8 of the 80s: 9/18/14 (1986)

#Throwback Thursday 80's style is back, with eight more nuggets from 1986, the year the Oprah Winfrey talk show premiered in syndicated broadcast...

Sheena Easton - "Jimmy Mack"
from the album Do You (1985)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #65
Songwriters: Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, Eddie Holland

This cover of the Martha & The Vandellas classic was produced by Nile Rodgers, though it sounds a lot more sterile than his Chic work (or Madonna's "Like A Virgin" even).

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The Beach Boys - "Rock 'N' Roll To The Rescue"
from the album Made In U.S.A. (1986)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #68
Songwriters: Mike Love, Terry Melcher

I guess this is the Boys trying to get "hard", with the heavy guitar in the mix, and it was one of their very few singles that didn't make the easy-listening chart. And Lord I despise Mike Love.

Air Supply - "Lonely Is The Night"
from the album Hearts In Motion (1986)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #76
Songwriters: Albert Hammond, Diane Warren

From their first album that failed to land a top-40 pop hit, this record still did well with the "work radio" crowd, peaking at #12 on the adult contemporary chart.

Nick Lowe - "I Knew The Bride (When She Used To Rock And Roll)"
from the album The Rose Of England (1985)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #77
Songwriter: Nick Lowe

British retro-rocker Lowe goes full-on Chuck Berry on this swinging reception-crashing bop.

Luis Cardenas - "Runaway"
from the album Animal Instinct (1986)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #83
Songwriters: Max Crook, Del Shannon

Back when Hispanic artists were having a tough time getting on MTV, this drummer from the group Renegade went solo and got a big push from the network with this cover of the 60s hit from Del Shannon.

John Parr - "Blame It On The Radio"
from the album Running The Endless Mile (1986)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #88
Songwriter: John Parr

The British rocker brought out his sophomore album with this ode to the airwaves. Slump ensued.

Anne Murray - "Now And Forever (You And Me)"
from the album Something To Talk About (1986)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #92
Songwriters: David Foster, Randy Goodrum, Jim Vallance

This song written by three of the biggest non-recording songwriters in the 80s made the top-10 on the adult contemporary radio chart. It's follow-up was a cover of the HI-NRG dance classic "Who's Leaving Who"..

David Pack - "Prove Me Wrong"
from the albums Anywhere You Go (1985) and White Nights (Original Soundtrack) (1985)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #95
Songwriters: James Newton Howard, David Pack

The former Ambrosia frontman popped on to the chart with this song from the Mikhail Baryshnikov/Gregory Hines movie.