80s Song of the Day: When I See You Smile by Bad English

Sometimes I want to give up
Want to give in
I want to quit the fight
And then I see you baby
And everything’s alright

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When I See You Smile by rock super-group Bad English was released on September 16, 1989, with Rockin’ Horse as the B side. It was the second single from the band’s self-titled debut album.

Formed in 1987, Bad English included Journey members Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain, former Babys bandmates John Waite and Ricky Phillips, and drummer Dean Castronova. When I See You Smile was their first and only No. 1 hit in the United States, where it spent two weeks at the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached No. 1 on the Canada Top Singles chart. Continue reading

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80s Song of the Day: Smooth Operator by Sade

Coast to coast, LA to Chicago, western male
Across the north and south, to Key Largo, love for sale

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Smooth Operator by Sade was released in the United Kingdom on September 15, 1984, with Spirit as the B side. It was the fourth and final single from the band’s debut album Diamond Life.

Smooth Operator reached No. 19 on the UK Singles Chart. After its release the following year in the United States, it became Sade’s first Top 10 hit in the U.S., peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached No. 1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. Continue reading

80s Song of the Day: Learning to Fly by Pink Floyd

Can’t keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I

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Learning to Fly by Pink Floyd was released on September 14, 1987, with Terminal Frost as the B side. It was the first single from A Momentary Lapse of Reason, the band’s thirteenth studio album and its first following the departure of Roger Waters.

The song was primarily written by David Gilmour, who assumed leadership of Pink Floyd following Waters’ departure. Learning to Fly reached No. 70 on the Billboard Hot 100. It spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. Continue reading

80s Song of the Day: Centerfold by The J. Geils Band

Years go by I’m lookin’ through a girly magazine
And there’s my homeroom angel on the pages inbetween

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Centerfold by The J. Geils Band was released on September 13, 1981, with Rage in the Cage as the B side. It was the first single released from the album Freeze Frame.

The song spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It reached No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart, the first and only major hit for the band in the United Kingdom. Continue reading

80s Song of the Day: Love Is a Battlefield by Pat Benatar

You’re making me go, you’re begging me stay
Why do you hurt me so bad?
It would help me to know
Do I stand in your way, or am I the best thing you’ve had?

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Love Is a Battlefield by Pat Benatar was released on September 12, 1983, with a live version of Hell Is for Children as the B side. It was one of two studio tracks (the other being Lipstick Lies) featured on Benatar’s live album Live from Earth, recorded during the Get Nervous world tour in late 1982/early 1983.

Love Is a Battlefield reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 17 on the UK Singles Chart. In 1984, the song won Benatar her fourth consecutive Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. Continue reading

80s Song of the Day: It’s Raining Men by The Weather Girls

God bless Mother Nature, she’s a single woman too
She took off to heaven and she did what she had to do
She taught every angel to rearrange the sky
So that each and every woman could find her perfect guy

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It’s Raining Men by The Weather Girls was released on September 10, 1982, with an instrumental version of the song as the B side. It was a single from the album Success.

The song, which had previously been rejected by Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Cher, and Barbara Streisand, was an international hit, selling 6 million copies worldwide. It reached No. 46 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart. Continue reading

80s Song of the Day: No Reply At All by Genesis

I get the feelin’ you’re tryin’ to tell me;
Is there somethin’ that I should know?
What excuse are you tryin’ to sell me?
Should I be readin’ stop or go?
I don’t know

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No Reply At All by Genesis was released September 9, 1981. Some versions featured  Naminanu as the B side; others featured Dodo. It was the first single released in the United States from the album Abacab.

The song spent 18 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 29. It went all the way to No. 2 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock chart. Continue reading

80s Song of the Day: Lucky Star by Madonna

You must be my lucky star
‘Cause you make the darkness seem so far
And when I’m lost you’ll be my guide
I just turn around and you’re by my side

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Lucky Star by Madonna was released in the United Kingdom on September 8, 1983, with I Know It as the B side. It was the fourth single from her eponymous debut album.

The song reached No. 14 on the UK Singles Chart. In the United States, it was Madonna’s first Top 5 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at No. 4. It became the second single in her record-breaking string of 17 consecutive Top 10 hits. Continue reading

80s Song of the Day: Bad by Michael Jackson

But they say the sky’s the limit
And to me that’s really true
And my friends you have seen nothin’
Just wait ’til I get through

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Bad by Michael Jackson was released on September 7, 1987, with I Can’t Help It! as the B side. It was the second single from the album of the same name.

The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for two weeks. Internationally, it was a Top 10 hit in 11 countries. Continue reading

80s Song of the Day: Girls Just Want to Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper

The phone rings in the middle of the night
My father yells what you gonna do with your life
Oh daddy dear you know you’re still number one
But girls they want to have fun

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Girls Just Want to Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper was released on September 6, 1983, with Right Track Wrong Train as the B side. It was the lead single from Lauper’s debut album She’s So Unusual. Continue reading