We’re Guessing You Forgot About These Cool Songs That Hit the Top 10 in 1988

Time can mess with our minds when it comes to remembering what music was hot way back in the day. Some songs can grow in reputation, while others might not be able to sustain a strong shelf life after initially doing quite well. We’re looking back at songs on the pop charts in 1988. And we’re focusing on four songs that you might be surprised made it all the way to the Top 10 that year.

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“It Would Take A Strong Strong Man” by Rick Astley

Rick Astley’s 1988 album Whenever You Need Somebody was a gift that kept on giving for the British neo-soul star. Two chart-toppers from that LP (“Never Gonna Give You Up” and “Together Forever”) have never faded too far from the culture since their release. We’re not sure that we can say the same about “It Would Take A Strong Strong Man”. Unlike the other two songs we mentioned, this one slows the pace and allows Astley to show off a little more nuance in his vocals. Astley’s reps purposely aimed this one at the US market, only releasing it as a single in America. It worked, as the song topped out at No. 10. But you don’t hear it much today.

“Don’t Shed A Tear” by Paul Carrack

Circa 1988, Paul Carrack had certainly made his mark via the bands in which he frequented. He sang lead on big hits by Ace and Mike + The Mechanics. On top of that, his voice is heard on “Tempted”, which, while not a hit, eventually became the most well-known song of the British legends Squeeze. But he hadn’t really been able to deliver a solo smash of that magnitude heading into his album One Good Reason. “Don’t Shed A Tear” rectified that in a big way. The production might be era-appropriate and slick on this No. 9 hit. But Carrack, as he does with anything he sings, still manages to bring a heaping helping of soul to the proceedings.

“Rush Hour” by Jane Wiedlin

Jane Wiedlin left The Go-Go’s when frustration built inside her about not being able to sing more, especially since she was one of the group’s chief writers. Her debut, self-titled solo album from 1985, felt a little rushed and didn’t make much of an impact. Haste wasn’t a problem with Fur, her 1988 solo release that she worked on over several years. She also focused on making the album a shade more pop-friendly, a la the music of her former band. It all came together on “Rush Hour”, which peaked at No. 9 to become by far the biggest hit of her solo career. The song doesn’t try to do anything fancy. Instead, it breezes by in effervescent fashion. Maybe it was too breezy. That could explain why it’s a bit of a forgotten gem.

“Nobody’s Fool” by Kenny Loggins

Kenny Loggins made a mint in the 80s by delivering just what some of the most popular movies of the decade needed from a musical standpoint. It all started with “I’m Alright”, which appeared in Caddyshack in 1980 and hit the Top 10. Eight years and many false starts later, a sequel finally came to fruition. It’s doubtful you’ll find too many filmgoers who have a lot nice to say about Caddyshack 2. But the producers made one wise choice in getting Loggins to do the theme song as a bit of full-circle symmetry. “Nobody’s Fool”, an energetic, catchy number that Loggins co-wrote with Michael Towers, topped out at No. 8, the final Top 40 chart hit of Kenny’s career.

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