40 42 DON’T LEAVE ME THIS WAY –•– Communards – 11 (40)
Jimmy Somerville's post-Bronski Beat new wave/house-style cover of the Harold Melvin/Thelma Houston classic just barely squeaks into the top 40 for a single week before dropping back out of it, but dang is it a good one. Should've been bigger because I'll groove to this one any day of the week.
39 26 TALK TO ME –•– Chico DeBarge – 18 (21)
The second most recognizable DeBarge family member behind El with his own top 40 solo hit, which is standard synthesized R&B funk. Very good/Excellent.
38 31 FACTS OF LOVE –•– Jeff Lorber Featuring Karyn White – 14 (27)
Fun pairing of pre-"Secret Rendezvous"/"Romantic" Karyn White and smooth jazz/adult contemporary keyboardist/producer Jeff Lorber. The result is proto-New Jack Swing less than a year before that genre started becoming a thing, and it's quite well done.
37 39 DON’T NEED A GUN –•– Billy Idol – 7 (37)
Second "Whiplash Smile" single, and a great slice of new wave-ish glam punk rock as only Billy Idol can do it. Songs like this are why he should have gotten that HOF induction sooner.
36 25 CHANGE OF HEART –•– Cyndi Lauper – 15 (3)
Followup to the chart-topping "True Colors" title track and her second straight top three from the album. Very solid tune.
35 35 WE CONNECT –•– Stacey Q – 13 (35)
Second of her two top 40 hits after the more famous "Two of Hearts". Both are standard dance pop, but very enjoyable.
34 40 THAT AIN’T LOVE –•– REO Speedwagon – 6 (34))
REO's final album with Richrath and Gratzer begins with this rockin' single. Very good/Excellent.
33 36 AS WE LAY –•– Shirley Murdock – 8 (33)
Shirley Murdock's only top 40 entry, a rather soulful R&B song about two consenting adults having a sleepover, but of course they're doing it behind the backs of their significant others! Whoops! Not the best song out there about cheatin', but a solid 6.5 outta 10.
32 41 WHAT YOU GET IS WHAT YOU SEE –•– Tina Turner – 5 (32)
Tina's third single off of "Break Every Rule": She's trying to rock out a li'l here, and it works somewhat, though far from her best hit.
31 44 I KNEW YOU WERE WAITING FOR ME –•– Aretha Franklin & George Michael – 3 (31)
I love a good 80's duet for the most part, and this one is no exception. The Queen of Soul teams up with George Michael for his first post-Wham! hit, and it's a classic that easily stands up to the majority of material from both artist's respective catalogs.
30 18 STOP TO LOVE –•– Luther Vandross – 17 (15)
More R&B, this time with Luther crooning over a danceable funky hit. 10/10
29 37 MIDNIGHT BLUE –•– Lou Gramm – 6 (29)
Lou's first non-Foreigner solo hit, and a very worthy rockin' AOR track.
28 24 AT THIS MOMENT –•– Billy Vera & The Beaters – 21 (1)
Originally recorded in the early 80's but finally made #1 thanks to that iconic "Family Ties" episode. Enjoyable for a good cry or two after a few too many beers.
27 19 OPEN YOUR HEART –•– Madonna – 14 (1)
Madge's fourth single from "True Blue" and third #1 from the album. Boy, was she cookin' right now or what! 10/10 for sure!
26 16 NOBODY’S FOOL –•– Cinderella – 18 (13)
The Philly boys with their first top 40 and a damn good power ballad topped only by "Don't Know What You Got..." two years later.
25 13 LOVE YOU DOWN –•– Ready For The World – 15 (9)
Of course, "Oh Sheila" was their most recognizable hit, but this slow jam from their second album also managed to squeak into the top ten. Kind of repetitive at the end, but still pretty good.
24 32 LET’S GO –•– Wang Chung – 7 (24)
Time for everybody to Wang Chung tonight with their second hit of '87, and although it doesn't exactly match up to the lofty standard of that alluded to classic, it's still great new wave.
23 34 DON’T DREAM IT’S OVER –•– Crowded House – 8 (23)
Their biggest hit and another all-time sophisti-pop great. 'Nuff said.
22 28 CANDY –•– Cameo – 11 (22)
Synth funk R&B and just as fun and cheesy as their previous hit "Word Up!". Definitely a great song to groove to.
