8 of the 80s: 12/12/13 (1983)....

I'm ready to take my Delorean back to the 80s, and this week's I'm at 1983, the year Pope John Paul II met with Mehmet Ali Agca, the man who tried to assassinate the pope in 1981....

Louise Tucker with Charlie Skarbek - "Midnight Blue"
from the album Midnight Blue (1982)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #46
Songwriters: Ludwig Von Beethoven, Charlie Skarbek, Tim Smit

The English opera singer scored a left-field hit with this new-wave-ish adaptation of Beethoven's "Sonata Pathetique" that attempted to capitalize on Vangelis' "Chariots Of Fire" coattails.

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Styx - "High Time"
from the album Kilroy Was Here (1983)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #48
Songwriter: Dennis DeYoung

The third and final single from Styx's whacked out concept album was put out because member Tommy Shaw wouldn't let any of his songs be released as a single.

Joe Walsh - "Space Age Whiz Kids"
from the album You Bought It, You Name It (1983)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #52
Songwriters: Joe Vitale, Joe Walsh

The former Eagle's attempt to adapt to the electric 80s came off as kind of dated, but still fun.

Berlin - "Sex (I'm A)"
from the album Pleasure Victim (1982)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #62
Songwriters: John Crawford, David Diamond, Terri Nunn

A single ahead of its time on pop radio, this co-opting of the underground electropop pioneered by Lene Lovich and Giorgio Moroder got this California band noticed.

Genesis - "Mama"
from the album Genesis (1983)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #73
Songwriters: Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford

The prog-rock band started off their self-titled album's promotion with this dark, brooding track that grew on me.

The Plimsouls - "A Million Miles Away"
from the album Everywhere At Once (1983)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #82
Songwriters: Joey Alkes, Peter Case, Chris Fradkin

This track from the California power-pop band got exposure in the classic film Valley Girl.

Graham Parker - "Life Gets Better"
from the album The Real Macaw (1983)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #94
Songwriter: Graham Parker

This British singer/songwriter didn't have the following that Costello did, but his early 80s work is worth seeking out.

The Tom Tom Club - "The Man with the 4-Way Hips"
from the album Close To The Bone (1983)
Billboard peak: #106
Songwriters: Chris Frantz, Roddy Frantz, Steven Stanley, Tina Weymouth



The Talking Heads offshoot kicked off with this hipster dance jam.