Top 15 Best Hit Songs of 1983
Part 2: The List Proper
Now that I’ve gone through the Worst songs of 1983 and the songs that missed the cut for the best list, I figure it’s time to get onto the main event, The Top 15 Best Hit Songs of 1983, starting at the bottom with #15 and concluding with the single best hit of the entire year. So, what could be our #15? Well, how about one of the defining hits of the entire decade?
#15: Total Eclipse Of The Heart by Bonnie Tyler (Peak: #1, Year-End: #6)
Ahh, what better way to start off the list than with a decade-defining classic? I’m not exaggerating when I say that, because not only was Total Eclipse Of The Heart one of the biggest hits of the decade, but it is also one of the most well-remembered (the music video has over 700 Million views on YouTube), and for dang good reason. Written and produced by Jim Steinman (known for his work with Meat Loaf), Total Eclipse begins as a simple piano ballad for the first verse, adds guitar, percussion and haunting backing vocals for the second, before exploding into the chorus. Lyrically, it’s reportedly about vampires being in love, but it could be more broadly interpreted as being about unrequited love (or at least according to the Genius page). Really, the lyrics don’t matter all that much when you have a vocalist like Bonnie Tyler, who throws all she has into this song. Sure, her vocals are a bit rough, but that’s probably for the best when it comes to this song. Overall, Total Eclipse Of The Heart is a fantastic power ballad, and would’ve been higher on the list if 1983 wasn’t such a fantastic year for music, because boy did it earn its spot on this list.
#14: Baby, Come To Me by Patti Austin and James Ingram (Peak: #1, Year-End: #8)
So, I’m just gonna say it: Sexual Healing by Marvin Gaye is not going to be on this list. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a good song, but it didn’t quite hold up as well as I would’ve thought, which was quite a surprise to me, considering that I referred to it as a “lovemaking classic” in my Best of 2017 list while discussing I Feel It Coming.
However, that does not mean that I didn’t include any smooth R&B songs on this list, as Baby Come To Me by Patti Austin and James Ingram is taking the #14 spot. The instrumental is silky smooth, with a funky bass lick, string backing and pleasant keys. The same can be said of our vocalists, with Patti Austin delivering a smooth, sultry performance, in contrast to James Ingram’s soulful singing. Sure, the lyrics are pretty standard for a love song, but they get the job done. It’s the best duet of 1983 and perfect baby-makin’ material (or at least I’d assume it is, it’s not like I’m any expert on sex). Judging by the very low YouTube views, this seems to have been unfortunately forgotten, but that doesn’t mean that it ain’t worthy of making this here list. Good stuff, check it out.
#13: Maneater by Hall & Oates (Peak: #1, Year-End: #7)
Now for something that’s been a bit less forgotten. Hall & Oates were one of the biggest acts in popular music during the Late 70s and Early-Mid 80s (although they did have Top 20 hits as late as 1990), and Maneater might just be their defining hit.
Let’s just get the obvious out of the way: the chorus is infectious. The “Ohhh, here she comes” bit will get permanently lodged in your brain from the first second you hear it, and will never leave until the day you die. However, that’s far from the only reason this song is making the list (well, that and the fact that I’m a fan of Hall & Oates, but whatever). The lyrics describe a cunning lady who seduces men and chews them up, putting on the facade of a perfect woman on the outside in order to get her hands on a man’s sweet, sweet dollar bills. Sure, it isn’t the most politically correct narrative, but we’re talking about a song from the 80s here, so I think we should let this song be (unless you want to cancel Dirty Diana and Gold Digger as well). The instrumental captures this mood perfectly, with a lowkey bass grove, consistent drumbeat, watery keys and one of the most legendary sax solos in pop music history. Maneater is one of the most subtly infectious songs ever made, and it’s only this low on the list because of just how great 1983 truly was. Great job, Hall & Oates, I look forward to praising you on many retro lists in the future.
#12: Africa by Toto (Peak: #1, Year-End: #24)
Right, let’s keep the #1 Hits train a rollin’ with Africa by Toto, another classic 80s hit that is more than deserving of said status. The third single off of Toto’s 1982 album Toto IV, Africa became the band’s only chart topper, and it has certainly stood the test of time. According to the late drummer Jeff Porcaro, the song was written from the perspective of a white boy who is fascinated by the continent, but hasn’t been there and only knows it from what he’s seen on TV. Yes, it’s full of stereotypes about the continent, but that’s honestly part of it’s charm. Then again, it could also be because the song’s instrumentation is a perfect mix of Soft Rock and traditional African music, and also that the song’s chorus is a monster, one of the most iconic of the entire decade. Toto is one of my dad’s favorite bands, and while I wouldn’t necessarily say that about myself, this is definitely something I can get behind.
