Fireball's Fantastic 500 -- Early 1980s, Part VI

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Pastor Fireball
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Fireball's Fantastic 500 -- Early 1980s, Part VI

#1 Post by Pastor Fireball » Fri Jun 22, 2018 4:58 pm

I wasn't sure if my list would get posted today. Storms have been on and off around here the past couple of days. They're off for the time being, so let's climb a little closer to the pinnacle of this musical mountain. This section of the countdown features four Grammy-nominated songs, three of which were winners.

#30. Never Gonna Let You Go, Sergio Mendes (1983)

Though it was actually the voices of Joe Pizzulo and Leza Miller that you heard on this song, it doesn't make the song sound any less beautiful. Earth, Wind & Fire passed on this song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwKxfHK92IM

#29. Theme from "Hill Street Blues", Mike Post & Larry Carlton (1981)

Another instrumental that I can listen to on a loop and not get bored. Though the show was too violent for my mother to allow me to watch it when I was a kid, I was lucky enough as a teenager to catch the reruns on TV Land... back when TV Land aired only reruns of actual classics. Post won two Grammys for this song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqH3qCxz2x0

#28. Any Day Now, Ronnie Milsap (1982)

Chuck Jackson first had a hit with this song in 1962, but Ronnie's cover went higher. Technically, Elvis had the best performing version of this song, as it was the B-side to his 1969 #3 hit, "In the Ghetto".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJSjEl1JhHc

#27. Stomp!, the Brothers Johnson (1980)

Steve Porcaro of Toto played synthesizer on this #7 hit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPBDMihPRJA

#26. Let's Groove, Earth, Wind, & Fire (1981)

Even though we never got "Never Gonna Let You Go" from them, we did get this funky classic. This song qualifies as a TV theme because it is used for Beat Shazam, FOX's updated version of Name That Tune.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrle0x_DHBM

#25. Sad Songs (Say So Much), Elton John (1984)

It's been a while since we've heard an Elton John song on my list.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X23v5_K7cXk

#24. Never Knew Love Like This Before, Stephanie Mills (1980)

The biggest pop hit for the star of the original Broadway version of The Wiz. Mills won the Best Female R&B Performance Grammy for it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLbC0dRIjX0

#23. Sukiyaki, A Taste of Honey (1981)

The English-language cover version of Kyu Sakamoto's 1963 #1 hit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqFkUNqBwMw

#22. Lady Love Me (One More Time), George Benson (1983)

Those guys from Toto sure did get around in the 1970s and 1980s. David Paich co-wrote this song and Jeff Porcaro played the drums.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYOBwCz5vvo

#21. Shining Star, the Manhattans (1980)

Not the same song as the Earth, Wind & Fire hit from 1975--my 10th favorite song from the late 1970s. At the same time that Stephanie Mills won for "Never Knew Love Like This Before", the Manhattans won a Grammy for this song in the Best Group R&B Performance category.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y73L44NiLx8

And it's on to the Top 20 next Friday!
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