1980: THE 200 GREATEST SONGS. 
This post: #190-181. Continues: tomorrow.

Caffè Lattè presents…

1980

THE 200 GREATEST SONGS

In 1980, TV audiences tuned in for the answer to the question who shot J.R. on “Dallas”; Moscow hosted the Summer Olympic Games which were boycotted by many nations; war broke out between Iran and Iraq; Ronald Reagan was elected President of the United States and the world mourned after John Lennon was assassinated outside his Dakota apartment in New York City.

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I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU The Tourists

This Scottish group featured Dave Stewart and his girlfriend Annie Lennox. The single was a remake of Dusty Springfield’s 1963 hit. In the mid-70s, it was covered by The Bay City Rollers. The 1980s revamp reached the Top 10 in Britain and Australia. When the band split, Stewart and Lennox enjoyed a string of hits as the duo Eurythmics.

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DOWNHEARTED Australian Crawl

This rock band was formed on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia. The song was a single lifted off the group’s debut album ‘The Boys Light Up’. It reached #12 on the Australian Top 40.

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COWARD OF THE COUNTY Kenny Rogers

The early 1980s saw country music crossover to the pop charts, bringing renewed if not mainstream success for many of the genre’s major stars, such as Kenny Rogers. As well as topping the British and Canadian charts, in the U.S.A. the disc reached #1 Country, #3 Pop and #5 Adult Contemporary.

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MORE THAN I CAN SAY Leo Sayer

The Crickets recorded the original version of this song, charting with it in 1960, not long after the death of the group’s influential lead singer Buddy Holly. Twenty years later, Leo Sayer’s remake became the most successful version of the love song. The single made #1 in Australia and peaked at #2 in America and Britain.

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ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE Monty Python

Eric Idle, part of the legendary Monty Python team, wrote, co-produced and performed this memorable anthem from the 1979 film ‘Monty Python’s Life Of Brian’.

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D.I.S.C.O. Ottawan

Formed in Paris, France, Ottawan consisted of 2 Caribbean-born singers. The single was a hit in many European countries and climbed as high as #2 in the UK.

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DO THAT TO ME ONE MORE TIME Captain and Tennille

Issued in 1979, this single made the charts around the world in 1980. The Captain (Daryl Dragon) produced the song composed by his wife Toni Tennille. The ballad topped Billboard’s Hot 100 and made the British Top 10.

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YOU BETTER RUN Pat Benatar

In 1966, The Young Rascals scored a Top 20 hit in America with the original version of this song. Pat Benatar’s remake was lifted off her sophomore LP ‘Crimes Of Passion’.

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THE LOVE INSIDE Barbra Streisand

Barry Gibb helmed the ‘Guilty’ album project. It included this ballad written and co-produced by the member of The Bee Gees.

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DON’T DO ME LIKE THAT Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

The first single from ‘Damn The Torpedoes’ was a Top 10 hit on Billboard’s Hot 100. This was Tom Petty’s most successful chart entry thus far.