POLL: US Top 40 Singles For The Week Ending April 14, 1984

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31 years ago this week, this was the Top 40. That bottom half of the chart is all over the damn place!

Poll Results

OptionVotes
40 46 BORDERLINE –•– Madonna – 6 (40) 10
11 9 GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN –•– Cyndi Lauper – 18 (2) 8
10 5 Jump –•– Van Halen – 14 (1) 8
7 4 HERE COMES THE RAIN AGAIN –•– Eurythmics – 12 (4) 6
14 15 THEY DON’T KNOW –•– Tracey Ullman – 8 (14) 5
5 6 AUTOMATIC –•– The Pointer Sisters – 12 (5) 5
28 14 99 LUFTBALLONS –•– Nena – 19 (2) 4
8 11 HOLD ME NOW –•– Thompson Twins – 10 (8) 4
12 13 EAT IT –•– ‘Weird’ Al Yankovic – 6 (12) 2
9 8 ADULT EDUCATION –•– Daryl Hall & John Oates – 9 (8) 2
4 10 HELLO –•– Lionel Richie – 8 (4) 2
25 29 THE AUTHORITY SONG –•– John Cougar Mellencamp – 5 (25) 1
32 38 SHOW ME –•– Pretenders – 5 (32) 1
26 28 LEAVE IT –•– Yes – 7 (26) 1
20 24 TONIGHT –•– Kool & The Gang – 8 (20) 1
19 31 TO ALL THE GIRLS I’VE LOVED BEFORE –•– Julio Iglesias & Willie Nelson – 7 (19) 1
18 16 RADIO GA GA –•– Queen – 9 (16) 1
16 12 I WANT A NEW DRUG –•– Huey Lewis & The News – 14 (6) 1
30 32 A FINE FINE DAY –•– Tony Carey – 7 (30) 1
2 3 AGAINST ALL ODDS –•– Phil Collins – 8 (2) 1
6 7 MISS ME BLIND –•– Culture Club – 7 (6) 1
36 47 OH, SHERRIE –•– Steve Perry – 2 (36) 0
31 41 BREAKDANCE –•– Irene Cara – 4 (31) 0
39 45 DANCING IN THE SHEETS –•– Shalamar – 5 (39) 0
38 56 LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOY –•– Deniece Williams – 2 (38) 0
33 33 THE KID’S AMERICAN –•– Matthew Wilder – 9 (33) 0
34 35 HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO –•– Bonnie Tyler – 8 (34) 0
35 39 NO MORE WORDS –•– Berlin – 6 (35) 0
37 37 ONE IN A MILLION –•– The Romantics – 8 (37) 0
29 40 THE LONGEST TIME –•– Billy Joel – 4 (29) 0
3 2 SOMEBODY’S WATCHING ME –•– Rockwell – 12 (2) 0
13 20 LOVE SOMEBODY –•– Rick Springfield – 6 (13) 0
15 19 YOU MIGHT THINK –•– The Cars – 6 (15) 0
17 17 GIRLS –•– Dwight Twilley – 9 (17) 0
21 25 DON’T ANSWER ME –•– Alan Parsons Project – 7 (21) 0
22 27 HEAD OVER HEELS –•– The Go-Go’s – 5 (22) 0
23 22 COME BACK AND STAY –•– Paul Young – 11 (22) 0
24 18 GOT A HOLD ON ME –•– Christine McVie – 12 (10) 0
27 21 THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE –•– Dan Fogelberg – 11 (13) 0
1 1 FOOTLOOSE –•– Kenny Loggins – 12 (1) 0


Johnny Fever, Monday, 6 April 2015 00:19 (ten years ago)

It's crazy how many singles from the Footloose soundtrack were all charting at the same time.

Johnny Fever, Monday, 6 April 2015 00:22 (ten years ago)

"Automatic" over "Against All Odds" and all of Footloose.

Eric H., Monday, 6 April 2015 00:26 (ten years ago)

Someone who's more chart savvy can probably confirm or deny, but I think the legend for deciphering all the numbers goes like this: THIS WEEK, LAST WEEK, TITLE OF SINGLE, NAME OF ARTIST, WEEKS ON CHART, PEAK POSITION

Johnny Fever, Monday, 6 April 2015 00:33 (ten years ago)

Jump is immortal so that obviously wins but Head Over Heels is fantastic too. Another time, another place Go-Gos, it could have happened for us.......

kornrulez6969, Monday, 6 April 2015 00:39 (ten years ago)

and Madonna makes her top 40 debut...

