LOST LYRICS FROM THE ‘80’S

OK, they’re not really lost since all the lyrics in our quiz this week were number one hits, but you get the drift.  We’re also returning to an oft requested format – guess the song title from the lyrics. 

This time out, the lyrics are all from songs from the 1980’s, so if you remember ‘80’s movies like “Ghostbusters”, “The Breakfast Club”, “E.T. The Extra Terrestrial”, “The Shining”, “Scarface” and “Aliens” and ‘80’s TV shows like “The A-Team”, “Family Ties”, “ALF”, “Bosom Buddies”, “The Facts of Life” and “Dynasty”, let’s see how well you do with ‘80’s lyrics.

QUESTIONS

1.  “I was tired of my lady, we’d been together too long.  Like a worn out recording of a favorite song.  So while she lay there sleepin’, I read the paper in bed.  And in the personal columns, there was this letter I read.”  What # 1 song from 1980 are these lyrics from?              

      

2.  1989 was the year.  These are the opening lyrics.  “Ocean’s apart day after day.  And I slowly go insane.  I hear your voice on the line.  But it doesn’t stop the pain.  If I see you next to never.  How can we say forever?”  X Marx the spot if you can guess the title of this song.                             

                

3.  This song was a duet for two of Motown’s biggest stars of the 1980’s.  These are the opening lyrics:  “My love!  There’s only you in my life.  The only thing that’s bright.  My first love!  You’re every breath that I take.  You’re every step I make.”  For absolutely no money whatsoever and no prizes either, can you name this love song’s title?                           

4.  “No New Years Day to celebrate.  No chocolate covered candy hearts to give away.  No first of spring.  No song to sing.  In fact, here’s just another ordinary day.”  Another major Motown star took this song to # 1 for 3 weeks in 1984.  It also won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.   Can you guess the title of this WONDERful ‘love’ song?  

    

5.  This song went to # 1 twice by two different performers in two separate decades.  Once in 1966 for Motown’s premiere female act, the other in 1987 for a British female singer.  The opening lyrics are:  “Set me free why don’t you babe.  Get out of my life why don’t you babe.  ‘Cause you don’t really love me…”  OK, that’s all you get.  What’s the song’s title?                

ANSWERS

1.  “If you like Pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain.  If you’re not into yoga, if you have half a brain.  If you love making love at midnight on the dunes of the cape.  Then I’m the love that you looked for, write to me and escape.”  Those are the next lyrics to “Escape (The Pina Colada Song)”, Rupert Holmes # 1 hit for the week of January 12^th, 1980“.  It was knocked from the top spot the following week by Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You”. “Escape” was Rupert Holmes only # 1, although he did make it to # 6 in 1980 with “Him”.  Holmes is also the writer for The Buoys 1971 Top Twenty hit, “Timothy”.             

2.  The chorus comes next “Wherever you go, whatever you do, I will be right here waiting for you.”  Yep, it’s “Right Here Waiting” by Richard Marx.  It was # 1 for 3 weeks beginning August 12^th and lasting until August 26^th, 1989.  “Right Here Waiting” was Richard Marx third, and so far last # 1.  His two previous chart toppers were “Hold On To The Nights”, # 1 for one week in July 1988 and “Satisfied”, a one week # 1 in June of ‘89.  

    

3.  If you guessed “Endless Love” by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie, then treat yourself to a coffee or donut to celebrate.  This duet was # 1 for 9 weeks from August 15^th through till October 10^th, 1981 and, including her # 1 hits with The Supremes, this was Diana Ross’ 18^th # 1.  It was Lionel Richie’s first chart topper, although he would have four more # 1 solo hits.  Lionel had  written the song for the Franco Zeffirelli film of the same name and it went on to become the second best selling single in 1981 (the only song to top it sales wise was “Bette Davis Eyes” from Kim Carnes).  In 1994, “Endless Love” was covered by Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey.  Their version climbed to # 2 on the singles chart.                     

4.  “I Just Called To Say I Love You” by Stevie Wonder was # 1 for 3 weeks from mid October until the first week of November 1984.  It was featured in the ’84 movie, “The Woman In Red” and went on to be nominated for 3 Grammy Awards (although it didn’t win).  It DID however win a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for ‘Best Original Song’ and was # 1 in 17 countries.               

    

5.  “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” is the song.  In November of 1966, The Supremes took the song, written by Motown’s top writing and producing team of Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozer and Brian Holland, to # 1 for two weeks.  British singer Kim Wilde only managed to stay in the # 1 spot on Billboards’ Hot 100 chart for one week during June of 1987, but she did manage to knock off a three week run from U2’s “With Or Without You”.  Vanilla Fudge also had success with a slowed down, psychedelic version of “You Keep Me Hangin’ On”, which climbed to # 6 in August of ’68.