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Number One! I’ve always loved the sound of that.
It’s
such a catchy
term in our culture: the #1 movie or book, your best friend, your favorite restaurant
or store and of course, the ultimate, the #1 hit single! Ever since I can remember
I’ve been obsessed with music charts. On Sundays growing up in Joliet,
Illinois I would rush home after church to listen to Casey Kasem’s Top
40 on the radio, diligently writing down each hit in my composition notebook,
completely mesmerized
by the time we hit #1! There was also this awesome record store in town called
The Crow’s Nest that would have these free pink photocopied flyers of the
chart listings from the local radio station that I would collect obsessively.
I was hooked! So I thought I would share my obsession with the #1 hit singles
from my favorite decade, the 80’s, here with you at fredflare.com. Over
the next 11 weeks I’ll be reminiscing while presenting the best of the
best
of the decade of decadence. I’m sure you’ll see ones that you think
are missing – and it’s true, there are some great hits that will
be absent – but they just didn’t have the power needed to make it
all the way to #1. That’s what it takes to be a true chart topper! Enjoy!
XXOO Chris |
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1989
After all the drama of the previous year I was
determined to get my life back on track in ’89. Finally, I got to move
into the dorms and kiss Joliet goodbye… for now, anyway! It was like freshman
year all over again, a new beginning for me. Even the UIC dorms were brand-new
and I moved into a suite of three rooms with some friends. Roger Adami and Ron
Tulley had one, Tyler Johnson and Dan Swanson had the middle and then there was
me and my roommate Dave Parisi. Dave was this skinny, Italian boy from Elmwood
Park, Illinois, completely obsessed with Erasure. I guess I too had my own obsession
that year, but more about that later. Anyway, my roommates and I were known as
the "cute boy cluster" and the girls in the dorm loved us. I was excited ‘cause
that year I had decided that I was straight! My look was cute, too. I had my
hair in a bob and wore lots of faded jean shorts with white t-shirts and Birkenstocks.
It was a natural vibe. Madonna was then a brunette, after all. I’d also
decided to really dive into school, too. I was going to get great grades and
be an amazing architect. All my ducks were lined up, until I met… the girl.
Emilee Eide. It was love at first sight for me. Emilee was beautiful, with long
super-straight blond hair, cute round glasses and great style. We met the first
day of moving into the dorms and hit it off immediately. We stayed up all night
and watched the sun rise together. This would turn out to be a recurring theme
for me. (Hi Keith!) Actually, I had met Emilee once before, at Medusa’s.
She knew Eric, my x-boyfriend. Nowadays of course I know that Triangles are Trouble.
But then – Hello! We’re still in the 80’s and the WB hadn’t
yet been invented – I was young and foolish in love. When Eric found out
that I was "hanging out" with Emilee, it became an even worse battle
between us. Everyone pretty much sided with me, not because I was right by becoming
straight and stealing his friend, but the fact that his letter had gotten me
in so much trouble at home sealed his fate as the bad guy to most people. I really
didn’t care ‘cause I got the girl. Well, for a semester anyway. Emilee
was young, too – a freshman, after all, with newfound freedom – and
the last thing she wanted was to be tied down. And maybe I got a little too intense?
So Emilee ended our relationship… by sleeping with my friends and classmates.
I was devastated. My friends in studio, Paige Crafton and Myrna De la Cruz, really
tried to cheer me up, though. I had so much fun with them during this phase.
We’d all work in studio really late, then go dancing at Medusa’s
till 3am, then come back and work some more. Ah, to be 19 again… But, through
it all, I remained friends with Emilee. I knew it was a little unhealthy, but
I was a slave! Near the end of the school year, the "studying abroad" topic
came up. The architecture department at UIC had a foreign exchange program with
a school outside of Paris. A bunch of my friends had decided to go, including
Emilee. This was my chance to rekindle our love! How romantic it would be to
reconnect in France, home of l’amour!!! But first, I had to figure out
how to get my parents to let me move to a foreign country, when they were totally
freaked out by Chicago. I had my work cut out for me… So, readers, will
Chris make it to France? Or to his friends will he say "Miss You Much"?
Will Emilee ever tell Chris "I’ll Be Loving You (Forever)"? Or
is she just "Cold Hearted"? Will Cher win that Oscar? Or is it all "Like
A Prayer"? For the answers to these burning questions and more stay tuned
next week for the chartoppers season finale – 1990! Until then, here are
the hits of 1989! Vive l’amour!
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the #1's
Another Day In Paradise - Phil Collins
Baby Don't Forget My Number - Milli Vanilli
Batdance - Prince
Blame It On The Rain - Milli Vanilli
Cold Hearted - Paula Abdul
Don't Wanna Lose You - Gloria Estefan
Eternal Flame – Bangles
Forever Your Girl - Paula Abdul
(Girl) I'm Gonna Miss You - Milli Vanilli
Good Thing - Fine Young Cannibals
Hangin' Tough - New Kids On The Block
If You Don't Know Me By Now - Simply Red
I'll Be Loving You (Forever) - New Kids On The Block
I'll Be There For You - Bon Jovi
Like A Prayer – Madonna
Listen To Your Heart – Roxette
Lost In Your Eyes - Debbie Gibson
Miss You Much - Janet Jackson
My Prerogative - Bobby Brown
Right Here Waiting - Richard Marx
Rock On - Michael Damian
Satisfied - Richard Marx
She Drives Me Crazy - Fine Young Cannibals
Straight Up - Paula Abdul
The Living Years - Mike + The Mechanics
The Look – Roxette
Toy Soldiers - Martika
Two Hearts - Phil Collins
We Didn't Start The Fire - Billy Joel
When I See You Smile - Bad English
Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler |