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 6 April 2015 00:44 (ten years ago)

oh never mind: it was the third. The order of her first three singles always confuses me.

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 6 April 2015 00:46 (ten years ago)

GREAT:

Against All Odds
Automatic
Head Over Heels
Borderline
Jump
Hold Me Now
Let's Hear It For the Boy
Show Me

GOOD:

Adult Education
Miss Me Blind
Come Back and Stay
Oh, Sherrie
Love Somebody
Got a Hold On Me

IN ITS OWN CATEGORY:

To All The Girls I've Loved Before

UHHH:

Alan Parsons Project
Dan Fogelberg

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 6 April 2015 00:49 (ten years ago)

wow i actually don't know

insufficiently familiar with xgau's work to comment intelligently (BradNelson), Monday, 6 April 2015 00:52 (ten years ago)

maybe i'll vote for "leave it" if no one else does

insufficiently familiar with xgau's work to comment intelligently (BradNelson), Monday, 6 April 2015 00:53 (ten years ago)

jump > girls just want to have fun > borderline > somebody's watching me > against all odds

dyl, Monday, 6 April 2015 01:18 (ten years ago)

I've come to really intensely love Girls Just Want to Have Fun in recent years, even though it's always been a favorite. I think it usurps even Jump these days.

Johnny Fever, Monday, 6 April 2015 01:20 (ten years ago)

I missed "Jump." Put that in the "great" column. The only not great Pointer Sisters single from this era is "Neutron Dance."

"Somebody's Watching Me" should be thrown into the ocean with a cinder block tied around its ankles.

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 6 April 2015 01:23 (ten years ago)

I can't give it a vote, but I hope Tracey Ullman doesn't end up with a goose egg.

Johnny Fever, Monday, 6 April 2015 01:26 (ten years ago)

girls just want to have fun is the best song of the eighties

flappy bird (spazzmatazz), Monday, 6 April 2015 01:31 (ten years ago)

Rest easy (xpost).

1. "They Don't Know," 2. "Borderline," 3. "Girls Just Want to Have Fun." Three or four others I like, a lot that I loathe.

clemenza, Monday, 6 April 2015 01:32 (ten years ago)

"Love Somebody" is a lost power pop single.

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 6 April 2015 01:33 (ten years ago)

Down to They Don't Know, 99 Luftballons, and Borderline. Lots of acts with, IMO, 2nd rate singles -- Lionel Richie, the Cars, Berlin, Culture Club, the Go-Gos, etc.

that's not my post, Monday, 6 April 2015 02:18 (ten years ago)

^2nd rate in that I way prefer their other singles not the ones on this chart.

that's not my post, Monday, 6 April 2015 02:20 (ten years ago)

"head over heels" is not a second rate single

insufficiently familiar with xgau's work to comment intelligently (BradNelson), Monday, 6 April 2015 02:24 (ten years ago)

second only to "Our Lips Are Sealed."

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 6 April 2015 02:28 (ten years ago)

Boy, what a rough time in pop music.

austinato (Austin), Monday, 6 April 2015 02:33 (ten years ago)

I grew up watching and rewatching a videotape of Friday Night Videos episodes that were apparently from this exact week and a couple of weeks on either side and featured the videos from over half of these songs. So this is basically an impossible choice.

Gimme Gimme Pop Secret (Old Lunch), Monday, 6 April 2015 02:37 (ten years ago)

The Final Countdown >>>>> Jump

Cyndi towers over the rest of this stuff.

brimstead, Monday, 6 April 2015 02:37 (ten years ago)

What the hell is the Tony Carey song? I know dude played keyboards for Rainbow and was responsible for "Hai Samurai", didn't know he ever got close to the charts.

brimstead, Monday, 6 April 2015 02:40 (ten years ago)

Boy, what a rough time in pop music.

Haha.