21 11 TOUCH ME (I WANT YOUR BODY) –•– Samantha Fox – 19 (4)
Smokin' hot and highly fuckable and she knew it based on the lyrics to her first hit here. She wasn't a bad singer, either.
20 30 THE FINAL COUNTDOWN –•– Europe – 7 (20)
Following up Samantha's come hither with one of the 80's most iconic keyboard riffs and a tasty John Norum solo to boot.
19 23 COME GO WITH ME –•– Expose – 7 (19)
Here's the Expose Mr. Freeze loves best! Pure Miami Freestyle bliss...
18 10 BALLERINA GIRL –•– Lionel Richie – 14 (7)
...followed by a tender love ballad by Lionel, his fourth single from "Dancing on the Ceiling". Not bad at all.
17 20 BRAND NEW LOVER –•– Dead Or Alive – 15 (17)
Pete Burns & Co.'s second biggest hit after "You Spin Me Round..." and one you should be listening to right friggin' now.
16 27 TONIGHT, TONIGHT, TONIGHT –•– Genesis – 4 (16)
Fourth "Invisible Touch" single and a damn Phil Collins/Genesis classic, but the longer album version and its extended instrumental section are even better.
15 17 I WANNA GO BACK –•– Eddie Money – 12 (15)
Recorded twice (Billy Satellite and Gregg Rolie) before the Money Man made the most successful version. Great song.
14 14 I’LL BE ALRIGHT WITHOUT YOU –•– Journey – 14 (14)
I definitely love Journey's "Raised on Radio" singles, and here's the fourth one with Perry's vocals and Schon's guitar playing never sounding better.
13 21 NOTHING’S GONNA STOP US NOW –•– Starship – 6 (13)
Another ubiquitous radio staple that, like "We Built This City", you can't get out of your head. Sadly that success was a double-edged sword that finally caused Grace Slick to jump ship after this album.
12 22 LEAN ON ME –•– Club Nouveau – 4 (12)
Every 80's music fan's favorite danceable Bill Withers cover that went to #1 like the original. This one, too, easily gets stuck in your head.
11 4 WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME? –•– Chicago – 17 (3)
Their first post-Cetera top 40 hit with new guy Jason Scheff on vocals, and it's one of my favorite of their 80's hits. Superb slice of adult contemporary pop rock.
10 15 LET’S WAIT AWHILE –•– Janet Jackson – 8 (10)
Janet preaches abstinence for her fifth "Control" single and gets rewarded with her fifth straight top five. Very good/Excellent.
9 12 MANDOLIN RAIN –•– Bruce Hornsby & The Range – 8 (9)
Adult contemporary done quite well with one of Hornsby's best here.
8 9 BIG TIME –•– Peter Gabriel – 15 (8)
Gabriel's second attempt at an arty video after "Sledgehammer", and it's a great radio-friendly hit as well.
7 8 (YOU GOTTA) FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT (TO PARTY!) –•– Beastie Boys – 12 (7)
Rap rock's finest hour courtesy of the Beasties and that Kerry King solo.
6 3 KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF –•– Georgia Satellites – 16 (2)
The ultimate southern rock sing-along for drunk bar patrons and backyard barbecue attendees in the lower 48, sometimes in the upper 48 as well.
5 7 RESPECT YOURSELF –•– Bruce Willis – 8 (5)
Another instance of an actor/actress dabbling in a singing career as well, with pre-Die Hard Bruce's lone top 40 hit in the middle of his "Moonlighting" run. Good/Very good.
4 6 SOMEWHERE OUT THERE –•– Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram – 12 (4)
I admit I liked "An American Tail" as a kid, but this song from that classic children's movie just sounds kinda icky all these years later. Average at best.
3 5 YOU GOT IT ALL –•– The Jets – 17 (3)
Second #3 from the Wolfgramm family after "Crush on You", and it's a great R&B slow jam.
2 2 JACOB’S LADDER –•– Huey Lewis & The News – 8 (2)
Written by Bruce Hornsby and his brother, Huey took this one all the way to #1 a year before Bruce recorded his own version. A bit further down from my favorite of Huey's hits, but I enjoy it.
1 1 LIVIN’ ON A PRAYER –•– Bon Jovi – 13 (1)
The Jove's ubiquitously overplayed (yet still awesome, IMO) classic in the final of its four weeks at #1. Do I really need to say anything more than that?
