1982 proved to be a pretty wild time when it came to Top 40 radio in the United States. MTV was just beginning to upend the natural order of things. But genres that didn’t rely on videos for popularity were still clinging to popularity.
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We looked back through the charts from that fateful year and found several excellent songs that barely crawled into the Top 40. Some you might know well, while others might have slipped by you. But all four deserve your full attention.
“Under Pressure” by Queen and David Bowie
How is it possible that this undeniable classic, which was released in late 1981, only made it to a peak of No. 29 in the US charts the following year? It did much better elsewhere, including a No. 1 spot in the artists’ native UK. In any case, what a momentous collaboration this proved to be. Bowie and Queen were both at the absolute height of their powers when they came together. Legend has it that Bowie and Freddie Mercury were a bit competitive in the studio, each trying to outdo the other. The song couldn’t have turned out as well with any one of the elements missing, including the stellar instrumental performances of Queen’s members. “Under Pressure” still resounds with import and flair all these years down the road.
“Man On The Corner” by Genesis
Genesis were still reinventing themselves on their 1982 album Abacab. You can hear the different sides of their artistic persona clashing into one another. For example, you’ll still find some long, prog-like instrumental workouts, a la the title track. They were starting to push more in a pure pop direction as well, as in the horn-fueled “No Reply At All”. And then they were incorporating the dark, synth-based textures that Phil Collins had utilized to the hilt on his Face Dances album. That’s where “Man On The Corner” fits into the picture. Lyrically, it’s a kind of rewrite of The Beatles’ “The Fool On The Hill”. But it comes off a bit more sinister thanks to those icy synths. Maybe that’s why this intriguing track only made it to No. 40 in the US in 1982.
“Someday, Someway” by Marshall Crenshaw
It’s kind of strange that Marshall Crenshaw only had one Top 40 song in the US. His unerring songcraft makes itself right at home on pop radio. You can blame the lack of hits on the tenor of the times. Crenshaw, with his sure-shot melodies, easy lyricism, and rhythmic sway that’s a direct homage to Buddy Holly, seemed to arrive on a time machine. “Someday, Someway”, just the second single of his career, had already been done once by Robert Gordon before Crenshaw did his take. Crenshaw’s version of the song he wrote topped out at No. 36 in 1982. But its cultural stamp has far outlasted its chart position. Just like Crenshaw’s career has far outlasted many trendier artists from that era.
“I Need You” by Paul Carrack
Paul Carrack had already made quite a musical impact before he scored his first Top 40 song in the US. “How Long”, which he wrote and recorded with Ace, smashed in 1975. In 1981, he joined Squeeze for their East Side Story album. The song he sang from that record, “Tempted”, turned out to be the most famous in the group’s history. A year later, he went back to the solo well. His outstanding backing band on the record included Nick Lowe and Martin Belmont. Both of those men helped Carrack write “I Need You”, a No. 37 hit in the US off the album Suburban Voodoo. It’s an easy-going track that sticks with you in large part because of the effortless soulfulness emanating from Carrack’s vocal.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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