Eric H., Monday, 6 April 2015 03:28 (ten years ago)

lone vote for here comes the rain again here probably

katherine, Monday, 6 April 2015 03:55 (ten years ago)

Tracey Ullman will not end up with a goose egg

always one or two posters dog-determined to be RONG in a thread (Drugs A. Money), Monday, 6 April 2015 04:06 (ten years ago)

Cyndi is probably my second choice. This chart is not nearly as amiable imo as the 1990 one

always one or two posters dog-determined to be RONG in a thread (Drugs A. Money), Monday, 6 April 2015 04:08 (ten years ago)

This is a good-looking chart. Lot of good second-tier singles here - "The Kid's American" and "Authority Song" especially. "Let's Hear It For The Boy" probably makes me smile the most to hear it these days. German-version Nena can't quite compete with the English one, so, "Eat It."

Doctor Casino, Monday, 6 April 2015 04:47 (ten years ago)

Oh, and "No More Words" rounding it out - definitely my favorite Berlin that's not "The Metro."

Doctor Casino, Monday, 6 April 2015 04:50 (ten years ago)

What the hell is the Tony Carey song?

Plot-heavy ode to a mobster uncle getting out of prison (his release date is the fine, fine day). Has a lot in common with Kathleen Edwards' "In State."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJFh3_jifoA

with HD lyrics (Eazy), Monday, 6 April 2015 04:54 (ten years ago)

can we talk about dwight twilley please ilx

example (crüt), Monday, 6 April 2015 05:05 (ten years ago)

Anyone ever notice that the intro to "No More Words" is EXACTLY the same as the intro to Debbie Harry's "Rush Rush"?

Josefa, Monday, 6 April 2015 05:36 (ten years ago)

can we talk about dwight twilley please ilx

I'm presently listening to the Jungle album whence "Girls" comes for the first time. Totally enjoyable.

Johnny Fever, Monday, 6 April 2015 06:15 (ten years ago)

"AUTOMATIC" or GTFO

The Reverend, Monday, 6 April 2015 06:48 (ten years ago)

Against All Odds just ahead of Borderline, Automatic and Hold Me Now.

ewar woowar (or something), Monday, 6 April 2015 07:49 (ten years ago)

random thoughts on this week in pop history:

• i'm more than willing to talk about Dwight Twilley

• Rockwell sounds just like another band or artist of its era, but which one?

• Dan Fogelberg was still on the charts in 1984? Don't remember "The Language of Love" at all

• i've never heard of Tony Carey; kinda like the hit song here but what a yawnsomely literal video

• only a few of Paul Young's songs were hits in the US; of those, "Come Back and Stay" is the best

• The Romantics' "One in a Million" charted higher than "What I Like About You". WTF, Billboard....

• anyway, the Pretenders' "Show Me" is the best song on the chart this week, edging out Mellencamp's "Authority Song"

Lee626, Monday, 6 April 2015 07:54 (ten years ago)

I've heard (of) Dwight Twilley -- it sounds like a seventies ringer (it's what he is, no?) going New Wave in 1981.

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 6 April 2015 11:02 (ten years ago)

oh wow -- Tom Petty on backup vocals.

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 6 April 2015 11:03 (ten years ago)

Scott Miller (Game Theory/Loud Family) ranking his 1976 LP Sincerely p highly is the only time I've ever really come across Twiley's name. I'm kind of shocked he went top 20 in the 80s.

Of course I had to listen to "Automatic" before finally remembering it so what do I know? That song is great and is a close third but They Don't Know is seriously one of my favorite songs of all time (though I do prefer the original)

always one or two posters dog-determined to be RONG in a thread (Drugs A. Money), Monday, 6 April 2015 12:28 (ten years ago)

"Jump", easily.

EveningStar (Sund4r), Monday, 6 April 2015 13:24 (ten years ago)

• Dan Fogelberg was still on the charts in 1984? Don't remember "The Language of Love" at all

I wondered about this too; listening to the song now, and I know I've heard this before, but I don't think I ever associated it with the Fogester.

For me, he'll always be the acoustic troubadour who sang "fishes in the ocean," even though "fish" is the plural of fish.

Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Monday, 6 April 2015 13:31 (ten years ago)

Dunno if "Head over Heels" will get my vote (I'll probably go with "Borderline"), but it's the best-produced song on the list.

Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Monday, 6 April 2015 13:33 (ten years ago)

Kool & The Gang's "Tonight" is a good one, especially the climactic falsetto.

with HD lyrics (Eazy), Monday, 6 April 2015 13:42 (ten years ago)

Holy crap.. tons of classics here. I could easily vote for at least a dozen of these. May end up voting for Automatic since it probably suffers the least from overexposure.

