Don’s Top 10 From September 27, 1982

(#9 last week) This single made history! It was the very first cassette single released by a big label. Apparently, the ladies find this video embarrassing, because it's officially off the market. Very catchy song!

(#16 last week) Jackson Browne wrote this song with Danny Kortchmar, who played guitar on his "Running On Empty" album in 1978.  Kortchmar had the music and the "must be somebody's baby" hook. He knew Browne could do something special with the song, so he brought what he had to Jackson, who helped Kortchmar complete it. Browne felt it wasn't was he uusually wrote, so he only put it on the "Fast Times At Ridgemont High" soundtrack, and not on his own album. It became the biggest hit of his career.

(#23 last week) Doobie Michael's first solo hit. written by McDonald and Ed Sanford.. Its similarity to an earlier song with the same name by  the great songwriters/producers Lieber & Stoller resulted in the duo being given co-songwriting credits. Three members of the band Toto played backup. The bass was by Louis Johnson, one half of the Brothers Johnson.

(#8 last week) Try to stump someone with this trivia question: "What was the local #1 hit of the 1980s?" "Gloria" is the surprising answer! It was mainly due to its amazing longevity. Get these stats: 26 weeks in the top 20, and an absolutely incredible 24 weeks in the top! The topper: it peaked at #2, but because of those 5 months in the top 10, it is the biggest hit of the decade.

(#5 last week) Big comeback! It had been been more than 3 & a half years since Chicago had a top 15 hit, & this was a big one, co-written by lead singer Peter Cetera with producer David Foster.

(#6 last week) Surprisingly, this quintessentially Australian song only peaked at #2 in the land down under, but it went to the top here in the states. And yet, it only got to #8 in Canada, and a abysmal #45 in the U.K.

(#2 last week) After a fantastic nine weeks at the top locally, Survivor, with Jim Peterek, formerly of the Ides Of March ("Vehicle"), is on the way down. Written specifically for "Rocky III" at the request of Sylvester Stallone, who at first wanted to use Queen's existing "Another One Bites The Dust", but was denied permission. In the movie version, you hear tiger growls, but not on the record.

(#4 last week)  Mellencamp's biggest hit (he didn't add his real last name to his recording until his next album in 1983). "Jack & Diane" was based on the 1962 Tennessee Williams film "Sweet Bird Of Youth".  He said of recording the song: "'Jack & Diane' was a terrible record to make. When I play it on guitar by myself, it sounds great; but I could never get the band to play along with me. That's why the arrangement's so weird. Stopping and starting, it's not very musical." Mellencamp has also stated that the clapping wasn't supposed to be included in the finished song. It was recorded with the clapping in order to help keep tempo and then it was to be removed. However, he realized the song did not work without it.

(#3 last week) First recorded by Charlie Dore, who had a hit with 1980's "Pilot Of The Airwaves". Manchester's remake was produced by Arif Mardin, who worked with the Bee Gees on many of their 70s hits. Even though she needed a hit, Manchester had to be dragged kicking & screaming to record a song she felt wasn't in her wheelhouse.

(#1 last week) Comeback hit! It's been 4+ years since the Miller Band was in the top 10, and they go all the way to the top for their third #1. I would never have guessed this, but Miller was inspired to write this song by Diana Ross, who Steve met on the TV show "Hullaballoo" in the 60s.