On this day in 1981: Meat Loaf filed for bankruptcy with debts of over $1 million. The singer stated; “I made almost nothing. That’s how it was back then. The record company said Bat Out Of Hell never made a profit.”
On this day in 1984: Lionel Richie started a two week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with ‘Hello’ his second U.S. solo #1.
‘Hello’ was the third single released from his second solo album ‘Can’t Slow Down.’ The song was released in 1984 and reached #1 on three Billboard music charts: the pop chart (for two weeks), the R&B chart (for three weeks), and the adult contemporary chart (for six weeks).
The song is memorable for the line “Hello, is it me you’re looking for?” The phrase started the song’s composition, as when James Anthony Carmichael visited Richie, the singer greeted him that way, to which Carmichael replied, “Finish that song.” Richie initially felt that the song was “corny” but ultimately “by the time I finished the verse, I fell in love with the song again.”
Here’s a look at the top 20 on the U.S. singles chart from this day back in 1984:
1 2 HELLO –•– Lionel Richie (Motown)-12 (1 Week at #1) (1)
2 1 AGAINST ALL ODDS (Take A Look At Me Now) –•– Phil Collins (Atlantic)-12 (1)
3 3 HOLD ME NOW –•– Thompson Twins (Arista)-14 (3)
4 9 LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOY –•– Deniece Williams (Columbia)-6 (4)
5 5 LOVE SOMEBODY –•– Rick Springfield (RCA)-10 (5)
6 6 TO ALL THE GIRLS I’VE LOVED BEFORE –•– Julio Iglesias & Willie Nelson (Columbia)-11 (6)
7 7 YOU MIGHT THINK –•– The Cars (Elektra)-10 (7)
8 4 FOOTLOOSE –•– Kenny Loggins (Columbia)-16 (1)
9 11 OH SHERRIE –•– Steve Perry (Columbia)-6 (9)
10 14 TIME AFTER TIME –•– Cyndi Lauper (Portrait)-5 (10)
11 8 THEY DON’T KNOW –•– Tracey Ullman (MCA)-12 (8)
12 12 HEAD OVER HEELS –•– The Go-Go’s (I.R.S.)-9 (12)
13 13 TONIGHT –•– Kool & The Gang (De-Lite)-12 (13)
14 17 THE LONGEST TIME –•– Billy Joel (Columbia)-8 (14)
15 18 BREAKDANCE –•– Irene Cara (Geffen)-8 (15)
16 16 AUTHORITY SONG –•– John Cougar Mellencamp (Riva)-9 (16)
17 20 SISTER CHRISTIAN –•– Night Ranger (MCA / Camel)-10 (17)
18 10 MISS ME BLIND –•– Culture Club (Virgin)-11 (5)
19 26 THE REFLEX –•– Duran Duran (Capitol)-4 (19)
20 21 DANCING IN THE SHEETS –•– Shalamar (Columbia)-9 (20)
