Each week William and I select two top hits from the charts in the US and UK starting with 1960 for two weeks followed by 1961 etc..through to 1985. We will also include some of the notable events in those years for the up and coming stars who were centre stage at the time. We are now in the 1980s.
Welcome to our show and we are excited to share decades of music with you in 2021. Here is my second selection of top 1983 hits which I hope you will enjoy.
News Event: July 21st Thunder storm cuts short Diana Ross’ free concert in NY’s Central Park
Spandau Ballet – True
“True” was a worldwide hit, peaking at #1 in the UK Singles Chart and staying there for four weeks, becoming the sixth-biggest-selling single of the year, and reaching the top ten in many countries around the world. “True” was Spandau Ballet’s biggest hit and their only top ten hit in the US, peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the Adult Contemporary chart for one week. It received a BMI award as one of the most played songs in US history, with four million airplays.
News Event: August 21st Jerry Herman’s musical “La Cage aux Folles”, based Jean Poiret’s French play of the same name , opens at Palace Theater, NYC; runs for 1761 performances, wins 6 Tony Awards
Michael Jackson – Billie Jean
“Billie Jean” was the second single from the album “Thriller” (the best selling album of all time), written by Michael Jackson, which he produced with Quincy Jones. He earned eight Grammys for the album “Thriller” including Record Of The Year (for “Beat It”), Album Of The Year and Producer Of The Year (Non-Classical), all of which Jackson shared with Quincy Jones, while grabbing trophies in the Pop, R&B, and Rock fields. In a list compiled by Rolling Stone and MTV in 2000, the song was ranked as the sixth greatest pop song since 1963. In 2004, Rolling Stone placed it at #58 on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and it was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.
News Event: September 22nd The Everly Brothers reunite after 10 years apart in concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London
Now time for my second picks from 1983 and I hope you will enjoy my selection.
Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse of the Heart
“Total Eclipse of the Heart” is a song recorded by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler. It was written and produced by Jim Steinman, and released on Tyler’s fifth studio album, Faster Than the Speed of Night (1983). The song was released as a single by Columbia Records in 1983.
The song became Tyler’s biggest career hit, topping the UK Singles Chart, and becoming the fifth-best-selling single in 1983 in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the single spent four weeks at the top of the charts. The song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Worldwide, the single has sales in excess of 6 million copies. Bonnie Tyler
News Event: November 17th Film “Yentl” produced, directed and starring Barbra Streisand and Mandy Patinkin premieres, based on play and story by Isaac Bashevis Singer
The Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
“Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” is a song by the British new wave music duo Eurythmics. The song is the title track of their album of the same name and was released as the fourth and final single from the album in early 1983. The song became their breakthrough hit, establishing the duo worldwide. Its music video helped to propel the song to number 2 on the UK Singles Chart and number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was the first single released by Eurythmics in the US. Eurythmics
Additional sources: On This Day – Music – Hits of the 70s: Playback FM – Wikipedia
Your Hosts for The Breakfast Show
William Price King is an American jazz singer, crooner, and composer.
His interest in music began at an early age when he studied piano and clarinet in high school. At Morehouse College in Atlanta where he grew up, he sang in the Glee Club and studied classical music. After graduation he went off to the Yale School of Music where he earned a Masters degree. From there he journeyed to New York where he created a jazz trio ‘Au Naturel’ which performed in some of the hottest venues in Manhattan including gigs on Broadway and the famous ‘Rainbow Room.’ These gigs opened doors for performances in Montreal and a European tour.
While touring Europe he met a lovely French lady, Jeanne Maïstre, who, a year later became his wife. King left the group ‘Au Naturel’ and settled in the south of France where he started a new life on the French Riviera, opening his own music school – the “Price King Ecole Internationale de Chant.” He has had the pleasure over the years of seeing many of his students excel as singers on a professional level, and some going on to become national celebrities. He continues to coach young singers today, in his spare time.
Blog– IMPROVISATION – William Price King on Tumblr – Buy William’s music: William Price King iTunes – Facebook – William Price King – Twitter – @wpkofficial
Regular Venue – Cave Wilson
Sally Cronin is an author, blogger and broadcaster who enjoyed four years as part of the team on Onda Cero International’s English speaking morning show in Marbella and then for two years as a presenter on Expressfm the local radio station in Portsmouth. She co-presented two ‘Drive Time’ shows a week with Adrian Knight, hosted the live Thursday Afternoon Show and The Sunday Morning Show guests including musicians and authors. Following this she became Station Director for a local internet television station for two years, producing and presenting the daily news segment, outside broadcasts and co-presenting the Adrian and Sally chat show live on Friday evenings.
She and her husband David have now returned to Ireland where they live on the Wexford Coast where she blogs and continues to write books.
Books :Amazon US – And: Amazon UK – More reviews: Goodreads – blog: Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Twitter: @sgc58 – Facebook: Sally Cronin – LinkedIn: Sally Cronin
Next week 1984 Part One. We hope you will tune in.. as always we love to hear from you.. thanks William and Sally.
What a fabulous selection, William and Sally! I was (still am) a fan of Spandau Ballet, and Billie Jean is one of my favourite Michael Jackson’s songs as well. Have a great week!
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Glad you enjoyed our selection Olga.. it is fun listening to the hits during the process..hugsx
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1983 was the year I got married. I love all these songs and memories. When I can sing along, it makes me smile. Thanks Sally and William.
