First recorded (as a demo) by Paul McCartney (1983).
Hit version by The Everly Brothers (US #50/MOR #9/UK #41/CAN #10/SA #6 1984).
From The Beatles Rarity: “After a long break from recording together, the Everly Brothers got back together in 1983. They began with a reunion concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall in September of that year and then recorded another album together titled EB84 – their first album together in seven years. The lead single was a Paul McCartney composition that he not only contributed for the record, but also plays guitar on, called ‘On the Wings of a Nightingale’ and it went to #9 in the U.S. (Other contributors to the LP included Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, Richard Tandy, and producer Dave Edmunds.) McCarthey presented his song to the Everlys in demo form prior to the album recording sessions.
First recorded by Nanci Griffith (1987).
Also recorded by Judy Collins (1989), The Byrds (1990).
Hit versions by Cliff Richard (UK #11/IRE #16 1990), Bette Midler (US #2/UK #6/AUS #8 1990).
From the wiki: “‘From a Distance’ was written in 1985 by American singer-songwriter Julie Gold. Gold was working as a secretary at the time for Home Box Office and writing songs in her free time. Gold’s friend, Christine Lavin, introduced the song to Nanci Griffith who was the first singer to record it, for her 1987 album Lone Star State of Mind. Griffith remembers Gold had sent her the song asking Griffith what was wrong with it, as Gold had already sent it to so many artists and record companies but no one wanted to produce a recording. Griffith answered that she loved it so much the moment she heard it that she wanted to record it ‘right then and there’.
First recorded (as a demo) by Apollonia 6 & Prince (1984).
Hit version by The Bangles (US #2/UK #2/CAN #2/IRE #2/GER #2/AUS #3 1986).
From the wiki: “‘Manic Monday’ was written by Prince, using the pseudonym ‘Christopher’. Originally intended for the group Apollonia 6 in 1984, he recorded it as a duet for Apollonia 6’s self-titled album. However, Prince eventually pulled the song. Two years later, he offered the song to The Bangles.
Written and first recorded by Van Morrison (UK #74/IRE #12 1989).
Hit version by Rod Stewart (US #5/UK #5 1993).
Also recorded by The Chieftains & Van Morrison (1996).
From the wiki: “‘Have I Told You Lately’ was written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and recorded for his 1989 album Avalon Sunset. Although it was originally written also as a prayer, and built on the same framework as Morrison’s ‘Someone Like You’, ‘Have I Told You Lately’ quickly became a romantic ballad often played at weddings. ‘Have I Told You Lately’ was listed as #261 on the ‘All Time 885 Greatest Songs’ compiled by Philadelphia radio station WXPN; in 2006, Van Morrison’s original recording was voted #6 on a list of the Top 10 ‘First Dance Wedding Songs’, based on a poll of 1,300 DJs in the UK. The song was awarded a Grammy in 1996, for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals, for the recording produced by The Chieftains and Van Morrison.”
Written and first recorded by Jules Shear (1983).
Also recorded (but unreleased) by The Cars (1983).
Hit version by Cyndi Lauper (US #5/UK #64/CAN #7/AUS #17 1983).
From the wiki: “‘All Through the Night’ was written as a mid-tempo folk-rock song by Jules Shear for his album Watch Dog. After The Cars recorded their own version, and then decided they did not want to use the song on any forthcoming album.
“Cyndi Lauper decided to cover ‘All Through the Night’ for her debut album, She’s So Unusual, (with Shears on background vocals). Although Lauper initially intended to do a straight cover of Shear’s version, she instead turned it into a Pop ballad instead. The song was Lauper’s only single released worldwide not accompanied by a music video. Nonetheless, it peaked Top 5 in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100.”
First recorded by René Shuman (1986).
Based on “Loch Lomond” (traditional).
Hit version by Rod Stewart (US #5/UK #3/CAN #1/IRE #1/AUS #2 1991).
From the wiki: “‘Rhythm of My Heart’ is a rock song written by Marc Jordan and John Capek for Dutch rock ‘n roll artist René Shuman’s 1986 debut album René Shuman, with a melody adapted from ‘Loch Lomond’.
First recorded by Starship (MOR #9 1987).
Hit version by Roberta Flack & Maxi Priest (US #6/MOR #2/CAN #9 1989).