#11: True by Spandau Ballet (Peak: #4, Year-End: #92)
Well, this is embarrassing. You may be saying “Gabe, why are you putting this cheesefest on the list? Isn’t it on Wikipedia’s list of the worst songs of all time?” Well, yes it is on the Wikipedia list of songs considered the worst, and it is a total cheesefest, but you should all know by now that I have a thing for cheese, so it is indeed above songs like Total Eclipse Of The Heart and Africa.
To start, that instrumentation is smoooooth. The opening guitar lick is the perfect way to draw someone into the song, and the relaxing Soft Rock composition is enough to keep me listening for the full five minute run time (especially that awesome sax solo) As for the lyrics… well, they make absolutely zero sense. It’s apparently about struggling to find the words to say to a love interest, and yeah, I can tell, because it’s a mish-mash of different ideas that somehow come together fantastically. As with the hook on Maneater, the “ah-ha-ha-ah-ha” hook on this song will lodge itself in your head and never leave until the day you die. While the vocalist isn’t anything special, he gets the job done. Consider this one a guilty pleasure (one of many), but I’ve gotta be honest and say that I unironically like this song, sorry.
#10: Every Breath You Take by The Police (Peak: #1, Year-End: #1)
Ah yes, we have arrived at the biggest hit of 1983, Every Breath You Take by The Police, and yeah, it deserves that honor 100%. Another decade-defining smash hit, Every Breath You Take stands in sharp contrast to the synthetic New Wave that dominated much of 1983’s musical landscape, as the song is pretty much just a simple guitar line using the ‘50s progression, percussion and the occasional piano/keyboard or string backing. And the lyrical content? Well, I’m just gonna say what everyone else has said: this is a stalker anthem. Heck, Sting himself has basically said that much, so I think it’s pretty safe to say that’s what the song is about. However, just because a song’s lyrical content depicts things like stalking and general creepiness does not at all mean that the song is bad, quite the contrary in this case. Every Breath You Take is an excellent song, and as I’ve said for other songs on this list, it’s only this low because of the incredibly strong competition. Still, this definitely deserved to be the biggest hit of the year, and one of the biggest hits of all time. Hey, speaking of smash hits…
#9: Flashdance… What A Feeling by Irene Cara (Peak: #1, Year-End: #3)
And here’s the other massive hit from Flashdance. Irene Cara had a set of hits during the first half of the 80s, and this was by far her biggest, and not without reason. A Dance-Pop banger, What A Feeling begins slowly in the first verse, before picking up the pace in the second and finally exploding into the monstrous hook. Irene Cara’s vocals show the same kind of progression throughout the song, beginning soft and restrained before letting loose on the chorus. Lyrically, it’s just about the narrator fulfilling her dreams of becoming a dancer, but as with many Electropop songs from the Late 2000s and Early 2010s, the lyrics don’t matter all that much when it’s this infectious. On the topic of infectiously catchy songs…
#8: You Can’t Hurry Love by Phil Collins (Peak: #10, Year-End: #37)
Okay, let’s get the obvious out of the way first: this is a cover. The original was released by The Supremes in 1966 and became the 8th biggest hit of that year (here’s the original, BTW). It’s got a classic, vintage 60s charm and is one of the catchiest songs I’ve ever heard. While I’m not planning on doing the 60s anytime soon, this would probably make a Best of 1966 list if I ever did one (although I’m not really familiar with music from before the 70s).
Fast forward sixteen and a half years, and a cover version was released by Genesis frontman Phil Collins. The cover has a 60s throwback sound while also having smoother production (production technology evolved by leaps and bounds between 1966 and 1982, when this song was recorded), even if it doesn’t quite have the same charm. In contrast to many Phil Collins songs that are melodramatic (although that can work really well for him), this is just as upbeat and bouncy as the original song, and I find myself snapping my fingers along with the beat whenever it comes on. The lyrics are the same through both versions, detailing the narrator’s struggles with love and remembering their mother’s advice that they shouldn’t rush and instead should take things one step at a time (yeah, it’s not like I’m not going to shoehorn in a reference to my 4th favorite hit of 2008). All in all, both the original and the cover are fantastic pop songs, and they’re really two sides of the same coin to me. I know I spent literally the entire segment comparing the two songs, but I think that was for the best.