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Delighted you enjoyed Carla.. it was a great year for music and for you too…hugs
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And the hits just keep on coming! Love ‘Sweet Dreams’.
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Thanks very much Jennie.. that is a lovely song.. hugsx
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You’re welcome, Sally. Hugs!
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Wonderful selection, thank you. Thoroughly entertaining videos.
Listening to “True” reminds me of going to discos and wondering if the cute boy in the corner was going to ask me to slow dance!
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Thank you, Wendy. Glad you enjoyed your trip down memory lane. Hugs
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Thanks Wendy… he was probably thinking the same thing… sometimes the start of something wonderful and other times a lost opportunity.. those were the days…hugsxx
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Wonderful classics Will and Sal. When I think of it, I can’t recall any other song I know by Spandau Ballet, or for Bonnie Tyler? Maybe we didn’t get all Tyler’s music here, but Eclipse of the Heart is a classic! ❤
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Thanks Debby and you probably didn’t get all of the music.. difficult to get a foothold in North America and they would have tried with singles rather than albums.. both Spandau and Bonnie Tyler were big over here..xx
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But of course!!! At least I got the hits lol ❤
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Definitely ♥♥
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Thank you, Debby. These songs did manage to stand the test of time. Hugs
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Always loved this song by Bonnie Tyler!
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One of my favourites too Becky…hugsx
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Fantastic. Good to hear, Becky. Hugs
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Ha! I know all of these. Thanks for the treat, William and Sally.
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Wonderful Robbie.. we hit the jackpot…hugsx
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Great, Robbie. Glad you enjoyed. Hugs
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What a terrific four tracks today,
I was having problems with my very slow computer today and almost missed them….
But as always a great start to my day
(And end after an afternoon teaching reception!)
Loved Spandau Ballet, and as for Michael Jackson !!!!! Such a shame, he really was a favourite of mins and loved the ;Thriller; album.
Eurythmics was also a great choince.
I did enjoy Bonnie Tyler but not the video so much.
A touch of Eton Mess I felt and ???
But great songs to start my day as always.
Glad I didn’t miss out today
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Thank you very much, Sue. I’m thrilled that you enjoyed our selection today and hope it gets you off to a good start for your Zumba class. Enjoy. Hugs
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A good Zumba with lots to workout
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Glad you enjoyed Sue… glad we started and ended the day with them…hugsx
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I did indeed
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Excellent choices! One of my perennial favourites is Total Eclipse of the Heart and you’re both responsible for me being further behind in my to-do list today. xx
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Sorry about that, Alex, but I do understand. So glad you enjoyed. Hugs
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Oops..sorry about the Alex..glad you enjoyed..♥
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Good choices! Michael Jackson – what a talent and a tortured soul! And the Eurythmics sound was such a change!
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Indeed. We were so lucky to have had them both at the same time. A real treat. Thanks. Hugs
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A clear winner for me amongst these: Eurythmics by a mile! I’ve featured this in one of my Tuesday Tunes posts and love it as much now as the first time I heard it.
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Thank you, Clive. Glad you enjoyed and I share your feelings for the Eurythmics’ music. All the best.
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And to you too, William 😊
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You both hit the jackpot this time. All great songs. A friend brought the Spandau Ballet album back from the UK for me and I played it over and over. One of my favourite songs of the 80s. Bonnie Tyler, The Eurythmics and of course the amazing Michael Jackson, all superstars. Thanks!
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Thank you, Darlene. So glad we hit the jackpot. Good to hear. Hugs
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I am again a bit late for breakfast, but i am just taking my third one. Lol Who cant love Spandau Ballet and also Eurythmics? 😉 Thanks for sharing, and have a nice day, William and Sally. xx Michael
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Lol.. happy to see you when you can fit us in Michael…hugsx
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Good to hear, Michael. Glad you enjoyed. Have a wonderful day.
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Reblogged this on OPENED HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Thanks very much for sharing Michael..hugsx
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Many thanks for sharing, Michael. All the best.
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All great choices…most of the tracks I have listened to today have had a fair bit of sax playing which I love 🙂 x
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Thank you, Carol. You have an excellent ear. Glad you enjoyed. Hugs
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Thank you, Will I have listened to quite a lot of music today with sax which I love but I also love the tinkling of the ivories which many have featured a good day for music today Hugs xx
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Indeed, Carol. The tinkling of the ivories certainly makes a big difference, too.
Hugs
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There was definitely a move away from guitars and drum kits around this time with the inclusion of other orchestral instruments too.. which is why I rather like this time…hugsxx
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I agree Sally…most of todays listening has been heavy on the sax which I love 🙂 x
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Love the Eurythmics and True is the definition of a one-hit wonder.
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Indeed, Pete. True was a knock-out. All the best.
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Thanks Pete…I think it was still very tough for British bands to make it in the US then but they did have 14 top selling albums in the UK and although they split in 1990 they reformed and despite some ups and downs toured and still entertained their fans. And agree.. I love the Eurythmics too.. xxx
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My sentiment exactly, Pete!
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What a fab quartet of musical memories!
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Thank you very much, Annette. Good to hear. Hugs
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Thanks very much Annette..hugsx
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All terrific, William and Sally.
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Many thanks, John. All the best.
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😊
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Thanks very much John…hugsxx
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