From the wiki: “‘Set the Night to Music’ was written by Diane Warren (Laura Brnaigan’s ‘Solitaire‘, Aerosmith’s ‘I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing’), the first songwriter in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 to have had seven hits, all by different artists, on the singles chart at the same time.
“‘Set the Night to Music’ was originally recorded by Starship for their 1987 album No Protection. It was then covered in 1989 by Roberta Flack as a duet with Maxi Priest, peaking at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100.”
Co-written and first recorded by Jennifer Rush (UK #1/GER #17 1985 |US #56/CAN #1/AUS #1/IRE #1/GER #9 1986).
Also recorded (as “Si tu eres mi hombre y yo tu mujer”) by Jennifer Rush (SPN #1 1986).
Other hit versions by Air Supply (as “The Power of Love (You Are My Lady)” US #68/MOR #13 1985), Laura Branigan (as “Power of Love” US #26/MOR #19 1987) and Celine Dion (US #1/MOR #1/CAN #1/UK #4/AUS #1 1993/FRA #3/BEL #5).
From the wiki: “‘The Power of Love’ was first recorded by Jennifer Rush in 1984. The American-born Rush had been recording for CBS (Frankfurt) with producers Gunther Mende and Candy de Rouge (alias of Wolfgang Detmann) since 1982. The song, written by Rush, de Rouge, and Mende along with Mary Susan Applegate, took Rush to the top of the UK Singles Chart in 1984 and into the German Top 20 in 1985. Rush filmed a low-budget music video in NYC in the fall of 1984, with the primary intention of entering the U.S market, but was unsuccessful.
“‘The Power of Love’, when originally released in the UK, debuting at #97 on the UK chart dated 22 June 1985. It was briefly withdrawn and, then, re-released in September 1985. It rose to #1 and retained the top spot on the UK chart for five weeks with a total of ten weeks accrued in the UK Top-10. The massive success of the song in the UK occasioned widespread international success for Rush’s recording in the last months of 1985 and the first months of 1986 including a German re-release of ‘The Power of Love’ that peaked at #9.
First recorded by Dionne Warwick (1982).
Also recorded by Stevie Woods (1982).
Hit version by Sergio Mendes (US #4/R&B #28 1983).
From the wiki: “Songwriters Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann (‘Don’t Know Much‘, ‘(You’re My) Soul & Inspiration’) composed the song and had originally submitted ‘Never Gonna Let You Go’ to Earth, Wind & Fire, but the group decided not to record the song. Instead, Dionne Warwick first recorded the song and it first appeared on her 1982 album Friends in Love but was not released as a promotional single.
First recorded by Dionne Warwick (1985).
Hit version by Anita Baker (US #44/MOR #9/R&B #5 1987).
From the wiki: “‘No One in the World’ was written by Marti Sharon and Ken Hirsch, and was first recorded by Dionne Warwick (and produced by Barry Manilow) for her 1985 album Finder of Lost Love and again on her 1987 album, Reservations for Two.”
“Anita Baker covered ‘No One in the World’ for her Rapture album, released in 1987. Released as the fourth promotional single from the album, ‘No One in the World’ would peak at #44 on the Billboard Hot 100 but chart Top-10 on the Adult Contemporary and R&B charts.”
Written and first recorded by Jules Shear (1985).
Hit version by The Bangles (US #29/UK #31 1986).
From the wiki: “‘If She Knew What She Wants’ is a song by Jules Shear (‘All Through the Night‘) released on his 1985 album The Eternal Return. The song was later and famously covered by The Bangles on their 1986 album, Different Light. Shear’s song was originally written in the first person, essentially a love song; the Bangles rewrote the lyrics in the third person, rather than change the subject’s gender.”
Written and first recorded by Rodney Crowell (1981).
Also recorded by Tanya Tucker (1982).
Hit version by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band (US #2/C&W #15/CAN #8 1982).
From the wiki: “‘Shame on the Moon’ is the title of a song written by Rodney Crowell (‘Voila, An American Dream‘, ‘Ashes By Now‘), and covered by Tanya Tucker on her album Changes and, soon after, by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band. It was released in December 1982 as the lead single from Seger’s album The Distance. (Glenn Frey joins Seger on background harmony vocals on the song.) The song spent four weeks at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached #15 on the Hot Country Singles chart in early 1983, marking Seger’s only Top 40 entry on the Country chart.”
