EXCUSE THE DOUBLE POST--SUMMER SONGS PT 2
Skip past these next 2 posts if you don’t like Pop Music of the 1970s and 1980s or my lists thereof.
It’s Labor Day weekend, traditionally the end of “cultural Summer” in the USA, which runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day. So many songs from summertime are the ones that we attach memories to, years later. This project, spread out over 2 posts, is my own calculations from using pop chart data between Memorial Day and Labor Day (inclusive) for a 20-year period, 1969-1988, which correlates with my best memories of pop music.
Which ones do you most associate with a particular summer? I’ve italicized the 3 on each list that are the most “summery” songs to me (which does NOT mean that they are my favorites!), but we all have different memories.
SUMMER 1979
1. Bad Girls - Donna Summer
2. Hot Stuff - Donna Summer
3. Ring My Bell - Anita Ward
4. Good Times - Chic
5. We Are Family - Sister Sledge
6. Makin' It - David Naughton
7. The Main Event (Fight) - Barbra Streisand
8. Chuck E's in Love - Rickie Lee Jones
9. My Sharona - The Knack
10. She Believes In Me - Kenny Rogers
11. When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman - Dr. Hook
12. Love You Inside Out - Bee Gees
13. Boogie Wonderland - Earth Wind & Fire w/ The Emotions
14. Gold - John Stewart
15. I Want You to Want Me - Cheap Trick
16. The Logical Song - Supertramp
17. Just When I Needed You Most - Randy Vanwarmer
18. Reunited - Peaches & Herb
19. Shine A Little Love - Electric Light Orchestra
20. You Can't Change That - Raydio
SUMMER 1980
1. Coming Up (Live at Glasgow) - Paul McCartney
2. It's Still Rock and Roll to Me - Billy Joel
3. Magic - Olivia Newton-John
4. Funky Town - Lipps Inc.
5. Little Jeannie - Elton John
6. The Rose - Bette Midler
7. Cupid/I've Loved You For A Long Time - Spinners
8. Shining Star - Manhattans
9. Steal Away - Robbie Dupree
10. Take Your Time - S.O.S. Band
11. Biggest Part of Me - Ambrosia
12. Sailing - Christopher Cross
13. Against The Wind - Bob Seger
14. Call Me - Blondie
15. Emotional Rescue - Rolling Stones
16. More Love - Kim Carnes
17. Let's Get Serious - Jermaine Jackson
18. Tired Of Toein' The Line - Rocky Burnette
19. Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer - Kenny Rogers & Kim Carnes
