1983- THE 200 GREATEST SONGS (#200-1). This post concludes the countdown.
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1983
THE GREATEST SONGS
MCMLXXXIII
1983 was the year of the first mobile phones, Microsoft Word, the Mario Bros video game, Swatch watches and cabbage patch dolls.
We mourned the loss of Tennessee Williams, singer Karen Carpenter and the TV series “M*A*S*H”. Margaret Thatcher won a landslide victory as British PM. Benigno S. Aquino, a political rival in the Philippines was assassinated. The Soviet Union shot down a “stray” South Korean Boeing 747. The US invaded Grenada. Australians died in the Ash Wednesday bushfires.
Martina Navratilova and John McEnroe won Wimbledon. Cinemas packed audiences to see the films ‘The Return of the Jedi’, ‘The Big Chill’, ‘Terms Of Endearment’ and ‘Octopussy’. “Cats” was awarded Best Musical at the Tony Awards. The video for Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” was unleashed to the public.
Here are 200 songs representing the best music released during that year.
1
EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE
The Police
To this day, fans of this song interpret it as love song. Sting was adept enough to pen a classic that can be consumed from various perspectives. It’s driven by his bandmates Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers and skilful vocals from the lead singer.
2
UPTOWN GIRL
Billy Joel
Billy Joel looked back on the music of his youth when he approached recording ‘An Innocent Man’. The singer/ songwriter was single and dating supermodels at the time. Future wife Christie Brinkley even appeared in the music video for “Uptown Girl”. The song was a throwback to the magical pop of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons.
3
NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS
Barbra Streisand
This song appears at the climax of the film ‘Yentl’. Streisand’s character has decided to be true to herself, despite the risk. There’s a lot at stake, but the need to come out proves to be too strong. If this song has an anthemic quality, it is because Alan & Marilyn Bergman intended the lyrics to resonate with those that are marginalized.
4
HEARTBREAKER
Dionne Warwick
After some lean years following her split with the Burt Bacharach – Hal David songwriting team, Dionne Warwick began building up to a spectacular comeback in the late 1970s. After “I’ll Never Love This Way Again” and “Déjà Vu”, she teamed up with The Bee Gees. The result was the ‘Heartbreaker’ album. Its title track remains one of the best songs penned by the Gibb brothers.
5
LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD
Pat Benatar
Mike Chapman and Holly Knight created this epic track showcasing Pat Benatar’s powerful vocal range. Released in 1983, it scorched charts around the globe the following year.
6
I’M STILL STANDING
Elton John
The ‘Too Low For Zero’ album was a reunion of sorts for one of the most successful songwriting teams: Elton John & Bernie Taupin. This project was a true return to form for both. The result was a hugely successful LP. “I’m Still Standing” was its lead single and remains one of Elton’s signature songs; and for good reason. As a chart veteran of over 5 decades, the legendary piano player can live up to the claim in the title.
7
JUMP
Pointer Sisters
In some markets, this song was subtitled “Jump (For My Love)” to avoid confusion with the other “Jump” on the charts at the time by Van Halen. The Pointer Sisters were burning up dancefloors in 1983 with this song, a re-issued “I’m So Excited” and “Automatic”. Disco may have been defunct, but the trio got us up and dancing again.
8
ORIGINAL SIN
INXS
The members of Australian group INXS were persuaded to switch the colours of the boy and girl referred to in the chorus by producer Nile Rodgers. The change gave the song more edge and urgency.
9
FLASHDANCE…
WHAT A FEELIN’
Irene Cara
After scoring success with the ‘Fame’ soundtrack, Irene Cara had a worldwide hit with another song from a musical film- ‘Flashdance’. She collaborated with Giorgio Moroder and Keith Forsey (then part of Donna Summer's team) on this smash from the film which starred Jennifer Beals.
10
THE WAY HE MAKES ME FEEL
Barbra Streisand
Many of the pivotal moments in the film ‘Yentl’ are accentuated by a song performed by Barbra Streisand in the leading role. As the title character, this song finds her falling in love while pretending to be a yeshiva boy. Falling in love has never sounded so sublime, a result of the songcraft of composer Michel Legrand and lyricists Alan & Marilyn Bergman.
