4 Timeless Classic Rock Songs That Came Out in 1983

It’s hard to beat the 80s as a decade in rock music. So many of the songs from that era still sound just as amazing today. These four timeless classic rock songs all came out in 1983 and will likely never get old.

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“All Night Long (All Night)” by Lionel Richie

The debut single from Lionel Richie’s sophomore Can’t Slow Down album, Richie wrote “All Night Long (All Night)” by himself.

Inspired by his love of Caribbean music, the party song says, “Everybody sing, everybody dance / Lose yourself in wild romance / We’re going to party / Karamu, fiesta, forever / Come on and sing along / We’re going to party / Karamu, fiesta, forever / Come on and sing along / All night long.”

Richie later told CNN that if he had to pick one last song to sing before he died, it would be “All Night Long (All Night)”.

“Maniac” by Michael Sembello

“Maniac” is Michael Sembello’s only big hit. On his Bossa Nova Hotel record, Sembello wrote “Maniac” with Dennis Matkosky. It is best known as being part of the iconic soundtrack, Flashdance. Also released in 1983, Flashdance is a movie about a young girl working in a steel mill in Pennsylvania who dreams of being a professional dancer.

The song says, “It can cut you like a knife / If the gift becomes the fire / On a wire between will and what will be / She’s a maniac, maniac on the floor / And she’s dancing like she’s never danced before / She’s a maniac, maniac on the floor / And she’s dancing like she’s never danced before.”

“Stand Back” by Stevie Nicks

“Stand Back” is the debut single from Stevie Nicks’ sophomore solo album, The Wild Heart. A Top 5 single, Nicks wrote the anthemic tune, best played loud, by herself.

“Stand Back” says, “No one knows how I feel / What I say unless you read between my lines / One man walked away from me / First he took my hand / Take me home / Stand back, stand back / In the middle of my room / I did not hear from you / It’s alright, it’s alright / To be standing in a line / Standing in a line /  To be standing in a line / I would cry.”

“I Won’t Hold You Back” by Toto

Few songs convey emotional angst as much as “I Won’t Hold You Back”. A No. 1 hit for Toto, band member Steve Lukather is the only writer of the song. It appears on their Toto IV record.

“I Won’t Hold You Back” says, “Now you’re gone, I’m really not the same / I guess I held myself to blame / Time can erase the things we said / But it gives me time to realize that you’re the one who’s sad / You know I won’t hold you back now / The love we had just can’t be found / You know I can’t hold you back now.”

Photo by Sherry Rayn Barnett/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images