On this day in 1980: Lipps Inc. were starting their fourth and final week at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with “Funkytown”.
‘Funkytown’ was written by musician, composer, and record producer Steven Greenberg and sung by Cynthia Johnson. The song expresses the singer’s pining for a metaphorical place that will “keep me movin’, keep me groovin’ with some energy”. Steven wrote the song while the band was living in Minneapolis with dreams of moving to New York.
Here’s a look at the Top 20 on the U.S. singles chart from this day back in 1980:
1 1 FUNKYTOWN –•– Lipps, Inc. (Casablanca)-13 (4 weeks at #1) (1)
2 2 COMING UP / COMING UP (Live At Glasgow) –•– Paul McCartney and Wings (Columbia)-9 (2)
3 3 BIGGEST PART OF ME –•– Ambrosia (Warner Brothers)-12 (3)
4 4 THE ROSE –•– Bette Midler (Atlantic)-14 (4)
5 5 AGAINST THE WIND –•– Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band (Capitol)-8 (5)
6 7 IT’S STILL ROCK AND ROLL TO ME –•– Billy Joel (Columbia)-5 (6)
7 8 LITTLE JEANNIE –•– Elton John (MCA)-8 (7)
8 10 STEAL AWAY –•– Robbie Dupree (Elektra)-11 (8)
9 9 CARS –•– Gary Numan (Atco)-19 (9)
10 11 SHE’S OUT OF MY LIFE –•– Michael Jackson (Epic)-10 (10)
11 13 CUPID / I’VE LOVED YOU FOR A LONG TIME (Medley) –•– The Spinners (Atlantic)-6 (11)
12 6 CALL ME –•– Blondie (Chrysalis)-19 (1)
13 14 LET’S GET SERIOUS –•– Jermaine Jackson (Motown)-13 (13)
14 12 DON’T FALL IN LOVE WITH A DREAMER –•– Kenny Rogers with Kim Carnes (United Artists)-13 (4)
15 18 LET ME LOVE YOU TONIGHT –•– The Pure Prairie League (Casablanca)-7 (15)
16 22 SHINING STAR –•– The Manhattans (Columbia)-9 (16)
17 16 BRASS IN POCKET (I’m Special) –•– The Pretenders (Sire)-19 (14)
18 17 STOMP! –•– The Brothers Johnson (A&M)-15 (7)
19 15 HURT SO BAD –•– Linda Ronstadt (Asylum)-11 (8)
20 26 TIRED OF TOEIN’ THE LINE –•– Rocky Burnette (EMI-America)-7 (20)
On this day in 1986: Michael McDonald & Patti Labelle were starting their second of three weeks at #1 with “On My Own.”
The two performers were in separate cities when they recorded their individual parts which were then “married” during mixing. This was reflected in the music video produced to promote the song, which depicted LaBelle and McDonald performing the song simultaneously on different coasts. The singers were shown on separate sides of a split screen, each singing the song while walking through apartments which had identical layouts but different decor and furniture. The views from their respective porches, where they finished the song, made clear their separation by the continent.
Here’s a look at the complete Top 20 on the U.S. singles chart from this day back in 1986:
1 1 ON MY OWN –•– Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald (MCA)-14 (2 Weeks at #1) (1)
2 4 THERE’LL BE SAD SONGS –•– Billy Ocean (Jive)-10 (2)
3 5 CRUSH ON YOU –•– The Jets (MCA)-11 (3)
4 2 LIVE TO TELL –•– Madonna (Sire)-11 (1)
5 3 I CAN’T WAIT –•– Nu Shooz (Atlantic)-16 (3)
6 8 NO ONE IS TO BLAME –•– Howard Jones (Elektra)-11 (6)
7 7 A DIFFERENT CORNER –•– George Michael (Columbia)-9 (7)
8 11 HOLDING BACK THE YEARS –•– Simply Red (Elektra)-12 (8)
9 14 WHO’S JOHNNY –•– El DeBarge (Gordy)-9 (9)
10 12 NOTHIN’ AT ALL –•– Heart (Capitol)-10 (10)
11 6 GREATEST LOVE OF ALL –•– Whitney Houston (Arista)-13 (1)
12 15 I WANNA BE A COWBOY –•– Boys Don’t Cry (Profile)-12 (12)
13 10 SOMETHING ABOUT YOU –•– Level 42 (Polydor)-19 (7)
14 24 NASTY –•– Janet Jackson (A&M)-6 (14)
15 22 SLEDGEHAMMER –•– Peter Gabriel (Geffen)-7 (15)
16 20 TUFF ENUFF –•– Fabulous Thunderbirds (CBS Associated)-10 (16)
17 27 INVISIBLE TOUCH –•– Genesis (Atlantic)-4 (17)
18 19 VIENNA CALLING –•– Falco (A&M)-9 (18)
19 9 ALL I NEED IS A MIRACLE –•– Mike + The Mechanics (Atlantic)-14 (5)
20 23 LIKE A ROCK –•– Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band (Capitol)-5 (20)