Darin, Monday, 6 April 2015 14:15 (ten years ago)

Ruth Pointer's vocal is A+ level enunciation and diction ("All I can manage to wring from my lips is a string of absurdities"!).

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 6 April 2015 14:18 (ten years ago)

Ruth Pointer indoctrinated me into my life-long love for women with husky voices.

Eric H., Monday, 6 April 2015 14:21 (ten years ago)

yeah she sounds weird and otherworldly, to good effect

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 6 April 2015 14:25 (ten years ago)

And her work alone disproves your theory that "Neutron Dance" is a bum single.

Eric H., Monday, 6 April 2015 14:31 (ten years ago)

This is a pretty ridiculous list. My finalists:

Against All Odds
Here Comes The Rain Again
Jump
Girls Just Want To Have Fun
They Don't Know
Head Over Heels
Borderline

Leaning Ullman actually.

campreverb, Monday, 6 April 2015 14:32 (ten years ago)

"AUTOMATIC" or GTFO

― The Reverend, Monday, April 6, 2015 2:48 AM (8 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

otm

"You Might Think" is my other fav here

example (crüt), Monday, 6 April 2015 14:54 (ten years ago)

TS: "Jump" by Van Halen v. "Jump" by the Pointer Sisters

brimstead, Monday, 6 April 2015 18:14 (ten years ago)

Easy choice.

Eric H., Monday, 6 April 2015 18:25 (ten years ago)

I thought you liked the Pointer Sisters...?

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 6 April 2015 18:31 (ten years ago)

I thought you did!

Eric H., Monday, 6 April 2015 18:54 (ten years ago)

http://i.imgur.com/WD00g.png

I might like you better if we Yelped together (Phil D.), Monday, 6 April 2015 19:00 (ten years ago)

If you wanna taste my Milhouse in the night then ...

Eric H., Monday, 6 April 2015 19:02 (ten years ago)


And her work alone disproves your theory that "Neutron Dance" is a bum single.

― Eric H., Monday, April 6, 2015 7:31 AM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Yeah, "Neutron Dance" is second only to "Automatic" in 80s Pointers imo.

The Reverend, Monday, 6 April 2015 20:11 (ten years ago)

"Dare Me" is.

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 6 April 2015 20:20 (ten years ago)

They're all pretty.

Eric H., Monday, 6 April 2015 20:27 (ten years ago)

Not one of the better charts, it has to be said.

'Jump'.

You’re being too simplistic and you’re insulting my poor heart (Turrican), Monday, 6 April 2015 20:28 (ten years ago)

yeah this is not my favorite '84 chart

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 6 April 2015 21:47 (ten years ago)

LOVE: (7) Pointer Sisters, Culture Club, Eurythmics, Van Halen, Cyndi Lauper, Nena, Madonna
LIKE: (11) Phil Collins, Lionel Richie, Tracey Ullman, Huey Lewis & The News, Queen, Kool & The Gang, Paul Young, Yes, Irene Cara, Berlin, Deniece Williams
OK: (6) Kenny Loggins, Thompson Twins, The Cars, Billy Joel, Bonnie Tyler, Shalamar
UGH: (3) Rockwell, Weird Al Yankovic, Julio Iglesias & Willie Nelson
NOT HEARD: (13) Hall & Oates, Rick Springfield, Dwight Twilley, Alan Parsons Project, The Go-Go’s, Christine McVie, John Cougar Mellencamp, Dan Fogelberg, Tony Carey, Pretenders, Matthew Wilder, Steve Perry, The Romantics

mike t-diva, Monday, 6 April 2015 22:01 (ten years ago)

"Don't Answer Me" is far more Spector-ish than I remember. Something about the lyrics drives me up a wall, but I can imagine it being a hit in karaoke bars in the most remote corners of the world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJMEaKHbnao

with HD lyrics (Eazy), Monday, 6 April 2015 23:55 (ten years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

System, Saturday, 11 April 2015 00:01 (ten years ago)

Wow that is one white list. Was this the most segregated era in pop music history? I wonder what the Top R&B Songs chart looked like on this same week.

This is "Head Over Heels" btw.

Mr. Snrub, Saturday, 11 April 2015 00:59 (ten years ago)

I should vote "Head Over Heels" but of the singles from Talk Show, I like "Turn to You" more--Belinda rips it up!

So I'll be perverse and vote "Leave It."

