8 of the 80s: 11/13/14 (1983)

Throwback Thursday 80's style goes back to the year 1983 this week, with eight more forgotten nuggets from the year President Reagan signed the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday into law.

Don Henley - "I Can't Stand Still"
from the album I Can't Stand Still (1982)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #48
Songwriters: Don Henley, Danny Kortchmar

Another track from the former/future Eagle's moderately successful debut solo album featured a song written by today's Song of the Day artist, Bob Seger.

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Eddy Grant - "I Don't Wanna Dance"
from the album Killer On The Rampage (1982)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #53
Songwriter: Eddy Grant

Outside of the United States, this song was way more successful than his "Electric Avenue", going to #1 in at least five different countries.

Steve Miller Band - "Give It Up"
from the album Abracadabra (1982)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #60
Songwriter: Steve Miller

This sing-song rocker was the second single from the album that spawned his final #1 pop hit.

Little Steven - "Forever"
from the album Men Without Women (1982)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #63
Songwriter: Steven Van Zandt

This jam from the E Street Band guitarist's first solo album probably would've done much better earlier in the 80s, with its classic retro-rock & soul sound. All I know it was the wardrobe in this video is priceless. Vintage New Jersey.

Robert John - "Bread And Butter"
from the album Classic Masters (2002)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #68
Songwriters: Larry Parks, Jay Turnbow

Lord, poor Robert looks so out of place covering the Newbeats song in front of all those frenetic (and possibly coke-induced) dancers during his short stint on Motown Records.

Phil Collins - "I Cannot Believe It's True"
from the album Hello, I Must Be Going! (1982)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #79
Songwriter: Phil Collins

Still one of my favorite albums of all time, despite the luke-warm cover of the Supremes, due to awesome horn-punched songs like this one. Manna for my headphones.

Carly Simon - "You Know What To Do"
from the album Hello Big Man (1983)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #83
Songwriters: Jacob Brackman, Mike Mainieri, Carly Simon, Peter Wood

This track had the singer-songwriter trying to adapt to the new wave moment, to lesser results commercially, but I still love it.

Mitch Ryder - "When You Were Mine"
from the album Never Kick A Sleeping Dog (1983)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #87
Songwriter: Prince

John "Cougar" Mellencamp produced this cover of the purple one's song a year before Cyndi Lauper included it on her She's So Unusual album...