Don’s Top 10 From November 29, 1984

(#12 last week) Remember when soaps were king? Jack Wagner was superstud Frisco Jones on "General Hospital' in the 80s & parlayed that success into a short-lived career as a crooner. I preferred him paired with Heather Locklear on "Melrose Place" in the 90s as creepy Dr. Peter Burns (I never missed an episode at its peak). In the soap opera-imitating-life department, Wagner & Locklear were engaged in real life, but then broke up, & Heather's life seemed to be headed downhill, with her hospitalization three years ago. Maybe all she needed was Frisco Jones..

(#5 last week) 1983's "Candy Girl" was this group's first hit locally, but this was the one, from their 2nd album, that broke them nationally. New Edition, from Boston, were the so-called link between 70s bubblegum like the Jackson 5 & the "boy band" movement of the late 80s and 90s. Most of the group members also had hits either as solo artists (Bobby Brown) or offshoot groups (Bell Biv Devoe).

(#9 last week) Lauper's 4th single rom "She's So Unusual", & her 4th to peak in the top 5 nationally. That made Cyndi the first woman in the history of the Hot 100 to have the first four singles from an album peak in the top 5. The song was written by Jules Shear & first recorded by The Cars, but not released.

(#6 last week) By late 1984, Daryl & John were already the most successful duo in the history of recorded music. This was the first single from the "Bim Bam Boom" album.

(#7 last week) Ah, the "Durannies" dominated the request lines in 1983-84-85, asking for songs like this one. Scary to think those tweenyboppers are probably soccer moms now, in their late 30's/early 40's. Fans know the band was named after the villain in the campy 1968 sexploitation movie "Barbarella", "Dr. Durand Durand". Why'd they drop that last "d"?

(#4 last week) Speaking of successful duos! This was the British team of George Michael & Andrew Ridgeley's American success, although they were already stars in the U.K. Up to this point their music had been a bit darker & more political, which perhaps did not match the more here in the states.

(#10 last week) Madonna's 4th hit at top 40 radio, first single from the album of the same name, & the one that cemented her as a superstar. It spent a huge 9 weeks at #1 here. OMG, that barely-there wedding dress inspired a lot of male lust (yeah, kids, there was once a time when Madge was Miley & Arianna rolled into one).

(#2 last week) Billy Ocean debuted on the American charts way back in 1976 with "Love Really Hurts Without You", the best 60s soul song produced in the mid 70s. And then....almost nothing, then a bit of club success, and finally, this sleek totally 80s soul smash. Ocean won a Grammy in the Best R&B Male Vocal category, the first British artist to do so.

(#1 last week; was #1 for 6 weeks) Super-sappy super-hit. Most people either loved or hated this one, no in-between. The people who loved it REALLY loved it; it was #1 for six weeks. Another movie smash; from "The Woman In Red".

(#3 last week; 1st week at #1) Anyone who didn't know the former Rufus lead singer KNEW after hearing the opening of this smash. That's Melle Mel rapping her name (as in Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five) & Stevie Wonder playing the harmonica. The song was originally performed & written by Prince (he won a Grammy for Best R&B Song for it). Not bad! The name being rapped over & over was actually a mistake on Melle Mel's part, which famed producer Arif Mardin decide to leave on the record. Good instincts!