20. Let Me Love You Tonight - Pure Prairie League
SUMMER 1981
1. Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
2. Jessie's Girl - Rick Springfield
3. Theme From "The Greatest American Hero" - Joey Scarbury
4. The One That You Love - Air Supply
5. I Don't Need You - Kenny Rogers
6. Endless Love - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
7. Slow Hand - Pointer Sisters
8. All Those Years Ago - George Harrison
9. Elvira - Oak Ridge Boys
10. Sukiyaki - A Taste of Honey
11. A Woman Needs Love - Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio
12. You Make My Dreams - Daryl Hall & John Oates
13. Boy from New York City - Manhattan Transfer
14. Hearts - Marty Balin
15. Being With You - Smokey Robinson
16. Queen of Hearts - Juice Newton
17. America - Neil Diamond
18. No Gettin' Over Me - Ronnie Milsap
19. This Little Girl - Gary 'U.S.' Bonds
20. Living Inside Myself - Gino Vannelli
SUMMER 1982
1. Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
2. Hurts So Good - John Cougar
3. Don't You Want Me? - Human League
4. Rosanna - Toto
5. Ebony and Ivory - Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder
6. Abracadabra - Steve Miller Band
7. Hold Me - Fleetwood Mac
8. Let It Whip - Dazz Band
9. Hard to Say I'm Sorry - Chicago
10. Only the Lonely - Motels
11. Even the Nights Are Better - Air Supply
12. Keep the Fire Burnin' - REO Speedwagon
13. Heat of the Moment - Asia
14. Love's Been a Little Hard on Me - Juice Newton
15. Tainted Love - Soft Cell
16. Always on My Mind - Willie Nelson
17. The Other Woman - Ray Parker Jr.
18. Wasted On The Way - Crosby, Stills & Nash
19. Don't Talk to Strangers - Rick Springfield
20.Caught Up in You - .38 Special
SUMMER 1983
1. Every Breath You Take - Police
2. Flashdance...What a Feeling! - Irene Cara
3. Electric Avenue - Eddy Grant
4. Sweet Dreams - Eurythmics
5. Never Gonna Let You Go - Sergio Mendes
6. Time - Culture Club
7. She Works Hard For The Money - Donna Summer
8. Is There Something I Should Know? - Duran Duran
9. Maniac - Michael Sembello
10. Stand Back - Stevie Nicks
11. Wanna Be Startin' Something - Michael Jackson
12. Let's Dance - David Bowie
13. Too Shy - Kajagoogoo
14. Come Dancing - Kinks
15. Our House - Madness
16. Don't Let It End - Styx
17. It's a Mistake - Men at Work
18. Beat It - Michael Jackson
19. Family Man - Daryl Hall & John Oates
20. (Keep Feeling) Fascination - Human League
SUMMER 1984
1. When Doves Cry - Prince
2. Dancing in the Dark - Bruce Springsteen
3. Ghostbusters - Ray Parker Jr.
4. The Reflex - Duran Duran
5. Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper
6. Jump (For My Love) - Pointer Sisters
7. Let's Hear It For the Boy - Deniece Williams
8. What's Love Got To Do With It? - Tina Turner
9. Eyes Without a Face - Billy Idol
10. Self Control - Laura Branigan
11. State of Shock - Jacksons
12. The Heart Of Rock 'N Roll - Huey Lewis & The News
13. Sad Songs (Say So Much) - Elton John
14. Infatuation - Rod Stewart
15. Stuck On You - Lionel Richie
16. Almost Paradise - Mike Reno & Ann Wilson
17. I Can Dream About You - Dan Hartman
18. Oh, Sherrie - Steve Perry
19. Legs - ZZ Top
20. Sunglasses At Night - Corey Hart
SUMMER 1985
1. Everytime You Go Away - Paul Young
2. Shout - Tears For Fears
3. View To A Kill - Duran Duran
4. Sussudio - Phil Collins
5. Heaven - Bryan Adams
6. Raspberry Beret - Prince & the Revolution
7. Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears For Fears
8. If You Love Somebody Set Them Free - Sting
9. You Give Good Love - Whitney Houston
10. Power of Love - Huey Lewis & the News
11. Never Surrender - Corey Hart
12. The Search is Over - Survivor
13. Glory Days - Bruce Springsteen
14. Everything She Wants - Wham!
15. Would I Lie to You? - Eurythmics
16. Things Can Only Get Better - Howard Jones
17. Angel - Madonna
18. Freeway of Love Aretha Franklin
19. Axel F - Harold Faltermeyer
20. Voices Carry - 'Til Tuesday
SUMMER 1986
1. On My Own - Patti Labelle & Michael McDonald
2. Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel
3. There'll Be Sad Songs - Billy Ocean
4. Glory of Love - Peter Cetera
5. Papa Don't Preach - Madonna
6. Invisible Touch - Genesis
7. Holding Back the Years - Simply Red
8. Live To Tell - Madonna
9. Danger Zone - Kenny Loggins
10. Mad About You - Belinda Carlisle
11. Nasty - Janet Jackson
12. Crush On You - Jets
13. Who's Johnny? - El DeBarge
14. The Greatest Love of All - Whitney Houston
15. No One is to Blame - Howard Jones
16. Higher Love - Steve Winwood
17. I Can't Wait - Nu Shooz
18. We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off - Jermaine Stewart
19. Love Touch - Rod Stewart
20. Venus - Bananarama
SUMMER 1987
1. Alone - Heart
2. I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) - Whitney Houston
3. Shakedown - Bob Seger
4. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2
5. Head To Toe - Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
6. I Want Your Sex - George Michael
7. Always - Atlantic Starr
8. Who's That Girl? - Madonna
9. Heart and Soul - T'Pau
10. You Keep Me Hangin' On - Kim Wilde
11. La Bamba - Los Lobos
12. In Too Deep - Genesis
13. Luka - Suzanne Vega
14. Songbird - Kenny G
15. Don't Disturb This Groove - The System
16. Rhythm Is Gonna Get You - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
17. Don't Mean Nothing - Richard Marx
18. Only in My Dreams - Debbie Gibson
19. Point of No Return - Expose'
20. With or Without You - U2
SUMMER 1988
1. Roll With It - Steve Winwood
2. The Flame - Cheap Trick
3. Hold On To The Nights - Richard Marx
4. Pour Some Sugar On Me - Def Leppard
5. Hands To Heaven - Breathe
6. Foolish Beat - Debbie Gibson
7. One More Try - George Michael
8. Make Me Lose Control - Eric Carmen
9. Dirty Diana - Michael Jackson
10. Together Forever - Rick Astley
11. Mercedes Boy - Pebbles
12. I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That - Elton John
13. Monkey - George Michael
14. New Sensation - Inxs
15. Sign Your Name - Terence Trent D'Arby
16. 1-2-3 - Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
17. Make It Real - Jets
18. I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love - Chicago
19. The Valley Road - Bruce Hornsby & the Range
20. Nite and Day - Al B. Sure!