8 of the 80s: 5/29/14 (1984)

80's throwback for this week has eight more nuggets from 1984, the year the Herreys' "Diggi-Loo, Diggi-Ley" won the Eurovision song contest for Sweden.

Van Stephenson - "What The Big Girls Do"
from the album Righteous Anger (1984)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #45
Songwriters: Jan Buckingham, Steve Buckingham, Van Stephenson

Van would go on to be a third of one of the biggest country groups of the 90s, Blackhawk, after trying out the power-pop route in the 80s like on this MTV staple.

(Click below to see the rest of the post)


Billy Rankin - "Baby Come Back"
from the album Growin' Up Too Fast (1983)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #52
Songwriter: Billy Rankin


The former guitarist for the Scottish rock band Nazareth struck out on his own with this single from his debut solo album.

Eddie Money - "The Big Crash"
from the album Where's The Party? (1983)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #54
Songwriters: Duane Hitchings, Eddie Money

The first single for the first album of Money's to miss the top-40, the song nonetheless was a hit on rock radio, and pointed the direction he would go on his comeback with "Take Me Home Tonight" a couple of years later.

The J. Geils Band - "Concealed Weapons"
from the album You're Gettin' Even While I'm Gettin' Odd (1984)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #63
Songwriters: Paul & Seth Justman

After lead singer Peter Wolf left the band, keyboardist Seth Justman took over the vocal duties, and wrote this song that seemed like a lost B-52's track.

Billy Satellite - "Satisfy Me"
from the album Billy Satellite (1984)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #64
Songwriters: Monty Byrom, Dan Chauncey, Ira Walker

This sole album by the Oakland band produced by Don Gehman (John Cougar Mellencamp) remains a cult favorite among power-pop aficionados.

Red Rider - "Young Thing, Wild Dreams (Rock Me)"
from the album Breaking Curfew (1984)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #71
Songwriter: Tom Cochrane

The Toronto rockers also had a loyal fanbase, but it wasn't until the next decade when lead singer Cochrane would score big in America with "Life Is A Highway"...

Michael Stanley Band - "Someone Like You"
from the album You Can't Fight Fashion (1983)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #75
Songwriter: Kevin Raleigh

A Cleveland favorite, this bar band made good on their ninth album, becoming their third to place two singles on the pop chart.

Blue Oyster Cult - "Shooting Shark"
from the album The Revolution By Night (1983)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #83
Songwriters: Donald Roeser, Patti Smith

The lite-metal band from Long Island co-opted a poem by punk legend Smith for this minor hit.