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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 |
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1989
After all the drama of the previous year I was determined to get my
life back on track in ’89. Finally, I got to move into the dorms and
kiss Joliet goodbye… for now, anyway! It was like freshman year all
over again, a new beginning for me. Even the UIC dorms were brand-new
and I moved into a suite of three rooms with some friends. Roger Adami
and Ron Tulley had one, Tyler Johnson and Dan Swanson had the middle
and then there was me and my roommate Dave Parisi. Dave was this
skinny, Italian boy from Elmwood Park, Illinois, completely obsessed
with Erasure. I guess I too had my own obsession that year, but more
about that later. Anyway, my roommates and I were known as the "cute
boy cluster" and the girls in the dorm loved us. I was excited ‘cause
that year I had decided that I was straight! My look was cute, too. I
had my hair in a bob and wore lots of faded jean shorts with white t-
shirts and Birkenstocks. It was a natural vibe. Madonna was then a
brunette, after all. I’d also decided to really dive into school, too.
I was going to get great grades and be an amazing architect. All my
ducks were lined up, until I met… the girl. It was love at first sight
for me. She was beautiful, with long super-straight blond hair, cute
round glasses and great style. We met the first day of moving into the
dorms and hit it off immediately. We stayed up all night and watched
the sun rise together. This would turn out to be a recurring theme for
me. (Hi Keith!) Actually, I had met her once before, at Medusa’s. She
knew Eric, my x-boyfriend. Nowadays of course I know that Triangles
are Trouble. But then – Hello! We’re still in the 80’s and the WB
hadn’t yet been invented – I was young and foolish in love. When Eric
found out that I was "hanging out" with the girl, it became an even
worse battle between us. Everyone pretty much sided with me, not
because I was right by becoming straight and stealing his friend, but
the fact that his letter had gotten me in so much trouble at home
sealed his fate as the bad guy to most people. I really didn’t care
‘cause I got the girl. Well, for a semester anyway. She was young, too
– a freshman, after all, with newfound freedom – and the last thing
she wanted was to be tied down. And maybe I got a little too intense?
So the girl ended our relationship… by sleeping with my friends and
classmates. I was devastated. My friends in studio, Paige Crafton and
Myrna De la Cruz, really tried to cheer me up, though. I had so much
fun with them during this phase. We’d all work in studio really late,
then go dancing at Medusa’s till 3am, then come back and work some
more. Ah, to be 19 again… But, through it all, I remained friends with
her. I knew it was a little unhealthy, but I was a slave! Near the end
of the school year, the "studying abroad" topic came up. The
architecture department at UIC had a foreign exchange program with a
school outside of Paris. A bunch of my friends had decided to go,
including that girl. This was my chance to rekindle our love! How
romantic it would be to reconnect in France, home of l’amour!!! But
first, I had to figure out how to get my parents to let me move to a
foreign country, when they were totally freaked out by Chicago. I had
my work cut out for me… So, readers, will Chris make it to France? Or
to his friends will he say "Miss You Much"? Will she ever tell Chris
"I’ll Be Loving You (Forever)"? Or is she just "Cold Hearted"? Will
Cher win that Oscar? Or is it all "Like A Prayer"? For the answers to
these burning questions and more stay tuned next week for the
chartoppers season finale – 1990! Until then, here are the hits of
1989! Vive l’amour!
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the #1's
Another Day In Paradise - Phil Collins
Baby Don't Forget My Number - Milli Vanilli
Batdance - Prince
Blame It On The Rain - Milli Vanilli
Cold Hearted - Paula Abdul
Don't Wanna Lose You - Gloria Estefan
Eternal Flame – Bangles
Forever Your Girl - Paula Abdul
(Girl) I'm Gonna Miss You - Milli Vanilli
Good Thing - Fine Young Cannibals
Hangin' Tough - New Kids On The Block
If You Don't Know Me By Now - Simply Red
I'll Be Loving You (Forever) - New Kids On The Block
I'll Be There For You - Bon Jovi
Like A Prayer – Madonna
Listen To Your Heart – Roxette
Lost In Your Eyes - Debbie Gibson
Miss You Much - Janet Jackson
My Prerogative - Bobby Brown
Right Here Waiting - Richard Marx
Rock On - Michael Damian
Satisfied - Richard Marx
She Drives Me Crazy - Fine Young Cannibals
Straight Up - Paula Abdul
The Living Years - Mike + The Mechanics
The Look – Roxette
Toy Soldiers - Martika
Two Hearts - Phil Collins
We Didn't Start The Fire - Billy Joel
When I See You Smile - Bad English
Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler |
