: STRAIGHT UP – PAULA ABDUL
34: THE LOVER IN ME – SHEENA EASTON
33: GHOST TOWN – CHEAP TRICK
32: THANKS FOR MY CHILD – CHERYL “PEPSII” RILEY
31: I WANNA HAVE SOME FUN – SAMANTHA FOX
30: WILD WORLD – MAXI PRIEST
29: HOLDING ON – STEVE WINWOOD
28: LITTLE LIAR – JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS
27: WHEN I’M WITH YOU - SHERIFF
26: BORN TO BE MY BABY – BON JOVI
25: WHEN THE CHILDREN CRY – WHITE LION
24: ALL THIS TIME - TIFFANY
23: EARLY IN THE MORNING – ROBERT PALMER
22: THE WAY YOU LOVE ME – KARYN WHITE
21: SPY IN THE HOUSE OF LOVE – WAS (NOT WAS)
20: FINISH WHAT YA STARTED – VAN HALEN
19: PUT A LITTLE LOVE IN YOUR HEART – ANNIE LENNOX & AL GREEN
18: THE PROMISE – WHEN IN ROME
17: HOW CAN I FALL - BREATHE
16: SILHOUETTE – KENNY G
15: I DON’T WANT YOUR LOVE – DURAN DURAN
14: I REMEMBER HOLDING YOU – BOYS CLUB
13: SMOOTH CRIMINAL – MICHAEL JACKSON
12: ARMAGEDDON IT – DEF LEPPARD
11: BABY, I LOVE YOUR WAY/FREEBIRD – WILL TO POWER
10: DON’T RUSH ME – TAYLOR DAYNE
9: WALK ON WATER – EDDIE MONEY
8: IN YOUR ROOM – THE BANGLES
7: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE – GUNS N’ ROSES
6: TWO HEARTS – PHIL COLLINS
5: WAITING FOR A STAR TO FALL – BOY MEETS GIRL
4: GIVING YOU THE BEST THAT I GOT – ANITA BAKER
3: LOOK AWAY - CHICAGO
2: MY PREROGATIVE – BOBBY BROWN
1: EVERY ROSE HAS ITS THORN – POISON
 
Good 15
Okay 8
Bad 17

34: THE LOVER IN ME – SHEENA EASTON

Let's talk about the lover in me? WTH does that mean? "So girl, there's a lover in you. Let's talk about that."

33: GHOST TOWN – CHEAP TRICK

A meh song on a great album.

16: SILHOUETTE – KENNY G

beavis

1: EVERY ROSE HAS ITS THORN – POISON

I picked this. Haven't heard anything about what others picked.

Will never break into the top 40
#48 Tracy Chapman "Baby Can I Hold You"
#56 Fleetwood Mac "As Long As You Follow"
#59 Traveling Wilburys "Handle With Care"
#60 Eighth Wonder "Cross My Heart"
#63 Siouxsie & The Banshees "Peek-A-Boo"
#64 Georgia Satellites "Hippy Hippy Shake"
#65 Alphaville "Forever Young"
#67 Basia "New Day for You"
#74 Randy Newman "It's Money That Matters"
#76 Michelle Shocked "Anchorage"
#77 Tommy Conwell "If We Never Meet Again"
#78 Mike & The Mechanics "Nobody's Perfect"
#81 Starship "Wild Again"
#82 Al B Sure "Killing Me Softly"
#83 Timelords "Doctorin' The Tardis"
#86 Fairground Attraction "Perfect"
#89 Safire "Boy, I've Been Told"
#92 JJ Fad "Is It Love"
#95 Sir Mix-A-Lot "Posse On Broadway"
#96 Luther Vandross "Any Love"
#97 L'Trimm "Cars With The Boom"
#98 Camouflage "The Great Commandment"
 
Also, they didn't announce what next week's year will be. Probably one of those "vote for the best party song" waste of time deals.
Or like they did on the 70s (which regurgitated a previously aired top 1000) will air last years top 40 party songs. An even bigger waste of time.
 
The Hippy Hippy Shake was written by then-17-year-old Robert "Chan" Romero. His recording of the song was released as a single (Del-Fi 4119) in July 1959. He released five more singles between 1959 and 1966 but none charted. A version of The Hippy Hippy Shake by the Swinging Blue Jeans, a Liverpool quartetr, reached #24 in April 1964. A live version by the Beatles was recorded in 1962 at the Star Club in Hamburg, Germany, and was released on an album in 1977. The song has also been recorded by Billy Fury, Curt Haagers, Mud, the Ronski Gang and more than 30 other artists. Here is the original:

 
December 24, 1988.

40: KISS – THE ART OF NOISE FEATURING TOM JONES
39: WILD WILD WEST – THE ESCAPE CLUB
38: KOKOMO – THE BEACH BOYS
37: WILD THING – TONE LOC
36: DESIRE - U2
35: STRAIGHT UP – PAULA ABDUL
34: THE LOVER IN ME – SHEENA EASTON
33: GHOST TOWN – CHEAP TRICK
32: THANKS FOR MY CHILD – CHERYL “PEPSII” RILEY
31: I WANNA HAVE SOME FUN – SAMANTHA FOX
30: WILD WORLD – MAXI PRIEST
29: HOLDING ON – STEVE WINWOOD
28: LITTLE LIAR – JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS
27: WHEN I’M WITH YOU - SHERIFF
26: BORN TO BE MY BABY – BON JOVI
25: WHEN THE CHILDREN CRY – WHITE LION
24: ALL THIS TIME - TIFFANY
23: EARLY IN THE MORNING – ROBERT PALMER
22: THE WAY YOU LOVE ME – KARYN WHITE
21: SPY IN THE HOUSE OF LOVE – WAS (NOT WAS)
20: FINISH WHAT YA STARTED – VAN HALEN
19: PUT A LITTLE LOVE IN YOUR HEART – ANNIE LENNOX & AL GREEN
18: THE PROMISE – WHEN IN ROME
17: HOW CAN I FALL - BREATHE
16: SILHOUETTE – KENNY G
15: I DON’T WANT YOUR LOVE – DURAN DURAN
14: I REMEMBER HOLDING YOU – BOYS CLUB
13: SMOOTH CRIMINAL – MICHAEL JACKSON
12: ARMAGEDDON IT – DEF LEPPARD
11: BABY, I LOVE YOUR WAY/FREEBIRD – WILL TO POWER
10: DON’T RUSH ME – TAYLOR DAYNE
9: WALK ON WATER – EDDIE MONEY
8: IN YOUR ROOM – THE BANGLES
7: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE – GUNS N’ ROSES
6: TWO HEARTS – PHIL COLLINS
5: WAITING FOR A STAR TO FALL – BOY MEETS GIRL
4: GIVING YOU THE BEST THAT I GOT – ANITA BAKER
3: LOOK AWAY - CHICAGO
2: MY PREROGATIVE – BOBBY BROWN
1: EVERY ROSE HAS ITS THORN – POISON
This one was a repeat countdown: Dec 31, 2017. There's commentary from @sadchild on the page too.
 
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