Top 100 Songs of the 1980s (50 - 41) Quiz

Answer: What About Me

"What About Me" was written by Garry Frost and Frances Frost for the Australian band Moving Pictures. The song was released at the end of 1982 and peaked at number 29 on February 12th, 1983. It spent an unusually long 26 weeks roaming the Hot 100 before falling off the countdown. There was a trend in the late 80s to re-release minor hits from earlier in the decade and "What About Me" was given a second life. In 1989 it recharted and got as high as number 46.

"How 'Bout Us" was a top 20 hit for the group Champaign. Aretha Franklin had a top ten hit 1985 with "Who's Zoomin' Who". "Where's The Beef" was the catch phrase for Clara Peller in the infamous Wendy's commercial from the 80s.

FUN FACT: The song was covered by "Australian Idol" runner-up Shannon Noll and became the highest selling single in Australia for 2004.

Answer: Against All Odds

"Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" took over the number one position on April 21st, 1984. In Billboard's yearend survey for 1984 this was named the sixth most popular song of the year. It was featured in the Jeff Bridges thriller of the same name and used clips from the movie in its video. The video was a mainstay on MTV and was ranked the fourth top video that year.

"Two Hearts" was a number one song in 1989 for Phil Collins and was featured in his movie "Buster". John Parr sang the title song for the movie "St. Elmo's Fire". "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo" was a 1984 sequel with no pop hits to speak of.

FUN FACT: Two cover versions of the song have hit number one in the U.K. during the 2000s-one by Mariah Carey/Westlife and the other by Steve Brookstein. The original, by contrast, only reached number two in the U.K.

Answer: Magic

"Magic" was the first of five top twenty hits from the movie "Xanadu" which starred Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly. It was also the fourth of five number one hits for the English-born, Australian-raised songstress in America. It spent fifteen weeks in the top forty and was named the third most popular song for 1980 by Billboard magazine.

Olivia Newton-John's first number one song "I Honestly Love You" won the Grammy for "Record of the Year" in 1974. Her second number one song "Have You Never Been Mellow" can be heard in the background in the classic film "Jaws". She sang her third number one song "You're the One That I Want" with John Travolta in the movie "Grease".

"Hopelessly Devoted To You" was a solo hit for Olivia Newton-John from "Grease". She hit number three in 1979 with "A Little More Love". "Venus" was first a number one hit for Shocking Blue in 1970.

FUN FACT: Olivia Newton-John is the granddaughter of Noble Prize-winning physicist Max Born.

Answer: Walk Like an Egyptian

"Walk Like An Egyptian" peaked at number one on December 20th, 1986 and remained there for four weeks. It was an international pop hit also topping the charts in Germany, Holland and Australia. Inspired by seeing people trying to walk on a moving ferry, American songwriter Liam Sternberg sent the tune to the Bangles who were taken with the off beat lyrics and fun spirit of the song.

The Bangles were a four woman band formed in the early 80s in Los Angeles, CA. They hit the top ten five times including their number one smash "Eternal Flame". After breaking up in 1988, they reformed in 2000 to tour and went on to release another album in 2003.

"Manic Monday" was a number two hit for the Bangles in 1986. Bob Seger took "Shakedown" to number one in the summer of 1987. "Whistle While You Work" was featured in the classic 1937 film "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs".

FUN FACT: "Walk Like an Egyptian" was the first song to top the Billboard Hot 100 by an all female group playing their own instruments.

Answer: Like a Virgin

"Like A Virgin" was the first in a long string of number one hits for Madonna. She first hit the top 40 in 1983 with the song "Holiday". "Like A Virgin" reached the top a year later on December 22nd, 1984 and was named by Billboard magazine the second biggest single for 1985. Over the course of the decade, Madonna scored 15 straight top five hits, making her one of the 80s most popular recording acts.

"Material Girl" was a number two hit for Madonna in 1985. While Madonna's "Into the Groove" was a worldwide number one hit, it was never released as a pop single in America and therefore never charted. The Time took "Jungle Love" to number 20 in 1985.

FUN FACTS: Madonna performed "Like A Virgin" to much notoriety at MTV's first Video Music Ceremony in 1984.

Answer: Nine to Five

"9 to 5" reigned supreme on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks beginning on February 21st, 1981. It spent 26 weeks on the entire chart with 18 weeks in the top 40, nine of those in the top ten. It was the title song of the movie starring Dolly Parton along with Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. It also reached number one on the Country chart.

"Here You Come Again" was a number three hit for Dolly in 1978. Sheena Easton took "Morning Train" to number one in May, 1981. "Time to Make the Donuts" was a famous 80s slogan for Dunkin' Donuts.

FUN FACT: "Nine to Five" was nominated for the 1980 Oscar for Best Original Song. (It lost to Irene Cara's "Fame".)

Answer: Jump

"Jump" took hold of the top spot on February 25th, 1984 and spent ten weeks total in the top ten. Van Halen formed in Pasadena, California by brothers Alex and Eddie Van Halen. The group's outrageous frontman in their early years was David Lee Roth who left the group in 1985 over creative differences. "Jump" was the band's first and only number one pop hit.

"Panama" was a number 13 hit for Van Halen in 1984. Amy Grant took "Baby Baby" to number one in 1991. "London Calling" was a classic punk song/album by The Clash from the 1970s.

FUN FACT: Van Halen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 12th, 2007.

Answer: Islands in the Stream

"Islands in the Stream" captured the top spot on October 29th, 1983 and held it for two weeks. It was hugely successful on the country chart where it went on to be named the number one song of 1983. It also proved to have worldwide appeal including reaching number one in Australia. It was the first pairing of Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton who also teamed up in 1985 for the country hit "Real Love".

"What Are We Doin' In Love" was a top 20 hit in 1981 for Dottie West and Kenny Rogers. Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams had a number one smash with "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" in 1978. "The Boy Is Mine" spent 13 weeks at the top in 1998 for Brandy and Monica.

FUN FACT: The song was written by the top pop act of the 1970s: The Bee Gees.

Answer: Christopher Cross

"Arthur's Theme" subtitled "The Best That You Can Do" hit number one on October 17th, 1981 and held the top spot for three weeks. Besides Christopher Cross, the three other songwriters were legends Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager and Peter Allen. They were presented with the 1981 Oscar for Best Original Song for their much loved tune.

"Arthur's Theme" was also notable for having displaced Diana Ross and Lionel Richie's "Endless Love" from its historic nine week run at the top. It also beat "Endless Love" out for the Oscar that year. And, on Christmas Day, Christopher Cross, dressed as Santa Claus, beat both Lionel Richie and Diana Ross in a WWF Steel Cage wrestling match. (Fine. That last one only happened in my overactive imagination.)

FUN FACT: Christopher Cross was the first artist to win the "Big Four" Grammy Awards (Best Song, Record, Album and New Artist) in the same year with his self titled debut album from 1980.

Answer: AIDS Research

"That's What Friends Are For" had a four week roost at the top beginning on January 18th, 1986. It was the last song to spend as many as ten weeks in the top ten during the 1980s. Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager took home a Grammy for "Song of the Year" for composing the celebrated ballad. It also won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by Duo or Group. The song did much to raise awareness to a then controversial illness and directly benefited the American Foundation for AIDS Research to the tune of over three million dollars.

FUN FACT: Billboard named "That's What Friends Are For" the most popular song of 1986.

Thanks so much for playing this quiz. I hope to have the next installment much sooner than the time this took to put out. Thanks for your patience.