11 AUTOMATIC Pointer Sisters
12 I GUESS THAT’S WHY THEY CALL IT THE BLUES
Elton John
13 ROMEO Donna Summer
14 HOLD ME NOW Thompson Twins
15 TRUE Spandau Ballet
16 LET’S STAY TOGETHER Tina Turner
17 TELL HER ABOUT IT Billy Joel
18 WRAP YOUR ARMS AROUND ME Agnetha Fältskog
19 ALL NIGHT LONG (ALL NIGHT) Lionel Richie
20 YOU OWE ME ONE ABBA
21 I AM WHAT I AM Gloria Gaynor
22 HE’S A REBEL Donna Summer
23 A PIECE OF SKY Barbra Streisand
24 YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO Carly Simon
25 LET’S DANCE David Bowie
26 WHERE IS IT WRITTEN? Barbra Streisand
27 AN INNOCENT MAN Billy Joel
28 SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS) Eurythmics
29 SHEBOP Cyndi Lauper
30 THIS NIGHT Billy Joel
31 SO MANY MEN SO LITTLE TIME Miquel Brown
32 COLD AS CHRISTMAS
(IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR) Elton John
33 IT‘S RAINING MEN The Weather Girls
34 CLUB TROPICANA Wham!
35 THEY DON’T KNOW Tracey Ullman
36 TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART Bonnie Tyler
37 ISLANDS IN THE STREAM
Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton
38 PAPA, CAN YOU HEAR ME? Barbra Streisand
39 JUST BE GOOD TO ME S.O.S. Band
40 BLUE MONDAY New Order
41 THE LONGEST TIME Billy Joel
42 ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT Cyndi Lauper
43 SEND ME AN ANGEL Real Life
44 NOBODY’S DIARY Yazoo
45 ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME
Naked Eyes
46 KISS THE BRIDE Elton John
47 NEW YEAR’S DAY U2
48 MODERN LOVE David Bowie
49 MESSAGE TO MY GIRL Split Enz
50 WHITE LINES (DON’T DO IT)
Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel
51 SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY Donna Summer
52 WHITE WEDDING Billy Idol
53 SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER The Motels
54 BREAK MY STRIDE Matthew Wilder
55 CHINA GIRL David Bowie
56 TIME AFTER TIME Cyndi Lauper
57 VICTIMS Culture Club
58 WHY ME? Irene Cara
59 MONTEGO BAY The Allniters
60 MORNIN’ Al Jarreau
61 CATCH ME I’M FALLING Real Life
62 GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN Cyndi Lauper
63 I HEAR MOTION Models
64 THE LOVE CATS The Cure
65 TWISTING BY THE POOL Dire Straits
66 LONG HOT SUMMER The Style Council
67 MOONLIGHT SHADOW Mike Oldfield ftg. Maggie Reilly
68 JUST GOT LUCKY JoBoxers
69 PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ Taco
70 BUFFALO SOLDIER Bob Marley & The Wailers
71 IN A MINOR KEY Tim Finn
72 SPEAK LIKE A CHILD The Style Council
73 BABY COME AND GET IT Pointer Sisters
74 DROP THE PILOT Joan Armatrading
75 GIVE IT UP KC & The Sunshine Band
76 LEAVE A TENDER MOMENT ALONE Billy Joel
77 MANIAC Michael Sembello
78 OWNER OF A LONELY HEART Yes
79 US FORCES Midnight Oil
80 HELLO Lionel Richie
81 BIG LOG Robert Plant
82 RECKLESS Australian Crawl
83 WHEREVER I LAY MY HAT (THAT’S MY HOME)
Paul Young
84 THIS IS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS Barbra Streisand
85 (I LOVE IT WHEN YOU) CALL ME NAMES
Joan Armatrading
86 NO SENSE Cold Chisel
87 SAY IT ISN’T SO Hall & Oates
88 (KEEP FEELING) FASCINATION Human League
89 SAY SAY SAY
Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney
90 SHINY SHINY Haysi Fantayzee
91 JEOPARDY Greg Kihn Band
92 WRAPPED AROUND YOUR FINGER The Police
93 STRAY CAT STRUT Stray Cats
94 COME DANCING The Kinks
95 BACK ON THE CHAIN GANG The Pretenders
96 MAKING LOVE OUT OF NOTHING AT ALL Air Supply
97 SYNCHRONICITY II The Police
98 EVERYDAY I WRITE THE BOOK Elvis Costello
99 COME SAID THE BOY Mondo Rock
100 ROCKIT Herbie Hancock
