On this day in 1982: Irene Cara was at #1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Fame’, which was based on the hit TV series about a New York drama school. Cara (who played the role of Coco Hernandez in the original movie) won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and the Golden Globe Award for the same.
“Fame” rose to #4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in September 1980. It also reached #1 on the Billboard Dance Chart for one week. The song was re-released in the United Kingdom in July 1982, where it peaked at the top of the UK Singles Chart for three weeks following the debut of the Fame TV series on the British television network BBC One the previous month, becoming Britain’s third best-selling song of 1982.
On the U.S. singles chart on this day back in 1982, The Human League were beginning their third and final week at #1 with “Don’t You Want Me.” It would be ranked the #6 song for the entire year of 1982 by Billboard Magazine on their year-end chart.
Here’s a look at the complete Top 20 on the U.S. singles chart from this day back in 1982:
1 1 DON’T YOU WANT ME –•– The Human League (A&M)-20 (3 weeks at #1) (1)
2 2 ROSANNA –•– Toto (Columbia)-14 (2)
3 3 HURTS SO GOOD –•– John Cougar (Riva)-13 (3)
4 5 EYE OF THE TIGER –•– Survivor (Scotti Brothers)-7 (4)
5 6 LET IT WHIP –•– The Dazz Band (Motown)-13 (5)
6 12 HOLD ME –•– Fleetwood Mac (Warner Brothers)-5 (6)
7 7 LOVE’S BEEN A LITTLE BIT HARD ON ME –•– Juice Newton (Capitol)-11 (7)
8 9 TAINTED LOVE –•– Soft Cell (Sire)-27 (8)
9 11 ONLY THE LONELY –•– The Motels (Capitol)-13 (9)
10 10 CAUGHT UP IN YOU –•– 38 Special (A&M)-12 (10)
11 15 ABRACADABRA –•– The Steve Miller Band (Capitol)-8 (11)
12 16 KEEP THE FIRE BURNIN’ –•– REO Speedwagon (Epic)-6 (12)
13 13 DO I DO –•– Stevie Wonder (Tamla)-8 (13)
14 14 ANY DAY NOW –•– Ronnie Milsap (RCA)-12 (14)
15 26 HARD TO SAY I’M SORRY –•– Chicago (Full Moon)-7 (15)
16 24 EVEN THE NIGHTS ARE BETTER –•– Air Supply (Arista)-6 (16)
17 17 PLAY THE GAME TONIGHT –•– Kansas (Kirshner)-11 (17)
18 18 TAKE ME DOWN –•– Alabama (RCA)-9 (18)
19 20 STILL THEY RIDE –•– Journey (Columbia)-9 (19)
20 25 WASTED ON THE WAY –•– Crosby, Stills and Nash (Atlantic)-4 (20)