Written and first recorded by John Hiatt (1988).
Hit versions by Joe Cocker (UK #67 1994), Mandy Moore (US #39 2003).
From the wiki: “‘Have a Little Faith in Me’ is a song written and performed by John Hiatt (‘Sure As I’m Sittin’ Here‘) that first appeared on his 1987 album Bring the Family.
Written and originally recorded by Exile (1980).
Also recorded by Johnny Bristol (1981).
Hit version by Alabama (US #18/C&W #1/CAN #1 1983).
From the wiki: “Written by Exile band members Mark Gray and J.P. Pennington (‘Kiss You All Over’, ‘The Closer You Get‘), the song was originally recorded by Exile in the early 1980s. The Exile version was released the song as a single, but it failed to reach the Billboard Hot 100.
First recorded by Robert Gordon (US #76 1981).
Hit version by Marshall Crenshaw (US #36/AOR #25 1982).
From the wiki: “Marshall Crenshaw is an American singer-songwriter who got his first break playing John Lennon in the off-Broadway touring company of the musical Beatlemania. While in New York, he recorded ‘Something’s Gonna Happen’ for Alan Betrock’s Shake Records, after which he was signed to Warner Bros. Records. Crenshaw recalled for Spinner UK: ‘While I was there, I wrote ‘Someday, Someway’ and five or six of the other tunes [that would appear on] my first album.’
Co-written and originally recorded by Barry Mann (1980).
Hit versions by Bill Medley (US #88/MOR #29 1981), Bette Midler (US #77/MOR #39/CAN-MOR #5 1982), Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville (US #2/MOR #1/CAN #1/UK #2/AUS #1/NZ #4/IRE #1 1989).
From the wiki: “Written by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil and Tom Snow, ‘Don’t Know Much’ had a rich history prior to its success in 1989. It first appeared on Mann’s self-titled 1980 album, released on Casablanca Records. Bill Medley and Bette Midler (under the title ‘All I Need to Know’) then had minor chart successes with the song in 1981 and 1983, respectively.
Written and first recorded by Karla Bonoff (1988).
Hit version by Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville (US #11/MOR #1 1990).
From the wiki: “‘All My Life’ is a song written by Karla Bonoff and first recorded by for the 1988 album New World.
“In 1989, ‘All My Life’ would be recorded as a duet by Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville for Ronstadt’s triple-platinum-certified 1989 album Cry Like A Rainstorm, Howl Like The Wind, and was released as the lead promotional single in January 1990. It marked the second collaboration between Ronstadt and Neville. ‘All My Life’ was one of three Bonoff-composed songs Ronstadt recorded for the album.
Written and first recorded by Ian Thomas (CAN #28 1981).
Other hit version by Santana (US #15/MOR #34/CAN #4/AUS #64/NZ #31/NETH #22 1982).
From the wiki: “‘Hold On’ is a song written and first recorded by the Canadian singer and songwriter Ian Thomas, on his 1981 album The Runner.
“Thomas was a successful Rock ‘n roll musician in Canada, at the height of his solo career during the 1970s, with his most memorable hit being 1973’s ‘Painted Ladies’ (US #34/CAN #4). Thomas has also done film scoring for about a dozen movies and television shows. Before breaking through with ‘Painted Ladies’, he was a producer at the CBC. Before that, he was part of the Folk music group Tranquility Base.
First recorded (instrumentally) by Grover Washington, Jr. (1980).
Hit vocal versions by Robert Flack (US #24 1982), co-writers Ralph MacDonald feat. Bill Withers (US #6 1984).
From the wiki: “‘In the Name of Love’ was written by Ralph MacDonald and William Salter (‘Where is the Love’, 1971), and Bill Withers (‘Ain’t No Sunshine’, 1971; ‘Lean on Me’, 1972), and was first recorded and released as an instrumental by saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr. in 1980 on his album Winelight.
“A vocal cover was recorded in 1982 by Roberta Flack (‘Killing Me Softly with His Song‘) for her album I’m the One, and, in 1984, by co-writers Ralph MacDonald and Bill Withers recorded ‘In the Name of Love’ for MacDonald’s album Universal Rhythm. Both singles charted in the Billboard Hot 100 in each of those respective years, with the MacDonald/Withers arrangement charting the highest.”
