Top 40 radio in the 1980s didn’t care who you were or what your reputation was. In many cases, they didn’t really care about the quality of the song that you delivered in an effort to reach the charts.
Videos by American Songwriter
If they did, these four excellent songs, delivered by future Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members, certainly would have dented the Top 40 in 1983. Instead, they came up tantalizingly short.
“Something To Grab For” by Ric Ocasek
The Cars released an album a year from 1978 through 1981. But then they wouldn’t release another until Heartbeat City in 1984. That massive hit album took a while to record, as the band dealt with Mutt Lange’s production perfectionism. But they also took a little bit of a break after Shake It Up in 1981. That hiatus gave Ric Ocasek, the band’s chief songwriter, the chance to try out a solo album. Beatitudes, released in 1983, allowed him to stretch his sound a bit from The Cars’ template of songs. That said, powerful lead single “Something To Grab For” gave off a definite Cars vibe. But it still only made it to No. 47 in the US charts.
“New Year’s Day” by U2
Of the four songs on this list, “New Year’s Day” will probably be the one that surprises people the most to learn it wasn’t a Top 40 hit in America. These days, we know it as one of U2’s signature songs. Found on War, the band’s third studio album, it utilized bold production choices from Steve Lillywhite designed to make it stand out on radio. There are hooks aplenty, and even if people didn’t know the politics behind the lyrics, those words certainly hit home with their potency. Unfortunately for the band, they simply hadn’t made their US breakthrough yet. As a result, it only made it to No. 53.
“Allergies” by Paul Simon
There is an alternate timeline where this quirky but affecting song from Paul Simon could have been a hit. In that world, Simon could have coexisted with Art Garfunkel and made Hearts And Bones a reunion album as it was intended to be. Instead, some of the old rivalries and jealousies reared their ugly heads and Simon made the 1983 album of songs into a solo effort. The LP’s quiet reflections on relationships and middle age might have earned more listens with more promotional hype, which the reunion would certainly have engendered. Instead, folks mostly ignored the album and first single, “Allergies”, which landed at No. 44.
“Sweetheart Like You” by Bob Dylan
Well, this song didn’t fail on the charts for lack of effort. As the 80s progressed, Bob Dylan attempted to play the pop star game, as uncomfortable as he seemed in that role. For “Sweetheart Like You”, he even made a video in an effort to court the kingmakers at MTV. And he slickened up the sound by courting the legendary rhythm section of Robbie Shakespeare (bass) and Sly Dunbar (drums) for the Infidels album. He even coaxed former Rolling Stone Mick Taylor to play lead guitar on this track. The song contains some winning one-liners and a sultry groove. But it only made it to No. 55 when all was said and done.
Photo by Ilpo Musto/Shutterstock
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.