#7: It Might Be You by Stephen Bishop (Peak: #25, Year-End: #95)
Oh boy, Gabingston’s gonna praise another sappy love ballad, isn’t he? Why yes, I am indeed putting the sappy love theme from Tootsie on this list, but I’ve got my reasons.
You may have noticed that I usually begin my assessment of a song with the instrumental, but I’ll actually start with the lyrics in this case. The lyrics are from the perspective of a man who has spent much of his life waiting for an opportunity to find love, and finally feels as though he’s found what he’s been looking for.
“Time, I've been passing time
Watching trains go by.
All of my life,
Lying on the sand watching seabirds fly.
Wishing there would be
Someone waiting home for me.
Something's telling me it might be you
It's telling me it might be you
All of my life…”
I’ll be honest: I feel this way about myself more often than not. I went through the entirety of high school without ever being in a relationship, desiring one desperately but being too timid to ever actively pursue one. This is basically in the same category for me as a song like The Only Exception by Paramore, my favorite hit song of 2010 and one that also resonates with me on a deep, personal level, being cautious about love, but also feeling as though you’ve found the one. I’m sure that I’ll eventually find what I’m looking for, but as of now, I still haven’t found it (YES, I GOT A U2 REFERENCE IN!).
Anyway, onto the instrumental. It too captures the wistful vibe of the song, being a soft, light mix of keys, acoustic guitar, bass and light percussion, all adding up to a song that gives me hope for the future. I know I’m talking about this like it was my #1, and honestly, I feel like I did this song dirty by only putting it at #7, but alas, that’s how it turned out. Give this song a fresh listen, it may surprise you.
#6: Allentown/Tell Her About It by Billy Joel (Peak: #17/#1, Year-End: #43/#45)
The first of three ties on the list, Billy Joel’s two 1983 hits were both fantastic, albeit in differing ways. While many big 70s artists weren’t able to survive the transition to the 80s (cough cough Bee Gees), Billy Joel adapted to the new musical landscape flawlessly, and scored some of the biggest hits of his career during the MTV era.
To start, let’s talk about Allentown, his highest charting song on the Year-End List, even though it peaked at #17. The song is about the decline of industry in the Rust Belt, done from the perspective of an unemployed worker whose parents achieved the American Dream, but who has no opportunities to do the same.
“Well we're living here in Allentown
And they're closing all the factories down
Out in Bethlehem they're killing time
Filling out forms
Standing in line
Well our fathers fought the Second World War
Spent their weekends on the Jersey Shore
Met our mothers in the USO
Asked them to dance
Danced with them slow
And we're living here in Allentown”
The song’s instrumentation is a typical Soft Rock song mixed with industrial sounds that fit in seamlessly. This topped Diamond Axe Studios’ Best of 1983 list, and while I’m obviously not going that far, this is still a really good song.
Alright, how about Billy’s other hit this year, Tell Her About It? Well, this might just be even better. 1983 had quite a few throwbacks to the 50s and 60s, and Tell Her About It was definitely one of them. As with You Can’t Hurry Love (both versions, BTW), this song makes me reflexively start snapping my fingers. Lyrically, it’s about Billy giving dating/romance advice to a young man to ensure that he doesn’t make the same mistakes that Billy once made.
“Tell her about it
Let her know how much you care
When she can't be with you
Tell her you wish you were there
Tell her about it
Every day before you leave
Pay her some attention
Give her something to believe”
Really, this is my #6 just because of how infectiously, brain-destroyingly catchy this song is. In a decade full of mind-meltingly catchy music, this can go toe to toe with anything, and the great lyrics are a great bonus, and we’ve still got the Top 5. Man, this year was great!
