8 of the 80s: 7/4/13 (1982)...

It's time for this week's trip back to the 80's, and this time out I'm back to 1982, the year "Lawn Chair Larry" flew over Southern California in a lawn chair tied to balloons. This weeks eight are all self-penned compositions.

The Cars - "Shake It Up"
from the album Shake It Up (1981)
Billboard Hot 100 peak; #4
Songwriter: Ric Ocasek

The Boston band graduated from new wave hipster dances to mainstream stardom with this mindless ditty.

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Dan Fogelberg - "Leader Of The Band"
from the album An Innocent Age (1981)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #9
Songwriter: Dan Fogelberg

Dan's tribute to his dad seems apt in this fatherly of holidays.

Neil Diamond - "Yesterday's Songs"
from the album On The Way To The Sky (1981)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #11
Songwriter: Neil Diamond

Neil predictably topped the "easy-listening" chart with this nostaglic product tailor-made for his baby-boomer female audience.

Rod Stewart - "Tonight I'm Yours (Don't Hurt Me)"
from the album Tonight I'm Yours (1981)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #20
Songwriters: Rod Stewart, Jim Cregan, Kevin Saviger

Rod the Mod went from 70s faux-disco to 80s faux-new wave with this title track to his 1981 album that topped the chart in Germany. The crazy screaming at the end always gave me a chuckle.

Billy Joel - "She's Got A Way"
from the album Songs In The Attic (1981)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #23
Songwriter: Billy Joel

Joel's early-career nugget from 1971 got a second life in a live version that scored on pop radio.

Eddie Schwartz - "All Our Tomorrows"
from the album No Refuge (1981)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #28
Songwriters: Eddie Schwartz, David Tyson


..Canadian singer/songwriter would also see this song covered in the 80s by the decidedly more gruff Joe Cocker.

Peabo Bryson - "Let The Feeling Flow"
from the album I Am Love (1981)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #42
Songwriter: Peabo Bryson

This top-10 R&B single almost gave Peabo his first top-40 pop hit. Mellow soul built for the bedroom.

Bertie Higgins - "Just Another Day In Paradise"
from the album Just Another Day In Paradise (1982)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #46
Songwriters: Bertie Higgins, Columbia Jones, Sonny Limbo

The Florida bear had his second Buffett-ish hit with this breezy beachcomber song.

That's it for this week's 80's throwback...I'll be back tomorrow with another Song of the Day and my top-100 hit of the week. Good night!