Friday 80s Flashback for January 30, 2015

"Family Ties" The Real Thing: Part 2 (1985)

[At this Moment in 1987] -- Because the calendar dates for 1981 and 1987 line up with those of 2015, I'm using chart activity from '81 and '87 as my Flashback guide this year. And there was an interesting triumvirate of tunes topping the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending January 31, 1987. Do you remember the number one song that week? Do you recall any of the songs in the top 10? Well, read and hear more after the break and your memory will be revived!

Friday 80s Flashback for January 23, 2015

[Jack Your Weekend] -- As previously mentioned here, the calendar dates for 1981 and 1987 line up with those of 2015. So, I'm using chart activity from '81 and '87 as my Flashback guide. Now, two of the top three slots on the Billboard Hot 100 for this week in 1981 remain unchanged from two weeks ago. And, frankly, the chart toppers for this week in 1987 do not interest me. So, instead of focusing on a trio of songs that hit it big this week in a prior year, I've chosen a more eclectic triumvirate for your aural pleasure: an action hero's album, a milestone in house music, and a Nebraska dream-pop outfit's debut, all from this week in 1987. 

Friday 80s Flashback for January 16, 2015

[April Wine in January] -- As I mentioned last week, this year's Flashbacks will find me dipping into 1981 and 1987's chart activity because the calendar dates of those years match up with those of 2015. Speaking of last week's post, the top three songs on the Billboard Hot 100 for 1/10/1981 maintained their positions for the week ending 1/17/1981. So, I thought I could use an album released during the past week -- albeit 34 years ago. I had a choice between The Nature of the Beast by April Wine and In Our Lifetime by Marvin Gaye. I'm thinking of saving Mr. Gaye's release for a Flashback later this year. So, April Wine it is!

 The Nature of the Beast was Canadian rockers April Wine's ninth studio album. It was released on January 12, 1981, and would eventually peak at #11 on the Canadian Albums Chart and #26 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart. The album spawned two singles, "Just Between You and Me" and "Sign of the Gypsy Queen" (a cover of Lorence Hud's 1973 hit). The former was a top 25 hit in the U.S. for the band while the latter had more moderate success, peaking at #57 on the Billboard Hot 100. Although not released as a single, "All Over Town" received airplay on AOR radio stations, so it ended up charting at #29 on the Top Tracks chart. Our Flashbacks this week will be the top 25 hit and ... the full album! Read and hear more after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback for January 9, 2015

[This Week in 1981] -- I know I missed the last two weekends. I'm sorry, but there was holiday stuff and traveling, so I hope you'll forgive me for not posting new 80s material until now. Speaking of now, you might be wondering why a January 1981 calendar (from Marvel Comics' 20th Anniversary Calendar) is my introductory graphic this week. Oh, you're not wondering. Oh, well, I'm going to tell you anyway. You see, calendars regularly repeat day-date combinations. And it turns out that 2015 is a dead ringer for calendars from 2009, 1998, 1987, 1981, and 1970. According to the calendar image above, this weekend matches right up with The Puppet Master and his step-daughter, Alicia. Not that The Puppet Master has anything to do with this week's Flashback. He and Alicia just happen to be hanging out on this weekend's dates which do have everything to do with the Flashback. Why? I'm glad you asked that! It's because I will be dipping into the chart history of the 80s for more than a few posts this year. And I'm starting out with this very week in 1981. So we'll re-visit the top three songs on the Billboard Hot 100. Before we get to the top tunes, it is interesting to note that, at the outset of the new year (1981), we find the old guard ruling the charts. In fact, the top 20 slots are all occupied by tried-and-true 70s artists, if not even a tad older. The other interesting fact is that our top three songs were all released prior to December 1980, and one of them was recorded back in 1979. The pre-digital music business moved at a much different pace than we are currently accustomed to.

Do you remember what topped the Billboard Hot 100 a mere 34 years ago this week? When you're ready to be reminded, you can read and hear more after the break!    

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