8 of the 80s: 10/16/14 (1980)

It's throwback Thursday 80's style and this week I'm going back to 1980, the year the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals in the World Series 4 games to 2...

The Spinners - "Working My Way Back To You/Forgive Me Girl"
from the album Dancin' And Lovin' (1979)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: 2
Songwriters: Sandy Linzer, Danny Randell, Michael Zager

The Detroit vocal group came back with a vengeance with a remake of the Four Seasons classic mashed up with a disco number from producer Zager.

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Stephanie Mills - "Never Knew Love Like This Before"
from the album Sweet Sensation (1980)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #6
Songwriters: Reggie Lucas, James Mtume

This silky smooth jam earned Stephanie and her writing team two Grammys, for Female R&B Vocals and R&B song.

Kool & The Gang - "Ladies Night"
from the album Ladies Night (1979)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #8
Songwriters: Robert Bell, Ronald Bell, George Brown, Robert Mickens, Meekaneel Muhammed, Claydes Smith, James JT Taylor, Dennis Thomas, Earl Toon

This is how you do it. Flawless bassline coupled with punchy horns, and you've got a dancefloor jam 10X better than "Celebration" for your wedding.

Commodores - "Old Fashion Love"
from the album Heroes (1980)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #20
Songwriter: Milan Williams

The lead-off single from the band's tenth release (including a live and hits set) was written by their keyboardist.

Dionne Warwick - "No Night So Long"
from the album No Night So Long (1980)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #23
Songwriters: Will Jennings, Richard Kerr

Dionne's second album for Arista was named for this gem of a ballad.

Herb Alpert - "Rotation"
from the album Rise (1979)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #30
Songwriters: Andy Armer, Randy Alpert

Herb's second hit from his "comeback" album Rise was a lite jazz radio staple that I always heard going to bed with 106FM on the radio at night.

Electric Light Orchestra - "Last Train To London"
from the album Discovery (1979)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #39
Songwriter: Jeff Lynne

This song was one side of the double-sided single that was the fourth top-10 hit in the UK from this landmark album.

Bonnie Pointer - "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)"
from the album Bonnie Pointer (Purple Album) (1979)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #40
Songwriters: Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, Eddie Holland

The "other" pointer nicked the top-40 with her disco-fied remake of the Four Tops hit.