On this day in 1981: Sheena Easton started a two week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with ‘Morning Train (Nine To Five).’

“9 to 5” (or “Morning Train”) was written by British songwriter Florrie Palmer and recorded by Sheena Easton in 1980, becoming her biggest hit. It peaked at #3 in the United Kingdom in August 1980 and was certified gold. In February 1981, it was released in the United States and Canada under the title “Morning Train (9 to 5)” to avoid confusion with Dolly Parton’s recent hit “9 to 5”. It reached #1 in both countries, becoming Easton’s only chart-topper in those nations.

Easton had released one single in the UK prior to “9 to 5”: “Modern Girl”. This had failed to chart highly, but after exposure on the BBC documentary, ‘The Big Time, Pop Singer’, both “9 to 5” and “Modern Girl” were propelled into the top ten at the same time, making her the second female artist (after Ruby Murray) to achieve this feat.”9 to 5″ became a top three hit and was one of the best-selling singles of the year in the UK.

Early in 1981, EMI Records decided to launch Easton in the U.S. and released “9 to 5” as her debut single. The title of the song was changed to “Morning Train (Nine to Five)” to avoid confusion with the Dolly Parton song of the same name, which charted nearly simultaneously with Easton’s record. Easton’s song went to #1 on both the U.S. pop and adult contemporary charts; it remained at the top for two weeks on Billboard’s pop chart. On Billboard’s 1981 year-end charts, it came in as the twelfth-biggest pop and thirteenth-biggest AC hit of the year 1981.

Here’s a look at the Top 20 on the U.S. singles chart from this day back in 1981:

1 2 MORNING TRAIN (Nine To Five) –•– Sheena Easton (EMI-America)-12 (1 week at #1) (1)
2 4 JUST THE TWO OF US –•– Grover Washington, Jr. (with Bill Withers) (Elektra)-12 (2)
3 3 BEING WITH YOU –•– Smokey Robinson (Tamla)-12 (3)
4 5 ANGEL OF THE MORNING –•– Juice Newton (Capitol)-11 (4)
5 1 KISS ON MY LIST –•– Daryl Hall and John Oates (RCA)-15 (1)
6 6 RAPTURE –•– Blondie (Chrysalis)-14 (1)
7 18 BETTE DAVIS EYES –•– Kim Carnes (EMI-America)-6 (7)
8 7 WHILE YOU SEE A CHANCE –•– Steve Winwood (Island)-13 (7)
9 16 LIVING INSIDE MYSELF –•– Gino Vannelli (Arista)-7 (9)
10 11 I CAN’T STAND IT –•– Eric Clapton and His Band (RSO)-10 (10)

11 12 HER TOWN TOO –•– James Taylor and J.D. Souther (Columbia)-8 (11)
12 17 TAKE IT ON THE RUN –•– REO Speedwagon (Epic)-7 (12)
13 13 SOMEBODY’S KNOCKIN’ –•– Terri Gibbs (MCA)-16 (13)
14 10 DON’T STAND SO CLOSE TO ME –•– The Police (A&M)-13 (10)
15 19 TOO MUCH TIME ON MY HANDS –•– Styx (A&M)-7 (15)
16 8 WOMAN –•– John Lennon (Geffen)-16 (2)
17 25 WATCHING THE WHEELS –•– John Lennon (Geffen)-6 (17)
18 30 SUKIYAKI –•– A Taste Of Honey (Capitol)-9 (18)
19 20 AIN’T EVEN DONE WITH THE NIGHT –•– John Cougar (Riva)-14 (19)
20 23 SWEETHEART –•– Franke and the Knockouts (Millennium)-9 (20)

On this day in 1987: The Cutting Crew started a two week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with ‘(I Just), Died In Your Arms’, a #4 hit in the UK.

Here’s a look at the Top 20 on the U.S. singles chart from this day back in 1987:

1 5 (I Just) DIED IN YOUR ARMS –•–Cutting Crew (Virgin)-9 (1) (1 Week at #1)
2 4 LOOKING FOR A NEW LOVE –•– Jody Watley (MCA)-9 (2)
3 2 DON’T DREAM IT’S OVER –•– Crowded House (Capitol)-16 (2)
4 7 LA ISLA BONITA –•– Madonna (Sire)-7 (4)
5 3 SIGN ‘O’ THE TIMES –•– Prince (Paisley Park)-9 (3)
6 10 WITH OR WITHOUT YOU –•– U2 (Island)-7 (6)
7 1 I KNEW YOU WERE WAITING FOR ME –•– Aretha Franklin & George Michael (Arista)-11 (1)
8 8 THE FINER THINGS –•– Steve Winwood (Island)-13 (8)
9 6 NOTHING’S GONNA STOP US NOW –•– Starship (Grunt)-14 (1)
10 12 STONE LOVE –•– Kool & The Gang (Mercury)- 13 (10)

11 11 WALKING DOWN YOUR STREET –•– Bangles (Columbia)-12 (11)
12 9 MIDNIGHT BLUE –•– Lou Gramm (Atlantic)-14 (5)
13 18 HEAT OF THE NIGHT –•– Bryan Adams (A&M)-6 (13)
14 16 WHAT’S GOING ON –•– Cyndi Lauper (Portrait)-8 (14)
15 15 COME AS YOU ARE –•– Peter Wolf (EMI-America)-10 (15)
16 19 THE LADY IN RED –•– Chris DeBurgh (A&M)-12 (16)
17 14 DOMINOES –•– Robbie Nevil (EMI-America)-12 (14)
18 22 BIG LOVE –•– Fleetwood Mac (Warner Brothers)-6 (18)
19 21 TALK DIRTY TO ME –•– Poison (Enigma)-8 (19)
20 25 RIGHT ON TRACK –•– Breakfast Club (MCA)-8 (20)