Oh So Close: 4 Classic Songs That Peaked at No. 2 on the Pop Charts in 1982

To get oh so close to the No. 1 spot only to come up short is agonizing, regardless of what endeavor you might be undertaking. When you’re talking about a song that stalls at No. 2 on the pop charts, you can assume the angst is ratcheted up a few levels.

Nonetheless, the legacy of a song isn’t defined solely by chart status. These four No. 2 songs from 1982 have certainly held up quite well in the four decades since they debuted.

“Open Arms” by Journey

Journey’s barometer had already been pointing way up as they closed out the 80s. But the addition of Jonathan Cain pushed them to another level in terms of their commercial prospects. Cain’s songwriting skills dovetailed nicely with what the band already had in that department with Neil Schon and Steve Perry. And he also intensified the band’s focus on power ballads, which, needless to say, played to Perry’s vocal strengths. Journey never would have had a crack at this song if it hadn’t been for John Waite. He turned it down when Cain presented it to him when both were in The Babys. Perry helped Cain finish the lyrics. Journey enjoyed their biggest hit ever with “Open Arms”.

“We Got The Beat” by The Go-Go’s

This song reached its peak the second time around. The Go-Go’s first released it as a single back in 1982 before they had a deal for an album. “We Got The Beat” originated when the band was vamping on a cover of a Smokey Robinson song in concert. Guitarist Charlotte Caffey took that vibe and built the track around it. It signified the band’s slight change from their punk days to a more pop-oriented approach. This transformation was further solidified when the band re-recorded the song for their 1981 debut album Beauty And The Beat. New producer Richard Gottehrer helped smooth out the edges without tamping down the intensity. From the opening drum thump to the final refrain, this song is a blast.

“Rosanna” by Toto

Not only did this song turn out to be a huge hit for Toto, but it couldn’t have been better timed for them. After hitting big with their debut album, their two follow-ups lacked any major hits. “Rosanna” started off Toto IV with a bang, and then “Africa” came after and went all the way to No. 1. Depending on whose interview you read, “Rosanna” was either written by David Paich with specific reference to Rosanna Arquette, who was dating Toto guitarist Steve Lukather, or it just used her name because it sounded good in the meter. In any case, the song showed off Toto’s ability to handle intricate arrangements without losing the pop catchiness of it all.

“Gloria” by Laura Branigan

You couldn’t miss the irresistible synth stabs of “Gloria” on the radio in 1982. Laura Branigan took the song to the heights with her powerful, quavery vocal style. Most people who heard the song had little idea that it was already a hit in Europe. Umberto Tozzi, who co-wrote it with Giancarlo Bigazzi, scored with an Italian version back in 1979. An English translation was made by Jonathan King that same year. But Branigan’s take contains a whole new set of lyrics contributed by Trevor Veitch. You might think that all the finagling would have taken some of the steam out of the song. Instead, it barely missed out on the top spot in the charts, with Lionel Richie’s “Truly” the only thing keeping it out.

(Photo by Ebet Roberts/Redferns)