#5: Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) by Journey (Peak: #8, Year-End: #38)
Alright, finally time to talk about one of my favorite bands! Yeah, I like this band a whole lot, so it wasn’t a surprise to see one of their biggest hits end up on my list, and yeah, Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) is awesome. The song combines a kickass riff, keyboard line and explosive chorus with Steve Perry’s fantastic voice to make what I can assume is one hell of a karaoke song. As for the lyrical content… well, they’re basically if Every Breath You Take wasn’t intended to be about a stalker, but nonetheless came out that way:
“Someday love will find you
Break those chains that bind you
One night will remind you
How we touched
And went our separate ways
If he ever hurts you
True love won't desert you
You know I still love you
Though we touched
And went our separate ways”
So yeah, it could come across as a bit stalker-esque, but it honestly doesn’t matter a whole lot when the guys from Journey are throwing everything they have into it (as per usual). Oh, and I couldn’t go without commenting on the hilariously awful music video, which is just the guys messing around with some instruments and following some girl around some warehouses. Still, despite the misguided video, this song is still awesome, as is the band who made it. So, with that said, who could it be at the #4 spot?
#4: Down Under/Overkill by Men At Work (Peak: #1/#3, Year-End: #4/#54)
You know how I did a “why didn’t we keep them around” segment for Leona Lewis and Jordin Sparks on my Best of 2008 list? Well, I can say the same for Men At Work, who briefly blew up in 1982-83 before fading away afterwards (and breaking up in 1986). They had three hits in 1983, all of which were good, and two of which were good enough to make the list (It’s A Mistake narrowly missed out).
First up, Down Under, the song everyone thinks of when they think of Men At Work. The song was written from the perspective of an Australian tourist who wants to travel the world, but keeps getting stereotyped because of his nationality.
“Buying bread from a man in Brussels
He was six-foot-four and full of muscle
I said, "Do you speak-a my language?"
He just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich”
Instrumentally, this song nails the Aussie vibe perfectly, with great Pop-Rock instrumentation accented by an iconic flute line taken from a traditional Australian children’s song (which led to a lawsuit). In an ironic twist, this song about Australian stereotypes is one of the first things that anyone thinks of when they think of Australia, but it ain’t such a bad thing when the song is this good.
Alright, how about Overkill? Well, it’s in a tie with Down Under for a reason, because it too is a really good song. The instrumentation is built around a driving tempo and both a guitar and saxophone solo, giving off an uptempo and yet also melancholic vibe, which brings me to the lyrics.
Frontman Colin Hay stated that it was about concerns over his newfound fame and his consumption of alcohol, but the lyrics resonate with me for a very different reason…
“I can't get to sleep
I think about the implications
Of diving in too deep
And possibly the complications
Especially at night
I worry over situations
I know will be alright
Perhaps it's just imagination”
These past few months of lockdown and turmoil (this post was written in late June of 2020) have driven me insane, and I’m haunted by my own fear of the future and of myself. Even though I still have some faith that it’ll be alright, I can’t be completely sure of anything. I’ve also struggled with a bad sleep schedule during the lockdown, oftentimes not getting to bed until 2 A.M. and not waking up until past noon, and it’s at night when many of these fears appear. Needless to say, I feel like this song took the words right out of my mouth, even though it came out 17 years before I was even born. So, what songs could’ve made the list over these two?
#3: Michael Jackson
Yeah, there’s no point dragging it out, Michael Jackson owned 1983. Not only did he have five songs on the Year-End list, but all but one of them (that one being The Girl Is Mine) were great. We’ll go through these four songs in order of their Year-End position, from highest to lowest. Let’s stop wasting time and get right onto one of the most iconic songs of the entire decade…
3A: Billie Jean (Peak: #1, Year-End: #2)
First up on the chopping block, we have Billie Jean, the second biggest hit of the year and arguably Michael’s signature song (and that’s saying something, considering that it’s the King of Pop we’re talking about). Really, there’s not much I can say about this song that hasn’t been said already, IT’S BILLIE FREAKIN’ JEAN! The Disco-influenced groove is legendary, the lyrics about MJ asserting that he isn’t the father of the titular girls’ child are iconic, as is MJ’s performance, including the birth of some of his sound effects like “HEE HEE” and “HOO”, as is the performance at Motown 25 that introduce his famous Moonwalk to the world. As I said a few sentences ago, everything about this is legendary, so let’s move on to Michael’s other #1 hit this year.