Hideous Lump, Saturday, 11 April 2015 03:58 (ten years ago)

Best top 40/mainstream radio year ever, I'll always maintain. Nostalgia lenses? Sure, I was 14. But I still think I'm right.

Impossible to vote rationally. Will have to cast straws.

demonic mnevice (Jon Lewis), Saturday, 11 April 2015 17:37 (ten years ago)

One rockist vote for Van Halen here.

Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Saturday, 11 April 2015 22:28 (ten years ago)

Borderline — my favorite Madonna song by a million miles.

WilliamC, Saturday, 11 April 2015 22:31 (ten years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

System, Sunday, 12 April 2015 00:01 (ten years ago)

Jump is kinda garbage, guys

let's love Jessica to death (Drugs A. Money), Sunday, 12 April 2015 01:30 (ten years ago)

EAT IT -- 'Weird' Al Yankovic, 2
HEAD OVER HEELS -- The Go-Go's, 0

Josefa, Sunday, 12 April 2015 03:59 (ten years ago)

I voted for '99 Luftballoons' but sheesh, what a rough ride.

austinato (Austin), Sunday, 12 April 2015 04:02 (ten years ago)

All the praise for Head Over Heels and it got no votes? :(

Jump rulez, you droolz.

Johnny Fever, Sunday, 12 April 2015 04:06 (ten years ago)

Whatever, name one song on either of the first two albums that dont make it seem bloated, flaccid, turgid in comparison

let's love Jessica to death (Drugs A. Money), Sunday, 12 April 2015 07:33 (ten years ago)

I reject this challenge. The first six albums are perfect.

Johnny Fever, Sunday, 12 April 2015 07:34 (ten years ago)

Rockwell was robbed.

something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Sunday, 12 April 2015 12:25 (ten years ago)

> Dan Fogelberg was still on the charts in 1984? Don't remember "The Language of Love" at all

You're not alone. I thought he's the actor from 'Balls of Fury'... mixed him up with Dan Fogler.
I really had to check some pictures.

meisenfek, Sunday, 12 April 2015 13:20 (ten years ago)

I didn't vote, and therefore I'm responsible for No More Words having No More Votes. I'm sorry to the people of Berlin. Ich bin oon eyeliner.

Just heard No More Words in a drugstore, which reminded me to look here, and the reason I was in the drug store was because I was picking up some aspirin to kill the headache brought on by remembering Philadelphia Freedom (see the new 75 poll).

I LUH-HUH-HUV YOU, YES I DOOOO! DELPHIA FREEDOM DON'T YOU KNOW THAT I LUH-HUH-HUV YOU, YES I DOOOOOOO! DELPHIA FREEDOM DON'T YOU KNOW THAT I LUHH-HUHH-HUHHV YOU, YES I DOOOO!

I think three or four aspirins should shut this memory down. My favorite part is how in America, you can live in the country OR the city. Falsetto: "I choose the good old family home".

Is this a particularly unusual freedom enjoyed mainly by Americans? Presuming there's not some Soviet collectivization thing going on?

Vic Perry, Sunday, 12 April 2015 18:04 (ten years ago)

Thread has inspired me to go look up Matthew Wilder's forgotten "Break My Stride" follow-up

(I voted "Hello" btw)

Frontier Psychiatrist, Sunday, 12 April 2015 18:30 (ten years ago)

Second follow-up:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVDSREHla5g

with HD lyrics (Eazy), Sunday, 12 April 2015 20:46 (ten years ago)

two weeks pass...

This poll inspired me to go deep into 1984. It's been a bit of a trip to hear songs that were biggish back then and that I seem to remember perfectly despite not having heard them in 30 years (what's up, "Doctor, Doctor"). One of the bigger revelations/realizations has been that, as big as it was at the time, MTV still only seemed to have a negligible impact on single sales. There's a bunch of stuff that was in heavy MTV rotation and that I think of as emblematic of that era that wasn't quite as hot on the Billboard charts.

More Fetid Than Fêted (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 29 April 2015 18:11 (ten years ago)

think Bronski Beat's "Smalltown Boy" or Peter Wolf' "Lights Out."

The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 29 April 2015 18:16 (ten years ago)

I don't think I'd heard "Lights Out" until this week. Pretty hot track!

More Fetid Than Fêted (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 29 April 2015 18:35 (ten years ago)


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