101 COME BACK AND STAY Paul Young
102 CRYSTAL Elton John
103 I KNEW YOU WHEN Linda Ronstadt
104 WHAM RAP! (ENJOY WHAT YOU DO) Wham!
105 KING OF PAIN The Police
106 TWO HEARTS BEAT AS ONE U2
107 POWER AND THE PASSION Midnight Oil
108 LOVE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE Paul Young
109 RAIN Dragon
110 STAND BACK Stevie Nicks
111 SYNCHRONICITY 1 The Police
112 MAXINE Sharon O’Neill
113 TOO LOW FOR ZERO Elton John
114 LISTENING Pseudo Echo
115 LOVE ISN’T LOVE Carola
116 FAVORITE WASTE OF TIME Bette Midler
117 RUNNING WITH THE NIGHT Lionel Richie
118 WORDS F.R. David
119 BLISTER IN THE SUN Violent Femmes
120 THE CUTTER Echo & The Bunnymen
121 ALL TIME HIGH Rita Coolidge
122 BAD BOYS Wham!
123 ALL THE LOVE IN THE WORLD Dionne Warwick
124 CHANGE IN MOOD Kids In The Kitchen
125 CRUEL SUMMER Bananarama
126 RED RED WINE UB40
127 RELAX Frankie Goes To Hollywood
128 IN A BIG COUNTRY Big Country
129 L’ITALIANO (LASCIATEMI CANTARE) Toto Cutugno
130 THE SAFETY DANCE Men Without Hats
131 ONE ON ONE Hall & Oates
132 UNDERCOVER OF THE NIGHT Rolling Stones
133 ROCK AND ROLL IS KING Electric Light Orchestra
134 LAST NIGHT A DJ SAVED MY LIFE Indeep
135 ELECTRIC AVENUE Eddy Grant
136 DON’T PAY THE FERRYMAN Chris DeBurgh
137 SOLITAIRE Laura Branigan
138 WHO’S THAT GIRL? Eurythmics
139 BABY COME TO ME Patti Austin & James Ingram
140 YOU CAN’T HURRY LOVE Phil Collins
141 STUCK ON YOU Lionel Richie
142 ONE MORE ARROW Elton John
143 TOO SHY Kajagoogoo
144 CALLING YOUR NAME Marilyn
145 DOUBLE DUTCH Malcolm McLaren
146 MADE MY DAY Tim Finn
147 LOVE BLONDE Kim Wilde
148 THRU THESE WALLS Phil Collins
149 BABY JANE Rod Stewart
150 TWIST OF FATE Olivia Newton-John
151 ORCHARD ROAD Leo Sayer
152 LAWYERS IN LOVE Jackson Browne
153 JULIE Daniel
154 SCATTERINGS OF AFRICA Johnny Clegg & Juluka
155 FAMILY MAN Hall & Oates
156 DRACULA’S TANGO Toto Coelo
157 RIGHT BY YOUR SIDE Eurythmics
158 HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU
Laura Branigan
159 HI Ofra Haza
160 EVERYWHERE I GO QED
161 LADY LOVE ME (ONE MORE TIME) George Benson
162 RELIGION Elton John
163 BURNING UP Madonna
164 SING ME A SONG Bernadette
165 ONLY YOU Flying Pickets
166 PENNY LOVER Lionel Richie
167 IS THERE SOMETHING I SHOULD KNOW
Duran Duran
168 BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE Talking Heads
169 TONIGHT, I CELEBRATE MY LOVE
Roberta Flack & Peabo Bryson
170 HOLIDAY Madonna
171 GOLD Spandau Ballet
172 I.O.U. Freeez
173 THE WALK The Cure
174 CARELESS TALK Billy Joel
175 READ ABOUT IT Midnight Oil
176 MAMA Genesis
177 OVERKILL Men At Work
178 SOMEBODY’S WATCHING ME Rockwell
179 MAGIC Dragon
180 MR. ROBOTO Styx
181 DIRTY LAUNDRY Don Henley
182 HERE I GO AGAIN Whitesnake
183 SHE BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE Thomas Dolby
184 FAR FROM OVER Frank Stallone
185 ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER The Fixx
186 OH DIANE Fleetwood Mac
187 KEEPING THE FAITH Billy Joel
188 FALL IN LOVE WITH ME Earth, Wind & Fire
189 KARMA CHAMELEON Culture Club
190 SAINT Elton John
191 FRACTION TOO MUCH FRICTION Tim Finn
192 CAN’T GET USED TO LOSING YOU The English Beat
193 MAJOR TOM (COMING HOME) Peter Schilling
194 FAITHFULLY Journey
195 CUTS LIKE A KNIFE Bryan Adams
196 SEX (I’M A…) Berlin
197 EVERYTHING COUNTS Depeche Mode
198 PIECES OF ICE Diana Ross
199 I WAS ONLY 19 Redgum
200 FORBIDDEN COLOURS
David Sylvian & Ryuichi Sakamoto
The 1983 Greatest Songs Playlist is available on Spotify.
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