3B: Beat It (Peak: #1, Year-End: #5)
Oh boy, it’s another classic! Yeah, Beat It is right up there with Billie Jean, thus meaning that MJ had not one, but TWO decade-defining smashes in the same year. A Hard Rock song with a kickass solo courtesy of Eddie Van Halen, Beat It is a song imploring an unnamed person to step down from a confrontation that could end badly in order to ensure his own safety. I tend to avoid confrontation and try to stay in people’s good graces, although as I talked about in the Overkill segment, I’m concerned that I’m gonna screw it up at some point. It’s simply not worth the risk to me. One wouldn’t think there’d be a song that would make caution and backing down sound badass, but alas, here it is.
3C: Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ (Peak: #5, Year-End: #68)
Alright, more classic Thriller-era MJ. Built around a tight groove, Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ is about people’s tendency to start rumors and blow things completely out of proportion, a theme that has only become more relatable in the age of internet clickbait. It also has the iconic “mamase mamasa mamakusa” outro from Soul Makossa, a Cameroonian funk song. All in all, it’s a great jam from a legendary album, but there’s one more song to get to from the King of Pop.
3D: Human Nature (Peak: #7, Year-End: #89)
Alright, we’ve arrived at the lowest Michael Jackson song on the Year-End list, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less great than the bigger and more remembered hits (although “less remembered” for Michael Jackson would still be most artists’ signature song). Written and composed in large part by Toto, Human Nature is apparently about Michael exploring a city at night in order to get a much needed break from being followed around by the press. The aforementioned composition from Toto is a smooth R&B and Soft Rock ballad that has held up incredibly well over the decades, and was sampled in She Ain’t You, a Chris Brown hit from 2011. Michael Jackson is one of my favorite artists, and 1983 was possibly the biggest year of his entire career, but he wasn’t the only Jackson to have a great hit this year.
#2: Steppin’ Out by Joe Jackson (Peak: #6, Year-End: #82)
Yeah, for as much as I love Michael, he wasn’t the top Jackson this year, for that honor goes to English musician Joe Jackson, who scored two hits in 1983, one of which was one of the best hits of the entire year.
As per usual, I’m gonna start with the instrumentation. The song has a tight, synth-drive groove with an elegant piano backing, all highlighted by the iconic keyboard line in the chorus. It’s a fantastic sounding pop song, one of my favorite of the entire decade, which brings me to the lyrics.
I’m gonna cut to the chase here: these lyrics are phenomenally good. It’s about getting out and escaping your dreary life for a night of excitement exploring the city, something that I could really use right now.
“Now
The mist across the window hides the lines
But nothing hides the colour of the lights that shine
Electricity so fine
Look and dry your eyes
We
So tired of all the darkness in our lives
With no more angry words to say can come alive
Get into a car and drive
To the other side”
This song encapsulates just about everything great about music in 1983, and was a very, very strong candidate for #1, and yet, I didn’t have the heart to do it. So, what could my #1 be?
I’ll be honest: this was a tough choice. My #1 song was my top candidate for a long, long time. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it one of my favorite songs of all time, and yet it faced stiff competition from my #2, to where I was actually leaning towards that one, but alas, I couldn’t bring myself to deny this song the top honor. So, congrats Journey, I’m forever yours… Faithfully.
#1: Faithfully by Journey (Peak: #12, Year-End: #81)
I’ll just come out and say it: this song is about as perfect as a song can get. The song begins as a slow piano ballad, with the occasional guitar backing. Over this stripped-back instrumentation, Steve Perry sings about how he’s been on the road constantly and how difficult it is to keep it going over a long distance. Finally, at the end of the first verse, the percussion and guitar kick in, but only for a brief moment, hinting at what’s to come.
The second verse goes over how he’s been making people happy at shows, but how he’s lost without her. It’s a slow buildup, only adding a light drumbeat and a few guitar licks. From there, the drums and guitar come in full, and it turns into a big prelude to the final crescendo.
“And being apart ain't easy on this love affair
Two strangers learn to fall in love again
I get the joy of rediscovering you
Oh, girl, you stand by me
I'm forever yours
Faithfully”
After that, it builds up to the final, explosive, glorious outro, where Steve Perry’s belting and Neal Schon’s shredding compete for dominance, capping off one of the greatest power ballads of all time. However, the song has a cruel irony to it, as the song’s writer, keyboardist Jonathan Cain got divorced shortly after the song was released, but that takes nothing away from this, The Best Hit Song of 1983 and one of my favorite songs of all time. I’m gonna get to work on lists for 1995, followed by the Summer Top 20 Ranking and 2006, and I wish you all a great day.