Originally recorded by Pandora’s Box (UK #51 1989).
Other hit versions by Celine Dion (US #2/MOR #1/UK #3/CAN #1/ 1996), Meat Loaf & Marion Raven (UK #6/SCOT #2/NOR #1/GER #7 2006).
If this sounds like a song Meat Loaf should’ve recorded, you’d be right. The songwriter was Jim Steinman, writer of Meat Loaf’s hits ‘Paradise By the Dashboard Lights’, and ‘Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad’. But, Steinman had other plans. Meat Loaf would, however, eventually, be given his opportunity to record ‘It’s All Coming Back to Me Now’ – in 2006 – a decade after Celine Dion had made it into an international hit.
From the wiki: “According to Jim Steinman the song was inspired by the book Wuthering Heights, and was his attempt to write ‘the most passionate, romantic song’ he could ever create. Meat Loaf had wanted to record the song for years, but Steinman saw it as a ‘woman’s song.’ Steinman won a court movement preventing Meat Loaf from recording it.
“In 1989, Steinman instead produced a concept album, Original Sin, with an all-female group called Pandora’s Box. Elaine Caswell was the lead vocalist for ‘It’s All Coming Back To Me Now’, who apparently collapsed five times during its recording. (Original Sin featured other tracks that would later be recorded by other artists, particularly Meat Loaf.)
“For the session, Roy Bittan (of the E Street Band) performed on the grand piano, with Steinman and Jeff Bova on electric keyboards. Todd Rundgren arranged the background vocals, which were performed by Ellen Foley, Gina Taylor, and Deliria Wilde. ‘It’s All Coming Back to Me Now’ was released as a single in the United Kingdom in October 1989, but only reached #51 in the singles charts.
Written and first recorded by D.L. Byron (1981, released 1995).
Also recorded by Rachel Sweet (1981).
Hit version by Pat Benatar (US #13/UK #83/AUS #19 1982).
From the wiki: “Originally recorded in 1981 by its songwriter, D.L. Byron, his version would not be released until 1995.
“After recording two albums for Stiff Records, Rachel Sweet would be signed to Columbia Records in 1981 and released the album … And Then He Kissed Me (on which appears ‘Shadows of the Night’) which launched the hit single, ‘Everlasting Love’, a duet with Rex Smith. After completing one more album for Columbia, Sweet resumed her education via correspondence courses and went on to graduate from Columbia University in French and English Literature in 1988.
Written and first recorded by Hall & Oates (1980).
Hit version (as “Every Time You Go Away”) by Paul Young (US #1/UK #4/IRE #2 1985).
From the wiki: “Written and composed by Daryl Hall, the original recording of ‘Everytime You Go Away’ appeared on Hall & Oates’s 1980 album, Voices, but was not released as a single.
“Young’s single, from the album The Secret of Association, hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on July 27, 1985. It remains his only #1 hit and one of only two Top 10 hits he had on the U.S. pop singles chart. The song peaked at #4 in the UK, Young’s home country. The song won Best British Video at the 1986 Brit Awards.”
Written and first recorded (as a demo) by Barry Gibb (1982, released 2006).
Hit version by Dionne Warwick (US #10/R&B #14/MOR #1/UK #2/CAN #15/AUS #2 1982).
From the wiki: “‘Heartbreaker’ was written by Barry Gibb for Dionne Warwick, for her album Heartbreaker released in 1982. Gibb’s demo recording was not released until 2006.
“The song blended the two Gibb brothers schools of songwriting: it has the clear verse and chorus structure favored by Robin and Maurice, yet also has the longer spun-out verses Barry now preferred, both well balanced, so that it has instant appeal but takes repeated listenings to fully appreciate. Maurice said later that he wished they had saved it for themselves.
“Warwick admitted in The Billboard Book of Number One Adult Contemporary Hits, by Wesley Hyatt, that she was not fond of ‘Heartbreaker’ (regarding the song’s international popularity, she quipped, ‘I cried all the way to the bank’), but recorded it because she trusted the Bee Gees’ judgment that it would be a hit. It turned out to be Dionne’s most successful solo hit of the 1980s.”
