Way Back Wednesday: January 8, 1983

The week of January 8, 1983...

This Week In 1983: January 8th

Our first number one song of the year belongs to Daryl Hall & John Oates. The prototype for the song was a piece that John Oates had been banging around with Edgar Winter but it had more of a reggae feel. When Daryl heard, he suggested the “Motown” feel that is has now. Hall’s longtime girlfriend, Sara Allen, had a hand in writing (she’s credited on the track along with the duo). According to Hall, his original lyric had some additional words in the chorus after “she’s a maneater.” Allen convinced him to end the line there, which Hall said made the song come together. While most believe that the song is about a woman, John Oates confesses that the song is, in fact, about “New York City in the ’80s. It’s about greed, avarice, and spoiled riches.”

It spent a total of four weeks at #1.

The biggest jump in the countdown this week was made by The Stray Cats with “Stray Cat Strut” which jumped from #43 all the way to #31. At the same time, they’re also enjoying a top 10 hit with “Rock This Town”. One of the biggest tumbles is by Pat Benatar with “Shadows of The Night” falling from #13 to #27. Next week, it’ll fall all the way into the 50’s and out of the countdown.

 

About Eric Vardeman 114 Articles
80's lover. Screenwriter. Cohost of The Greatest Lists podcast. Christmas enthusiast. Tulsa Curling Club founder. Cherokee. Guitar player. Boomer Sooner. Curator of 80's playlists (https://open.spotify.com/user/127168733)

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