Number One! I’ve always loved the sound of that.
It’s
such a catchy
term in our culture: the #1 movie or book, your best friend, your favorite restaurant
or store and of course, the ultimate, the #1 hit single! Ever since I can remember
I’ve been obsessed with music charts. On Sundays growing up in Joliet,
Illinois I would rush home after church to listen to Casey Kasem’s Top
40 on the radio, diligently writing down each hit in my composition notebook,
completely mesmerized
by the time we hit #1! There was also this awesome record store in town called
The Crow’s Nest that would have these free pink photocopied flyers of the
chart listings from the local radio station that I would collect obsessively.
I was hooked! So I thought I would share my obsession with the #1 hit singles
from my favorite decade, the 80’s, here with you at fredflare.com. Over
the next 11 weeks I’ll be reminiscing while presenting the best of the
best
of the decade of decadence. I’m sure you’ll see ones that you think
are missing – and it’s true, there are some great hits that will
be absent – but they just didn’t have the power needed to make it
all the way to #1. That’s what it takes to be a true chart topper! Enjoy!
XXOO Chris
1982 I think it was in 1982 that I knew I wanted
to be an architect. I was obsessed with all the huge luxury homes that were popping
up in those new "cul de sac" subdivisions near my house. I had even
constructed this entire Lego city based on them on my basement floor. This provided
hours of fun for me and my neighborhood girls designing our midwestern episodes
of Dynasty. Take that, Alexis Carrington! I also adored skyscrapers. It was in ‘82
that I started to drag my Grandpa to downtown Chicago for field trip extravaganzas.
We would take the train into the Loop and conduct my mega walking tour of almost
every tall building. (P.S. There’s a lot.) We would stop only to refuel
at one of the many McDonald’s along Michigan Ave. Grandpa Ray Ray was a
saint! It was also that year that we added a new family room on to our house.
Even my school went into renovations. The entire junior high was subsequently
bused to an abandoned Catholic school building in Crest Hill, Illinois. But I
actually really enjoyed 7th grade. I finally got braces – that I begged
for, don’t ask me why – and I spent a lot of time perfecting my Preppy
look. Decked out in my light blue Izods I was definitely "Up Where We Belong".
And I just love all the hits of 1982. Look at ‘em, they’re all so
much fun! Enjoy!
the #1's
Abracadabra - Steve Miller Band
Centerfold - J. Geils Band
Don't You Want Me - The Human League
Down Under - Men At Work
Ebony and Ivory - Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder
Eye Of the Tiger - Survivor
Hard To Say I'm Sorry - Chicago
I Can't Go for That (No Can Do) - Hall & Oates
I Love Rock 'N' Roll - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Jack & Diane - John Cougar Mellencamp
Maneater - Hall & Oates
Mickey - Toni Basil
Truly - Lionel Richie
Up Where We Belong - Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes
Who Can It Be Now? -
Men At Work
