3 Classic Soul Hits From 1984 We’ll Never Stop Singing

When Michael Jackson released Thriller in 1982, it seemed to shatter any remaining limits on the reach of R&B and soul music. And even if you weren’t born yet, chances are “Beat It” and “Billie Jean” are as familiar to you as any current pop hit. Building on the creative and commercial achievements of Jackson, the artists below helped further expand the genre’s audience and forever altered the sound of pop music. Which is why listeners can’t stop singing these soul classics from 1984.

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“Hello” by Lionel Richie

Hello. No, not the Adele song. If you were a child of the 80s, an utterance of Hello typically brought to mind Lionel Richie’s quiet ballad. Or, possibly, the dramatic music video where Richie, as a teacher, falls in love with a blind student. The ex-Commodore released Can’t Slow Down, his second solo LP, in 1983. Released as a single the following year, “Hello” reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 and, alongside “All Night Long (All Night)”, helped transform Richie into one of the decade’s biggest pop stars.  

Hello, is it me you’re looking for?
I can see it in your eyes,
I can see it in your smile,
You’re all I’ve ever wanted,
And my arms are open wide.

“When Doves Cry” by Prince

While many R&B artists aimed for the crossover appeal of Michael Jackson’s Thriller, Prince and his band, The Revolution, were on to something else. When Purple Rain landed, both the film and the LP, it felt like something had dropped to earth from outer space. Yes, the influence of James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, and others was noticeable. But nothing sounded like “When Doves Cry”. You could say the same for nearly the entire album. It’s not easy to craft a groove this deep without bass. But that’s exactly what Prince accomplished here. A transformative, experimental, and timeless masterpiece.

Dig if you will the picture,
Of you and I engaged in a kiss.
The sweat of your body covers me,
Can you, my darling,
Can you picture this?

“Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)” by Billy Ocean

“Caribbean Queen” began as “European Queen”. It was released in the U.K. but wasn’t successful. So Billy Ocean and producer Keith Diamond rewrote the song, shifting the hook to another part of the map. The new version became Ocean’s signature tune and topped the Hot 100. Aiming for other parts of the world, Ocean traversed an ocean with yet another iteration called “African Queen”. Regardless of where this queen was located, she dashed by the Trinidadian-British singer “in painted-on jeans.”

Caribbean queen,
Now we’re sharing the same dream.
And our hearts they beat as one,
No more love on the run.

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