Don’s Top 10 For September 22, 1985

(#15 2 weeks ago) Wow, was a lot of money spent on this movie-themed video. In the you-learn-something-new-everyday department, it's "Billy", not "Philly", Phil is singing about in the song. Oops! What does it all mean? Even Collins doesn't know. He just wrote it all down from his head. Sounds good!

(#15 2 wks ago) It's sobering to look at the hordes of screaming teen girls dressing up as Madonna & realize they're all in their 40s now. This was the last single from the "Like A Virgin" album. It was rejected at first by producer Nile Rodgers, but Madonna pushed for it because she liked the lyrics, & mashup of fashion & passion.

(#3 2 wks ago) Not many realize this was written as a protest song. Lead singer/co-writer Roland Orzabal said, "A lot of people think that 'Shout' is just another song about primal scream theory, continuing the themes of the first album. It is actually more concerned with political protest. It came out when a lot of people were still worried about the aftermath of The Cold War and it was basically an encouragement to protest."

(#4 2 wks ago) This record just has an unstoppable groove! You want to stop what you're doing & start dancing! And Clarence on the saxophone is just the icing on the cake. One of my top 10 personal 80s favorites.

(#7 2 wks ago) Of course, that's Sting singing "I want my MTV". He was reportedly embarrassed when his record company demanded co-songwriting credit for that one line. Big cvontroversy with Mark Knopfler's lyrics with a gay slur (meant to be ironic, not a slur) being edited out of the single & American version of the video.

(#10 2 wks ago) So young, so beautiful. So sad watching this now. This was co-written by Carole King's former husband & songwriting partner, Gerry Goffin (with Michael Masser), for Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. on a 1978 album.

(#1 2 wks ago) Boy, Huey & his News were unstoppable for 3 or 4 years, & this was about his catchiest. Yes, they had a few big albums, but they were the very definition of a "singles band". An 80s version of the Grass Roots! Not that there's anything wrong with that.

(#6 2 wks ago) Forgotten fave from a forgotten movie. As bombastic a hit as the 80s gave us, but compelling. I miss Tina, who is very happily retired in Europe.

(#5 2 wks ago) How weird: #2, 3 & 4 were all from movies, although this was originally just called "Man In Motion", written by Parr with mega-producer/writer David Foster for the Canadian athlete Rick Hansen, who at the time was going around the world in his wheelchair to raise awareness for spinal cord injuries. His journey was called the "Man in Motion Tour." Several members of Toto are heard backing up Parr.

(#2 2 wks ago, 2nd week at #1) This only got to #2 nationally, but you made it a local #1 hit, the second song with the title "Cherish" to be #1 (the first was by The Association in 1966). There would be a third hit song called "Cherish", by Madonna, & it also made it to #1 locally, in 1989. Three songs called "Cherish", all different, all local #1 hits. Amazing.